Arboviruses are infections caused by arboviruses that may be either symptomatic or asymptomatic, according to individuals' resistance and immune response, which dietary patterns can influence. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the possible association between the occurrence of clinical manifestations of arboviruses and the dietary pattern of the population studied. The study was conducted in a rural population in the metropolitan area of Belém, Pará State, Brazil. The sampling consisted of 95 individuals during a febrile outbreak. Two investigations were conducted: clinical-epidemiological-dietary and laboratory investigation based on blood samples taken for arbovirus analysis. Out of the 95 individuals studied, more than half (57.89%) showed clinical manifestations. Following the laboratory serology (HI and IgM ELISA) analyses, viral isolation in C6/36 cells, and viral genome detection (RT-qPCR), the final diagnosis of the cases was 47.37% Oropouche Fever, 2.11% Oropouche Fever and Chikungunya Fever, and 1.05% Mayaro Fever. Regarding dietary pattern, as for the comparison analyses, statistical significance was observed between dietary pattern and classification regarding the presence of symptoms (p<0.05); after the correspondence analysis, symptomatic cases were more associated with a bad dietary pattern, while asymptomatic cases were more associated with a good dietary pattern.

Dietary patterns were recently applied to examine the relationship between eating habits and prostate cancer (PC) risk. While the associations between PC risk with glycemic index and Mediterranean score have been reviewed, no meta-analysis is currently available on dietary patterns defined by “a posteriori” methods. Search was carried out (PubMed, Web of Science) to identify studies reporting the relationship between dietary patterns and PC risk. Relevant dietary patterns were selected and the risk estimated were calculated by a random-effect model. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for a 1st-percentile increase in dietary pattern score were combined by a dose response meta-analysis. 12 observational studies were included in the meta-analysis which identified “Healthy pattern” and “Western pattern”. The Healthy pattern was not related to PC risk (OR=0.96; 95% CI: 0.88-1.04) while the Western pattern significantly increased it (OR=1.34; 95% CI: 1.08-1.65). In addition, a “Carbohydrate pattern”, identified in four articles, was positively associated with a higher PC risk (OR=1.64; 95% CI: 1.35-2.00). A significant linear trend between the Western (p=0.011) and the Carbohydrate (p=0.005) pattern and the increment of PC risk was observed. The small numbers of studies included suggest that further investigations are necessary to support these findings.

The purpose of this study was to (a) compare macro- and micronutrient intakes between male and female CD patients (b) compare micronutrient intakes of CD patients to a representative population of healthy individuals, and; (c) describe Mediterranean diet scores (P-MDS) of male and female CD patients in remission recruited from an IBD clinic in Calgary, AB. Consecutive patients with ileal and/or colonic CD in endoscopic remission were recruited for participation in this cross-sectional study. Sixty-seven patients were enrolled, with a mean age of 45, and a BMI ≥ 25. Compared with the healthy population, patients with CD had similar energy, protein, carbohydrate and total fat intake. However, PUFA, omega-6 and 3 and MUFA were lower in CD patients and dietary fibre intake was higher. Vitamins C, D, thiamin, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and potassium were all significantly lower in all CD patients compared to a healthy population. Few patients with CD met P-MDS criteria for olive oil, vegetable, legumes, and fish intake or consuming Sofrito sauce (mean 4.5, SD=1.1 in males and 4.7, SD=1.8 in females). Patients with CD in remission have suboptimal dietary intakes and patterns and targeted dietary interventions may be beneficial in this population to improve intake.

Healthy eating behaviour of women is critical not only for their health but also for their children's health and well-being. The present study examined the dietary pattern, nutrition knowledge and attitudes of working women in Western Province, Sri Lanka. In addition, identify the factors associated with Dietary Diversity Score (DDS). A cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 working women, aged 20-60 years, in Western Province, Sri Lanka. The data on so-cio-demography, dietary patterns, and nutrition-related knowledge and attitudes were collected. Overall, 38% of the women were overweight and 13% were obese. The median frequency of intake of chicken, fish, eggs, milk and milk products, green leafy vegetables and fruits were 2, 5, 2, 9, 5 and 10 respectively, per week. A large majority of the women (70%) had tea/coffee with sugar and snacks (60%) at least four times a week. Only a third of the women met the minimum DDS, while more than half of the women had good nutrition-related knowledge and attitudes. Multiple regression analysis showed that age and household income were significantly independently related to DDS, while attitudes were negatively associated. While there was a trend, the association of nutrition-related knowledge with DDS was not statistically significant (p=0.057). The overall F ratio (8.46) was highly significant (p=0.000) and the adjusted R2 was 0.093. The results demonstrated that a significant proportion of working women have good basic nutrition-related knowledge and attitudes, while two-thirds of them do not meet the minimum DDS. Furthermore, age, family income and knowledge were positively associated with DDS, while attitudes were negatively associated. Before designing any intervention, further research is needed using a qualitative approach to understand how nutrition knowledge and eating behaviour are related in this population group.

Unhealthy diet can lead to the development of metabolic disorders, and studies have shown strong associations between those conditions and biomarkers, such as c-reactive protein (CRP) and adiponectin. Recently, marine algal biomaterials have been investigated extensively due to their health benefits. We report on associations between metabolic markers and bioactive nutrients from diet and Sujiaonori algal biomaterial (SBM), a natural adiponectin modulation inducer (NAMI) containing 60% of ulvan-rich fiber, in a sample of Japanese women. The study comprised dietary survey and intervention conducted in Kochi, Japan (2016-2017), involving 31 women who completed a dietary survey and provided biospecimen for CRP and adiponectin measurement using ELISA. Sixteen women received 3g SBM daily for one month and 15 others (controls) received 3g of corn starch. In SBM group, mean age was 23.06 (2.21) years [vs. 23.06 (1.55)], BMI was 21.11 (0.59) kg/m² [vs. 21.43 (0.60) in controls], and daily intake of n3-PUFA [3.83 (0.24) vs. 2.21 (0.33) mg/day; p=0.042] and total fiber [364.12 (2.45) vs. 48.13 (1.57) mg/day in controls; p=0.000] were markedly higher. Furthermore, CRP was inversely associated with total fiber, total n3-PUFA, SBM-n3PUFA, vitamin D and vitamin B6, whereas adiponectin was strongly and positively associated with SBM-fiber and total n3-PUFA. Thus ulvan-rich SBM supplement, which contains ulvan-rich fiber and n3-PUFA, might be beneficial in reducing metabolic risk.

Dietary pattern (DP) and its relationship with disease biomarkers has received recognition in nutritional epidemiology investigations. However, DP relationships with adipokines (i.e., adiponectin and leptin) among breast cancer survivors remain unclear. Therefore, we assessed relationships between DP with high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin and leptin concentration among breast cancer survivors. This cross-sectional study involved 128 breast cancer survivors who attended the oncology outpatient clinic at two main government hospitals in East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The serum concentration of HMW adiponectin and leptin were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Reduced rank regression method was used to analyze DP. Relationships between DP with HMW adiponectin and leptin were examined using regression models. Findings showed that a one-unit increase in the ‘energy-dense, high-saturated fat and low-fiber’ DP z-score was associated with a 0.41 µg/mL lower HMW adiponectin (95% CI: -0.806, -0.014) which was independent of age, BMI, cancer stage, duration since diagnosis, education level and occupation status. A similar relationship with leptin concentration was not observed. In conclusion, ‘energy-dense, high-saturated fat and low-fiber’ DP, which is characterized by high sugar-sweetened drink and fat-based spread but low intake of fruits and vegetables, is an unhealthy dietary pattern and unfavorable for HMW adiponectin concentration but not for leptin. These findings could serve as a basis in developing specific preventive strategies that are tailored to the growing population of breast cancer survivors.

Unhealthy diet can lead to the development of metabolic disorders, and studies have shown strong associations between those conditions, c-reactive protein (CRP) and adiponectin. We report on associations between targeted metabolic markers and active nutrients from diet and Sujiaonori algal supplement (SBM), a natural adiponectin modulation inducer (NAMI) containing 60% of bioactive ulvan-rich fiber, in Japanese women. The study comprised dietary survey and intervention conducted in Kochi, Japan (2016-2017), involving 31 women who completed a dietary survey and provided biospecimen for CRP and adiponectin measurement using ELISA. Sixteen women received 3g SBM daily for one month and 15 others (controls) received 3g of corn starch. In SBM group, mean age was 23.06 (2.21) years [vs. 23.06 (1.55)], BMI was 21.11 (0.59) kg/m2 [vs. 21.43 (0.60) in controls], and daily intake of n3-PUFA [3.83 (0.24) vs. 2.21 (0.33) mg/day; p=0.042] and total fiber [364.12 (2.45) vs. 48.13 (1.57) mg/day in controls; p=0.000] were markedly higher. Furthermore, CRP was inversely associated with total fiber, total n3-PUFA, SBM-n3PUFA, vitamin D and vitamin B6, whereas adiponectin was strongly and positively associated with SBM-fiber and total n3-PUFA. Thus ulvan-rich SBM supplement, which contains ulvan-rich fiber and n3-PUFA, might be beneficial in reducing metabolic risk.

This study aimed to review the dietary risk factors for root caries prevalence in older adults, from socially active people to frail patients. A comprehensive search strategy was used to select studies from PubMed and Scopus databases. Two evalua-tors performed data extraction, screening, and quality assessment independently. Only studies written in English were included. Caries is very common in the elderly, as there are several aggravating factors such as the decrease of the ability to self-care and, by extension, insufficient oral hygiene, a carious diet, limited exposure to fluoride, xero-stomia, gingival recession, limited access to dental care. Root caries is prevalent in the elderly due to gingival recession and root exposure to the oral environment. Dietary risk factors significantly affect root caries prevalence in older adults, including high intake of sugars and an alteration of their composition preference in this age group. Caries risk appears more significant in frail, standardized patients who feed with even softer food or supplements.

Background: RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is a deadly condition that is present all over the world today. The infection is initially contained in the lower respiratory tract without systemic transmission. The objective of the study: Bioinformatics was used in Egypt to create an mRNA vaccine against the Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Methodology: In the present screening experimental study, a lipid nanoparticles vaccine of mRNA of the surface fusion protein of Respiratory syncytial virus was manufactured. The present vaccine delivery system was lipid nanoparticles with a particle size of approximately 90 nanometres, manufactured by the hot micro-emulsion method. In stages 1 and 2 of clinical trials, the immunogenicity of the current mRNA RSV vaccine was evaluated. Results: The current vaccine demonstrated 81% immunogenicity in animal testing, but only 69% in stages 1 and 2 of clinical trials. Its side effects were manageable. The results persisted for a while. In the current trial, the vaccination proved effective as a preventative measure against RSV infection. The current vaccination lacked antibody-dependent enhancement, which causes non-protective antibodies to develop. These non-neutralizing antibodies exacerbate infection by activating cytokines and complement cascade through the formation of immune complexes or enhancement of the virus entry and replication in the host cells. On the other hand, the current RSV mRNA vaccine of the surface fusion protein consequent on the production of powerful neutralizing antibodies with prolonged immunity especially to infants and elderly candidates who received the optimal dosage regimen.

The rapid increase in metabolic diseases occurred in the last three decades in both industrialized and developing countries has been related to the rise in sugar-added foods and sweetened beverages consumption. An emerging topic in the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases related to modern nutrition is the role of Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs). AGEs can be ingested with high temperature processed foods, but also endogenously formed as consequence of a high dietary sugars intake. Animal models of high sugars consumption, in particular fructose, have reported AGEs accumulation in different tissues in association with peripheral insulin resistance and lipid metabolism alterations. The in vitro observation that fructose is one of the most rapid and effective glycating agent when compared to other sugars has prompted the investigation of the in vivo fructose-induced glycation. In particular, the widespread employment of fructose as sweetener has been ascribed by many experimental and observational studies for the enhancement of lipogenesis and intracellular lipid deposition. Indeed, diet-derived AGEs have been demonstrated to interfere with many cell functions such as lipid synthesis, inflammation, antioxidant defences, and mitochondrial metabolism. Moreover, emerging evidences also in humans suggest that this impact of dietary AGEs on different signalling pathways can contribute to the onset of organ damage in liver, skeletal and cardiac muscle, and brain, affecting not only metabolic control, but global health. Indeed, the here reviewed most recent reports on the effects of high sugars consumption and diet-derived AGEs on human health suggest the need to limit the dietary sources of AGEs, including added sugars, to prevent the development of metabolic diseases and related comorbidities.

As the most serious of the many worse new pathological changes caused by diabetes, there are many risk factors for the occurrence and development of DR. It mainly includes hyperglycemia, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and so on. Among them, hyperglycemia is the most critical cause, which plays a key role in the pathological changes of DR.High-sucrose diets(HSDs) lead to elevated blood glucose levels in vivo, which, through oxidative stress, inflammation, the production of AGEs and VEGF, causes plenty of pathological damages to the retina and ultimately bring about loss of vision. The existing therapies for DR primarily target the terminal stage of the disease, when irreversible visual impairment has appeared. Therefore, early prevention is particularly critical. Early prevention of DR-related vision loss requires adjustments to dietary habits, mainly by reducing sugar intake. This article primarily discusses the risk factors, pathophysiological processes, and molecular mechanisms associated with the development of DR caused by HSDs. It aims to raise awareness of the crucial role of diet in the occurrence and progression of DR, promote timely changes in dietary habits, prevent vision loss, and improve the quality of life. The aim is to make people aware of the importance of diet in the occurrence and progression of DR. According to the dietary modification strategies we give, patients can change their poor eating habits timely, avoid the retinopathy that can be avoided theoretically, and obtain a excellent outcome.

In this review, we outline our current understanding of the mechanisms involved in the absorption, storage, and transport of dietary vitamin A to the eye, the trafficking of rod opsin protein to the photoreceptor outer segments, which encompasses the logistical backbone required for visual function. Two key mechanisms of this process are emphasized in this manuscript: Ocular and systemic vitamin A membrane transporters, and rhodopsin transporters. Understanding the complementary mechanisms responsible for the generation and proper transport of the retinylidene opsin to the photoreceptor outer segment will eventually shed light on the importance of genes encoded by these proteins, and their relationship on normal visual function and in the pathophysiology of retinal degenerative diseases.

This study investigated interactions between sugar-related dietary patterns (DP), personality traits, cognitive-behavioural, and emotional functioning. The study involved females aged 18-54. Data were collected between the Winter and Spring of 2020/21. The survey was conducted using anonymized questionnaires. The Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) was used to examine personality traits based on the Big Five Personality Trait Model. Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) was used to measure eating behaviours: cogni-tive restraint (CR), uncontrolled eating (UE), and emotional eating (EE). The KomPAN question-naire collected the frequency of intake. Dietary patterns (DPs) were derived by principal component analysis (PCA). A logistic regression (OR) was applied to verify the association between the DPs, personality traits, cognitive-behavioural and emotional functioning. Three DPs were identified: sweet-western (SWDP), pro-healthy (PHDP) and dairy (DDP). Women with high conscientiousness were less likely, by 33%, to adhere to the upper tercile of SWDP and 80% more likely to the upper tercile of PHDP. Elevated CR intensity increased by almost 2-fold (OR: 1.93; p

Few studies have examined the dietary protein intake and sources in combination with the longitudinal changes in brain structure markers. Our study aimed to examine the association between dietary protein intake and different sources of dietary protein with the longitudinal rate of change in brain structural markers. A total of 2723 and 2679 participants from the UK Biobank were included in the analysis. The relative and absolute amounts of dietary protein intake were calculated through a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire. The longitudinal change rates of brain structural biomarkers were computed using two waves of brain imaging data. We utilized multiple linear regression to examine the association between dietary protein and different sources and the longitudinal changes in brain structural biomarkers. Restrictive cubic splines were used to explore nonlinear relationships, and stratified and sensitivity analyses were conducted. Increasing the proportion of animal protein in dietary protein intake is associated with a slower reduction in the total hippocampus volume (THV, β: -0.02524, P&lt;0.05), left hippocampus volume (LHV, β: -0.02435, P&lt;0.01) and right hippocampus volume (RHV, β: -0.02544, P&lt;0.05).Higher intake of animal protein relative to plant protein is linked to a lower atrophy rate in THV (β: -0.01249, P&lt;0.05) and LHV (β: -0.01173, P&lt;0.05) and RHV (β: -0.01193, P&lt;0.05). Individuals with higher intake of seafood exhibit lower longitudinal rate of change in HV compared to those with no consume (THV, β: -0.004514; P&lt;0.05; RHV, β: -0.005527, P&lt;0.05). In subgroup and sensitivity analyses, there was not a significantly alteration. A moderate increase in the intake and proportion of animal protein in the diet, especially from seafood, is associated with a lower longitudinal change rate in hippocampus volume.

This study aimed to determine whether camelina oil is safe for use in canine diets, using canola oil and flax oil as controls as they are similar and generally regarded as safe (GRAS) for canine diets. Thirty privately-owned adult dogs of various breeds (17 females; 13 males), with an average age of 7.2 ± 3.1 years (mean ± SD) and body weight (BW) of 27.4 ± 14.0 were used. After a 4-week wash-in period using sunflower oil and kibble, dogs were blocked by breed, age, and size, and randomly allocated to one of three treatment oils (camelina (CAM), flax (FLX), or canola (OLA)) at a level of 8.2 g oil/100g total dietary intake. Body condition score (BCS), BW, food intake (FI), and hematological and select biochemical parameters were measured at various timepoints over a 16-week feeding period. All data were analyzed with ANOVA using PROC GLIMMIX of SAS. No biologically significant differences were seen between treatment groups for BW, BCS, FI, hematological and biochemical results. Statistically significant differences noted among some serum biochemical results were considered small and due to normal biological variation. These results support a conclusion that camelina oil is safe for use in canine nutrition.

Limited observational studies have described the relationship between sleep duration and overall diet. The present study investigated the association between sleep duration at weekdays and empirically derived dietary patterns in a nationally representative sample of UK adults, aged 19-64 years old, participating in the 2008-2012 UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Programme. Survey members completed between three to four days of dietary records. Sleep duration at weekdays was categorised into tertiles to reflect short, normal and long sleep duration. Social jetlag was calculated as the difference between sleep duration at weekends and weekdays. The association between sleep duration/ social jetlag and dietary patterns, derived by principal components analysis, was assessed regressing diet on sleep whilst accounting for the complex survey design and adjusting for relevant confounders. Survey members in the highest tertile of sleep duration had on average 0.45 (95% CI -0.78, -0.12) lower healthy dietary pattern score compared to middle tertile (p =0.007). There was an inverted u-shaped association between social jetlag and a healthy dietary pattern, such that when sleep at weekends exceeded weekday sleep by 1h 45min, scores for indicating a healthy dietary pattern declined (p =0.005). In conclusion, long sleep duration at weekdays and an increased social jetlag are associated with a lower healthy dietary pattern score. Further research is required to address factors influencing dietary patterns in long sleepers.

Proteins play a pivotal role in supporting athletes by promoting muscle hypertrophy and minimizing protein catabolism during exercise. They stimulate muscle protein synthesis, aiding in the repair of exercise-induced muscle damage and serving as an energy source, particularly for post-exercise glycogen replenishment. In individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU), for whom protein intake is limited to essential phenylalanine (Phe), supplementation with Phe-free amino acids or glycomacropeptides is necessary. Tailored for macronutrient and micronutrient content, these protein substitutes fulfill most protein requirements, but lack Phe, unlike dietary sources of protein. Protein requirements for athletes with PKU exceed general recommendations due to limited availability in supplements and potential catabolism mitigation. Various factors influence tolerated dietary Phe in PKU, including protein substitute quantity, distribution, pharmacological treatment, age, growth rate, pregnancy, catabolic states, and physical activity. While general protein requirements for PKU surpass those of the general population, adherence to supplement regimens is crucial for athletes and patients with PKU. Strategically timed protein substitutes enhance muscle protein synthesis, body composition, and sports performance within safety limits. Individualized intake is essential for optimal outcomes, as proteins have a multifaceted role in optimizing athletic performance and addressing challenges in PKU.

We wanted to investigate the current knowledge on the impact of diet on anti-TNF response in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), to identify dietary factors that warrant further investigations in relation to anti-TNF treatment response, and, finally, to discuss potential strategies for such investigations. PubMed was searched using specified search terms. One small prospective study on diet and anti-TNF treatment in 56 patients with CD found similar remission rates after 56 weeks among 32 patients with good compliance that received concomitant enteral nutrition and 24 with poor compliance that had no dietary restrictions (78% versus 67%, p = 0.51). A meta-analysis of 295 patients found higher odds of achieving clinical remission and remaining in clinical remission among patients on combination therapy with specialised enteral nutrition and Infliximab (IFX) compared with IFX monotherapy (OR 2.73; 95% CI: 1.73–4.31, p < 0.01, OR 2.93; 95% CI: 1.66–5.17, p < 0.01, respectively). In conclusion, evidence-based knowledge on impact of diet on anti-TNF treatment response for clinical use is scarce. Here we propose a mechanism by which Western style diet high in meat and low in fibre may promote colonic inflammation and potentially impact treatment response to anti-TNF drugs. Further studies using hypothesis-driven and data-driven strategies in observational, animal and interventional studies are warranted.

This cross-sectional study evaluated the validity of three alternative methods compared to the gold standard 24-h urine collection for estimating dietary sodium intake, a modifiable risk factor for hypertension, among middle-aged and older adults with elevated blood pressure. These included spot urine collection (using Kawasaki, Tanaka, and INTERSALT equations), 24-h dietary recall, and food frequency questionnaire responses, compared against 24-h urine collection in a subset of 65 participants (aged 50–75 years, 58.5 % women, 61.6 % hypertensive) from the DePEC-Nutrition trial. The validity of the methods was assessed using bias, Spearman correlation coefficient (SCC), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Bland-Altman analysis. Among the alternative methods, spot urine collection using the Kawasaki equation showed the strongest correlation (SCC 0.238; ICC 0.119, 95 % CI -0.079 to 0.323) but it exhibited a significant bias (1414 mg/day, p-value < 0.001) relative to 24-h urine collection. Conversely, dietary surveys had a smaller bias but wider limits of agreement. These findings underscore the complexities of accurately estimating dietary sodium intake using spot urine collection or dietary surveys in this specific population, suggesting that a combination or refinement of existing methodologies might improve accuracy. Further research with larger samples is necessary to develop more reliable methods for assessing sodium intake in this high-risk group.

Dietary habits, including meal frequency, meal timing, and skipping meals, have been extensively studied due to their association with the development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study describes dietary habits, meal timing, meal frequency, skipping meals, and late-night eating in Kuwaiti adults. The Kuwait National Nutrition Surveillance System data was utilized to reach the objectives of this study. The findings reveal that approximately 50% of the adults in Kuwait eat after 10 p.m., 29% skip breakfast, and 9.8% skip dinner. Furthermore, adults in Kuwait consume 4.4 meals per day on average. Women skip breakfast more often and have extended night fasting than men (p&lt;0.001). Married adults skip breakfast and dinner less than unmarried adults (p&lt;0.001). In conclusion, this descriptive study provides valuable insights into the dietary habits of Kuwaiti adults, emphasizing the importance of further investigating the association between meal timing, meal frequency, and the prevalence of NCDs in Kuwait.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) triggers alterations in the maternal gut microbiome. Alongside metabolic shifts, microbial products may impact clinical factors and influence pregnancy outcomes. Here, we performed two separate analyses to integrate the maternal microbiome-metabolomic differences from a subset of the “Choosing Healthy Options in Carbohydrate Energy” (CHOICE) study. Women diagnosed with GDM were randomized to a diet higher in complex carbohydrates (CHOICE, n=18, 60% complex carbohydrate/25% fat/15% protein) or a conventional GDM diet (CONV, n=16, 40% carbohydrate/45% fat/15% protein). All meals were provided, diets were eucaloric, and fiber content was similar. CHOICE diet was associated with increases in TMAO, lysophosphotidylcholines, indoxyl sulfate, and several triglyceride (TG) species, while CONV diet was associated with higher plasma hippuric acid, aspartic acid, betaine, glutamic acid, indole propionic acid, and indoleacetic acid, suggesting that differences in lipid metabolism and tryptophan utilization pathways are linked to specific maternal diets. We also identified two latent metabolic groups not associated with either diet treatment: one metabolome associated with higher fasting glucose, and the other associated with higher fasting TGs after 7 weeks on either diet. Our study underscores the importance of utilizing dietary approaches to optimize maternal-fetal health outcomes in GDM treatment.

We propose that a dietary reduction of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) could reduce risk and slow the progression of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. LPS is a component of the highly inflammatory cell membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. The highest dietary sources of LPS are processed meat and dairy products, which can sharply raise plasma LPS within one to two hours. The LPS in these foods is packaged into chylomicrons, which enter the bloodstream. Smaller amounts of LPS from colonic microbiota do not account for the sharp postprandial increase of plasma LPS. Once in the bloodstream, LPS can trigger the release of inflammatory cytokines within three hours. LPS can increase cytokines via LPS binding protein and cluster of differentiation-14, triggering toll-like receptor-4, and activating nuclear factor kappa-B. Nuclear factor kappa-B can increase cytokine levels, including interleukin-1-beta, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. LPS and inflammatory cytokines are higher in Alzheimer’s disease, both in plasma and in the central nervous system. These cytokines can enter the brain via active transport and induce microglial activation and inflammatory damage in the brain, including loss of synapses and neurons. Elevated brain inflammation from dietary LPS can contribute to cognitive impairment and increased risk of dementia.

In this paper the dynamics of spatially extended infected phytoplankton with the Holling type II functional response and logistically growing susceptible phytoplankton system is studied. The proposed model is an extension of temporal model available [6], in spatiotemporal domain. The reaction diffusion system exhibits spatiotemporal chaos in phytoplankton dynamics. This is particularly important for the spatially extended systems that are studied in this paper as they display a wide spectrum of ecologically relevant behavior, including chaos. In this system stability of the system is studied with respect to disease contact rate and the growth fraction of infected phytoplankton indirectly rejoin the susceptible phytoplankton population. The results of numerical experiments in one dimension and two dimensions in space as well as time series in temporal models are presented using MATLAB simulation. Moreover, the stability of the corresponding temporal model is studied analytically. Finally, the comparison of the three types of numerical experimentations are discussed in conclusion.

Over recent years, the swine industry has witnessed the withdrawal of antibiotics and continuous regulation of zinc and copper oxides in the early-life nutrition of piglets. Due to this development, alternative ingredients or additives from plant sources have been tremendously explored. Therefore, this study's objective was to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with tannins on weaned piglets’ growth performance, serum antioxidant capacity, and immune status using a meta-analysis approach. With only the inclusion of non-challenged weaned piglets, a total of 16 studies with parameters of interest were deemed eligible after a two-step screening process following a comprehensive literature search in the scientific databases of Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Two main categories of data, including the study’s characteristics and response variables (growth performance, serum antioxidant, and immune indices), were extracted. Applying the random-effects models, Hedges’ g effect size of supplementation with tannins was calculated using the R software to determine the standardized mean difference (SMD) at a 95% confidence interval. Sub-group analysis and meta-regression further explored heterogeneity (PSMD 0.05, I2 50%, n ≥10). Supplementation with tannin reduced average daily gain (p = 0.20) and feed conversion ratio (p 0.01); however, it increased average daily feed intake (p = 0.07) and final body weight (p 0.01). Meta-regression models indicated that tannin dosage and supplementation duration were directly associated with tannins' effectiveness on productive performance. In the serum, the concentration of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and total antioxidant capacity were elevated (p 0.01) in response to tannins supplementation, while malondialdehydes was reduced (p 0.01). Likewise, decreased immunoglobin A (p = 0.47) and increased immunoglobin M and G levels (p 0.01) were detected. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with tannins, particularly with chestnut and grape seed proanthocyanidins, increases the productivity of weaned piglets. At the same time, it is a possible nutritional strategy to mitigate oxidative stress and stimulate gut health. Thus, supplementing chestnut and grape seed proanthocyanidin tannins in the early phase of swine production could be used to alleviate the incidence of diarrhea.

Nutrition is crucial for the management of patients affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD) to slow down disease progression and to correct symptoms. The mainstay of the nutritional approach to renal patients is protein restriction coupled with adequate energy supply to prevent malnutrition. However, other aspects of renal diets, including fiber content, can be beneficial. This paper summarizes the latest literature on the role of different types of dietary fiber in CKD, with special attention to intestinal microbiota and the potential protective role of renal diets. Fibers have been identified based on aqueous solubility, but other features, such as viscosity, fermentability, and bulking effect in the colon should be considered. A proper amount of fiber should be recommended not only in the general population but also in CKD patients, to achieve an adequate composition and metabolism of intestinal microbiota and to reduce the risks connected with obesity, diabetes, and dyslipidemia.

Dietary contaminants are often an over-looked factor in the health of zebrafish. Typically, water is considered to be the source for most contaminants, especially within an aquatic environment. For this reason, source water for zebrafish recirculating systems is highly regulated and monitored daily. Most facilities use reverse osmosis or de-ionized water filtration systems to purify incoming water to ensure that contaminants, as well as pathogens, do not enter their zebrafish housing units. However, diets are rarely tested for contaminants and, in the case of manufactured zebrafish feeds, since the product is marketed for aquaculture or aquarium use it is assumed that the feed is acceptable for animals used for research. The following provides examples as to how contaminants could lead to negative effects on development and behavior of developing zebrafish.

The main objective of this study is to conduct a bibliometric analysis of scholarly publications of Authorship Pattern. The present study covers 1723 research papers published in the area of authorship pattern and indexed in Scopus database from the year 2013 to 2022. These research publications considered for the present study have been analysed based on their year wise growth, pattern of authorship, times citations, type of publication, most productive publication source as well as countries and institutions. The study shows the positive growth of the literatures with collaborative authorship pattern and good citation status. This original research paper will be helpful to the researchers of library and information science, especially who are working in the area of bibliometrics studies.

The pervasive presence of atmospheric pollution, particularly polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene, instigates aberrant cellular and tissue conditions, precipitating oxidative damage and inflammatory cascades conducive to the onset of cancer, notably mammary cancer. Given the hepatic metabolism of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene, the imperative of employing natural antioxidants becomes apparent. In this study, we delve into the antioxidant and hepato-protective properties of Pistacia lentiscus against 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced toxicity, alongside exploring its potential anticancer attributes. Our investigations unveil Pistacia lentiscus's anti-proliferative efficacy against human breast cancer cell lines. Notably, 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-intoxication escalates body weight, disrupts lipid profiles, and incites serum oxidative damage. Concurrently, hepatic and renal oxidative stress ensue, accompanied by heightened antioxidant enzyme activity in the 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-exposed-group compared to controls (p&lt;0.05). Nonetheless, Pistacia lentiscus co-administration rectifies biochemical imbalances, significantly attenuates oxidative stress aberrations, and augments antioxidant enzyme responses (p&lt;0.05). Importantly, histological analysis evinces Pistacia lentiscus's shielding effect against 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene induced hepatocyte injury and steatosis. Our findings underscore Pistacia lentiscus's robust anti-proliferative, antioxidant, and hepato-protective capacities, mitigating metabolic disturbances, oxidative stress propagation in liver and kidney functions, and potential histological alterations, thereby impeding 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced mammary cancer initiation. We posit that Pistacia lentiscus may serve as a prophylactic agent against breast cancer instigated by this carcinogen.

Reducing overall food intake or lowering the proportion of protein relative to other macronutrients, can extend lifespan in diverse organisms. A number of mechanistic theories have been developed to explain this phenomenon, mostly assuming that the molecules connecting diet to lifespan are evolutionarily conserved. A recent study using Drosophila melanogaster females has pinpointed a single essential micronutrient that can explain how lifespan is changed by dietary restriction. Here, we propose a likely mechanism for this observation, which involves a trade-off between lifespan and reproduction, but in a manner that is conditional on the dietary supply of an essential micronutrient – a sterol. Importantly, these observations argue against previous evolutionary theories that rely on constitutive resource reallocation or damage directly inflicted by reproduction. Instead, they are compatible with a model in which the inverse relationship between lifespan and food level is caused by the consumer suffering from varying degrees of malnutrition when maintained on lab food. The data also indicate that animals on different lab foods may suffer from different nutritional imbalances and that the mechanisms by which dietary restriction benefits the lifespan of different species may vary. This means that translating the mechanistic findings from lab animals to humans will not be simple and should be interpreted in light of the range of challenges that have shaped each organism’s lifespan in the wild and the composition of the natural diets they would feed on.

Regulation of the diet in terms of the content of soluble and insoluble fibre is of great importance from the point of view of dietetics, microbiology of the gastrointestinal tract and immunology of the organism. Dietary fibre plays an important role in maintaining the balance between the con-tinuity of gut mucus production (intestinal mucosa), the stability of the intestinal microbiome composition, the regeneration of the intestinal epithelium and the immune status within the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) are played by pectin and their metabolic products in the form of pectin oligosaccharides. The main purpose of this review was to focus on pectin, their functions, their impact on the human's health and on some of the most promising prebiotics due to their solubility in the gastrointestinal tract in the form of pectin oligosaccharides. They have the properties of pectin, but have also additional features and postbiotics obtained in fermentation process can affect the intestinal microbiome and GALT-related immunity. They can be obtained from plant agro-wastes.

Elevation has been a cornerstone of biodiversity research, and changes in the environmental factors behind it influence biodiversity and community patterns. Exploring the potential reasons behind liverwort community patterns has been a matter of multiplied interest for ecologists. In the present study, we assessed the liverwort plants of the Sygera Mountain from 3100 m to 4500 m decaying wood, tree, soil, and rock using complex field surveys in 2017 and 2019, and investigated the effects of altitude and various climatic factors on the diversity and community composition of the Sygera Mountain. Also, we used including ANOVA, mixed effects modeling, NMDS, ANOSIM, and CCA, which helped to critically assess the liverwort diversity with respect to environmental variables. The results of the study showed a bimodal variation in the richness of liverwort communities with altitude, with peaks occurring at 3500 m and 4100 m. The variation with altitude was significant, with communities at 4100 m and 4300 m being associated with arid environments, and those at 3100 m and 3300 m favoring areas of higher mean annual temperatures and precipitation. Among the climatic factors, the variation in mean diurnal rang, precipitation, and annual temperature was found to be the determinant of liverwort communities. The results suggest that elevation and daily temperature fluctuations play a crucial role in the distribution and community structure formation of mountain liverwort plants. This study deepens our understanding of liverwort ecology and emphasizes the importance of climatic variables in determining plant community composition.

In the investment casting process, the pattern made of wax is obtained in a die for further formation of shell mold. This work investigates commercial pattern waxes fluidity with a newly developed injection fluidity test. A good correlation between wax fluidity and its viscosity is observed, which is different from metallic alloys, where the solidification behavior is more critical. The difference in investigated filled waxes fluidity can be associated with the type and amount of filler.

MRI shows in-vivo the three archetypal patterns of CNS volume loss underlying progressive ataxias, namely spinal atrophy (SA), cortical cerebellar atrophy (CCA) and olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA). The MRI-based CNS atrophy pattern was reviewed in 128 progressive ataxias. A CNS atrophy pattern was identified in 91 conditions: SA in Freidreich’s ataxia, CCA in 5 acquired and 72 (24 dominant, 47 recessive,1 X-linked) inherited ataxias, OPCA in Multi-System Atrophy and 12 (9 dominant, 2 recessive,1 X-linked) inherited ataxias. The MRI-based CNS atrophy pattern may be useful for genetic assessment, identification of shared cellular targets, and repurposing therapies or enlargement of drugs indications in progressive ataxias.

In the United States (US), tianeptine is sold as a dietary supplement under the trade name Tianaa™. Tianeptine is a synthetic drug prescribed by physicians as an antidepressant in parts of Europe, Asia and South America. The drug is not permitted for use by physicians in the US, be-cause it is a μ-opioid receptor agonist with a propensity for severe addiction. As incidence of Tianaa™ related opioid addiction across the southern US escalate, the current study aimed to quantify tianeptine in over the counter Tianaa™ White, Red, and Green products. The results of this investigation measured tianeptine levels between 3.1 to 10.9 mg per 531 mg capsules. Tianaa™ White capsules consistently contained the least tianeptine, while Green had the most. Close inspection of Tianaa™ products showed that capsule mass varied by as much as 16% from label claim, and the amount of tianeptine per capsule varied by as much as 35 % from the aver-age measured amount for each product. Tianaa™ Red contains kava leaf extract, which led to the identification of four kavapyrone components by mass spectrometry. The data presented pro-vide insight into tianeptine quantity and capsule mass variation for Tianaa™ supplements sold to customers naive to the risk of addiction.

Inflammation is the body’s response to infection, injury, or other stimuli. Acute inflammation is a crucial component of the immune system’s defense, aimed at eliminating infected or damaged cells and halting disease progression. A subtle interaction between pro- and anti-inflammatory processes determines its progression to inflammation resolution or to chronic inflammation. In this study, we propose a generic model of inflammation through a system of reaction-diffusion equations involving various inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cells and cytokines. We investigate the formation of patterns, determined by the emergence of Turing structures, through linear stability analysis and numerical simulations. These theoretical findings are further supported by observations of similar patterns in skin diseases.

This article introduces a novel approach, termed the Asymmetric Probabilistic Tsetlin (APT) Machine, which incorporates the Stochastic Point Location (SPL) algorithm with the Asymmetric Steps technique into the Tsetlin Machine (TM). APT introduces stochasticity into the state transitions of Tsetlin Automata (TA) by leveraging the SPL algorithm, thereby enhancing pattern recognition capabilities. To enhance random search processes, we introduced a decaying normal distribution into the procedure. Meanwhile, the Asymmetric Steps approach biases state transition probabilities towards specific input patterns, further elevating operational efficiency. The efficacy of the proposed approach is assessed across diverse benchmark datasets for classification tasks. The performance of APT is compared with traditional machine learning algorithms and other Tsetlin Machine models, including the Asymmetric Tsetlin (AT) Machine, characterized by deterministic rules for Asymmetric transitions, and the Classical Tsetlin (CT) Machine, employing deterministic rules for symmetric transitions. Strikingly, the introduced APT methodology demonstrates highly competitive outcomes compared to established machine learning methods. Notably, both APT and AT exhibit state-of-the-art performance, surpassing the Classical Tsetlin Machine, emphasizing the efficacy of asymmetric models for achieving superior outcomes. Remarkably, APT exhibits even better performance than AT, particularly in handling complex datasets.

Security patterns encompass security-related issues in secure software system development and operations that often appear in certain contexts. Since the late 1990s about 500 security patterns have been proposed. Although the technical components are well investigated, the direction, overall picture, and barriers to implementation are not. Here, a systematic literature review of 240 papers is used to devise a taxonomy for security pattern research. Our taxonomy and the survey results should improve communications among practitioners and researchers, standardize the terminology, and increase the effectiveness of security patterns.

Dietary guidance to recommend food patterns to deliver nutrients has been well accepted for the past century. Foods to deliver essential nutrients and energy are needed across the life cycle and are dependent upon local industries and accepted cultural practices to deliver essential nutrients to prevent nutrient deficiency diseases. Since the 1980s, dietary guidelines to prevent chronic diseases have relied on epidemiological research to predict what dietary patterns are linked to reduced risk of chronic disease or links to health outcomes. Dietary guidelines have been broad, typically recommending avoiding “too much sugar”, “too much saturated fat”, and “too much sodium”. Efforts to fine tune these recommendations have met with limited scientific data to support more specific recommendations across the life cycle. Consumers have become skeptical of dietary guidelines as media coverage of new studies is often in conflict with accepted nutrition dogma. We discuss whether we really have a science-based databank to support dietary guidelines, based on a scientific session at the 10th International Conference on Nutrition and Growth.

Disordered eating is a serious health concern globally. The etiology is complex and multidimensional and differs somewhat for each specific eating disorder. Several risk factors have been identified which include psychological, genetic, biochemical, environmental, and sociocultural factors. Poor body image, low self-esteem, teasing, family dynamics, and exposure to media images have also been identified as risk factors. While it is enticing to consider a single behavioral risk factor, doing so fails to consider the documented environmental, social, psychological, biological, and cultural factors that contribute to the development of an eating disorder in a multidimensional and complex integration that is undoubtedly unique to everyone. Focusing only on any one factor without taking the complex etiology into account is remiss. For example, it has been suggested that the use of dietary supplements may lead to eating disorders, despite a lack of evidence to support this conjecture. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to examine the evidence-based risk factors for eating disorders and discuss why connecting dietary supplements to eating disorder etiology is not supported by the scientific literature and may interfere with treatment. Established, effective prevention and treatment approaches for eating disorders should be the focus of public health initiatives in this domain.

The biogeography of inflammation in ulcerative colitis (UC) suggests a proximal to distal concentration gradient of a toxin. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has long been considered one such toxin candidate, and dietary sulfur along with the abundance of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) were considered the primary determinants of H2S production and clinical course of UC. The metabolic milieu in the lumen of the colon, however, is the result of a multitude of factors beyond dietary sulfur intake and SRB abundance. Here we present an updated formulation of the H2S toxin hypothesis for UC pathogenesis, which strives to incorporate the interdependency of diet composition and the metabolic activity of the entire colon microbial community. Specifically, we suggest that the increasing severity of inflammation along the proximal-to-distal axis in UC is due to dilution of beneficial factors, concentration of toxic factors, and changing detoxification capacity of the host, all of which are intimately linked to the nutrient flow from the diet.

Ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) or testicular tissue cryopreservation (TTC) are effective and often the only options for fertility preservation in female or male patients due to oncological, medical, or social aspects. While TTC and resumption of spermatogenesis, either in vivo or in vitro, has still be considered an experimental approach in humans, OTC and autotransplantation has been applied increasingly to preserve fertility with more than 200 live births worldwide. However, the cryopreservation of reproductive cells followed by the resumption of gametogenesis, either in vivo or in vitro, may interfere with sensitive and highly regulated cellular processes. In particular, the epigenetic profile, which includes not just reversible modifications of the DNA itself but also post-translational histone modifications, small non-coding RNAs, gene expression and availability, and storage of related proteins or transcripts, have to be considered in this context. Due to complex reprogramming and maintenance mechanisms of the epigenome in germ cells, growing embryos, and offspring, OTC and TTC are carried out at very critical moments early in the life cycle. Given this background, the safety of OTC and TTC taking into account the epigenetic profile has to be clarified. Cryopreservation of mature germ cells (including Metaphase II oocytes and mature spermatozoa collected via ejaculation or more invasively after testicular biopsy) or embryos has been used successfully for many years in Medically Assisted Reproduction (MAR). However, tissue freezing followed by in vitro or in vivo gametogenesis has become more attractive in the past, while few human studies have analysed the epigenetic effects, with most data deriving from animal studies. In this review, we highlight the potential influence of the cryopreservation of immature germ cells and subsequent in vivo or in vitro growth and differentiation on the epigenetic profile in humans and animals.

Footprints are powerful indicators for evaluating the impact of the bioeconomy of a country on environmental goods, domestically and abroad. In this study, we apply a hybrid approach combining a Multi-Regional Input-Output model and land use modelling to compute the agricultural land footprint (aLF). Furthermore, we added information on land-use change to the analysis and allocated land conversion to specific commodities. The German case study shows that the aLF abroad is larger by a factor of 2.5 to 3 than the aLF in Germany. In 2005 and 2010, conversion of natural and semi-natural land-cover types abroad allocated to Germany due to import increases was 2.5 times higher than the global average. Import increases to Germany slowed down in 2015 and 2020, reducing land conversion attributed to the German bioeconomy to the global average. The case study shows that the applied land footprint provides clear and meaningful information for policymakers and other stakeholders. The presented methodological approach can be applied to other countries and regions covered in the underlying database EXIOBASE. It can be adapted, also for an assessment of other ecosystem functions, such as water or soil fertility.

The effective management of Fusarium wilt of bananas (FW) depends on the knowledge of the disease dynamics in time and space. The objectives of this work were: To estimate disease intensity and impact, and to investigate the spatial and temporal dynamic of FW. Fields planted with Silk (n = 10), Pome (n = 17) or Cavendish (n = 3) banana subgroups were surveyed in Brazil, totaling 95 ha. In each field, all plants were visually assessed and diseased plants were georeferenced. The incidence of FW and the impact of the disease on yield on a regional scale were estimated. Spatial patterns were analyzed using quadrat- and distance-based methods. FW incidence ranged from 0.09 to 41.42%, being higher in Silk fields (median = 14.26%). Impacts of epidemics on yield ranged from 18.4 to 8,192.5 kg.ha-1.year-1, with a median of 935.2 kg.ha-1.year-1. The higher economic impact of the disease was observed on Silk cultivar with a median loss of US$ 910.5 ha-1.year-1. Overall, estimated losses increased on average by US$ 109.8 ha-1.year-1 at each 1% of incidence. Aggregation of FW was detected by all analytical methods in 13 fields (1 of Cavendish, 11 of Pome and 1 of Silk). In the other 17 fields, at least one analytical method did not reject the null hypothesis of randomness. One field (5 ha), composed of six plots, was selected for spatial and temporal studies during two years with bi-monthly assessments. A sigmoidal curve represented the FW progress and the Gompertz model best fitted disease progress. The level of aggregation varied over time, and evidence of secondary infection to neighboring and distant plants were detected. FW is a widespread problem in Brazil and yield losses can be of high magnitude. Epidemiology-based management strategies can now be better established.

The expression microarray technique was performed to investigate the differences in gene expression between Czech Large White pigs and wild boars in the longissimus lumborum et thoracis and biceps femoris muscle tissues. The NREP gene (neuronal regeneration related protein homolog) was selected for detailed study as an expressional and functional candidate gene. NREP plays a role in the transformation of neural, muscle and fibroblast cells and in smooth muscle myogenesis. Quantitative real-time PCR results confirmed that the porcine NREP gene was expressed in both skeletal muscles and significantly overexpressed in Czech Large White pigs compared to wild boars (P &lt; 0.05). We identified 9 polymorphic sites in genomic DNA of NREP gene. Six of these polymorphisms were in complete linkage disequilibrium and therefore only 4 polymorphisms were informative. Associations of these 4 polymorphisms (HF571253:g.103G&gt;A, HF571253:g.134G&gt;A, HF571253:g.179T&gt;C and HF571253:g.402_409delT) with meat performance traits were assessed in Czech Large White pigs. New polymorphisms in NREP gene were significantly associated with parameters of daily weight gain, lean meat and backfat thickness in Czech Large White pigs. Our primary study suggested that porcine NREP may play an important role in skeletal muscle growth, fat metabolism and meat performance traits.

Agriculture and farming worldwide are responsible for numerous environmental threats, including degradation of land and water resources depletion. Underlining the dynamic interaction between bio-physical and socio-economic drivers is the key towards a more sustainable land and water management. With regard to a highly developed agricultural area in southern Italy, multi-regression models were developed to interpret the observed inter-annual variability of cropped land. Main drivers related to Common Agricultural Policy support, product market prices, crop yield and irrigation water availability were investigated. The adopted models revealed the different weighs of each driver. The findings reported the role that direct payments played in supporting the extension of irrigated crops, such as processing tomato. Likewise, the models pointed to decoupled payment scheme as the most important driver of change in the crop pattern over the last years.

Pentadecanoic acid (C15:0) and heptadecanoic acid (C17:0) have been described as dietary biomarkers of dairy-fat consumption with varying degrees of reliability between studies. It remains unclear how the total amount of dietary fat; one of the main confounding factors in these biomarker investigations, affects C15:0 and C17:0 circulating compositions independently to their relative intake. Additionally, it is unknown how changes in the dietary total-fat affects other fatty acids in circulation. Through two dietary studies with different total-fat levels but maintaining individual fatty acid compositions we were able to see how the dietary total-fat affects the fatty acids in circulation. We saw that there was a significant, proportionate, and robust decrease in the endogenous C15:0 levels with an increase in dietary total-fat. However, there was an increase in the circulating C17:0 compositions as the total-fat increased. To conclude, the dietary total-fat content and fat-type have a very complex influence on the relative compositions of circulating fatty acids, which are independent to the actual dietary fatty acid composition. Knowing how to manipulate circulating C15:0 and C17:0 composition is far-reaching in nutritional/pathological research as they highlight a dietary route to attenuate the development of metabolic disease (both by reducing risk and improving prognosis).

Iodine is essential for thyroid hormones synthesis and normal neurodevelopment; however, 60% of pregnant women do not meet the WHO recommended intake. Using a qualitative design, we explored perceptions, awareness and experiences of pregnancy nutrition, focusing on iodine. Women in the perinatal period (n=48) were interviewed and filled in a food frequency questionnaire for iodine. Almost all participants achieved the recommended 150 μg/day intake for non-pregnant adults (99%), but only 81% met the increased demands of pregnancy (250 μg/day). Most were unaware of the importance, sources and recommendations of iodine intake. Attitudes to dairy products consumption were positive (e.g. helps with heartburn; easy to increase). Increased fish consumption was considered less achievable, with barriers around taste, smell, heartburn and morning sickness. Community midwives were the main recognised provider of dietary advice. The dietary advice received focused most often on multivitamin supplements rather than food sources. Analysis highlighted a clear theme of commitment to change behaviour, motivated by pregnancy, with desired focus on user-friendly documentation and continued involvement of the health services. The study highlights the importance of redirecting advice on dietary requirements in pregnancy and offers practical suggestions from women in the perinatal period as the main stakeholder group.

Generally, when cognitive radio users are in Underlay mode, through the analysis of the electromagnetic spectrum in time, frequency, space, and field of multiple dimensional data accounts for judging the inherent correlation of the radio spectrum used/idle state, this is the realization of cognitive radio users (secondary users, SUs) efficient access to the foundation of the limited spectrum resources. Therefore, how to efficiently use of spectrum status of each SU implementation of reception multidimensional combination forecasting is the core of this paper addressing the problem. In this paper, we propose a deep-learning hybrid model called TensorGCN-LSTM based on the tensor data structure. The model treats SUs deployed at different spatial locations under the same frequency and the spectrum status of SUs themselves under different frequencies in the task area as nodes and constructs two types of graph structures. Graph convolutional operations are used to sequentially extract corresponding spatial-domain and frequency-domain features from the two types of graph structures. Then, the long short-term memory (LSTM) model is used to fuse the spatial, frequency, and temporal features of the cognitive radio environment data. Finally, the prediction task of the spectrum distribution situation is accomplished through fully connected layers. Specifically, the model constructs a tensor graph based on the spatial similarity of SUs' locations and the frequency correlation between different frequency signals received by SUs, which describes the electromagnetic wave's dependency relationship in spatial and frequency domains. LSTM is used to capture the electromagnetic wave's dependency relationship in the temporal domain. To evaluate the effectiveness of the model, we conducted ablation experiments on LSTM, GCN, GC-LSTM, and TensorGCN-LSTM models using simulated data. The experimental results show that our model achieved better prediction performance in RMSE, and the correlation coefficient R2 of 0.8753 also confirmed the feasibility of the model.

Music acoustics is an interdisciplinary field and mathematics is the basis in the music art form. Music and mathematics correlation exist since the inception of music. Various philosophers, scientists, mathematicians and musicians have expressed their views about this relationship. This paper attempts to explore this association with focus on melodic pattern identification. Mathematics in Indian Classical music with raga as the basis and just intonation tuning system is discussed. Indian vocal music clips are used for different pitch estimation algorithms in the experimentation. Harmonic product spectrum and auto-correlation algorithms are tested for accurate pitch estimation. Enhanced auto-correlation function using audio segmentation is compared with other approaches for effective pitch extraction. Results indicate pitch extraction with enhanced auto-correlation function provides accurate results as compared with other approaches tested.

Intermittent fasting (IF) has been indicated as a valuable alternative to the classical caloric restriction dietary regimen for lowering body weight and preventing obesity-related complications such as metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes. However, is it effective? In this review article, we analyzed over 50 clinical studies in which IF, conducted by alternate day fasting (ADF) or time-restricted feeding (TRF), was compared with the caloric restriction approach. We evaluated the different roles of IF in treating and preventing human disorders such as metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes, and some types of cancer, as well as the usefulness of IF in reducing body weight and cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension. Furthermore, we explored the cellular pathway targeted by IF to exert their beneficial effects by activating effector proteins that modulate cell functions and resistance to oxidative stress. In contrast, we investigated the concerns for human health related to the adoption of IF dietary regimen, highlighting the profound debate on weight loss regimens. We have examined and compared several clinical trials to formulate an updated conception regarding IF and its therapeutic potential.

Epidemiological studies point cholesterol as a possible key factor for both prostate cancer incidence and progression. So, it could represent a targetable metabolite as the most aggressive tumors also appear to be sensitive to therapies designed to decrease hypercholesterolemia, such as statins. However, whether and how cholesterol, through its dietary uptake and its metabolism, could be important for early tumorigenesis, remains unknown. Oncogene clonal induction in Drosophila melanogaster accessory gland allows to reproduce tumorigenesis from initiation to early progression, where tumour cells undergo basal extrusion to form extra-epithelial tumors. Here we show that these tumors accumulate lipids, and especially esterified cholesterol, as in human late carcinogenesis. Interestingly, high cholesterol diet displays limited effect on accessory gland tumorigenesis. On the contrary, cell-specific downregulation of cholesterol uptake, intracellular transport or metabolic response, impairs the formation of such tumors. Furthermore, in this context, high cholesterol diet suppresses this impairment. Taken together, these results reveal that during early tumorigenesis, tumour cells strongly increase their uptake and use of dietary cholesterol to specifically promote the step of basal extrusion. Interestingly, expression data from primary prostate cancer tissues indicate an early signature of redirection from cholesterol de novo synthesis to uptake. Altogether, these results suggest by which mechanism reduction of dietary cholesterol could lower the risk and slow down the progression of prostate cancer.

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, are caused by a combination of multiple events that damage neuronal function. A well-characterized biomarker of neurodegeneration is proteinaceous aggregates accumulation in the brain. However, the gradually worsening symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases are unlikely to be solely due to the result of a mutation in a single gene, but rather a multi-step process involving epigenetic changes. Multiple epigenetic studies have revealed that modification of histones accompanied by both the local and global remodeling of the chromatin structure and alternations in transcriptional patterns are closely associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Unlike DNA mutations, epigenetic alterations are reversible, and therefore raise the possibilities for therapeutic intervention including dietary modifications. Additionally, reactive oxygen species may contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Given that the antioxidant properties of plant-derived phytochemicals are likely to exhibit pleiotropic effects against ROS-mediated epigenetic alternation, dietary intervention may be promising for the management of neurodegeneration in these diseases. In this review, the state-of-the-art applications using single-cell multi-modal omics approaches including genetics, and epigenetics, and dietary approaches for the identification of novel biomarkers and therapeutic approaches for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases are discussed.

The goal of our study was to examine the effect of regional characteristics of living environment on individual a priori and a posteriori dietary patterns of the Russian population. For the analysis, we used cross-sectional data from the Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Diseases in the Regions of the Russian Federation study of 2013-2014. The sample included 18,054 men and women 25-64 years of age from 12 regions. Based on the frequency of consumption of basic foods, four a posteriori empirical dietary patterns (EDPs), along with an a priori cardioprotective dietary pattern (CPDP) were identified. To describe the regional living environment, 5 regional indices were used. The adherence to the meat-based EDP was directly associated with deterioration of social living conditions and the more northerly location of the region of residence. The probability of CPDP increased with deterioration of social living conditions, an aggravation of demographic crisis, higher industrial development of the region, as well as with a decline in the economic development of the region, income and economic inequality of the population. We detected some gender-dependent differences in associations. The revealed patterns reflect the national dietary preferences of Russians, and regional indices characterize the effect of living environment.

Evidence points to a link between gluten-free diet or celiac disease and eating disorders, but not with orthorexia. This study is the first to examine adults with celiac disease in terms of the prevalence of risk of orthorexia. The study included 130 adults diagnosed with celiac disease. The standardized ORTHO-15 questionnaire was used to assess the risk of orthorexia. Cronbach's alpha test was used to determine the reliability of the ORTHO-15 questionnaire. Eating habits of the subjects were assessed using a questionnaire. The effect of celiac disease on diet was assessed on a 5-point scale. A risk of orthorexia was found in 69% of subjects with celiac disease. A statistically significant (p&lt;0.005) positive correlation was observed between age and ORTHO-15 test scores (rho=0.37). In the group with orthorexia risk, meals were more often self-prepared (93.3%) compared to those without orthorexia (80%) (p=0.023). For 80% of those at risk for orthorexia versus 20% without risk, mood was a factor influencing dietary choices (p=0.001). The study observed a strong association between celiac disease and the presence of orthorexia risk. The numerous risk factors for orthorexia suggest the need for holistic care, including nutritional and psychological support among individuals with celiac disease.

Aim: This study was designed to understand the changes in dietary and lifestyle behaviours that are major determinants of health during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted through an online questionnaire using a convenience sample of 415 adults living in Kuwait (age range 18-73 years). Results: The overall prevalence of being overweight and obesity among participants was 37.2% and 33.1% respectively. The study identified significant changes in the dietary habits and lifestyle behaviours of participants during COVID-19. In general, there was an increase in the percentage of participants that consumed four or more meals a day, skipped breakfast, and engaged in frequent late night snacking. Moreover, there was a drastic decrease in the frequency of fast food consumption and an increase in the percentage of participants who had their main meal freshly made. Furthermore, there was a great reduction in physical activity and an increase in the amount of screen time and sedentary behaviours. A notable increase was detected in day-time sleep and a decrease in night-time sleep among participants. Conclusion: This study indicates that due to the increased prevalence of habits conducive to increased rates of being overweight and obesity during the COVID-19 outbreak, there is a high likelihood that the pandemic will further exacerbate the already widespread problem of obesity and being overweight in Kuwait.

Despite increased protection globally, climate change and other anthropogenic factors have caused a significant decline in seagrass cover. Identifying the specific causes of this decline is paramount if they are to be addressed. Therefore, we identified the causes of long-term change in seagrass/submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) percentage cover and extent in the Bluefields Bay Special Fish Conservation Area (BBSFCA), a marine protected area on Jamaica’s southern coast. We used two random forest regression (RFr) models that included 2013 hydroacoustic survey SAV percentage cover data (dependent variable), and auxiliary data, reflectance data from level 2 processed 2013 Landsat 7 and 8 images and image band texture statistics maps (mean and variance) as predictors to generate 24 SAV percentage cover maps for the period 1984 – 2021 (37 years) using data from Landsat 4-5, 7 and 8 images., from which benthic features maps (SAV present, absent and coral reef) were created. Rainfall and map data were used to determine if SAV extent/area (km2) and average percentage cover and annual rainfall changed significantly over time and to evaluate the influence of rainfall. Rainfall impact on the overall spatial patterns of SAV loss, gain, and percentage cover change was assessed using a pixel-based regression. Finally, the most important spatial pattern predictors (two rainfall proxies (distance and direction from river mouth), benthic topography, depth, and hurricane exposure (a measure of hurricane disturbance)) of SAV loss, gain, and percentage cover change during 23 successive 1-to-4-year periods were identified using spatial Bayesian INLA generalized linear mixed models. SAV area/extent was largely stable with &gt; 70% mean percentage cover for multiple years. However, Hurricane Ivan (in 2004) caused a significant decline in SAV area/extent (by 1.62 km2, or a 13%) during 2002 – 2006 and a second hurricane (Dean) in 2007 delayed recovery until 2015. Additionally, rainfall declined significantly by &gt;1000 mm since 1901, and mean monthly rainfall positively influenced SAV percentage cover change. The pixel-based regression highlighted areas where mean monthly rainfall had a positive overall effect on SAV cover percentage change (across the entire bay) and gain (closer to the mouth of a river). The most frequently selected important spatial pattern predictors were the two rainfall proxies (areas closer to the river mouth were more likely to experience SAV loss and gain) and depth, with shallow areas generally having a higher probability of SAV loss and gain. Three hurricanes had significant but different impacts depending on their distance from the southern coastline. Hurricane Gilbert, which made landfall in 1988, resulted in higher SAV percentage cover loss in 1987 - 1988. Benthic locations with a northwestern/northern facing aspect (the predominant direction of Ivan’s leading edge wind bands) experienced higher SAV losses during 2002 – 2006. Although some locations impacted by Ivan and not by Dean recovered during 2006 – 2008, exposure to Ivan explained percentage cover loss during 2006 – 2008 and average exposure to (the cumulative impact of) Ivan and Dean (both with tracks close to the southern coastline) explained SAV loss during 2013 – 2015. Therefore, despite historic lows in annual rainfall, overall, higher rainfall was beneficial, multiple hurricanes impacted the site, and despite two hurricanes in three years SAV recovered within a decade. Hurricanes and a further reduction in rainfall may pose a serious threat to SAV persistence in the future.

In offshore drilling, accidents such as gas invasion, overflow, and kicks are inevitable, and they can escalate into blowouts and other catastrophic events that result in casualties and substantial economic losses. Therefore, maintaining drilling safety requires accurate monitoring of gas invasion and overflow. The majority of overflow monitoring methods currently utilized at drilling sites are threshold-based. However, monitoring parameters acquired during actual drilling operations frequently contain noise signals, making it difficult for threshold-based methods to strike a balance between improving accuracy and minimizing false positives. In this paper, Pattern Recognition-based Kick Detection (PRKD) is proposed as a novel method for diagnosing overflow in offshore drilling. This method utilizes the overflow evolution process by integrating multi-phase flow calculations, data filtering theory, pattern recognition theory, the Bayesian framework, and other theoretical models. The PRKD effectively detects and monitors gas intrusion and overflow based on single parameters by analyzing the shape and wave characteristics of the curves. The case analysis demonstrates that the proposed method for monitoring drilling overflow achieves high precision while maintaining a low false positive rate. By combining advanced computational techniques with pattern recognition algorithms, the PRKD improves the accuracy and reliability of kick detection, enabling proactive responses to potential risks, protecting the environment and human lives, and optimizing drilling operations.

Ground penetrating radar (georadar, GPR), widely used in geology, archeology and road construction, is an efficient tool for searching and studying subsurface objects and structures. When planning GPR missions, it is necessary to predict the resolution of the device and the achievable probing depth. The article discusses the methods and results of assessing these characteristics of the Loza-V and Loza-N radars obtained in the course of archaeological and geographical expedition works.

For personalized recommender systems,matrix factorization and its variants have become mainstream in collaborative filtering.However,the dot product in matrix factorization does not satisfy the triangle inequality and therefore fails to capture fine-grained information. Metric learning-based models have been shown to be better at capturing fine-grained information than matrix factorization. Nevertheless,most of these models only focus on rating data and social information, which are not sufficient for dealing with the challenges of data sparsity. In this paper,we propose a metric learning-based social recommendation model called SRMC.SRMC exploits users' co-occurrence pattern to discover their potentially similar or dissimilar users with symmetric relationships and change their relative positions to achieve better recommendations.Experiments on three public datasets show that our model is more effective than the compared models.

Existing implementations of game design patterns have largely been confined to theoretical or research settings. Weaknesses in these implementations have prevented game design patterns from being properly evaluated as an educational and practical development tool. This paper examines these weaknesses, describes a method of developing and applying patterns that overcome the weaknesses, and evaluates use of the method for game design education and practice. Weaknesses in existing pattern implementations are: omission of design problems, presumption of functional completeness at the level of pattern languages, narrow topical focus, and lack of a concise, repeatable method for pattern production. Several features of the proposed method were specifically built to address these weaknesses, namely the pattern template, the process for connecting patterns into a language and assessing the language’s scope, a rubric for assessing pattern confidence and interconnectivity confidence, and pattern-building exercises. This method was applied in a classroom setting. Results, as assessed by the evaluation of student work, suggest that creating patterns/pattern languages is an effective pedagogical approach. De-signs produced using designer-created patterns closely align with existing design theory and are clearly understood by students. The above results may indicate that the path to gaining wider acceptance of pattern theory as a design framework within game design is not to produce a universal pattern language but to facilitate the creation of case-specific languages, by students and professional designers, that use a shared ontology and thus can be combined easily to solve the diverse sets of problems faced by these groups.

The study aimed to evaluate the association between the changes in ventilatory variables (tidal volume (Vt), respiratory rate (RR), and lung ventilation (VE)) and deoxygenation of m.intescostales (∆SmO2-m.intercostales) during a maximal incremental exercise in nineteen male competitive marathon runners. The ventilatory variables and oxygen-consumption (VO2) were recorded breath-by-breath by exhaled gas analysis. A near-infrared spectroscopy device (MOXY) located in the right-hemithorax allowed recording SmO2-m.intercostales. To explore changes in oxygen levels in muscles with high demand during exercise, a second MOXY records SmO2-m.vastus laterallis. The triphasic model of exercise intensity was used for evaluating changes in SmO2 in both muscle groups. We found that ∆SmO2-m.intercostales correlated with VO2-peak (r=0.65; p=0.002) and the increase of VE (r=0.78; p=0.001), RR (r=0.54; p=0.001), but not Vt (p=0.210). The interaction of factors (muscles X exercise-phases) in SmO2 expressed as an arbitrary unit (a.u) was significant (p=0.005). At VT1 were no difference (p=0.177), but SmO2-m.intercostales was higher at VT1 (p&lt;0.001) and VO2-peak (p&lt;0.001). In competitive marathon runners, the m.intercostales deoxygenation during incremental exercise is directly associated with the aerobic capacity and increased lung ventilation and respiratory rate, but not tidal volume. Besides, it shows less deoxygenation than m.vastus laterallis at intensities above the aerobic ventilatory threshold.

Recent advancements in web-based geospatial software and smartphone technology have popularized the process of voluntary production and sharing of geospatial data by individual citizens. Through such Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) activities, people across the world participate in online mapping projects (such as OpenStreetMap) to insert their spatial information. The quality of data generated by such VGI activities has profound impacts on online mapping projects and their spatial database. In this study, we examine the VGI contribution pattern in OpenStreetMap through three case study neighborhoods located in three major cities: Tehran, London, and Los Angeles, and investigate how it might affect the process of quality assessment of VGI.

There is a recent growth and development with regard to the female athlete. This trend has been reflected in a greater concern for aspects such as nutrition, body composition and the health of female athletes, given the repercussion of these factors on their sporting performance. The aim was to carry out an anthropometric and nutritional assessment of elite Spanish female football athletes based on different biochemical parameters. Ethical consent was obtained from a total of 21 players from a Spanish elite women's football team(20-33years). Anthropometric analysis was carried out using the International Society for the Advancement of Kineanthropometry(ISAK). Clinical analyses were performed by the club's medical staff at the beginning of the season through serum and fasting urine samples taken by the players. The athletes presented fat% of 19.1(SD±2.89). 100% of the players had Mg values within the reference values. Values below reference values were observed for Hb (85.7%), vit.D (33.3%), ferritin (23.8%), serum iron (28.6%), transferrin (4.8%) and TSI (42.9%); and above for CK (42.9%), basal cortisol (38.1%), testosterone (19%) and creatinine, total cholesterol, iron, transferrin, TSI and serotonin (4.8%). Differences in Mg levels were only observed between playing positions (p&lt;0.05). There were associations between age and vit.D levels (r=0.607), and weight with vit.D levels (-0.464) and blood cholesterol (-0.487) among others. Given the nutritional knowledge of Spanish elite female football players, as well as the prevalence of deficiencies in iron metabolism parameters and vit.D levels in athletes, the need to implement a correct nutritional assessment and education in this type of athletes is highlighted

Background: We aimed to assess the association between DII and PD and the mediation effect of DII in the association of PD with systemic inflammation. Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-2010, 2011-2012 and 2013-2014, participants that received periodontal exam and provided dietary recall data were included. The inflammatory potential of diet was calculated via DII. Periodontitis was defined according to the 2012 case definition. The clinical outcomes of interest were mean periodontal probing (PPD), mean clinical attachment loss (CAL) and thresholds of PPD and CAL. White blood cells (WBC), segmented neutrophils and C-reactive protein (CRP) were used as proxies for systemic inflammation. The periodontal measures were regressed across DII values using adjusted multivariate linear regression. Adjusted mediation analysis appraised the influence of DII in the association of periodontitis and systemic inflammation. 10,178 participants were included. DII was significantly correlated with mean PPD, mean CAL, thresholds of PPD and CAL, WBC, segmented neutrophils and DII (p&lt;0.01). A linear regression logistic adjusted for multiple confounding variables confirmed the association between DII and mean PPD (B = 0.02, Standard Error [SE]: 0.02, p&lt;0.001) and CAL (B = -0.02, SE: 0.01, p&lt;0.001). The association of mean PPD and mean CAL with both white blood cells and segmented neutrophils were mediated by DII (from 2.1 to 3.5%, p&lt;0.001). In the 2009-2010 subset, the association of mean CAL with serum CRP was mediated by DII (52.0%, p&lt;0.01). In conclusion, inflammatory diet and PD may be associated. Also, the inflammatory diet significantly mediated the association of leukocyte counts and systemic inflammation with periodontitis.

Increased sugar intake is implicated in Type-2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. Mechanisms by which glucose and fructose components promote these conditions are unclear. We hypothesize that alterations in intestinal metabolite and microbiota profiles specific to each monosaccharide are involved. Two groups of six adult C57BL/6 mice were fed for 10-weeks with a diet where either glucose or fructose was the sole carbohydrate component (G and F, respectively). A third group was fed with normal chow (N). Fecal metabolites were profiled every 2-weeks by ¹H NMR and microbial composition was analysed by real-time PCR (qPCR). Glucose tolerance was also periodically assessed. N, G and F mice had similar weight gains and glucose tolerance. Multivariate analysis of NMR profiles indicated that F mice were separated from both N and G, with decreased butyrate and glutamate and increased fructose, succinate, taurine, tyrosine and xylose. Compared to N and G, F mice showed a shift in microbe populations from gram-positive Lactobacillus spp. to gram-negative Enterobacteria species. Substitution of normal chow carbohydrate mixture by either pure glucose or fructose for 10 weeks did not alter adiposity or glucose tolerance. However, F G and N mice generated distinctive fecal metabolite signatures with incomplete fructose absorption as a dominant feature of F mice.

Thyroid nodules (TNs) are common thyroid lesions in older population. Few studies focused on the prevalence of TNs and its relationship to lifestyle characteristics and dietary habits in centenarians. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of TNs in Chinese centenarians using high-resolution ultrasound equipment and investigate its relationship to lifestyles and dietary habits. The current study was part of China Hainan Centenarian Cohort Study (CHCCS) which conducted in Hainan, an iodine sufficient region in China. A total of 874 permanent residents aged 100 years or older (mean age, 102.8 ± 2.8 years) without any missing data were included in the analysis. Among the participants, 649 of them were detected at least one thyroid nodule under the ultrasound examinations. The overall prevalence rate of TNs was 74.3%. The prevalence of TNs was higher in participants who were females, hypertension, diabetes, and underweight than their counterparts. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that being female, hypertension, diabetes, betel quid consumption, red meat consumption were independent risk factors, while being underweight, and nut consumption were independent protective factors for TNs. Our findings indicate that the presence of thyroid nodules was highly prevalent in Chinese centenarians, particularly in females. In addition to gender, hypertension, diabetes, and underweight, the presence of TNs was independently associated with betel quid, red meat, and nut consumptions. Further prospective studies are warranted to verify these associations in population from different age strata, races, cultures, and iodine backgrounds.

Cancer cells cannot proliferate and survive unless they obtain sufficient levels of the 20 proteinogenic amino acids (AAs). Unlike normal cells, cancer cells have genetic and metabolic alterations that may limit their capacity to obtain adequate levels of the 20 AAs under challenging metabolic environments. However, since normal diets provide all AAs at relatively constant levels and ratios, these potentially lethal genetic and metabolic defects are eventually harmless to cancer cells. If we temporarily replace the normal diet of cancer patients with artificial diets in which the levels of specific AAs are manipulated, cancer cells may be unable to proliferate and survive. This article reviews in vivo studies that have evaluated the antitumor activity of diets restricted or supplemented with the 20 proteinogenic AAs, individually and in combinations. It also reviews our recent studies that show that manipulating the levels of several AAs simultaneously can lead to marked survival improvements in mice with metastatic cancers.

Complementary and alternative treatment approaches are becoming more common among children with chronic conditions. The pravelance of CAM use among US adults was estimated to be around 42% in 2015, and around 44% to 50% among adults with neurologic disorders. Studies report children with chronic illnesses such as cancer, asthma, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), genetic disorders, and other neurodevelopmental disorders are treated with complementary and alternative treatments at higher rates. Dietary therapies are gaining increasing popularity in the mainstream population, due to the heavy media involvement. Although, majority of “fad” diets do not have enough supporting evidence, some dietary therapies have been utilized for decades and have numerous published studies. The objective of this review is to describe the dietary interventions used in children with the specific chronic conditions, to evaluate their efficacy based on published data, and to encourage pharmacist involvement in the management and care of such patients.

Background: Poisoning is a challenging medical condition facing health care providers, as it usually results in serious outcomes in terms of morbidities or mortalities. Poisoning is a challenging medical condition facing health care providers, as it usually results in serious outcomes in terms of morbidities or mortalities. The lack of or inadequate information about the circumstances, substances and populations at risk are considered barriers to the actual prevention of poisoning and effective intervention strategies in Saudi Arabia. The aim of the current study was to describe the pattern and determinants of chemical and drug overdose poisoning in Makkah.Subjects and methods: All reports of chemical and drug overdose poisoning delivered to the Environmental Health and Occupational Safety Department in Makkah over two years (2018-2019) were reviewed.Results: The total number of cases reported in 2018 was 209 cases, while it reached 42 cases in 2019. The overwhelming majority of the cases were Saudi (91.6%), with a slight predominance of males (57.4%) over females (42.6%). Generally, almost two-thirds of the cases occurred in children below 13 years (61.4%), most of the poisoning cases resulted from drug overdose (63.3%), while 34.7% were chemical poisoning. The most common drug poisoning was attributed to analgesics followed by antiepileptics, antihypertensive drugs, antipsychotics and antimicrobials, while cleaning and detergent agents were the most commonly poisoned chemicals. The majority of these agents were taken by the oral route. Children's chemical poisoning was significantly higher than that in older age groups (p<0.05). All intentional poisoning occurred in adults; the great majority of them (88.9%) used drug overdosing rather than chemical substances.Conclusion and recommendations: The current study results are consistent with most of the previous studies carried out in different regions of Saudi Arabia. Further in-depth studies are needed to elaborate other social and demographic factors associated with chemical and drug overdose poisoning. Public health plans, policies and legislations should be implemented to reduce these factors. Intensive supervision of children is needed. Suicidal poisoning patients should seek psychiatric help to limit the possibility of attempting suicide again in the future. Furthermore, efforts are needed to plan and implement health education programs about the factors proven in the current study to be significantly related to chemical and drug overdose poisoning.

Pressure drop and flow pattern of oil-water flows were investigated in a 19 mm ID clear polyvinyl chloride pipe consisting of U-bend with radius of curvature of 100 mm. The range for oil and water superficial velocities tested were and respectively. Measurements were carried out under different flow conditions in a test section that consisted of four different parts: upstream of the bend, at the bend and at two redeveloping flow locations after the bend. The result indicated that the bend had limited influence on downstream flow patterns. However, the shear forces imposed by the bend caused some shift flow pattern transition and bubble characteristics in the redeveloping flow section after the bend relative to develop flow before the bend. Generally, pressure gradient at all the test sections increased with both oil fraction and water superficial velocity and there was a sharp change of pressure gradient profile during phase inversion. The transition point where phase inversion occurred was always within the range of . Pressure losses differed at the various test sections and the difference was strongly linked to the superficial velocity of the phases and the flow pattern. At high mixture velocity, pressure losses at the redeveloping section after the bend were higher than that at the bend and that for fully developed flows. At low mixture velocity, pressure losses at the bend are higher than in the straight sections. Pressure drop generally decreased with level of flow development downstream of the bend.

Pregestational and gestational diabetes mellitus are relevant complications of pregnancy and antidiabetic drugs are prescribed to obtain glycemic control and improve perinatal outcomes. The objective of this study was to highlight the prescription pattern of antidiabetics before, during and after pregnancy in Italy and to evaluate its appropriateness. A multi-database cross sectional population study using a Common Data Model was performed. In a cohort of about 450,000 women, the prescribing profile of antidiabetics seemed to be in line with the Italian standards for the treatment of GDM which currently do not recommend the use of oral antidiabetics and non-insulin injection, even if a small share of new users (up to 3.8% in the third trimester) used oral antidiabetics. A substantial variability in the prescription pattern was observed among the Italian regions considered: the highest increase was registered in Tuscany (4.2%), Umbria (3.5%) and Emilia-Romagna (2.6%) while the lowest in Lombardy (1.5%), Veneto (1.7%) and Apulia (1.7%). Analysing the prevalence of use of antidiabetics between foreign women we observed that the consumption during pregnancy was higher than Italians (second trimester: 1,8% vs 0,9%, third trimester: 3,6% vs 1,8%).

Traditionally, neutron scattering is an essential method for the analysis of spin structures and spin excitations in bulk materials. Over the last 30 years, polarized neutron scattering in terms of reflectometry has also contributed largely to the analysis of magnetic thin films and magnetic multilayers. More recently it has been shown that polarized neutron reflectivity is, in addition, a suitable tool for the study of thin films laterally patterned with magnetic stripes or islands. We provide a brief overview of the fundamental properties of polarized neutron reflectivity, considering different domain states, domain fluctuations, and different domain sizes with respect to the neutron coherence volume. The discussion is exemplified by a set of simulated reflectivities assuming either complete polarization and polarization analysis, or a reduced form of polarized neutron reflectivity without polarization analysis. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of the neutron coherence volume for the interpretation of specular and off-specular intensity maps, in particular when studying laterally non-homogeneous magnetic films. Finally, experimental results, fits, and simulations are shown for specular and off-specular scattering from a magnetic film that has been lithographically patterned into a periodic stripe array. These experiments demonstrate the different and mutually complementary information that can be gained when orienting the stripe array parallel or perpendicular to the scattering plane.

The human proteome is composed from diverse and heterogeneous gene products/proteoforms. Previously, we have been discussing the main technical aspects in developing for inventory of human proteoforms that would be visually attractive, clear, and easy to search (Naryzhny S. J. Proteomics 2018, S1874-3919(18) 30220-3). Here, we present our first draft of the database of proteoforms that is based on this discussion. The database principles and structure are described. The database is called “2DE-pattern” as it contains multiple isoform-centric patterns of proteoforms separated according to 2DE principles.

This paper presents a study and implementation of a convolutional neural network to identify and recognize humpback whale specimens from the unique patterns of their tails. Starting from a dataset composed of images of whale tails, all the phases of the process of creation and training of a neural network are detailed – from the analysis and pre-processing of images to the elaboration of predictions, using TensorFlow and Keras frameworks. Other possible alternatives are also explained when it comes to tackling this problem and the complications that have arisen during the process of developing this paper.

Recent years have seen an explosion of interest in the topic of gut health and food, revealing a complex interplay that affects many facets of human health beyond just digestion. This in-depth overview investigates crucial aspects of this connection, illuminating issues including the effects of processed meals, the advantages of fermented foods, individualized diets, and the harmonious relationship between gut bacteria and dietary components. In this article, we'll take a look at how processed foods affect your digestive system, and how their convenience might backfire by upsetting your body's delicate microbial balance. The effects of these diets have been studied, and the results suggest that there may be disruptions in microbial diversity, inflammation, and metabolic health. Instead, fermented foods are explored as potential allies in the fight for gut health. These foods' high probiotic content not only improves digestion and nutrition absorption, but may also have an effect on one's state of mind. There is growing evidence that eating fermented foods can help you maintain a healthy and robust gut microbiome. Recognizing that everyone has a different gut microbiota composition, the idea of individualized nutrition has come to the forefront. One novel strategy for improving digestive health is to provide nutritional advice based on a person's unique microbial profile. This paper looks at how microbiome testing can be combined with professional advice to create food programs that feed specific bacteria communities, improving both diversity and health. In conclusion, this review emphasizes the reciprocal interaction between dietary choices and the gut microbiota, and the significant impact that gut health has on numerous aspects of human health. The more we learn about the complexities of this interplay, the more we can take a holistic approach to nutrition, one that respects the uniqueness of each person's gut microbiome and encourages healthy eating habits. By taking a more all-encompassing view, we are reminded of the critical function of the gut microbiota in determining our health and of the significance of fostering this nuanced symbiotic connection.

The gut microbiota has been suggested as an important factor in the pathogenic mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This study aimed to investigate whether the intake of different kinds of dietary fiber was related to the disease progression rate (∆FS) and survival time. In total, 272 sporadic ALS patients diagnosed according to the revised EI Escorial criteria were recruited from March 2011 and were followed-up until the occurrence of events or the end of September 2020. The events included percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, tracheostomy, and death. Dietary fiber intake was calculated based on a 24-hour dietary recall and classified according to five major fiber-rich foods: vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, and nuts/seeds. Among the total participants, the group with ∆FS values lower than the mean ∆FS (0.75) was noted in the highest tertiles of total and vegetable fiber intake. Participants with the highest tertile of vegetable fiber intake showed longer survival in the Kaplan–Meier analysis (p = 0.033). Notably, vegetable fiber intake was negatively correlated with pro-inflammatory cytokine (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1) levels in the cerebrospinal fluid. This study showed that vegetable fiber intake could influence the disease progression rate and survival time. Further clinical trials are needed to confirm whether dietary fiber supplementation improves the prognosis of ALS.

Osteosarcopenic obesity (OSO) is described by the simultaneous presence of osteopenia/osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and increased adiposity. Over time, older adults with OSO syndrome might be at greater risk for loss of physical function and bone fractures. Furthermore, a sedentary lifestyle, inadequate nutrition, pharmaceutical drugs and chronic conditions encompass the multifactorial nature of OSO syndrome. Physical activity and a healthy diet play a crucial role in management and treatment of OSO syndrome. Research has shown that even low-intensity physical activity or daily habitual activity can maintain bone mineral density, muscle strength and improve muscle quality, and reduce adiposity. However, older adults with high risk of fall and injuries require tailored exercise intensity. Also, balanced daily intake of vitamin D, calcium and protein is important in prevention and treatment of OSO syndrome in postmenopausal women. Effective measurement of bone mass, muscle mass and strength is required when detecting OSO syndrome and to evaluate the balance, strength and endurance of elder individuals and severity of the condition.

Dietary supplements are more and more often used to increase daily intake of essential vitamins and minerals. These preparations are classified as special category of foods and are subject to food law, not pharmaceutical regulations. As a result the requirements to dietary supplements are much less restrictive than to medications. Also simple and inexpensive procedure of registration causes that the number of dietary supplements is widely spread every year. On every manufacturing phases of dietary supplements, there is a risk of contamination. One of the pollutions might be mercury which is classified as heavy metal. Its inorganic compounds damage kidneys and liver and methylmercury is easily absorbed from gastrointestinal system. Methylmercury is distributed in all tissues, also in nervous system. The aim of study was to determine the level of mercury in multivitamins and multiminerals preparations and to analyze the results. The study included 22 dietary supplements containing vitamins and minerals available on Polish market. Mercury was analyzed with atomic absorption spectrometry using AMA 254. The concentrations of Hg was 0.22–5.85 µg/kg (the average content was 2.40 µg/kg). The highest average mercury content was 4.51 µg/kg, whereas the lowest one was 0.31 µg/kg. The results was also analyzed in individual groups depending on main component and indication for use as well as pharmaceutical formulation. Also according to manufacturer’s recommendation, the dose of mercury taken with a single medicine was estimated for time of a day, a week, a month, 3 months and also a year. The findings were compared to limits defined in regulations of European Union and PTWI set by JECFA to assess the health risk. The results presented in this study proved that the amount of mercury in tested dietary supplements is much lower than the value of valid regulations. Analyzed supplements as long as they are used with the recommendation of manufacturer, do not pose a threat to human health.

Forensic anthropologists play a key role in skeletal trauma analysis and commonly use macroscopic features to distinguish between trauma types. However, this approach can be challenging, particularly in cases of highly comminuted or incompletely recovered fractures. Histological analysis of microscopic fracture characteristics in fractured bones may thus help provide additional information on trauma type and bone fracture biomechanics in general. This study analysed the extent of microcrack damage to osteons in long bones with blunt force trauma (BFT) and gunshot trauma (GST), from both traumatic death cases and post-mortem experimental fractures. We identified four types of osteonal damage (OD). In traumatic death cases, OD affecting the inside of the osteon and compromising the Haversian canal (type 1) was found to be indicative of BFT. Moreover, OD affecting the cement line (type 3) and interstitial lamellae (type 4) was more common in the GST samples. OD affecting the inside of the osteon without compromising the Haversian canal (type 2) was not found to be indicative of either trauma type. In cases of experimental fractures, our study revealed that post-mortem fractures in dry bone samples featured the highest amount of OD, particularly of type 4. This study also found that the experimentally produced GST featured similar OD pattern to GST death cases. These findings support our hypothesis that there are distinct osteonal damage patterns in human long bones with BFT and GST, which are of relevant value for trauma analysis in forensic anthropology.

Background: Myocardial infarction (MI) is a major cause of mortality worldwide. Its presentation as ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI) and non-ST-segment elevation MI (NSTEMI) is influence by atherosclerosis risk factors. Aim: To assess the patterns of presentation and predicting risk factors of acute MI in Kosovo. Methods: This is a cross sectional study from the Clinic of Cardiology of the University Clinical Center of Kosovo, which included all patients hospitalized with acute MI over a period of 7 years (January 1st, 2014 to December 31st, 2020). Data was collected using a structured questionnaire and epidemiological patterns and risk factors were analyzed. Results: Among 7353 patients admitted with acute MI (age 63 ± 12 years, 29% female), 4366 (59.4%) patients had STEMI, and 2987 (40.6%) NSTEMI. Patients age was not different between the two groups (p=0.077). NSTEMI patients smoked less (48.3% vs. 54%, p<0.001), but were more diabetics (37.8% vs. 33.6%, p<0.001), more hypertensives (69.6% vs. 63%, p<0.001), frequently had family history for coronary artery disease (CAD) (40% vs 38%, p=0.009), and included more females compared to STEMI patients (32% vs 27%, p<0.001). The two groups of patients, did not differ in the prevalence of significant CAD on angiography (66.8% vs. 67.8%, p = 0.396), but NSTEMI patients underwent less primary percutaneous interventions compared with STEMI patients (43.6% vs. 55.2%, p < 0.001). Conclusion: In Kosovo, STEMI is commoner than NSTEMI, who were mostly males, more likely to have diabetes, hypertension and family history for CAD compared to those with NSTEMI. Smoking and arterial hypertension proved the strongest predictors of acute MI, in Kosovo, thus highlighting the urgent need for better atherosclerosis risk control and education strategy.

Galectins have been shown to have roles in cancer progression via contributions to angiogenesis, metastasis, cell division, and evasion of immune destruction. This study analyses galectin-1, -3, and -9 serum concentrations in breast cancer patients by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) against the characteristics of the patient and tumor such as stage, molecular subtype, and receptor expression. Galectin-9 was found to be statistically significantly increased in HER2 enriched tumors as well as being reduced in patients with hormone receptor positive tumors and increased in patients with HER2 amplified tissues. Galectin-1 was found to be statistically significantly increased in the serum of patients who had undergone hormonal, immunotherapy, or chemotherapy. These findings provide insight as to the changes in galectin levels during cancer progress, response to treatment and molecular phenotype. These findings are valuable in the further understanding of the relationships of galectin and tumor biology and can inform future research on therapeutic targets for galectin inhibitors and the utility of galectin biomarkers.

The nutraceutical value of pomegranate in the treatment of many neoplastic, cardiovascular, viral, inflammatory, metabolic, microbial, intestinal, reproductive and skin diseases is well-documented and is linked to its richness in phenolic compounds. This study aims to evaluate nutraceutical and genetic diversity of novel pomegranate genotypes (G1-G5) in comparison to leading commercial pomegranate varieties i.e. ‘Wonderful’, ‘Primosole’, ‘Dente di Cavallo’ and ‘Valenciana’. Morphometric measurements were carried out on fruits, accompanied by chemical characterization and the development of four new polymorphic SSR markers involved in the flavonoid pathway. The cultivars displayed a marked variability in the weight and shape of fruits, as well as in the weight of arils and juice yield. The highest level of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity was found in ‘Wonderful’ and G4, while the lowest was in ‘Dente di Cavallo’. Furthermore, the results showed that the pomegranate juice, is an excellent source of minerals, especially potassium, which plays a key role in organ functioning. The new flavonoid-related markers effectively differentiated the cultivars with the same diversity pattern as morpho-chemical characterization, so the SSRs developed in the present study can be used as a rapid tool for the identification of pomegranate cultivars with relevant nutraceutical traits.

Data on the KIT mutation rate in skin melanoma in the central European region is missing. Accordingly, in a cohort of 79 double wild type (BRAF/NRAS) skin melanoma KIT mutation was assessed by Sanger sequencing of exons 9,11,13,17 and 18. In this skin melanoma cohort KIT mutation frequency was found to be 34/79 (43%) with a significantly higher rate in acrolentiginous melanoma (ALM) as compared to UV-induced common variants (20/34, 58.8% versus 14/45, 31.1%, p=0.014). Exon 11 was the most frequent mutation site (44.7%) followed by exon 9 (21.1%) equally characterizing UV-induced common histotypes and ALM tumors. KIT mutation hotspots were identified in exon 9 (c491/492), in exon 11 (c559,c572, c570), in exon 13 (c642), in exon 17 (c822) and in exon 18 (c853). The relatively high KIT mutation rate in skin melanoma in this central-European cohort justifies regular testing of this molecular target.

The effect of divergence of chute sidewalls with three different baffle block geometries namely USBR, trihedral and semicircular blocks, as well as the depth and dimensions of the scour hole downstream of the chute were studied using a physical model. For this purpose, 9 models of baffled chutes were designed and constructed with divergence ratios of 1.45, 1.75, and 2.45 and without divergence (with a divergence ratio of 1). Comparing the results on the effect of block geometry at different divergence ratios revealed that the use of blocks proposed in this study instead of standard USBR blocks reduced the mean and maximum scour hole by 50%. For a given block geometry, the mean depth, maximum depth, and length of scour hole were reduced by 75%, 58%, and 50%, respectively.

Stingless bee beekeeping provides new opportunities to improve the incomes of many households in Malaysia through the sale of honey and other bee products. While Heterotrigona itama is one of the most commonly cultured species of stingless bees, its behavior is not very well understood. Hence, we conducted this study to investigate the behavior of H. itama in exploiting food sources by ascertaining the nectar sugar concentration preferred by the bee. We also aimed to determine the preferred distance of food source from the bee hive. Our results suggest that H. itama prefers high sugar concentrations of 35% and above, and they would fly up to 7 m from the hive to collect food. We discuss how nectar concentration and food distance influence the number of bees exploiting food sources and the overall foraging pattern of H. itama.

This paper aims to investigate carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations on roadways of Karachi, potential blood levels carboxy-hemoglobin (COHb) in Karachi. Geographical information system (GIS) was used for spatial analysis of diseases potentiality while an interpolation technique has been applied for surface generation with town boundaries and later evaluates risk areas.The higher concentration of carbon monoxide in the ambient is mainly due to automobile emissions. The City center and CBD areas are more perilous.

Purpose: The objective of this paper is to explore the association between insufficient lycopene intake and risk of periodontitis among older adults. Methods: Data analysis was conducted using data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey 2009-2014. Overall, 1227 adults aged 65- to 79-years-old were investigated. Results: Overall, 48.7% of older adults in this study were classified with different levels of periodontitis and 49.1% of individuals with a form of periodontitis had insufficient dietary lycopene intake. Sufficient lycopene intake was found to be associated with a lower likelihood of severe periodontitis (OR: .33; 95% CI: 0.17-.65; p=0.002). Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) older adults were more likely to develop severe forms of periodontal disease in comparison to Non-Hispanic White (NHW) older adults (OR: 2.82, 95% CI: 1.46-5.45, p=0.003). Gender was also found to play a role in periodontitis status, with women being less likely to have severe periodontitis status, compared to men (OR: 0.27; 95% CI: 0.14-0.55; p=0.0007,). However, only NHW females were less likely to have severe periodontitis compared to NHW males (OR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.12-0.56; p= 0.001). Conclusion: Dietary intake of lycopene associated with periodontitis disease for individuals over the age of 65; those who consume a sufficient amount of lycopene are less likely to develop severe periodontitis. In general, more men suffered from periodontitis in comparison to women. Such association also has been found between NHB with severe periodontitis. In addition, reduced risk of moderate periodontitis is associated with sufficient lycopene intake is explored in NHW, future targeted interventions using lycopene in dietary intake as a preventative measure to delay or prevent the onset of periodontal disease needs to be race and gender specific.

Flavonoids comprise a large group of structurally diverse polyphenolic compounds of plant origin and are abundantly found in human diet such as fruits, vegetables, grains, tea, dairy products, red wine and so on. Major classes of flavonoids include flavonols, flavones, flavanones, flavanols, anthocyanidins, isoflavones, and chalcones. Owing to their potential health benefits and medicinal significance, flavonoids are now considered as an indispensable component in a variety of medicinal, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic preparations. However, flavonoids play a significant role in preventing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which could be mainly due to their antioxidant, antiatherogenic, and antithrombotic effects. Epidemiological and in vitro/in vivo evidences of antioxidant effects support the cardioprotective function of dietary flavonoids. Further, the inhibition of LDL oxidation and platelet aggregation following regular consumption of food containing flavonoids and moderate consumption of red wine might protect against atherosclerosis and thrombosis. A study suggests that daily intake of 100 mg of flavonoids through diet may reduce the risk of developing morbidity and mortality due to coronary heart disease (CHD) by approximately 10%. This review summarizes dietary flavonoids with their sources and potential health implications in CVDs including various redox-active cardioprotective (molecular) mechanisms with antioxidant effects. Pharmacokinetic (oral bioavailability, drug metabolism), toxicological and therapeutic aspects of dietary flavonoids are also addressed herein with future directions for the discovery and development of useful drug candidates/ therapeutic molecules.

Polyphenols represent a group of secondary metabolites of plants which have been analyzed as potent regulators of multiple biological processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis and autophagy, among others. These natural compounds exhibit beneficial effects and protection against inflammation, oxidative stress and related injuries including metabolic diseases, such as cardiovascular damage, obesity and diabetes and neurodegeneration. In the present review, we report the main biological effects in relationship to autophagy regulation in response to different dietary polyphenols and its impact on metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases

Moose (Alces alces) are generalist herbivores but are important aquatic-terrestrial ecotone specialists. Aquatic macrophytes are a high-quality food source for moose during the summer, however their relative importance to moose diet is difficult to study. We used stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen from moose hooves and forage (terrestrial plants, aquatic macrophytes, and arboreal lichen) to estimate the diet of moose at Isle Royale National Park, Michigan, USA, and to evaluate the isotopic variability along chronologies of serially sampled hooves. We hypothesized that aquatic macrophyte consumption and winter body condition (as measured by bone marrow fat content) would be greater at the eastern end of the island where aquatic habitats were most abundant. We were unable to evaluate spatial differences in aquatic macrophyte consumption, but overall, our mixing model results suggest that between 13% and 27% of summer moose diet was from aquatic sources. Among moose that died during winter, body condition was impaired and hoof δ¹⁵N (measured at the hairline) was higher at the western end of the island, where aquatic habitats are sparse. Although isotope chronologies preserved in hooves could significantly enhance our understanding of ungulate foraging ecology, interpretation of such chronologies is presently limited by our lack of knowledge pertaining to hoof growth rate and seasonal dynamics in relation to age and health. Significant isotope distinction among terrestrial plants, aquatic macrophytes, and arboreal lichens indicate that continued methodological advances in stable isotope ecology will lead to more precise estimates of the contribution of aquatic feeding to moose population dynamics.

Dietary assessment methods recognized as appropriate for the general population are usually applied in a similar manner to athletes, despite knowledge that sport-specific factors can complicate assessment and impact accuracy in unique ways. As dietary assessment methods are used extensively within the field of sports nutrition, there is concern the validity of methodologies have not undergone more rigorous evaluation in this unique population sub-group. The purpose was to systematically review studies comparing two or more methods of dietary assessment, including dietary intake measured against biomarkers or reference measures of energy expenditure, in athletes. Six electronic databases were searched for English-language, full-text articles published from January 1980 until June 2016. The search strategy combined the following keywords: diet, nutrition assessment, athlete and validity; where the following outcomes are reported but not limited to: energy intake, macro and/or micronutrient intake, food intake, nutritional adequacy, diet quality, or nutritional status. Meta-analysis was performed on studies with sufficient methodological similarity, with between-group standardized mean differences (or effect size) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) calculated. Of the 1624 studies identified, 18 were eligible for inclusion. Studies comparing self-reported energy intake (EI) to energy expenditure assessed via doubly labelled water were grouped for comparison (n=11) and demonstrated mean EI was under-estimated by 19 % (- 2793 ± 1134 kJ/d). Meta-analysis revealed a large pooled effect size of - 1.006 (95% CI: -1.3 to -0.7; p<0.001). The remaining studies (n=7) compared a new dietary tool or instrument to a reference method(s) (e.g. food record, 24-h dietary recall, biomarker) as part of a validation study. This systematic review revealed there are limited robust studies evaluating dietary assessment methods in athletes. Existing literature demonstrates substantial variability between methods, with under and misreporting of intake frequently observed. There is a clear need for careful validation of dietary assessment methods, including emerging technical innovations, among athlete populations.

Background: Diet is a risk factor for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). There are few studies on women´s diet and glucose tolerance test (GTT) results. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between previous diet and the number of abnormal values on the diagnostic GTT in women with GDM. We hypothesized there would be an inverse relation between antioxidant micronutrient consumption and the number of abnormal GTT values. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 60 women diagnosed with GDM (2-hours, 75g-GTT). Shortly after diagnosis, participants answered a validated food frequency questionnaire to assess food consumption in the last 6 months. Mann-Whitney´s test was used to compare the dietary intake of participants with one (group 1) versus two-three (group 2) abnormal GTT values. Results: Participant characteristics were similar. There were no significant differences between groups in median intake of total calories, carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. Participants in group 1 had significantly higher intakes of fiber (11.9 vs. 11.0 g/day p= 0.049), vitamin D (40.6 vs. 40.4 mcg/day p= 0.049) and vitamin C (180.0 vs. 151.0 mg/day p= 0.008) than those in group 2. Conclusion: Results suggest a possible association between consumption of fiber and some antioxidant micronutrients and GDM severity at the time of diagnosis.

Widespread patterns of poor dietary behavior are a key factor causing the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases around the world. Research provides initial insights into the potential of food literacy (FL) to empower individuals to improve their dietary behavior. Yet, studies on FL interventions in working adults are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the short- and long-term effects of a comprehensive 3-week workplace health promotion program (WHPP) on FL and dietary intake (DI) and to examine the association between FL and DI in a sample of 144 German office workers (30.0% female). Using two random intercept mixed linear regression models, we found significant strong improvements for both FL (β = 0.52, p &lt; .0001) and DI (β = 0.63, p &lt; .0001) after the WHPP when compared to baseline. Significant long-term improvements at 18 months where strong for FL (β = 0.55, p &lt; .0001) and small for DI (β = 0.10, p &lt; .0001). FL showed a significant moderate effect on DI across all measurement time points (β = 0.24, p &lt; .0001). Our study fills a gap of long-term findings in the literature on FL interventions, offers insights into underlying mechanisms, and provides recommendations for effective WHPPs.

Tryptophan metabolism, via the kynurenine (Kyn) pathway, and microbial transformation of tryptophan to indolic compounds, are fundamental for host health; both of which are altered in colon carcinogenesis. Alterations in tryptophan metabolism begin early in colon carcinogenesis as an adaptive mechanism for the tumor to escape immune surveillance and metastasize. The microbial community is a key part of the tumor microenvironment and influences cancer initiation, promotion and treatment response. A growing awareness of the impact of the microbiome on tryptophan (Trp) metabolism in the context of carcinogenesis has prompted this review. We first compare the different metabolic pathways of Trp under normal cellular physiology to colon carcinogenesis, in both the host cells and the microbiome. Second, we review how the microbiome, specifically indoles, influence host tryptophan pathways under normal and oncogenic metabolism. We conclude by proposing several dietary, microbial and drug therapeutic modalities that can be utilized in combination to abrogate tumorigenesis.

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by the accumulation of abnormal protein deposits, which disrupt the signal transduction in neurons and other glia cells. The pathological protein Tau and amyloid-β contributes to the disrupted microglial signaling pathways, actin cytoskeleton, and cellular receptor expression. The important secondary messenger lipids i.e., phosphatidylinositols are largely affected by protein deposits of amyloid-beta in Alzheimer’s disease. Phosphatidylinositols are the product of different phosphatidylinositol kinases and the state of phosphorylation at D3, D4, and D5 positions of inositol ring. PI 3, 4, 5-P3 involves in phagocytic cup formation and relates actin remodeling whereas PI 4, 5-P2-mediates the process of phagosomes formation and further fusion with early endosome. The necessary activation of actin-binding proteins such as Rac, WAVE complex, and ARP2/3 complex for the actin polymerization in the process of phagocytosis, migration is regulated and maintained by PI 3, 4, 5-P3 and PI 4, 5-P2. Dietary fatty acids depending on their ratio and types of intake influence secondary lipid messenger along with the cellular content of phaphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. The deposited Aβ deposits and extracellular Tau seed disrupt levels of phosphatidylinositol and actin cytoskeletal changes that hamper microglia signaling pathways in AD. We hypothesize that being a lipid species intracellular levels of phosphatidylinositol would be regulated by dietary fatty acids. We keen to understand different types of phosphatidylinositol species levels in signaling events such as phagocytosis and actin remodeling owing to the exposure of various types of dietary fatty acids.

Specific nutrients including n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), flavonoids, vitamin A, D and E are considered to possess protective properties on human health by impacting on immunological reactions. An ‘inflammation-suppressive’ effect appears to be the common denominator of the beneficial effects of most of these dietary components which may protect against the development of chronic immune disorders such as allergy. However, the majority of these promising data are from preclinical studies such as animal disease models, as the majority of clinical studies only indicate associations. PUFAs, especially n-3 LCPUFAs, have been shown to interact with both the sensitization as well as the effector phase in food allergy. However, it should be noted and realised that PUFAs are highly susceptible to lipid oxidation. Flavonoids and fat-soluble vitamins both contain anti-inflammatory properties and are able to act as anti-oxidants as well. Here, we explore the anti-allergic properties of PUFAs, flavonoids and fat-soluble vitamins in order to create an overview and, more importantly, suggest a strategy to target food allergies using these components and combinations thereof. Dietary n-3 LCPUFAs and the above mentioned micronutrients are promising anti‐allergy agents capable of influencing the allergic immune response through multiple and different biological pathways.

With recent advancements in network technology and spread of Internet, use of social network services and Internet of Things devices has flourished, leading to a continuous generation of large volumes of graph stream data, where changes, such as additions or deletions of vertices and edges occur over time. Additionally, owing to the need for efficient use of storage space and security requirements, graph stream data compression has become essential in various applications. Even though various studies on graph compression methods have been conducted, most of them do not fully reflect the dynamic characteristics of graph streams and complexity of large graphs. In this paper, we propose a compression scheme using provenance data to efficiently process and analyze large graph stream data. It obtains provenance data by analyzing graph stream data and builds a pattern dictionary based on this to perform dictionary-based compression. By improving the existing dictionary-based graph compression methods, it enables more efficient dictionary management through tracking pattern changes and evaluating their importance using provenance. Furthermore, it considers the relationships among sub-patterns using an FP-tree and performs pattern dictionary management that updates pattern scores based on time. Our experiments show that the proposed scheme outperforms existing graph compression methods in key performance metrics, such as compression rate and processing time.

As the world increasingly becomes more interconnected, the demand for safety and security is ever-increasing, particularly for industrial networks. This has prompted numerous researchers to investigate different methodologies and techniques suitable for intrusion detection systems (IDS) requirements. Over the years, many studies have proposed various solutions in this regard including signature-based and machine-learning (ML) based systems. More recently, researchers are considering deep learning (DL) based anomaly detection approaches. Most proposed works in this research field aimed to achieve either one or a combination of high accuracy, considerably low false alarm rates (FARs), high classification specificity and detection sensitivity, achieving lightweight DL models, or other ML and DL-related performance measurement metrics. In this study, we propose a novel method to convert a raw dataset to an image dataset to magnify patterns. Based on this we devise an anomaly detection for IDS using a lightweight convolutional neural network (CNN) that classifies denial of service and distributed denial of service. The proposed methods were evaluated using a modern dataset, CSE-CIC-IDS2018, and a legacy dataset, NSL-KDD. We have also applied a combined dataset to assess the generalization of the proposed model across various datasets. Our experimental results have demonstrated that the proposed methods achieved high accuracy and considerably low FARs with high specificity and sensitivity. The resulting loss and accuracy curves have also demonstrated the excellent generalization of the proposed lightweight CNN model, effectively avoiding overfitting. This holds for both the modern and legacy datasets, including their mixed version.

The fate of critically sick patients with infections in intensive care units (ICUs) is significantly influenced by antimicrobial resistance, which has become a serious concern in developing nations. This observational study was conducted at the IBN Sina Specialised Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, over a 12-month period from January 2021 to December 2021, in order to track the pattern of antibiotic resistance among the patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Aspiration pneumonia (29%) and diabetes mellitus (24%), among 200 patients, were the most common main diagnoses. 65 samples (or 26%) of the 250 samples had 85 bacteria identified from them. Urine (14.12%) and tracheal aspirate (64.71%) were the most frequently found sites of infection. In the sample from the tracheal aspirate, Pseudomonas spp. (30.59%), Escherichia coli (24.71%), Acinetobacter spp. (20%), and Klebsiella spp. (14.12) were the most frequently isolated microorganisms. The following antibiotics were shown to have the highest overall patterns of resistance: levofloxacin (68.24), amikacin (64.71), meropenem (49.41), ceftazidime (75.29), ciprofloxacin (78.82), and gentamicin (82.35). The most effective antibiotic against Klebsiella species was meropenem (64.61%), while Acinetobacter species were mostly susceptible to cotrimoxazole (64.67%) and piperacillin + tazobactam (60.50%). Most susceptible to netilmicin (70.48%) and meropenem (49.32%) were Escherichia coli, while Pseudomonas spp. were mostly responsive to colistin (55.14%) and netilmicin (52.25%). Antibiotic resistance is common among intensive care unit (ICU) patients, and most isolated microbes have resistance to traditional medicines.

E-commerce recommendation systems usually deal with massive customer sequential databases, such as historical purchase or click stream sequences. Recommendation systems’ accuracy can be improved if complex sequential patterns of user purchase behavior are learned by integrating sequential patterns of customer clicks and/or purchases into the user-item rating matrix input of collaborative filtering. This reviews focuses on algorithmic techniques of existing E-commerce recommendation systems that are sequential pattern based such as ChoRec05, ChenRec09, HuangRec09, LiuRec09, ChoiRec12, Hybrid Model RecSys16, Product RecSys16, SainiRec17, HPCRec18 and HSPCRec19. It provides a comprehensive and comparative performance analysis of these systems, exposing their methodologies, achievements, limitations, and potentials for solving more important problems in this domain. The review showed that integrating sequential pattern mining of historical purchase and/or click sequences into user-item matrix for collaborative filtering (i) improved recommendation accuracy (ii) reduced user-item rating data sparsity (iii) increased novelty rate of recommendations and (iv) improved scalability of the recommendation system.