Search Results (21,114)

Background/Objectives: Patients with gliomas show an increased risk of spontaneous hemorrhages throughout the disease. Simultaneously, the number of patients taking acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) for primary and secondary prophylaxis is rising in daily clinical practice, and interrupting ASA intake before elective or emergency intracranial surgery is not always feasible. This study aims to evaluate the risks associated with continuing ASA use perioperatively while focusing on hemorrhage and potential thromboembolic events that may arise from discontinuing ASA, particularly in multimorbid patients undergoing glioma surgery. Methods: The clinical parameters and imaging data of 7149 patients who underwent intracranial surgery in our department over a 10-year period were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were categorized into two groups based on their ASA status: Group 1 (no ASA impact) included those with no ASA use or who discontinued ASA use more than seven days prior to surgery (low stroke or cardiovascular risk), and Group 2 (ASA impact) included those who continued ASA use within seven days prior to operation (high stroke or cardiovascular risk). Results: In this retrospective study, data from 650 patients with various types of glial tumors who underwent surgery between 2008 and 2018 were examined. Of these patients, 50 experienced a postoperative hemorrhage (POH), and 10 required reoperations due to clinical neurological deterioration and increased intracranial pressure caused by the space-occupying effect of the hemorrhage. In the ASA impact group, 2.7% developed POH, compared to 1.3% in the no ASA impact group (p = 0.098). Our analysis did not show a significantly increased risk of POH after surgery, although patients in the ASA impact group had a one- to two-fold higher risk of developing POH overall. Additionally, other factors contributing to postoperative hemorrhage following glioma surgery were investigated and evaluated. Conclusions: In this cohort, the perioperative use of ASA was not associated with an increased rate of hemorrhagic complications after intracranial glioma surgery, although a trend was observed. In patients with high stroke and cardiovascular risk, ASA can be continued during elective brain tumor surgery. Full article

Background/Objectives. A recent clinical (ViIBS) trial investigating the effects of a balanced multi-strain synbiotic in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients showed that twelve weeks of treatment resulted in significant improvements across all major IBS symptoms. The current observational study pursued three aims: investigate patients’ attitude towards the intake of pro- or synbiotics during the six months after finishing their trial participation, determine the severity of IBS symptoms, and assess IBS diagnosis scores. Methods. During a single six-month follow-up examination, patients were asked about the intake of probiotics or synbiotics. For the study, former placebo-group patients who abstained from taking probiotics were compared with synbiotic-group patients who continued taking the tested synbiotic. IBS symptom severity was assessed with the IBS—Severity of Symptoms Scale and the IBS diagnosis score with the IBS questionnaire of the World Gastroenterology Organisation. Results. The control group comprised 17 patients (out of 70 from the placebo group participating in the follow-up) and the treatment group 75 (out of 91 examined). IBS symptom severity was significantly lower in the treatment group (23.5 ± 33.1) than in the placebo group (232.6 ± 35.1). IBS diagnosis scores were 5.9 ± 2.5 and 21.2 ± 2.0 in the treatment and control group, respectively. Conclusions. Measurement values for the treatment group indicate the absence of IBS. The results indicate that the prolonged administration of the balanced multi-strain synbiotic can potentially reduce IBS symptom severity and IBS diagnosis scores to levels indicating the absence of IBS, an observation to be followed up in a controlled clinical trial. Full article

Engine fault diagnosis is a critical task in automotive aftermarket management. Developing appropriate fault-labeled datasets can be challenging due to nonlinearity variations and divergence in feature distribution among different engine kinds or operating scenarios. To solve this task, this study experimentally measures audio emission signals from compression ignition engines in different vehicles, simulating injector failures, intake hose failures, and absence of failures. Based on these faults, a hybrid approach is applied to classify different conditions that help the planning and decision-making of the automobile industry. The proposed hybrid approach combines the wavelet packet transform (WPT), Markov blanket feature selection, random convolutional kernel transform (ROCKET), tree-structured Parzen estimator (TPE) for hyperparameters tuning, and ten machine learning (ML) classifiers, such as ridge regression, quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA), naive Bayes, k-nearest neighbors (k-NN), support vector machine (SVM), multilayer perceptron (MLP), random forest (RF), extra trees (ET), gradient boosting machine (GBM), and LightGBM. The audio data are broken down into sub-time series with various frequencies and resolutions using the WPT. These data are subsequently utilized as input for obtaining an informative feature subset using a Markov blanket-based selection method. This feature subset is then fed into the ROCKET method, which is paired with ML classifiers, and tuned using Optuna using the TPE approach. The generalization performance applying the proposed hybrid approach outperforms other standard ML classifiers. Full article

Background/Objectives: Emerging data support evidence of the essential role of glucagon for lipid metabolism. However, data on the role of dietary fat intake for glucagon secretion is limited. This analysis investigated whether altering nutritional fat intake affects glucagon levels in healthy subjects. Methods: A total of 92 twins (age: 31 ± 14 years, BMI: 23 ± 3 kg/m²) consumed two 6-week diets: first a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet (LFD) followed by an isocaloric high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet (HFD). In total, 24 twins (age: 39 ± 15 years, BMI: 24 ± 2 kg/m²) continued with a high-protein diet (HPD). Clinical investigations were performed after 6 weeks of the LFD, after 1 and 6 weeks of the HFD and after 6 weeks of the HPD. Results: The LFD caused a significant decrease in fasting glucagon (−27%, p < 0.001) compared to baseline. After 6 weeks of the HFD, glucagon increased (117%, p < 0.001 vs. LFD), while free fatty acids decreased. Six weeks of the HPD further increased glucagon levels (72%, p = 0.502 vs. HFD), although fasting amino acid levels remained constant. Fasting insulin and HOMA-IR moderately increased after one week of the HFD, while six weeks of the HPD significantly decreased both. The fasting glucagon-to-insulin ratio decreased during the LFD (p < 0.001) but increased after the HFD (p < 0.001) and even further increased after the HPD (p = 0.018). Liver fat, triglycerides and blood glucose did not increase during the HFD. The heritability of glucagon levels was 45% with the LFD. Conclusions: An HFD increases glucagon levels and the glucagon-to-insulin ratio under isocaloric conditions compared to an LFD in healthy lean subjects. This rise in glucagon may represent a metabolic response to prevent hepatic steatosis, as glucagon increases have been previously shown to induce hepatic fat oxidation. Full article

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease driven by the accumulation of bacterial plaque and the host’s immune response, leading to the destruction of periodontal tissues. Nutrition, particularly the intake of micronutrients with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, plays a crucial role in maintaining periodontal health. This review explores the impact of various micronutrients—vitamins (A, B, C, D, E), minerals (calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, copper, manganese, selenium), and omega-3 fatty acids—on periodontal disease prevention and management. Deficiencies in these nutrients can exacerbate periodontal tissue damage by impairing immune responses, promoting oxidative stress, and reducing bone and tissue regeneration capabilities. While certain populations may be more vulnerable to these deficiencies, such as those following Western diets or living in low- and middle-income countries, even in developed nations, suboptimal nutrient intake is associated with worse periodontal outcomes. Although some studies suggest that supplementation of specific micronutrients may benefit periodontal therapy, the evidence remains inconclusive, necessitating further randomized clinical trials. This review underscores the importance of considering nutritional guidance in periodontal treatment protocols and highlights the need for tailored recommendations based on recent findings. Full article

Background: Over the last decade, while studies on the detrimental effects of ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption have increased, methodological limitations on the quality of available evidence have emerged. Starting from a critical reassessment of the NOVA classification, this project will aim to develop and validate a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), which is based on the processing of consumed foods and specifically designed to estimate the UPF consumption and total dietary intake of macro- and micronutrients in the Italian adult population. Methods: This study will take place in selected workplaces and include healthy males and females aged ≥18 years, residing in Italy and with Italian citizenship. The FFQ will be online, voluntary, self-administered, semi-quantitative, and designed to assess food intake over the past year and distinguish between industrial, artisanal, and home-made products. This project will consist of two phases. First, a pilot study will be conducted to obtain the final version of the FFQ. The current food consumption of the target population will be investigated, through a 24 h dietary recall, and the face validity of the new tool will be tested. The second phase will involve at least 436 participants. To assess reproducibility, the FFQ will be administered twice (at an interval of 3–10 months), and the test–retest method will be used. A 7-day weighed dietary record (WDR) will also be completed after each FFQ administration. To evaluate criterion validity, data from the two WDRs will be compared against those from the first FFQ administration. Conclusions: The results will provide a new valid tool focused on food processing, potentially useful for future studies. Full article

Purpose: Over the past 40–50 years, demographic shifts and the obesity epidemic have coincided with significant changes in lifestyle habits, including a rise in excessive alcohol consumption. This increase in alcohol intake is a major public health concern due to its far-reaching effects on human health, particularly on metabolic processes and male reproductive function. This narrative review focuses on the role of alcohol consumption in altering metabolism and impairing testicular function, emphasizing the potential damage associated with both acute and chronic alcohol intake. Conclusion: Chronic alcohol consumption has been shown to disrupt liver function, impair lipid metabolism, and dysregulate blood glucose levels, contributing to the development of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and related systemic diseases. In terms of male reproductive health, alcohol can significantly affect testicular function by lowering testosterone levels, reducing sperm quality, and impairing overall fertility. The extent of these effects varies, depending on the frequency, duration, and intensity of alcohol use, with chronic and abusive consumption posing greater risks. The complexity of alcohol’s impact is further compounded by individual variability and the interaction with other lifestyle factors such as diet, stress, and physical activity. Despite growing concern, research on alcohol’s effects remains inconclusive, with significant discrepancies across studies regarding the definition and reporting of alcohol consumption. These inconsistencies highlight the need for more rigorous, methodologically sound research to better understand how alcohol consumption influences metabolic and reproductive health. Ultimately, a clearer understanding is essential for developing targeted public health interventions, particularly in light of rising alcohol use, demographic changes, and the ongoing obesity crisis. Full article

Heat stress (HS) due to high temperatures has adverse effects on poultry, including decreased feed intake, lower feed efficiency, decreased body weight, and higher mortality. There are complex mechanisms behind heat stress in poultry involving the neuroendocrine system, organ damage, and other physiological systems. HS activates endocrine glands, such as the pituitary, adrenal, thyroid, and gonadal, by the action of the hypothalamus and sympathetic nerves, ultimately causing changes in hormone levels: HS leads to increased corticosterone levels, changes in triiodothyronine and thyroxine levels, decreased gonadotropin levels, reduced ovarian function, and the promotion of catecholamine release, which ultimately affects the normal productive performance of poultry. Meanwhile, heat stress also causes damage to the liver, lungs, intestines, and various immune organs, severely impairing organ function in poultry. Nutrient additives to feed are important measures of prevention and treatment, including natural plants and extracts, probiotics, amino acids, and other nutrients, which are effective in alleviating heat stress in poultry. Future studies need to explore the specific mechanisms through which heat stress impacts the neuroendocrine system in poultry and the interrelationships between the axes and organ damage so as to provide an effective theoretical basis for the development of preventive and treatment measures. Full article

Background/Objectives: There are strict demands on body weight and shape in highly trained adolescent female athletes, and they are in the highest risk group for the development of eating disorders. This study aims to compare the behavioural eating patterns between highly trained female adolescent athletes and untrained controls (UCs), and to describe the associations between behavioural eating patterns and different energy homeostasis hormones. Methods: A total of 33 rhythmic gymnasts (RGs), 20 swimmers (SWs), and 20 UCs (n = 20) that were 14 to 18 years old participated in this investigation. Anthropometric measurements, body composition, training volume, 3-consecutive-day energy intake, and different energy homeostasis hormones were measured. For the evaluation of the individual behavioural eating pattern, an eating disorders assessment scale (EDAS) questionnaire with different subscales was used. Results: The mean EDAS subscale of restrained eating score was significantly higher in the RG group compared to the UC group (17.2 ± 7.4 vs. 11.5 ± 5.8; p < 0.05). The EDAS total score (r = 0.380) and the subscale score of preoccupation with body image and body weight (r = 0.371) were both positively correlated (p < 0.05) with serum irisin concentrations in the RG group. Conclusions: In conclusion, female rhythmic gymnasts reported a more often restrained eating pattern than untrained controls, and their more disturbed behavioural eating pattern was associated with a higher serum irisin concentration. Full article

The positive effect of AM3, spermidine, and hesperidin, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, on immunity is known, but their effect on the rate of aging, known as biological age (BA), is unclear. This work aims to test if the intake of a blend of AM3 (150 mg), spermidine (0.6 mg), and hesperidin (50 mg) for 2 months could decrease BA and improve immunity, redox, and inflammatory states. For this, 41 participants (30–63 years) were randomly divided into placebo and supplement groups. The supplement group took two capsules daily with AM3, spermidine, and hesperidin for two months, while the placebo group took capsules containing only calcium phosphate and talcum powder. Before and after the treatment, peripheral blood was collected. Immune function was assessed in leukocytes, redox state in whole-blood cells, erythrocytes, and plasma, and cytokine concentration in both mononuclear cell cultures and plasma. Finally, the Immunity Clock model was applied to determine BA. The results show that the intake of this blend improves the immune functions that constitute the Immunity Clock, decreasing BA by 11 years and reducing the oxidative–inflammatory state of the participants. Therefore, this supplement can be proposed as a strategy to rejuvenate BA and achieve healthy aging. Full article

Background: In broiler chickens, the efficient utilization of macro- and micronutrients is influenced by various metabolic pathways that are closely linked to feed efficiency (FE), a critical metric in poultry industry, with residual feed intake (RFI) as the preferred proxy. Feed restriction is considered an approach to address the underlying molecular mechanisms of feed conversion. We hypothesized that broiler chickens with divergent RFI subjected to quantitative feed restriction differ in their pattern of molecular pathways for efficient nutrient utilization in liver as post-absorptive tissue. Methods: Cobb 500FF broiler chickens divergent for RFI (n = 112) were feed-restricted from day 9 until market weight at day 33–37 post-hatch. Based on a previous trial, feed restriction levels were set at 92% (low-RFI birds) and 80% (high-RFI birds) relative to the control groups. Transcriptomic analyses of the liver were conducted. Results: Due to the interaction of the RFI group and feeding regimen, a total of 140 to 507 differentially expressed genes were identified for the respective contrasts, with implications for hepatic metabolism and cellular stress response. Although the broilers did not realize their full growth potential under restrictive feeding (12.4% reduced body weight vs. controls, p = 0.094), the gene expression patterns indicate a lower susceptibility to blood coagulation (KNG1, FGG, and FGB), suggesting that controlled and mild feed restriction could lead to health benefits in less feed-efficient broilers. Moreover, FE traits are shown to be linked to cellular detoxification processes (MGST3 and CYP2AC2) and triacylglycerol syntheses (MOGAT1 and LPIN1). Conclusions: Divergent transcriptional profiles between broiler groups under varied caloric conditions indicate potential for optimizing nutritional management strategies. Full article

Background/Objectives: The relationship between macronutrient intake and cognitive decline in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains underexplored. Methods: This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the association between the protein-to-carbohydrate energy ratio (%E:P) and cognitive impairment among 192 elderly T2DM patients. Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam (SAGE), while dietary intake data, including (%E:P), was gathered using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Results: Participants had a mean age of 71 ± 6 years, 46.4% were female, and the median BMI was 30 ± 4 kg/m². After adjusting for confounding variables, patients in the highest (%E:P) tertile showed significantly higher MoCA and SAGE scores compared to those in the lowest tertile (p < 0.005). We identified an optimal (%E:P) threshold of 0.375 for predicting cognitive impairment, with a sensitivity of 53% and specificity of 64%. Conclusions: These findings suggest that a lower (%E:P) ratio may be a risk factor for cognitive impairment in elderly T2DM patients. Monitoring this ratio may serve as an early detection tool for cognitive deterioration. Moreover, current protein intake recommendations for older adults with T2DM may be insufficient to prevent cognitive impairment. Further research is needed to establish optimal dietary guidelines for this population. Full article

Background: Healthy dietary patterns can support the maintenance of cognition and brain health in older age and are negatively associated with cardiometabolic risk. Cardiometabolic risk factors are similarly important for cognition and may play an important role in linking diet to cognition. Aim: This study aimed to explore the relationship between dietary patterns and cognition and to determine whether cardiometabolic health markers moderate these relationships in older adulthood. Design: A cross-sectional analysis of observational data from the baseline of the ACTIVate study. Participants: The cohort included 426 cognitively normal adults aged 60–70 years. Methods: The Australian Eating Survey (AES) Food Frequency Questionnaire was used to collect data on usual dietary intake, along with additional questions assessing intake of dietary oils. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to reduce the dimensionality of dietary data. Cardiometabolic risk was quantified using the metabolic syndrome severity score (MetSSS). Tests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) were used to derive composite scores on four cognitive domains: processing speed, executive function, short-term memory, and long-term memory. Results: Three dietary patterns were identified using PCA: a plant-dominant diet, a Western-style diet, and a meat-dominant diet. After controlling for age, sex, total years of education, energy intake, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), there was a small, negative association between the meat-dominant diets and long-term memory. Subsequent moderation analysis indicated that MetSSS significantly moderated this relationship. Conclusions: Findings highlight the link between diet, cardiometabolic health, and cognitive function in older, cognitively healthy adults. However, longitudinal studies are needed to confirm observations and evaluate the dynamics of diet, cardiometabolic health, and cognitive function over time. Full article

Background/objectives: Smoking increases the risk for multiple lifestyle-related diseases. In Japan, consumption of heated tobacco products (HTPs), a novel cigarette type, is rising. However, no studies have yet compared dietary habits among HTP smokers. This study assessed food and nutrient intake and alcohol consumption by smoking status (non-smokers, cigarette smokers, HTP smokers). Methods: This cross-sectional study included 237 HTP smokers, 242 cigarette smokers, and 178 non-smokers (50% each male and female). The Brief Self-Administered Diet History Questionnaire was administered as a nutritional survey, and smokers were asked about their smoking status, including smoking history and the number of puffs smoked per day. Results: A significantly higher intake of meat was seen in HTP smokers than in cigarette smokers (p = 0.038), and HTP smokers showed the lowest intake of vitamin D in all groups. HTP and cigarette smokers had a lower intake of certain vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber compared with non-smokers. The rate of habitual drinkers (at least one drink a month) and their alcohol consumption (g/day) were significantly lower in non-smokers (58%, 1.3 g) than in HTP smokers (67%, 4.8 g) and cigarette smokers (70%, 7.1 g) (p = 0.031). Additionally, after adjusting for sex and smoking status in a multiple regression analysis, the number of puffs was a significant contributor to alcohol intake in HTP smokers (β = 0.296, p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study identified significant dietary, nutritional, and alcohol consumption differences based on smoking status, underscoring the need to consider both diet and smoking type in nutritional counseling and smoking cessation guidance. Full article

Obesity, a prevalent global health issue, arises from an imbalance between caloric intake and energy expenditure, leading to the expansion of adipose tissue and metabolic dysfunction. White adipose tissue (WAT) stores energy as lipids, while brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays a pivotal role in energy dissipation through adaptive thermogenesis. Recent research initiatives have focused on finding strategies to decrease adipogenesis and fat mass accumulation and increase thermogenesis. Finding chemicals with anti-obesity properties would be beneficial. Resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound abundantly found in the skin of grapes and red wine, possesses anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-obesity properties. This literature review examines the effects of resveratrol on adipocytes in culture and adipose tissue in animal models of obesity. The existing evidence indicates that resveratrol may exert its anti-obesity effects by inhibiting adipogenesis, promoting the apoptosis of mature adipocytes, reducing lipid accumulation, and increasing thermogenesis. Further research utilizing animal and clinical studies is required to understand in detail the anti-obesity potential of resveratrol. Full article