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PubMed2005

Risk factors for intramammary infections and relationship with somatic-cell counts in Italian dairy goats.

Routine examination of milk was performed on five herds of lactating goats in northern Italy as part of a milk quality-monitoring program in the year 2000. As part of the study, aseptic samples of foremilk were collected monthly from both half udders during the entire lactation for 305 goats, resulting in a total of 4571 samples. The samples were tested with cytological and bacteriological analyses to evaluate the relationship between mammary infections and somatic-cell count (SCC; Fossomatic (TM) method). Prevalence of intramammary infection (IMI) was 40.2% (n = 1837) of all udder-half samples examined. The most-prevalent mastitis agents were coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CNS), 80% (n = 1474 udder-half samples); within this group, Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most-prevalent species (38%). Other prevalence were Staphylococcus aureus 6% (n = 112 udder-half samples) and environmental pathogens 14% of infected udder-half samples (n = 251) with a diverse mixture of species, none of which had a frequency of > 4%. Enterococcus faecalis was the most-frequently isolated among this group. Neither Salmonella spp. nor Listeria monocytogenes were detected. The risk (sample level) of infection differed across herds, parities, and stage of lactation according to results from logistic multiple regression. Infection was more common among goats in third and fourth parities and during the later stages of lactation. Of the 2734 samples from uninfected udder halves, the mean log2 SCC was 3.9 cell/ml; of the 1837 bacteriological positive samples, the mean log2 SCC was 5.6 cell/ml. According to results from a linear mixed model, concentrations of somatic cells tended to increase with increasing age and days in milk and with the presence of bacteria. Infection with S. aureus was associated with the highest SCS.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Bulk milk somatic cell counts and bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) infection in 7252 dairy herds in Brittany (western France).

Variations in test-day bulk milk somatic cell count (BMSCC) according to bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) infection status of the herd were quantified. Infection statuses were defined, based on bulk-milk antibodies measured twice 4 months apart. On each test-day, BMSCC was calculated as the weighted mean of the individual cow-level somatic cell counts. A total of 97,985 test-days in 7252 herds were considered. The effect of the BVDV-infection on BMSCC was assessed using mixed linear models, controlling for herd (random), proportion of primiparous cows and average days in milk on test-day. Considering test-days contemporary to the BVDV-status definition-period, the increase in BMSCC was 12,000 (P<0.001), 27,000 (P<0.001) and 6000 (P=0.97) cells/ml in past-infected recently recovered, past-but-still-infected and recently infected herds respectively, compared with not recently infected herds. A carry-over effect (at least 1 year) of BVDV-infection on BMSCC was also evidenced in past-infected recently recovered, past-but-still-infected and recently infected herds.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Mining of important genetic loci and evaluation of genetic effects for growth traits in Baicheng You Chicken.

The Baicheng You Chicken is a precious indigenous breed in Xinjiang, China, prized for its strong disease and stress resistance and superior meat quality. However, the lack of scientific breeding and conservation has led to poor production performance, particularly in growth traits. In this study, we collected phenotypic and whole-genome resequencing data from 1,535 18-week-old Baicheng You Chickens (180 males and 1,355 females). After stringent quality control (SNP call rate > 95%, minor allele frequency > 1%), we constructed the breed's first comprehensive SNP-based genome-wide variation map, which comprised 2,020,743 high-quality SNPs across the genome. The filtered SNPs had high mapping quality (99.73% mapped to the bGalGal1.mat.broiler.GRCg7b reference genome, Q30 = 93.26%) and a reasonable Ti/Tv ratio (2.596), guaranteeing the reliability of subsequent analyses. We estimated genetic effects (SNP-based heritability and phenotypic variance explained (PVE) by individual loci) via the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) method, and performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using a mixed linear model (MLM) - with sex as a fixed effect and principal components to correct for population stratification - to identify significant loci and their effect sizes (Beta). All eight growth traits showed moderate to high heritability: body weight (BW) had the highest heritability (0.86&#xb1;0.11), while chest width (CW, 0.41&#xb1;0.08) and body slanting length (BSL, 0.43&#xb1;0.09) were the lowest; keel length (KL), chest girth (CG), pelvic width (PW), chest depth (CD) and shank length (SL) had heritabilities of 0.50&#xb1;0.09, 0.46&#xb1;0.09, 0.54&#xb1;0.09, 0.67&#xb1;0.10 and 0.74&#xb1;0.10, respectively. GWAS identified 145 significant SNPs, with a maximum Beta value of 0.39 and PVE ranging from 1.25% to 6.25%. We annotated 22 candidate genes, with TAPT1, IGF2BP1, ADGRB3, LDB2, NCAPG and LCORL as key candidates. These quantifiable genetic markers and effect estimates provide direct targets for marker-assisted selection (MAS) and valuable resources for future genomic selection (GS) programs, offering a practical approach to improve the breed's slow growth while preserving its unique meat quality.

Baicheng You Chicken↗
PubMed2005

Serial respiratory adaptations and an alternate hypothesis of respiratory control in human pregnancy.

This study determined the time course of changes in resting and exercising respiratory responses during the first half of human pregnancy, and examined the potential roles of plasma osmolality and the strong ion difference ([SID]) as mediators of pregnancy-induced increases in ventilation. Healthy active women (n = 11) were studied serially from 7 to 22 weeks gestation. Responses were compared with preconception data from 14 subjects (six of whom were tested in early pregnancy), and with late-gestation resting data from 10 additional women. Resting and exercising measurements included ventilation, PaCO2, progesterone, osmolality and [SID]. Results were analyzed using mixed-model linear regression. By 7 weeks gestation, increased ventilation resulted in a very large decrease in PaCO2 at rest and during moderate-intensity exercise. Large correlations (r > 0.5) between resting progesterone and PaCO2 support the traditional theory that circulating progesterone stimulates ventilation during pregnancy. The similar time course of changes and large correlations between raw and delta values of PaCO2 and each of plasma osmolality and [SID] also suggest that both variables may influence respiratory control at rest and during exercise in the first half of pregnancy. Future experiments should continue to explore the hypothesis that osmolality and [SID] contribute to pregnancy-induced respiratory changes.

Acclimatization↗
PubMed2005

Schizotypal dimensions: continuity between schizophrenia and bipolar disorders.

BACKGROUND: Family studies have suggested that schizophrenia and bipolar disorders share some susceptibility factors. Schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) may be an intermediate phenotype common both to schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. We explored the familiality of schizotypal dimensions by comparing the magnitude of schizotypal dimensions between schizophrenic and bipolar relatives. We also looked for intra-familial resemblance for these dimensions, and for an increased familial risk of schizophrenia and/or bipolar disorders associated with a particular schizotypal dimension. METHODS: We used the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) to study the three schizotypal dimensions (disorganization, negative and positive) in a sample of unaffected first-degree relatives of schizophrenic (N=85), psychotic bipolar (N=63) and bipolar (N=32) probands. Differences between groups were tested using a two-tailed t-test or ANOVA for continuous variables and a chi-squared test for discrete variables. We used the intraclass correlation method to study the intra-familial correlation. Linear mixed models were used to measure the familial risk. RESULTS: The disorganization dimension appears to be common to relatives of both schizophrenia and psychotic bipolar disorders, but not in the relatives of non-psychotic bipolar probands. This dimension also increases the familial risk of these two disorders. The negative dimension shows intra-familial resemblance (R=0.29), we failed to observe the expected familiality for the disorganized dimension. CONCLUSIONS: The shared nature of the disorganization dimension shown by a similar familial risk for schizophrenia and psychotic bipolar disorders suggests that same genetic background may underlie psychotic disorders. Although, negative dimension is familial, it is not associated for an increased familial risk for both disorders.

Bipolar Disorder↗
PubMed2006

The effects of eicosapentaenoic acid in tardive dyskinesia: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Worldwide, conventional antipsychotic medication continues to be used extensively, and tardive dyskinesia (TD) remains a serious complication. The primary objective of the present study was to compare the efficacy of EPA versus placebo in reducing symptoms of TD. METHOD: This was a 12-week, double-blinded, randomized study of ethyl-EPA 2g/day versus placebo as supplemental medication, in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, with established TD. RESULTS: Eighty-four subjects were randomized, of whom 77 were included in the analysis. Both the EPA and placebo groups displayed significant baseline to endpoint improvements in Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale dyskinesia scores, but there were no significant between-group differences (p=0.4). Response rates (>or=30% improvement in TD symptoms) also did not differ significantly between EPA-treated subjects (45%) and placebo-treated subjects (32%) (p=0.6). However, a post-hoc linear mixed model repeated measures analysis of variance indicated an effect for treatment group and duration of TD. The EPA-treated patients had significantly greater mean reductions in dyskinesia scores initially, although this was not sustained beyond 6 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: This trial failed to demonstrate an anti-dyskinetic effect for ethyl-EPA 2g/day on the primary efficacy measure. However, a modest and transient benefit is suggested in patients with more recent onset of TD. The lack of clear-cut efficacy could be explained on the basis of the dose of EPA being too low, the study being underpowered, TD being too chronic in the majority of cases, differences in dietary fatty acid intake, or that EPA lacks an anti-dyskinetic action.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Sexual dysfunction associated with second-generation antipsychotics in outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder: an empirical evaluation of olanzapine, risperidone, and quetiapine.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate sexual dysfunction, as measured by the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX), in olanzapine-, quetiapine-, and risperidone-treated outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. METHOD: The sexual functioning of 238 outpatients (age> or =18 years) with diagnoses of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who took quetiapine (n=57), olanzapine (n=94), or risperidone (n=87) was evaluated with a one-time rating of the ASEX. The dose range for each treatment group was 5 to 40 mg/day (M=16.6 mg/day, SD=7.4) for olanzapine; 1 to 8 mg/day (M=3.9 mg/day, SD=1.6) for risperidone; and 50 to 900 mg/day (M=376.8 mg/day, SD=213.4) for quetiapine. Antipsychotic group designation was based on medication treatment at study entry (i.e., non-random assignment). Participant characteristics were collected to test for treatment group differences and for potential associations with severity of sexual dysfunction. The primary data analysis was a mixed linear model analysis of covariance with age, gender, and presence/absence of antidepressant known to cause sexual dysfunction included as covariates. RESULTS: There was a significant treatment effect on severity of sexual dysfunction, as measured by ASEX total scores (p=.04). The adjusted average ASEX total scores were lower in the quetiapine (M=17.80) than in the risperidone (M=19.69) or olanzapine (M=20.34) groups. Individual comparisons of the treatments on adjusted average ASEX total scores indicated a significant difference between olanzapine and quetiapine (p=.04), but no difference between risperidone and quetiapine (p=.17) or olanzapine and risperidone (p=.76). CONCLUSIONS: Quetiapine was associated with less severe sexual dysfunction than olanzapine and risperidone (albeit the effect between risperidone and quetiapine was not statistically significant). Olanzapine and risperidone were associated with a comparable degree of sexual dysfunction. Patients in all three treatment groups, nonetheless, experienced a moderately high degree of sexual dysfunction. Because the patients were not randomized, conclusions must be interpreted within the context of the quasi-experimental design.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Effect of semen thaw method on conception rate in four large commercial dairy heifer herds.

Semen processed with procedures intended to permit a flexible thaw method is used to breed millions of cows yearly. One method of thawing straws, the "pocket thaw" is used extensively with semen prepared with these procedures. Published field data is lacking for thaw method comparisons with semen processed to permit flexible-thawing. The objective of the present study was to measure the effect of semen thaw method (warm-water or pocket thaw) over all seasons and its interaction with herds, inseminators, straw package size, and sperm number on conception rate in commercial dairy heifer herds using semen processed with procedures historically optimized for success with flexible-thawing. Professional inseminators performed 11,215 services over a 16-month period in four large herds, achieving a 67.6% conception rate. Thaw method was alternated weekly. Thaw effect on conception status, determined by 70 days non-return rate, was estimated by a generalized linear mixed model. Neither thaw method nor number of sperm per straw significantly affected probability of conception (P=0.658 and 0.769, respectively). No interactions of thaw method with herd, sperm number, season, straw size, and straw size by season were detected (P=0.297, 0.526, 0.365, 0.723, and 0.824, respectively). Bull, herd, inseminator within herd, year, season, and straw size affected conception rate (P=0.002, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, and 0.014, respectively). In conclusion, for semen processed with procedures that permit flexible-thawing, thaw method (pocket thaw versus warm-water thaw) did not affect conception rate under commercial conditions and with routine semen handling methods.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Effect of neosporosis on productive and reproductive performance of dairy cattle in Costa Rica.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the effect of neosporosis on productive and reproductive parameters in dairy cows. Cows (n=2743) from 94 farms located in the most important dairy areas in Costa Rica were used in the study. The size of the herds ranged from 32 to 379 females (mean=110, median=125). An indirect ELISA was used to determine the serostatus of the cows towards Neospora caninum. The effect of neosporosis on milk production was analysed by a mixed linear model. In addition, the effects on calving interval (days) and calving to conception interval (days) were analysed by survival analysis. The risk of abortion in relation to N. caninum serostatus was assessed by logistic regression, with herd as a random effect. Overall, 1185 of 2743 cows (43.3%) were seropositive for Neospora. Eighty-nine of 94 (94.7%) farms were classified as Neospora-seropositive. It was estimated that cows seronegative to Neospora produced an additional 84.7L of milk (P=0.6). Serostatus did not have a significant effect on the length of the calving interval in the Cox proportional hazard survival analysis (Hazard ratio=1.2, 95% CI: 0.9, 1.4). The logistic regression model had a weak positive association between serostatus and abortion (OR 1.7, 95% CI: 0.8, 3.9), but did not show a strong association between serostatus and the number of services per conception (OR=0.95, 95% CI: 0.7, 1.3). In conclusion, there were no significant effects of Neospora serostatus on production and reproductive performance in this study.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Evaluating the efficacy of serum haptoglobin concentration as an indicator of respiratory-tract disease in dairy calves.

The serum concentration of haptoglobin (S-Hp) was measured in 833 group-housed dairy calves from nine herds in south-west Sweden once at 24-56 days of age to evaluate the potential of S-Hp as an indicator of clinical respiratory-tract disease (CRD). Presence of disease (treated and non-treated) was assessed clinically by farmers and by a project veterinarian visiting the farms every third week. The median S-Hp of healthy calves was 0.06g/L (80% central range: 0.04-0.23), of calves with diarrhoea within the 10 days before sampling 0.07g/L (80% central range: 0.04-0.63), and of calves with CRD within the 14 days before sampling 0.09g/L (80% central range: 0.04-0.69). Eight different cut-off values were used to define a positive S-Hp analysis result: >0.05, >0.06, >0.07, >0.08, >0.09, >0.10, >0.15 and >0.20g/L. A rectal temperature >39.5 degrees C was denoted as fever. A positive result of five different diagnostic tests for CRD was defined as: (1) a positive S-Hp with fever absent, (2) a positive S-Hp with fever present, (3) either a positive S-Hp or fever, (4) both a positive S-Hp and fever, and (5) fever (regardless of S-Hp). The sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of each test were calculated from regression coefficients of generalized linear mixed models of the binary test results, applying a logit link. Apart from CRD status (within the 14 days before sampling; no or yes), the models included sex (bull or heifer), and for the test based on S-Hp alone, also rectal temperature (fever, no or yes). Confidence intervals (CI) of Se and Sp were estimated by simulation. Based on Se, Sp, and areas under Receiver Operating Characteristics curves, test 3 was considered the best. At optimal performance, giving equal importance to type I and II errors, i.e. at a S-Hp cut-off of 0.15g/L in heifer calves, Se was 0.64 (95% CI 0.50-0.77) and Sp 0.71 (95% CI 0.60-0.80), and at a S-Hp cut-off of 0.08g/L in bulls, Se was 0.52 (95% CI 0.40-0.64) and Sp 0.80 (95% CI 0.74-0.85). The other tests were judged as unsatisfactory indicators of CRD. In heifers, the proportion of CRD-positive calves in the herd was strongly associated with the proportion of test positives (S-Hp or fever; S-HP and fever), suggesting potential as a herd-level indicator.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Parameters describing motion in carotid artery plaques from ultrasound examination: A reproducibility study.

We have previously developed a method for quantifying motion in carotid artery plaques from sequences of ultrasound (US) radiofrequency images. Here, we examine the intraoperator reproducibility of the results. Five independent recordings were made on each of six symptomatic and six asymptomatic patients, and processed off-line into 29 motion parameters, representing motion amplitude, stretch/compression and shear motion. For the statistical analysis, we used a linear mixed model and investigated the parameters for contributions from individual patients, contributions from recordings on each patient and contributions from heart cycles within each recording. The model was valid for seven parameters calculated over the entire heart cycle (four calculated over the systole only), which all showed good reproducibility (intraclass coefficient for variance over all patients rho(alpha) >/= 0.4). Averaging three recordings of two heart cycles each gives acceptable accuracy (normalised variance of patient means lambda < 0.3). This acquisition scheme is reasonable in a clinical situation.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Frequency of wetting is predictive of response to anticholinergic treatment in children with overactive bladder.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the variables relative to the response of oxybutynin treatment in children with daytime urinary incontinence. METHODS: The records of patients seen for voiding problems between 1999 and 2003 were reviewed. Patients taking oxybutynin for 3 months or longer were included in the study. Patients with structural or neurologic bladder abnormalities and those taking oxybutynin at the initial visit were excluded. Age, sex, uroflowmetry findings, postvoid residual urine volume, duration and severity of symptoms before oxybutynin, urinary tract infection history, constipation, and the duration, dosage, and adverse effects of oxybutynin treatment were evaluated. Data were analyzed using Fisher's exact test for categorical variables, the two-sample t test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test for continuous and ordinal variables, and the linear mixed model analysis for uroflow data. RESULTS: Eighty-one patients met the inclusion criteria. After an average follow-up of 1.2 years, 31 (38.3%) were dry, 25 (30.9%) had experienced significant improvement, 19 (23.5%) had experienced slight improvement, and 6 (7.4%) were unchanged. No significant differences were detected between those who became dry and those with little to no improvement with respect to age, sex, duration of symptoms, follow-up, uroflow pattern, postvoid residual urine volume, or bladder capacity. Those children presenting with decreased frequency of wetting episodes were significantly more likely to obtain daytime continence. The most common side effects were constipation (18.5%), dry mouth (17.3%), and flushing (13.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Children with daytime incontinence presenting with the lowest frequency of wetting were most likely to achieve continence. The frequency of wetting should be considered a significant prognostic variable when assessing the results of therapeutic intervention trials.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Aujeszky's disease virus infection patterns in European wild boar.

Evidence of exposure (i.e. seroprevalence) to Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV) is high among wild boars from south-central Spain. This research aims to determine the presence of ADV by molecular detection, and to describe the patterns of ADV infection in wild boars. Tonsils (TN) and trigeminal ganglia (TG) for ADV molecular detection, and sera were collected from wild boars (n=192) in 39 hunting estates from south-central Spain (2004/2005). A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for a fragment of the ADV surface glycoprotein B was performed on collected tissues. Individual status of presence of viral DNA was tested against explanatory variables by means of a Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLIMMIX) analysis. Viral detection prevalence was 30.6+/-6.7%. Although there was an increasing pattern with age and females presented higher prevalences, no statistically significant influence of sex and age was found for viral presence. Molecular testing in TN and TG allowed classifying infection status into (i) ADV negative (in both TN and TG), (ii) only positive in TN, (iii) only positive in TG and (iv) positive in both TN and TG. ADV DNA was statistically more frequently evidenced in TN in females than in males. With the exception of one individual, all wild boars with presence of ADV DNA in TN and TG or only in TG reacted positive in the ELISA. In contrast, animals with only ADV DNA in TN serorreacted positively and negatively. Interestingly, 45% of the PCR positive wild boars (n=59) were seronegative in the serological test, all of them with viral DNA only in TN. Our results provide evidence for latency of ADV in wild boars and stress the fact that antibody detection based tests may fail to detect a proportion of recently infected animals. This is of great concern since current management schemes in our study promote animal translocation for hunting purposes, with the associated risk of under-detecting ADV infected individuals when using serology to screen for ADV infection.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Variant harmonization critically determines polygenic score transferability for lipid traits in Samoan populations.

Dyslipidemia is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in Samoa. Polygenic scores (PGSs) for lipid traits offer promise for improved CVD risk prediction; however, their performance in Pacific Islander populations-comprising only 0.002% of genome-wide association study (GWAS) participants as of 2024-remains unknown. We evaluated the transferability of multi-ancestry PGS for LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TGs), and total cholesterol (TC) in 4,342 Samoan adults across five cohorts spanning 1990-2010. PGSs from Graham et al. and Kanoni et al. multi-ancestry meta-analyses were harmonized with genome-wide imputed genotypes using a Samoan-specific reference panel, and performance was assessed via incremental R2 from linear mixed models with bootstrapped confidence intervals. HDL-C showed the highest performance (incremental R2 5.0%-15.0%), followed by TC (5.0%-10.7%), LDL-C (5.7%-8.6%), and TG (3.5%-7.0%). Critically, meaningful LDL-C performance was achieved only with the genome-wide PRS-CS score (99.6%-99.7% variant matching), while a curated pruning-and-thresholding score achieved &#x223c;9% matching and near-zero performance. These findings establish systematic lipid PGS benchmarks in Samoans, demonstrating meaningful transferability when genome-wide variant coverage is ensured, and highlight variant harmonization as a critical precondition for PGS deployment in underrepresented populations.

Pacific Islanders↗
PubMed2005

The relationship of weight-related perceptions, goals, and behaviors with fruit and vegetable consumption in young adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The effect of dieting and weight-control perceptions, goals, and behaviors on food intake, including fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption, is not completely understood. We examined these associations in 1,755 young adolescents. METHODS: Data from the Teens Eating for Energy and Nutrition at School (TEENS) study were analyzed separately by gender using mixed linear modeling. Surveys completed at the beginning and end of 7th grade asked students to self-report fruit and vegetable consumption, weight-related perceptions, goals, and behaviors, and demographic variables. RESULTS: Underweight boys reported 0.8 fewer F&V servings per day than boys who reported their weight to be 'about right' (P = 0.002), while overweight girls reported 0.7 fewer F&V than girls who reported their weight to be 'about right' (P = 0.005). Boys with weight-related goals consumed significantly more F&V than did boys not wanting to do anything about their weight (P < 0.05). Girls engaging in weight-related behaviors reported 0.7 more F&V than girls who did not engage in weight-related behaviors (P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Because F&V intake is low among all adolescents, population interventions should take place to increase F&V intake. These data support the inclusion of gender-specific intervention components related to weight-related perceptions, goals, and behaviors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Impact of preschool environment upon children's physical activity and sun exposure.

BACKGROUND: The physical qualities of outdoor environments are important to trigger healthy behavior in children. We studied the impact of outdoor environments upon spontaneous physical activity and exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation in 4- to 6-year-old children at 11 preschools in Stockholm county. METHODS: In May-June 2004, pedometry and measurement of UV radiation were carried out on 197 children from 11 preschools in Stockholm county. Outdoor environments differed regarding vegetation, topography, space, and education. Ambient global UV radiation data were collected, free sky, and ground surface assessed. Arrival, in- and outdoor stay, and departure were recorded. For analysis, linear mixed model analysis was applied. RESULTS: In environments with trees, shrubbery, and broken ground, the mean step count/min was 21.5, and mean exposure to UV radiation as fraction of available UV during play outdoors 14.6%. In delimited environments with little vegetation, the mean step count/min was 17.7 and mean exposure fraction to UV radiation 24.3% (P < 0.001, crude). Step/min range was 8.9-30.0 (girls) and 8.8-37.2 (boys), UV radiation exposure range 4-60% (no difference between genders). CONCLUSION: Spacious preschool environments with trees, shrubbery, and broken ground trigger physical activity and yield sun protection in outdoor play. As many children attend preschool, access to such environments is recommended in community architecture.

Child↗
PubMed2002

High-soluble-fiber foods in conjunction with a telephone-based, personalized behavior change support service result in favorable changes in lipids and lifestyles after 7 weeks.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether an intervention of foods high in soluble fiber from psyllium and/or oats plus a telephone-based, personalized behavior change support service improves serum lipids and elicits cholesterol-managing lifestyle changes vs usual care. DESIGN: 7-week randomized, controlled intervention. SUBJECTS/SETTING: 150 moderately hypercholesterolemic men and women, age range 25 to 70 years. INTERVENTION: The intervention group consumed 4 servings/day of high-fiber foods and had weekly telephone conversations with a personal coach who offered support and guidance in making lifestyle changes consistent with the National Cholesterol Education Program's (NCEP) cholesterol-lowering guidelines. The usual care group received a handout describing the NCEP Step-1 diet. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum lipids and lipoproteins and self-reported lifestyle changes. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: For physiologic and dietary changes, mixed linear models for repeated measures were applied. Models were simplified using analysis of covariance where age in years was the covariate. Traditional general linear models were used to assess lifestyle changes. RESULTS: In the intervention group total cholesterol (TC) decreased 5.6%, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol 7.1%, LDL/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio 5.6%, and triglycerides (TG) 14.2% (P<.0167); decreases in TC and LDL were significantly different from the usual care group. In the usual care group TC decreased 1.9%, LDL 1.2%, LDL/HDL 1.9%, and TG 4.4% (all not significant). The intervention group also reported an increase in their knowledge, ability, and confidence to make cholesterol-managing diet and exercise changes compared with the usual care group (P<.05). The intervention group had a greater decrease in energy intake from saturated fat (-1.6%) and increase in soluble fiber intake (7.3%) than the usual care group (P<.05). The intervention group reported an increase in exercise vs the usual care group (P<.05). Both intervention and control groups had a minimal reduction (<1%) in body weight compared with baseline (P<.0167). APPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: A 7-week intervention that includes both functional foods and individualized, interactive support for behavior change could be an effective model for dietitians to use with patients at risk for CVD, pending results of long-term studies.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Trends in the trans-fatty acid composition of the diet in a metropolitan area: the Minnesota Heart Survey.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we examine trends in dietary intake of trans-fatty acids from 1980-1982 to 1995-1997 using data collected as part of the Minnesota Heart Survey (MHS). DESIGN: The MHS is an ongoing observational epidemiologic study among independent cross-sectional probability samples of adults. Twenty-four-hour dietary recalls were collected on a subset of participants. To obtain trans-fatty acid intake estimates, the dietary recall records were recalculated using the University of Minnesota Nutrition Coordinating Center Food and Nutrient Database. Subjects/setting The survey population included noninstitutionalized adults aged 25 to 74 years residing in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN, metropolitan area. Statistical analysis Mean intake estimates were generated for each survey, and a generalized linear mixed model was used to test the null hypothesis of no difference in the age-adjusted sex-specific means between 1980-1982, 1985-1987, 1990-1992, and 1995-1997. RESULTS: Downward trends in dietary intake of trans-fatty acids were found between 1980-1982 and 1995-1997. For example, for men mean intake of total trans-fatty acids declined from 8.3 g per day in 1980-1982 to 6.2 g per day in 1995-1997 (P<.001). Represented as a percentage of energy, similar declines were seen with mean intake of total trans-fatty acids decreasing from 3.0% of total energy in 1980-1982 to 2.2% of total energy in 1995-1997 (P<.001). APPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: It seems that intake of trans-fatty acids is on the decline. Consideration should be given to additional changes in the food supply and consumer food choices that may result in further reduction in consumption of trans-fatty acids.

Adult↗