A systematic scoping review of study methodology for randomized controlled trials investigating probiotics in athletic and physically active populations

Background:The purported ergogenic and health effects of probiotics have been a topic of great intrigue among researchers,practitioners,and the lay public alike.There has also been an increased research focus within the realm of sports science and exercise medicine on the athletic gut microbiota.However,compared to other ergogenic aids and dietary supplements,probiotics present unique study challenges.The objectives of this systematic scoping review were to identify and characterize study methodologies of randomized controlled trials investigating supplementation with probiotics in athletes and physically active individuals.Methods:Four databases(MEDLINE,CINAHL,Cochrane CENTRAL,and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews)were searched for randomized controlled studies involving healthy athletes or physically active individuals.An intervention with probiotics and inclusion of a control and/or placebo group were essential.Only peer-reviewed articles in English were considered,and there were no date restrictions.Results were extracted and presented in tabular form to detail study protocols,characteristics,and outcomes.Bias in randomized controlled trials was determined with the RoB 2.0 tool.Results:A total of 45 studies were included in the review,with 35 using a parallel group design and 10 using a cross-over design.Approximately half the studies used a single probiotic and the other half a multi-strain preparation.The probiotic dose ranged from 2×10^(8)to 1×10^(11)colony forming units daily,and the length of intervention was between 7 and 150 days.Fewer than half the studies directly assessed gastrointestinal symptoms,gut permeability,or the gut microbiota.The sex ratio of participants was heavily weighted toward males,and only 3 studies exclusively investigated females.Low-level adverse events were reported in only 2 studies,although the methodology of reporting varied widely.The risk of bias was generally low,although details on randomization were lacking in some studies.Conclusion:There is a substantial body of research on the effects of prob iotic supplementation in healthy athletes and physically active individuals.Considerable heterogeneity in probiotic selection and dosage as well as outcome measures has made clinical and mechanistic interpretation challenging for both health care practitioners and researchers.Attention to issues of randomization of participants,treatments and interventions,selection of outcomes,demographics,and reporting of adverse events will facilitate more trustworthy interpretation of probiotic study results and inform evidence-based guidelines.

Enhancing wood efficiency through comprehensive wood flow analysis:Methodology and strategic insights

Wood,an essential natural resource in human civilization,remains widely used despite advances in technology and material substitution.The surge in greenhouse gas emissions and environmental concerns accentuates the need for optimizing wood utilization.Material flow analysis is a powerful tool for tracking material flows and stocks,aiding resource management and environmental decision-making.However,the full extent of its methodological dimensions,particularly within the context of the wood supply chain,remains relatively unexplored.In this study,we delve into the existing literature on wood flow analysis,discussing its primary objectives,materials involved,temporal and spatial scales,data sources,units,and conversion factors.Additionally,data uncertainty,data reconciliation and crucial assumptions in material flow analysis are highlighted in this paper.Key findings reveal the significance of wood cascading and substitution effects by replacing non-wood materials,where they can reduce greenhouse gas emissions more than the natural carbon sink of forests and wood products.The immediate impact of short-term wood cascading might not be as robust as the substitution effect,with energy substitution showcasing better results than material substitution.However,it's crucial to note that these conclusions could experience significant reversal from a long-term and global perspective.Strategies for improving wood efficiency involve maximizing material use,advancing construction technologies,extending product lifespans,promoting cascade use,and optimizing energy recovery processes.The study underscores the need for standardized approaches in wood flow analysis and emphasizes the potential of wood efficiency strategies in addressing environmental challenges.

The Influence of Tartaric Acid in the Silver Nanoparticle Synthesis Using Response Surface Methodology

Silver nanoparticles(AgNPs)synthesized using tartaric acid as a capping agent have a great impact on the reaction kinetics and contribute significantly to the stability of AgNPs.The protective layer formed by tartaric acid is an important factor that protects the silver surface and reduces potential cytotoxicity problems.These attributes are critical for assessing the compatibility of AgNPs with biological systems and making them suitable for drug delivery applications.The aim of this research is to conduct a comprehensive study of the effect of tartaric acid concentration,sonication time and temperature on the formation of silver nanoparticles.Using Response Surface Methodology(RSM)with Face-Centered Central Composite Design(FCCD),the optimization process identifies the most favorable synthesis conditions.UV-Vis spectrum regression analysis shows that AgNPs stabilized with tartaric acid are more stable than AgNPs without tartaric acid.This highlights the increased stability that tartaric acid provides in AgNP ssssynthesis.Particle size distribution analysis showed a multimodal distribution for AgNPs with tartaric acid and showed the smallest size peak with an average size of 20.53 nm.The second peak with increasing intensity shows a dominant average size of 108.8 nm accompanied by one standard deviation of 4.225 nm and a zeta potential of−11.08 mV.In contrast,AgNPs synthesized with polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP)showed a unimodal particle distribution with an average particle size of 81.62 nm and a zeta potential of−2.96 mV.The more negative zeta potential of AgNP-tartaric acid indicates its increased stability.Evaluation of antibacterial activity showed that AgNPs stabilized with tartaric acid showed better performance against E.coli and B.subtilis bacteria compared with AgNPs-PVP.In summary,this study highlights the potential of tartaric acid in AgNP synthesis and suggests an avenue for the development of stable AgNPs with versatile applications.

Optimization of Methylene Blue Dye Adsorption onto Coconut Husk Cellulose Using Response Surface Methodology: Adsorption Kinetics, Isotherms and Reusability Studies

In this study, coconut husk cellulose was employed as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly adsorbent to eliminate methylene blue (MB) dye from aqueous solutions. The successful development of response surface methodology paired with a central composite design (RSM-CCD) enabled the optimization and modelling of the adsorption process. The study investigated the individual and combined effects of three variables (pH, contact time, and initial MB dye concentration) on the adsorption of MB dye onto coconut husk cellulose. The developed RSM-CCD model exhibited a remarkable degree of precision in predicting the removal efficiency of MB dye within the specified experimental parameters. This was demonstrated by the strong regression parameters, with an R2 value of 99.79% and an adjusted R2 value of 99.6%. The study depicted that the optimal parameters for attaining a 98.8827% removal of MB dye using coconut husk cellulose were as follows: an initial MB dye concentration of 30 mg∙L−1, contact time of 120 minutes, and pH 7 at a fixed adsorbent dose of 0.5 g. The Freundlich isotherm model provided the most satisfactory description of the equilibrium adsorption isotherms, suggesting that MB dye adsorption onto coconut husk cellulose occurs on a heterogeneous surface. The experimental results demonstrated a strong agreement with the pseudo-second-order kinetics model, indicating that the number of active sites present on the cellulose adsorbent predominantly influences the adsorption process of MB dye. Additionally, the adsorbent made from coconut husk cellulose exhibited the potential to be reused, as it retained its efficiency for a maximum of three cycles of adsorption of MB dye. The results of this study show that coconut husk cellulose has the potential to be an effective and sustainable adsorbent for removing MB dye from aqueous solutions.

Optimization of Cellulose Nanocrystal Isolation from Ayous Sawdust Using Response Surface Methodology

This study focuses on the extraction of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), from microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), derived from Ayous sawdust. The process involves multiple steps and a large amount of chemical products. The objective of this research was to determine the effects of factors that impact the isolation process and to identify the optimal conditions for CNC isolation by using the response surface methodology. The factors that varied during the process were the quantity of MCC, the concentration of sulfuric acid, the hydrolysis time and temperature, and the ultrasonic treatment time. The response measured was the yield. The study found that with 5.80 g of microcrystalline cellulose, a sulfuric acid concentration of 63.50% (w/w), a hydrolysis time of 53 minutes, a hydrolysis temperature of 69˚C, and a sonication time of 19 minutes are the ideal conditions for isolation. The experimental yield achieved was (37.84 ± 0.99) %. The main factors influencing the process were the sulfuric acid concentration, hydrolysis time and temperature, with a significant influence (p < 0.05). Infrared characterization results showed that nanocrystals were indeed isolated. With a crystallinity of 35.23 and 79.74, respectively, for Ayous wood fiber and nanocrystalline cellulose were observed by X-ray diffraction, with the formation of type II cellulose, thermodynamically more stable than native cellulose type I.

Simulated patient methodology as a“gold standard”in community pharmacy practice:Response to criticism

The simulated patient methodology(SPM)is considered the“gold standard”as covert participatory observation.SPM is attracting increasing interest for the investigation of community pharmacy practice;however,there is criticism that SPM can only show a small picture of everyday pharmacy practice and therefore has limited external validity.On the one hand,a certain design and application of the SPM goes hand in hand with an increase in external validity.Even if,on the other hand,this occurs at the expense of internal validity due to the trade-off situation,the justified criticism of the SPM for investigating community pharmacy practice can be countered.

Optimization of Preparation Conditions of Modified Oyster Shell Powder/Ce-N-TiO2 by Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

A new composite photocatalyst of modified oyster shell powder/Ce-N-TiO2 was prepared by sol-gel method. Based on single factor experiment, Ce doping rate, N doping rate and calcination temperature were taken as input variables. Based on the central composite design (BBD) response surface model, two functional relationship models between three independent variables and glyphosate removal rate were established to evaluate the influence degree of independent variables and interaction on catalyst. The significance of the model and regression coefficient was tested by variance analysis. The analysis of the obtained data showed that the degradation performance of the composite photocatalyst was significantly affected by the calcination temperature and the rate of N doping, while the rate of Ce doping had little effect;at the calcination temperature of 505.440°C, the degradation rate of glyphosate reached the maximum of 82.15% under the preparation conditions of 17.057 mol% N doping and 0.165 mol% Ce doping, respectively.

基于RSM算法的烟叶含水率监测

为探讨将随机子空间RSM(Random Subspace Method)算法应用于烤烟烟叶含水率的监测中,采摘贵烟8号烟叶样本,在09:00-12:00时间段进行可见光采样,并对图像亮度进行梯度处理,以此模拟全天光线变化。采用烟叶样本实测含水率和图像RGB三阶颜色矩数据作为数据集,对样本使用RSM算法建立含水率回归模型,并与LM(Levenberg Marquardt)神经网络算法和支持向量机(Support Vector Machine,SVM)算法进行比较。结果表明,基于烟叶RGB颜色矩的RSM算法具有较好的应用效果,其回归模型决定系数R 2为0.9202,均方根误差(RMSE)为0.56%,相对分析误差(RPD)为3.5483。故基于随机子空间RSM算法的烟叶含水率回归模型具有较好的稳定性,能实现对烟叶含水率的监测。

Optimisation of beef tenderisation treated with bromelain using response surface methodology (RSM)

The purpose of this study is to determine the optimum condition for the tenderization of beef by bromelain using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Initially, bromelain powder was produced from pineapple crown of variety N36. Production of the bromelain powder involves several process steps such as extraction, purification, desalting and freeze drying. The cube size beef of round part was treated with bromelain at different pHs of beef, immersion temperatures, bromelain solution concentrations, and immersion times according to the experimental design which was recommended by RSM of MINITAB software version 15. Beef tenderness was then measured by Texture Analyser. The MINITAB software Version 15 was used to optimise the tenderisation of beef by bromelain. The determination coefficient R2 was 99.97% meaning that the experimental data were acceptable. It was found that beef could be optimize tenderised 89.907% at the optimum condition at pH of beef of 5.4, immersion temperature of60℃, bromelain solution concentration of 0.1682% and immersion time of 10 minutes. The verification value of beef ten-derisation at the feasible optimum condition which was determined by experiment was 89.571%. Since the difference between the veri- fication and predicted values was less than 5%, therefore, the optimum condition for the tenderisation of beef predicted by MINITAB software Version 15 could be accepted.

Optimization of medium components using response surface methodology (RSM) for mycelium biomass and exopolysaccharide production by <i>Lentinus squarrosulus</i>

The interaction between sucrose, yeast extract and initial pH was investigated to optimize critical medium components for mycelium biomass and production of exopolysaccharide (EPS) of Lentinus squarrosulus using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). A central composite design (CCD) was applied and a polynomial regression model with quadratic term was used to analyse the experimental data using analysis of variance (ANOVA). ANOVA analysis showed that the model was very significant (p Lentinus squarrosulus are as follows: sucrose concentration 114.61 g/L, yeast extract 1.62 g/L and initial pH of 5.81;sucrose concentration 115.8 g/L, yeast extract of 3.39 g/L and initial pH of 6.44 respectively.

Effects of main ecological factors on the growth of marine green alga Caulerpa sertularioides using the response surface methodology

Caulerpa sertularioides is an invasive potential blooming green alga in China but it remains poorly studied.We studied the effects of ecological factors on its growth.Optimum conditions of ecological factors,i.e.,irradiance,temperature,and salinity,for the growth of its fragments were determined in the response surface methodology(RSM).The specific growth rates(SGR)of the fragments were determined in single-factor experiment.The results show that the SGR of C.sertularioides peaked under the conditions of irradiance 37.5μmol/(m~2·s),temperature25℃,and salinity 30.Meanwhile,using the Box-Behnken design,the conditions were further optimized and verified to be:irradiance 39.03μmol/(m~2·s),temperature 25.29℃,and salinity 30.06,under which the SGR reached 4.66%.The results provide new theoretical data and solutions for the cultivation,invasion prediction,and monitoring of Caulerpa species in China and the world.The RSM method may have great potential applications in the environmental adaptation characteristics of new macroalgal cultivars,intensive orientation cultured germplasm,and environmental hazard analysis of cultivated species in the field.

基于RSM-BBD的多源煤基固废胶结体配比及性能研究

本工作采用响应面法(RSM)Box-Behnken Design(BBD)模式对脱硫石膏、气化细渣和炉底渣等多源煤基固废进行配比优选,并研究了最优配比胶结体的力学性能、孔隙结构、热稳定性、微观结构等特性。结果表明:(1)气化细渣掺量对胶结体的1 d强度影响最大,脱硫石膏掺量对胶结体3 d和7 d强度影响最大,两种固废的交互作用对胶结体早期强度影响最显著,表现为负效应;在粉煤灰与矸石质量比为0.4∶1和质量浓度为80%的条件下,获得脱硫石膏、气化细渣和炉底渣的最优质量比为0.2∶0.1∶0.1,并分析了最优配比胶结体的压缩变形和破坏特征。(2)研究了胶结体的微观特性:胶结体内存在密集细颈型封闭孔隙,孔直径范围在5~3.7×10^(5) nm,微孔较少,以中、大孔为主;胶结体在55~65℃和90~120℃区间出现游离水和结晶水的吸热脱水反应,在600~700℃区间出现结构水、羟基水的脱除和水化产物的分解,在800℃累计失重约8%。(3)煤基固废胶结体的水化反应以水泥为主,固废之间未发生化学反应,水化产物为少量短杆状钙矾石相和薄层绒状C-S-H凝胶;钙矾石中少量Al^(3+)被Si^(4+)取代,少量SO_(4)^(2-)被CO_(3)^(2-)取代。

Optimization of a continuous ultrasound assisted oxidative desulfurization(UAOD) process of diesel using response surface methodology(RSM) considering operating cost

A continuous-flow ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization(UAOD)of partially hydro-treated diesel has been investigated using hydrogen peroxide-formic acid as simple and easy to apply oxidation system.The effects of different operating parameters of oxidation stage including residence time(2–24 min),formic acid to sulfur molar ratio(10–150),and oxidant to sulfur molar ratio(5–35)on the sulfur removal have been studied using response surface methodology(RSM)based on Box–Behnken design.Considering the operating costs of the continuous-flow oxidation stage including chemical and electrical energy consumption,the appropriate values of operating parameters were selected as follows:residence time of 16 min,the formic acid to sulfur molar ratio of 54.47,and the oxidant to sulfur molar ratio of 8.24.In these conditions,the sulfur removal and the volume ratio of the hydrocarbon phase to the aqueous phase were 86.90%and 4.34,respectively.By drastic reduction in the chemical consumption in the oxidation stage,the volume ratio of the hydrocarbon phase to the aqueous phase was increased up to 10.Therefore,the formic acid to sulfur molar ratio and the oxidant to sulfur molar ratio were obtained 23.64 and 3.58,respectively,which lead to sulfur removal of 84.38%with considerable improvements on the operating cost of oxidation stage in comparison with the previous works.

Optimization for Microbial Degumming of Ramie with Bacillus subtilis DZ_(5) in Submerged Fermentation by Orthogonal Array Design and Response Surface Methodology

As a kind of natural fiber,ramie fiber has distinctive advantages in textile application,but the application is limited due to the traditional degumming mode.Compared with the traditional degumming process,the microbial degumming process has many advantages.To obtain the optimal conditions for degumming ramie with Bacillus subtilis DZ_(5)(BS DZ_(5)),a combined statistical approach of orthogonal array design(OAD)and response surface methodology(RSM)was used.The influences of initial pH of the bacteria medium,culture temperature,shaking speed,degumming time and inoculum size on submerged fermentation degumming were evaluated by using fractional factorial design.The main factors in the analysis were culture temperature,shaking speed and initial pH.The residual gum mass fraction was used as the optimization index,and the optimal conditions for degumming were determined by central composite design and RSM.Thus with only a limited number of experiments,an optimal ramie microbial degumming condition was found as the culture temperature of 40℃,the initial pH in the culture medium of 8.5,the shaking speed of 205 r/min,the degumming time of 96 h and the inoculum size of 5%.After microbial degumming of ramie under the optimal conditions,there was only 10.6%residual gum by mass in the fiber.In addition,the effective degumming of BS DZ_(5)was also confirmed by a scanning electron microscope(SEM).

Optimization of Ultrasonic Extraction Conditions of Polyphenols from the Needles of Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii) Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

Ultrasonic extraction conditions of polyphenols from the needles of black pine(Pinus thunbergii) were optimized by single factors analysis and Box-Behnken experiment design. The results showed that both of ethanol concentration and ultrasonic time had a significant effect on polyphenol extraction, and there was significant interaction between any two variables in the three parameters of ethanol concentration, ultrasonic temperature and ultrasonic time. The optimal parameters for polyphenol extraction were the ethanol concentration of 52.67%, ultrasonic temperature at 49.21 ℃and ultrasonic time of 30.76 min. Under these conditions, the actual content of polyphenols was close to the predicted value. Therefore, the process can be used to extract polyphenols from black pine needles.

Optimization of Solid-state Fermentation Conditions of Sophora japonica cv.jinhuai by Response Surface Methodology

[Objectives]To optimize the solid-state fermentation process of Flos Sophorae Immaturus by Penicillium with Sophora japonica cv.jinhuai as raw material.[Methods]The fermentation conditions were optimized by single factor experiment and response surface methodology with quercetin content as the dependent variable.[Results]According to the established model,the optimal fermentation process of Flos Sophorae Immaturus was obtained as follows:temperature 29.97℃,time 6.88 d,rotation speed 180.86 rpm,inoculation amount 3.93 mL,and the expected content of quercetin was 34.8053 mg/g.Based on this,the fermentation parameters were adjusted,and the actual content was 33.67 mg/g,which was close to the predicted value.[Conclusions]The optimization of fermentation process of Flos Sophorae Immaturus by response surface methodology provides a reference for the development and utilization of this medicinal material.

基于决策树特征提取与RSM_LightGBM的涡扇发动机RUL预测

针对现有航空发动机剩余使用寿命预测(RUL)精度低及传感器监测参数提取困难等问题,提出了一种基于决策树特征提取与随机搜索算法优化LightGBM的航空发动机RUL预测模型。首先,对航空发动机历史监测参数进行分析,利用决策树算法计算监测参数对发动机寿命周期的重要性贡献程度,提取重要特征后对数据进行归一化处理,降低数据量纲对预测模型的影响;其次,根据航空发动机的历史衰退特征,为发动机设置阈值标签,表征发动机的性能退化特点。最后,利用随机搜索算法对LightGBM中的超参数进行寻优,获得RMSE最小值。在CMAPSS数据集上进行了实验验证。结果表明,与其他构建模型的最优值相比,所提方法在多个评价指标下具有更好的综合性能,有效提升了航空发动机RUL预测的精准度。

Method for the determination of polonium-210 in tea samples using response surface methodology(RSM)

The method based on solvent parameters(mass,cycle of acidification, and autodeposition time), combined with response surface methodology(RSM) modeling and optimization, has been developed for maximizing ^(210)Po activity in tea samples, as observed by an alpha spectrometer. RSM based on 3-factor and 5-level composite center design was used to obtain the optimal combination of solvent conditions. As solvent parameters for ^(210)Po activity, different masses(0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, and 2 g), different cycles of acidification(2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 times), and different autodeposition times(2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 h) were studied. The 3D response surface plot and the contour plot derived from the mathematical models were used to determine the optimal conditions. According to the obtained results, the experimental value of ^(210)Po activity was in good agreement(R^2=0.96) with the value predicted by the model. We found a favorable effect of mass on the ^(210)Po activity(p\0.05).

Response Surface Methodology as an Approach for Optimization of Vinegar Fermentation Conditions Using Three Different Thermotolerant Acetic Acid Bacteria

This study aimed to investigate optimal fermentation conditions of biological acetic acid fermentation for vinegar production. Optimization was performed on 3 acetic acid bacteria strains namely VMA1, VMA7 and VMAO using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). A Box-Behnken-Design (BBD) was achieved with three different independent process parameters involving: fermentation temperature, original alcohol concentration and original acetic acid concentration and one dependent variable (acetic acid yield). The results showed that the mathematical models describe correctly the relationship between responses and factors (F values of the models (p R2 (coefficient of correlation) respectively 0.96, 0.94, 0.98, and adjusted R2 0.95, 0.92, 0.98). The maximum acidity was obtained respectively at fermentation temperatures, original alcohol concentrations and original acetic acid concentrations ranging from [37.5°C - 45°C], [16% - 20% (v/v)], [1.5% - 2% (w/v)] for VMA1, [40°C - 45°C], [14.5% - 20% (v/v)], [1.7% - 2% (w/v)] for VMA7 and [42°C - 45°C], [17% - 20% (v/v)], [1.5% - 2% (w/v)] for VMAO. The use of these acetic strains in the production of vinegar may seriously lead to a decrease or even an ablation of the costs related to the cooling of bioreactors especially in warm and hot countries, in the context of global warming.

Response Surface Methodology-Based SERS for Determination of Gymnodimine

Gymnodimine (GYM), a fast-acting marine toxin, is destructive to aquaculture and human health through contaminated shellfish. The current detection methods in GYM have definite drawbacks in operation, such as the demand for delicate instruments and the consumption of time. Therefore, silver colloid was utilized as a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) desirable substrate for sensitive and rapid detection of GYM in lake and shellfish samples. The theoretical spectrum of GYM is calculated by density functional theory (DFT), and the substrate performance is evaluated by a rhodamine 6 G probe. Under the optimal SERS experimental condition calculated by the response surface methodology, the low limit of detection of 0.105 μM with R2 of 0.9873 and a broad linearity range of 0.1 - 10 μM was achieved for GYM detection. In addition, the substrate was satisfyingly applied to detect gymnodimine in the lake and shellfish matrix samples with LOD as low as 0.148 μM and 0.170 μM, respectively. These results demonstrated a promising SERS platform for detecting marine toxins in seafood for food safety and pharmaceutical research.