The impact of type of dietary protein, animal versus vegetable, in modifying cardiometabolic risk factors: A position paper from the International Lipid Expert Panel (ILEP)

Proteins play a crucial role in metabolism, in maintaining fluid and acid-base balance and antibody synthesis. Dietary proteins are important nutrients and are classified into: 1) animal proteins (meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy), and, 2) plant proteins (legumes, nuts and soy). Dietary modification is one of the most important lifestyle changes that has been shown to significantly decrease the risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD) by attenuating related risk factors. The CVD burden is reduced by optimum diet through replacement of unprocessed meat with low saturated fat, animal proteins and plant proteins. In view of the available evidence, it has become acceptable to emphasize the role of optimum nutrition to maintain arterial and CV health. Such healthy diets are thought to increase satiety, facilitate weight loss, and improve CV risk. Different studies have compared the benefits of omnivorous and vegetarian diets. Animal protein related risk has been suggested to be greater with red or processed meat over and above poultry, fish and nuts, which carry a lower risk for CVD. In contrast, others have shown no association of red meat intake with CVD. The aim of this expert opinion recommendation was to elucidate the different impact of animal vs vegetable protein on modifying cardiometabolic risk factors. Many observational and interventional studies confirmed that increasing protein intake, especially plant-based proteins and certain animal-based proteins (poultry, fish, unprocessed red meat low in saturated fats and low-fat dairy products) have a positive effect in modifying cardiometabolic risk factors. Red meat intake correlates with increased CVD risk, mainly because of its non-protein ingredients (saturated fats). However, the way red meat is cooked and preserved matters. Thus, it is recommended to substitute red meat with poultry or fish in order to lower CVD risk. Specific amino acids have favourable results in modifying major risk factors for CVD, such as hypertension. Apart from meat, other animal-source proteins, like those found in dairy products (especially whey protein) are inversely correlated to hypertension, obesity and insulin resistance

The impact of type of dietary protein, animal versus vegetable, in modifying cardiometabolic risk factors: A position paper from the International Lipid Expert Panel (ILEP)

Proteins play a crucial role in metabolism, in maintaining fluid and acid-base balance and antibody synthesis. Dietary proteins are important nutrients and are classified into: 1) animal proteins (meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy), and, 2) plant proteins (legumes, nuts and soy). Dietary modification is one of the most important lifestyle changes that has been shown to significantly decrease the risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD) by attenuating related risk factors. The CVD burden is reduced by optimum diet through replacement of unprocessed meat with low saturated fat, animal proteins and plant proteins. In view of the available evidence, it has become acceptable to emphasize the role of optimum nutrition to maintain arterial and CV health. Such healthy diets are thought to increase satiety, facilitate weight loss, and improve CV risk. Different studies have compared the benefits of omnivorous and vegetarian diets. Animal protein related risk has been suggested to be greater with red or processed meat over and above poultry, fish and nuts, which carry a lower risk for CVD. In contrast, others have shown no association of red meat intake with CVD. The aim of this expert opinion recommendation was to elucidate the different impact of animal vs vegetable protein on modifying cardiometabolic risk factors. Many observational and interventional studies confirmed that increasing protein intake, especially plant-based proteins and certain animal- based proteins (poultry, fish, unprocessed red meat low in saturated fats and low-fat dairy products) have a positive effect in modifying cardiometabolic risk factors. Red meat intake correlates with increased CVD risk, mainly because of its non-protein ingredients (saturated fats). However, the way red meat is cooked and preserved matters. Thus, it is recommended to substitute red meat with poultry or fish in order to lower CVD risk. Specific amino acids have favourable results in modifying major risk factors for CVD, such as hypertension. Apart from meat, other animal-source proteins, like those found indairy products (especially whey protein) are inversely correlated to hypertension, obesity and insulin resistance

K2 eller K3 : Motiv till att redovisa enligt K3

Titel: K2 eller K3 : Motiv till att redovisa enligt K3  Författare: Adrian Zhubi och Albert Zhubi  Färdigställt: Våren 2016  Handledare: Eva Berggren Bakgrund: BFN har sedan 2004 gett ut allmänna råd, vilket har medfört att K-projektet skapats där företag delas in i fyra olika kategorier beroende på företagsstorlek. K-projektets vanligaste regelverk är huvudregelverket principbaserade K3 och alternativregelverket regelbaserade K2. Sedan 2015 är det obligatoriskt för samtliga aktiebolag och ekonomiska föreningar att tillämpa ett av dessa två regelverk. Företag bör därmed reflektera över dess verksamhet och intressenter vid val av regelverk. Valet kan ställa krav på att årsredovisningen ska vara relevant för intressenter. Vi vill därför med studien undersöka vilka väsentliga skillnader som förklarar att företag väljer K3 framför K2. Detta utifrån redovisningsrådgivares perspektiv.  Syfte: Syftet med studien är att förklara vilka skillnader som ligger bakom att företag föredrar K3 istället för K2 utifrån redovisningsrådgivares perspektiv.  Problemformulering: Vad anser redovisningsrådgivare förklarar företags val av K3 framför K2?  Metod: Studien består av en kvalitativ ansats. Den empiriska datan består av totalt fem intervjuer, varav en är pilotintervju. Studiens respondenter består av tre revisorer, en redovisningsexpert samt en redovisningsspecialist. Respondenterna har olika erfarenheter och är från olika revisionsbyråer. Resultat: Studien visar att redovisningsrådgivare anser skillnader i materiella, immateriella och finanisella anläggningstillgångar i K2 och K3 gör att företag föredrar K3. Avsättningar, uppskjuten skatt och intressenter är även påverkande faktorer. Samtliga respondenter var eniga om att K2 är enklare att tillämpa då regelverket innehåller handfasta regler för redovisning. K3 ställer större krav på kunskap vid professionell bedömning då regelverket tar hänsyn till en komplex verksamhet med fler företagsintressenter.Title: K2 or K3 : Reasons to account according to K3  Authors: Adrian Zhubi and Albert Zhubi  Published: Spring 2016  Tutor: Eva Berggren  Background: Since 2004 BFN has given accounting standards, which started the K-project that divides companies into four different categories based on company size. The K-project's most common regulations are the main regulation principles-based K3 and the alternative regulation rules-based K2. Since 2015 it became mandatory for all joint-stock companies and economic associations to apply one of these two regulations. Companies should therefore reflect on its business and stakeholders when making a choice of regulation. This requires that the annual report should be relevant to the stakeholders. With the study we therefore want to examine the main differences that explains why companies choose K3 instead of K2 from accounting advisors’ perspective.  Aim: The aim of the study is to describe why companies prefer K3 instead of K2 according to accounting advisors.  Formulation of the problem: What do accounting advisors consider explains the companies’ choice of K3 instead of K2?  Methodology: The study is based on a qualitative approach. The empirical data contains a total of five interviews, one of those is a pilot interview. The study's respondents are three auditors, an accounting expert and an accounting specialist. The respondents have different experiences and are from different accounting firms. Results: The study shows that accounting advisors consider differences in tangible, intangible and financial assets between K2 and K3 makes companies prefer K3. Factors as depositions, deferred taxes and stakeholders also affects the choice. According to the study’s respondents, K2 is easier to apply because the regulation contains robust rules for accounting. K3 require greater knowledge at professional judgement, because the regulation includes companies with a complex business with many stakeholders

Alterations of Epigenetic Mechanisms in post-mortem Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) subjects

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social communication and social interactions as well as repetitive and restrictive behaviors. Recently, there has been increase interest in studying epigenetic mechanisms operative in ASD etiopathogenesis. These mechanisms involve DNA methylation and histone modifications. Several lines of evidence implicate cerebellum as one of the brain areas involved in the pathology of ASD. Furthermore, postmortem cerebellar studies have consistently reported abnormalities in the expression of genes associated with GABAergic neurons, such as glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD1) and 65 (GAD2), as well as genes associated with glutamatergic neurons, such as Reelin (RELN). This project focuses on studying epigenetic mechanisms implicated in the transcriptional regulation of the candidate genes in cerebella of ASD, including the binding of Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2), DNA-methyltransferase 1(DNMT1) and Ten eleven translocator 1(TET 1) to the promoters and gene bodies of GAD1, GAD2 and RELN. For quantification of methylation (5-mC enrichment) and hydroxymethylation (5-hmC enrichment) status of these genes, we performed methyl DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP) and hydroxymethyl DNA immunoprecipitation (hMeDIP) assays. Lastly, Tet assisted bisulfite (TAB) pyrosequencing was utilized to validate findings obtained by MeDIP and hMeDIP measurements. The results showed increased binding of MeCP2 and TET1 to the promoter regions of GAD1 and RELN, but not to the corresponding gene bodies in cerebellar cortex of ASD. In contrast, DNMT1 expression and the level of binding to the promoters or gene body regions of corresponding genes did not change in ASD compared to CON. Finally, we detected enrichment in the level of 5-hmC, but not 5-mC, at the promoters of GAD1 and RELN in ASD when compared with CON. In conclusion, increased expression and binding of TET1 to the promoters of GAD1 and RELN facilitates 5-hmC enrichment, which enhances binding of MeCP2 to the same gene domains and ultimately results in reduced expression of the corresponding target genes in ASD cerebella

Caesarean sections in teaching hospitals: systematic review and meta-analysis of hospitals in 22 countries

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to determine the odds of caesarean section in all births in teaching hospitals as compared with non-teaching hospitals.SettingOver 3600 teaching and non-teaching hospitals in 22 countries. We searched CINAHL, The Cochrane Library, PubMed, sciELO, Scopus and Web of Science from the beginning of records until May 2020.ParticipantsWomen at birth. Over 18.5 million births.InterventionCaesarean section.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary outcome measures are the adjusted OR of caesarean section in a variety of teaching hospital comparisons. The secondary outcome is the crude OR of caesarean section in a variety of teaching hospital comparisons.ResultsIn adjusted analyses, we found that university hospitals have lower odds than non-teaching hospitals (OR=0.66, 95% CI 0.56 to 0.78) and other teaching hospitals (OR=0.46, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.89), and no significant difference with unspecified teaching status hospitals (OR=0.92, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.05, τ2=0.009). Other teaching hospitals had higher odds than non-teaching hospitals (OR=1.23, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.35). Comparison between unspecified teaching hospitals and non-teaching hospitals (OR=0.91, 95% CI 0.50 to 1.65, τ2=1.007) and unspecified hospitals (OR=0.95, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.20), τ2&lt;0.001) showed no significant difference. While the main analysis in larger sized groups of analysed studies reveals no effect between hospitals, subgroup analyses show that teaching hospitals carry out fewer caesarean sections in several countries, for several study populations and population characteristics.ConclusionsWith smaller sample of participants and studies, in clearly defined hospitals categories under comparison, we see that university hospitals have lower odds for caesarean. With larger sample size and number of studies, as well as less clearly defined categories of hospitals, we see no significant difference in the likelihood of caesarean sections between teaching and non-teaching hospitals. Nevertheless, even in groups with no significant effect, teaching hospitals have a lower or higher likelihood of caesarean sections in several analysed subgroups. Therefore, we recommend a more precise examination of forces sustaining these trends.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020158437.</jats:sec

Selective α4β2 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists Target Epigenetic Mechanisms in Cortical GABAergic Neurons

Nicotine improves cognitive performance and attention in both experimental animals and in human subjects, including patients affected by neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the specific molecular mechanisms underlying nicotine-induced behavioral changes remain unclear. We have recently shown in mice that repeated injections of nicotine, which achieve plasma concentrations comparable to those reported in high cigarette smokers, result in an epigenetically induced increase of glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD67) expression. Here we explored the impact of synthetic α4β2 and α7 nAChR agonists on GABAergic epigenetic parameters. Varenicline (VAR), a high-affinity partial agonist at α4β2 and a lower affinity full agonist at α7 neuronal nAChR, injected in doses of 1–5 mg/kg/s.c. twice daily for 5 days, elicited a 30–40% decrease of cortical DNA methyltransferase (DNMT)1 mRNA and an increased expression of GAD67 mRNA and protein. This upregulation of GAD67 was abolished by the nAChR antagonist mecamylamine. Furthermore, the level of MeCP2 binding to GAD67 promoters was significantly reduced following VAR administration. This effect was abolished when VAR was administered with mecamylamine. Similar effects on cortical DNMT1 and GAD67 expression were obtained after administration of A–85380, an agonist that binds to α4β2 but has negligible affinity for α3β4 or α7 subtypes containing nAChR. In contrast, PNU–282987, an agonist of the homomeric α7 nAChR, failed to decrease cortical DNMT1 mRNA or to induce GAD67 expression. The present study suggests that the α4β2 nAChR agonists may be better suited to control the epigenetic alterations of GABAergic neurons in schizophrenia than the α7 nAChR agonists