The development and the impact of Organic Farming Policy in the European Regions (1998-2003)

This paper summarises the findings of WP 1.3 and WP 2 of the EU-CEEOFP project. Specifically, it presents the results of the analysis of the development and impact of Organic Farming Policy at the regional level in the EU-15

Risk factors for infection with Giardia duodenalis in pre-school children in the city of Salvador, Brazil.

A cross-sectional study of 694 children aged 2 to 45 months selected from 30 clusters throughout the city of Salvador, Bahia (pop. 2.3 million) was carried out as part of a longitudinal study of diarrhoea in order to identify risk factors for infection with Giardia duodenalis. Variables studied included three social and demographic factors (such as mother's education and marital status), five relating to the peri-domestic environment (rubbish disposal, open sewers, paving of the street), seven relating to the home itself (house construction, susceptibility to flooding, water supply and sanitation) as well as a score for hygiene behaviour based on structured observation. After multivariate analysis using a hierarchical model, only four significant risk factors were found: (a) number of children in the household under five years (b) rubbish not collected from the house (c) presence of visible sewage nearby, and (d) absence of a toilet. All four were significant at the 1% level

Lifestyle factors and ovarian cancer outcomes

Purpose: Few studies have reported on the lifestyle characteristics of ovarian cancer survivors. The objectives of this study were to characterize the associations between physical activity (PA) and body size (BS) with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and ovarian cancer recurrence in a sample of regional and distal stage ovarian cancer survivors. Methods: Epithelial ovarian cancer survivors in their first clinical remission, with no evidence of recurrent disease were identified from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center tumor registry. A total of 51 survivors consented to participate in a battery of self-reported questionnaires. Trained staff collected data on anthropometric and recurrence data were collected from the tumor registry. Generalized linear models were used to assess the relationship between PA, BS, and HRQOL. Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the associations between PA, BS, and recurrence-free survival. Results: Most (59%) women were overweight or obese (BMI \u3c 25 kg/m2) , 49% met current guidelines for PA (150 minutes of moderate to vigorous PA/week), and 29% displayed characteristics of abdominal obesity (\u3e88 centimeters). Women who were not obese reported significantly higher (better) overall HRQOL (point difference = 10.8, P \u3c 0.05) and mental health (point difference = 12.4, P \u3c 0.05) scores than women who were obese. Elevated waist circumference and physical activity were not significantly associated with HRQOL outcomes and we did not find any associations between lifestyle behaviors and recurrence free survival (all P \u3e 0.05). Conclusions: Ovarian cancer survivors with characteristics of overall and abdominal obesity may be at risk for deficits in HRQOL and could benefit from interventions designed to reduce weight. More research is needed to determine whether meeting guidelines for physical activity is associated with improvements in health outcomes this population

Selection bias: neighbourhood controls and controls selected from those presenting to a Health Unit in a case control study of efficacy of BCG revaccination.

BACKGROUND: In most case control studies the hardest decision is the choice of the control group, as in the ideal control group the proportion exposed is the same as in the population that produced the cases. METHODS: A comparison of two control groups in a case control study of the efficacy of BCG revaccination. One group was selected from subjects presenting to the heath unit the case attended for routine prevention and care; the second group was selected from the neighbourhood of cases. All Health Units from which controls were selected offered BCG revaccination. Efficacy estimated in a randomized control trial of BCG revaccination was used to establish that the neighbourhood control group was the one that gave unbiased results. RESULTS: The proportion of controls with scars indicating BCG revaccination was higher among the control group selected from Health Unit attenders than among neighbourhood controls. This excess was not removed after control for social variables and history of exposure to tuberculosis, and appears to have resulted from the fact that people attending the Health Unit were more likely to have been revaccinated than neighbourhood controls, although we can not exclude an effect of other unmeasured variables. CONCLUSION: In this study, controls selected from people presenting to a Health Unit overrepresented exposure to BCG revaccination. Had the results from the HU attenders control group been accepted this would have resulted in overestimation of vaccine efficacy. When the exposure of interest is offered in a health facility, selection of controls from attenders at the facility may result in over representation of exposure in controls and selection bias

Hybridization between wild and cultivated potato species in the Peruvian Andes and biosafety implications for deployment of GM potatoes

The nature and extent of past and current hybridization between cultivated potato and wild relatives in nature is of interest to crop evolutionists, taxonomists, breeders and recently to molecular biologists because of the possibilities of inverse gene flow in the deployment of genetically-modified (GM) crops. This research proves that natural hybridization occurs in areas of potato diversity in the Andes, the possibilities for survival of these new hybrids, and shows a possible way forward in case of GM potatoes should prove advantageous in such areas

Komposisi Tubuh dan Kesegaran Kardiovaskuler yang Diukur dengan Harvard Step Test dan 20m Shuttle Run Test pada Anak Obesitas

Body composition and cardiovascular fitness measured by Harvard step test and 20m shuttle run test in obese childrenBackground: One of the impacts of obesity are physical and cardiovascular problems. Harvard step test and 20m shuttle run test can be used to measure cardiovascular fitness. Objective of this research is to determine the association between body composition with cardiovascular fitness in obese children measured by Harvard step test (HST) and 20m shuttle run test (SRT).Method: Cross sectional study was conducted to 31 students of Bernardus Elementary School Semarang in August 2010. Body composition (body mass index/BMI and fat percentage) was measured by Tanita BC545. Cardiovascular fitness was measured by HST and 20m SRT. During the step test Polar Vantage? Heart Rate (HR) monitor was attached to the subjects. Data were analyzed with Spearman correlation.Result: The average age was 10.7 (0.68) years. Only 17 children finished level III of Harvard test. The HR recovery never met the normal limit. There was no difference of physical fitness index (PFI) level I, II, and III (p=0.130) but the HR recovery decreased significantly (p=0.020). The mean of VO2max measured by 20m SRT was 20.5 (1.2) ml/kg/min, significantly lower compared with HST 24.2 (2.27) ml/kg/min. There were negative correlation between PFI and BMI (r=-0.381; p=0.034) and VO2max and BMI(r=-0.448; p=0.012).Conclusion: There are negative correlation between body mass index and cardiovascular fitness. However there are difference result of VO2max from Harvard step test comparing with 20m shuttle run test

Evaluation of the influence of kyphosis and scoliosis on intervertebral disc extrusion in French bulldogs

Although thoracic vertebral malformations with kyphosis and scoliosis are often considered incidental findings on diagnostic imaging studies of screw-tailed brachycephalic breeds, they have been suggested to interfere with spinal biomechanics and intervertebral disc degeneration. It is however unknown if an abnormal spinal curvature also predisposes dogs to develop clinically relevant intervertebral disc herniations. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the occurrence of thoracic vertebral malformations, kyphosis or scoliosis would be associated with a higher prevalence of cervical or thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion in French bulldogs

Delays in access to care for abortion-related complications: the experience of women in Northeast Brazil.

Around 18 million unsafe abortions occur in low and middle-income countries and are associated with numerous adverse consequences to women's health. The time taken by women with complications to reach facilities where they can receive appropriate post-abortion care can influence the risk of death and the extent of further complications. All women aged 18+ admitted for abortion complications to public-sector hospitals in three capital cities in the Northeastern Brazil between August-December 2010 were interviewed; medical records were extracted (N = 2,804). Nearly all women (94%) went straight to a health facility, mainly to a hospital (76.6%); the rest had various care-seeking paths, with a quarter visiting 3+ hospitals. Women waited 10 hours on average before deciding to seek care. 29% reported difficulties in starting to seek care, including facing challenges in organizing childcare, a companion or transport (17%) and fear/stigma (11%); a few did not initially recognize they needed care (0.4%). The median time taken to arrive at the ultimate facility was 36 hours. Over a quarter of women reported experiencing difficulties being admitted to a hospital, including long waits (15%), only being attended after pregnant women (8.9%) and waiting for a bed (7.4%). Almost all women (90%) arrived in good condition, but those with longer delays were more likely to have (mild or severe) complications. In Brazil, where access to induced abortion is restricted, women face numerous difficulties receiving post-abortion care, which contribute to delay and influence the severity of post-abortion complications

Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on brain homocarnosine/carnosine signal and cognitive function: an exploratory study

Objectives: Two independent studies were conducted to examine the effects of 28 d of beta-alanine supplementation at 6.4 g d-1 on brain homocarnosine/carnosine signal in omnivores and vegetarians (Study 1) and on cognitive function before and after exercise in trained cyclists (Study 2). Methods: In Study 1, seven healthy vegetarians (3 women and 4 men) and seven age- and sex-matched omnivores undertook a brain 1H-MRS exam at baseline and after beta-alanine supplementation. In study 2, nineteen trained male cyclists completed four 20-Km cycling time trials (two pre supplementation and two post supplementation), with a battery of cognitive function tests (Stroop test, Sternberg paradigm, Rapid Visual Information Processing task) being performed before and after exercise on each occasion. Results: In Study 1, there were no within-group effects of beta-alanine supplementation on brain homocarnosine/carnosine signal in either vegetarians (p = 0.99) or omnivores (p = 0.27); nor was there any effect when data from both groups were pooled (p = 0.19). Similarly, there was no group by time interaction for brain homocarnosine/carnosine signal (p = 0.27). In study 2, exercise improved cognitive function across all tests (P0.05) of beta-alanine supplementation on response times or accuracy for the Stroop test, Sternberg paradigm or RVIP task at rest or after exercise. Conclusion: 28 d of beta-alanine supplementation at 6.4g d-1 appeared not to influence brain homocarnosine/ carnosine signal in either omnivores or vegetarians; nor did it influence cognitive function before or after exercise in trained cyclists