Unraveling the gut-brain axis:the impact of steroid hormones and nutrition on Parkinson's disease

This comprehensive review explores the intricate relationship between nutrition,the gut microbiome,steroid hormones,and Parkinson's disease within the context of the gut-brain axis.The gut-brain axis plays a pivotal role in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease,encompassing diverse components such as the gut microbiota,immune system,metabolism,and neural pathways.The gut microbiome,profoundly influenced by dietary factors,emerges as a key player.Nutrition during the first 1000 days of life shapes the gut microbiota composition,influencing immune responses and impacting both child development and adult health.High-fat,high-sugar diets can disrupt this delicate balance,contributing to inflammation and immune dysfunction.Exploring nutritional strategies,the Mediterranean diet's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties show promise in reducing Parkinson's disease risk.Microbiome-targeted dietary approaches and the ketogenic diet hold the potential in improving brain disorders.Beyond nutrition,emerging research uncovers potential interactions between steroid hormones,nutrition,and Parkinson's disease.Progesterone,with its anti-inflammatory properties and presence in the nervous system,offers a novel option for Parkinson's disease therapy.Its ability to enhance neuroprotection within the enteric nervous system presents exciting prospects.The review addresses the hypothesis thatα-synuclein aggregates originate from the gut and may enter the brain via the vagus nerve.Gastrointestinal symptoms preceding motor symptoms support this hypothesis.Dysfunctional gut-brain signaling during gut dysbiosis contributes to inflammation and neurotransmitter imbalances,emphasizing the potential of microbiota-based interventions.In summary,this review uncovers the complex web of interactions between nutrition,the gut microbiome,steroid hormones,and Parkinson's disease within the gut-brain axis framework.Understanding these connections not only offers novel therapeutic insights but also illuminates the origins of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease.

The impact of the Rural Minimum Living Standard Guarantee(Rural Dibao)Program on child nutrition outcomes

The Rural Minimum Living Standard Guarantee(Rural Dibao)is an important unconditional cash transfer program to alleviate poverty in rural China.Despite the importance of children’s nutrition in breaking poverty cycles,little is known about the impact of Rural Dibao on child nutrition outcomes.Using China Family Panel Studies(CFPS),this paper examines the effects of Rural Dibao on child nutrition outcomes and investigates potential pathways and heterogeneous effects.We exploit propensity score matching and difference-in-differences techniques to evaluate the effects of the Rural Dibao program on child nutrition outcomes.Our results suggest that Rural Dibao significantly impacts the nutrition outcomes of children up to 15 years of age.Specifically,our results suggest that Rural Dibao improves child height-to-age z-scores by 1.05 standard deviations and lowers the probability of stunting by 11.9 percentage points.Additional analyses suggest that increased protein intake is the main pathway through which Rural Dibao participation contributes to better nutrition outcomes.We also find that the effect of the program is more pronounced among girls,children who are non-left-behind or live with highly educated mothers,and those from low-income families and poor areas.Our findings suggest that Rural Dibao participation helps improve child nutrition outcomes through improving diet quality.

Mapping global research trends: Nutrition associations with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease - a Scopus bibliometric analysis

BACKGROUND Several bibliometric analyses have been carried out to identify research hotspots and trends in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)research.Nonetheless,there are still significant knowledge gaps that must be filled to advance our understanding of and ability to treat NAFLD.AIM To evaluate,through bibliometric and visual analysis,the current status of related research,related research frontiers,and the developmental trends in the field of diet and NAFLD.METHODS We retrieved publications about diet and NAFLD published between 1987 and 2022 from Scopus.Next,we used VOSviewer 1.6.20 to perform bibliometric analysis and visualization.RESULTS We found a total of 1905 studies,including 1637(85.93%)original articles and 195(10.24%)reviews,focused on the examination of NAFLD and its correlation with diet that were published between 1987 and 2022.Among the remaining five types of documents,38 were letters,notes,editorials,meeting minutes,or brief surveys,representing 1.99%of the total documents.The countries with the most publications on this topic were China(n=539;28.29%),followed by the United States(n=379;19.90%),Japan(n=133;6.98%),and South Korea(n=127;6.6%).According to the citation analysis,the retrieved papers were cited an average of 32.3 times and had an h-index of 106,with 61014 total citations.The two main clusters on the map included those related to:(1)Inflammation and oxidative stress;and(2)Dietary interventions for NAFLD.CONCLUSION This was the first study to use data taken from Scopus to visualize network mapping in a novel bibliometric analysis of studies focused on diet and NAFLD.After 2017,the two domains that received the most attention were“dietary interventions for NAFL”’and“‘inflammation and oxidative stress implicated in NAFLD and its correlation with diet.”We believe that this study provides important information for academics,dietitians,and doctors,and that additional research on dietary interventions and NAFLD is warranted.

Nutrition impacts of non-solid cooking fuel adoption on under-five children in developing countries

This paper examines the nutrition impacts of using non-solid cooking fuel on under-five children in developing countries.We draw on data from more than 1.12 million children in 62 developing countries from the Demographic and Health Surveys(DHS).Results from both fixed effects(FE)and instrumental variable(IV)estimates show that using non-solid cooking fuel significantly improves the nutrition outcomes of under-five children.Compared with their peers from households mainly using solid fuel,children from households mainly using non-solid fuel exhibit a lower probability of experiencing stunting(by 5.9 percentage points)and being underweight(by 1.2 percentage points).Our further investigation provides evidence for several underlying mechanisms,such as improved indoor air quality,induced reduction in children’s respiratory symptoms,benefits on maternal health,and reduction in maternal time spent on fuel collection or cooking.Heterogenous analyses suggest that the nutrition benefits of using non-solid cooking fuel are more prominent among boys,children above three years old,and those from households of lower socioeconomic status,rural areas,and Southeast Asia.

Optimizing nutrition in hepatic cirrhosis:A comprehensive assessment and care approach

Cirrhosis is considered a growing cause of morbidity and mortality,which represents a significant public health problem.Currently,there is no effective treatment to reverse cirrhosis.Treatment primarily centers on addressing the underlying liver condition,monitoring,and managing portal hypertension-related complications,and evaluating the potential for liver transplantation in cases of decompensated cirrhosis,marked by rapid progression and the emer-gence of complications like variceal bleeding,hepatic encephalopathy,ascites,malnutrition,and more.Malnutrition,a prevalent complication across all disease stages,is often underdiagnosed in cirrhosis due to the complexities of nutritional assessment in patients with fluid retention and/or obesity,despite its crucial impact on prognosis.Increasing emphasis has been placed on the collaboration of nutritionists within hepatology and Liver transplant teams to deliver compre-hensive care,a practice that has shown to improve outcomes.This review covers appropriate screening and assessment methods for evaluating the nutritional status of this population,diagnostic approaches for malnutrition,and context-specific nutrition treatments.It also discusses evidence-based recommendations for supplementation and physical exercise,both essential elements of the standard care provided to cirrhotic patients.

Improving the nutritional values of yellow mealworm Tenebrio molitor(Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) larvae as an animal feed ingredient: a review

Yellow mealworm larvae(YML;Tenebrio molitor) are considered as a valuable insect species for animal feed due to their high nutritional values and ability to grow under different substrates and rearing conditions. Advances in the understanding of entomophagy and animal nutrition over the past decades have propelled research areas toward testing multiple aspects of YML to exploit them better as animal feed sources. This review aims to summarize various approaches that could be exploited to maximize the nutritional values of YML as an animal feed ingredient. In addition, YML has the potential to be used as an antimicrobial or bioactive agent to improve animal health and immune function in production animals. The dynamics of the nutritional profile of YML can be influenced by multiple factors and should be taken into account when attempting to optimize the nutrient contents of YML as an animal feed ingredient. Specifically, the use of novel land-based and aquatic feeding resources, probiotics, and the exploitation of larval gut microbiomes as novel strategies can assist to maximize the nutritional potential of YML. Selection of relevant feed supplies, optimization of ambient conditions, the introduction of novel genetic selection procedures, and implementation of effective post-harvest processing may be required in the future to commercialize mealworm production. Furthermore, the use of appropriate agricultural practices and technological improvements within the mealworm production sector should be aimed at achieving both economic and environmental sustainability. The issues highlighted in this review could pave the way for future approaches to improve the nutritional value of YML.

Comparison of different preoperative objective nutritional indices for evaluating 30-d mortality and complications after liver transplantation

BACKGROUND The nutritional status is closely related to the prognosis of liver transplant re-cipients,but few studies have reported the role of preoperative objective nutri-tional indices in predicting liver transplant outcomes.AIM To compare the predictive value of various preoperative objective nutritional indicators for determining 30-d mortality and complications following liver transplantation(LT).METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on 162 recipients who underwent LT at our institution from December 2019 to June 2022.RESULTS This study identified several independent risk factors associated with 30-d mor-tality,including blood loss,the prognostic nutritional index(PNI),the nutritional risk index(NRI),and the control nutritional status.The 30-d mortality rate was 8.6%.Blood loss,the NRI,and the PNI were found to be independent risk factors for the occurrence of severe postoperative complications.The NRI achieved the highest prediction values for 30-d mortality[area under the curve(AUC)=0.861,P<0.001]and severe complications(AUC=0.643,P=0.011).Compared to those in the high NRI group,the low patients in the NRI group had lower preoperative body mass index and prealbumin and albumin levels,as well as higher alanine aminotransferase and total bilirubin levels,Model for End-stage Liver Disease scores and prothrombin time(P<0.05).Furthermore,the group with a low NRI exhibited significantly greater incidences of intraabdominal bleeding,primary graft nonfunction,and mortality.CONCLUSION The NRI has good predictive value for 30-d mortality and severe complications following LT.The NRI could be an effective tool for transplant surgeons to evaluate perioperative nutritional risk and develop relevant nutritional therapy.

Hydrothermal treatment of pearl millet grains:Effects on nutritional composition,antinutrients and flour properties

Pearl millet(Pennisetum glaucum)is one of the major millets with high nutritional properties.This crop exhibits exceptional resilience to drought and high temperatures.However,the processing of pearl millet poses a significant challenge due to its high lipid content,enzyme activity,and presence of antinutrients.Consequently,it becomes imperative to enhance the quality and prolong the shelf life of pearl millet flour by employing suitable technologies.Hydrothermal treatment in the food industry has long been seen as promising due to its potential to reduce microbial load,inactivate enzymes,and improve nutrient retention.This study aims to investigate the effects of hydrothermal treatment on the quality characteristics of pearl millet.The independent variables of the study were soaking temperature(35,45,55℃),soaking time(2,3,4 h),and steaming time(5,10,15 min).Treatment conditions had a statistically significant effect on nutrient retention.Major antinutrients like tannins and phytates were reduced by 0.99% to 5.94% and 0.36% to 6.00%,respectively,after the treatment.Lipase activity decreased significantly up to 10% with the treatment conditions.The findings of this study could potentially encourage the use of pearl millet flour in the production of various food items and promote the application of hydrothermal treatment in the field of food processing.

The multiple roles of crop structural change in productivity,nutrition and environment in China:A decomposition analysis

China's crop structure has undergone significant changes in the last two decades since 2000,with an increase in the share of cereals,vegetables,and fruit,squeezing out other crops.As a result,land productivity,nutrient supply,and carbon emissions have changed.How to reallocate limited farmland among crops to achieve the multiple goals of agrifood systems becomes an important issue.This study explores the sources of land productivity and nutrition supply growth and carbon emissions reduction,and identifies the multiple roles of crop structural change from 2003 to 2020 based on a decomposition analysis.The results reveal that the growth within crops is still the primary driver in land productivity and nutrition supply and the reduction in carbon emissions.However,structural change also plays various roles at different periods.From 2003 to 2010,crop structural change increased the total calorie supply but lowered land productivity and contributed at least 70%of the total growth of carbon emissions.The crop structure was relatively stable,and their effects were modest from 2010 to 2015.From 2015 to 2020,the crop structural change began to play a greater role and generate synergistic effects in improving land productivity,micronutrient supply,and reducing carbon emissions,contributing to approximately a quarter of the growth of land productivity and 30%of total carbon emissions reduction.These results suggest that strategies for crop structural change should comprehensively consider its multiple impacts,aiming to achieve co-benefits while minimizing trade-offs.

Nutritional Assessment Tools for Patients with Cancer:A Narrative Review

Cancer patients are at high risk of malnutrition,which can lead to adverse health outcomes such as prolonged hospitalization,increased complications,and increased mortality.Accurate and timely nutritional assessment plays a critical role in effectively managing malnutrition in these patients.However,while many tools exist to assess malnutrition,there is no universally accepted standard.Although different tools have their own strengths and limitations,there is a lack of narrative reviews on nutritional assessment tools for cancer patients.To address this knowledge gap,we conducted a non-systematic literature search using PubMed,Embase,Web of Science,and the Cochrane Library from their inception until May 2023.A total of 90 studies met our selection criteria and were included in our narrative review.We evaluated the applications,strengths,and limitations of 4 commonly used nutritional assessment tools for cancer patients:the Subjective Global Assessment(SGA),Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment(PG-SGA),Mini Nutritional Assessment(MNA),and Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition(GLIM).Our findings revealed that malnutrition was associated with adverse health outcomes.Each of these 4 tools has its applications,strengths,and limitations.Our findings provide medical staff with a foundation for choosing the optimal tool to rapidly and accurately assess malnutrition in cancer patients.It is essential for medical staff to be familiar with these common tools to ensure effective nutritional management of cancer patients.

Low-fat microwaved peanut snacks production:Effect of defatting treatment on structural characteristics,texture,color,and nutrition

This study develops low-fat microwaved peanut snacks(LMPS)using partially defatted peanuts(PDP)with different defatting ratios,catering to people’s pursuit of healthy,low-fat cuisine.The effects of defatting treatment on the structural characteristics,texture,color,and nutrient composition of LMPS were comprehensively explored.The structural characteristics of LMPS were characterized using X-ray micro-computed tomography(Micro-CT)and scanning electron microscope(SEM).The results demonstrated that the porosity,pore number,pore volume,brightness,brittleness,protein content,and total sugar content of LMPS all significantly increased(P<0.05)with the increase in the defatting ratio.At the micro level,porous structure,cell wall rupture,and loss of intracellular material could be observed in LMPS after defatting treatments.LMPS made from PDP with a defatting ratio of 64.44%had the highest internal pore structural parameters(porosity 59%,pore number 85.3×10^(5),pore volume 68.23 mm3),the brightest color(L^(*) 78.39±0.39),the best brittleness(3.64±0.21)mm^(–1)),and the best nutrition(high protein content,(34.02±0.38)%;high total sugar content,(17.45±0.59)%;low-fat content,(27.58±0.85)%).The study provides a theoretical basis for the quality improvement of LMPS.

Learning about good nutrition with the 5-color front-of-package label"Nutri-Score":an experimental study

The Nutri-Score is a 5-color front-of-pack nutrition label designed to provide consumers with an easily understandable guideline to the healthiness of food products.The impact that the Nutri-Score may have on consumers'choices is unclear since different experimental paradigms have found vastly different effect sizes.In the present study,we have investigated how student participants change a hypothetical personal 1-daydietary plan after a learning phase during which they learn about the Nutri-Scores of the available food items.Participants were instructed to compose a healthy diet plan in order that the question of whether the NutriScore would improve their ability to compose a healthy dietary plan could be investigated,independent of the question of whether they would apply this knowledge in their ordinary lives.We found a substantial(Cohen's d=0.86)positive impact on nutritional quality(as measured by the Nutrient Profiling System score of the Food Standards Agency)and a medium-sized(Cohen's d=0.43)reduction of energy content.Energy content reduction was larger for participants who had initially composed plans with higher energy content.The results suggest that the Nutri-Score has the potential to guide consumers to healthier food choices.It remains unclear,however,whether this potential will be reflected in real-life dietary choices.

Estimation of the water productivity of different varieties of wheat and rice in the context of agronomic, physiological and nutritional attributes

Water shortage is a global concern, and it poses a particularly severe threat in Pakistan. It is estimated that over 60% of irrigation water is not efficiently applied or not efficiently utilized by crop depending upon genetic variability. The pot study was conducted to evaluate the water efficiency of various wheat varieties (Millat 2011, Galaxy 2013, Faisalabad 2008, and Gandum-1) and rice varieties (Punjab Basmati, Chenab Basmati, B-515, and PS-2) based on their photosynthetic efficiency and nutritional quality by measuring their protein and chlorophyll contents. The highest concentrations of protein and chlorophyll were observed in plants of both crops that were watered and cultivated with 50 mL of water. For wheat, the greatest leaf length (cm), net assimilation rate [g/(d∙m2)], and photosynthetic efficiency were achieved when 80 mL of water was applied. Similarly, rice varieties (Punjab Basmati, Chenab Basmati, B-515, and PS-2) exhibited the highest photosynthetic efficiency, leaf length, net assimilation rate, and chlorophyll content when grown with 80 mL of water. Therefore, a conservative cultivation of wheat and rice is possible by selecting efficient varieties and by improving the technological approach of water saving through irrigation level and wise scheduling. The judicious use of water not only limits losses but also improves productivity, particularly in scenarios of water scarcity.

Accurate models and nutritional strategies for specific oxidative stress factors: Does the dose matter in swine production?

Oxidative stress has been associated with a number of physiological problems in swine,including reduced production efficiency.Recently,although there has been increased research into regulatory mechanisms and antioxidant strategies in relation to oxidative stress-induced pig production,it remains so far largely unsuccessful to develop accurate models and nutritional strategies for specific oxidative stress factors.Here,we discuss the dose and dose intensity of the causes of oxidative stress involving physiological,environmental and dietary factors,recent research models and the antioxidant strategies to provide theoretical guidance for future oxidative stress research in swine.

Transforming agri-food systems for multiple wins in nutrition,inclusion and environment

The call for agri-food system transformation is urgent in many global development agendas(UN 2023).Food systems have contributed to economic prosperity and feeding the world,but they are also associated with numerous challenges,including climate change,continued hunger,poor diets and malnutrition,and increasing disparities(Webb et al.2020;Fanzo et al.2021).

A cross-sectional study to assess medication safety,knowledge,attitude,and practices regarding nutrition and medication among pregnant women

Objective:To assess pregnant women's knowledge,attitude,and practice regarding nutrition and medication usage,analyse the prescribing pattern,and categorize them based on the Food and Drug Administration(FDA)guidelines.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted with 264 pregnant women in the obstetrics and gynaecology department of a tertiary care hospital from October 2022 to August 2023.A knowledge,attitude,and practice(KAP)questionnaire was prepared in English language by the researchers and validated by an expert panel consisting of 12 members.The validated questionnaire was then translated into regional languages,Kannada and Malayalam.The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed with test-retest method with a representative sample population of 30 subjects(10 subjects for each language).The subjects'knowledge,attitude,and practice were evaluated using the validated KAP questionnaire.The safety of the medication was assessed using the FDA drug safety classification for pregnancy.Results:The mean scores for nutritional and medication usage knowledge,attitude,and practice were 4.14±1.15,4.50±1.09,and 3.00±1.47,respectively.Among 30 prescribed medications,3 belong to category A(no risk in human studies),8 belong to category B(no risk in animal studies),18 belong to category C(risk cannot be ruled out)and 1 drug is not classified.A significant association was observed between medication knowledge and practice(r=0.159,P=0.010).Conclusions:Most of the study population knows the need to maintain good dietary and medication practices during pregnancy.Counselling pregnant women regarding diet and medication usage is crucial in maternal care.

Is nutritional status a new indicator to use in clinical practice for colorectal cancer patients?

In this editorial we comment on the interesting article by Liu et al.The topic of discussion is the need for a cost-effective and easy-to-use scoring system for predicting the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients.In this context,nutritional assessment plays a crucial role in the multimodal evaluation of patients.In particular,the controlling nutritional status score was found to be an effective tool in the clinical decision-making process,in order to customize treatment strategies and to improve patient outcomes.

Efficacy of a Nutritional Cream Intervention to Treat Depression in Rescuers:A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective To explore the effectiveness of a nutritional intervention in rescuers who screened positive for depression.Methods A randomized controlled trial design was employed.From June to August,2022,4,460 rescuers were screened using the Self-Rating Depression Scale(SDS),and 1,615 positive cases were identified.Thirty-one volunteers were recruited and randomly divided into a nutritional intervention group and a control group.The intervention group received health education and nutritional intervention(a compound paste therapy primarily composed of red roses and Seville orange flowers),while the control group received psychological education.SDS scores were assessed before and after the intervention.Results There was a statistically significant decline in SDS scores in the nutritional intervention group after the intervention(P<0.05).Furthermore,the SDS scores of the intervention group were significantly lower than those of the control group,both before and after the intervention(P<0.05).No severe adverse reactions were observed during safety evaluation.Conclusion The nutritional intervention effectively reduced the depression scores in rescuers.Early nutritional intervention is recommended for rescuers who initially screen positive for depression.

Nutritional values,bioactive compounds and health benefits of purslane(Portulaca oleracea L.):a comprehensive review

Portulaca oleracea L.,commonly known as purslane,is a worldwide weed species belonging to the family Portulacaceae and has been known as“Global Panacea”.As one of the most widely consumed green vegetables and medicinal plants around the world,it has recently been re-evaluated as a potential“new crop”due to the properties that differentiate it as one of the best vegetable sources of omega-3 fatty acid(α-linolenic acid),as well as a variety of nutrients and phytochemicals.Accordingly,emerging research has found that purslane exhibits health-promoting properties like anti-inflammatory,anti-hyperglycemic,antioxidant,neuroprotective,and immunomodulatory.These findings suggest that this species possesses a potential using as a dietary supplement beyond potherb and traditional medicine.This review systematically summarizes the up-to-date research carried out on purslane,including the nutritional compositions,bioactive compounds,and health benefits it exerts as well as limitations,challenges,and future directions of research.Finally,we hope that this review would provide purslane with a comprehensive reference and future scope as functional and health-promoting food for disease prevention and treatment.

Exploring Nutritional Compositions,Volatile Compounds,Health Benefits,Emerging Processing Technologies,and Potential Food Products of Glutinous Rice:A Review

Glutinous rice(Oryza sativa var.glutinosa)stands out as one of the most popular rice varieties globally,amidst thousands of rice cultivars.Its increasing popularity is attributed to its rich nutritional compositions and health benefits.This review aims to summarize the nutritional compositions,volatile compounds,and health benefits of glutinous rice.Further,in-depth studies are necessary to explore the utilization of glutinous rice in enhancing processing technologies and developing new food products.Glutinous rice has been shown to possess numerous health benefits,including antioxidant activity,bioactive compounds,anti-cancer properties,anti-inflammatory effects,anti-diabetic potential,and cholesterol-lowering effects.Besides its nutritional compositions,the major volatile compounds identified in glutinous rice could serve as a functional food for human consumption.Emerging processing technologies related to glutinous rice are elaborated to improve the latest developments for incorporating them into various food products.