Simultaneous determination of aflatoxins B2 and G2 in peanuts using spectrofluorescence coupled with parallel factor analysis.

In the present study a method for the simultaneous determination of aflatoxins B2 and G2 in peanuts has been developed. The method uses second order standard addition method and excitation-emission fluorescence data together with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). The aflatoxin analysis was based on extraction with methanol-water and carried out using immunoaffinity clean-up. The results of PARAFAC on a set of spiked and naturally contaminated peanuts indicated that the two aflatoxins could be successfully determined. The method was validated and analytical figures of merit were obtained for both analytes. The limits of detection (LOD) were 0.05 and 0.04 µg kg(-1) for aflatoxins B2 and G2, respectively. The limits of quantification (LOQ) were 0.16 and 0.12 µg kg(-1) for aflatoxins B2 and G2, respectively. Coupling of spectrofluorimetry with PARAFAC can be considered as an alternative method for quantification of aflatoxins in the presence of unknown interferences obtained through analysis of highly complex matrix of peanuts samples at a reduced cost per analysis.

[Anthropometric study and evaluation of the nutritional status of a population school children in Granada; comparison of national and international reference standards]. / Estudio antropométrico y valoración del estado nutricional de una población de escolares de Granada; comparación con los estándares nacionales e internacionales de referencia.

Recent studies show an alarming increase in levels of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents. The main objectives of this research were the following: (i) to carry out an anthropometric evaluation of the nutritional status and body composition of school children in the city and province of Granada; (ii) to compare the nutritional status of this population sample with national and international reference standards. The results obtained in this study showed that the general prevalence of overweight in both sexes was 22.03% and that 9.12% of the children were obese. Statistically significant differences were found between the variable, weight for age and sex (p < 0.05) and the variable, height for age and sex (p < 0.05). Regarding the body mass index, no statistically significant differences were found for the variable, sex (p = 0.182). This contrasted with the variable, age, which did show statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). As a conclusion, the results of our study highlighted the fact that these anthropometric values were much higher than national and international reference standards.

[Influence of family environment of the development of obesity and overweight in a population of school children in Granada (Spain)]. / Influencia del entorno familiar en el desarrollo del sobrepeso y la obesidad en una población de escolares de Granada (España).

According to recent research, eating behaviour should be understand as a cyclical and interactive process in which parental eating habits cause children to develop specific eating strategies as well as their own eating habits. Needless to say, this interactive process is reflected and has a direct impact on the nutritional indicators of the children in a family. The objectives of this study were the following: (i) to verify the existence of a significant association between the educational level of parents and the nutritional state of children in the same family; (ii) to discover if there is a direct relation between the nutritional state of children and the person that decides the menu and/or prepares family meals; (iii) to determine if there is a link between the nutritional state of children and the time that they spend on sedentary leisure activities. The sample population was composed of 718 school children and adolescents, 9-17 years of age, who A descriptive, transversal, and multicentric study was performed that evaluated the nutritional state of the entire sample by using anthropometric techniques to assess weight, height, and body mass index.

[Prevalence of nutritional overweight and obesity and hypertension as well as their relationship with anthropometric indicators in a population of students in Granada and its provinces]. / Prevalencia de sobrepeso y obesidad nutricional e hipertensión arterial y su relación con indicadores antropométricos en una población de escolares de Granada y su provincia.

INTRODUCTION: Several authors have found correlations between anthropometric parameters and blood pressure levels in overweight and obese subjects. This paper is an update on the potential of these parameters as a tool for predicting cardiovascular risk. AIMS: to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Second verify the existence of a significant correlation between the main anthropometric indicators and the blood pressure levels. SAMPLE: The population consisted of 977 children and adolescents between 9 and 17 years of age belonging to 13 schools in the province of Granada and city. METHODOLOGY: anthropometric evaluation in which they were assessed six skinfolds, waist circumference, hip and determination of blood pressure in three consecutive occasions. The anthropometric assessment phase began in March 2008 lasted until April 2009. RESULTS: We found that the prevalence of overweight in girls varied between 18.3% and 32.2%. For its part, the prevalence among boys was between 10.9% and 26.1%. Regarding the prevalence of obesity, the girls had similar rates between 4.5% and 15.1%. Among boys the prevalence of obesity was similar, and found rates between 4.7% and 12.6%. Of all the parameters measured, body mass index and waist circumference were the anthropometric indicators that showed a better correlation to blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: BMI and WC are useful anthropometric indicators to predict cardiovascular risk in non adults.

[Study of the serum levels of leptin, ceruloplasmin and lipoprotein (a) as indicators of cardiovascular risk in a population of adolescents in Granada (Spain)]. / Estudio de los niveles séricos de leptina, ceruloplasmina y lipoproteína (a) como indicadores del riesgo cardiovascular en una población de adolescentes de Granada (España).

Numerous studies have focused on establishing a relation between the serum values of biomolecules such as leptin, ceruloplasmin, and lipoprotein (a), and the nutritional state and levels of diastolic and systolic blood pressure in subjects with problems of overweight or obesity. However, in many cases, the results obtained have not been conclusive. The results of our study confirm the existence of a statistically significant association between the serum levels of these biomolecules, the nutritional state of the subjects, and levels of diastolic and systolic blood pressure. For the population of overweight and obese adolescents studied, the evaluation of the serum concentrations of these biomolecules was found to be an important instrument that could be used to identify those subjects with an elevated risk of suffering cardiovascular disorders basically derived from a hypertensive status.

[Obesity in a school children population from Granada: assessment of the efficacy of an educational intervention]. / Obesidad de una población de escolares de Granada: evaluación de la eficacia de una intervención educativa.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this research was to study the prevalence of obesity and excess weight in a population of school children and adolescents, and to verify the effectiveness of an educational intervention, as reflected in the variation of their body mass index values. MATERIALS: The population sample was composed of 977 school children and adolescents from 9 to 17 years of age, belonging to 13 public elementary schools and high schools in the city and province of Granada (Spain). METHODOLOGY: This longitudinal cohort study was analytical, muticentric, and observational. It was carried out in three phases. The first phase involved the evaluation of the nutritional state of the sample population by means of anthropometric measurements (weight, height, body mass index, six skin folds and four body perimeters) as well as arterial blood pressure. The second phase entailed an educational intervention focusing on good nutritional habits and physical exercise. The third and final phase evaluated the effectiveness of the intervention. RESULTS: A higher obesity prevalence (15.1%) was found in school girls between 12 and 13. In the case of boys, obesity prevalence was lower up to age 13 though afterwards, it progressively increased (12.6%). The educational intervention produced an important reduction in body mass index values in both sexes though this reduction was more significant in young females. CONCLUSIONS: There is a currently an alarming increase in obesity and overweight prevalence among the population evaluated in this study. The significant reduction in body mass index values resulting from this research confirmed the effectiveness of the educational intervention to reduce excess weight.

[Ceruloplasmin and its clinical relevance as an indactor of cardiovascular risk factor in a school population of Granada]. / Ceruloplasmina y su importancia clínica como factor indicador del riesgo cardiovascular en una población de escolares de Granada.

Also known as ferroxidase ceruloplasmin, belongs to the family of inflammation-sensitive proteins, and its main function to transport copper in the blood. Although, in addition to this transport function, at present, there are numerous studies that have attempted to use the determination of serum concentrations as a predictive indicator of cardiovascular risk in patients who are overweight or obese. The results of this study confirm the existence of a significant correlation between serum ceruloplasmin and nutritional status of the subjects, which means that for the population of students assessed, serum levels of this protein are an important predictor the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Characterization of Bacillus thuringiensis serovar bolivia (serotype H63), a novel serovar isolated from the Bolivian high valleys.

The type strain Bacillus thuringiensis var. bolivia (serotype H63), isolated from the Bolivian high valleys, has been characterized at different levels. Its parasporal crystal has an unusual shape and it is composed of a protein of 155 kDa which shows two bands of 75 and 80 kDa after activation. Analysis by PCR shows the presence of cry1 genes, and amplification with specific primers gave products for cry1 E, cry1 D, cry4 A and cry4 B with sizes different to those expected. Immunoblotting tests showed positive reaction for Cry1 E, Cry3 A, Cry4 A and Cry11 A crystal proteins. The plasmid pattern revealed two large and two small plasmids. Toxicity tests were performed against 14 insects and a slight toxicity was found against Plutella xylotella and Trichoplusia ni.