ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Molecular phylogenetic algorithms frequently disagree with the approaches considering reproductive compatibility and morphological criteria for species delimitation. The question stems if the resulting species boundaries from molecular, reproductive and/or morphological data are definitively not reconcilable; or if the existing phylogenetic methods are not sensitive enough to agree morphological and genetic variation in species delimitation. OBJECTIVE: We propose DISTATIS as an integrative framework to combine alignment-based (AB) and alignment-free (AF) distance matrices from ITS2 sequences/structures to shed light whether Gelasinospora and Neurospora are sister but independent genera. METHODS: We aimed at addressing this standing issue by harmonizing genus-specific classification based on their ascospore morphology and ITS2 molecular data. To validate our proposal, three phylogenetic approaches: i) traditional alignment-based, ii) alignment-free and iii) novel distance integrative (DI)-based were comparatively evaluated on a set of Gelasinospora and Neurospora species. All considered species have been extensively characterized at both the morphological and reproductive levels and there are known incongruences between their ascospore morphology and molecular data that hampers genus-specific delimitation. RESULTS: Traditional AB phylogenetic analyses fail at resolving the Gelasinospora and Neurospora genera into independent monophyletic clades following ascospore morphology criteria. In contrast, AF and DI approaches produced phylogenetic trees that could properly delimit the expected monophyletic clades. CONCLUSION: The DI approach outperformed the AF one in the sense that it could also divide the Neurospora species according to their reproduction mode.
Subject(s)
Neurospora/classification , Phylogeny , Sordariales/classification , AlgorithmsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) on children's Hb, linear growth and development, compared with supplementation with micronutrient powder (MNP). DESIGN: The study was a two-arm parallel-group randomized controlled trial, where participants received either LNS or MNP for daily consumption during 6 months. Supplements were delivered by staff at government-run health centres. Hb, anthropometric, motor development, language development and problem-solving indicators were measured by trained research assistants when children were 12 months of age. SETTING: The study was conducted in five rural districts in the Province of Ambo in the Department of Huánuco, Peru. SUBJECTS: We enrolled 6-month-old children (n 422) at nineteen health centres. RESULTS: Children who received LNS had a higher mean Hb concentration and lower odds of anaemia than those who received MNP. No significant differences in height-for-age, weight-for-height or weight-for-age Z-score, or stunting and underweight prevalence, were observed. Provision of LNS was associated with a higher pre-verbal language (gestures) score, but such effect lost significance after adjustment for covariates. Children in the LNS group had higher problem-solving task scores and increased odds of achieving this cognitive task than children in the MNP group. No significant differences were observed on receptive language or gross motor development. CONCLUSIONS: LNS between 6 and 12 months of age increased Hb concentration, reduced anaemia and improved cognitive development in children, but showed no effects on anthropometric indicators, motor or language development.
Subject(s)
Developmental Disabilities/prevention & control , Dietary Fats/therapeutic use , Dietary Supplements , Infant Nutrition Disorders/prevention & control , Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena , Micronutrients/therapeutic use , Rural Health , Child Development , Developmental Disabilities/epidemiology , Double-Blind Method , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Growth Disorders/epidemiology , Growth Disorders/prevention & control , Humans , Infant , Infant Nutrition Disorders/epidemiology , Intention to Treat Analysis , Language Development , Lost to Follow-Up , Male , Peru/epidemiology , Prevalence , Problem Solving , Risk , Rural Health Services , Thinness/epidemiology , Thinness/prevention & controlABSTRACT
Objetivo. Determinar los percentiles del contenido de azúcar, sodio y grasas saturadas descritas en los alimentos industrializados según etiquetado por categorías de alimentos industrializados en lugares de expendio de Lima. Metodología. Se trató de un estudio prospectivo con 565 registros de alimentos, a los cuales se les observó los contenidos de azúcar, grasas saturadas y sodio que presentaban en su información nutricional, para luego obtener medidas decilares de los productos en general y por categorías. Resultados. En cuanto al contenido de azúcar el percentil 10 para las bebidas no alcohólicas fue de 4,2 g; en golosinas de 25,8 g; en lácteos de 4,9 g, y en biscochos fue de 19,5 g. En cuanto a las grasas saturadas el percentil 10 se encontró a las golosinas (8,0 g); snacks (3,2 g) y biscochos, galletas y queques con 3,8 g. Conclusión. Las bebidas no alcohólicas, golosinas, lácteos y derivados, biscochos, galletas y queques sobrepasan las recomendaciones de azúcar. Las golosinas, snacks y biscochos, galletas y queques sobrepasan las recomendaciones de grasas saturadas. En general la mayoría de los productos mantuvieron niveles adecuados de sodio.
Subject(s)
Industrialized Foods , Sugars , Fats , Food Labeling , Sodium , Nutritive Value , Prospective Studies , PeruABSTRACT
Overweight and obesity in children and adolescents represent a serious public health problem in Peru, with high costs for society that require the implementation of a set of public policies directed toward its control. Thus, interventions have been proposed as the regulation of advertising of unhealthy foods, self-regulation, the implementation of kiosks healthy and nutritional labeling. From the analysis of the problem of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents in Peru, this article is a narrative review of such interventions.
Subject(s)
Obesity/prevention & control , Overweight/prevention & control , Adolescent , Advertising , Child , Child, Preschool , Food , Humans , Peru , Risk Factors , Young AdultABSTRACT
El sobrepeso y la obesidad en niños y adolescentes representa un serio problema de salud pública en el Perú, con elevados costos para la sociedad, esto hace necesaria la implementación de un conjunto de políticas públicas dirigidas hacia el control de dicho inconveniente. Así, se han propuesto intervenciones como la regulación de la publicidad de alimentos no saludables, su autorregulación, la implementación de quioscos saludables y el etiquetado nutricional. Desde el análisis de la problemática del sobrepeso y obesidad en niños y adolescentes en el Perú, el presente artículo hace una revisión narrativa de dichas intervenciones.
Overweight and obesity in children and adolescents represent a serious public health problem in Peru, with high costs for society that require the implementation of a set of public policies directed toward its control. Thus, interventions have been proposed as the regulation of advertising of unhealthy foods, self-regulation, the implementation of kiosks healthy and nutritional labeling. From the analysis of the problem of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents in Peru, this article is a narrative review of such interventions.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Humans , Young Adult , Obesity/prevention & control , Overweight/prevention & control , Advertising , Food , Peru , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Weekly multimicronutrient supplementation was initiated as an appropriate intervention to protect poor urban populations from anemia. OBJECTIVE: To identify the lessons learned from the Integrated Food Security Program (Programa Integrado de Seguridad Alimentaria [PISA]) weekly multimicronutrient supplementation program implemented in poor urban populations of Chiclayo, Peru. METHODS: Data were collected from a 12-week program in which multimicronutrient supplements were provided weekly to women and adolescent girls 12 through 44 years of age and children under 5 years of age. A baseline survey was first conducted. Within the weekly multimicronutrient supplementation program, information was collected on supplement distribution, compliance, biological effectiveness, and cost. RESULTS: Supplementation, fortification, and dietary strategies can be integrated synergistically within a micronutrient intervention program. CONCLUSIONS: To ensure high cost-effectiveness of a weekly multimicronutrient supplementation program, the following conditions need to be met: the program should be implemented twice a year for 4 months; the program should be simultaneously implemented at the household (micro), community (meso), and national (macro) levels; there should be governmental participation from health and other sectors; and there should be community and private sector participation. Weekly multimicronutrient supplementation programs are cost effective options in urban areas with populations at low risk of energy deficiency and high risk of micronutrient deficiencies.
Subject(s)
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency/drug therapy , Dietary Supplements , Micronutrients/administration & dosage , Micronutrients/economics , Nutrition Disorders/drug therapy , Nutritional Status , Adolescent , Adult , Anemia, Iron-Deficiency/epidemiology , Anemia, Iron-Deficiency/prevention & control , Child , Child, Preschool , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Diet/standards , Female , Food, Fortified , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Micronutrients/deficiency , Nutrition Disorders/epidemiology , Nutrition Disorders/prevention & control , Patient Compliance , Peru/epidemiology , Poverty , Risk Factors , Treatment Outcome , Urban PopulationABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The Integrated Food Security Program (Programa Integrado de Seguridad Alimentaria [PISA]) implemented a campaign to promote weekly multimicronutrient supplementation among women and adolescent girls of childbearing age and children under 5 years of age. OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of the campaign on the growth of children and on anemia among children and among women and adolescent girls of childbearing age. METHODS: Weekly multimicronutrient supplementation was provided for 8 weeks. Weights, heights, and hemoglobin concentrations were assessed at the beginning and end of the campaign. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Although supplementation did not significantly increase the hemoglobin concentrations of children (p = .80) or women and adolescent girls (p = .65) in the intervention group, the hemoglobin concentrations of the comparison groups were significantly lower after 8 weeks (p = .001 for children and p = .03 for women and adolescent girls). Furthermore, the percentage of anemic children in the comparison group increased significantly (p <.001), and the final value was significantly higher than that for the intervention group (p = .004). There were no significant effects of weekly multimicronutrient supplementation on the growth of children, but the study was too short to reliably determine any effects on growth.
