An evaluation of energy intakes and the ratio of energy intake to estimated basal metabolic rate (EI/BMRest) in the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey.

OBJECTIVE: To examine energy intakes (EI), their ratio to estimated basal metabolic rate (BMR(est) and the contribution of food groups to energy intake in the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey. DESIGN AND SETTING: Random sample of adults from the populations of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Food intake data were collected using a 7-day food diary. Body weight and height were measured and EI/BMR(est) was calculated from reported energy intake and estimated basal metabolic rate. Dieting practices were assessed as part of a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: Mean energy intake in men was 11.0 MJ and in women was 7.6 MJ, which is comparable to reported energy intakes in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland over a decade ago. Mean EI/BMR(est) was 1.38. This increased to 1.42 after the exclusion of dieters and those who were unwell, but still remained less than the established cut-off of 1.53. EI/BMR(est) was significantly (P<0.05) higher in men than in women and decreased significantly (P<0.05) with increasing BMI in both sexes. The four food groups that contributed 50% of energy in men and women were meat and meat products, breads and rolls, potatoes and potato products, and biscuits, cakes, pastries and puddings. CONCLUSIONS: Energy intakes have not changed remarkably in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland in the last 10 years, but the mean EI/BMR(est) of 1.38 suggests that energy underreporting occurred. EI/BMR(est) was lower in women and in the overweight/obese. Additional multivariate analysis of the data is needed to identify more clearly subgroups of the population reporting lower than expected energy intakes and to evaluate the effect of low energy reporting on the consumption of various foods and food groups.

Macronutrient intakes and food sources in Irish adults: findings of the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey.

OBJECTIVE: To describe macronutrient intakes and food sources of the adult population in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and to assess adherence of this population to current dietary recommendations. DESIGN: A cross-sectional food consumption survey collected food intake data using a 7-day food diary. SETTING: Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland between October 1997 and October 1999. SUBJECTS: One thousand three hundred and seventy-nine adults aged 18-64 years (662 males and 717 females). RESULTS: Mean daily energy intakes in men were 11 MJ per day, 15.5% was derived from protein, 34.8% from fat, 43.5% from carbohydrate and 5.9% from alcohol. Corresponding figures for women were 7.6 MJ per day, 15.6%, 35.6%, 45.1% and 3.5%. When alcohol energy was excluded the contribution of fat and carbohydrate to energy did not differ between men and women. When compared with existing dietary recommendations, 93% of men and 86% of women had protein intakes above the Population Reference Intake. Two approaches were used to assess adherence to the fat and carbohydrate dietary recommendations: (1) the proportion of individuals in the population attaining these dietary targets and (2) the proportion of the population that was included in a 'compliers' group which had a group mean equal to these dietary targets. Thirty-three per cent of men and 34% of women met the target of 35% of food energy from fat and 78% of men and 80% of women comprised the 'compliers' group having a group mean of 35% of food energy from fat. Twenty-three per cent of men and 27% of women met the target of 50% of food energy from carbohydrate and 56% of men and 62% of women made up the 'compliers' group. Meat and meat products were the main source of fat (23%) and protein (37%), and bread and rolls (25%) were the main source of carbohydrate. CONCLUSION: A reduction in dietary fat intake remains an important public health issue in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. An increase in carbohydrate intake and attention to the rise in alcohol intake is also warranted.

Treatment for acute craniomandibular dysfunction symptoms in edentulous patients with unserviceable or no existing complete dentures.

This article describes techniques to make unserviceable complete dentures rapidly serviceable and to facilitate using them in the diagnosis and treatment of acute craniomandibular dysfunction symptoms in edentulous patients. A technique is described to make complete dentures rapidly in the event that the complete dentures cannot be made serviceable or the patient has no complete dentures. This technique uses the TRIAD visible light-cure system. Once the complete dentures are made, they can be used alone or in conjunction with an occlusal splint for the diagnosis and treatment of acute craniomandibular dysfunction symptoms.

Polyfluoro 1,3-diketones as systemic insecticides.

A series of aryl polyfluoro 1,3-diketones were examined for systemic ectoparasiticidal activity in cattle. The compounds demonstrated efficacy against several economically important species of insects and acarina. At dosages of 5 mg/kg X1 or 0.35 mg/kg per day intraruminally, activity was observed against blowfly larvae (Phormia regina), adult stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans), and lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum). In vivo activity was not directly related to in vitro activity, showing a stronger dependence on perfluoroalkyl-chain length and aryl-group substitution.

Effects of sodium hypochlorite on denture base metals during immersion for short-term sterilization.

The effects on Vitallium and Ticonium alloys immersed in different concentrations of sodium hypochlorite for various immersion times are described. The results of this investigation demonstrate that samples of these metals soaked in 2% sodium hypochlorite for at least 5 minutes or in 5.25% sodium hypochlorite for a minimum of 3 minutes were sterilized and not tarnished or corroded. Although Vitallium alloy was more resistant than Ticonium alloy to the deleterious effects of sodium hypochlorite, either metal can be safely immersed for sterilization purposes under the guidelines presented. Therefore, an effective and economical method for sterilizing removable partial denture frameworks made of chrome-cobalt or chrome-nickel alloys is attainable through the proper use of household bleach.

Method for the detection and quantitation of chitinase inhibitors in fermentation broths; isolation and insect life cycle effect of A82516.

A new method of screening for chitinase inhibitors in crude fermentation broths as a means of discovering new insecticidal leads has been developed. In this procedure soluble Remazol brilliant violet 5R dye-coupled chitin degradation products released from insoluble chitin azure substrate by hydrolysis with Streptomyces griseus chitinase are filtered in 0.45 micron Millititer HA 96 well filtration plates and collected in 96 well microtiter plates. Inhibitors of this reaction are detected by a decrease in absorbance (570 nm) of the filtrate. A chitinase inhibitor, designated A82516, produced by culture A82516 was discovered using this screen. Purified A82516 was found to have an IC50 of 3.7 X 10(-6) M for S. griseus chitinase. At a test concentration of 0.27 mg/ml, A82516 was 100% effective in preventing development of house fly larvae to pupae. Allosamidin, a recently reported chitinase inhibitor in vitro, has spectral properties identical to A82516.

Field study of the relationship between skin-sensitizing antibody production in the cottontail rabbit, Sylvilagus floridanus, and infestation by the rabbit tick, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris (Acri: Ixodidae).

The resistance of cottontail rabbits to tick feeding appears correlated with the rabbits' development of skin-sensitizing antibodies. Resistance appeared to be greatest in adult rabbits which had been repeatedly infested with ticks. Rabbits with little exposure to ticks, usually the young cottontails, showed little or no skin-sensitizing antibody present in their blood and usually had relatively high tick loads when compared with adult rabbits. Models used to interpret the data show promise as tools for predicting tick population fluctuations and, perhaps, incidence of vector borne disease outbreaks. The existence of resistance to tick attachment has important implications for the host-parasite relationship. The research lends support to the hypothesis that the resistance may function as a homeostatic regulatory mechanism capable of maintaining the size of the tick population in equilibrium with the size of the rabbit population. In this way, host resistance may be advantageous to the parasite as well as to the host.