Comparison of the Effect of Two Different Handling Conditions at Slaughter in Saliva Analytes in Pigs.

In this report, different handling conditions at slaughterhouse were studied to assess changes in salivary biomarkers. For this purpose, finishing pigs were divided into two groups, one in which handling was improved to minimize stress (Group A, n = 24, transported and stabled at the slaughterhouse at low density without mixing with unfamiliar animals throughout the whole process) and another one in which animals had a more stressful handling process (Group B, n = 24, transported and stabled at high density with unfamiliar animals). Saliva samples were taken the day before transport to the slaughterhouse at 8:00 a.m. (B0) and 12:00 a.m. (B4), and the day of slaughter just after unloading animals at the slaughterhouse at approximately 8:00 a.m. (S0) and after 4 h of lairage at approximately 12:00 a.m. (S4). Group B showed significantly higher cortisol, total esterase activity, oxytocin, adenosine deaminase and haptoglobin levels than the Group A at both S0 and S4 sampling times, and higher levels of calprotectin and creatine kinase at S4 sampling time. This report indicates that differences in the way in which the pigs are handled at the slaughterhouse can lead to changes in salivary biomarkers and opens the possibility of the use of biomarker at slaughter to monitor handling conditions.

Region of Murcia's 2022 report card on physical activity for children and youth.

Objective: The aim of this review was to summarize the process and results of the Region of Murcia's 2022 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. Methods: Indicators from the Global Matrix initiative (Overall Physical Activity, Organized Sport & Physical Activity, Physical Fitness, Active Play, Active Transport, Sedentary Behaviors, Family & Peers, School, Community & Environment, and Government) were evaluated based on the best available data in the Region of Murcia. Results: Active play was the indicator with the highest grade (B+), followed by Organized Sport & Physical Activity (B) and Active Play (B). School and Family and Peers indicators obtained a C+ and C grade, respectively. Both Community and Environment and Sedentary Behaviors indicators received a D+ grade. The grade for Overall Physical Activity and Government indicators was D. Physical Fitness was the indicator with the lowest grade of this Report Card (D-). None of the indicators received an incomplete grade (INC) because of a lack of available information. Conclusions: The present Report Card offers evidence highlighting the low level of physical activity in Spanish children and adolescents living in the Region of Murcia. Further studies and surveillance efforts are urgently needed for most of the indicators analyzed, which should be addressed by researchers and the Region of Murcia's Government for this specific population. A strong commitment from the Government of the Region of Murcia is needed at all levels to promote a cultural change that will lead children and young people in this region to improve the current situation.

Reply to López-Moreno, M. Comment on "Montoro-García et al. Beneficial Impact of Pork Dry-Cured Ham Consumption on Blood Pressure and Cardiometabolic Markers in Individuals with Cardiovascular Risk. Nutrients 2022, 14, 298".

We thank Dr. López-Moreno for the comment [...].

Beneficial Impact of Pork Dry-Cured Ham Consumption on Blood Pressure and Cardiometabolic Markers in Individuals with Cardiovascular Risk.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that bioactive peptides reduce hypertension and affect certain metabolic pathways. METHODS: Fifty-four volunteers with stage 1 prehypertension and/or hypercholesterolemia and/or basal glucose >100 mg/dL were recruited and randomized to pork dry-cured ham (n = 35) or cooked ham (placebo group; n = 19) for 28 days. After a wash-out period, meat products were changed for 28 additional days. Bioactive peptides composition and enzyme inhibitory activities of both products were characterized. Treatment comparisons for the main effects were made using a two (treatment) × two (times) repeated measures minus the effect of cooked ham (placebo). RESULTS: 24 h mean systolic and diastolic pressures decreased up to 2.4 mmHg in the dry-cured ham period (treatment effect, p = 0.0382 y p = 0.0233, respectively) as well as the number of systolic pressure measures > 135 mmHg (treatment effect, p = 0.0070). Total cholesterol levels also decreased significantly after dry-cured ham intake (p = 0.049). No significant differences were observed between the two treatments for basal glucose, HOMA-IR index and insulin levels (p > 0.05). However, a significant rise of ghrelin levels was observed (treatment effect, p = 0.0350), while leptin plasma values slightly decreased (treatment effect, p = 0.0628). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested the beneficial effects of regular dry-cured ham consumption on the improvement of systolic/diastolic blood pressures and facilitated the maintenance of metabolic pathways, which may be beneficial in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Effects of the Consumption of Low-Fat Cooked Ham with Reduced Salt Enriched with Antioxidants on the Improvement of Cardiovascular Health: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

The aim of the study was to analyze how cardiovascular risk factors can be modified using nutritionally improved cooked ham enriched with a pool of antioxidants to influence relevant metabolic targets. Sixty-five untreated subjects (49.2% males, 50.8% females, mean age 40.92 ± 9.03 years) with total cholesterol level ≥180 mg/dL or LDL cholesterol ≥130 mg/dL participated in a 8-weeks randomized, double-blind controlled trial. Participant in the intervention group (51.5% males, 48.5% females, mean age 41.6 ± 9.8 years and mean BMI 25.1 ± 3.6 kg/m2) consumed cooked ham enriched with antioxidants (100 g/d) and controls (49.9% males, 53.1% females, mean age 40.2 ± 8.3 years and mean BMI 26.3 ± 3.2 kg/m2) received placebo. At 8 weeks, oxidized LDL decreased significantly between experimental and placebo groups (p < 0.036). Experimental group differences were also significant (p < 0.05). Similar findings in malondialdehyde, total cholesterol, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and interleukin 6 were observed in the intervention group. Significant between-group differences in these variables were also found, except for total cholesterol and interleukin 6. The effects on inflammation and oxidation support the direct action of these antioxidants on the etiopathogenic factors of atheromatous plaque. We also observed an improvement in the lipid profiles among the subjects.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects of Regular Consumption of Cooked Ham Enriched with Dietary Phenolics in Diet-Induced Obese Mice.

Oxidative damage and chronic inflammation have been proven as one of the major factors associated with obesity, which increases the incidence of non-communicable chronic diseases. In this sense, the development of new functional products aiming at the palliation of oxidative stress and inflammatory disruption can be a determining factor for public health as seen in previous researches. In this study, a blend of potentially bioavailable dietary phenolics was added to low sodium and low-fat cooked ham. A diet-induced obesity model in C57/BL6J mice has been used for testing the effectiveness of the phenolic blend and the new functionalized product, which bioavailability was tested by UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS. After obesity induction, different oxidative and inflammatory biomarkers were evaluated. Results in the murine induced obesity model, demonstrate a robust statistically significant improvement in key parameters related with obesity risk in the groups feed with a phenolic-enriched diets (P) + high-fat diet (HFD) and phenolic enriched cooked ham (PECH) + HFD. In both groups there was an improvement in body composition parameters, inflammatory biomarkers and antioxidant enzymes levels. Specifically in the group feed with the phenolic enriched cooked ham (PECH + HFD) there was an improvement of total fat volume (23.08% reduction), spleen index (22.04% of reduction), plasmatic MCP-1 (18% reduction), IL-6 (38.94% reduction), IL-10 (13.28% reduction), TNF-α (21.32% reduction), gut IL-1ß (10.86% reduction), gut IL-6 (13.63% reduction) and GPx (60.15% increase) and catalase (91.37% increase) enzymes. Thus, the functionalized ham could be considered an appropriate dietary polyphenol source, which might improve the oxidative and inflammatory status and could finally result in the potential decrease of the risk of certain non-communicable chronic diseases.

Control of framework interpenetration for in situ modified hydroxyl functionalised IRMOFs.

By intimate control of reaction conditions, phase-pure crystalline porous metal-organic framework materials [Zn(4)O(L)(3)] with interpenetrated and non-interpenetrated structures can be synthesised. Under certain conditions, these reactions occur with concomitant deprotection of masked alcohols located on the organic links which yield accessible 'metal-binding' functional groups within the frameworks.

Fluorescent hexaaryl- and hexa-heteroaryl[3]radialenes: Synthesis, structures, and properties.

The syntheses of three new [3]radialenes - hexakis(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)-, hexakis(3-cyanophenyl)-, and hexakis(3,4-dicyanophenyl)[3]radialene (1-3) - are reported. Compound 3 is obtained in five steps with an excellent yield of 76% in the key step. Compared to that, the respective steps of the syntheses of 1 and 2 result in lower yields. All compounds adopt a double bladed propeller conformation in solution. Compound 3 is considerably more electron deficient than previously reported hexaaryl[3]radialenes, with reduction potentials of -0.06 and -0.45 V in CH(2)Cl(2). The compounds mostly display red fluorescence with large Stokes shifts.

Incidental multifocal papillary microcarcinomas of the thyroid: is subtotal thyroidectomy combined with radioiodine ablation enough?

BACKGROUND: The extent of thyroid resection and the necessity of lymph node dissection has become an issue of controversy in patients with incidental multifocal papillary microcarcinoma. METHOD: Between 1993 and 2001 a total of 4120 patients underwent surgery for thyroid diseases: 142 patients showed papillary thyroid cancer of < or = 1 cm, multifocal microcarcinomas were found in 22 patients (15.5%). Twenty patients (17 women, three men, aged 26-71 years) met the inclusion criterion of having pre- and intraoperatively no indication of malignancy (incidentaloma). A limited surgical procedure ranging from bilateral subtotal (n=15), ipsilateral total, contralateral subtotal (n=4) to bilateral total (n=1) thyroidectomy without lymph node dissection was performed. The mean volume of thyroid remnants was 4.3 ml. RESULTS: In 16/20 (80%) patients, the thyroid remnant was ablated by the first dose of 131I, using 3.7 GBq 131I in 15 patients and 1.85 GBq 131I in one patient. Three patients received a second, and one patient a third radioiodine ablation. All 20 patients remained free from relapse or metastasis, documented by negative 131I whole-body scintigraphy and unmeasurable thyroglobulin levels after thyroid hormone withdrawal in hypothyroidism. One patient died 7 years after the diagnosis of thyroid cancer from primary lung cancer. Median follow-up was 65 months (range, 24-120 months). CONCLUSION: Subtotal thyroidectomy followed by radioiodine therapy without completion thyroidectomy and lymphadenectomy is a possible option in incidental multifocal microcarcinomas.

Synthesis and antileishmanial activity of (1,3-benzothiazol-2-yl) amino-9-(10H)-acridinone derivatives.

(1,3-Benzothiazol-2-yl) amino-9-(10H)-acridinone derivatives were synthesized via a procedure based on the Ullman reaction and were assessed for their in vitro antileishmanial and anti-HIV activities. Two derivatives, 4-(6-nitro-benzothiazol-2-ylamino)-10H-acridin-9-one and 1-(6-amino-benzothiazol-2-ylamino)-10H-acridin-9-one, revealed a selective antileishmanial activity, mainly due to amastigote-specific toxicity. Results suggested that:the addition of a benzothiazole group on a parent amino-9-(10H)-acridinone ring could enhance antileishmanial abilities, the presence of a 6-amino-benzothiazole group on position 2 amino chain or a 6-nitro-benzothiazole group on position 4 amino chain was essential for specific anti-amastigote properties.