Prevalence of subclinical mastitis and associated risk factors in smallholder dairy cows in Tanzania

A cross-sectional study was carried out on 200 randomly selected farms in each of the Iringa and Tanga regions of Tanzania to estimate the prevalence and risk factors for subclinical mastitis in dairy cows kept by smallholders. Subclinical mastitis was assessed using the California mastitis test (CMT), and by the bacteriological culture of 1500 milk samples collected from 434 clinically normal cows. The percentages of the cows (and quarters) with subclinical mastitis were 75.9 per cent (46.2 per cent) when assessed by the CMT and 43.8 per cent (24.3 per cent) when assessed by culture. Factors significantly associated with an increased risk of a CMT-positive quarter were Boran breed (odds radio [OR]=3.51), a brought-in cow (rather than homebred) (OR=2.39), peak milk yield, and age. The stripping method of hand milking was associated with a significantly lower prevalence Of CMT-positive quarters (OR=0.51). The CMT-positive cows were more likely to be culture positive (OR=4.51), as were brought-in (OR=2.10) and older cows.

Does genotype and equol-production status affect response to isoflavones? Data from a pan-European study on the effects of isoflavones on cardiovascular risk markers in post-menopausal women

The increase in CVD incidence following the menopause is associated with oestrogen loss. Dietary isoflavones are thought to be cardioprotective via their oestrogenic and oestrogen receptor-independent effects, but evidence to support this role is scarce. Individual variation in response to diet may be considerable and can obscure potential beneficial effects in a sample population; in particular, the response to isoflavone treatment may vary according to genotype and equol-production status. The effects of isoflavone supplementation (50hairspmg/d) on a range of established and novel biomarkers of CVD, including markers of lipid and glucose metabolism and inflammatory biomarkers, have been investigated in a placebo-controlled 2x8-week randomised cross-over study in 117 healthy post-menopausal women. Responsiveness to isoflavone supplementation according to (1) single nucleotide polymorphisms in a range of key CVD genes, including oestrogen receptor (ER) alpha and beta and (2) equol-production status has been examined. Isoflavones supplementation was found to have no effect on markers of lipids and glucose metabolism. Isoflavones improve C-reactive protein concentrations but do not affect other plasma inflammatory markers. There are no differences in response to isoflavones according to equol-production status. However, differences in HDL-cholesterol and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 response to isoflavones v. placebo are evident with specific ER beta genotypes. In conclusion, isoflavones have beneficial effects on C-reactive protein, but not other cardiovascular risk markers. However, specific ER beta gene polymorphic subgroups may benefit from isoflavone supplementation.

Dietary synbiotics reduce cancer risk factors in polypectomized and colon cancer patients

Background: Animal studies suggest that prebiotics and probiotics exert protective effects against tumor development in the colon, but human data supporting this suggestion are weak. Objective: The objective was to verify whether the prebiotic concept (selective interaction with colonic flora of nondigested carbohydrates) as induced by a synbiotic preparation-oligofructose-enriched inulin (SYN1) + Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 (BB12)-is able to reduce the risk of colon cancer in humans. Design: The 12-wk randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a synbiotic food composed of the prebiotic SYN1 and probiotics LGG and BB12 was conducted in 37 colon cancer patients and 43 polypectomized patients. Fecal and blood samples were obtained before, during, and after the intervention, and colorectal biopsy samples were obtained before and after the intervention. The effect of synbiotic consumption on a battery of intermediate biomarkers for colon cancer was examined. Results: Synbiotic intervention resulted in significant changes in fecal flora: Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus increased and Clostridium perfringens decreased. The intervention significantly reduced colorectal proliferation and the capacity of fecal water to induce necrosis in colonic cells and improve epithelial barrier function in polypectomized patients. Genotoxicity assays of colonic biopsy samples indicated a decreased exposure to genotoxins in polypectomized patients at the end of the intervention period. Synbiotic consumption prevented an increased secretion of interleukin 2 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the polypectomized patients and increased the production of interferon gamma in the cancer patients. Conclusions: Several colorectal cancer biomarkers can be altered favorably by synbiotic intervention.

Daily consumption of an aqueous green tea extract supplement does not impair liver function or alter cardiovascular disease risk biomarkers in healthy men

Regular consumption of green tea polyphenols (GTP) is thought to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) but has also been associated with liver toxicity. The present trial aimed to assess the safety and potential CVD health beneficial effects of daily GTP consumption. We conducted a placebo-controlled parallel study to evaluate the chronic effects of GTP on liver function and CVD risk biomarkers in healthy men. Volunteers (treatment: n = 17, BMI 26.7 +/- 3.3 kg/m(2), age 41 +/- 9 y; placebo, n = 16, BMI 25.4 +/- 3.3 kg/m(2), age 40 +/- 10 y) consumed for 3 wk 6 capsules per day (2 before each principal meal) containing green tea extracts (equivalent to 714 mg/d GTP) or placebo. At the beginning and end of the intervention period, we collected blood samples from fasting subjects and measured vascular tone using Laser Doppler lontophoresis. Biomarkers of liver function and CVD risk (including blood pressure, plasma lipids, and asymmetric dimethylarginine) were unaffected by GTP consumption. After treatment, the ratio of total:HDL cholesterol was significantly reduced in participants taking GTP capsules compared with baseline. Endothelial-dependent and -independent vascular reactivity did not significantly differ between treatments. In conclusion, the present data suggests that the daily consumption of high doses of GTP by healthy men for 3 wk is safe but without effects on CVD risk biomarkers other than the total:HDL cholesterol ratio. J. Nutr. 139: 58-62, 2009.

Identification of hepatic molecular mechanisms of action of alpha-tocopherol using global gene expression profile analysis in rats

The recent discovery that vitamin E (VE) regulates gene activity at the transcriptional level indicates that VE may exert part of its biological effects by mechanisms which may be independent of its well-recognised antioxidant function. The objective of this study was the identification of hepatic vitamin E-sensitive genes and examination of the effects of VE on their corresponding biological endpoints. Two groups of male rats were randomly assigned to either a VE-sufficient diet or to a control diet deficient in VE for 290 days. High-density oligonucleotide microarrays comprising over 7000 genes were used to assess the transcriptional response of the liver. Differential gene expression was monitored over a period of 9 months, at four different time-points, and rats were individually profiled. This experimental strategy identified several VE-sensitive genes, which were chronically altered by dietary VE. VE supplementation down-regulated scavenger receptor CD36, coagulation factor IX and 5-alpha-steroid reductase type 1 mRNA levels while hepatic gamma glutamyl-cysteinyl synthetase was significantly up-regulated. Measurement of the corresponding biological endpoints such as activated partial thromboplastin time, plasma dihydrotestosterone and hepatic glutathione substantiated the gene chip data which indicated that dietary VE plays an important role in a range of metabolic processes within the liver. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Eye-tracking for avatar eye-gaze and interactional analysis in immersive collaborative virtual environments

Participants' eye-gaze is generally not captured or represented in immersive collaborative virtual environment (ICVE) systems. We present EyeCVE. which uses mobile eye-trackers to drive the gaze of each participant's virtual avatar, thus supporting remote mutual eye-contact and awareness of others' gaze in a perceptually unfragmented shared virtual workspace. We detail trials in which participants took part in three-way conferences between remote CAVE (TM) systems linked via EyeCVE. Eye-tracking data was recorded and used to evaluate interaction, confirming; the system's support for the use of gaze as a communicational and management resource in multiparty conversational scenarios. We point toward subsequent investigation of eye-tracking in ICVEs for enhanced remote social-interaction and analysis.

Risk accountability in the tender process of contractors in Ghana and UK

The process of how contractors take account of risk when calculating their bids for construction work is investigated based on preliminary investigations and case studies in Ghana and UK. Ghana and UK were chosen, more or less arbitrarily, for the purpose of case studies, and to test the idea that there are systematic differences between the approaches in different places. Clear differences were found in the risk pricing approaches of contractors in the two countries. The difference appeared to emanate from the professional knowledge and competence of the bid team members, company policy, corporate accountability and the business environments in which the contractors operate. Both groups of contractors take account of risk in estimates. However, risk accountability was found to be higher on the agenda in the tender process of UK contractors, documented more systematically, and assessed and managed more rigorously with input from the whole bid team. Risk accountability takes place at three levels of the tender process and is dictated strongly by market forces and company circumstances.