Association of vitamin D status with arterial blood pressure and hypertension risk: a mendelian randomisation study

BACKGROUND: Low plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentration is associated with high arterial blood pressure and hypertension risk, but whether this association is causal is unknown. We used a mendelian randomisation approach to test whether 25(OH)D concentration is causally associated with blood pressure and hypertension risk. METHODS: In this mendelian randomisation study, we generated an allele score (25[OH]D synthesis score) based on variants of genes that affect 25(OH)D synthesis or substrate availability (CYP2R1 and DHCR7), which we used as a proxy for 25(OH)D concentration. We meta-analysed data for up to 108 173 individuals from 35 studies in the D-CarDia collaboration to investigate associations between the allele score and blood pressure measurements. We complemented these analyses with previously published summary statistics from the International Consortium on Blood Pressure (ICBP), the Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology (CHARGE) consortium, and the Global Blood Pressure Genetics (Global BPGen) consortium. FINDINGS: In phenotypic analyses (up to n=49 363), increased 25(OH)D concentration was associated with decreased systolic blood pressure (β per 10% increase, -0·12 mm Hg, 95% CI -0·20 to -0·04; p=0·003) and reduced odds of hypertension (odds ratio [OR] 0·98, 95% CI 0·97-0·99; p=0·0003), but not with decreased diastolic blood pressure (β per 10% increase, -0·02 mm Hg, -0·08 to 0·03; p=0·37). In meta-analyses in which we combined data from D-CarDia and the ICBP (n=146 581, after exclusion of overlapping studies), each 25(OH)D-increasing allele of the synthesis score was associated with a change of -0·10 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure (-0·21 to -0·0001; p=0·0498) and a change of -0·08 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure (-0·15 to -0·02; p=0·01). When D-CarDia and consortia data for hypertension were meta-analysed together (n=142 255), the synthesis score was associated with a reduced odds of hypertension (OR per allele, 0·98, 0·96-0·99; p=0·001). In instrumental variable analysis, each 10% increase in genetically instrumented 25(OH)D concentration was associated with a change of -0·29 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure (-0·52 to -0·07; p=0·01), a change of -0·37 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure (-0·73 to 0·003; p=0·052), and an 8·1% decreased odds of hypertension (OR 0·92, 0·87-0·97; p=0·002). INTERPRETATION: Increased plasma concentrations of 25(OH)D might reduce the risk of hypertension. This finding warrants further investigation in an independent, similarly powered study.

High prevalence of undernutrition and low dietary diversity in institutionalised elderly living in Sri Lanka

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial and not-for-profit sectors. The authors wish to thank the participants, administrators and caregivers of the homes for elders for their enthusiastic cooperation and also the Nutrition Research Team of the Department of Applied Nutrition, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, for their valuable assistance during the course of the study. The authors also wish to thank Mr. S. Rahanan for coordination and the assistance given in data collection especially in Tamil speaking participants. K.M.R designed and managed the study, interpreted the data and drafted the manuscript. M.P.P.M contributed to the data collection, data analysis and coordination of the study. M.W, K.G.J and J.A.L assisted in data interpretation and critical revision of the manuscript. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest of any kind involved in this study or this publication. Ethical clearance for this study was obtained from the Ethical Review Committee of the Sri Lanka Medical Association (ERC/13-037).

Risk-taking and inhibitory control in behaviourally inhibited and disinhibited preschool children

The temperament style Behavioural Inhibition (BI) has been implicated as a risk factor for the development of internalising disorders such as anxiety. Of interest is what factors influence the developmental trajectories of both inhibited and disinhibited children and the development of psychopathology. One such factor is risk-taking behaviour. Using the computer based Balloon Analogue Risk Task, we assessed risk taking behaviour in behaviourally inhibited (n = 27) and behaviourally disinhibited (n = 43) children. This is the first study to examine the relationship between BI, executive functioning and risk-taking. The results indicated Behavioural Inhibition was not related to risk-taking but that inhibitory control predicted reward focused results. These findings illustrate how inhibitory control affects risk-taking and risk avoidance in both inhibited and disinhibited children.

Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae–bacteriophage combination from the caecal effluent of a healthy woman

A sample of caecal effluent was obtained from a female patient who had undergone a routine colonoscopic examination. Bacteria were isolated anaerobically from the sample, and screened against the remaining filtered caecal effluent in an attempt to isolate bacteriophages (phages). A lytic phage, named KLPN1, was isolated on a strain identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae (capsular type K2, rmpA+). This Siphoviridae phage presents a rosette-like tail tip and exhibits depolymerase activity, as demonstrated by the formation of plaque-surrounding haloes that increased in size over the course of incubation. When screened against a panel of clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae, phage KLPN1 was shown to infect and lyse capsular type K2 strains, though it did not exhibit depolymerase activity on such hosts. The genome of KLPN1 was determined to be 49,037 bp (50.53 %GC) in length, encompassing 73 predicted ORFs, of which 23 represented genes associated with structure, host recognition, packaging, DNA replication and cell lysis. On the basis of sequence analyses, phages KLPN1 (GenBank: KR262148) and 1513 (a member of the family Siphoviridae, GenBank: KP658157) were found to be two new members of the genus “Kp36likevirus”.

Temperature regulation of extracellular proteases in ectomycorrhizal fungi (Hebeloma spp.) grown in axenic culture

Strains of Hebeloma representative of different climatic zones were grown in axenic culture at either 2 °C and 22° or 6° and 22°. Culture filtrates were assayed for proteolytic activity using FITC labelled BSA as a substrate. Assays were run between 0–37°. Growth at low temperature induced greater proteolytic activity (g−1 D.W. mycelium). Many of the strains produced protease(s) which retained significant activity at temperatures as low as 0°, and a thermal optimum between 0–6° with a second optimum at higher temperature. The results are discussed in relation the nutrient acquisition potential of ectomycorrhizal fungi at low temperature and the contribution such cold active proteases might make to the soil enzyme pool.

Risk-taking for others under accountability

We let subjects take risky decisions that affect themselves and a passive recipient. Adding a requirement to justify their choices significantly reduces loss aversion. This indicates that such an accountability mechanism may be effective at debiasing loss aversion in agency relations.

Analysis of dietary pattern impact on weight status for personalised nutrition through on-line advice: the Food4Me Spanish cohort

Obesity prevalence is increasing. The management of this condition requires a detailed analysis of the global risk factors in order to develop personalised advice. This study is aimed to identify current dietary patterns and habits in Spanish population interested in personalised nutrition and investigate associations with weight status. Self-reported dietary and anthropometrical data from the Spanish participants in the Food4Me study, were used in a multidimensional exploratory analysis to define specific dietary profiles. Two opposing factors were obtained according to food groups’ intake: Factor 1 characterised by a more frequent consumption of traditionally considered unhealthy foods; and Factor 2, where the consumption of “Mediterranean diet” foods was prevalent. Factor 1 showed a direct relationship with BMI (β = 0.226; r2 = 0.259; p < 0.001), while the association with Factor 2 was inverse (β = −0.037; r2 = 0.230; p = 0.348). A total of four categories were defined (Prudent, Healthy, Western, and Compensatory) through classification of the sample in higher or lower adherence to each factor and combining the possibilities. Western and Compensatory dietary patterns, which were characterized by high-density foods consumption, showed positive associations with overweight prevalence. Further analysis showed that prevention of overweight must focus on limiting the intake of known deleterious foods rather than exclusively enhance healthy products.

Separation of natural colorants from the fermented broth of filamentous fungi using colloidal gas aphrons

There is a worldwide interest in the development of processes for producing colorants from natural sources. Microorganisms provide an alternative source of natural colorants produced by cultivation technology and extracted from the fermented broth. The aim of the present work was to study the recovery of red colorants from the fermented broth of Talaromyces amestolkiae using the technique of colloidal gas aphrons (CGA) comprising surfactant-stabilized microbubbles. Preliminary experiments were performed to evaluate the red colorants’ solubility in different organic solvents, octanol/water partitioning, and their stability in surfactant solutions, namely hexadecyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and polyoxyethylenesorbitan monolaurate (Tween 20), which are cationic, anionic and nonionic surfactants, respectively. The first recovery experiments were carried out using CGA generated by these surfactants at different volumetric ratios (VR, 3–18). Subsequently, two different approaches to generate CGA were investigated at VR values of 6 and 12: the first involved the use of CTAB at pH 6.9–10.0, and the second involved the use of Tween 20 using red colorants partially dissolved in ethanol and Tween 20. The characterization results showed that red colorants have a hydrophilic nature. The highest recoveries were obtained with Tween 20 (78%) and CTAB (70%). These results demonstrated that the recovery of the colorants was driven by both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. The VR was found to be an important operating parameter and at VR 12 with CTAB (at pH 9) maximum recovery, partitioning coefficient (K = 5.39) and selectivity in relation to protein and sugar (SP = 3.75 and SS = 7.20 respectively) were achieved. Furthermore, with Tween 20, the separation was driven mainly by hydrophobic interactions. Overall CGA show promise for the recovery of red colorants from a fermented broth. Although better results were obtained with CTAB than with Tween 20 the latter may be more suitable for some application due to its lower toxicity.

Impact of lipoprotein lipase gene polymorphism, S447X, on postprandial triacylglycerol and glucose response to sequential meal ingestion

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is a key rate-limiting enzyme for the hydrolysis of triacylglycerol (TAG) in chylomicrons and very low-density lipoprotein. Given that postprandial assessment of lipoprotein metabolism may provide a more physiological perspective of disturbances in lipoprotein homeostasis compared to assessment in the fasting state, we have investigated the influence of two commonly studied LPL polymorphisms (rs320, HindIII; rs328, S447X) on postprandial lipaemia, in 261 participants using a standard sequential meal challenge. S447 homozygotes had lower fasting HDL-C (p = 0.015) and a trend for higher fasting TAG (p = 0.057) concentrations relative to the 447X allele carriers. In the postprandial state, there was an association of the S447X polymorphism with postprandial TAG and glucose, where S447 homozygotes had 12% higher TAG area under the curve (AUC) (p = 0.037), 8.4% higher glucose-AUC (p = 0.006) and 22% higher glucose-incremental area under the curve (IAUC) (p = 0.042). A significant gene–gender interaction was observed for fasting TAG (p = 0.004), TAG-AUC (Pinteraction = 0.004) and TAG-IAUC (Pinteraction = 0.016), where associations were only evident in men. In conclusion, our study provides novel findings of an effect of LPL S447X polymorphism on the postprandial glucose and gender-specific impact of the polymorphism on fasting and postprandial TAG concentrations in response to sequential meal challenge in healthy participants

Survey of aflatoxin M1 in cheese from the North-east region of Sao Paulo, Brazil

In the present study, 24 samples of Minas Frescal cheese and 24 samples of Minas Padrao cheese produced in the North-east region of the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, were analysed for aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) between March and August 2008. AFM1 was detected in 13 (27.1%) samples at concentrations ranging from 0.037 to 0.313 ng g-1. The mean concentrations of AFM1 in positive samples of Minas Frescal and Minas Padrao cheese were 0.142 +/- 0.118 and 0.118 +/- 0.054 ng g-1, respectively. It is concluded that the incidence of AFM1 in Minas cheese may contribute to an increase in the overall ingestion of aflatoxins in the diet, hence indicating the need for the adoption of a tolerance limit for AFM1 in cheese in Brazil.

Effect of monensin on mineral balance in growing ruminants reared under different environmental temperatures

To test the effect of monensin on the mineral balance of growing cattle under different environmental temperatures, 24 male steers were assigned in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement, contrasting 0 and 85 mg monensin/animal per day at 24.3 and 33.2 degrees C (environmental temperatures). Monensin effect was directly modulated by the environmental temperature: it increased apparent retentions of P (P=0.066), Na (P=0.005) and K (P=0.003), at the higher temperature and decreased these apparent retentions at the lower temperature, as compared with non-supplemented animals. Monensin increased fecal Ca (P=0.037), and urinary P (P=0.002), Na (P=0.003), K (P=0.014), Mg (P=0.051) and Zn (P=0.091), with higher concentrations of these minerals in animals held at 24.3 degrees C and lower concentrations in those at 33.2 degrees C, as compared with non-supplemented animals. Monensin decreased serum Mg (P=0.001) and increased serum Zn (P=0.071) in animals at 33.2 degrees C and increased serum Mg and decreased serum Zn at 24.3 degrees C. Irrespective of temperature, monensin increased both apparent absorption (P=0.058) and apparent retention (P=0.093) of P, and also urine Cu (P=0.085). Environmental temperature modulated monensin effects on mineral balance. Monensin increased apparent retention of several minerals in animals under heat stress. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluating microfossil content of dental calculus from Brazilian sambaquis

To date, limited numbers of dental calculus samples have been analyzed by researchers in diverse parts of the world. The combined analyses of these have provided some general guidelines for the analysis of calculus that is non-destructive to archaeological teeth. There is still a need for a quantitative study of large numbers of calculus samples to establish protocols, assess the level of contamination, evaluate the quantity of microfossils in dental calculus, and to compare analysis results with the literature concerning the biology of calculus formation. We analyzed dental calculus from 53 teeth from four Brazilian sambaquis. Sambaquis are the shell-mounds that were established prehistorically along the Brazilian coast. The analysis of sambaqui dental calculi shows that there are relatively high concentrations of microfossils (phytoliths and starch), mineral fragments, and charcoal in dental calculus. Mineral fragments and charcoal are possibly contaminants. The largest dental calculi have the lowest concentrations of microfossils. Biologically, this is explained by individual variation in calculus formation between people. Importantly, starch is ubiquitous in dental calculus. The starch and phytoliths show that certainly Dioscorea (yam) and Araucaria angustifolia (Parana pine) were eaten by sambaqui people. Araceae (arum family), Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato) and Zea mays (maize) were probably in their diet. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) in the Development of Exercise-Induced Skeletal Muscle Fatigue and Changes in Biochemical Markers Related to Postexercise Recovery

STUDY DESIGN: Randomized crossover double-blinded placebo-controlled trial. OBJECTIVE: To investigate if low-level laser therapy (LLLT) can affect biceps muscle performance, fatigue development, and biochemical markers of postexercise recovery. BACKGROUND: Cell and animal studies have suggested that LLLT can reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in muscle tissue. But it remains uncertain whether these findings can translate into humans in sport and exercise situations. METHODS: Nine healthy male volleyball players participated in the study. They received either active LLLT (cluster probe with 5 laser diodes; A = 810 nm; 200 mW power output; 30 seconds of irradiation, applied in 2 locations over the biceps of the nondominant arm; 60 J of total energy) or placebo LLLT using an identical cluster probe. The intervention or placebo were applied 3 minutes before the performance of exercise. All subjects performed voluntary elbow flexion repetitions with a workload of 75% of their maximal voluntary contraction force until exhaustion. RESULTS: Active LLLT increased the number of repetitions by 14.5% (mean +/- SD, 39.6 +/- 4.3 versus 34.6 +/- 5.6; P = .037) and the elapsed time before exhaustion by 8.0% (P = .034), when compared to the placebo treatment. The biochemical markers also indicated that recovery may be positively affected by LLLT, as indicated by postexercise blood lactate levels (P<.01), creatine kinase activity (P = .017), and C-reactive protein levels (P = .047), showing a faster recovery with LLLT application prior to the exercise. CONCLUSION: We conclude that pre-exercise irradiation of the biceps with an LLLT dose of 6 J per application location, applied in 2 locations, increased endurance for repeated elbow flexion against resistance and decreased postexercise levels of blood lactate, creatine kinase, and C-reactive protein. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Performance enhancement, level 1b. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2010;40(8):524-532. doi:10.2519/jospt.2010.3294

Existence of pullback attractors for pullback asymptotically compact processes

This paper is concerned with the existence of pullback attractors for evolution processes. Our aim is to provide results that extend the following results for autonomous evolution processes (semigroups) (i) An autonomous evolution process which is bounded, dissipative and asymptotically compact has a global attractor. (ii) An autonomous evolution process which is bounded, point dissipative and asymptotically compact has a global attractor. The extension of such results requires the introduction of new concepts and brings up some important differences between the asymptotic properties of autonomous and non-autonomous evolution processes. An application to damped wave problem with non-autonomous damping is considered. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.