Race and food store availability in an inner-city neighbourhood

BACKGROUND: A growing body of research has shown that disparities in resources, including food stores, exist at the neighbourhood level and the greatest disparities are seen in minority neighbourhoods, the same neighbourhoods at increased risk of obesity and diabetes. Less is known about whether differences in availability of resources by African American or Latino race/ethnicity exist within a single minority community. OBJECTIVE: The present study examined whether census blocks either 75% African American (AA) or 75% Latino (L) are associated with food store availability, as compared with racially mixed (RM) census blocks, in East Harlem, New York. DESIGN/METHODS: A cross-sectional study utilising a walking survey of East Harlem was performed. Food stores were classified into: supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, specialty stores, full-service restaurants and fast-food stores. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-five East Harlem census blocks were examined; 17 were AA, 34 were L and 114 were RM. Of AA census blocks, 100% had neither supermarkets nor grocery stores. AA census blocks were less likely to have convenience stores (prevalence ratio (PR) = 0.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.07-0.86) compared with RM census blocks. In contrast, predominantly L census blocks were more likely to have convenience stores (PR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.20-2.70), specialty food stores (PR = 3.74, 95% CI 2.06-7.15), full-service restaurants (PR = 1.87, 95% CI 1.04-3.38) and fast-food restaurants (PR = 2.14, 95% CI 1.33-3.44) compared with RM census blocks. CONCLUSIONS: We found that inequities in food store availability exist by race/ethnicity in East Harlem, New York. This has implications for racial/ethnic differences in dietary quality, obesity and obesity-related disorders.     

Carotenoid composition of a New Zealand (Evechinus chloroticus) and an Australian (Heliocidaris erythrogramma) sea urchin in relation to gonad colour

Sea urchins are commercially harvested for their edible gonads, also known as roe or uni. Most species, particularly those from the Northern hemisphere are reported to exhibit limited variation in gonad colour, which is proposed to be due to carotenoid pigments. The commercially harvested species from New Zealand, Evechinus chloroticus, and from Australia, Heliocidaris erythrogramma, however, exhibit considerable gonad colour variation, ranging from a culinary desirable light yellow/orange to an undesirable brown. Gonads from E. chloroticus and H. erythrogramma were characterized spectrophotometrically and the carotenoid content extracted and analysed by reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography. The main carotenoid found in the gonads of both species was 9′‐cis‐echinenone, with lower levels of all‐trans‐echinenone, lutein and isozeaxanthin. Carotenoid composition contributed to the yellow/orange colour components of the gonads, but was not correlated with the darker roe coloration observed in some E. chloroticus individuals. Our results highlight important considerations relating sea urchin gonad coloration to carotenoid content and as such will provide useful information for the future aquaculture and processing of these two species.     

Feline mammary adenocarcinoma: tumor size as a prognostic indicator

Mammary carcinomas and adenocarcinomas (MACs) are relatively common tumors in cats. The postexcisional survival period of affected cats is inversely proportional to tumor size, but the reported median survival periods for different tumor size categories is quite variable. This variability diminishes the prognostic value of reported data. In our study, cats with MACs greater than 3 cm in diameter had a 12-month median survival period, whereas those with MACs less than 3 cm in diameter had a 21-month survival period. Survival periods for cats with MACs smaller than 3 cm ranged from 3 to 54 months; therefore, tumor size alone is of limited prognostic value in cats with MACs smaller than 3 cm in diameter. In cats with MACs larger than 3 cm in diameter, tumor size appears to have much higher prognostic relevance, because this study, as well as others, have indicated that cats with MACs greater than 3 cm in diameter have a poor prognosis, with median survival periods ranging from 4 to 12 months.     

Models for heartwater epidemiology: practical implications and suggestions for future research

We present a simple model of the dynamics of heartwater that we use to explore and better understand various aspects of this disease. We adapted the Ross-Macdonald model for malaria epidemiology so that we could consider both host and vector populations, and evaluate the interactions between the two. We then use two more biologically detailed models to examine heartwater epidemiology. The first includes a carrier state and host mortality, and the second includes density dependence. The results from all three models indicate that a stable equilibrium with high disease levels is probably the standard situation for heartwater (R0 between 5.7 and 22.4). More than 80% of cattle become infected with heartwater if only 12% of infected tick bites produce an infection in cattle, if tick burdens are as low as only five ticks per host per day, or if tick lifespans are as short as 7 d. A host recovery rate of 30 d results in over 50% of the cattle becoming infected with heartwater. Our analyses indicate that it is quite difficult to prevent the establishment and maintenance of high levels of heartwater in a herd, thereby supporting previous suggestions that any attempts at controlling this disease through stringent tick control regimens are not warranted.     

Cats and calcium oxalate: strategies for managing lower and upper tract stone disease

PRACTICAL RELEVANCE: Calcium oxalate (CaOx) containing stones are among the most common of the urinary tract stones identified in cats. RISK FACTORS: Risk factors for CaOx stone formation include such things as breed, gender and diet; stress and obesity have also been hypothesized to be risk factors for this disease. MANAGEMENT APPROACH: A tailored, individual management strategy for preventing CaOx stone recurrence is important and should include addressing the diet, environment and any other comorbid conditions present. Increasing the cat's moisture intake is one of the key mechanisms for preventing recurrence. CLINICAL CHALLENGES: CaOx ureterolithiasis has emerged as a difficult and sometimes life-threatening problem for cats. In those cats where stones are found incidentally, periodic monitoring may be required to assess for disease progression. Interventional procedures such as ureteral stent placements are now increasingly being performed for recurrent cases or those with larger stone burdens. Periodic radiographs for more severe cases and frequent client communication can help ensure successful outcomes for cats with lower and upper CaOx stone disease. EVIDENCE BASE: Limited evidence-based studies are published regarding management of feline upper and lower urinary tract CaOx stone disease, making this a difficult condition to manage in some cats. Studies designed to evaluate the relationship to dietary modifications, medical management, stress, obesity and surgical techniques are warranted in cats with upper and lower urinary tract CaOx stones.     

Compensatory feeding during early gestation for sows with a high weight loss after a summer lactation increased piglet birth weight but reduced litter size

Sows mated in summer produce a greater proportion of born-light piglets (<1.1 kg) which contributes to increased carcass fatness in the progeny population. The reasons for the low birth weight of these piglets remain unclear, and there have been few successful mitigation strategies identified. We hypothesized that: 1) the low birth weight of progeny born to sows mated in summer may be associated with weight loss during the previous summer lactation; and 2) increasing early gestation feed allowance for the sows with high lactational weight loss in summer can help weight recovery and improve progeny birth weight. Sows were classified as having either low (av. 1%) or high (av. 7%) lactational weight loss in their summer lactation. All the sows with low lactational weight loss (LLStd) and half of the sows with high lactational weight loss received a standard gestation feeding regime (HLStd) (2.6 kg/d; day 0–30 gestation), whereas the rest of the sows with high lactational weight loss received a compensatory feed allowance (HLComp) (3.5 kg/d; day 0–30 gestation). A comparison of LLStd (n = 75) versus HLStd sows (n = 78) showed that this magnitude of weight loss over summer lactation did not affect the average piglet or litter birth weight, but such results may be influenced by the higher litter size (P = 0.030) observed in LLStd sows. A comparison of HLStd versus HLComp (n = 81) sows showed that the compensatory feeding increased (P = 0.021) weight gain of gestating sows by 6 kg, increased (P = 0.009) average piglet birth weight by 0.12 kg, tended to reduce (P = 0.054) the percentage of born-light piglets from 23.5% to 17.1% but reduced the litter size by 1.4 (P = 0.014). A subgroup of progeny stratified as born-light (0.8–1.1 kg) or -normal (1.3–1.7 kg) from each sow treatment were monitored for growth performance from weaning until 100 kg weight. The growth performance and carcass backfat of progeny were not affected by sow treatments. Born-light progeny had lower feed intake, lower growth rate, higher G:F, and higher carcass backfat than born-normal progeny (all P < 0.05). In summary, compensatory feeding from day 0 to 30 gestation in the sows with high weight loss during summer lactation reduced the percentage of born-light progeny at the cost of a lower litter size, which should improve growth rate and carcass leanness in the progeny population born to sows with high lactational weight loss.