Management of gestational diabetes mellitus via nutritional interventions:The relevance of gastric emptying

Gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)represents one of the most common medical complications of pregnancy and is important to the well-being of both mothers and offspring in the short and long term.Lifestyle intervention remains the mainstay for the management of GDM.The efficacy of nutritional approaches(e.g.calorie restriction and small frequent meals)to improving the maternal-neonatal outcomes of GDM was attested to by Chinese population data,discussed in two articles in recent issues of this journal.However,a specific focus on the relevance of postprandial glycaemic control was lacking.Postprandial rather than fasting hyperglycaemia often represents the predominant manifestation of disordered glucose homeostasis in Chinese women with GDM.There is now increasing appreciation that the rate of gastric emptying,which controls the delivery of nutrients for digestion and absorption in the small intestine,is a key determinant of postprandial glycaemia in both health,type 1 and 2 diabetes.It remains to be established whether gastric emptying is abnormally rapid in GDM,particularly among Chinese women,thus contributing to a predisposition to postprandial hyperglycaemia,and if so,how this influences the therapeutic response to nutritional interventions.It is essential that we understand the role of gastric emptying in the regulation of postprandial glycaemia during pregnancy and the potential for its modulation by nutritional strategies in order to improve postprandial glycaemic control in GDM.

Surgical or medical treatment of obesity-associated type 2 diabetesan increasing clinical conundrum

In this editorial,we comment on the article by He et al,specifically in relation to the efficacy of bariatric surgery vs glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist(GLP-1RA)therapy in the management of type 2 diabetes(T2D)associated with obesity.Bariatric surgery has now also been shown to be safe and effective in pre-teens and teenagers with obesity and T2D,but information on newer GLP-1RAs in these groups is predictably limited.In older individuals(age>65 years),both bariatric surgery and GLP-1RA therapy improve cardiovascular outcomes.Baria-tric surgery is not infrequently associated with post-operative postprandial hypoglycemia,which is not the case with GLP-1RAs and,paradoxically,there is evidence that GLP-1RAs may reduce both the frequency and severity of postprandial hypoglycemia.Comparative trials of the long-term efficacy of bariatric surgery and GLP-1RAs are indicated.

Blood pressure,prevalence of hypertension and hypertension related complications in Nigerian Africans:A review

To review studies on hypertension in Nigeria over the past five decades in terms of prevalence,awareness and treatment and complications.Following our search on Pubmed,African Journals Online and the World Health Organization Global cardiovascular infobase,1060 related references were identified out of which 43 were found to be relevant for this review.The overall prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria ranges from 8%-46.4% depending on the study target population,type of measurement and cut-off value used for defining hypertension.The prevalence is similar in men and women(7.9%-50.2% vs 3.5%-68.8%,respectively) and in the urban(8.1%-42.0%) and rural setting(13.5%-46.4%).The pooled prevalence increased from 8.6% from the only study during the period from 1970-1979 to 22.5%(2000-2011).Awareness,treatment and control of hypertension were generally low with attendant high burden of hypertension related complications.In order to improve outcomes of cardiovascular disease in Africans,public health education to improve awareness of hypertension is required.Further epidemiological studies on hypertension are required to adequately understand and characterize the impact of hypertension in society.

Renal denervation as an option for the management of hypertension

Hypertension is a multifactorial condition which makes the development of treatment approaches difficult. The vast majority of patients are treated with lifestyle measures either alone or in combination with antihypertensive drugs, and this approach is largely successful in controlling blood pressure. However, for a subgroup of patients, control of blood pressure remains resistant to this approach and therefore the development of new strategies is im- perative. The sympathetic nervous system has been known to be implicated in hypertension for many decades, and evidence from studies in the past has revealed the benefit of reducing sympathetic nerve activity in the control of blood pressure albeit with severe side effects. Recent technological advances have allowed for specific targeting of the renal sympathetic nerves by catheter ablation. The Symplicity HTN-1 and HTN-2 trials have provided strong evidence for renal denervation giving rise to considerable blood pressure reductions in treatment-resistant hyper- tensives and, due to the high incidence of hypertension worldwide, this carries the promise of further reducing the global burden of hypertension and its attendant complications. Here we review the evidence for renal denervation in the management of hypertension.

Whey protein: The “whey” forward for treatment of type 2 diabetes?

A cost-effective nutritional approach to improve postprandial glycaemia is attractive considering the rising burden of diabetes throughout the world. Whey protein, a by-product of the cheese-making process, can be used to manipulate gut function in order to slow gastric emptying and stimulate incretin hormone secretion, thereby attenuating postprandial glycaemic excursions. The function of the gastrointestinal tract plays a pivotal role in glucose homeostasis, particularly during the postprandial period, and this review will discuss the mechanisms by which whey protein slows gastric emptying and stimulates release of gut peptides, including the incretins. Whey protein is also a rich source of amino acids, and these can directly stimulate beta cells to secrete insulin, which contributes to the reduction in postprandial glycaemia. Appetite is suppressed with consumption of whey, due to its effects on the gut-brain axis and the hypothalamus. These properties of whey protein suggest its potential in the management of type 2 diabetes. However, the optimal dose and timing of whey protein ingestion are yet to be defined, and studies are required to examine the long-term benefits of whey consumption for overall glycaemic control.

Consumption of spicy foods and the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome

AIM:To explore the association between consumption of spicy foods and prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)among Iranian adults.METHODS:In this cross-sectional study,data from4763 Iranian adult participants were used.Consumption of spicy foods was estimated using a dietary habits questionnaire that included a question on spicy foods consumption:"how frequently do you use spicy foods(pepper,curry,ginger,cinnamon and turmeric)during a week?"Participants could respond to the question by choosing one of these choices:never,1-3 times,4-6times,7-9 times,or more than 10 times per week.A modified Persian version of the RomeⅢquestionnaire was used to determine the prevalence of IBS.RESULTS:IBS was prevalent in 21.7%(18.6%of men and 24.1%of women)of the study population.After controlling for potential confounders including dietary behaviors,those consuming spicy foods≥10 times per week were 92%more likely to have IBS compared with those who never consumed spicy foods(OR=1.92;95%CI:1.23-3.01,Ptrend<0.01).The association remained significant even after taking lactose intolerance into account(OR=1.85;95%CI:1.18-2.90,Ptrend<0.01).Stratified analysis by gender revealed that the association between consumption of spicy foods and IBS was not significant in men;however,a significant association was found among women after taking potential cofounders,including meal regularity and lactose intolerance,into account.Women who consumed spicy foods≥10 times per week were two times more likely to have IBS compared with those who never consumed spicy foods(OR=2.03;95%CI:1.09-3.77,Ptrend=0.02).CONCLUSION:Consumption of spicy foods is directly associated with IBS,particularly in women.Further,prospective studies are warranted to(1)examine this association in other populations;and(2)evaluate whether dietary interventions,for example a reduction in spice consumption,would improve IBS symptoms.

Effects of different drying methods on phenolic components and in vitro hypoglycemic activities of pulp extracts from two Chinese bayberry(Myrica rubra Sieb.et Zucc.)cultivars

The effects of two different drying methods,namely hot-air drying and freeze drying,on the phenolic profiles,antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities of pulp extracts from two main Chinese bayberry cultivars(’Biqi’or’BQ’and’Dongkui’or’DK’)were evaluated.The results showed that’BQ’bayberry provided higher total phenolic(TPC),total flavonoid(TFC)and total anthocyanin(TAC)contents than’DK’bayberry after the same drying method,while its antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities were highly affected by drying method.Freeze-dried samples possessed significantly higher TPC,TFC and TAC,and exhibited more potent antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities than hot-air dried ones(P<0.05).Freeze-dried’DK’bayberry exhibited similar antioxidant activities and a-amylase inhibitory activity,but higher a-glucosidase inhibition than freeze-dried’BQ’bayberry(P<0.05).Compared with hot-air dried samples,freeze-dried samples had significantly higher contents of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside,myricitin-3-O-rhamnoside,quercetin-3-O-galactoside,quercetin-3-O-glucoside and quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside,which had been proved to be the main contributors to the in vitro hypoglycemic activities of bayberry pulp extract.All these results demonstrate that freeze drying is more suitable for the preservation of phenolic components in the pulp extract of Chinese bayberry,and the pulp extract of freeze-dried’DK’could be applied as a potential hypoglycemic food additive.

Inter-hospital transfers and door-to-balloon times for STEMI: a single centre cohort study

Background Key performance indices such as door-to-balloon times have long been recognized as quality metrics in reducing time to care for patients with acute coronary syndromes(ACS). In the situation where patients do not present to a facility capable of 24/7 percutaneous coronary interventions(PCI) delays in time to therapy can exceed the recommendation of 90 min or less. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of transfers on performance indices for patients diagnosed with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI). Methods Over a seven month collection period, all patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of ACS and admitted for PCI were studied. Patients were divided into dichotomous groups of direct presentations or transfers from a secondary non-PCI capable hospital with key times recorded, including symptom-onset, first hospital and PCI-capable hospital arrival and balloon inflation times to evaluate time of treatment for STEMI patients. Results Of the 87 patients diagnosed with STEMI, transferred patients experienced statistically significant delays in symptom-onset to the PCI-capable hospital(PCI-H) arrival(215 vs. 95 min, P < 0.001), symptom-onset to balloon inflation(225 vs. 160 min, P = 0.009) and first hospital arrival to balloon inflation times(106 vs. 56 min, P < 0.001). Only 28%(n = 9) of transferred patients underwent balloon inflation within 90 min from first hospital arrival, while 60%(n = 19) did within 120 min, although all received balloon inflation within 90 min from arrival at the PCI-H. After controlling for confounding factors of socio-economic status, presentation date/time and diagnostic category, transferred patients experienced an average 162% longer delays from symptom-onset to PCI-H door arrival, and 98% longer delays in symptom-onset to balloon inflation;compared to patients who present directly to the PCI-H. No statistically significant differences were noted between transferred and direct patients when measured from PCI-H door-to-balloon times. Conclusions This study shows that transferred patients experience a greater overall system delay, compared to patients who present directly for PCI, significantly increasing their time to treatment and therefore infarct times. Despite the majority of transfers experiencing pre-hospital activation, their treatment hospital arrival to balloon times are no less than direct presenters after controlling for confounding factors, further compounding the overall delay to therapy.

Gender and tachycardia： independent modulation of platelet reactivity in patients with atrial fibrillation

Background Female patients with atrial fibrillation （AF） experience increased risk of thromboembolism compared to males, an observation that is reflected by its inclusion in the CHA2DS2VASc score. New onset AF （often associated with tachycardia） also confers upon patients increased thromboembolic risk. The mechanisms underlying this risk are uncertain, but new onset AF is associated with profound impairment of platelet nitric oxide （NO） signalling. Given that cardiovascular responses to catecholamines are gender-dependent, and that the presence of tachycardia in new onset AF may represent a response to catecholaminergic stimulation, we explored the potential impact of gender and tachycardia on platelet aggregation and NO signalling. Methods Interactions were sought in 87 AF patients between the extent of adenosine diphosphate （ADP）-induced platelet aggregation, the anti-aggregatory effects of the NO donor, sodium nitroprusside, gender, and admission heart rate. The potential impact of platelet expression of thioredoxin-interacting protein （Txnip） was also evaluated. Results Analysis ofcovariance confLrmed the presence of physiological antagonism between platelet ADP and NO responses [F （1, 74） = 12.212, P 〈 0.01 ], while female sex correlated with impaired NO responses independent of platelet aggregability [F （2, 74） = 8.313, P 〈 0.01]. Admission heart rate correlated directly with platelet aggregation （r = 0.235, P 〈 0.05）, and inversely with NO response （r = -0.331, P 〈 0.01）. Txnip expression varied neither with gender nor with heart rate. Conclusions These results indicate, that gender and heart rate are independent determinants of platelet fimction. Prospective studies of the putative benefit of reversal of tachycardia on restoration of normal platelet function are therefore a priority.

Tuning of textural properties of germanosilicate zeolites ITH and IWW by acidic leaching

The possibility to adjust textural properties of ITH and IWW zeolites by the variation of conditions（e.g.temperature, p H, duration） of acidic leaching was shown. While the growth of the temperature of acid treatment caused the increasing amount of leached Ge atoms and enhancing volumes of both micro and mesopores at 80 ℃, the mesopore volume in ITH（Si/Ge = 3.4 and 5.8） and IWW（Si/Ge = 3.3） zeolites changed with the duration of the treatment（p H = 2; T = 80 ℃） as follows： 96 h 〈 1 h 〈 24 h. Independently on the chemical composition and zeolite topology, the treatment of germanosilicate zeolites at p H = 2–7 resulted in development of both micro and mesoporosity accompanied by the extraction of substantial amount of Ge atoms, while the increasing acidity up to p H = 0 resulted in some reduction of Ge extraction and in the development of mesopores at maintained value of micropore volume when compared with initial germanosilicates. The higher activity（i.e. number of reactant molecules converted per active site） of germanosilicate with modified micro-mesoporous channel system in comparison with parent IWW zeolite in esterification of levulinic acid was attributed to enhanced accessibility of active sites.

Synthesis, characterization and electrochemical evaluation of anticorrosion property of a tetrapolymer for carbon steel in strong acid media

A novel tetrapolymer(TP) consisting of carboxylate, sulphonate, phosphonate and sulfur dioxide based comonomers was synthesized using Butler cyclopoymerization technique. The synthesized tetrapolymer was characterized using FTIR,1H-NMR,13CNMR and elemental analysis. The performance of the tetrapolymer as a corrosion inhibitor for St37 carbon steel in 15% HCl and 15% H2SO4 acid media was assessed using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS), linear polarization resistance(LPR), potentiodynamic polarization(PDP) and electrochemical frequency modulation(EFM) techniques. The influence of addition of a small amount of KI on the corrosion inhibition efficiency of TP was also assessed. Results obtained showed that the tetrapolymer moderately inhibited the corrosion of St37 steel in the acid media with protection efficiency of 79.5% and 61.1% at the optimum concentration of 1000 mg·L^-1 studied in HCl and H2SO4 media respectively. On addition of 5 mmol·L^-1 KI to the optimum tetrapolymer concentration, the protection efficiency was upgraded to 90.6% and 93.5% in HCl and H2SO4 environment, respectively. The enhanced performance of the polymer in the presence of KI is due to synergistic action deduced from synergism parameter(S1) which was found to be greater than unity.The tetrapolymer afforded the corrosion inhibition of St37 steel in the acid media by virtue of adsorption of the polymer molecules on the steel surface which was confirmed by ATR-FTIR analysis of the adsorbed film extracted from the steel surface. TP + KI formed complex with St37 steel surface in H2SO4 solution but not in HCl solution.

Preparatory training attenuates drastic response of the insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 at the point of maximal oxygen consumption in handball players

Background:Intensive exercise changes physiological need for glucose and several biochemical pathways responsible for its metabolism response.Among them are those which involve insulin,insulin-like growth factor(IGF-1),and IGF-binding proteins(IGFBPs).Different types and degrees of exercise,as well as an athlete's fitness,may induce a range of responses regarding concentrations and time needed for the alteration.The idea of the work was to find out whether and how insulin/IGF axis responds to additional physical activity in the already trained subjects and if so,is the adaptation potentially beneficial from the aspect of metabolic control.Methods:The effect of 4-week intensive training on campus(preparatory training) on the levels of insulin,IGF-1,and IGFBPs during maximal progressive exercise test(MPET) on a treadmill was compared to the results obtained during MPET conducted after a regular training season of a female elite handball team(n = 17,age:17 ± 1 years,height:171 ± 8 cm,weight:65 ± 8 kg,body mass index:22 ± 1 kg/m^2 at the beginning of the study;there were no significant changes at the end).Serum samples were obtained from players immediately before the test(basal),at the end of the test after reaching the point of maximal oxygen consumption(VO_(2max)),and after recovery.Results:The concentration of insulin decreased at VO_(2max),but remained higher in players after preparatory training(12.2 ± 2.5 m U/L vs.8.9 ± 4.4 m U/L,p = 0.049).The level of IGFBP-1 decreased in players at VO_(2max) in either case of training,but it remained much higher in tests performed after the preparatory regime than before(p = 0.029).Concentrations of IGF-1,IGFBP-2,-3,and-4 did not change significantly.Conclusion:The inverse relation between insulin and IGFBP-1 was lost during MPET,as these 2 molecules changed in the same direction.The results obtained suggest less severe stress-induced depression of insulin and IGFBP-1 after preparatory training.But another metabolic mechanism cannot be excluded,and that is potentially impaired insulin sensitivity resulting in higher level of IGFBP-1.

Development of a Universal Internet-Based Prevention Program for Ecstasy and New Psychoactive Substances

In recent years, the Internet has received increasing recognition as an effective means of facilitating public health interventions. In particular, delivering prevention for substance use to school students via the Internet appears to be an area of great potential. The Climate Schools: Ecstasy and Emerging Drugs Module, a school-based prevention program, facilitated by the Internet, was developed to address the use of ecstasy and new and emerging drugs (Emerging Psychoactive Substances or Novel Psychoactive Substances). This four-lesson course was designed to be delivered to Australian adolescents (aged 15 to 16 years) during their standard health education classes at school, and is based on a harm-minimisation and social influence approach. The program was developed in response to the important public health challenge of new and emerging drugs as well as to address the prevention of ecstasy use among young people. To our knowledge, this will be the first school- and Internet-based prevention program specifically targeting these substances. This paper describes the process involved in developing this new Internet-based substance use prevention program.

Characterisation of colonic dysplasia-like epithelial atypia in murine colitis

AIM To determine if exacerbation of pre-existing chronic colitis in Winnie(Muc2 mutant) mice induces colonic dysplasia.METHODS Winnie mice and C57BL6 as a genotype control, were administered 1% w/v dextran sulphate sodium(DSS) orally, followed by drinking water alone in weeklong cycles for a total of three cycles. After the third cycle, mice were killed and colonic tissue collected for histological and immunohistochemical evaluation. Inflammation and severity of dysplasia in the colonic mucosa were assessed in H&E sections of the colon. Epithelial cell proliferation was assessed using Ki67 and aberrant β-catenin signalling assessed with enzyme-based immunohistochemistry. Extracted RNA from colonic segments was used for the analysis of gene expression using real-time quantitative PCR. Finally, the distribution of Cxcl5 was visualised using immunohistochemistry.RESULTS Compared to controls, Winnie mice exposed to three cycles of DSS displayed inflammation mostly confined to the distal-mid colon with extensive mucosal hyperplasia and regenerative atypia resembling epithelial dysplasia. Dysplasia-like changes were observed in 100% of Winnie mice exposed to DSS, with 55% of these animals displaying changes similar to high-grade dysplasia, whereas high-grade changes were absent in wild-type mice. Occasional penetration of the muscularis mucosae by atypical crypts was observed in 27% of Winnie mice after DSS. Atypical crypts however displayed no evidence of oncogenic nuclear β-catenin accumulation, regardless of histological severity. Expression of Cav1, Trp53 was differentially regulated in the distal colon of Winnie relative to wild-type mice. Expression of Myc and Ccl5 was increased by DSS treatment in Winnie only. Furthermore, increased Ccl5 expression correlated with increased complexity in abnormal crypts. While no overall difference in Cxcl5 mucosal expression was observed between treatment groups, epithelial Cxcl5 protein appeared to be diminished in the atypical epithelium. CONCLUSION Alterations to the expression of Cav1, Ccl5, Myc and Trp53 in the chronically inflamed Winnie colon may influence the transition to dysplasia.

Development of innovative tools for investigation of nutrient-gut interaction

The gastrointestinal tract is the key interface between the ingesta and the human body.There is wide recognition that the gastrointestinal response to nutrients or bioactive compounds,particularly the secretion of numerous hormones,is critical to the regulation of appetite,body weight and blood glucose.This concept has led to an increasing focus on“gut-based”strategies for the management of metabolic disorders,including type 2 diabetes and obesity.Understanding the underlying mechanisms and downstream effects of nutrient-gut interactions is fundamental to effective translation of this knowledge to clinical practice.To this end,an array of research tools and platforms have been developed to better understand the mechanisms of gut hormone secretion from enteroendocrine cells.This review discusses the evolution of in vitro and in vivo models and the integration of innovative techniques that will ultimately enable the development of novel therapies for metabolic diseases.

The Role of the Chelating Agent on the Structure and Anticorrosion Performances of an Organosilane—Zirconium Sol-Gel Coatings

This work investigates the role of the structure of a zirconium complex (ZC) on the condensation and anticorrosion properties of an organosilane sol-gel coating. The structure and reactivity of the ZC were modified by varying the content of methacrylic acid employed as a chelating agent. The structures of the developed materials were characterised by Dynamic Light Scattering, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The passive anticorrosion properties were evaluated by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy of the sol-gel coatings deposited on AA2024-T3 substrates. It was highlighted, that a competition in the condensation process of the silicate (Si-O-Si) and silicon-ZC oxides (Si-O-Zr) species can be tailored by the structure of the ZC, with the least chelated ZC exhibiting the highest content of Si-O-Zr bonds. At the same time, it was also found that the coatings containing the highest content of Si-O-Zr groups exhibited the best anticorrosion barrier performances amongst all sol-gel coatings investigated here, therefore presenting the highest condensation degree. This suggested that Si-O-Zr bonds were the essential chemical species responsible for the formation of condensed coatings. A direct correlation between the structure of the coatings and their anticorrosion performances is proposed.

Gastric emptying, postprandial blood pressure, glycaemia and splanchnic flow in Parkinson's disease

AIM: To determine gastric emptying, blood pressure, mesenteric artery blood flow, and blood glucose responses to oral glucose in Parkinson’s disease.METHODS: Twenty-one subjects (13 M, 8 F; age 64.2 ± 1.6 years) with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease (Hoehn and Yahr score 1.4 ± 0.1, duration of known disease 6.3 ± 0.9 years) consumed a 75 g glucose drink, labelled with 20 MBq 99mTc-calcium phytate. Gastric emptying was quantified with scintigraphy, blood pressure and heart rate with an automated device, superior mesenteric artery blood flow by Doppler ultrasonography and blood glucose by glucometer for 180 min. Autonomic nerve function was evaluated with cardiovascular reflex tests and upper gastrointestinal symptoms by questionnaire.RESULTS: The mean gastric half-emptying time was 106 ± 9.1 min, gastric emptying was abnormally delayed in 3 subjects (14%). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure fell (P < 0.001) and mesenteric blood flow and blood glucose (P < 0.001 for both) increased, following the drink. Three subjects (14%) had definite autonomic neuropathy and 8 (38%) had postprandial hypotension. There were no significant relationships between changes in blood pressure, heart rate or mesenteric artery blood flow with gastric emptying. Gastric emptying was related to the score for autonomic nerve function (R = 0.55, P < 0.01). There was an inverse relationship between the blood glucose at t = 30 min (R = -0.52, P < 0.05), while the blood glucose at t = 180 min was related directly (R = 0.49, P < 0.05), with gastric emptying.CONCLUSION: In mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease, gastric emptying is related to autonomic dysfunction and a determinant of the glycaemic response to oral glucose.

Crosstalk between dietary patterns,obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is rising worldwide,paralleling the epidemic of obesity.The liver is a key organ for the metabolism of proteins,fats and carbohydrates.Various types of fats and carbohydrates in isocaloric diets differently influence fat accumulation in the liver parenchyma.Therefore,nutrition can manage hepatic and cardiometabolic complications of NAFLD.Even moderately reduced caloric intake,which leads to a weight loss of 5%-10%of initial body weight,is effective in improving liver steatosis and surrogate markers of liver disease status.Among dietary patterns,the Mediterranean diet mostly prevents the onset of NAFLD.Furthermore,this diet is also the most recommended for the treatment of NAFLD patients.However,clinical trials based on the dietary interventions in NAFLD patients are sparse.Since there are only a few studies examining dietary interventions in clinically advanced stages of NAFLD,such as active and fibrotic steatohepatitis,the optimal diet for patients in these stages of the disease must still be determined.In this narrative review,we aimed to critically summarize the associations between different dietary patterns,obesity and prevention/risk for NAFLD,to describe specific dietary interventions’impacts on liver steatosis in adults with NAFLD and to provide an updated overview of dietary recommendations that clinicians potentially need to apply in their daily practice.

Liver disease and COVID-19:The link with oxidative stress,antioxidants and nutrition

Varying degrees of liver injuries have been reported in patients infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2(SARS-CoV-2).In general,oxidative stress is actively involved in initiation and progression of liver damage.The liver metabolizes various compounds that produce free radicals.Maintaining the oxidative/antioxidative balance is important in coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)patients.Antioxidant vitamins,essential trace elements and food compounds,such as polyphenols,appear to be promising agents,with effects in oxidative burst.Deficiency of these nutrients suppresses immune function and increases susceptibility to COVID-19.Daily micronutrient intake is necessary to support anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects but for immune function may be higher than current recommended dietary intake.Antioxidant supplements(β-carotene,vitamin A,vitamin C,vitamin E,and selenium)could have a potential role in patients with liver damage.Available evidence suggests that supplementing the diet with a combination of micronutrients may help to optimize immune function and reduce the risk of infection.Clinical trials based on the associations of diet and SARS-CoV-2 infection are lacking.Unfortunately,it is not possible to definitively determine the dose,route of administration and best timing to intervene with antioxidants in COVID-19 patients because clinical trials are still ongoing.Until then,hopefully,this review will enable clinicians to understand the impact of micronutrient dietary intake and liver status assessment in COVID-19 patients.

A Novel Method for Resolving and Completing Authors' Country Affiliation Data in Bibliographic Records

Purpose: Our work seeks to overcome data quality issues related to incomplete author affiliation data in bibliographic records in order to support accurate and reliable measurement of international research collaboration(IRC).Design/methodology/approch: We propose, implement, and evaluate a method that leverages the Web-based knowledge graph Wikidata to resolve publication affiliation data to particular countries. The method is tested with general and domain-specific data sets.Findings: Our evaluation covers the magnitude of improvement, accuracy, and consistency. Results suggest the method is beneficial, reliable, and consistent, and thus a viable and improved approach to measuring IRC.Research limitations: Though our evaluation suggests the method works with both general and domain-specific bibliographic data sets, it may perform differently with data sets not tested here. Further limitations stem from the use of the R programming language and R libraries for country identification as well as imbalanced data coverage and quality in Wikidata that may also change over time.Practical implications: The new method helps to increase the accuracy in IRC studies and provides a basis for further development into a general tool that enriches bibliographic data using the Wikidata knowledge graph.Originality: This is the first attempt to enrich bibliographic data using a peer-produced, Webbased knowledge graph like Wikidata.