Consideration of Healthy Eating Obsession (Orthorexia Nervosa) for Students Educated in Nutrition and Dietetics Department

Objective:It was conducted to evaluate the susceptibility to ON(orthorexia nervosa)in the students of the nutrition and dietetics department according to the variables of gender,age and BMI(body massındex).Subjects and Methods:The research covers the students of Marmara University Faculty of Health Sciences,Department of Nutrition and Dietetics in September-October 2017-2018 academic year.The data were collected by survey method.Socio-demographic characteristics and anthropometric measurements of the participants were questioned.EAT-40(Eating Attitude Test),ORTO-15 test and MOCI(Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory)were used in the study.It was evaluated with SPSS(The Statistical Package for The Social Sciences)21.0 program.Results:205 people participated in the study.EAT-40 scores were found to be≤20 in 94%of the women and 95.2%of the men in the study.The EAT-40 score is≥21 in 6%of women and 4.8%of men in the study(p=0.646>0.05).The ORTO-15 score of 72.3%of women and 71.4%of men is≤40(p=0.934>0.05).EAT-40 average is 10.25±1.10 in underweight.It was found to be 9.21±0.42 in normals and 8.23±0.76 in slightly obese subjects(p=0.758>0.05).ORTO-15 average of those with BMI≤18.49 kg/m2 is 39.59±0.54;Those with 18.50-24.99 kg/m2 were found to be 38.30±0.25 and those with 25.00-29.99 kg/m2 were found to be 39.54±0.75(p=0.098>0.05).As the EAT-40 score increased,the ORTO-15 score decreased.It shows a negative,statistically significant difference between EAT-40 and ORTO-15 scores(p=0.00<0.05).Conclusion:It was concluded that orthorexic tendency is common(72.2%)in nutrition dietetic students,and ON is associated with BMI and EAT-40 scores.In terms of ON,it would be beneficial to conduct comprehensive international studies and determine DSM(Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)diagnostic criteria.

A perspective review on the biosynthesis of plant-based secondary metabolites and their application as potent drugs

Many phytochemicals and their derived metabolites produced by plants are extensively employed in commercial goods,pharmaceutical products as well as in the environmental and medicalfields.However,these secondary metabolites obtained from plants are in low amounts,and it is difficult to synthesize them at the industrial level.Despite these challenges,they may be utilized for a variety of medicinal products that are either available in the market or are being researched and tested.Secondary metabolites are complex compounds that exhibit chirality.Further,under controlled conditions with elicitors,desired secondary metabolites may be produced from plant cell cultures.This review emphasizes the various aspects of secondary metabolites including their types,synthesis,and applications as medicinal products.The article aims to promote the use of plant secondary metabolites in the management and treatment of various diseases.

Telenutrition for the management of inflammatory bowel disease:Benefits,limits,and future perspectives

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)require lifelong and personalized care by a multidisciplinary healthcare team.However,the traditional medical model is not ideal for patients who require continuous close monitoring and whose symptoms may dramatically worsen between regularly scheduled visits.Additionally,close dietary follow-up and monitoring of IBD in a traditional setting are challenging because of the disease complexity,high pressure on outpatient clinics with a small number of IBD specialist dietitians,and rising incidence.Given the significant burden of IBD,there is a need to develop effective dietary management strategies.The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic caused an unprecedented shift from in-person care to delivering health care via technological remote devices.Traditional nutrition therapy and consultation can be provided by telenutrition through remote electronic communication applications that could greatly benefit patient care.Telenutrition might be useful,safe,and cost-effective compared with standard care.It is likely that virtual care for chronic diseases including IBD will continue in some form into the future.This review article summarizes the evidence about telenutrition applications in the management of IBD patients,and we gave an overview of the acceptance and impact of these interventions on health outcomes.

Carbon, Water, Ecological Footprints, Energy and Nutritional Densities of Omnivore and Vegan Culinary Preparations

This study aimed to evaluate energy and nutritional densities, water, carbon and ecological footprints, cost, of omnivorous and vegan main courses served in a university restaurant in the city of Rio de Janeiro. A cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted with 40 main dish-type preparations, 20 of which are omnivorous and 20 vegans, served at lunch, to assess energy and nutritional densities, carbon, water and ecological footprints and cost of preparations. We propose a healthy and sustainable preparation index (HSPI) to evaluate from the list, the best preparation options considering the nutritional quality combined with the impact that the food causes on the environment. Preparations with the highest HSPI were considered the best options because they have a good relation between the nutritional profile and the environmental impact. Results: Regarding energy (ED), nutritional (ND) densities and water, carbon and ecological footprints, omnivorous preparations presented much higher values when compared to the vegan ones. The omnivorous preparations had the highest average cost (R$ 3.44). Regarding the HSPI, vegan preparations showed better rates than omnivorous preparations. Food services should promote healthy and sustainable choices by offering menus with low energy density preparations, high nutritional density, and low environmental impact, considering local realities and customer needs. Conclusion: This study was able to evaluate the best preparation options, considering the nutritional profile and the food impact on the environment, using health and sustainable indicators. Obtaining indicators of preparations regarding healthiness and sustainability, in practice, translates environmental aspects in menu planning, which contribute to changes in food consumption patterns in food services, in addition to contributing to the reduction of the environmental impact. In this way, they can be used as tools added to the menu planning process for the analysis of the environmental impact of menus, in addition to nutritional and qualitative aspects.

Effect of nutritional counselling on hepatic,muscle and adipose tissue fat content and distribution in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

AIM： To assess the effectiveness of the current UK clinical practice in reducing hepatic fat （IHCL）.METHODS： Whole body MRI and IH MRS were obtained, before and after 6 mo nutritional counselling, from liver, soleus and tibialis muscles in 10 subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD）.RESULTS： A 500 Kcal-restricted diet resulted in an average weight loss of 4% （-3.4 kg,） accompanied by significant reductions in most adipose tissue （AT） depots, including subcutaneous （-9.9%）, abdominal subcutaneous （-10.2%） and intra-abdominal- AT （-11.4%）. Intramyocellular lipids （IMCL） were significantly reduced in the tibialis muscle （-28.2%）. Decreases in both IHCL （-39.9%） and soleus IMCL （-12.2%） content were also observed, although these were not significant. Several individuals showed dramatic decreases in IHCL, while others paradoxically showed increases in IHCL content. Changes in body composition were accompanied by improvements in certain liver function tests： serum aspartate aminotransferase （AST） and alanine aminotransferase （ALT）. Significant correlations were found between decreases in IHCL and reductions in both intra-abdominal and abdominal subcutaneous AT. Improvements in liver function tests were associated with reductions in intra-abdominal AT, but not with changes in IHCL. CONCLUSION： This study shows that even a very modest reduction in body weight achieved through lifestyle modification can result in changes in body fat depots and improvements in LETs.

Health practitioner practices and their influence on nutritional intake of hospitalised patients

Objectives:In the hospital setting,poor dietary intake interacts with disease and represents a major and modifiable cause of malnutrition.Understanding barriers to adequate dietary intake is an important strategy to guide the development of interventions to improve nutrition intake.The aim of this study reported in this paper was to explore patient,family and health care professionals'perceptions of barriers to and enablers of adequate nutrition care and dietary intake of medical inpatients.Methods:An exploratory qualitative study design incorporating group and individual interviews of patients(n=14),their family members(n=4),and health care professionals(n=18)was undertaken.Participants were recruited pragmatically,using a mix of convenience and purposive sampling.A theoretically informed,semi-structured interview schedule was based on observations of practice and the Theoretical Domains Framework.Interviews were audio-recorded,transcribed verbatim and analysed inductively using a general inductive approach.Results:Three key themes emerged from analysing participant interviews.Siloed approaches to nutrition care reflected the diverse range of health care professionals responsible for nutrition care but who often worked in isolation from their colleagues.Competing work priorities for nurses reflected the challenge in prioritise nutrition care which was often constrained because of other care needs or work-related pressures.Helping patients to eat highlighted that nurses were often the only health care professional who would provide assistance to patients at mealtimes and lack of available staff could negatively influence patients'nutrition intakes.Conclusions:We have identified many complex and interrelated barriers which preclude adequate dietary intake in acute medical patients.These predominantly reflect issues inherent in the hospital culture and environment.Multi-faceted and sustainable interventions that support a facilitating nutrition culture and multidisciplinary collaboration,inclusive of patients and families,are needed to address these underlying barriers.

Purification of Moringa oleifera Leaves Protease by Three-Phase Partitioning and Investigation of Its Potential Antibacterial Activity

One of plant-based products for dental care is plant-based proteolytic enzymes which are principally proteases. In order not to damage the protein and bioactive content, an efficient method should be employed for their purifications. As such, three-phase partitioning (TPP) was used to purify protease from moringa (Moringa oleifera). TPP is an emerging, promising, non-chromatographic and economical technology which is simple, quick, efficient and often one-step process for the separation and purification of bioactive molecules from natural sources. It involves the addition of salt (ammonium sulphate) to the crude extract followed by the addition of an organic solvent (butanol). The protein appears as an interfacial precipitate between upper organic solvent and lower aqueous phases. The various conditions such as ammonium sulphate, ratio of crude extract to t-butanol and pH which are required for attaining efficient purification of the protease fractions were optimized. Under optimized conditions, it was seen that, 35% of ammonium sulphate saturation with 1:0.75 ratio of crude extract to t-butanol at pH 7 gave 4.94-fold purification with 96.20% activity yield of protease in the middle phase of the TPP system. The purified enzyme from Moringa oleifera has no antimicrobial effect on the pathogenic bacteria tested. However, this purified enzyme, can be considered as a promising agent, cheap, and safe source which is suitable for using in various industries.

The Main and Interactive Effects of Fat and Salt Contents of the Diet on Characteristics of Metabolic Syndrome in Male Wistar Rats

The current Western diet contains high amounts of salt and fat. High salt and fat diets are known to have negative impacts on food intake (FI), body weight (BW), body composition (BC), glucose metabolism, and blood pressure. These factors have been studied as separate entities, but the main and interactive effects of dietary salt and fat received little study. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of sodium and fat content of the diet on FI, BW, and BC in male Wistar rats. Male Wistar Rats (n = 48) were allocated into 4 groups (n = 12) and received the following diets: 1. Normal sodium normal fat, 2. Normal sodium high fat, 3. High sodium normal fat, and 4. High sodium high-fat diet for 12 weeks. BW and FI were measured weekly. BC and organs’ weight were recorded post-termination. Regardless of sodium content, a greater FI was observed in normal-fat diet groups compared with high-fat diet groups. However, higher BW and fat (%) were observed in high-fat diet groups. Fasting blood glucose was higher in rats fed normal fat diets compared with those fed high-fat diets. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure was lower in rats fed either high fat, high salt, or normal fat, normal salt diet. In conclusion, fat but not salt content in the diet is a determining factor in the regulation of FI and body weight. Moreover, glucose metabolism can be influenced by both the fat and salt content of the diet.

Betalains protect various body organs through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pathways

Betalains are natural coloring pigments with betalamic acid as the core structure of all subclasses.Besides their coloring properties,betalains exhibit various biological activities,including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties,which are highly imperative.Further in-vivo studies reported that betalains protect various body organs,leading to health enhancement.Body organs,including the heart,liver,kidney,lung,etc.,are important for a healthy life.However,these organs can be affected or damaged by various stress factors,toxicants,and harmful substances.Recent studies have claimed that betalains could protect all vital organs of the body through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.This review article described the in-vivo antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of betalains in various cell-line or animal models.A comprehensive discussion has been provided on the mechanism of action of betalains in protecting various body organs,including cardio-protective effect,hepato-protective ability,renal protection capacity,repro-protective ability,neuro-protective effect,lung protection,and gut protection ability.Finally,future research directions and conclusions have been outlined.

Association between sarcopenic obesity and higher risk of type 2 diabetes in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND The coexistence of sarcopenia and obesity is referred to as sarcopenic obesity(SO)and it has been hypothesized that the two components of SO may synergistically increase their negative effects. However, many uncertainties still surround this condition especially with regard to its potential negative effects on health outcomes.AIM To conduct a systematic review to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia among adults with overweight and obesity and to investigate whether SO was associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes(T2 D).METHODS This study was conducted in adherence with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Literature searches, study selection, methodology development and quality appraisal were performed independently by two authors and the data were collated by means of metaanalysis and narrative synthesis.RESULTS Of the 606 articles retrieved, 11 studies that comprised a total of 60118 adults with overweight and obesity of both genders met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed, revealing two main findings. First, the overall prevalence of sarcopenia is 43% in females and 42% in males who are with overweight and obesity.Secondly, the presence of SO increases the risk of T2D by 38% with respect to those without SO(OR = 1.38, 95%CI: 1.27-1.50).CONCLUSION A high prevalence of sarcopenia has been found among adults with overweight and obesity regardless of their gender and this condition seems to be associatedwith a higher risk of T2D. Clinician should be aware of this scenario in their clinical practice for the better management of both obesity and T2D.

Dual-specificity phosphatase 6(DUSP6): a review of its molecular characteristics and clinical relevance in cancer

Mitogen-activated protein kinases(MAPKs) are the main regulators of cellular proliferation, growth, and survival in physiological or pathological conditions. Aberrant MAPK signaling plays a pivotal role in carcinogenesis, which leads to development and progression of human cancer. Dual-specificity phosphatase 6(DUSP6), a member of the MAPK phosphatase family, interacts with specifically targeted extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 via negative feedback regulation in the MAPK pathway of mammalian cells. This phosphatase functions in a dual manner, pro-oncogenic or tumor-suppressive, depending on the type of cancer. To date, the tumor-suppressive role of DUSP6 has been demonstrated in pancreatic cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, esophageal squamous cell and nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and ovarian cancer. Its pro-oncogenic role has been observed in human glioblastoma, thyroid carcinoma, breast cancer, and acute myeloid carcinoma. Both roles of DUSP6 have been documented in malignant melanoma depending on the histological subtype of the cancer. Loss-or gain-of-function effects of DUSP6 in these cancers highlights the significance of this phosphatase in carcinogenesis. Development of methods that use the DUSP6 gene as a therapeutic target for cancer treatment or as a prognostic factor for diagnosis and evaluation of cancer treatment outcome has great potential. This review focuses on molecular characteristics of the DUSP6 gene and its role in cancers in the purview of development, progression, and cancer treatment outcome.

Physico-Chemical and Sensory Evaluation of Wheat Bread Supplemented with Stabilized Undefatted Rice Bran

The effect of rice bran supplementation on some physicochemical and sensory properties of wheat bread was deter mined. Blends of wheat flour and rice bran (95:5, 90:10 and 85:15) were used to bake bread with 100% wheat flour as control. Thereafter, proximate, vitamin and mineral composition, as well as the physical and sensory properties of the dough and bread loaves were determined, using standard methods of analysis. The moisture content, crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre and ash of the composite bread loaves increased significantly (p < 0.05) from 21.07% to 23.67%, 12.04% to 13.10%, 1.57% to 3.77%, 1.76% to 2.91% and 1.46% to 2.41% respectively;while carbohydrate content decreased with increased level of supplementation from 62.10% to 54.14%. There were significant increases (p < 0.05) in vitamin B1 (Thiamin) from 0.15 mg/100g to 0.47 mg/100g and B2 (Niacin) from 3.31 mg/100g to 4.04 mg/100g but no significant increase (p > 0.05) in vitamin B3 (Riboflavin). Mineral content of the bread increased significantly (p < 0.05) with increased level of supplementation from 9.32 mg/100g to 20.52 mg/100g (Iron), 80.74 mg/100g to 188.20 mg/100g (Potassium), 81.31 mg/100g to 130.70 mg/100g (Calcium) and 13.65 mg/100g to 132.22 mg/100g (Magne sium). However, there was a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in sodium with increased level of supplementation from 305.25 mg/100g to 253.03 mg/100g. Bread loaf weight increased from 152.7 g to 162.7 g;while loaf volume decreased from 655.2 ml to 586.0 ml and specific loaf volume decreased from 4.29 ml/g to 3.60 ml/g. There were significant dif ferences (p < 0.05) in physical properties of dough and bread loaves between the composite bread and the control. Though 100% wheat bread had better acceptability scores (7.95) compared to composite bread (7.20 for 95:5 blend), all the composite bread samples had significantly (p < 0.05) higher values for nutritional parameters. There was therefore, a significant improvement in the nutritional composition of the wheat bread with rice bran supplementation.

Estimating Glycemic Index of Rice-Based Mixed Meals by Using Predicted and Adjusted Formulae

The estimation of glycemic index(GI) of rice-based mixed meal either by using predicted GI(GI_(pred)) or adjusted GI(GI_(adj)) formula is unclear.This study aimed to determine the glycemic response of rice in rice alone or mixed meals and to identify the appropriate formula for estimating the GI of rice-based mixed meals.The glycemic responses produced by the rice alone(red rice,fragrant white rice or parboiled rice) and the rice-based mixed meals(fried red rice,fried fragrant white rice or fried parboiled rice) which provided 25 g available carbohydrate were assessed in 11 healthy individuals.To determine the measured GI(GImeasured) of rice alone and rice-based mixed meals,participants underwent three repeated tests of a reference food(Glucolin~?).Tests were performed in random order on nine separate visits after an overnight fasting for at least 8 h.Capillary glucose at baseline(0 min),15,30,45,60,90 and 120 min from starting the meals was assessed and used to determine the incremental area under the curve(iAUC_(120)).The agreement between GImeasured and the estimation formulae(GI_(pred) or GI_(adj)) were determined using Bland-Altman analysis.The iAUC_(120) after consuming rice alone was significantly higher than the rice-based mixed meals except for fried fragrant rice,which was comparable to the rice alone(P > 0.05).The GI_(measured) values of rice were categorized as medium(61 for parboiled rice,67 for fragrant white rice,and 68 for red rice).GI_(pred)(r = 0.40,P < 0.01) and GI_(adj)(r = 0.41,P < 0.01) were significantly correlated with iAUC_(120).The agreement between GI_(measured) and GI_(adj) is apparent suggesting the usefulness of GI_(adj) in estimating meal GI of rice-based mixed meals.

Gac fruit extracts ameliorate proliferation and modulate angiogenic markers of human retinal pigment epithelial cells under high glucose conditions

Objective: To investigate the impact of the extracts of Gac fruit parts(peel, pulp, seed, and aril) on the cell viability and angiogenesis markers of human retinal pigment epithelial(ARPE-19) cells under high glucose conditions. Methods: The effect of the extracts of Gac fruit peel, pulp, seed and aril on the ARPE-19 cells was determined using MTT viability assay, Trypan blue dye and morphological changes were observed using light microscopy. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent-based assay was performed to evaluate the effect of Gac fruit parts on the reactive oxygen species(ROS), vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and pigmented epithelium-derived factor(PEDF) secretions. Results: High glucose(HG) at 30 mmol/L increased ARPE-19 cell viability and ROS and VEGF secretions. While, the exposure of ARPE-19 cells in high glucose condition to Gac fruit extracts led to inhibition of cell viability, induced morphological changes, decreased ROS and VEGF secretions, and increased PEDF level. Gac pulp, seed, and aril at 1 000 μg/mL showed significant inhibition activities [(7.5 ± 5.1)%,(2.7 ± 0.5)%,(3.2 ± 1.1)%, respectively] against HG-induced ARPE-19 cell viability. The findings also demonstrated that Gac aril at 250 μg/mL significantly decreased ROS and VEGF levels [(40.6 ± 3.3) pg/mL,(107.4 ± 48.3) pg/mL, respectively] compared to ROS [(71.7 ± 2.9) pg/mL ] and VEGF [(606.9 ± 81.1) pg/mL] in HG untreated cells. Moreover, 250 μg/mL of Gac peel dramatically increased PEDF level [(18.2 ± 0.3) ng/mL] compared to that in HG untreated cells [(0.48 ± 0.39) ng/mL]. Conclusions: This study indicates that the extracts of Gac peel, pulp, seed and aril reduced cell viability, minimized ROS generations and showed angiogenic activities. Therefore, our findings open new insights into the potentiality of Gac fruit against HG-related diabetic retinopathy disease.

Antioxidant compounds and capacities of Gac (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng) fruits

Objective: To identify and determine the composition of antioxidant compounds, and to evaluate the antioxidant abilities of Gac fruit parts(peel, pulp, seed and aril) grown in Malaysia. Methods: LC-MS/MS was used for identification of antioxidant compounds and UV-Vis for estimation of the contents of phenolics, flavonoids, and carotenoids. Lycopene and β-carotene were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. DPPH(2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ferric reducing antioxidant power assays were employed to evaluate antioxidant capacities. Results: Phytochemicals were found amongst all the fruit parts. Notably, significant amounts of carotenoids [(107.4 ± 4.5),(85.7 ± 4.4),(110.6 ± 2.1) mg/100 g dry weight(DW)], and relatively high levels of both phenolics [(27.3 ± 1.7),(28.9 ± 2.4),(30.8 ± 2.7) mg/100 g DW] and flavonoids [(38.1 ± 2.2),(8.8 ± 1.3),(24.5 ± 3.3) mg/100 g DW] were found in the fruit's peel, pulp and aril, respectively. Seed part also showed a relatively high level of flavonoids [(18.1 ± 2.3) mg/100 g DW]. Lycopene and β-carotene were found to be significantly high(P < 0.05) in aril [(579.3 ± 22.7) and(621.0 ± 35.0) μg/g DW], followed by peel [(51.0 ± 7.5) and(210.0 ± 12.5) μg/g DW] and pulp [(37.6 ± 10.9) and(205.6 ± 22.1) μg/g DW)]. Antioxidant assays revealed that aril possessed the highest scavenging activity(IC_(50) = 865 μg/mL), while the peel possessed the highest ferric reducing power of 140 μmol FeSO4/μg. Conclusions: The current results demonstrate that Gac fruit grown in Malaysia is a rich source of phytochemicals, especially carotenoids, and possesses antioxidant activities. Thus, such findings suggest Gac fruit as a source of an antioxidant plant.

Production, Quality Evaluation and Sensory Acceptability of Mixed Fruit Juice from Pawpaw and Lime

Pawpaw and lime juices were blended to produce mixed pawpaw/lime juice samples in the ratios of 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40 and 50:50) v/v giving samples A, B, C, D and E respectively. The moisture, mineral and vitamin contents, as well as the physical, microbiological and sensory qualities of the individual juices and blended samples were evaluated. While lime juice had higher moisture, calcium and vitamin C with values of 97.90%, 2.21 mg/100 g and 67.47 mg/100 g as compared to pawpaw juice with 92.96%, 1.53 mg/100 g and 35.49 mg/100 g respectively;the pawpaw juice had higher ash, phosphorus and vitamin A contents, with values of 3.12%, 54.97 mg/100 g and 5.90 IU/100 g as against 2.84%, 29.53% and 0.16% for lime juice respectively. While there was a general increase in moisture, calcium and vitamin C contents with blending, ash, phosphorus and vitamin A contents increased with increase in lime. The total solids content and specific gravity of pawpaw juice were remarkably higher at 7.04% and 1.15 g/m3 compared to 2.09% and 1.09 g/m3 respectively for lime juice. However, lime juice had a higher titratable acidity, while recording a lower pH of 2.89 as compared to 5.36 for pawpaw juice. The Total Viable Count (TVC) of lime juice was much lower (2.33 × 105 CFU/ml) than that of pawpaw juice (5.33 × 106 CFU/ml). There was significant difference (p < 0.05) in all the sensory parameters evaluated. Generally, there was an increase in the scores of each parameter from sample A to B and then a decline through to sample E. Sample B (80:20) mixed pawpaw/lime juice was most preferred, while sample E (50:50) was least preferred.

Independent effects of diet and exercise training on fat oxidation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

AIM To investigate the independent effects of 6-mo of dietary energy restriction or exercise training on wholebody and hepatic fat oxidation of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).METHODS Participants were randomised into either circuit exercise training(EX;n = 13;3 h/wk without changes in dietary habits),or dietary energy restriction(ER) without changes in structured physical activity(ER;n = 8).Respiratory quotient(RQ) and whole-body fat oxidation rates(Fatox) were determined by indirect calorimetry under basal,insulin-stimulated and exercise conditions.Severity of disease and steatosis was determined by liver histology;hepatic Fatox was estimated from plasma β-hydroxybutyrate co.ncentrations;cardiorespiratory fitness was expressed as VO2 peak.Complete-case analysis was performed(EX:n = 10;ER:n = 6).RESULTS Hepatic steatosis and NAFLD activity score decreased with ER but not with EX.β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations increased significantly in response to ER(0.08 ± 0.02 mmol/L vs 0.12 ± 0.04 mmol/L,P = 0.03) but remained unchanged in response to EX(0.10 ± 0.03 mmol/L vs 0.11 ± 0.07 mmol/L,P = 0.39).Basal RQ decreased(P = 0.05) in response.to EX,while this change was not significant after ER(P = 0.38).VO_(2peak)(P < 0.001) and maximal Fa_(tox) during aerobic exercise(P = 0.03) improved with EX but not with ER(P > 0.05).The increase in β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations was correlated with the reduction in hepatic steatosis(r =-0.56,P = 0.04).CONCLUSION ER and EX lead to specific benefits on fat metabolism of patients with NAFLD.Increased hepatic Fat_(ox) in response to ER could be one mechanism through which the ER group achieved reduction in steatosis.

Effects of carob-bean gum thickened formulas on infants' reflux and tolerance indices

AIM: To examine the effect of carob-bean gum(CBG) thickened-formulas on reflux and tolerance indices in infants with gastro-esophageal reflux(GER). METHODS: Fifty-six eligible infants(1-6 mo old) were randomly allocated to receive for two weeks a formula with either 0.33 g/100 m L(Formula A) or 0.45 g/100 m L(Formula B) of cold soluble CBG galactomannans respectively, or a formula with 0.45 g/100 m L of hot soluble CBG galactomannans(Formula C). No control group receiving standard formula was included in the study. Data on the following indices were obtained both at baseline and follow-up from all study participants: 24 h esophageal p H monitoring indices, anthropometrical indices(i.e., body weight and length) and tolerance indices(i.e., frequency of colics; type and frequency ofdefecations). From the eligible infants, forty seven were included in an intention-to-treat analysis to examine the effects of the two-week trial on esophageal 24 h p H monitoring, growth and tolerance indices. Repeated Measures ANOVA was used to examine the research hypothesis.RESULTS: Regarding changes in 24 h p H monitoring indices, significant decreases from baseline to followup were observed in the "Boix Ochoa Score"(i.e., an index of esophageal acid exposure), in the total number of visible refluxes and in all symptoms related indices due to acid reflux only for infants provided with Formula A, while no significant changes were observed for infants provided with Formulas B and C. In addition, the significant decreases observed in two symptoms related p H monitoring indices(i.e., "Symptom index for reflux" and "Percentage of all reflux") for infants provided with Formula A were also found to differentiate significantly compared to the changes observed in the other two groups(P = 0.048 and P = 0.014 respectively). Concerning changes in anthropometric indices, body weight significantly increased among infants provided with Formulas A and C, but not for infants provided with Formula B. As far as tolerance indices were concerned, the numbers of total and diarrheic defecations increased significantly only in infants provided with Formula B and these changes were significantly higher compared to the decreases observed in infants fed with Formulas A and C(P = 0.003 and P = 0.015 respectively. Lastly the number of colics significantly decreased in all infants, irrespective of the tested formula. CONCLUSION: Formula A(i.e., 0.33 g/100 m L of cold galactomannans) was effective in reducing certain p Hmonitoring indices of uncomplicated GER, increased body weight and was well-tolerated by infants.

Prevalence and intensity of soil-transmitted helminth infections among school-age children in the Cagayan Valley, the Philippines

Objective:To identify the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthiasis(STH)among school-age children in the Cagayan Valley,the Philippines,assess their level of awareness on the disease,and determine predisposing factors of the disease.Methods:A total of 478 GradesⅢ-Ⅴschool-age children in Pamplona and Sanchez-Mira School Districts in the Cagayan Valley answered the questionnaire assessing their knowledge,attitude,and practices on STH,subjected to anthropometric measurements,and provided faecal samples for parasitologic assessment(direct smear,Kato-Katz,and formol-ether concentration techniques).Results:The participants of the study,with 55.86%females,were 8 to 14 years old.Their nutritional status was assessed‘normal’(84.31%),‘severely wasted’(6.49%),‘wasted’(5.23%),‘overweight’(2.72%),and‘obese’(1.26%).The prevalence of infection with at least 1 STH species was 25.99%in Pamplona and 19.40%in SanchezMira.Overall,the prevalence of heavy intensity was 7.11%for Ascaris lumbricoides and 1.67%for Trichuris trichiura.All hookworm infections had light intensities.The majority of the school-age children had a low score in the KAP test.In knowledge of STH,‘stunted growth as a symptom of infection’was associated with a lower risk of Ascaris lumbricoides infection(OR 0.448;95%CI 0.212,0.945;P=0.035)while‘playing with soil as a mode of transmission’was associated with an increased risk of Ascaris lumbricoides infection(OR 2.067;95%CI 1.014,4.212;P=0.046).In attitude towards STH,‘I think I have intestinal worm now’was associated with a higher risk of Ascaris lumbricoides infection(OR 1.681;95%CI 1.061,2.662;P=0.027).Conclusions:The prevalence rate of Ascaris lumbricoides among the school-age children in the Cagayan Valley shows the need to further intensify intervention in the area to meet the threshold set by the World Health Organization.The identified predictors of infection,which concerns the school-age children’s knowledge and attitude toward STH,can be used in augmenting intervention programs in the future.

Effect of Okra Pectin on the Sensory, Physicochemical and Microbial Quality of Yoghurt

The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of okra pectin from two genotypes (asha and agbagoma) on the physicochemical, sensory and microbial quality of yoghurt. Okra pectin concentrations (w/w pectin to milk powder ratios) of 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6% were used in the yoghurt preparation and its water holding capacity, titratable acidity and pH were analyzed against a control (0.0% pectin) weekly for a month. Consumer acceptability tests for the yoghurt samples were carried out using 50 untrained panellists on a 7-point hedonic scale. Total aerobic microorganisms present in the most preferred samples were enumerated over a four-week period. Results indicated that samples containing 0.2% asha pectin were most preferred by panelists. Water holding capacity varied significantly with those containing asha pectin higher than agbagoma counterparts and the control. There was a decline in pH with increasing pectin concentration and over the storage period. Samples containing agbagoma pectin had lower pH (3.60 - 4.32) compared to samples containing asha pectin (4.22 - 4.45). Titratable acidity increased during the storage period and with increasing pectin concentration. After four weeks of storage at 4°C sample containing 0.2% agbagoma pectin had the least microbial count (7.6 × 105 ± 4.51 cfu/g), followed by the sample containing 0.2% asha pectin (2.4 × 107 ± 11.14 cfu/g) and the control (8.6 × 107 ± 5.57 cfu/g). The study revealed that addition of okra pectin at 0.2% improved the consumer acceptability of yoghurt and 0.2% agbagoma pectin inhibits the proliferation of aerobic microbes. Addition of okra pectin also improved the water holding capacity and reduced whey exudation.