Increased nitrate intake from beetroot juice over 4 weeks affects nitrate metabolism, but not vascular function or blood pressure in older adults with hypertension.

The decline in vascular function and increase in blood pressure with aging contribute to an increased cardiovascular disease risk. In this randomized placebo-controlled crossover study, we evaluated whether previously reported cardiovascular benefits of plant-derived inorganic nitrate via nitric oxide (NO) translate into improved vascular function and blood pressure-lowering in 15 men and women (age range: 56-71 years) with treated hypertension. We investigated the effects of a single ∼400 mg-dose at 3 hours post-ingestion (3H POST) and the daily consumption of 2 × âˆ¼400 mg of nitrate through nitrate-rich compared with nitrate-depleted (placebo) beetroot juice over 4 weeks (4WK POST). Measurements included nitrate and nitrite in plasma and saliva; endothelial-dependent and -independent forearm blood flow (FBF) responses to acetylcholine (FBFACh) and glyceryltrinitrate (FBFGTN); and clinic-, home- and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure. Compared to placebo, plasma and salivary nitrate and nitrite increased at 3H and 4WK POST following nitrate treatment (P < 0.01), suggesting a functioning nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway in the participants of this study. There were no differences between treatments in FBFACh and FBFGTN-area under the curve (AUC) ratios [AUC ratios after (3H POST, 4WK POST) compared with before (PRE) the intervention], or 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure or home blood pressure measures (P > 0.05). These findings do not support the hypothesis that an increased intake of dietary nitrate exerts sustained beneficial effects on FBF or blood pressure in hypertensive older adults, providing important information on the efficacy of nitrate-based interventions for healthy vascular aging. This study was registered under ClinicialTrials.gov (NCT04584372).

Factors Associated with (Exclusive) Breastfeeding Duration-Results of the SUKIE-Study.

The WHO European Region has the lowest exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates at 6 months in the world. In Austria, 55.5% of infants are EBF at the age of one week, although breastfeeding initiation is 97.5%. The study was conducted in 2019/2020 and considered 1214 mothers of legal age, who received four online questionnaires during their child's first year of life. The influence of different variables on total/exclusive breastfeeding duration were analysed by using a Cox model (Extension of the Cox Proportional Hazards Model) with time-dependent covariates. Multivariate analyses showed a significant influence of maternal BMI, lifestyle factors, such as smoking, and breastfeeding support on total breastfeeding duration. Remarkable differences in the median duration of any breastfeeding were found for breastfeeding support, where mothers breastfed twice as long. Support came primarily from hospital staff, the midwife and the partner. A higher monthly household net income, delivery in a baby-friendly certified hospital (BFH) and breastfeeding support were associated with a longer EBF duration. Obese mothers started feeding infant formula earlier and had a higher risk of early weaning. The results offer valuable insights into the importance of breastfeeding-friendly structures such as BFHs, a focus on breastfeeding aftercare and support of the mother to promote and protect breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding Prevalence in Austria according to the WHO IYCF Indicators-The SUKIE-Study.

Breastfeeding and infant nutrition have an important impact on child health. The last representative data on breastfeeding in Austria was collected in 2006. The SUKIE-Study (Säuglings- und Kinderernährung) is a representative, longitudinal survey (online questionnaire) for participating mothers at four time points (14 days, four, six and 12 months post-partum). Questions on when other foods were first introduced were asked retrospectively. To ensure international comparisons, the World Health Organization's definitions for breastfeeding, including "Infant and Young Child Feeding" indicators, were used. After eligibility screening, 1214 of 1666 invited mothers were included in the analysis. The initial breastfeeding rate was 97.5% and was reduced to 40.8% after 12 months. The rate of exclusive breastfeeding at one week of age was 55.5% and decreased to 1.9% after six months. Half of the infants received infant formula for the first time within the first three days of life (median). Out of the mothers that did wean breastfeeding in the first 12 months, the median duration was 27 weeks (right-censored data). Compared with 2006, an increase (93.2% to 97.5%) in the initial breastfeeding rate was found. However, other findings show that breastfeeding duration, including exclusive breastfeeding rates, need further improvement.

Early life experience and alterations of group composition shape the social grooming networks of former pet and entertainment chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).

The long-term effects of early life adversities on social capacities have been documented in humans and wild-caught former laboratory chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). However, former pet and entertainment chimpanzees have received little attention to date. This study aimed to investigate the long-term effects of early life experience on 18 former pet and entertainment chimpanzees, based on social grooming data collected at a primate rescue centre over a 12-year period. Moreover, we also focused on the possible short-term effects that alterations to group composition might have on grooming patterns. For this purpose, we compared stable and unstable periods (i.e. where alterations to group composition occurred). We used two individual social network measures to analyse the grooming activity and the distribution of grooming among group mates for each individual. We could show that wild-caught chimpanzees were significantly more selective regarding their grooming partners and spent less time grooming when compared to their captive born companions. We also found that individuals who were predominantly housed without conspecifics during infancy spent less time grooming compared to those who were predominantly housed with conspecifics during infancy. Furthermore, we found that alterations to the group composition had short-term effects on the distribution of social grooming from a more equal distribution during periods with a stable group composition towards a more unequal and selective distribution during unstable periods. Thus, we conclude that the social grooming networks of former pet and entertainment chimpanzees are shaped not only by long-term effects such as early life experience, but also by short-term effects such as alterations to group composition. Remarkably, we found not only captive born chimpanzees but also wild-caught individuals to adjust their grooming to socially challenging situations by modifying their grooming distribution in a similar way.

Impact of Austria's 2009 trans fatty acids regulation on all-cause, cardiovascular and coronary heart disease mortality.

Background: Unhealthy diet, especially consumption of trans fatty acids (TFAs), is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), a leading cause of death in Austria. In 2009, Austria introduced a law regulating the content of TFAs in foods. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the TFA regulation on CVD-related outcomes. Methods: The study evaluated the TFA regulation as an intervention in a natural experiment. Two study periods were assessed: pre-intervention (1995-2009) and post-intervention (2010-14). The study compared the age-standardized death rates per 100 000 population for CVD outcomes with those of a 'synthetic' international comparator population, created from data of OECD countries where TFA regulation has not been implemented, but where the population is otherwise comparable. Results: There was a continuous decrease in CVD-related mortality throughout the study period in both the synthetic international comparator population, as well as in the adult Austrian population, with no significant change in this trend observed as an effect of TFA regulation. Conclusions: Whilst the results are counterintuitive, given the established link between TFA consumption and an increased risk of CVD, there are many possible explanations: high prevalence of tobacco smoking, changes in TFA content in foods due to international guidance as opposed to formal regulation and a beneficial impact of TFA regulation on sub-groups of the population that might not be detected with nationally aggregated data. However, reduction in TFAs should still be considered an important part of risk factor reduction for CVD and other non-communicable diseases.

Prevalence of most common human pathogenic Campylobacter spp. in dogs and cats in Styria, Austria.

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of occurrence of most common human pathogenic Campylobacter species, Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) and Campylobacter coli (C. coli), in dogs and cats in Styria, Austria. In the period from April 2010 to April 2012, 842 faecal samples from dogs and cats from Styria, Austria were examined for Campylobacter (C.) species (spp.). All samples were subjected to qualitative microbiological culture testing, and additionally, some of them have been studied using qualitative real-time PCR. In microbiological culture, 5.9% of all samples investigated were C. spp. positive. With 3.1% out of positive samples, C. jejuni was the most common type. Campylobacter upsaliensis (C. upsaliensis) was detected only in 0.5% of the samples. The remaining positive samples (2.4%) were classified as C. species (sp.). C. coli could not be found in any of the samples. A higher prevalence of C. jejuni was found in kittens with 14.3% and in diarrhoeic dogs (7.4%) and cats (23.8%). The real-time PCR revealed for dogs and cats together, 27% of C. jejuni-positive faecal and 8% positive faecal swap samples. The obtained C. jejuni strains underwent antibiotic resistance testing using three different tests (agar diffusion, MIC testing and E-test) with different numbers of antibiotics. From the antibiotics used in this study, several showed high test-dependent resistance rates (cephalexin, cefovecin, kanamycin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, penicillin G, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, marbofloxacin, nalidixic acid). Overall, the prevalence of C. spp. in this study was very low compared to others, with the exception of C. jejuni in kittens and diarrhoeic animals. The results of the real-time PCR suggest that the rate of colonization of C. jejuni was actually higher than the results of the culture showed. As the resistance rates of C. jejuni isolates partly were very high, possible transmission of (multi-) resistant C. jejuni strains to humans especially from kittens and diarrhoeic animals must be expected.

Estimating sensitivity and specificity of a PCR for boot socks to detect Campylobacter in broiler primary production using Bayesian latent class analysis.

The present study compares three different assays for sample collection and detection of Campylobacter spp. in broiler flocks, based on (i) the collection of faecal samples from intestinal organs (caecum), (ii) individual faecal droppings collected from the bedding and (iii) faecal material collected by socks placed on the outside of a pair of boots (boot socks) and used for walking around in the flock. The two first methods are examined for Campylobacter using a culture method (ISO-10272-2:2006), while the boot socks are tested using PCR. The PCR-assay is a genus specific multiplex PCR with primers targeting 16S rDNA in Campylobacter and primers targeting Yersinia ruckerii. Sixty-seven broiler flocks from Austria and 83 broiler flocks from Denmark were included in this prospective study and 89 of these were found to be positive in at least one method (AT: 49 samples, DK: 40 samples) whereas 61 of these were negative in all assays. In Austria samples for the three assays were collected simultaneously, which facilitates a direct comparison of the diagnostic test performance. In Denmark, however, boot socks and faecal droppings were collected three days before slaughter while caecum samples were collected at slaughter. The results were evaluated in the absence of a gold standard using a Bayesian latent class model. Austrian results showed higher sensitivity for PCR detection in sock samples (0.98; Bayesian credible interval (BCI) [0.93-1]) than for culture of faecal droppings (0.86; BCI [0.76-0.91]) or caecal samples (0.92; BCI [0.85-0.97]). The potential impact of Campylobacter introduction within the final three days before slaughter was observed in Denmark, where four flocks were tested negative three days before slaughter, but were detected positive at the slaughterhouse. Therefore the model results for the PCR sensitivity (0.88; BCI [0.83-0.97]) and cultural ISO-method in faecal samples (0.84; BCI [0.76-0.92]) are lower than for caecal samples (0.93; BCI [0.85-0.98]). In our study, PCR detection on boot sock samples is more sensitive than conventional culture. In view of the advantage of rapid results before slaughter and low costs for sampling, especially in combination with existing Salmonella surveillance systems (just another pair of boot socks needed), this method-matrix combination could be a valuable surveillance tool in the broiler primary production.

Prospective multicentre study on antimicrobial resistance of Helicobacter pylori in Germany.

OBJECTIVES: Antimicrobial resistance of Helicobacter pylori endangers the successful eradication of the bacteria. The aim of this prospective surveillance study (ResiNet) is to continuously keep antimicrobial resistance of H. pylori in Germany under surveillance and to identify risk factors for its development. METHODS: From July 2001 until December 2012, we tested the antimicrobial susceptibility of H. pylori strains isolated from 1651 prospectively enrolled patients. We analysed clinical and epidemiological data and identified risk factors for the development of resistance. RESULTS: Average primary resistances were 29.4% for metronidazole, 6.7% for clarithromycin and 3.1% for both antimicrobials. Prior unsuccessful eradication treatments, female sex and country or continent of origin were identified as independent risk factors for development of resistance. CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori-positive patients without prior eradication therapy can be treated empirically; antimicrobial susceptibility testing is recommended in previously unsuccessfully treated patients and in patients who have received antimicrobial chemotherapies due to unrelated bacterial infections.

Nutrition, lifestyle factors, and mental health in adolescents and young adults living in Austria.

BACKGROUND: Due to an alarming trend of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents, along with the sparse data on dietary habits and lifestyle factors, the present study aims to analyze the current nutritional behavior as well as the lifestyle and mental health of adolescents and young adults living in Austria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 500 respondents (aged between 14 and 24 years) completed an anonymous questionnaire on nutrition behavior, mental health, and lifestyle factors by Internet survey. RESULTS: Only 50% of the participants ate breakfast daily and 10% did not eat breakfast at all. About 47% of the respondents consumed milk and milk products daily. Furthermore, only 31% ate fruit and 21% ate vegetables at least once a day, and 46% ate fish seldom or never. Nearly 28% of young people liked to eat fast food twice or thrice a week and more, with males more often replacing a meal with a fast food product (36%) than females (21%). About 46% of the respondents engaged in physical activity only once a week (or more rarely). A fifth of our respondents (23%) spent more than 2 h a day using various social networks, with Facebook being the most popular social network among the respondents. Around 27% claimed to be smokers, with more female (33%) than male (20%) smoker. In terms of sleeping habits, 19% slept <6 h a day. Regarding well-being, 44% were more likely to feel stressed, 35% stated that they were tense, and 43% felt tired and listless. Eating together, physical activity, and sleep patterns showed positive effects on well-being, whereas higher consumption of fast food/snacks/soft drinks and alcoholic drinks/energy drinks was associated with relatively lower well-being. CONCLUSIONS: Unhealthy eating habits, suboptimal physical activity, and smoking are still prominent in a sample of Austrian adolescents and young people. In addition, stress and tiredness are also relevant problems in this collective.

Nutritionally relevant elements in staple foods: influence of arable site versus choice of variety.

Eighteen representative sites for the Austrian grain-growing and eight for the potato-growing zones (soils and crops) were investigated. On each site, total element contents (B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, P, Sr and Zn) were determined in 4-12 varieties of winter wheat (n = 136), 6 varieties of spring durum wheat (n = 30), 5 varieties of winter durum wheat (n = 15), 7 varieties of rye (n = 49), 5 varieties of spring barley (n = 30) and 5 varieties of potatoes (n = 40). Element accumulations in grain species and potato tubers varied significantly with site conditions, with the main exceptions for B in potatoes and wheat as well as for Zn, Cu and Co in durum wheat. On average, across all investigated sites, differences in varieties occurred concerning the elements Ca, Cd, Ba, Sr and Zn (except Zn in potatoes and winter durum). A rough estimation revealed that an average Austrian consumer of wheat, rye and potatoes meets more than 50% of the needs of daily element intake for K, P and Mg, between 36 and 72% for Fe, Zn and Cu, and more than 100% for Co, Mo and Mn. In particular, the elements Ca and Na have to be added from other sources.

Ultrasonographic measurement of the bovine teat: breed differences, and the significance of the measurements for udder health.

The objective was to measure teat canal length and diameter, teat diameter and teat wall thickness by ultrasonographic scanning in order to determine the differences in bovine breeds, and to study the influence of teat canal length and diameter on the occurrence of mastitis. A total of 269 lactating dairy cows of four different breeds (Brown Swiss, Simmental, Simmental crossbred with Red Pied, and Holstein-Friesians) from seven Upper Austrian dairy farms were examined. Average teat canal length of Brown Swiss animals was shortest (15.7 mm) followed by Holstein-Friesians (17.2 mm) and Simmental (18.3 mm). These differences in teat canal length were highly significant (P < or = 0.001). There was no significant difference in teat canal length between pure-bred and crossbred Simmentals. Differences of teat canal diameter between breeds were significant (P < or = 0.05). Brown Swiss animals had the largest diameters (2.0 mm) and Holstein-Friesians the smallest (1.7 mm). Differences in teat diameter between Brown Swiss, Holstein-Friesian and Simmental were also significant. No differences were found between the pure-bred and crossbred Simmental cows. The narrowest teats were in Holstein-Friesians and the widest in Simmental. Holstein-Friesians also exhibited the thinnest teat walls while the Simmental had the thickest ones. Teat canal length and diameter were correlated with udder health. Teat canals of healthy udders tended to be longer (17.4 mm) and narrower (1.8 mm) than teat canals of infected udders (15.8 mm, 2.1 mm; P < or = 0.001). A logistic regression model showed significant effects of teat canal length, teat canal diameter and lactation number on udder health.