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The cholesterol-lowering and antiatherosclerotic properties of commercially prepared alcohol- and water-washed soy protein isolates were investigated in hypercholesterolemic hamsters. Thirty male F-1B Golden Syrian Hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) were fed a semipurified hypercholesterolemic diet (HCD) containing 25% casein, 20% hydrogenated coconut oil, 2% corn oil, and 0.12% cholesterol for 2 wk. After an overnight fast, all animals were bled, plasma total cholesterol was measured, and animals were divided into 3 groups of 10 with similar starting plasma total cholesterol levels. Animals were fed the experimental diets for 6 wk. Group 1 remained on the HCD diet; groups 2 and 3 were fed the 25% water-washed (WW) or alcohol-washed (AW) soy protein isolate diets, respectively, at the expense of casein. There were no significant differences in food consumption or body weights among the 3 groups of animals (data not shown). Compared with the casein-containing diets, plasma total cholesterol was significantly reduced up to 32% for both the WW and AW diets. Similarly, plasma LDL cholesterol levels were significantly reduced up to 55% with both the WW and AW diets. No significant effects on plasma HDL cholesterol were observed for either diet treatments. Although plasma triglycerides were not significantly reduced in the WW-fed animals, they were decreased 28% in the AW-fed animals relative to the casein-fed animals. Surprisingly, the accumulation of aortic cholesterol ester, the hallmark of early atherosclerosis, was dramatically reduced (-66%) only in the AW group. Although the mechanisms of action for these unexpected results remain to be determined, it is possible that during the processing of soy protein to conserve or enhance isoflavone content, certain micronutrients such as small-molecular-weight bioactive peptides might be lost.

Metrosideros excelsa is an erect evergreen branched shrub native to the North Island of New Zealand which is grown in private and public gardens for its foliage and attractive red flowers. M. excelsa plants are commercially propagated by soft and semi-hard cuttings. Therefore, new and more reliable propagation techniques derived both from conventional and advanced propagation methods should be considered to support Metrosideros nursery development. The mini-cutting and micro-cutting techniques were compared for the clonal propagation of M. excelsa. Ex vitro rooted micro-cuttings were superior to mini-cuttings in terms of rooting percentage, root number per cutting and root length by 23.5, 42.5 and 2.4%, respectively. However, the mini-cutting technique can be considered an alternative reliable propagation method because it is less expensive than the micro-cutting technique and because it does not depend on tissue culture to supply stock plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purposes: 1. To identify the prevalence and severity of asthma in a Massachusetts Head Start pro gram; 2. To identify associated risk factors for children with asthma; 3. To assess factors associated with health care utilization for asthma management. Method: Parents of 316 Head Start children were interviewed using a close-ended survey question naire. Survey A was used for demographics and general health screening. Survey B docu mented more specific asthma information. Findings: There was a 35% prevalence rate of asthma in this preschool Head Start population. Most children had mild to moderate degrees of severity. Atopy, environmental triggers, and tobac co smoke exposure were common risk factors. Seventy-four percent of these children with asthma had used the emergency department at least once in their lifetime for asthma man agement. Forty-one percent had been hospitalized at least one time for asthma. Conclusions: These findings are consistent with previous studies that support the need for asthma out reach and interventions in at-risk Head Start preschool populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There were two objectives to these studies: 1) to compare the lipoprotein cholesterol distribution in two animal models in response to different dietary treatments and 2) to assess whether the hypercholesterolemia induced by high cholesterol intake could be reversed by consumption of vegetable-protein and/or dietary fiber. Guinea pigs, which carry the majority of plasma cholesterol in LDL, and hamsters, with a higher distribution of cholesterol in HDL, were evaluated in three different studies. In Study 1, animals were fed semi-purified diets for 4 wk with proportions of 60:40, 20:80 or 0:100 (w/w) of casein/ soybean protein. Hamsters and guinea pigs that consumed 100% soybean protein had lower plasma total cholesterol (TC) than those fed diets containing casein (P < 0.01). In Study 2, three doses of dietary pectin (2.7, 5.4, or 10.7 g/100g) added in place of cellulose were tested. Intake of 10.7 g/100 g pectin resulted in the lowest plasma TC concentrations for both species (P < 0.01). Although the TC lowering was similar in studies 1 and 2, the lipoprotein cholesterol distribution differed. Whereas the differences in plasma cholesterol were in LDL in guinea pigs, hamsters exhibited differences in both non-HDL and HDL cholesterol. In study 3, animals were fed 100% soybean protein, 10.7 g/100 g pectin, and three doses of dietary cholesterol: 0.04, 0.08, or 0.16 g/100 g, which is equivalent to 300, 600, or 1,200 mg/d in humans. Guinea pigs and hamsters had the highest plasma LDL and hepatic cholesterol concentrations when they consumed 0.16 g/100 g of cholesterol (P < 0.01). However, intake of 0.08 g/100 g of cholesterol resulted in lower plasma LDL cholesterol concentrations than did consuming high animal protein (60:40 casein/ soy) or low soluble fiber (2.7 g/100 g). Relatively high levels of dietary cholesterol combined with vegetable protein and soluble fiber resulted in desirable lipoprotein profiles in animal models that significantly differ in their lipoprotein cholesterol distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Dietary fiber has been shown to improve blood lipids. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect on serum lipids of a yeast-derived beta-glucan fiber in 15 free-living, obese, hypercholesterolemic men. DESIGN: After a 3-wk period in which subjects ate their usual diet, 15 g fiber/d was added to the diet for 8 wk and then stopped for 4 wk. Plasma lipids were measured weekly during baseline and at week 7 and 8 of fiber consumption, and again at week 12. RESULTS: Compared with baseline, fiber consumption significantly reduced plasma total cholesterol (by 8% at week 7 and 6% at week 8; P < 0.05 using Bonferroni correction); week 12 values did not differ from baseline. No significant differences were noted between baseline LDL cholesterol and values at weeks 7, 8, or 12 when comparing individual groups by using Bonferroni correction, even though the overall one-way analysis of variance with repeated measures was highly significant (P < 0.001). LDL-cholesterol concentrations did decline by 8% at week 8 compared with baseline. There was a significant effect of diet on plasma HDL-cholesterol concentrations (P < 0.005 by one-way ANOVA with repeated measures). However, a group difference was observed only between baseline and week 12 (16% increase; P < 0.05 by Bonferroni correction). Triacylglycerol concentrations did not change. CONCLUSIONS: The yeast-derived beta-glucan fiber significantly lowered total cholesterol concentrations and was well tolerated; HDL-cholesterol concentrations rose, but only 4 wk after the fiber was stopped. Copyright (c) 1999 American Society for Clinical Nutrition [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine whether the addition of soy protein and guar gum to the American Heart Association (AHA) Step I diet would increase its efficacy compared with the typical "Average American Diet" (AAD) in a non-human primate model. Twenty adult female cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) were fed one of three diets for 6 wk. The AAD contained 36% energy from fat; the standard Step I diet contained 30% energy from fat; and the modified AHA Step I diet contained 30% energy from fat with the addition of soy protein isolate (10% of total energy) and guar gum (5.8 g/d). Plasma samples were collected from food-deprived monkeys at 4, 5 and 6 wk of dietary treatment for analyses of plasma total cholesterol (TC), lipoprotein cholesterol and triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations. Plasma TC, LDL-C, HDL-C and TAG concentrations were not significantly different in wk 4, 5 and 6 within any of the diet periods; thus the three measurements were averaged. After 6 wk of dietary treatment, monkeys fed the standard Step I diet had lower plasma TC (-19%) (P < 0.05) and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) (-24%) (P < 0.09) than when they were fed the AAD, with no effect on HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), the lipoprotein cholesterol profile or TAG. Beyond the effect of the standard Step I diet, the modified AHA Step I diet further reduced plasma TC and LDL-C (-24% and -40%) (P < 0. 05) and the TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios (-37% and -52%) (P < 0. 05) with no significant changes in plasma HDL-C or TAG. The primary conclusions of this study are that the efficacy of the AHA Step I cholesterol-lowering diet can be increased with the addition of soy protein and guar gum and provide a more favorable lipoprotein cholesterol profile. Whether the cholesterol-lowering effect is the result of soy protein or guar gum or a synergistic effect of both remains to be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the mechanism(s) underlying the cholesterolemic response to dietary cholesterol and saturated fatty acids, low density lipoprotein (LDL) metabolism was studied in two groups of cynomolgus monkeys fed diets containing 30 or 36% of total energy as fat. At each dietary fat level, the same group of monkeys was sequentially fed three dietary cholesterol concentrations as egg yolk in the following sequence: low (0.01 mg/kJ), medium (0.03 mg/kJ) and high (0.05 mg/kJ) for 30, 32 and 24 wk, respectively. Dietary polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were the same in the two groups; the 6% difference in fat was due to the saturated fatty acids, 12:0 and 14:0. Serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and LDL apolipoprotein B concentrations increased (P < 0.05) with dietary cholesterol in a dose-dependent manner in both fat groups. These elevations were the result of generally increasing LDL apolipoprotein B production rates, concomitant with reduced LDL apolipoprotein B fractional clearance at the high cholesterol intake. Serum HDL cholesterol and HDL apolipoprotein A-I concentrations were not affected in a consistent manner. These results demonstrate that cynomolgus monkeys are hyperresponsive to dietary cholesterol compared with humans, suggesting that this model may be useful in identifying metabolic and genetic predictors for hyperresponsiveness to dietary cholesterol in humans as well as assessing the metabolic heterogeneity of responses to dietary cholesterol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil from coffee beans contains the diterpenes cafestol and kahweol, which greatly elevate cholesterol in humans. Consumption of 0.03 g coffee oil (0.86 mg cafestol and 1.04 mg kahweol)/kg body wt raised serum cholesterol by 1.27 mmol/L in volunteers. We fed coffee oil from this same batch to cebus and rhesus monkeys. Two groups of eight cebus monkeys were fed a purified diet containing 0.5% coffee oil or placebo oil (sunflower plus palm oil, 3:2, wt/wt) for 2 x seven and a half weeks in a crossover design. The daily intake of the coffee oil was 0.18 g (5.13 mg cafestol and 6.21 mg kahweol)/kg body wt, or sixfold that in the human study. Coffee oil did not affect plasma cholesterol or triglyceride concentrations compared with the placebo oil. Two groups of three rhesus monkeys were fed a commercial diet containing either 0.5% coffee oil or 0.5% placebo oil for 2 x 6 wk in a crossover design. The daily intake of coffee oil was 0.20 g (5.70 mg cafestol and 6.90 mg kahweol)/kg body wt. Again, there was no effect of coffee oil on plasma cholesterol or triglyceride concentrations. Contrary to the findings in human studies, coffee oil had no impact on plasma alanine aminotransferase activity in nonhuman primates. The cholesterol-raising effect of diterpenes from coffee oil, present in boiled coffee, seems to be specific for human primates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]