Static in vitro digestion model adapted to the general older adult population: an INFOGEST international consensus.

Understanding the mechanisms of food digestion is of paramount importance to determine the effect foods have on human health. Significant knowledge on the fate of food during digestion has been generated in healthy adults due to the development of physiologically-relevant in vitro digestion models. However, it appears that the performance of the oro-gastrointestinal tract is affected by ageing and that a model simulating the digestive conditions found in a younger adult (<65 years) is not relevant for an older adult (>65 years). The objectives of the present paper were: (1) to conduct an exhaustive literature search to find data on the physiological parameters of the older adult oro-gastrointestinal tract, (2) to define the parameters of an in vitro digestion model adapted to the older adult. International experts have discussed all the parameters during a dedicated workshop organized within the INFOGEST network. Data on food bolus properties collected in the older adult were gathered, including food particle size found in older adult boluses. In the stomach and small intestine, data suggest that significant physiological changes are observed between younger and older adults. In the latter, the rate of gastric emptying is slowed down, the pH of the stomach content is higher, the amount of secretions and thus the hydrolytic activities of gastric and intestinal digestive enzymes are reduced and the concentration of bile salts lower. The consensus in vitro digestion model of the older adult proposed here will allow significant progress to be made in understanding the fate of food in this specific population, facilitating the development of foods adapted to their nutritional needs. Nevertheless, better foundational data when available and further refinement of the parameters will be needed to implement the proposed model in the future.

Direct contact ultrasound assisted freezing of chicken breast samples.

Nowadays, rapid freezing is sought to favor the formation of small ice crystals. Several studies have shown that the application of ultrasounds (US) accelerates the processes of energy and mass transfer when they are applied through immersion systems. However, there are hardly any studies on its application in direct systems without the use of a liquid medium for its transmission. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of the application of US for improving the freezing process of chicken breast samples. First, the application of intermittent US treatments at different net sonication times of 7, 17, 37, 50 and 67% during the freezing of distilled water samples in a conventional freezer was evaluated. It was observed that net sonication times of 37, 50 and 67% reduced the phase change period by 30.0, 21.4, 27.0%, respectively. The effective freezing time was also reduced by 12.4 and 12.8% by applying net sonication times of 37 and 50%. Considering these results, an intermittent US treatment with a net sonication time of 37% was chosen for chicken breast freezing in an air-forced cooling tunnel at ambient temperatures from -13 to -22 °C. The length of all the freezing phases was reduced upon application of US, leading to an overall process time reduction of approx. 11%. On the other hand, no significant differences were found either in the Water Holding Capacity (WHC) or Cooking Loss (CL) values between control and US assisted frozen chicken breast samples. Furthermore, in vitro experiments showed that US-assisted freezing did not influence protein digestibility of chicken meat samples. This study demonstrates the potential of the application of US by direct contact to favor energy transfer processes during freezing of water and chicken breasts samples. However, its effect on the quality of the frozen products should be further studied.

Association of depression symptoms with receipt of healthcare provider advice on physical activity among US adults.

BACKGROUND: Given the high burden and prevalence of depression, various guidelines underscore the role of healthcare providers in supplying advice on physical activity (PA) as a potential modifying factor influencing the incidence and severity of depressive symptoms in adults. We aimed to investigate the extent to which healthcare providers provide PA advice to adults with depressive symptoms in the US. METHODS: Data on adults aged 20-64 years (n = 4971) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study between 2011 and 2016 were analysed. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire and response options were categorised as "none or minimal", "mild", "moderate-severe". Receipt of PA advice from a healthcare provider was self-reported. We restricted our study sample to adults free from chronic diseases. RESULTS: Higher odds of receiving advice to exercise were reported among adults with mild (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.3-2.3) and moderate-severe depressive symptoms (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.0-2.8). Furthermore, exercise advice was more commonly reported among adults who were overweight, obese, Hispanic, Asian, being insured with private insurance, with education higher than high school, and had access to a routine place for health care. LIMITATIONS: Social and culutral aspects of overweight/obesity may prohibit generalizations. Cross sectional design does not allow for causal realtionships. CONCLUSIONS: In the US, fewer than one in three adults experiencing symptoms of depression report having received exercise advice from a healthcare provider. Providing such advice may be a sustainable clinical strategy in reducing the incidence and severity of depression symptoms.

Optimizing rapid solvent exchange preparation of multilamellar vesicles.

We have enhanced the rapid solvent exchange (RSE) apparatus by adding controls in temperature, evacuation speed and vortex velocity. Following published protocols yielded vesicles of diverse size and lamellarity as detected by differential scanning calorimetry, photon correlation spectroscopy and X-ray experiments. To optimize the net production of multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) we varied in addition to vortex and evacuation speed lipid and organic solvent concentration, as well as composition of the aqueous medium. Reducing vortexing frequencies and speed of degassing were most beneficial for the yield in MLVs. Additionally also high lipid concentrations and organic solvent/buffer ratios supported MLV formation. To explain our findings we hypothesize on the role of microscopic instabilities on the aqueous phase, which may act as molds for vesicle formation.

[Gender, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity in the context of health and migration]. / Zur Verflechtung von Geschlecht, sozioökonomischem Status und Ethnizität im Kontext von Gesundheit und Migration.

This article deals with the significance of gender as a social determinant of health and questions the influence of gender roles in health-care services. In the context of worldwide migration, women and men of different ethnicity or social class meet with health-care providers in cross-cultural medical settings. This setting is a challenge for the European Region and in order to allow for diversity and gender sensitivity in health-care practice, interventions should address a range of factors. The concept of intersectionality goes beyond gender sensitivity and includes the consideration of other dimensions of difference, such as age, social class, education, and ethnicity. The interaction between these social dimensions of health shapes the health needs of patients and also influences doctor-patient communiation and social interaction.

[Health awareness as dominating impact factor on the development of overweight--a health questionnaire among the rural population of Austria]. / Gesundheitsbewusstsein als dominierender Einflussfaktor auf die Entstehung von Übergewicht--eine Gesundheits-befragung bei der bäuerlichen Bevölkerung Österreichs.

Using a health survey among the rural population of Austria (n=12,484), risk factors for overweight and obesity are analysed. Health awareness turned out as essential mediator, which helps to promote a weight-stabilising life-style. An adverse health behaviour is often due to an unrealistic assessment of a risky overweight condition in connection with a negative attitude to reduce weight. Target groups should be informed about the clearly better health status in normal weight compared with that in overweight and obese people, in order to raise health awareness and motivate people at risk to undergo a modification of their life-style.

[Hypertension and nutrition. Position paper of the Austrian Nutrition Society]. / Hypertonie und Ernährung. Positionspapier der Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Ernährung (ÖGE).

Arterial hypertension is one of the leading causes of overall mortality and is responsible for a high proportion of deaths due to stroke as well as coronary heart disease. It is defined as a pathological elevation of blood pressure which leads to damage of the cardiovascular system. Cut-off values for hypertension are defined as blood pressure levels higher than 140/90 mmHg (systolic/diastolic). In the pathogenesis of hypertension genetic factors, age and sex play a role, as well as body weight and lifestyle factors, such as nutrition and physical exercise. Lifestyle optimization reduces the risk of developing hypertension and contributes to the treatment in patients with established hypertension. Nutritional factors associated with hypertension are discussed in this article and recommendations regarding diet are made based on the literature. The nutritional factors with the highest impact on blood pressure are reduction of salt intake, a diet rich in potassium, weight management, the DASH (dietary approach to stop hypertension) diet and moderation of alcohol consumption. Salt restriction is essential in the prevention and treatment of hypertension. Based on the literature, in this article recommendations for nutrition and hypertension are given.

[A survey on the patient's perspective in chronic care: discussion of the "Austrian Patients Report"]. / Erhebung der Patientenperspektive bei chronischer Krankheit: Diskussion des Instruments "Österreichischer Patientenbericht"

AIM: The provision of adequate care for patients with chronic conditions necessitates the knowledge of their perspectives and opinions in order to plan and deliver health services appropriately. The aim of the initiative "Austrian Patients Report" is to collect information on the expectations and requirements of Austrian chronic care patients towards the Austrian health-care system and its actors. METHOD: The basis of the "Austrian Patients Report" is an anonymous, structured paper and pencil questionnaire which is adapted to the specific requirements of the chronic condition with the help of patient focus groups. The questionnaire is distributed to the patients via self-help groups, doctor's offices and outpatient centres. RESULTS: The results clearly indicate that patients expect not only the provision of medical and medicinal care from their doctors, they also value a comprehensive consultation with their doctors, information on different treatment options and a good cooperation between specialists and primary care doctors as highly important. Another important aspect is the respect and understanding of the society concerning the problems which arise from living with a chronic condition. CONCLUSION: The "Austrian Patients Report" provides an opportunity to look at aspects of health-care provision from the patient's perspective. The standardisation of the method makes comparisons between patient groups with different chronic conditions possible. This in turn, gives insights into those areas of service provision where improvements need to be made and what is especially important from the patient's view.

[Scientific research in family medicine: practitioners' experience, barriers and needs]. / Recherche scientifique en médecine de famille: expériences, barrières et besoins des praticiens.

Scientific data from family medicine are relevant for the majority of the population. They are therefore essential from an ethical and public health perspective. We need to promote quality research in family medicine despite methodological, financial and logistic barriers. To highlight the strengths and weaknesses of research in family medicine in the French-speaking part of Switzerland we asked practitioners from this region to share their experience, critics and needs in relation to research. This article summarizes their contribution in light of the international literature.

[Learning about family medicine and the doctor-patient relationship: student views]. / Apprentissage de la médecine de famille et de la relation médecin-patient: témoignages d'étudiants.

The five university institutes/units for family medicine in Switzerland are now responsible for teaching family medicine to medical students, particularly through the introductory cleckship in primary care in the 2nd year. During four half-days, the students attend the office of a family doctor and discover the characteristics of family medicine according to the definition of the World Association of Family Doctors (WONCA). This article shows how these training sessions are a profound and enriching learning experience for students. Different skills are presented and are illustrated by extracts from the reports students write at the end of the four half-days.

[Chronic pain patients and their expectations towards physician care. Results from the Austrian Patient Report]. / Schmerzpatienten und ihre Erwartungen an die ärztliche Versorgung. Ergebnisse aus dem Osterreichischen Patientenbericht.

BACKGROUND: The Austrian Patient Report illustrates the preferences of Austrian chronic disease patients for the first time. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A standardised, self-administered questionnaire was used with items in the fields of general information, information flow, medicine and health, social and societal aspects and statistics. RESULTS: The most important item for Austrian chronic pain patients is a comprehensive discussion with their physician, which is even more important than a reduction in pain intensity. CONCLUSIONS: More efforts have to be made to educate and inform chronic pain patients adequately from the doctor's side.

[Diabetes and research in primary care: how to improve the care of our patients?]. / Diabète et recherche en médecine de premier recours: comment améliorer la prise en charge de nos patients?

Family practitioners are well aware of the guidelines for diabetic care yet they often find it difficult to apply them in practice. Experience from the literature as well as our own research provide guidance on ways to address this problem in Primary care: 1) collaboration with a nurse practitioner for the prevention of micro and macro-angiopathic complications, 2) the use of motivational interviewing techniques to motivate patients to lifestyle changes, 3) multidisciplinary collaboration (with specialists, nurses, colleagues, pharmacists, etc) and the support of information technology. Research within the Swiss academic institutes of Primary care should provide further, more concrete, guidance on ways to apply these different options in Switzerland to improve the quality of care for diabetic patients.

[Obesity paradox or reverse epidemiology: is high body weight a protective factor for various chronic conditions]. / Das Adipositasparadoxon oder Reverse Epidemiologie: Hohes Körpergewicht als protektiver Faktor bei bestimmten chronischen Bedingungen?

Overweight and obesity are independent risk factors for the development of disease and death in the general population. However, in people with various conditions (old age, wasting diseases, heart diseases or renal dialysis) overweight and obesity are associated with a higher survival rate. The terms "reverse epidemiology" or "obesity paradox" have been suggested to describe this finding. However, it still remains uncertain, whether this phenomenon is attributable to a real protective effect of high body fat mass. Methodological problems in studies suggesting an obesity paradox such as survivor bias, selection bias, lead time bias or, in meta analyses, publication bias and confounders have been discussed. These cannot, however, entirely explain the observed phenomenon. Biological models, examining possible explanations for the protective effect of high body mass, for instance, in wasting diseases and elderly patients, have also been produced. In particular high inflammation markers combined with malnutrition predict a high mortality rate among patients with various medical conditions: overweight and obesity could counter these effects. Possible implications for clinical and public health recommendations regarding weight management and nutrition are issues for future research. In elderly subjects and patients with a poor prognosis the impact of weight management on quality of life should also be taken into account.

[Neuropathic pain among hospital in-patients. Analysis of Austrian hospital discharge data]. / Neuropathischer Schmerz im stationären Bereich. Analyse der Osterreichischen Krankenhausentlassungsdaten.

BACKGROUND: Neuropathic pain is a common symptom of many diseases among in-patients in hospitals and neuropathic pain itself often requires hospitalisation. It was the aim of this study to examine epidemiological key data related to neuropathic pain among hospital in-patients. METHODS: The source of the data used was the ICD-10 coded main diagnoses with neuropathic pain of a complete data set of discharges obtained for every Austrian hospital for the year 2002. RESULTS: A total of 49,412 cases (614/100,000 inhabitants) with diagnoses always associated with neuropathic pain were recorded, representing 2.0% of all discharges from Austrian hospitals. Furthermore, there were as many as 353,893 cases with diagnoses which are possibly associated with neuropathic pain, like cancer, diabetes mellitus and stroke, representing 14.3% of all cases discharged from hospitals. Applying the proportion of those suffering from neuropathic pain among patients with these three diagnoses which is known from the literature would result in 5.8% of all hospital in-patients suffering from neuropathic pain. CONCLUSION: These data represent a first step in the assessment of the epidemiology of neuropathic pain and show the high extent of neuropathic pain in the Austrian in-patient setting.

Molecular monitoring of inactivation efficiencies of bacteria during pulsed electric field treatment of clinical wastewater.

AIMS: The applicability of an alternative wastewater disinfection concept based on the pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment is tested with molecular biology techniques using clinical wastewaters. METHODS AND RESULTS: Hospital wastewater was treated with the PEF technology. The inactivation efficiencies of bacteria were successfully monitored with real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). As the differentiation between living and dead bacterial cells is important for the determination of the disinfection efficiency, propidium monoazide (PMA) was applied. PMA selectively penetrates cells with compromised membranes and intercalates into the DNA inhibiting a subsequent PCR amplification. The rates of reduction were examined for specific pathogens and wastewater populations using PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. The results showed that the main part of the bacterial population could be inactivated efficiently with the PEF treatment. Moreover, it was demonstrated that naturally occurring nuclease activities were not affected by the PEF treatment in contrast to a thermal treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that the PEF treatment is an appropriate alternative disinfection concept for the treatment of clinical wastewaters and surpass the disadvantages of other disinfection methods. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: With the use of propidium monoazide for live-dead distinction, a new concept could be developed for the evaluation of disinfection methods.

Prevalence of self-reported neuropathic pain and impact on quality of life: a prospective representative survey.

BACKGROUND: Data on the incidence of neuropathic pain (NeP) in Austria, its general characteristics and consequences for the quality of life (QOL) are still lacking. The prevalence in the United Kingdom is 8%. METHODS: A representative survey (n=7707) was carried out. Patients with NeP were identified using previously validated criteria and subsequently asked to complete a questionnaire on QOL and detailed pain characteristics. RESULTS: The prevalence of NeP was 3.3% (n=260). A higher prevalence was found in 41-50-year-olds (26%) and 51-60 year olds (24%). Pain was long lasting (>1 year: 66%; >5 years: 41%) and severe at onset (mean 6.8; numerical rating scale) as well as later (mean 4.7; 20% 8 or higher). Strong or predominant restriction of daily activities was reported in 65%, strong or predominant sleep disturbances in 60%, feelings of depression in 34% and anxiety in 25%. CONCLUSION: For the first time, data on the prevalence of NeP in Austria are available. Pain patterns in those affected are characteristic and impact on QOL as well as pain intensity are severe.

Effects of socio-demographic variables on health-related quality of life determined by the quality of life index--German version.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine subjective health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a sample of the Austrian population over 14 years of age in order to evaluate the effect of socio-demographic variables on HRQoL. DESIGN/SETTING: HRQoL was determined by means of the quality of life index-German version (QLI-Ge). The influence of socio-demographic variables on HRQoL was assessed by statistical analysis using the Kruskal-Wallis test and an analysis of variance. PARTICIPANTS: A random-quota procedure was used to get balanced representation from regions and demographic groups of the Austrian population. The sample consisted of 1049 participants, 493 men and 556 women. MAIN RESULTS: Age was found to influence the QLI-Ge total score (index score) and most individual items, with increasing age resulting in a decrease in HRQoL. Differences between the sexes were observed in three dimensions: males scored higher in 'physical well-being', 'psychological well-being' and 'occupational functioning'. Marital status impacted most items with married persons showing better values than divorced persons or singles. Profession had only a minor effect on HRQoL, the level of education showed no influence at all. CONCLUSIONS: The socio-demographic variables age, sex and objective living conditions had a major influence on subjectively rated HRQoL, whereas profession and education were found to play a minor role in this context. It is recommended that in the interpretation of studies assessing HRQoL the above-mentioned objective factors be considered. This will be of particular importance when determining the effect of a pharmacotherapy on HRQoL in patients.

Work-site hypertension prevalence and control in three Central European Countries.

Compared to Austria, cerebrovascular stroke (CVS) mortality is three times higher in Hungary, and twice as high in Slovakia. We hypothesized that this is due to better treatment and control of hypertension in Austria. To test this hypothesis, we carried out a cross-sectional survey of 'blue collar' employees on work sites in each of these countries. Blood pressure screening was carried out at three work sites in Austria, one in Hungary and one in Slovakia. A standardized protocol was followed in each of these countries. The Bp-TRU(TM) measuring instrument was used to provide accurate reproducible readings and eliminate interobserver error. After the exclusion of missing data and women, the study population included 323 males screened in Austria, 600 in Hungary, and 751 in Slovakia. The mean ages of the respondents ranged from 35 to 42 years. The prevalence of hypertension was 29% in Austria, 28% in Hungary and 40% in Slovakia. Of those identified as hypertensive, 73% in Austria, 45% in Hungary and 67% in Slovakia were newly diagnosed as a result of this screening. Of those treated for hypertension, 10% in Austria, 15% in Hungary and 5% in Slovakia were controlled. The differences in CVS mortality cannot be explained by better control of hypertension in Austria but indicate the involvement of other determinants.

Sleeping habits in the Austrian population.

OBJECTIVES: To gain reliable data on sleeping habits and sleep disturbances of the Austrian population. BACKGROUND: Exact data on sleeping habits are of interest in relation to assessment of sleep disturbance-related illnesses and general social processes. METHODS: A prospective, cross-sectional study was performed with recruitment of a representative sample of 1049 Austrians (aged 15-82 years), according to the Federal Statistics population characteristics. Interviews were conducted in the households of the participants by specially trained interviewers of an institute for empirical research. RESULTS: Men consider their quality of sleep to be significantly better than women (P=0.00234), and younger persons consider their quality of sleep to be significantly better than older persons (P=0.00001). In comparison, women and people over the age of 50 report worse subjective sleep quality, worse sleep efficiency, more difficulty in falling asleep and sleep maintenance, more apneic events, more pathologic limb movements, more daytime dysfunction, and more intake of sleeping medication. Other sociodemographic factors influence sleep reports to a lesser extent. CONCLUSIONS: Subjectively disturbed sleep (prevalence in the total population 24.9%), excessive hypnotic drug intake (prevalence 13.0%), and daytime dysfunction (prevalence 17.4%) are a widespread problem, especially in women and older people. With increasing life expectancy in Western societies, the prevalence of sleep disturbances will increase.