There are currently a record-setting number of forcibly displaced
persons in the world. This number continues to rise as solutions to
alleviate humanitarian catastrophes of large-scale violence and
...displacement continue to fail. The likelihood of the displaced
returning to their homes is becoming increasingly unlikely. In many
cases, their homes have been destroyed as the result of violence.
Why are the homes of certain populations targeted for destruction?
What are the impacts of loss of home upon children, adults,
families, communities, and societies? If having a home is a
fundamental human right, then why is the destruction of home not
viewed as a rights violation and punished accordingly? From
Bureaucracy to Bullets answers these questions and more by
focusing on the violent practice of extreme domicide, or the
intentional destruction of the home, as a central and overlooked
human rights issue.
Background
Different healthy food patterns may modify cardiometabolic risk. We investigated the effects of an isocaloric healthy Nordic diet on insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, blood pressure and ...inflammatory markers in people with metabolic syndrome.
Methods
We conducted a randomized dietary study lasting for 18–24 weeks in individuals with features of metabolic syndrome (mean age 55 years, BMI 31.6 kg m−2, 67% women). Altogether 309 individuals were screened, 200 started the intervention after 4‐week run‐in period, and 96 (proportion of dropouts 7.9%) and 70 individuals (dropouts 27%) completed the study, in the Healthy diet and Control diet groups, respectively. Healthy diet included whole‐grain products, berries, fruits and vegetables, rapeseed oil, three fish meals per week and low‐fat dairy products. An average Nordic diet served as a Control diet. Compliance was monitored by repeated 4‐day food diaries and fatty acid composition of serum phospholipids.
Results
Body weight remained stable, and no significant changes were observed in insulin sensitivity or blood pressure. Significant changes between the groups were found in non‐HDL cholesterol (−0.18, mmol L−1 95% CI −0.35; −0.01, P = 0.04), LDL to HDL cholesterol (−0.15, −0.28; −0.00, P = 0.046) and apolipoprotein B to apolipoprotein A1 ratios (−0.04, −0.07; −0.00, P = 0.025) favouring the Healthy diet. IL‐1 Ra increased during the Control diet (difference −84, −133; −37 ng L−1, P = 0.00053). Intakes of saturated fats (E%, beta estimate 4.28, 0.02; 8.53, P = 0.049) and magnesium (mg, −0.23, −0.41; −0.05, P = 0.012) were associated with IL‐1 Ra.
Conclusions
Healthy Nordic diet improved lipid profile and had a beneficial effect on low‐grade inflammation.
Human plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) is a distinct extracellular selenoenzyme that detoxifies hydroperoxides when
used with GSH in high (mM) non-physiological concentrations. We have ...discovered that NADPH and human thioredoxin reductase
(TR) by itself or with thioredoxin (Trx) are efficient electron donors to this human plasma peroxidase. Incubation of 0.05
microM TR with 0.25 microM GSH-Px, in a system free from GSH, resulted in reduction of t-butyl hydroperoxide. Addition of
Trx, 2.5 and 5 microM, respectively, further increased the rate of the reaction. These data were obtained using an assay measuring
the oxidation of NADPH. A direct assay demonstrated the formation of cumyl alcohol from cumene hydroperoxide in this GSH-independent
peroxidase reaction. Incubation of 0.25 microM GSH-Px with a low concentration of GSH (10 microM), representing the upper
level in plasma, plus excess glutathione reductase and NADPH did not result in any reduction of t-butyl hydroperoxide. However,
after addition of 2.5 microM human glutaredoxin, a linear peroxidase reaction started. The results suggest that extracellular
TR, Trx, or glutaredoxin are reductants for the selenium-dependent peroxidase rather than GSH.
Antioxidative factors in milk Lindmark-Månsson, H; Akesson, B
British journal of nutrition,
11/2000, Letnik:
84, Številka:
S1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Lipid auto-oxidation in milk is affected by a complex interplay of pro- and antioxidants. Several of these compounds are also important nutrients in the human diet and may have other physiological ...effects in the gastrointestinal tract and other tissues. Among antioxidative enzymes superoxide dismutase catalyses the dismutation of superoxide anion to hydrogen peroxide. The degradation of hydrogen peroxide can be catalysed by catalase and the selenoprotein glutathione peroxidase. The latter enzyme can also degrade lipid peroxides. Lactoferrin may have an important role by binding pro-oxidative iron ions. The occurrence of different forms of these antioxidative proteins in milk and available data on their functional role are reviewed. More remains to be learnt of individual compounds and as an example the potential role of seleno compounds in milk is virtually unknown. Antioxidative vitamins in milk can provide an important contribution to the daily dietary intake. Moreover vitamin E and carotenoids act as fat-soluble antioxidants, e.g. in the milk fat globule membrane, which is regarded as a major site of auto-oxidation. Vitamin C is an important water-soluble antioxidant and interacts in a complex manner with iron and fat-soluble antioxidants. The concentrations of these compounds in milk are affected by cow feeding rations and milk storage conditions. Since milk contains a number of antioxidants many reactions are possible and the specific function of each antioxidant cannot easily be defined. There are indications that other compounds may have antioxidative function and measurement of total antioxidative capacity should be a useful tool in evaluating their relative roles.
Milk contains a wide array of compounds with established or putative pro- or anti-oxidant function. The functions of these compounds have been intensively studied. This review focusses on some ...important aspects in this wide field namely the methodology for measurement of the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), the content of TAC and some related compounds in human and animal milks and infant formulas, and the effect of milk intake on antioxidant status in the body and on the activity of dietary flavonoids as studied in vitro and in vivo. Regarding methodology TAC in milk can be measured by spectrophotometric and electrochemical methods and some of their characteristics are reviewed. Milk, whey, high-molecular-weight and low-molecular-weight (LMW) fractions of whey have all been found to have antioxidant capacity using these techniques. The major antioxidant in the LMW fraction has been identified as urate. An extensive literature survey was made regarding data on the antioxidant capacity and related variables of milk obtained from different sources (human milk, infant formulas and animal milk) and subjected to different treatments. Differences in TAC between milks from different sources have been observed but due to the variety of techniques used no clear pattern is evident at present. Another important aspect is the putative effects of the intake of milk products on the antioxidant status of the consumer. A few studies performed in adults and premature infants are reviewed and it is stated that too little information is available to make any firm conclusions in this regard. Finally, a high interest has been devoted to the possible interference of milk with the antioxidant properties of flavonoid-rich food like tea. Most in vitro studies show an inhibition by milk on tea flavonoid activity whereas the results from the corresponding in vivo studies are equivocal. Our general conclusion is that several compounds in various milk fractions contribute to the antioxidant capacity of milk and that much further work is needed to unravel the complex interactions among the pro- and antioxidants, and their putative health effects on the consumer.
Few studies have used biomarkers of whole-grain intake to study its relation to glucose metabolism. We aimed to investigate the association between plasma alkylresorcinols (AR), a biomarker of ...whole-grain rye and wheat intake, and glucose metabolism in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS).
Participants were 30-65 years of age, with body mass index 27-40 kg/m(2) and had MetS without diabetes. Individuals were recruited through six centers in the Nordic countries and randomized to a healthy Nordic diet (ND, n=96), rich in whole-grain rye and wheat, or a control diet (n=70), for 18-24 weeks. In addition, associations between total plasma AR concentration and C17:0/C21:0 homolog ratio as an indication of the relative whole-grain rye intake, and glucose metabolism measures from oral glucose tolerance tests were investigated in pooled (ND+control) regression analyses at 18/24 weeks.
ND did not improve glucose metabolism compared with control diet, but the AR C17:0/C21:0 ratio was inversely associated with fasting insulin concentrations (P=0.002) and positively associated with the insulin sensitivity indices Matsuda ISI (P=0.026) and disposition index (P=0.022) in pooled analyses at 18/24 weeks, even after adjustment for confounders. The AR C17:0/C21:0 ratio was not significantly associated with insulin secretion indices. Total plasma AR concentration was not related to fasting plasma glucose or fasting insulin at 18/24 weeks.
The AR C17:0/C21:0 ratio, an indicator of relative whole-grain rye intake, is associated with increased insulin sensitivity in a population with MetS.
A well-illustrated and comprehensive account of various aspects of local buckling in bridges, this book covers the theory and background of buckling, presenting simple design calculations which ...address this intriguing phenomenon. Attempts to master the process of buckling are described, citing both successes and failures. A number of failure case studies are presented, including five bridge collapses which occurred in a four-year-period between 1969 and 1973. Examining such failures provides valuable information about the phenomenon of buckling. The final section of this book presents easy-to-follow design examples which conform to the latest Eurocode.
Annelids of the genus Ophryotrocha are small opportunistic worms commonly found in polluted and nutrient-rich habitats such as harbors. Within this small group of about 40 described taxa a large ...variety of reproductive strategies are found, ranging from gonochoristic broadcast spawners to sequential hermaphroditic brooders. Many of the species have a short generation time and are easily maintained as laboratory cultures. Thus they have become a popular system for exploring a variety of biological questions including developmental genetics, ethology, and sexual selection. Despite considerable behavioral, reproductive, and karyological studies, a phylogenetic framework is lacking because most taxa are morphologically similar. In this study we use 16S mitochondrial gene sequence data to infer the phylogeny of Ophryotrocha strains commonly used in the laboratory. The resulting mtDNA topologies are generally well resolved and support a genetic split between hermaphroditic and gonochoristic species. Although the ancestral state could not be unambiguously identified, a change in reproductive strategy (i.e., hermaphroditism and gonochorism) occurred once within Ophryotrocha. Additionally, we show that sequential hermaphroditism evolved from a simultaneous hermaphroditic ancestor, and that characters previously used in phylogenetic reconstruction (i.e., jaw morphology and shape of egg mass) are homoplasic within the group.
The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of bovine milk, whey, and low-molecular-weight (LMW) fractions of whey was investigated using spectrophotometric methods including an ABTS-based method (reduction ...of the cation radical of 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylenebenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) and a FRAP method (reduction of Fe
3+). Significant antioxidant capacity in milk and whey was demonstrated by the ABTS method (TAC(ABTS)), and it apparently increased with increasing pH. TAC (ABTS) was several-fold higher in milk than in whey, which had a slightly higher TAC than a LMW fraction prepared from it. Also the FRAP method could be used to demonstrate TAC in whey, although the low pH necessary for this method led to some protein precipitation. Most of the ferric-reducing activity of whey was found in the LMW fraction. The TAC values obtained using these methods were also compared to those obtained using a newly developed flow-injection amperometric (FIAmp) procedure for LMW fractions. High correlations were found for the TAC values of LMW samples obtained by the ABTS, FRAP and FIAmp methods (
R
2>0.8,
P<0.001). Furthermore, to identify the major antioxidants in the LMW fraction, it was treated by uricase. Since most of the TAC (using ABTS, FRAP and FIAmp methods) was removed by uricase treatment, it could be concluded that urate is the major antioxidant in the LMW fraction. Also the effect of heat treatment on TAC in milk and whey was monitored. After heating of whey at 63°C for 1
h, TAC(ABTS) tended to increase by at least 20%, while TAC(FRAP) was not significantly changed. In milk, TAC(ABTS) remained constant during the same heat treatment. It is concluded that the methods tested gave the most reliable results for the LMW fraction of whey and that the use of several methods is necessary to characterise the antioxidant capacity of milk.
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