Intake of energy and nutrients; harmonization of Food Composition Databases

Food composition databases (FCDBs) provide detailed information about the nutritional composition of foods. The conversion of food consumption into nutrient intake need a Food composition database (FCDB) which lists the mean nutritional values for a given food portion. The limitations of FCDBs are sometimes little known by the users. Multicentre studies have raised several methodology challenges which allow to standardize nutritional assessments in different populations and geographical areas for food composition and nutrient intake. Differences between FCDBs include those attributed to technical matters, such as description of foods, calculation of energy and definition of nutrients, analytical methods, and principles for recipe calculation. Such differences need to be identified and eliminated before comparing data from different studies, especially when dietary data is related to a health outcome. There are ongoing efforts since 1984 to standardize FCDBs over the world (INFOODS, EPIC, EuroFIR, etc.). Food composition data can be gathered from different sources like private company analysis, universities, government laboratories and food industry. They can also be borrowed from scientific literature or even from the food labelling. There are different proposals to evaluate the quality of food composition data. For the development of a FCDB it is fundamental document in the most detailed way, each of the data values of the different components and nutrients of a food. The objective of AECOSAN (Agencia Española de Consumo Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición) and BEDCA (Base de Datos Española de Composición de Alimentos) association was the development and support of a reference FCDB in Spain according to the standards to be defined in Europe. BEDCA is currently the only FCDB developed in Spain with compiled and documented data following EuroFIR standards (AU)

La conversión de consumo de alimentos a ingesta de nutrientes necesita una base de datos de composición de alimentos (FCDB) que recoge los valores nutricionales medios de una porción dada de alimento. Las limitaciones de las FCDBs son, en ocasiones, poco conocidas por los usuarios. Los estudios multicéntricos han planteados varios retos metodológicos que permitan estandarizar la composición de alimentos y la ingesta de nutrientes para la evaluación nutricional en diferentes poblaciones y áreas geográficas. Las diferencias entre FCDBs incluyen las atribuibles a aspectos técnicos, como la descripción de los alimentos, cálculo de energía y definición de los nutrientes, métodos analíticos y principios para el cálculo de recetas. Estas diferencias necesitan ser identificadas y eliminadas antes de comparar los datos obtenidos de diferentes estudios, especialmente cuando dichos datos dietéticos se relacionan con resultados de salud. Desde 1984 se han realizado diversas iniciativas para estandarizar los FCDBs en el mundo (INFOOD, EPIC, EUROFIR, etc.). Los datos de composición de alimentos pueden ser obtenidos de diferentes fuentes como análisis de empresas privadas, universidades, laboratorios gubernamentales e industria alimentaria. También pueden tomarse prestados de la literatura científica o incluso del etiquetado nutricional. Existen diferentes propuestas para evaluar la calidad de los datos de composición de alimentos. Para el desarrollo de una FCDB es fundamental documentar, lo más detallado posible, cada uno de los valores de los diferentes componentes y nutrientes de un alimento. El objetivo de la AECOSAN y la asociación BEDCA fue el desarrollo y mantenimiento en España de una FCDB de acuerdo con los estándares definidos para Europa. BEDCA es actualmente la única FCDB desarrollada en España con datos compilados y documentados siguiendo los estándares de EuroFIR (AU)

Intake of energy and nutrients; harmonization of Food Composition Databases.

Food composition databases (FCDBs) provide detailed information about the nutritional composition of foods. The conversion of food consumption into nutrient intake need a Food composition database (FCDB) which lists the mean nutritional values for a given food portion. The limitations of FCDBs are sometimes little known by the users. Multicentre studies have raised several methodology challenges which allow to standardize nutritional assessments in different populations and geographical areas for food composition and nutrient intake. Differences between FCDBs include those attributed to technical matters, such as description of foods, calculation of energy and definition of nutrients, analytical methods, and principles for recipe calculation. Such differences need to be identified and eliminated before comparing data from different studies, especially when dietary data is related to a health outcome. There are ongoing efforts since 1984 to standardize FCDBs over the world (INFOODS, EPIC, EuroFIR, etc.). Food composition data can be gathered from different sources like private company analysis, universities, government laboratories and food industry. They can also be borrowed from scientific literature or even from the food labelling. There are different proposals to evaluate the quality of food composition data. For the development of a FCDB it is fundamental document in the most detailed way, each of the data values of the different components and nutrients of a food. The objective of AECOSAN (Agencia Española de Consumo Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición) and BEDCA (Base de Datos Española de Composición de Alimentos) association was the development and support of a reference FCDB in Spain according to the standards to be defined in Europe. BEDCA is currently the only FCDB developed in Spain with compiled and documented data following EuroFIR standards.

La conversión de consumo de alimentos a ingesta de nutrientes necesita una base de datos de composición de alimentos (FCDB) que recoge los valores nutricionales medios de una porción dada de alimento. Las limitaciones de las FCDBs son, en ocasiones, poco conocidas por los usuarios. Los estudios multicéntricos han planteados varios retos metodológicos que permitan estandarizar la composición de alimentos y la ingesta de nutrientes para la evaluación nutricional en diferentes poblaciones y áreas geográficas. Las diferencias entre FCDBs incluyen las atribuibles a aspectos técnicos, como la descripción de los alimentos, cálculo de energía y definición de los nutrientes, métodos analíticos y principios para el cálculo de recetas. Estas diferencias necesitan ser identificadas y eliminadas antes de comparar los datos obtenidos de diferentes estudios, especialmente cuando dichos datos dietéticos se relacionan con resultados de salud. Desde 1984 se han realizado diversas iniciativas para estandarizar los FCDBs en el mundo (INFOOD, EPIC, EUROFIR, etc.). Los datos de composición de alimentos pueden ser obtenidos de diferentes fuentes como análisis de empresas privadas, universidades, laboratorios gubernamentales e industria alimentaria. También pueden tomarse prestados de la literatura científica o incluso del etiquetado nutricional. Existen diferentes propuestas para evaluar la calidad de los datos de composición de alimentos. Para el desarrollo de una FCDB es fundamental documentar, lo más detallado posible, cada uno de los valores de los diferentes componentes y nutrientes de un alimento. El objetivo de la AECOSAN y la asociación BEDCA fue el desarrollo y mantenimiento en España de una FCDB de acuerdo con los estándares definidos para Europa. BEDCA es actualmente la única FCDB desarrollada en España con datos compilados y documentados siguiendo los estándares de EuroFIR.

Monounsaturated and omega-3 but not omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids improve hepatic fibrosis in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

OBJECTIVE: Although the influence of saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), lipids, cholesterol levels, and other blood lipids has been established, few studies have examined the influence of these dietary lipids on the composition and histologic damage of organs in situations of hypercholesterolemia. Biliary lipids come from the liver, and this organ is essential in cholesterol homeostasis; thus, it may be helpful to evaluate the inter-relations among biliary, hepatic lipids, and hepatotoxic effects in situations of hypercholesterolemia with different dietary lipids. This study investigated whether administration of diets differing in fatty acid profiles (omega-3 PUFA, omega-6 PUFA, or MUFA) influence the content of biliary lipids, the lithogenic index of gallbladder bile, and the development of hepatic fibrosis in hypercholesterolemic rabbits. METHODS: Thirty rabbits were randomized to one of five groups. A control group received rabbit chow for 80 d. The remaining four groups received a 50-d diet that contained 3% lard and 13% cholesterol to provoke hypercholesterolemia. After this period, three groups were fed for another 30 d on a diet enriched with omega-6 PUFAs, MUFAs, and omega-3 PUFAs, respectively. Liver, bile, and plasma lipid compositions, lipid peroxidation in hepatic mitochondria, and histologic hepatic lesions were analyzed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: There was a beneficial effect of MUFA and omega-3 PUFA on hepatic fibrosis in hypercholesterolemic rabbits because both dietary fats led to recovery from hepatic lesions. However, because intake of omega-3 PUFA provoked lithogenic bile in rabbits, MUFA intake would be more advisable.

Timing ovulation for intrauterine insemination with a GnRH antagonist.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess the efficacy of a GnRH antagonist in intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles to increase number of mature ovulatory follicles and pregnancy rates. METHODS: Prospective randomized study. Women (18-38 years old) with primary/secondary infertility were included. Eighty-two patients were randomly assigned to controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) consisting of rFSH + GnRH antagonist or rFSH alone. RESULTS: A non-significant increase in the total amount of rFSH was seen in the GnRH antagonist group (707+/-240 IU) with respect to the control group (657+/-194 IU). The number of mature follicles (> or =16 mm) was significantly higher in the GnRH antagonist group than in the control group (2.4+/-1.4 versus 1.7+/-1.2, P<0.05). Pregnancy rates were significantly increased in the group of patients receiving the GnRH antagonist (38%) compared to the control group (14%). The only non-single pregnancy (triplets) occurred in the antagonist group. CONCLUSIONS: In this preliminary study, adding the GnRH antagonist to the COS protocol for IUI cycles significantly increased pregnancy rates. Nevertheless, these results may not be associated directly with the antagonist itself but with the fact that more mature ovulatory follicles are present by the day of the hCG. Finally, the risk for multiple gestations needs to be carefully evaluated.

Domain interactions in the yeast ATP binding cassette transporter Ycf1p: intragenic suppressor analysis of mutations in the nucleotide binding domains.

The yeast cadmium factor (Ycf1p) is a vacuolar ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter required for heavy metal and drug detoxification. Cluster analysis shows that Ycf1p is strongly related to the human multidrug-associated protein (MRP1) and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator and therefore may serve as an excellent model for the study of eukaryotic ABC transporter structure and function. Identifying intramolecular interactions in these transporters may help to elucidate energy transfer mechanisms during transport. To identify regions in Ycf1p that may interact to couple ATPase activity to substrate binding and/or movement across the membrane, we sought intragenic suppressors of ycf1 mutations that affect highly conserved residues presumably involved in ATP binding and/or hydrolysis. Thirteen intragenic second-site suppressors were identified for the D777N mutation which affects the invariant Asp residue in the Walker B motif of the first nucleotide binding domain (NBD1). Two of the suppressor mutations (V543I and F565L) are located in the first transmembrane domain (TMD1), nine (A1003V, A1021T, A1021V, N1027D, Q1107R, G1207D, G1207S, S1212L, and W1225C) are found within TMD2, one (S674L) is in NBD1, and another one (R1415G) is in NBD2, indicating either physical proximity or functional interactions between NBD1 and the other three domains. The original D777N mutant protein exhibits a strong defect in the apparent affinity for ATP and V(max) of transport. The phenotypic characterization of the suppressor mutants shows that suppression does not result from restoring these alterations but rather from a change in substrate specificity. We discuss the possible involvement of Asp777 in coupling ATPase activity to substrate binding and/or transport across the membrane.