Beneficial Impact of Pork Dry-Cured Ham Consumption on Blood Pressure and Cardiometabolic Markers in Individuals with Cardiovascular Risk

Background: Evidence suggests that bioactive peptides reduce hypertension and affect certain metabolic pathways. Methods: Fifty-four volunteers with stage 1 prehypertension and/or hypercholesterolemia and/or basal glucose >100 mg/dL were recruited and randomized to pork dry-cured ham (n = 35) or cooked ham (placebo group; n = 19) for 28 days. After a wash-out period, meat products were changed for 28 additional days. Bioactive peptides composition and enzyme inhibitory activities of both products were characterized. Treatment comparisons for the main effects were made using a two (treatment) × two (times) repeated measures minus the effect of cooked ham (placebo). Results: 24 h mean systolic and diastolic pressures decreased up to 2.4 mmHg in the dry-cured ham period (treatment effect, p = 0.0382 y p = 0.0233, respectively) as well as the number of systolic pressure measures > 135 mmHg (treatment effect, p = 0.0070). Total cholesterol levels also decreased significantly after dry-cured ham intake (p = 0.049). No significant differences were observed between the two treatments for basal glucose, HOMA-IR index and insulin levels (p > 0.05). However, a significant rise of ghrelin levels was observed (treatment effect, p = 0.0350), while leptin plasma values slightly decreased (treatment effect, p = 0.0628). Conclusions: This study suggested the beneficial effects of regular dry-cured ham consumption on the improvement of systolic/diastolic blood pressures and facilitated the maintenance of metabolic pathways, which may be beneficial in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

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Consumer responses to fresh meat and meat products from barrows and boars with different levels of boar taint

Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s0003356100005018 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 50 (3) ◽

pp. 519-530 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

A. Diestre ◽

M. A. Oliver ◽

M. Gispert ◽

I. Arpa ◽

J. Arnau

Keyword(s):

Family Members ◽

Meat Products ◽

Boar Taint ◽

Fresh Meat ◽

Consumer Responses ◽

Overall Acceptability ◽

Dry Cured Ham ◽

Cooked Ham ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Consumer Dissatisfaction

ABSTRACTIn a consumer trial the assessments of 874 cooks and 5034 family members were analysed. Forty-one boar and 40 barrow carcasses were selected in a commercial abattoir so that the two sexes were similar in carcass weight, fat thickness and muscle pH. A boar sample including a higher proportion of tainted carcasses was selected. It was divided into three boar taint-level subgroups according to their 5a-androst- 16-ene-3-one (androstenone) concentration in fat (Jig androstenone per g fat) as follows: L < 0·5 (no. = 17), M 0·5 to 1·0 (no. = 13) and H > 1·0 (no. = 11). From each carcass, loin/rib chops were prepared and cooked hams, brine-cured bellies and Spanish dry-cured hams were processed. An analysis of variance was used to estimate the effects of sex and boar taint levels. Cooks (P < 0·05) and family members (P < 0·01) reported a higher level of odour for boar chops. A higher level of unfavourable responses to odour and flavour were found in the H taint-level subgroup. Also, the H taint-level group produced the highest proportion of negative judgements on overall acceptability in comparison with normal purchases. The response of cooks to odour from brine-cured bellies was significantly affected by sex (boar and barrow). For bellies, odour, overall acceptability and comparison with normal purchases were significantly affected by the boar taint-level subgroups (P < 005). The treatments had no significant effect on any quality question related to boar taint in cooked ham. However, boar taint level significantly affected the assessments of flavour and overall acceptability from Spanish dry-cured ham (P < 0·01). A higher proportion of negative responses was found in the H taint-level subgroup. The trial indicates that boar meat can produce an unfavourable response from consumers for fresh meat (chops) or products needing heating prior to consumption (brine-cured bellies). However, in cooked products with hot processing and cold consumption (cooked ham) no negative effect from using boar meat was observed. To produce Spanish dry-cured ham, androstenone quantification should be carried out to avoid consumer dissatisfaction.

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Increasing Precision without Altering Treatment Effects: Repeated Measures Designs in Survey Experiments

American Political Science Review ◽

10.1017/s0003055421000241 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-18

Author(s):

SCOTT CLIFFORD ◽

GEOFFREY SHEAGLEY ◽

SPENCER PISTON

Keyword(s):

Treatment Effect ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Treatment Effects ◽

Repeated Measurements ◽

Experimental Designs ◽

Treatment Effect Size ◽

Standard Design ◽

Survey Experiments ◽

Repeated Measures Designs ◽

Alternative Designs

The use of survey experiments has surged in political science. The most common design is the between-subjects design in which the outcome is only measured posttreatment. This design relies heavily on recruiting a large number of subjects to precisely estimate treatment effects. Alternative designs that involve repeated measurements of the dependent variable promise greater precision, but they are rarely used out of fears that these designs will yield different results than a standard design (e.g., due to consistency pressures). Across six studies, we assess this conventional wisdom by testing experimental designs against each other. Contrary to common fears, repeated measures designs tend to yield the same results as more common designs while substantially increasing precision. These designs also offer new insights into treatment effect size and heterogeneity. We conclude by encouraging researchers to adopt repeated measures designs and providing guidelines for when and how to use them.

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Estimating and reporting treatment effects in clinical trials for weight management: using estimands to interpret effects of intercurrent events and missing data

International Journal of Obesity ◽

10.1038/s41366-020-00733-x ◽

2021 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sean Wharton ◽

Arne Astrup ◽

Lars Endahl ◽

Michael E. J. Lean ◽

Altynai Satylganova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trials ◽

Missing Data ◽

Weight Management ◽

Treatment Effect ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Treatment Effects ◽

Randomized Clinical Trials ◽

Weight Losses ◽

The Difference ◽

Treatment Of Obesity

AbstractIn the approval process for new weight management therapies, regulators typically require estimates of effect size. Usually, as with other drug evaluations, the placebo-adjusted treatment effect (i.e., the difference between weight losses with pharmacotherapy and placebo, when given as an adjunct to lifestyle intervention) is provided from data in randomized clinical trials (RCTs). At first glance, this may seem appropriate and straightforward. However, weight loss is not a simple direct drug effect, but is also mediated by other factors such as changes in diet and physical activity. Interpreting observed differences between treatment arms in weight management RCTs can be challenging; intercurrent events that occur after treatment initiation may affect the interpretation of results at the end of treatment. Utilizing estimands helps to address these uncertainties and improve transparency in clinical trial reporting by better matching the treatment-effect estimates to the scientific and/or clinical questions of interest. Estimands aim to provide an indication of trial outcomes that might be expected in the same patients under different conditions. This article reviews how intercurrent events during weight management trials can influence placebo-adjusted treatment effects, depending on how they are accounted for and how missing data are handled. The most appropriate method for statistical analysis is also discussed, including assessment of the last observation carried forward approach, and more recent methods, such as multiple imputation and mixed models for repeated measures. The use of each of these approaches, and that of estimands, is discussed in the context of the SCALE phase 3a and 3b RCTs evaluating the effect of liraglutide 3.0 mg for the treatment of obesity.

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Statistical analysis of two arm randomized pre-post designs with one post-treatment measurement

BMC Medical Research Methodology ◽

10.1186/s12874-021-01323-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Fei Wan

Keyword(s):

Treatment Effect ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Informed Choice ◽

Clinical Effectiveness ◽

Change Score ◽

Post Treatment ◽

Analysis Of Covariance ◽

Alternative Methods ◽

Main Effect ◽

Comparable Performance

Abstract Background Randomized pre-post designs, with outcomes measured at baseline and after treatment, have been commonly used to compare the clinical effectiveness of two competing treatments. There are vast, but often conflicting, amount of information in current literature about the best analytic methods for pre-post designs. It is challenging for applied researchers to make an informed choice. Methods We discuss six methods commonly used in literature: one way analysis of variance (“ANOVA”), analysis of covariance main effect and interaction models on the post-treatment score (“ANCOVAI” and “ANCOVAII”), ANOVA on the change score between the baseline and post-treatment scores (“ANOVA-Change”), repeated measures (“RM”) and constrained repeated measures (“cRM”) models on the baseline and post-treatment scores as joint outcomes. We review a number of study endpoints in randomized pre-post designs and identify the mean difference in the post-treatment score as the common treatment effect that all six methods target. We delineate the underlying differences and connections between these competing methods in homogeneous and heterogeneous study populations. Results ANCOVA and cRM outperform other alternative methods because their treatment effect estimators have the smallest variances. cRM has comparable performance to ANCOVAI in the homogeneous scenario and to ANCOVAII in the heterogeneous scenario. In spite of that, ANCOVA has several advantages over cRM: i) the baseline score is adjusted as covariate because it is not an outcome by definition; ii) it is very convenient to incorporate other baseline variables and easy to handle complex heteroscedasticity patterns in a linear regression framework. Conclusions ANCOVA is a simple and the most efficient approach for analyzing pre-post randomized designs.

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Unravelling the Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Protective Effect of Lactate on the High-Pressure Resistance of Listeria monocytogenes

Biomolecules ◽

10.3390/biom11050677 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 677

Author(s):

Cristina Serra-Castelló ◽

Ilario Ferrocino ◽

Anna Jofré ◽

Luca Cocolin ◽

Sara Bover-Cid ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Pressure ◽

Protective Effect ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Rna Extraction ◽

Meat Products ◽

High Pressure Processing ◽

Membrane Properties ◽

Short Exposure ◽

Cooked Ham ◽

Pressure Resistance

Formulations with lactate as an antimicrobial and high-pressure processing (HPP) as a lethal treatment are combined strategies used to control L. monocytogenes in cooked meat products. Previous studies have shown that when HPP is applied in products with lactate, the inactivation of L. monocytogenes is lower than that without lactate. The purpose of the present work was to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying the piezo-protection effect of lactate. Two L. monocytogenes strains (CTC1034 and EGDe) were independently inoculated in a cooked ham model medium without and with 2.8% potassium lactate. Samples were pressurized at 400 MPa for 10 min at 10 °C. Samples were subjected to RNA extraction, and a shotgun transcriptome sequencing was performed. The short exposure of L. monocytogenes cells to lactate through its inoculation in a cooked ham model with lactate 1h before HPP promoted a shift in the pathogen’s central metabolism, favoring the metabolism of propanediol and ethanolamine together with the synthesis of the B12 cofactor. Moreover, the results suggest an activated methyl cycle that would promote modifications in membrane properties resulting in an enhanced resistance of the pathogen to HPP. This study provides insights on the mechanisms developed by L. monocytogenes in response to lactate and/or HPP and sheds light on the understanding of the piezo-protective effect of lactate.

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Metabolic Profiling of Xylooligosaccharides by Lactobacilli

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym12102387 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (10) ◽

pp. 2387

Author(s):

Ilia Iliev ◽

Tonka Vasileva ◽

Veselin Bivolarski ◽

Albena Momchilova ◽

Iskra Ivanova

Keyword(s):

Plasma Membranes ◽

Meat Products ◽

Lactobacillus Brevis ◽

Degree Of Polymerization ◽

Acid Fermentation ◽

Carbohydrate Utilization ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Mixed Acid ◽

Rat Liver Plasma Membranes ◽

Different Types

Three lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains identified as Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis, and Lactobacillus sakei isolated from meat products were tested for their ability to utilize and grow on xylooligosaccharides (XOSs). The extent of carbohydrate utilization by the studied strains was analyzed by HPLC. All three strains showed preferences for the degree of polymerization (DP). The added oligosaccharides induced the LAB to form end-products of typical mixed-acid fermentation. The utilization of XOSs by the microorganisms requires the action of three important enzymes: β-xylosidase (EC 3.2.1.37) exo-oligoxylanase (EC 3.2.1.156) and α-L-arabinofuranosidase (EC 3.2.1.55). The presence of intracellular β-D-xylosidase in Lb. brevis, Lb. plantarum, and Lb. sakei suggest that XOSs might be the first imported into the cell by oligosaccharide transporters, followed by their degradation to xylose. The studies on the influence of XOS intake on the lipids of rat liver plasma membranes showed that oligosaccharides display various beneficial effects for the host organism, which are probably specific for each type of prebiotic used. The utilization of different types of oligosaccharides may help to explain the ability of Lactobacillus strains to compete with other bacteria in the ecosystem of the human gastrointestinal tract.

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NHE-1 participates in isoproterenol-induced downregulation of SERCA2a and development of cardiac remodeling in rat hearts

AJP Heart and Circulatory Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpheart.00483.2011 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 301 (5) ◽

pp. H2154-H2160 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Munetaka Shibata ◽

Daisuke Takeshita ◽

Koji Obata ◽

Shinichi Mitsuyama ◽

Haruo Ito ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Cardiac Hypertrophy ◽

Cardiac Remodeling ◽

Mechanical Energy ◽

Systolic Pressure ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Rat Hearts ◽

Total Mechanical Energy ◽

Male Wistar Rats ◽

Lv Volume

Impaired Ca2+ handling is one of the main characteristics in heart failure patients. Recently, we reported abnormal expressions of Ca2+-handling proteins in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced hypertrophied rat hearts. On the other hand, Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE)-1 inhibitor has been demonstrated to exert beneficial effects in ischemic-reperfusion injury and in the development of cardiac remodeling. The aims of the present study are to investigate the role of NHE-1 on Ca2+ handling and development of cardiac hypertrophy in ISO-infused rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into vehicle [control (CTL)] and ISO groups without or with pretreatment with a selective NHE-1 inhibitor, BIIB-723. ISO infusion for 1 wk significantly increased the ratios of heart to body weight and left ventricle (LV) to body weight and collagen accumulation. All of these increases were antagonized by coadministration with BIIB-723. The ISO-induced significant increase in LV wall thickness was suppressed significantly ( P < 0.05) by BIIB-723. ISO-induced decreases in cardiac stroke volume and a total mechanical energy per beat index, systolic pressure-volume area at midrange LV volume, were normalized by BIIB-723. The markedly higher expression of NHE-1 protein in the ISO group than that in CTL group was suppressed ( P < 0.05) by BIIB-723. Surprisingly, ISO induced downregulation of the important Ca2+-handling protein sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase 2a, the expression of which was also normalized by BIIB-723 without changes in phosphorylated phospholamban (PLB)/PLB expression. We conclude that NHE-1 contributes to ISO-induced abnormal Ca2+ handling associated with cardiac hypertrophy. Inhibition of NHE-1 ameliorates cardiac Ca2+-handling impairment and prevents the development of cardiac dysfunction in ISO-infused rats.

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Exopolysaccharides Produced by Lactic Acid Bacteria: From Biosynthesis to Health-Promoting Properties

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods11020156 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 156

Author(s):

Dominika Jurášková ◽

Susana C. Ribeiro ◽

Celia C. G. Silva

Keyword(s):

Lactic Acid ◽

Lactic Acid Bacteria ◽

Meat Products ◽

Fermented Foods ◽

Cholesterol Lowering ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Composition And Structure ◽

Health Promoting

The production of exopolysaccharides (EPS) by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) has attracted particular interest in the food industry. EPS can be considered as natural biothickeners as they are produced in situ by LAB and improve the rheological properties of fermented foods. Moreover, much research has been conducted on the beneficial effects of EPS produced by LAB on modulating the gut microbiome and promoting health. The EPS, which varies widely in composition and structure, may have diverse health effects, such as glycemic control, calcium and magnesium absorption, cholesterol-lowering, anticarcinogenic, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant effects. In this article, the latest advances on structure, biosynthesis, and physicochemical properties of LAB-derived EPS are described in detail. This is followed by a summary of up-to-date methods used to detect, characterize and elucidate the structure of EPS produced by LAB. In addition, current strategies on the use of LAB-produced EPS in food products have been discussed, focusing on beneficial applications in dairy products, gluten-free bakery products, and low-fat meat products, as they positively influence the consistency, stability, and quality of the final product. Highlighting is also placed on reports of health-promoting effects, with particular emphasis on prebiotic, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, cholesterol-lowering, anti-biofilm, antimicrobial, anticancer, and drug-delivery activities.

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Effect of the Addition of Soy Protein (Glycine Max Merryl) on the Composition of Cooked Ham

ESPOCH Congresses: The Ecuadorian Journal of S.T.E.A.M. ◽

10.18502/espoch.v1i5.9578 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

E. Romero Machado ◽

T. Zambrano Núñez ◽

P. Pino Falconí

Keyword(s):

Glycine Max ◽

Soy Protein ◽

Sensory Analysis ◽

Laboratory Tests ◽

Experimental Approach ◽

Meat Products ◽

Control Treatment ◽

Microbiological Analysis ◽

Randomized Design ◽

Cooked Ham

The present study aimed to assess the bromatological composition when soy protein was added in the preparation of cooked ham. An experimental approach was used. There were three treatments in which 2.50% (T1), 5.00% (T2) and 7.50% (T3) soy protein was added; these were compared to a control treatment (T0). A randomized design was applied and means were analyzed according to Tukey at 5%. The following laboratory tests were carried out in the ham finished product: bromatological analysis, microbiological analysis and sensory analysis. The results obtained were as follows: fiber: 2.27%; humidity: 63.53%; fat: 7.47%; protein: 20.23%; ash: 1.83%; and carbohydrates: 4.68%. Significant differences were found between the addition of 7.50% of soy protein compared to the 0% control treatment. It can be concluded from the results that the addition of soy protein to ham increases the content of fiber, fat, protein, ash and carbohydrates, and the best treatment without affecting the characteristics of the finished product is the addition of 7.50% soy protein. Keywords: meat products, ham, soy protein. RESUMEN El presente estudio tiene como objetivo adicionar proteína de soya en la elaboración de jamón cocido y valorar la composición bromatológica. El método utilizado en la investigación es experimental manejando tres tratamientos en los cuales se añadió proteína de soya en 2,50 (T1), 5,00 (T2) y 7,50 (T3)%, que se los comparó a un tratamiento control (T0), se aplicó un diseño completamente al azar y separación de medias según Tukey al 5%, en el jamón como producto terminado, se realizaron las siguientes pruebas de laboratorio; análisis bromatológico, análisis sensorial. Los resultados obtenidos de fibra (2,27%), humedad (63,53%), grasa (7,47%), proteína (20,23%), ceniza (1,83%) y carbohidratos (4,68%), se encontró diferencias significativas entre la adición de 7,50% de proteína de soya frente al tratamiento control 0%. Con los resultados se puede aludir que las formulaciones de jamón con adición de proteína de soya, aumenta los contenido de fibra, grasa, proteína, ceniza y carbohidratos en relación a un tratamiento control, se puede establecer que el mejor tratamiento es con la adición del 7,50% de proteína de soya sin que afecte las características del producto terminado Palabras claves: productos cárnicos, jamón, proteína de soya.

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Dissociation of Direct and Indirect Effects of Angiotensin II on the Heart

Hypertension ◽

10.1161/hyp.36.suppl_1.683-d ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 36 (suppl_1) ◽

pp. 683-684

Author(s):

Jorge P van Kats ◽

David W Silversides ◽

Timothy L Reudelhuber

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Angiotensin Ii ◽

Systolic Pressure ◽

Weight Ratio ◽

Renin Angiotensin System ◽

Cardiac Cells ◽

Heart Weight ◽

Ang Ii ◽

Direct Stimulation ◽

Beneficial Effects

33 Cardiac angiotensin II (Ang II), either derived from the circulation or locally synthesized, is often suggested to be involved in the structural adaptations occurring in the heart in hypertension and following myocardial infarction. However, it is debated whether the proven beneficial effects of renin-angiotensin system blockade in these pathologies are related to an inhibition of the direct cardiac actions of the peptide. The objective of the present study was to investigate which of the effects of cardiac Ang II are due to direct stimulation of cardiac cells by Ang II. To test for cardiac specific functions of Ang II, transgenic mice were developed that express an Ang II-releasing fusion protein (J Biol Chem 1997;272:12994-99) exclusively in cardiomyocytes. Blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac and plasma Ang II content, Ang II receptor binding and organ morphology were monitored in transgenic (TG) and non-transgenic littermate mice (control). Cardiac Ang II levels in TG mice were 20-40 fold higher than in hearts of control mice (15±3 pg/100 mg ww). In 3 independent founder lines of TG mice, plasma Ang II concentration was not altered as compared to control (119±20 vs. 127±20 pg/mL). The heart weight to body weight ratio in TG mice (4.0±0.1 mg/g) was not different from controls (3.8±0.1 mg/g), neither was systolic pressure (137±4 and 138±7 mm Hg respectively) or heart rate (618±13 and 662±15 bpm respectively). Microscopic inspection of TG hearts did not reveal any differences with control regarding size and number of cardiomyocytes and organization of extracellular matrix proteins. TG mice had not become less sensitive for Ang II signaling since Ang II receptor number was not altered in TG mice (Bmax = 23±3 fmol/mg protein) as compared to control (22±2 fmol/mg protein). Our data show that very high Ang II levels in hearts of TG mice do not lead to myocardial enlargement or affect cardiovascular physiology. We conclude that elevated Ang II in the heart has no direct effects on cardiac cells and we hypothesize that effects of cardiac Ang II become apparent upon altered hemodynamic loading.

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