Authors:Lauren O’Mahony, Emma O’Shea, Eibhlís M. O’Connor, Audrey Tierney, Mary Harkin, Janas Harrington, Sharon Kennelly, Elke Arendt, Paul W. O’Toole, Suzanne Timmons Abstract: ObjectivesStrategies to improve the gut microbiome through consuming an improved diet, including adopting the Mediterranean Diet (MD), may promote healthy aging. We explored older adults’ and healthcare professionals’ (HCPs) perspectives of the MD, gut health, and microbiome for their role in healthy aging.DesignPhenomenological qualitative.SettingCommunity-dwelling older adults and HCPs in primary and secondary care in Ireland.ParticipantsOlder adults (aged 55 + years), recruited through social, retirement and disease-support groups. HCPs recruited through researcher networks and professional associations.MeasurementsSemi-structured 1:1 interviews and focus groups (FGs) conducted remotely with older adults and HCPs separately. Interviews/FGs were recorded, transcribed, and coded using inductive thematic analysis.ResultsForty-seven older adults were recruited (50% male; 49% aged 60–69 years; 28% 70 +), and 26 HCPs including dietitians (n = 8); geriatricians (n = 6); clinical therapists (n = 4); nurses, pharmacists, catering managers, and meal-delivery service coordinators (n = 2 each). Older adults considered the MD “a nice way to enjoy food,” good for cardiovascular health and longevity, but with accessibility and acceptability challenges (increased salads/fish, different food environments, socio-cultural differences). HCPs felt the MD is included in healthy eating advice, but not overtly, mostly through the promotion of mixed-fiber intake. Older adults considered “live” yogurt and probiotics, and to a lesser extent fiber, to maintain a “healthy gut,” suggesting the gut has “something to do with” cognitive and digestive health. Overall, microbiota-health effects were considered “not common knowledge” among most older adults, but becoming more topical among both professionals and the public with advancing scientific communication.ConclusionWhile “gut health” was considered important, specific effects of the MD on gut microbiota, and the significance of this for healthy aging, was under-recognized. Future efforts should explain the importance to older adults of maintaining the gut microbiota through diet, while appreciating perspectives of probiotic products and supplements. PubDate: 2023-01-27T00:00:00Z
Authors:Josep M. Llop Talaveron, Ana Suárez-Lledó Grande, Elisabet Leiva Badosa, Jordi Bas Minguet, Joan Climent Martí, Elisabet Poyatos Cantón, María B. Badia Tahull Abstract: IntroductionLiver damage has been associated with the accumulation of phytosterols (PS) in patients treated with parenteral nutrition (PN). We aimed to study the association of inflammatory markers with liver function biomarker (LFB) alterations in patients treated with PN containing PS.Materials and methodsProspective observational study. Simple linear and stepwise multiple linear regression tests and interactions were performed.ResultsNineteen patients were included. In the multivariable model, determinations based on LFBs as dependent and phytosterols (and their fractions) as independent variables showed an association between increases in gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and lanosterol (p < 0.001), stigmasterol (p < 0.001), interleukin-10 (IL-10) × total phytosterols (Phyt) (p < 0.009), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) × Phyt (p < 0.002), IL-10 × sitosterol (p < 0.002), TNF-α × sitosterol (p < 0.001), IL-10 × campesterol (p < 0.033), IL-10 (p < 0.006 and p < 0.015), TNF-α (p < 0.048 and p < 0.027). Increases in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were associated with Phyt (p < 0.006), lanosterol (p < 0.016), C-reactive protein (CRP) × campesterol (p < 0.001), interleukin-6 (IL-6) × stigmasterol (p < 0.030), CRP (p < 0.08), and IL-6 (p < 0.042). Alkaline phosphatase (AP) increases were associated with CRP (p < 0.002).DiscussionInflammation in the presence of plasmatic PS seems to have a synergistic effect in impairing liver function, mainly altering GGT but also ALT. PubDate: 2023-01-27T00:00:00Z
Authors:Ikpidi Badji, France Caillavet, Marie Josephe Amiot Abstract: BackgroundPulses can play a key role in a well-balanced diet and are now recognized for their health and sustainability benefits. However, consumption remains quite low, motivating promotion efforts such as the “International Year of Pulses” declared by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2016. The present study aims to evaluate the changes in the purchase of pulses before and after the FAO's awareness campaign promoting the consumption of pulses in France and investigate the potential differences across sub-populations.MethodsPurchase data come from Kantar Worldpanel 2014–2017. First, in order to understand demand for pulses, the influence of sociodemographic variables on the purchase of pulses in different forms (raw, processed, ultra-processed) is analyzed using a Box-Cox heteroskedastic double-hurdle model. Then, changes in purchasing before and after the FAO campaign were estimated using a two-way fixed-effects model, controlling for price and sociodemographic variables.ResultsOn that period, the purchasing of pulses increased by 8.4% overall. The increase was greater for younger participants (+11.8%), people living in urban areas with over 200,000 inhabitants (+8.4%), and lower-income households (+7.1%). The 8.4% increase observed indicated that there were gradual preference change in favor of pulses and the impact of the awareness campaign was to boost expenditure on pulses by a further 2%.ConclusionThe FAO campaign coincided with an increase in the purchasing of pulses and may have had an enhancing effect. However, consumption still remains below the level advised by dietary guidelines. There is a need for more public information and communication on the health and sustainability benefits of pulses, the consumption of which can be promoted through supply and education interventions.JEL codesD12; Q18; I18. PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Authors:Minghua Tang, Cheng Ma, Eileen M. Weinheimer-Haus, Charles E. Robertson, Jennifer M. Kofonow, Lillian M. Berman, Akbar Waljee, Ji Zhu, Daniel N. Frank, Nancy F. Krebs Abstract: ObjectiveThis project aimed to evaluate the impact of meat- vs. dairy-based complementary foods on gut microbiota and whether it relates to growth.DesignFull-term, formula-fed infants were recruited from the metro Denver area (Colorado, US) and randomized to a meat- or dairy-based complementary diet from 5 to 12 months of age. Infant’s length and weight were measured, and stool samples were collected at 5, 10, and 12 months for 16S rRNA gene sequencing and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) quantification.ResultsSixty-four infants completed the dietary intervention (n = 32/group). Weight-for-age Z (WAZ) scores increased in both groups and length-for-age Z scores (LAZ) increased in the meat group only, which led to a significant group-by-time interaction (P = 0.02) of weight-for-length Z (WLZ) score. Microbiota composition (Beta-diversity) differed between groups at 12 months (weighted PERMANOVA P = 0.01) and had a group-by-time interaction of P = 0.09. Microbial community richness (Chao1) increased in the meat group only. Genus Akkermansia had a significant group-by-time interaction and increased in the dairy group and decreased in the meat group. A significant fold change of butyric acid from 5 to 12 months was found in the meat group (+1.75, P = 0.011) but not in the dairy group. Regression analysis showed that Chao1 had a negative association with WLZ and WAZ. Several genera also had significant associations with all growth Z scores.ConclusionComplementary feeding not only impacts infant growth but also affects gut microbiota maturation. Complementary food choices can affect both the gut microbiota diversity and structures and these changes in gut microbiota are associated with infant growth. PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Authors:Jenni Firrman, LinShu Liu, Karley Mahalak, Weiming Hu, Kyle Bittinger, Ahmed Moustafa, Steven M. Jones, Adrienne Narrowe, Peggy Tomasula Abstract: IntroductionFollowing consumption of milk, lactose, a disaccharide of glucose and galactose, is hydrolyzed and absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract. However, hydrolysis and absorption are not always absolute, and some lactose will enter the colon where the gut microbiota is able to hydrolyze lactose and produce metabolic byproducts.MethodsHere, the impact of lactose on the gut microbiota of healthy adults was examined, using a short-term, in vitro strategy where fecal samples harvested from 18 donors were cultured anaerobically with and without lactose. The data were compiled to identify donor-independent responses to lactose treatment.Results and discussionMetagenomic sequencing found that the addition of lactose decreased richness and evenness, while enhancing prevalence of the β-galactosidase gene. Taxonomically, lactose treatment decreased relative abundance of Bacteroidaceae and increased lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillaceae, Enterococcaceae, and Streptococcaceae, and the probiotic Bifidobacterium. This corresponded with an increased abundance of the lactate utilizers, Veillonellaceae. These structural changes coincided with increased total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), specifically acetate, and lactate. These results demonstrated that lactose could mediate the gut microbiota of healthy adults in a donor-independent manner, consistent with other described prebiotics, and provided insight into how dietary milk consumption may promote human health through modifications of the gut microbiome. PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Authors:Farzaneh Vakili, Zahra Roosta, Roghieh Safari, Mojtaba Raeisi, Md. Sakhawat Hossain, Inês Guerreiro, Arash Akbazadeh, Seyed Hossein Hoseinifar Abstract: IntroductionA medicinal plant, Myristica fragrans seed meal (nutmeg), was utilized to evaluate its impact on the growth, immunity, and antioxidant defense of zebrafish (Danio rerio).MethodsIn this regard, zebrafish (0.47 ± 0.04 g) (mean ± S.D.) were fed with 0% (control), 1% (T1-nutmeg), 2% (T2-nutmeg), and 3% (T3-nutmeg) of powdered nutmeg for 70 days. At the end of the feeding trial, growth performance, survival rate of fish, and temperature-challenge effects were recorded. Immune and antioxidant parameters were also assessed through the collection of serum and skin mucus samples.ResultsThe results indicated that nutmeg supplementation did not significantly influence the growth of zebrafish (P> 0.05); however, the survival rate of fish fed with 2 and 3% of nutmeg supplementation significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The skin mucus and serum total protein, total immunoglobulin (Ig), and lysozyme activity were significantly increased in T3-nutmeg treatment in comparison to the control (P < 0.05). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were also enhanced in the T3-nutmeg group (P < 0.05). Nutmeg supplementation significantly upregulated the mRNA expression of growth hormone (gh) and insulin growth factor-1 (igf-1). Moreover, the nutmeg inclusion upregulated the expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), lysozyme, sod, and cat. The dietary supplementation of nutmeg significantly increased the resistance of zebrafish against cold-water shock and survivability afterward (P < 0.05).DiscussionIn conclusion, the supplementation of 3% powdered nutmeg in zebrafish diets could be suggested as an effective immune stimulator that improves antioxidant defense and stress tolerance. PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Authors:Khondoker Abdul Mottaleb, Gideon Kruseman, Aymen Frija, Kai Sonder, Santiago Lopez-Ridaura Abstract: IntroductionThe combined populations of China and India were 2.78 billion in 2020, representing 36% of the world population (7.75 billion). Wheat is the second most important staple grain in both China and India. In 2019, the aggregate wheat consumption in China was 96.4 million ton and in India it was 82.5 million ton, together it was more than 35% of the world's wheat that year. In China, in 2050, the projected population will be 1294–1515 million, and in India, it is projected to be 14.89–1793 million, under the low and high-fertility rate assumptions. A question arises as to, what will be aggregate demand for wheat in China and India in 2030 and 2050'MethodsApplying the Vector Error Correction model estimation process in the time series econometric estimation setting, this study projected the per capita and annual aggregate wheat consumptions of China and India during 2019-2050. In the process, this study relies on agricultural data sourced from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States (FAO) database (FAOSTAT), as well as the World Bank's World Development Indicators (WDI) data catalog. The presence of unit root in the data series are tested by applying the augmented Dickey-Fuller test; Philips-Perron unit root test; Kwiatkowski-Phillips-Schmidt-Shin test, and Zivot-Andrews Unit Root test allowing for a single break in intercept and/or trend. The test statistics suggest that a natural log transformation and with the first difference of the variables provides stationarity of the data series for both China and India. The Zivot-Andrews Unit Root test, however, suggested that there is a structural break in urban population share and GDP per capita. To tackle the issue, we have included a year dummy and two multiplicative dummies in our model. Furthermore, the Johansen cointegration test suggests that at least one variable in both data series were cointegrated. These tests enable us to apply Vector Error Correction (VEC) model estimation procedure. In estimation the model, the appropriate number of lags of the variables is confirmed by applying the “varsoc” command in Stata 17 software interface. The estimated yearly per capita wheat consumption in 2030 and 2050 from the VEC model, are multiplied by the projected population in 2030 and 2050 to calculate the projected aggregate wheat demand in China and India in 2030 and 2050. After projecting the yearly per capita wheat consumption (KG), we multiply with the projected population to get the expected consumption demand.ResultsThis study found that the yearly per capita wheat consumption of China will increase from 65.8 kg in 2019 to 76 kg in 2030, and 95 kg in 2050. In India, the yearly per capita wheat consumption will increase to 74 kg in 2030 and 94 kg in 2050 from 60.4 kg in 2019. Considering the projected population growth rates under low-fertility assumptions, aggregate wheat consumption of China will increase by more than 13% in 2030 and by 28% in 2050. Under the high-fertility rate assumption, however the aggregate wheat consumption of China will increase by 18% in 2030 and nearly 50% in 2050. In the case of India, under both low and high-fertility rate assumptions, aggregate wheat demand in India will increase by 32-38% in 2030 and by 70-104% in 2050 compared to 2019 level of consumption.DiscussionsOur results underline the importance of wheat in both countries, which are the world's top wheat producers and consumers, and suggest the importance of research and development investments to maintain sufficient national wheat grain production levels to meet China and India's domestic demand. This is critical both to ensure the food security of this large segment of the world populace, which also includes 23% of the total population of the world who live on less than US $1.90/day, as well as to avoid potential grain market destabilization and price hikes that arise in the event of large import demands. PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Authors:Ujwala Godbole, Divya Gupta, Nachiket Godbole, Madan Godbole Abstract: BackgroundData from several efficacy studies and a long-term effectiveness study have encouraged the governments to adopt a policy of providing double-fortified salt (DFS) in the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) programs in government schools across India. These envisaged food security events are likely to boost the manufacturing of DFS in a big way. Thus, it becomes pertinent to come up with a robust monitoring system involving community and field workers for quality checks. It is imperative to equip these field workers with simple testing kits (STKs) capable of qualitative detection of iron and iodine in DFS. As the consumer acceptance of foods is based on several factors including sensory characteristics, performance, convenience, cost, nutrition, and product image, a variety of iron compounds are in use for fortification. However, it becomes challenging to provide a kit that can overcome the chemical masking of iodine detection by iron compounds.ObjectivesWe aimed at (1) the development of a field-friendly STK for quick qualitative assessment of iodine and various forms of iron present in DFS, (2) to check its validity under field conditions.MethodsWe put in place reagents combined using known chemical reactions and balanced use of oxidants to overcome the problems of encapsulation and to maximize the use, by enabling reagent combination to react with all forms of iron.ResultsThe kit reagents successfully detect iodine as well as three commonly used iron fortificants in DFS. Published field trials confirmed the specificity and sensitivity of the developed kit. The simplicity and use of the kit by a field worker can be seen in the enclosed video.ConclusionThe combination of improvised kit reagents allows early detection of iron and iodine in DFS. Iron is detected in a variety of iron-containing fortifications. The provision of diluted H2O2 ensures the presence of oxygen-free radicals that enhances iodine release captured by concentrated KI making iodine detection an easy task. PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Authors:Haiyang Li, Zhangkai J. Cheng, Zhiman Liang, Mingtao Liu, Li Liu, Zhenfeng Song, Chuanbo Xie, Junling Liu, Baoqing Sun Abstract: IntroductionLung cancer is a serious global health concern, and its subtypes are closely linked to lifestyle and dietary habits. Recent research has suggested that malnutrition, over-nutrition, electrolytes, and granulocytes have an effect on the development of cancer. This study investigated the impact of combining patient nutritional indicators, electrolytes, and granulocytes as comprehensive predictors for lung cancer treatment outcomes, and applied a machine learning algorithm to predict lung cancer.Methods6,336 blood samples were collected from lung cancer patients classified as lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). 2,191 healthy individuals were used as controls to compare the differences in nutritional indicators, electrolytes and granulocytes among different subtypes of lung cancer, respectively.ResultsOur results demonstrated significant differences between men and women in healthy people and NSCLC, but no significant difference between men and women in SCLC patients. The relationship between indicators is basically that the range of indicators for cancer patients is wider, including healthy population indicators. In the process of predicting lung cancer through nutritional indicators by machine learning, the AUC of the random forest model was as high as 93.5%, with a sensitivity of 75.9% and specificity of 96.5%.DiscussionThis study supports the feasibility and accuracy of nutritional indicators in predicting lung cancer through the random forest model. The successful implementation of this novel prediction method could guide clinicians in providing both effective diagnostics and treatment of lung cancers. PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Authors:Yuan Cai, Yu-di Zhong, Hao Zhang, Pei-lin Lu, Yong-yi Liang, Biao Hu, Hui Wu Abstract: BackgroundCurrently, telomere length is known to reflect the replication potential and longevity of cells, and many studies have reported that telomere length is associated with age-related diseases and biological aging. Studies have also shown that vitamin C acts as an oxidant and free radical scavenger to protect cells from oxidative stress and telomere wear, thus achieving anti-aging effects. At present, there are few and incomplete studies on the relationship between vitamin C and telomere length, so this study aims to explore the relationship between vitamin C and telomere length.MethodsThis study used cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) database from 1999 to 2002, a total of 7,094 participants were selected from all races in the United States. Male participants accounted for 48.2% and female participants accounted for 51.8%. The correlation between vitamin C and telomere length was assessed using a multiple linear regression model, and the effect of dietary vitamin C on telomere length was obtained after adjusting for confounding factors such as age, gender, race, body mass index (BMI), and poverty income ratio (PIR).ResultsThis cross-sectional study showed that vitamin C was positively correlated with telomere length, with greater dietary vitamin C intake associated with longer telomeres (β = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.01–0.05, P = 0.003).ConclusionThis study shows that vitamin C intake is positively correlated with human telomere length, which is of guiding significance for our clinical guidance on people’s health care, but our study need to be confirmed by more in-depth and comprehensive other research results. PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Authors:Jiao Ming, Rongxu Du, Jianhao Geng, Shuai Li, Zhiyan Liu, Yong Cai, Xianggao Zhu, Yangzi Zhang, Hongzhi Wang, Zhilong Wang, Lei Tang, Xiaotian Zhang, Zhi Peng, Aiwen Wu, Zhaode Bu, Yifan Peng, Yan Yan, Zhongwu Li, Yongheng Li, Ziyu Li, Weihu Wang Abstract: BackgroundFew studies have evaluated the significance of sarcopenia in predicting the outcomes of patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG), especially those who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT). We aimed to identify the sarcopenic status and its impact on the outcomes of patients with locally advanced AEG who received NCRT followed by radical surgery or systemic therapy.Materials and methodsPatients with T3-4N+M0 AEG with accessible abdominal computed tomography (CT) before and after NCRT were retrospectively analyzed. Body composition parameters, particularly the skeletal muscle index (SMI), were assessed using a CT-based method, and sarcopenia was defined using a predetermined SMI cutoff value. Survival analysis was conducted using the Kaplan–Meier method. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to identify independent prognostic factors. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was carried out, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to test the prognostic accuracy of different factors.ResultsA total of 63 patients were enrolled, 65.1 and 79.4% of whom developed pre- and post-NCRT sarcopenia, respectively. Patients with pre-NCRT sarcopenia had lower radical surgery rates (70.7 vs. 95.5%, p = 0.047) than those without sarcopenia; however, sarcopenic status did not affect other short-term outcomes, including treatment-related toxicity and efficacy. Pre-NCRT sarcopenia was identified as an independent predictive factor for poor overall survival (OS) [adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 6.053; p = 0.002] and progression-free survival (PFS) (adjusted HR, 2.873; p = 0.031). Compared with nutritional indices such as the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002, weight loss during NCRT, and post-NCRT sarcopenia, pre-NCRT sarcopenia was regarded as the best predictive index for the 5-year OS (AUC = 0.735) and PFS rates (AUC = 0.770).ConclusionPre-NCRT sarcopenia may be an independent predictive factor for OS and PFS rates in patients with locally advanced AEG receiving multimodal treatment. PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Authors:Yanhui Ma, Lin Deng, Yuchan Huangfu, Yunlan Zhou, Ping Wang, Lisong Shen Abstract: PurposeThe effect of vitamin D level pertinent to colorectal cancer incidence, progression, or mortality risk is complicated, and study findings are mixed. Therefore, we evaluated whether serum vitamin D [25-hydroxyvitamin D, 25(OH)D] is associated with the incidence of sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC).MethodsThis study is a retrospective analysis of the relationship between serum 25(OH)D level and the risk of CRC. Age, sex, body mass index, history of polyp, disease conditions (i.e., diabetes), medications, and other eight vitamins were used as confounding factors. A total of 389 participants were enrolled in this study, including comprising 83 CRC patients without a family history and 306 healthy controls, between January 2020 and March 2021 at the Department of Colorectal Surgery and Endoscope Center at the Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Adjusted smoothing spline plots, subgroup analysis, and multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted to estimate the relative risk between serum 25(OH)D and sporadic CRC risk.ResultsAfter fully adjusting the confounding factors, it was found that circulating 25(OH)D played a protective role in patients with CRC (OR = 0.76 [0.63, 0.92], p = 0.004) and that an adequate vitamin D level was significantly associated with a reduced CRC risk compared to vitamin D deficiency or sufficiency (OR = 0.31 [0.11, 0.9], p = 0.03). According to this study, statins did not affect the potential protective effects of vitamin D (OR = 1.02 [0.97, 1.08], p = 0.44) and may account for the inverse association between serum 25(OH)D and colorectal cancer.ConclusionAn adequate level of serum 25(OH)D was associated with a reduced CRC risk, especially for the elderly. The finding on the absence of protective effect of vitamin D in the statin use subgroup, suggests it may be one of the substantial contributing confounders, and warrants further investigation. PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Authors:Xiujie Jiang, Qingpeng Xu, Jiayu Zhang, Zhijiang Li, Huacheng Tang, Dongmei Cao, Dongjie Zhang Abstract: In order to study the nutritional changes of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) enrichment in adzuki bean germination, vacuum combined with monosodium glutamate (MSG) was used as the germination stress of adzuki bean. The nutrient transfer before and after GABA enrichment in adzuki bean germination under vacuum combined with MSG stress were studied by means of chromatography and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The antioxidant activity and hypoglycemic effect of different solvent extracts before and after germination of adzuki bean were evaluated by experiments in vitro. The results showed that the nutritional characteristics of adzuki bean rich in GABA changed significantly (P < 0.05), the total fatty acids decreased significantly (P < 0.05), and the 21 amino acids detected increased significantly. After germination, the starch granules of adzuki bean became smaller and the surface was rough Germination stress significantly increased the antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities of the extracts from different solvents (P < 0.05), and the water extracts had the best effect on DPPH and ⋅OH radical scavenging rates of 88.52 and 83.56%, respectively. The results indicated that the germinated adzuki bean rich in GABA was more nutritious than the raw adzuki bean and had good antioxidant activity. It hoped to provide technical reference for rich food containing GABA. PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Authors:Ramatu Wuni, Eduard F. Ventura, Katherine Curi-Quinto, Claudia Murray, Richard Nunes, Julie A. Lovegrove, Mary Penny, Marta Favara, Alan Sanchez, Karani Santhanakrishnan Vimaleswaran Abstract: IntroductionThe prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases has increased in Latin American and the Caribbean populations (LACP). To identify gene-lifestyle interactions that modify the risk of cardiometabolic diseases in LACP, a systematic search using 11 search engines was conducted up to May 2022.MethodsEligible studies were observational and interventional studies in either English, Spanish, or Portuguese. A total of 26,171 publications were screened for title and abstract; of these, 101 potential studies were evaluated for eligibility, and 74 articles were included in this study following full-text screening and risk of bias assessment. The Appraisal tool for Cross-Sectional Studies (AXIS) and the Risk Of Bias In Non-Randomized Studies—of Interventions (ROBINS-I) assessment tool were used to assess the methodological quality and risk of bias of the included studies.ResultsWe identified 122 significant interactions between genetic and lifestyle factors on cardiometabolic traits and the vast majority of studies come from Brazil (29), Mexico (15) and Costa Rica (12) with FTO, APOE, and TCF7L2 being the most studied genes. The results of the gene-lifestyle interactions suggest effects which are population-, gender-, and ethnic-specific. Most of the gene-lifestyle interactions were conducted once, necessitating replication to reinforce these results.DiscussionThe findings of this review indicate that 27 out of 33 LACP have not conducted gene-lifestyle interaction studies and only five studies have been undertaken in low-socioeconomic settings. Most of the studies were cross-sectional, indicating a need for longitudinal/prospective studies. Future gene-lifestyle interaction studies will need to replicate primary research of already studied genetic variants to enable comparison, and to explore the interactions between genetic and other lifestyle factors such as those conditioned by socioeconomic factors and the built environment. The protocol has been registered on PROSPERO, number CRD42022308488.Systematic review registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov, identifier CRD420223 08488. PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Authors:Marilu Mestanza, Pati Llanina Mori-Culqui, Segundo G. Chavez Abstract: Coffee is the most consumed beverage in the world after water. Multiple benefits are attributed to it in human health due to the presence of antioxidant compounds, whose content depends, among other factors, on the processing conditions of the coffee bean. The objective of this study was to determine the kinetics of polyphenols and antioxidants during the roasting of three varieties of arabica coffee. For this, we worked with varieties of coffee, Catimor, Caturra, and Bourbon, from the province of La Convencion, Cuzco, Peru. The samples were roasted in an automatic induction roaster, and 12 samples were taken during roasting (at 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, and 21 min of roasting) in triplicate. For green coffee beans, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, moisture and apparent density were determined. The change in polyphenol content was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and antioxidant activity was determined using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis- (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+) free radical capture technique during roasting. Polyphenol and antioxidant contents increased until minute 5 of roasting and then decreased until minute 20, and in some cases, there were slight increases in the last minute. The model that best described the changes in these bioactive compounds was the cubic model (R2 0.634 and 0.921), and the best fits were found for the Bourbon variety, whose green grain had more homogeneous characteristics. The changes in the relative abundances of nine phenolic compounds were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In conclusion, roasting modifies phenolic compounds and antioxidants differently in the coffee varieties studied. The content of some phenols increases, and in other cases, it decreases as the roasting time increases. The roasting process negatively affects the bioactive compounds and increases the fracturability of Arabica coffee beans, elements that should be taken into account at the moment of developing roasting models in the industry. PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Authors:ZiLing Wang, Jia Lao, XingYi Kang, ZhenNi Xie, Wei He, XiaoLiu Liu, Can Zhong, ShuiHan Zhang, Jian Jin Abstract: IntroductionPolygonati Rhizoma is a multi-purpose food with medicinal uses. Fermentation of Polygonati Rhizoma by lactic acid bacteria could provide new insights into the development of Polygonati Rhizoma products.MethodsIn this study, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum was fermented with Polygonati Rhizoma extracts in a bioreactor under aerobic and anaerobic conditions with pH and DO real-time detection. Metabolic profiling was determined by UHPLC-QE-MS/MS system. Principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis were used to perform multivariate analysis.ResultsA total of 98 differential metabolites were identified in broth after fermentation, and 36 were identified between fermentation under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The main metabolic pathways in the fermentation process are ABC transport and amino acid biosynthesis. Most of the compounds such as L-arginine, L-aspartic acid, leucine, L-lysine, citrate, inosine, carnitine, betaine, and thiamine were significantly increased during fermentation, playing a role in enhancing food flavor. Compared with anaerobic fermentation, aerobic conditions led to a significant rise in the levels of some compounds such as valine, isoleucine, and glutamate; this increase was mainly related to branched-chain amino acid transaminase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and glutamate dehydrogenase.DiscussionAerobic fermentation is more beneficial for the fermentation of Polygonati Rhizoma by L. plantarum to produce flavor and functional substances. This study is the first report on the fermentation of Polygonati Rhizoma by L. plantarum and provides insights that would be applicable in the development of Polygonati Rhizoma fermented products. PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Authors:Jeong Bin Bong, Ji Yeon Chung, So-Yeong Kim, Han Uk Ryu, Byoung-Soo Shin, Hyun Goo Kang Abstract: Background and aimsThe nutrition support team (NST) comprises doctors, nutritionists, pharmacists, and nurses who provide intensive nutritional treatment designed for each patient by evaluating their nutritional status of hospitalized patients. This study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of patients referred to the NST among those admitted to a tertiary hospital and to understand the factors affecting their clinical course and changes in pressure sore grades.MethodsThis study included 1,171 adult patients aged 18 years or older referred to the NST at a tertiary hospital in a metropolitan city between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2020. Patients were divided into five age groups, neuro department and non-neuro department, those treated in the intensive care unit (ICU), and those not treated in the ICU. Patients were also compared based on the presence of pressure sores at the time of NST referral and changes in pressure sore grades at the first time of NST referral and discharge (improved pressure sores, no change in pressure sores, and aggravated pressure sores). In addition, this study examined the factors affecting changes in pressure sore grades.ResultsAs age increased, the proportion of both low albumin levels and pressure sores significantly increased (p < 0.001), and the neuro department showed a significantly lower proportion of low albumin levels and pressure sores (p < 0.001). The proportion of patients with pressure sores was higher (64.9%), and this patient group showed significantly higher rates of low albumin levels (p < 0.001) and treatment in the ICU (p < 0.001). The group with aggravated pressure sore grades had a significantly higher proportion of patients in the surgery department (p = 0.009) and those treated in the ICU (p < 0.001). Admission to the surgery department was a factor that aggravated the grade of pressure sores [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.985, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.168–3.371]. When patients were not treated in the ICU, the grade of the pressure sores was less likely to worsen (aOR = 0.364, 95% CI = 0.217–0.609).ConclusionPressure sores and low albumin levels are closely related, and the risk of developing and aggravating pressure sores is particularly high in patients in the surgery department and those receiving ICU treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to actively implement NST referral to ensure that overall nutrition, including albumin, is well supplied, especially for patients in the surgery department and treated in the ICU, as they are at high risk of pressure sore development and aggravation. Moreover, since low albumin levels frequently occur in elderly patients, it is necessary to consider including the elderly in the indications for referral to the NST. PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Authors:Qihe Wang, Haiyun Chu, Pengfeng Qu, Haiqin Fang, Dong Liang, Sana Liu, Jinliang Li, Aidong Liu Abstract: ObjectiveThe COVID-19 pandemic has become a major public health concern over the past 3 years, leading to adverse effects on front-line healthcare workers. This study aimed to develop a Body Mass Index (BMI) change prediction model among doctors and nurses in North China during the COVID-19 pandemic, and further identified the predicting effects of lifestyles, sleep quality, work-related conditions, and personality traits on BMI change.MethodsThe present study was a cross-sectional study conducted in North China, during May-August 2022. A total of 5,400 doctors and nurses were randomly recruited from 39 COVID-19 designated hospitals and 5,271 participants provided valid responses. Participants’ data related to social-demographics, dietary behavior, lifestyle, sleep, personality, and work-related conflicts were collected with questionnaires. Deep Neural Network (DNN) was applied to develop a BMI change prediction model among doctors and nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsOf participants, only 2,216 (42.0%) individuals kept a stable BMI. Results showed that personality traits, dietary behaviors, lifestyles, sleep quality, burnout, and work-related conditions had effects on the BMI change among doctors and nurses. The prediction model for BMI change was developed with a 33-26-20-1 network framework. The DNN model achieved high prediction efficacy, and values of R2, MAE, MSE, and RMSE for the model were 0.940, 0.027, 0.002, and 0.038, respectively. Among doctors and nurses, the top five predictors in the BMI change prediction model were unbalanced nutritional diet, poor sleep quality, work-family conflict, lack of exercise, and soft drinks consumption.ConclusionDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, BMI change was highly prevalent among doctors and nurses in North China. Machine learning models can provide an automated identification mechanism for the prediction of BMI change. Personality traits, dietary behaviors, lifestyles, sleep quality, burnout, and work-related conditions have contributed to the BMI change prediction. Integrated treatment measures should be taken in the management of weight and BMI by policymakers, hospital administrators, and healthcare workers. PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Authors:Vimbayi Grace Petrova Chimonyo, Laurencia Govender, Melvin Nyathi, Pauline Franka Denise Scheelbeek, Dennis Junior Choruma, Maysoun Mustafa, Festo Massawe, Rob Slotow, Albert Thembinkosi Modi, Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi Abstract: IntroductionIntercropping cereals with legumes can intensify rainfed cereal monocropping for improved household food and nutritional security. However, there is scant literature confirming the associated nutritional benefits.MethodologyA systematic review and meta-analysis of nutritional water productivity (NWP) and nutrient contribution (NC) of selected cereal-legume intercrop systems was conducted through literature searches in Scopus, Web of Science and ScienceDirect databases. After the assessment, only nine articles written in English that were field experiments comprising grain cereal and legume intercrop systems were retained. Using the R statistical software (version 3.6.0), paired t-tests were used to determine if differences existed between the intercrop system and the corresponding cereal monocrop for yield (Y), water productivity (WP), NC, and NWP.ResultsThe intercropped cereal or legume yield was 10 to 35% lower than that for the corresponding monocrop system. In most instances, intercropping cereals with legumes improved NY, NWP, and NC due to their added nutrients. Substantial improvements were observed for calcium (Ca), where NY, NWP, and NC improved by 658, 82, and 256%, respectively.DiscussionResults showed that cereal-legume intercrop systems could improve nutrient yield in water-limited environments. Promoting cereal- legume intercrops that feature nutrient-dense legume component crops could contribute toward addressing the SDGs of Zero Hunger (SDG 3), Good Health and Well-3 (SDG 2) and Responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). PubDate: 2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
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