Effect of chronic consumption of almonds on body weight in healthy humans

Small changes of diet may reduce CVD risk. One example is the inclusion of nuts. They are rich in fibre, unsaturated fatty acids and phytonutrients. However, their fat content and energy density raise concerns that chronic consumption will promote weight gain. Randomised intervention studies are required to evaluate whether this concern is well founded. This study's aim was to determine if the inclusion of a 1440 kJ serving of almonds in the daily diet results in positive energy balance, and body composition change. During a 23-week cross-over design study, participants were required to consume almonds for 10 weeks and were provided no advice on how to include them in their diet. For another 10 weeks (order counter-balanced), participants followed their customary diet and there was a 3-week washout between. The study group consisted of twenty women. Potential mechanisms of energy dissipation were measured. Ten weeks of daily almond consumption did not cause a change in body weight. This was predominantly due to compensation for the energy contained in the almonds through reduced food intake from other sources. Moreover, inefficiency in the absorption of energy from almonds was documented (P <0·05). No changes in resting metabolic rate, thermic effect of food or total energy expenditure were noted. A daily 1440 kJ serving of almonds, sufficient to provide beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk factors, may be included in the diet with limited risk of weight gain. Whether this can be generalised to other high-fat energy dense foods warrants evaluation.

Crossover study of diets enriched with virgin olive oil, walnuts or almonds. Effects on lipids and other cardiovascular risk markers

Background and aims: Virgin olive oil (VOO) and nuts are basic components of the Mediterranean diet, a heart-healthy dietary pattern. Nuts have well known cholesterol lowering effects, while evidence is unclear for VOO. We designed a study in hypercholesterolemic patients to assess the effects on serum lipids and other intermediate markers of cardiovascular risk of replacing 40% of the fat in the background diet with VOO, walnuts or almonds. Methods and Results: After a 4 week run-in period with a healthy diet, eligible candidates were randomized into three diet sequences in a crossover design, with a common background diet enriched with VOO, walnuts or almonds, lasting 4 weeks each. Outcomes were changes of serum lipids and oxidation and inflammation markers, measured by standard methods. Plasma fatty acids were determined by gas chromatography to assess compliance. In 18 participants completing the study (9 women, mean age 56 y, BMI 25.7 kg/m(2)), LDL-cholesterol was reduced from baseline by 7.3%, 10.8% and 13.4% after the VOO, walnut and almond diets, respectively (P = 0.001, Friedman test). Total cholesterol and LDL/HDL ratios decreased in parallel. LDL-cholesterol decreases were greater than predicted from dietary fatty acid and cholesterol exchanges among diets. No changes of other lipid fractions, oxidation analytes or inflammatory biomarkers were observed. Plasma fatty acid changes after each diet sequence supported good compliance.

Insect and mite pests of almonds /

Mode of access: Internet.

Ceratocystis canker of prunes, almonds and apricots /

Mode of access: Internet.

Wilkins Hill : on the cusp of meaning

If contemporary artworks are often considered to be puzzles or riddles, then Wilkins Hill take this to a new level. Their recent exhibition Windows impersonating other windows, confronts viewers with an extremely ludic configuration: a spa bath full of almonds, towel racks placed before photos of Martin Heidegger distorted in neat grids, a video of a water tower in a Hamburg park, wooden cut-out speech bubbles and monitors that continuously play interviews with the artists themselves. What does it all mean?

黄土高原水蚀风蚀交错带不同土地利用方式坡面土壤水分特性研究

为分析不同土地利用方式下坡面土壤水分特性的差异和规律,对黄土高原水蚀风蚀交错带典型坡面上农地、林地和草地的土壤水分特性进行了分析。结果表明:(1)苜蓿地土壤的持水能力和供水能力最强,其次是杏树林和长芒草地,谷子地最差;(2)通过土壤水分有效性分析发现,水蚀风蚀交错带田间持水量相当于-0.2×105Pa土壤基质势时的土壤含水量,永久凋萎点则低于-2.0×106Pa土壤基质势对应的土壤含水量;(3)苜蓿地有效水含量最高,谷子地有效水含量最低,而且苜蓿地土壤有效水含量的提高主要是提高了迟效水部分;(4)对不同土地利用方式下的土壤比水容量变化曲线研究表明,土壤比水容量在田间持水量附近随土壤含水量的降低减小的很快,而当土壤水分降低到田间持水量的50%~60%以下时,土壤比水容量基本不变。

Insights into the role of almond CBF transcription factors in the environmental control of cold acclimation and dormancy break

Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D degree in Biology

Enzyme glycation influences product yields during oligosaccharide synthesis by reverse hydrolysis

Possible evidence is presented for Maillard glycation of enzymes during oligosaccharide synthesis by reverse hydrolysis. In 70% (w/v) mannose solutions, 1,2-alpha-mannosidase from Penicillium citrinum lost 40% and alpha-mannosidase from almonds lost 60% activity at 55 degreesC over 2 weeks. Oligosaccharide yields were 15 and 45% respectively. Higher molecular weight glycation adducts were formed in a time-dependent manner as seen by MALDI-TOF. Inhibitors of the Maillard. reaction were able to partially alleviate these effects resulting in reduced loss of enzyme activity and oligosaccharide yield increases of 27-53% relative to the control. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efeito da aplicação de extratos aquosos em couve na alimentação de largatas de Ascia monuste orseis

Os efeitos de extratos aquosos de amêndoas de Azadirachta indica e frutos de Sapindus saponaria, aplicados em discos de folhas de couve (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) nas concentrações de 0,0117% e 1,0342% (p/v), respectivamente, foram estudados sobre a alimentação das lagartas de Ascia monuste orseis. Avaliou-se a atratividade e o consumo de área foliar de lagartas de primeiro e terceiro ínstar durante 24 horas, em condições de laboratório (T = 25 ± 2ºC, UR = 60 ± 10% e fotofase = 12 horas). Nos testes com e sem chance de escolha, para lagartas de primeiro ínstar e teste sem chance de escolha para lagartas de terceiro ínstar, não houve diferença quanto à atratividade das lagartas. No teste com chance de escolha para lagartas de terceiro ínstar, houve menor atratividade das lagartas pelos discos de folhas tratadas com S. saponaria, diferindo da testemunha. No decorrer de 24 horas de avaliações, pode-se observar 58,3% de lagartas atraídas na testemunha, não diferindo de A. indica e diferindo de S. saponaria, com 39,3% e 2,4% das lagartas atraídas, respectivamente. Quanto ao consumo de área foliar, o extrato de S. saponaria diminuiu o consumo de lagartas, em todos os testes realizados. Quando não tinham opção de escolha para se alimentar de folhas sem os extratos, as lagartas consumiram as folhas tratadas nas concentrações testadas, porém em menor quantidade. Os extratos testados neste experimento demonstram ter efeitos sobre a alimentação das lagartas de A. monuste orseis, possivelmente com propriedades deterrentes e/ou supressoras de alimentação.

Repelência e deterrência na oviposição de Bemisia tabaci biótipo B pelo uso de extratos vegetais em Cucurbita pepo L

Bemisia tabaci biótipo B é um dos principais insetos-praga na cultura da abobrinha (Cucurbita pepo L.). O manejo dessa mosca-branca tornou-se grande desafio aos agricultores, uma vez que esta apresenta rápida capacidade de desenvolver resistência a diferentes classes de inseticidas. Como alternativa vem sendo investigado o uso de extratos vegetais com atividades inseticida e/ou insetistática, os quais têm revelado resultados promissores no combate a inseto. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar os possíveis efeitos de sete extratos provenientes de cinco espécies vegetais, Ruta graveolens L. (folhas), Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (folhas + ramos), Trichilia pallida Swartz (ramos), T. pallida (folhas), A. indica (amêndoas), Chenopodium ambrosioides L. (inflorescências + ramos+ folhas) e Mentha pulegium L. (folhas), sobre Bemisia tabaci biótipo B em abobrinha, por meio de testes de repelência e deterrência para oviposição. em teste com chance de escolha, avaliou-se a atratividade e determinou-se o índice de repelência após 6, 24 e 48 horas da aplicação dos extratos. A oviposição foi verificada após a terceira contagem do número de adultos. O extrato à base de folhas de M. pulegium mostrou repelência e deterrência à oviposição de B. tabaci biótipo B, podendo ser recomendado como alternativa para o manejo do inseto.