Promoting physical activity in rural communities: walking trail access, use, and effects.

INTRODUCTION: Environmental and policy approaches to promote physical activity, such as walking trail construction and promotion, are being widely recommended, yet sparse data exist on their effectiveness. In conjunction with ongoing community-intervention projects in Missouri, walking trails are being built, promoted, and evaluated. Objectives include determining: (1) patterns and correlates of walking, (2) the availability of places to walk and perform other forms of physical activity, (3) the extent of walking trail use and possible effects on rates of physical activity, and (4) attitudes toward the trails and their uses. METHODS: In 12 rural counties in Missouri we used a cross-s ectional telephone survey to ask a population-based sample of residents aged >18 years (n=1269) some standard and specially developed questions about walking behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes. RESULTS: Only 19.5% of respondents were classified as regular walkers. About one third of respondents (36.5%) reported having access to walking trails in their area, and 50.3% reported having access to indoor facilities for exercise. Among persons with access to walking trails, 38.8% had used the trails. Groups who were more likely to have used the walking trails included women, persons with more education, those making $35,000 or more per year, and regular walkers. Among persons who had used the trails, 55.2% reported they had increased their amount of walking since they began using the trail. Women and persons with a high school education or less were more than twice as likely to have increased the amount of walking since they began using the walking trails. CONCLUSIONS: Walking trails may be beneficial in promoting physical activity among segments of the population at highest risk for inactivity, in particular women and persons in lower socioeconomic groups.

Determination of aflatoxins in grains and raw peanuts by a rapid procedure with fluorometric analysis.

A rapid, quantitative, inexpensive, and efficient method was developed to determine aflatoxins in corn, corn meal, popcorn, rice, wheat, cottonseed, and peanuts. Samples are ground and extracted with methanol-water (80 + 20). A portion of the extract is cleaned up by passage through a solid-phase separatory column, 500 microL purified extract is derivatized with a bromine reagent, and fluorescence of the solution is immediately quantified with a calibrated fluorometer containing a broad wavelength pulsed xenon light source. This method can quantify aflatoxin from 5 to 5000 ppb without dilution and was linear when applied to samples of noncontaminated corn spiked at 0 to 5000 micrograms aflatoxin B1/g. Correlation coefficients of the method with LC for multiple analyses for corn (n = 34), cottonseed (n = 32), and peanuts (n = 11) were 0.999, 0.995, and 0.980, respectively. Individual analyses may be conducted in less than 5 min, and grouping of samples is unnecessary. The sensitivity of the method for corn is 5 ppb and the fluorometer, under the operating conditions, has a limit of detection of 0.6 ng aflatoxin B1.

One-step solid-phase extraction cleanup and fluorometric analysis of deoxynivalenol in grains.

A rapid, quantitative, inexpensive, efficient method was developed to determine deoxynivalenol (DON) in wheat, barley, corn, wheat middlings, wheat flour, bran, malted barley, and oats. Samples are ground and extracted with acetonitrile-water (86 + 14). A portion of the extract is cleaned up by passage through a MycoSep No. 225 column, evaporated to dryness, and derivatized with zirconyl nitrate and ethylenediamine in methanol. The resulting fluorescent derivative of DON is identified and quantitated with a calibrated fluorometer containing a broad wavelength pulsed xenon light source. This method quantitated DON concentrations from 0.5 to 50 ppm without dilution and was linear when applied to samples of noncontaminated wheat spiked at 0.5, 5, 10, 25, and 50 micrograms DON/g. Correlation coefficients of the method with LC for multiple analyses (n > or = 14 for each commodity) applied to wheat, corn, barley, wheat flour, and wheat middlings were 0.99, 0.99, 0.99, 0.93, and 0.98, respectively. Individual analyses were conducted in < 30 min, and 24 samples were analyzed in 2 h.

Prostate cancer incidence in Missouri: an updated analysis.

Prostate cancer incidence increased dramatically in Missouri in the 1990s. However, this study demonstrates that the increased incidence parallels the dramatic increase in the earliest stage of the disease. Increased detection for prostate cancer is believed to play a strong role in this rising incidence. Continued surveillance for prostate cancer is necessary to determine the significance of the sharp rise in the incidence in Missouri.

Growth performance, carcass composition, and pigmentation of broilers fed supplemental nickel.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate effects of supplemental Ni on growth performance, carcass composition, and pigmentation of broilers. In Experiment 1, female broilers (n = 120) were housed in individual cages from 21 to 49 d of age and fed a commercial finisher diet that contained 2.4 +/- .1 ppm Ni. Supplementation of this diet with 6 or 12 ppm NiCl2 did not affect growth performance or carcass composition. In Experiment 2, female broilers (n = 60) housed in individual cages were fed finisher diets with 44 or 77 ppm xanthophyll and 0 or 12 ppm supplemental NiCl2. Growth performance from 21 to 49 d of age was not altered by diet. At 49 d of age, serum xanthophyll concentration as well as amount of lutein and total xanthophylls in skin were higher (P < or = .01) in broilers fed 77 ppm xanthophyll. Supplemental NiCl2 decreased (P < or = .1) yellow color of carcasses from broilers fed 44 ppm xanthophyll and increased yellow color of carcasses from broilers fed 77 ppm xanthophyll. Abdominal fat yields and concentration of total xanthophylls in skin followed a similar pattern, suggesting that supplemental NiCl2 may have indirectly influenced pigmentation by altering fat deposition. These data indicated that an adequate level of Ni was present in the basal diet to promote optimal growth performance and carcass quality.