Association of hypertension and plant-based dietary patterns on cognitive impairment: a nationwide cohort study in China

This study investigated the association of hypertension with cognitive impairment and determined whether better adherence to plant-based diet(PBD)patterns may modify the association.We analyzed 4485 elderly individuals with normal cognition at baseline from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey(2011−2018).Cognitive function was assessed by the Mini-mental State Examination(MMSE),and cognitive impairment was defined as an MMSE score below 18 points.Diet patterns were assessed using the overall plant-based diet index(PDI),healthful plant-based diet index(hPDI),and unhealthful plant-based diet index(uPDI)derived from a simplified food frequency questionnaire(FFQ).Blood pressure was measured through physical examination.Cox proportional hazard regression and restricted cubic spline were performed.Participants with hypertension had an increased risk of cognitive impairment compared with normal group.The associations between hypertension and cognitive impairment were more pronounced among participants with lower PDI than those with higher PDI,among participants with lower hPDI than those with higher hPDI,and among participants with higher uPDI than those with lower uPDI.A healthful PBD pattern may attenuate hypertension-induced cognitive impairment,while an unhealthful PBD pattern may exacerbate hypertensioninduced cognitive impairment in elderly.Adherence to healthful PBD pattern could be used to prevent or mitigate adverse neurological effects in the hypertensive population.

The meat of the matter: plant-based meat analogue versus traditional meat product nutritional quality

Plant-based meat analogues(PBMA)are formulated to mimic the sensory characteristics of traditional meat products(TMP)using vegetarian ingredients and are increasingly popular with the trend towards plantbased diets,even among meat-eating consumers.This narrative review compared the nutritional quality of PBMA and TMP to broaden the discussion on the suitability of simulated meat products to substitute TMP,while exploring other attributes for their comparison.The complexity of PBMA and TMP means they are not entirely interchangeable.Importantly,PBMA health effects extend beyond their basic nutrient content and quality.Postprandial metabolism and satiety,for example,can be affected by product formulation,ingredient interactions,and thermomechanical processing involved in producing organoleptically acceptable PBMA.There are specific opportunities for low-sodium PBMA products to contribute to a healthy shift toward plantbased diets.In conclusion,PBMA cannot be assumed to be healthier than TMP.They should be designed with comprehensive consideration of composition and processing to ensure they support consumers who are adopting plant-based diets in realizing the theoretical health benefits.

Plant-based vaccines against viral hepatitis: A panoptic review

The traditional vaccines against hepatitis have been instrumental in reducing the incidence of some types of viral hepatitis;however,the need for cost-effective,easily distributable,and needle-free vaccine alternatives has led to the exploration of plant-based vaccines.Plant-based techniques offer a promising avenue for producing viral hepatitis vaccines due to their low-cost cultivation,scalability,and the potential for oral administration.This review highlights the successful expression of hepatitis B surface antigens in plants and the subsequent formation of virus-like particles,which have shown immunogenicity in preclinical and clinical trials.The challenges such as achieving sufficient antigen expression levels,ensuring consistent dosing,and navigating regulatory frameworks,are addressed.The review considers the potential of plant-based vaccines to meet the demands of rapid vaccine deployment in response to outbreaks and their role in global immunization strategies,particularly in resource-limited settings.This review underscores the significant strides made in plant molecular farming and the potential of plant-based vaccines to complement existing immunization methods against viral hepatitis.

Gut microbiota axis:potential target of phytochemicals from plant-based foods

Food-microbiota-host interactions provide an overarching framework for understanding the function of the gut microbiota axis.Diet is a major modulator of gut microbiota.Plant-based foods are rich in phytochemicals;therefore,it is essential to assess such foods and elucidate the mechanisms underlying their action.In this review,we summarize the role of gut microbiota in the communication between the gut and the brain,liver,lung,kidney,and joints,as well as the role of the gut microbiota axis in diseases involving these organs.In addition,we assess the effects of phytochemicals from plant-based foods on the gut microbiota axis via different pathways.

Consumers’experiences and preferences for plant-based meat food:Evidence from a choice experiment in four cities of China

This paper examined consumers’experiences in and preferences for plant-based meat(PBM)food and their respective correlates,based on data from an online survey of 579 consumers in four major cities in China in early 2021.We first described consumers’experiences in consuming and purchasing PBM food and their correlates,and then analyzed consumer preferences using hypothetical choice experiment.The experiment offered consumers various options to purchase burgers made from PBM or animal-based meat(ABM),combined with different countries of origin(COO),taste labels,and prices.Our data showed that respondents hold overall positive attitudes toward PBM food;85 and 82%of respondents reported experience in eating and purchasing PBM food,respectively.More than half of them ate PBM food because they wanted to try new food(58%),or were interested in healthy food(56%).Income,religion,and dietary restrictions were significantly correlated with consumers’experiences in PBM food consumption.Results from the Random Parameter Logit Model based on the hypothetical choice experiment data showed that 79%of respondents chose PBM burgers and were willing to pay an average of 88 CNY for a PBM burger.We also found that 99.8 and 83%of respondents are willing to buy burgers made in China and those with a taste label,with a willingness to pay(WTP)of 208 and 120 CNY,respectively.The heterogeneity test revealed that females and those with at least a bachelor’s degree,higher income,religious beliefs,and dietary restrictions are more likely to buy PBM burgers than their counterparts.

Plant-based diet and its effect on coronary artery disease:A narrative review

Coronary artery disease(CAD),a primary component of cardiovascular diseases,is one of the top contributors to mortality rates worldwide.In 2021,dietary risk was estimated to be attributed to 6.58 million cardiovascular deaths.Plant-based diets(PBDs),which encourage higher consumption of plant foods and lower intake of animal-based foods,have been shown to reduce the risk of CAD by up to 29% when compared to non-vegetarian diets in a meta-analysis.This article aims to summarize the array of PBDs and compare them with conventional Western diets that include meat.We review the various proposed mechanisms for how the bioactive nutrients of PBDs aid in preventing atherosclerosis and CAD events,as well as other cardiac diseases.We conducted a detailed search of PubMed using our exclusive search strategy using the keywords plant-based diet,vegan diet,phytosterols,CAD,myocardial ischemia,and atherosclerosis.A total of 162 pertinent articles published within the past decade were identified for qualitative synthesis.To ensure the accuracy and reliability of our review,we included a total of 55 full-text,peer-reviewed articles that demonstrated the effects of plant-based diets on CAD and were written in English.We excluded animal studies,in vitro or molecular studies,and non-original data like editorials,letters,protocols,and conference abstracts.In this article,we emphasize the importance of dietary interventions,such as PBDs,to prevent CAD and their benefits on environmental sustainability.Integrating plant foods and whole grains into one's daily eating habits leads to an increase in the intake of nutrient-rich foods while reducing the consumption of processed food could not only prevent millions of premature deaths but also provide prevention against many chronic gastrointestinal and metabolic diseases.

Association of plant-based diets with the risk of upper gastrointestinal tract cancers:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Diets rich in red or processed meat have been linked to an increased risk of cancers within the digestive system.It has been suggested that a plant-based diet may have protective effects against digestive system cancers.This study aimed to determine the association between plant-based diets and upper gastrointestinal tract cancers(UGTC).Methods:We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.We searched the PubMed,Medline,Embase,and Web of Science databases for articles published up to September 30,2023.We pooled the risk ratios(RR)with the corresponding 95%confi-dence intervals(CI)using fixed or random-effects models.Results:Our meta-analysis included 16 studies(30 results).The data revealed a strong inverse association between a high intake of plant-based diets and UGTC(RR=0.60,95%CI=0.49-0.72),specifically gastric cancer(GC,RR=0.53,95%CI=0.42-0.67)and esophageal can-cer(EC,RR=0.63,95%CI=0.42-0.96).This relationship was not significant for gastric cardia cancer(GCA)or esophagogastric junctional cancer(EGJC,RR=0.76,95%CI=0.47-1.22).A subgroup analysis showed the association was significant in studies from Asia and Europe,as well as in studies utilizing indices such as a vegetarian diet,Mediterranean diet,the plant-based diet index,and principal component analy-sis(PCA)dietary patterns.There was no indication of publication bias among the analyzed studies.Conclusions:This meta-analysis highlights the potential health benefits of plant-based diets in preventing UGTC,particularly regarding esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)and GC.Nevertheless,additional research is required to validate these results and explore the un-derlying mechanisms.

Construction of Plant-based Expression Vector of Polyphosphate Kinase Gene

[Objective] The aim was to construct the fusion expression vector of polyphosphate kinase（PPK） and green fluorescent protein（GFP） genes.[Method] In this study,the primers were designed based on PPK gene sequence（L03719） of E.coli DH5α in Genbank.Genomic DNA of E.coli DH 5α was extracted as template for the amplification of PPK gene by PCR method.By using In-Fusion@ HD Cloning Kit,the PPK gene was directionally cloned into NcoI site of the pCAMBIA1302 vector.[Result] Sequencing results showed that the 2.0 kb long fragment of PPK gene was inserted into the plant-based expression vector pCAMBIA1302 in front of GFP gene.[Conclusion] The fusion expression vector of PPK and GFP genes were successfully constructed.

Definition of a plant-based diet and overview of this special issue

A plant-based diet consists of all minimally processedfruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds,herbs, and spices and excludes all animal products, includ-ing red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products.

A plant-based diet for overweight and obesity prevention and treatment

The goal of this paper is to review the evidence related to the effect of plant-based dietary pattems on obesity and weight loss, includingboth observational and intervention trials. Literature from plant-based diets （PBDs） epidemiological and clinical trial research was used toinform this review. In addition, data on dietary quality, adherence, and acceptability were evaluated and are presented. Both clinical trials andobservational research indicate an advantage to adoption of PBDs for preventing overweight and obesity and promoting weight loss. PBDsmay also confer higher levels of diet quality than are observed with other therapeutic diet approaches, with similar levels of adherence andacceptability. Future studies should utilize health behavior theory to inform intervention development and delivery of PBDs studies and newtechnologies to bring interventions to scale for greater public health impact. Research examining PBDs and weight loss is also needed withmore diverse populations, including older adults. Based on the available evidence, PBDs should be considered a viable option for the treat-ment and prevention of overweight and obesity.

A plant-based diet and hypertension

Hypertension is an insidious, common, and deadly dis-ease, often detected incidentally at a routine doctor＇s visit orworkplace health screening. Worldwide, it is estimated thatone billion people have hypertension and approximately 80million Americans 20 years of age and older are hyperten-sive.

Plant-based meat substitutes by high-moisture extrusion:Visualizing the whole process in data systematically from raw material to the products

High-moisture extrusion technology should be considered one of the best choices for producing plant-based meat substitutes with the rich fibrous structure offered by real animal meat products.Unfortunately,the extrusion process has been seen as a“black box”with limited information about what occurs inside,causing serious obstacles in developing meat substitutes.This study designed a high-moisture extrusion process and developed 10 new plant-based meat substitutes comparable to the fibrous structure of real animal meat.The study used the Feature-Augmented Principal Component Analysis(FA-PCA)method to visualize and understand the whole extrusion process in three ways systematically and accurately.It established six sets of mathematical models of the high-moisture extrusion process based on 8000 pieces of data,including five types of parameters.The FA-PCA method improved the R^(2) values significantly compared with the PCA method.The Way 3 was the best to predict product quality(Z),demonstrating that the gradually molecular conformational changes(Y^(n'))were critical in controlling the final quality of the plant-based meat substitutes.Moreover,the first visualization platform software for the high-moisture extrusion process has been established to clearly show the“black box”by combining the virtual simulation technology.Through the software,some practice work such as equipment installation,parameter adjustment,equipment disassembly,and data prediction can be easily achieved.

Angina rapidly improved with a plant-based diet and returned after resuming a Western diet

Atherosclerosis and its related cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in the Western world. The roots of this disease may lie, in part, in dietary and lifestyle behaviors, indicating that modifica- tion of these behaviors may lead to profound improvements.

A plant-based diet and heart failure： case report and literature review

Heart failure is associated with high rates of morbidityand mortality, and is a burden to the healthcare system.There is a growing appreciation for the role diet may play inthe development and treatment of heart failure.

A plant-based diet and stroke

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in theUnited States and globally. Each year, approxirnately 795,000Americans experience a stroke.Total annual costs of stroke,both direct and indirect, amount to $33 billion. Ischemicstroke is predicted to cost more than $2.2 trillion between2005 and 2050. In the United States, 87% of all strokesare ischemic, 10% are due to intracerebral hemorrhage, and3% are due to subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Plant-based nutrition for healthcare professionals： implementing diet as aprimary modality in the prevention and treatment of chronic disease

Cardiovascular disease remains the world＇s leading cause of death. Yet, we have known for decades that the vast majority of athero-sclerosis and its subsequent morbidity and mortality are influenced predominantly by diet. This paper will describe a health-promoting wholefood, plant-based diet; delineate macro- and micro-nulxition, emphasizing specific geriatric concerns; and offer guidance to physicians andother healthcare practitioners to support patients in successfully utilizing nutrition to improve their health.

Strategies for practitioners to support patients in plant-based eating

Successfully implementing a plant-based diet is attain-able for patients, but the likelihood of achieving long-term,dietary maintenance can be increased by follow-up andsupport from practitioners. Practitioners, in particular physi-cians, are seen as nutrition authorities,and are thereforewell-positioned to deliver dietary advice and nutritionalprescriptions.

Rheological Properties of Six Plant-Based Seed Gums

The rheological properties of six mucilage solutions (Guar Gum, Locust Bean Gum, Tamarind Gum, Flaxseed Gum, Artemisia Sphaerocephala Krasch Gum and Cassia Gum) have been examined. It was found that all six gums could be classified into three different types according to the changes of viscosity with increasing shear rate. Steady shear viscous properties in a range of shear rate from 0.1 to 100 s-1 were investigated in the provision of mucilage concentration, pH, temperature and salts. A non-Newtonian shear-thinning behavior was observed. The data of viscosity-shear successfully correlated Power law model. Apparent viscosity was apparently dependent on mucilage concentration increasing significantly as mass fraction went up. A marked dependence of viscosity on temperature was also observed;as temperature increased, the viscosity decreased sharply. The value n of flaxseed gum is minimum, which means it behaves the greatest shear-thinning properties. Both Guar gum and Tamarind gum possessed better acid-proof and alkali-proof advantages. The flow activation energy of ASKG is 4.3 kcal which is higher than other gums so that the influence of temperature on characteristics of viscosity is stronger. The mechanical spectra in the linear viscoelasticity region were studied in the temperature range from 20°C to 90°C, at a frequency range from 0.1 to 10 Hz. It was observed that Both elastic modulus G' and viscous modulus G" behaviors were found to be dependent on temperature and frequency. What have been investigated in this work could provide guidance for practical application in the field of food industry.

Effect of drying-wetting cycles on pore characteristics and mechanical properties of enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation-reinforced sea sand

Enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation(EICP)is an emanating,eco-friendly and potentially sound technique that has presented promise in various geotechnical applications.However,the durability and microscopic characteristics of EICP-treated specimens against the impact of drying-wetting(D-W)cycles is under-explored yet.This study investigates the evolution of mechanical behavior and pore charac-teristics of EICP-treated sea sand subjected to D-W cycles.The uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)tests,synchrotron radiation micro-computed tomography(micro-CT),and three-dimensional(3D)recon-struction of CT images were performed to study the multiscale evolution characteristics of EICP-reinforced sea sand under the effect of D-W cycles.The potential correlations between microstructure characteristics and macro-mechanical property deterioration were investigated using gray relational analysis(GRA).Results showed that the UCS of EICP-treated specimens decreases by 63.7% after 15 D-W cycles.The proportion of mesopores gradually decreases whereas the proportion of macropores in-creases due to the exfoliated calcium carbonate with increasing number of D-W cycles.The micro-structure in EICP-reinforced sea sand was gradually disintegrated,resulting in increasing pore size and development of pore shape from ellipsoidal to columnar and branched.The gray relational degree suggested that the weight loss rate and UCS deterioration were attributed to the development of branched pores with a size of 100-1000 m m under the action of D-W cycles.Overall,the results in this study provide a useful guidancee for the long-term stability and evolution characteristics of EICP-reinforced sea sand under D-W weathering conditions.

Selected dietary plant-based proteins for growth and health response of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

Tilapia culture is one of the largest sectors of global aquaculture.Among the different species of tilapia,Nile tilapia(Oreochromis niloticus)is perhaps the top cultured species.The production of Nile tilapia has been continually increasing throughout the years resulting in genetic deterioration.Several tilapia strains with better growth performance and adaptive capability to survive in different culture conditions have been developed to alleviate the crisis.Increased demand for Nile tilapia implies higher farming cost.Plant-based proteins are utilized as partial or complete fishmeal replacements to reduce feed cost.However,these proteins can adversely affect and alter growth and feed performance,carcass composition and indices,and gut and hepatic health.This review discusses the use of seven plant-based proteins:namely,soybean,copra,pea,corn,palm kernel,microalgae,and seaweed as a Nile tilapia aquafeed.Different processing methods are employed to produce several types of plant-based proteins.Processed plant-protein types,when utilized as an aquafeed ingredient,vary in its effect on the performance,hemato-immunological parameters,and gut and hepatic health of Nile tilapia.Studies have shown that Nile tilapia can effectively maximize plant-based protein diets based on the preparation method,type of plant source,amino acid supplementation,and inclusion levels of the plant proteins.These readily available crops should be considered as primary protein sources for aquaculture.Hindrances to the use of plant-based proteins as a main dietary protein are limiting amino acids,presence of anti-nutritional factors,and the competition between its demand as human food and as animal feed.