Beneficial effects of short-term nutritional counselling at the primary health-care level among Brazilian adults

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a low-cost nutritional intervention in changing the lifestyle of adults. DESIGN: Randomised clinical trial. SETTING: Primary health-care centre in S?o José do Rio Preto, S?o Paulo State, Brazil. SUBJECTS: We randomly assigned 104 adults (83 women and 21 men aged 30-65 years, body mass index 24-35 kg m(-2), non-diabetic) into two groups: nutrition counselling and control. Each subject in the intervention group received three individualised nutritional counselling sessions during the first 6 months aimed at increasing intakes of fruits, vegetables and olive oil, reducing saturated fat and improving physical activity. Body composition, biochemical indicators and lifestyle were assessed at baseline and at 6 months and 1 year in both groups. RESULTS: After 6 months of follow-up, body weight, waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total and saturated fat, and dietary energy and cholesterol levels showed a more significant decrease among subjects in the intervention group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the intervention group showed significantly greater improvement in each intervention goal, such as reduced intake of saturated fat and increased intakes of fruits, vegetables, fibre and olive oil (P < 0.05). After 12 months of follow-up, most of the outcomes were maintained. CONCLUSIONS: The low-cost nutritional intervention programme improved serum lipids profile and weight control, and appeared to be feasible for use at a primary health-care centre in a developing country.     

Identifying and selecting for genetic diversity in Papua New Guinea sweetpotato Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. germplasm collected as botanical seed

A total of 141 Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. accessionsderived from botanical seed originally collected from 26 sites in 4 Provinces inPapua New Guinea, a secondary center of genetic diversity for sweetpotato, weregenetically analyzed. Two hundred Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP)markers were identified and utilized in the analysis. Relatedness amongaccessions was estimated by analyzing the AFLP data using the Dice coefficientof similarity and UPGMA methods. The molecular analysis revealed relativelylimited genetic diversity within and between sites. Genotypes collected in agiven region often displayed molecular marker variability similar to thatobserved over the entire sampled area. However, a subset of 14 genotypes derivedfrom seed collected from New Ireland island differed from genotypes collected onNew Guinea island. Estimates of genetic diversity-based similarity valuescalculated from the AFLP data indicated a moderate level of diversity (0.767mean coefficient of similarity) across all plant materials analyzed. Threemethods of selection were evaluated for their efficacy in capturing themolecular marker diversity within the plant materials in the form of a subset.They were random, stratified-random (geographic based), and marker-assistedselection (MAS). MAS was the most efficient. A Maximally Diverse Subset (MDS) of12 genotypes capturing 92% of the molecular marker diversity was identified.     

Control of Neofabraea alba by plant volatile compounds and hot water

Fumigation by plant volatile compounds and hot water treatment were tested in vitro and in vivo for their activity against Neofabraea alba (anamorph Phlyctema vagabunda), the cause of lenticel rot in apple fruit. In vitro trials with volatile compounds showed a consistent inhibition of pathogen growth by carvacrol, trans-cinnamaldehyde, citral and trans-2-hexenal, while (?)-carvone, hexanal, p-anisaldehyde, 2-nonanone and eugenol showed progressively lower inhibition. The greatest inhibition of mycelial growth was demonstrated by carvacrol (effective doses for 50 and 95 inhibition [ED₅₀ and ED₉₅] = 5.9 and 17.0 μL L^?1, respectively; minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] = 36.9 μL L^?1) and of conidial germination by trans-2-hexenal (ED₅₀ and ED₉₅ = 4.1 and 6.9 μL L^?1, respectively; MIC = 9.2 μL L^?1). Hot water showed a complete inhibition of conidial germination in vitro after 10, 2 and 1 min of exposure at 40, 45 and 50 °C, respectively, and a complete inhibition of mycelial growth after 20 min of exposure at 75 °C. Among the volatile compounds tested, only 25 μL L^?1 of carvacrol slightly reduced fungal infection on artificially infected apples (11.4% efficacy). Hot water treatment at 45 °C for 10 min showed high efficacy in the control of lenticel rot on apples. Reduction of infection was 80% in artificially inoculated fruit (cv Golden Delicious) and 90% in naturally infected fruit (cv Pink Lady) after 90 and 135 d of storage, respectively.     

Hydrolyzable tannins with the hexahydroxydiphenoyl unit and the m-depsidic link: HPLC-DAD-MS identification and model synthesis

This study was designed to develop efficient analytical tools for the difficult HPLC-DAD-MS identification of hydrolyzable tannins in natural tissue extracts. Throughout the study of the spectroscopic characteristics of properly synthesized stereodefined standards, it was observed that the UV-vis spectra of compounds with the m-depsidic link showed a characteristic shoulder at 300 nm, consistent with the simple glucogalloyl esters, whereas compounds with the hexahydroxydiphenoyl (HHDP) unit gave a diagnostic fragmentation pattern, caused by a spontaneous lactonization in the mass spectrometer. These observations were confirmed by HPLC-DAD-MS analyses of tannic acid and raspberry extracts, which are rich in hydrolyzable tannins with the m-depsidic link and the HHDP unit, respectively.     

Characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dermanyssus gallinae</Emphasis> (Acarina: Dermanissydae) by sequence analysis of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer regions

In the present work mites previously identified as Dermanyssus gallinae De Geer (Acari, Mesostigmata) using morphological keys were investigated by molecular tools. The complete internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1), 5.8S ribosomal DNA, and ITS2 region of the ribosomal DNA from mites were amplified and sequenced to examine the level of sequence variations and to explore the feasibility of using this region in the identification of this mite. Conserved primers located at the 3’end of 18S and at the 5’start of 28S rRNA genes were used first, and amplified fragments were sequenced. Sequence analyses showed no variation in 5.8S and ITS2 region while slight intraspecific variations involving substitutions as well as deletions concentrated in the ITS1 region. Based on the sequence analyses a nested PCR of the ITS2 region followed by RFLP analyses has been set up in the attempt to provide a rapid molecular diagnostic tool of D. gallinae.     

Interaction between attaching-effacing Escherichia coli O26:K60 and O157:H7 in young lambs

Recent surveys have shown that Escherichia coli O26 is prevalent in ruminants compared with E. coli O157. These serogroups share common colonisation factors and we hypothesised that prior colonisation by E. coli O26 may show reduced colonisation by E. coli O157. To test this hypothesis, strains of E. coli O26:K60 and O157:H7 were tested in competitive in vitro and in vivo studies. Using an established 6-week-old lamb model, an experimental group of lambs was dosed orally with E. coli O26:K60 and then E. coli O157:H7 four days later. The faecal shedding of O26:K60 and O157:H7 organisms from this experimental group was compared with that from animals dosed with either O26:K60 alone or O157:H7 alone. Shedding data indicated that counts for O157:H7 were unaffected by the competition from O26:K60, whereas the O26:K60 counts were lower when competing with O157:H7.     

Identification of genes associated with prophage-like gene transfer agents in the pathogenic intestinal spirochaetes Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, Brachyspira pilosicoli and Brachyspira intermedia

VSH-1 is an unusual prophage-like gene transfer agent (GTA) that has been described in the intestinal spirochaete Brachyspira hyodysenteriae. The GTA does not self-propagate, but it assembles into a virus-like particle and transfers random 7.5kb fragments of host DNA to other B. hyodysenteriae cells. To date the GTA VSH-1 has only been analysed in B. hyodysenteriae strain B204, in which 11 late function genes encoding prophage capsid, tail and lysis elements have been described. The aim of the current study was to look for these 11 genes in the near-complete genomes of B. hyodysenteriae WA1, B. pilosicoli 95/1000 and B. intermedia HB60. All 11 genes were found in the three new strains. The GTA genes in WA1 and 95/1000 were contiguous, whilst some of those in HB60 were not-although in all three strains some gene rearrangements were present. A new predicted open reading frame with potential functional importance was found in a consistent position associated with all four GTAs, located between the genes for head protein Hvp24 and tail protein Hvp53, overlapping with the hvp24 sequence. Differences in the nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequences of the GTA genes in the spirochaete strains were consistent with the overall genetic distances between the strains. Hence the GTAs in the two B. hyodysenteriae strains were considered to be strain specific variants, and were designated GTA/Bh-B204 and GTA/Bh-WA1 respectively. The GTAs in the strains of B. intermedia and B. pilosicoli were designated GTA/Bint-HB60 and GTA/Bp-95/1000 respectively. Further work is required to determine the extent to which these GTAs can transfer host genes between different Brachyspira species and strains.     

Effect of Prepartum Energetic Supplementation on Productive and Reproductive Characteristics, and Metabolic and Hormonal Profiles in Dairy Cows under Grazing Conditions

The effect of cracked corn grain supplementation (3.5 kg/day) during 3 weeks before the expected calving date on milk production and composition, body condition score (BCS), metabolic and hormonal profiles and length of postpartum anoestrus was evaluated in multiparous Holstein dairy cows under grazing conditions (Energy supplemented group, n = 10; Control group, n = 10). Body condition score was weekly recorded during the peripartum period, from days −21 to +35 (parturition = day 0). Non-esterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, cholesterol, urea, insulin, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), leptin, thyroxine (T₄) and 3,3'5-triiodothyroinine (T₃) were weekly determined in plasma from days −21 to +35. The reinitiation of ovarian cyclicity was twice weekly determined by ovarian ultrasonography and confirmed by plasma progesterone concentrations. Cows fed energy concentrate prepartum had higher BCS during the prepartum and postpartum and produced more milk. Non-esterified fatty acids plasma concentrations were significantly higher in the energy group, while cholesterol was higher in the control group. Treated cows had higher levels of plasma insulin, IGF-I and leptin pre-calving. IGF-I, leptin and T₄ were diminished during the early postpartum period in both groups. Insulin levels were also diminished in the control group, but levels remained high in the energy-supplemented group. Treated cows ovulated sooner after parturition than controls. We conclude that Energetic supplementation prepartum in cows under grazing conditions increased milk production and reduced the reinitiation of ovarian activity, consistent with a better EB (BCS), higher prepartum levels of IGF-I, leptin and insulin, and higher insulin levels during early postpartum.