Doing the Right Thing? General Practitioners' Considerations in Achieving a Timely Dementia Diagnosis.

OBJECTIVES: Timely detection and diagnosis of dementia are beneficial for providing appropriate, anticipatory care and preventing acute situations. However, initiating diagnostic testing is a complex and dynamic process that requires general practitioners (GPs) to balance competing priorities. Previously identified barriers, such as a lack of time, knowledge, and resources, may not fully represent the challenges involved in this process. Therefore, this study aimed to examine GPs' more implicit considerations on starting the diagnostic trajectory for dementia. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 14 Dutch GPs who were purposively selected through maximum variation sampling. The interview transcripts were inductively analyzed in multiple rounds by a multidisciplinary research team using thematic analysis. RESULTS: GPs' considerations on starting the diagnostic trajectory for dementia can be summarized in three main themes that are interconnected: (1) 'the presumed patient's willingness', that is, facing a dilemma of wanting to respect patient autonomy in cases of denial or an absence of a diagnostic request, while at the same time identifying a problem and feeling the urgency to act; (2) 'the GP's attempt not to harm', that is, balancing between not wanting to harm the patient and/or relatives with the burdensome label of dementia and with the possible negative consequences of a late diagnosis; and (3) 'time, trust, and interprofessional collaboration influence timeliness of diagnostic work-up', that is, time available for consultations, time as a diagnostic factor, GP's diagnostic confidence, and trustful physician-patient relationship. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that important ethical dilemmas regarding patient autonomy and the principle of doing no harm lie behind practical GP barriers to initiating diagnostic testing for dementia. Time, trust, and interprofessional collaboration were found to facilitate GPs in determining the right decision and timing with each individual patient and their relatives. Future research could explore the value of diagnostic decision aids that explicitly involve patients and their relatives in this balancing act.

Nourishing the Infant Gut Microbiome to Support Immune Health: Protocol of SUN (Seeding Through Feeding) Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The introduction of complementary foods during the first year of life influences the diversity of the gut microbiome. How this diversity affects immune development and health is unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the effect of consuming kumara or kumara with added banana powder (resistant starch) compared to a reference control at 4 months post randomization on the prevalence of respiratory tract infections and the development of the gut microbiome. METHODS: This study is a double-blind, randomized controlled trial of mothers and their 6-month-old infants (up to n=300) who have not yet started solids. Infants are randomized into one of 3 groups: control arm (C), standard kumara intervention (K), and a kumara intervention with added banana powder product (K+) to be consumed daily for 4 months until the infant is approximately 10 months old. Infants are matched for sex using stratified randomization. Data are collected at baseline (prior to commencing solid food) and at 2 and 4 months after commencing solid food (at around 8 and 10 months of age). Data and samples collected at each timepoint include weight and length, intervention adherence (months 2 and 4), illness and medication history, dietary intake (months 2 and 4), sleep (diary and actigraphy), maternal dietary intake, breast milk, feces (baseline and 4 months), and blood samples (baseline and 4 months). RESULTS: The trial was approved by the Health and Disability Ethics Committee of the Ministry of Health, New Zealand (reference 20/NTA/9). Recruitment and data collection did not commence until January 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collection and analyses are expected to conclude in January 2024 and early 2025, respectively. Results are to be published in 2024 and 2025. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study will help us understand how the introduction of a specific prebiotic complementary food affects the microbiota and relative abundances of the microbial species, the modulation of immune development, and infant health. It will contribute to the expanding body of research that aims to deepen our understanding of the connections between nutrition, gut microbiota, and early-life postnatal health. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12620000026921; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=378654. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/56772.

Robots are both anthropomorphized and dehumanized when harmed intentionally.

The harm-made mind phenomenon implies that witnessing intentional harm towards agents with ambiguous minds, such as robots, leads to augmented mind perception in these agents. We conducted two replications of previous work on this effect and extended it by testing if robots that detect and simulate emotions elicit a stronger harm-made mind effect than robots that do not. Additionally, we explored if someone is perceived as less prosocial when harming a robot compared to treating it kindly. The harm made mind-effect was replicated: participants attributed a higher capacity to experience pain to the robot when it was harmed, compared to when it was not harmed. We did not find evidence that this effect was influenced by the robot's ability to detect and simulate emotions. There were significant but conflicting direct and indirect effects of harm on the perception of mind in the robot: while harm had a positive indirect effect on mind perception in the robot through the perceived capacity for pain, the direct effect of harm on mind perception was negative. This suggests that robots are both anthropomorphized and dehumanized when harmed intentionally. Additionally, the results showed that someone is perceived as less prosocial when harming a robot compared to treating it kindly.

Screen Use at Bedtime and Sleep Duration and Quality Among Youths.

Importance: Although questionnaire-based cross-sectional research suggests that screen time before bed correlates with poor sleep, self-reported data seem unlikely to capture the complexity of modern screen use, requiring objective night-by-night measures to advance this field. Objective: To examine whether evening screen time is associated with sleep duration and quality that night in youths. Design, Setting, and Participants: This repeated-measures cohort study was performed from March to December 2021 in participant homes in Dunedin, New Zealand. Participants included healthy youths aged 11 to 14.9 years. Data were analyzed from October to November 2023. Exposure: Objectively measured screen time, captured using wearable or stationary video cameras from 2 hours before bedtime until the first time the youth attempted sleep (shut-eye time) over 4 nonconsecutive nights. Video data were coded using a reliable protocol (κ = 0.92) to quantify device (8 options [eg, smartphone]) and activity (10 options [eg, social media]) type. Main Outcomes and Measures: Sleep duration and quality were measured objectively via wrist-worn accelerometers. The association of screen use with sleep measures was analyzed on a night-by-night basis using mixed-effects regression models including participant as a random effect and adjusted for weekends. Results: Of the 79 participants (47 [59.5%] male; mean [SD] age, 12.9 [1.1] years), all but 1 had screen time before bed. Screen use in the 2 hours before bed had no association with most measures of sleep health that night (eg, mean difference in total sleep time, 0 minutes [95% CI, -3 to 20 minutes] for every 10 minutes more total screen time). All types of screen time were associated with delayed sleep onset but particularly interactive screen use (mean difference, 10 minutes; 95% CI, 4 to 16 minutes for every additional 10 minutes of interactive screen time). Every 10 minutes of additional screen time in bed was associated with shorter total sleep time (mean difference, -3 minutes; 95% CI, -6 to -1 minute). The mean difference in total sleep time was -9 minutes (95% CI, -16 to -2 minutes) for every 10 minutes of interactive screen use and -4 minutes (95% CI, -7 to 0 minutes) for passive screen use. In particular, gaming (mean difference, -17 minutes; 95% CI, -28 to -7 minutes for every 10 minutes of gaming) and multitasking (mean difference, -35 minutes; 95% CI, -67 to -4 minutes on nights with vs without multitasking) were associated with less total sleep time. Conclusions and Relevance: In this repeated-measures cohort study, use of an objective method showed that screen time once in bed was associated with impairment of sleep, especially when screen time was interactive or involved multitasking. These findings suggest that current sleep hygiene recommendations to restrict all screen time before bed seem neither achievable nor appropriate.

[Limited cognitive assessment in primary care: are GP referrals to the memory clinic always appropriate?] / Weinig cognitieve diagnostiek in de eerste lijn.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether referrals of general practitioners (GPs) to the memory clinic align with the regional and national dementia guidelines. DESIGN: For this single center retrospective study, data was collected from electronic patient files. METHOD: GP referrals to the memory clinic over a 1-year period were categorized and evaluated according to the regional and national guidelines. RESULTS: 310 GP referrals were included with the most common referral motivations: "Additional somatic or psychiatric factors" (77; 24,8%) and "Straightforward dementia diagnosis" (70; 22,6%). A total of 51,0% of referrals were not in line with regional guidelines: either because of non-compliant referral reasons; or limited cognitive assessment without clinical findings and/or cognitive testing. CONCLUSION: Half of GP referrals to the memory clinic were not in line with the national and regional guidelines. Referrals were often not preceded by clinical findings and/or cognitive testing. Aiming for effective care, cognitive assessments in primary care should be encouraged and with appropriate assistance.

Transcriptional regulation of the postnatal cardiac conduction system heterogeneity.

The cardiac conduction system (CCS) is a network of specialized cardiomyocytes that coordinates electrical impulse generation and propagation for synchronized heart contractions. Although the components of the CCS, including the sinoatrial node, atrioventricular node, His bundle, bundle branches, and Purkinje fibers, were anatomically discovered more than 100 years ago, their molecular constituents and regulatory mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here, we demonstrate the transcriptomic landscape of the postnatal mouse CCS at a single-cell resolution with spatial information. Integration of single-cell and spatial transcriptomics uncover region-specific markers and zonation patterns of expression. Network inference shows heterogeneous gene regulatory networks across the CCS. Notably, region-specific gene regulation is recapitulated in vitro using neonatal mouse atrial and ventricular myocytes overexpressing CCS-specific transcription factors, Tbx3 and/or Irx3. This finding is supported by ATAC-seq of different CCS regions, Tbx3 ChIP-seq, and Irx motifs. Overall, this study provides comprehensive molecular profiles of the postnatal CCS and elucidates gene regulatory mechanisms contributing to its heterogeneity.

Description of B abesia coryicola sp. nov. from Florida pumas (Puma concolor coryi) from southern Florida, USA.

Previously, a high prevalence of piroplasms has been reported from Florida pumas (Puma concolor coryi) from southern Florida. In the current study, we describe the biological characteristics of a novel Babesia species in Florida pumas. Ring-stage trophozoites were morphologically similar to trophozoites of numerous small babesids of felids including B. leo, B. felis, and Cytauxzoon felis. Parasitemias in Florida pumas were very low (<1%) and hematologic values of 25 Babesia-infected Florida pumas were within normal ranges for P. concolor. Phylogenetic analysis of near full-length 18S rRNA gene, ß-tubulin, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, cytochrome c oxidase subunit III, and cytochrome b gene sequences indicated that this Babesia species is a member of the Babesia sensu stricto clade and is related to groups of Babesia spp. from carnivores or ungulates, although the closest group varied by gene target. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-1 region sequences from this Babesia sp. from 19 Florida pumas were 85.7-99.5% similar to each other and ∼88% similar to B. odocoilei. Similarly, an ITS-2 sequence from one puma was 96% similar to B. bigemina and 92% similar to a Babesia sp. from a red panda (Ailurus fulgens). Infected pumas were positive for antibodies that reacted with B. odocoilei, B. canis, and B. bovis antigens with titers of 1:256, 1:128, and 1:128, respectively. No serologic reactivity was noted for Theileria equi. No molecular evidence of congenital infection was detected in 24 kittens born to 11 Babesia-infected female pumas. Pumas from other populations in the United States [Louisiana (n = 1), North Dakota (n = 5) and Texas (n = 28)], British Columbia, Canada (n = 9), and Costa Rica (n = 2) were negative for this Babesia sp. Collectively, these data provide morphologic, serologic, genetic, and natural history data for this novel Babesia sp. which we propose the name Babesia coryicola sp. nov. sp. This is the first description of a felid-associated Babesia species in North America.

Multicenter study of the performance of NTM Elite agar for the detection of nontuberculous mycobacteria from patients with cystic fibrosis.

The performance of a novel selective agar was evaluated against the performance of conventional mycobacterial cultures, i.e., a combination of the mycobacterial growth indicator tube (MGIT) with Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ), for the detection of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in sputum samples from people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). Two hundred eighty-three sputum samples (231 fresh sputum and 52 spiked sputum) from 143 pwCF were collected. They were inoculated without prior decontamination on NTM Elite agar (30°C ± 2°C for 28 days) and inoculated on both MGIT and LJ (35°C-37°C for 6-8 weeks) after N-acetyl-L-cysteine-2% sodium hydroxide decontamination. NTM were identified by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization/Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry and/or PCR, and whole-genome sequencing. A total of 67 NTM were recovered overall by the combination of all culture media. NTM Elite agar allowed the recovery of 65 NTM (97%), compared to 22 for the conventional MGIT and LJ media combination (32.8%), including 22 NTM for MGIT (32.8%) and 3 NTM with the LJ medium (4.5%). For Mycobacterium abscessus complex, the sensitivity of NTM Elite agar was 95% compared with a sensitivity of 30% for the conventional MGIT and LJ media combination. Overall, 17.3% of cultures on NTM Elite agar were contaminated with other micro-organisms vs 46.3% on MGIT and 77% on LJ. This study shows that the novel selective agar (NTM Elite agar) significantly outperforms the conventional MGIT and LJ media combination in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, and ease of culture, without the requirement of an L3 laboratory.IMPORTANCENontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are significant pulmonary pathogens in patients with pre-existing structural lung conditions such as cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Mycobacterium avium complex and Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABSC) are the most frequently isolated organisms. Compared to the recommended culture method for NTM, which combines solid and liquid culture media, NTM Elite agar enables a faster/easier diagnosis and speeds up identification and susceptibility testing as the final reading is at 28 days instead of 6-8 weeks for the conventional mycobacterial cultures. In addition, for the NTM Elite agar, no decontamination stage before inoculation is necessary, unlike the conventional mycobacterial cultures. NTM Elite agar is derived from a formulation of medium adapted to rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM). The medium enables the growth of RGM while suppressing other flora. It is supported with published clinical data showing the benefits of this medium.

PTEN loss shapes macrophage dynamics in high grade serous ovarian carcinoma.

High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSC) remains a disease of poor prognosis that is unresponsive to current immune checkpoint inhibitors. Although PI3K pathway alterations, such as PTEN loss, are common in HGSC, attempts to target this pathway have been unsuccessful. We hypothesized that aberrant PI3K pathway activation may alter the HGSC immune microenvironment and present a targeting opportunity. Single-cell RNA sequencing identified populations of resident macrophages specific to Pten-null omental tumors in murine models, which were confirmed by flow cytometry. These macrophages derived from peritoneal fluid macrophages and had a unique gene expression program, marked by high expression of the enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1). Targeting resident peritoneal macrophages prevented the appearance of HMOX1hi macrophages and reduced tumor growth. Furthermore, direct inhibition of HMOX1 extended survival in vivo. RNA sequencing identified IL33 in Pten-null tumor cells as a likely candidate driver leading to the appearance of HMOX1hi macrophages. Human HGSC tumors also contained HMOX1hi macrophages with a corresponding gene expression program. Moreover, the presence of these macrophages correlated with activated tumoral PI3K/mTOR signaling and poor overall survival in HGSC patients. In contrast, tumors with low numbers of HMOX1hi macrophages were marked by increased adaptive immune response gene expression. These data suggest targeting HMOX1hi macrophages as a potential therapeutic strategy for treating poor prognosis HGSC.

Nicorandil antiallodynic activity in a model of neuropathic pain is associated with the activation of ATP-dependent potassium channels and opioidergic pathways, and reduced production of cytokines and neutrophils recruitment in paw, sciatic nerve, and dorsal root ganglia.

BACKGROUND: Recently, we demonstrated that nicorandil inhibits mechanical allodynia induced by paclitaxel. In the present study, we evaluated the effect induced by nicorandil in a model of neuropathic pain induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) in mice. We also investigated putative mechanisms underlying such an effect. METHODS: CCI was induced by three ligatures of the left sciatic nerve. Mechanical allodynia was evaluated by measuring the paw withdrawal threshold with an electronic von Frey apparatus. Concentrations of cytokines and myeloperoxidase activity were determined in the paw tissue, sciatic nerve, and dorsal root ganglia (DRG). RESULTS: Oral administration of two doses of nicorandil (150 mg/kg po), but not equimolar doses of nicotinamide or nicotinic acid, attenuated mechanical allodynia induced by CCI. Nicorandil activity was reduced by previous administration of glibenclamide (40 mg/kg) or naltrexone (5 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg). Two doses of nicorandil (150 mg/kg, po) reduced tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1ß and interleukin-6, but not CXCL-1, concentrations in the paw tissue of CCI mice. Two doses of nicorandil (150 mg/kg, po) reduced concentrations of all these mediators in the sciatic nerve and DRG. Two doses of nicorandil (150 mg/kg, po) also reduced the myeloperoxidase activity in the paw tissue, sciatic nerve, and DRG. CONCLUSIONS: Nicorandil exhibits antiallodynic activity in a model of neuropathic pain induced by CCI. Inhibition of cytokines production and reduction of neutrophils recruitment in paw tissue, sciatic nerve, and DRG as well as activation of ATP-dependent potassium channels and opioidergic pathways, underlie nicorandil antiallodynic activity.

Assessing the cataract surgical rate and gender equity in cataract services in south-east Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: In 2020, almost 100 million people were blind or visually impaired from cataract. Cataract surgery is a cost-effective treatment for cataracts. In Nigeria, twice as many women are cataract blind as men. Cataract surgical rate (CSR, the number of cataract operations per million population per year in a defined geographical location) is an output indicator of cataract surgical services. The recommended target CSR for sub-Saharan Africa is 1000/year. The aim of this study was to assess the CSR in men and women in Imo state, Nigeria. METHODS: A retrospective review of cataract surgery undertaken in all eye health facilities in Imo State in 2019. Data collected included the type and location of facilities, patient demographics and the number and type of cataract operations performed in each facility. The CSR was calculated overall, in men and women, and in younger and older women. RESULTS: The CSR overall was 330/million and was slightly higher in women (347/million) than in men (315/million) (p<0.001). More elderly women (≥65 years) accessed cataract surgery through outreach than men and younger women (OR 1.5 (95% CI 1.03 to 2.22, p=0.03) and 1.6 (95% CI 1.07 to 2.44, p=0.02)), respectively. CONCLUSION: The overall CSR in Imo state was approximately one-third of that recommended for sub-Saharan Africa. Although the CSR was higher in women than in men, considerably higher CSRs are needed in women to address their higher burden of cataract blindness. Operational and intervention science research are needed, to identify and evaluate interventions which address demand and supply barriers to accessing cataract surgery, particularly for elderly women.

Uncovering communication strategies used in language-discordant consultations with people who are migrants: Qualitative interviews with healthcare providers.

BACKGROUND: Global migration has led to a sharp increase in the number of language-discordant consultations (LDCs) in healthcare. Evidence on how healthcare providers (HCPs) meet migrant patients' needs while mitigating language barriers is lacking. DESIGN: Using purposive and snowball sampling, we recruited twenty-seven Dutch HCPs (Mage = 45.07, SD = 11.46) and conducted semi-structured interviews to collect qualitative, open-ended data for identifying the communication strategies used with migrant patients in LDCs. We analysed the transcripts using deductive and inductive approaches (e.g., constant comparative method from Grounded Theory). Final pattern codes (i.e., key themes) were discussed among the research team until mutual agreement had been achieved. RESULTS: Five key themes emerged from the analyses: HCPs often 'got-by' with (1) instrumental and (2) affective communication strategies used in language-concordant consultations to start medical consultations. When some instrumental communication strategies were deemed ineffective (e.g., lingua franca, gesturing, etc.) to bridge language barriers, HCPs turned to (3) incorporating digital tools (e.g., Google Translate). When HCPs were unable to communicate with migrant patients at all, (4) informal, ad-hoc and professional interpreters were involved. Finally, HCPs often (5) involved additional support to engage migrant patients to engage in treatment-related behaviours. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight the importance of raising awareness among HCPs about using various combinations of different strategies. The development of a guideline indicating the optimal combination of communication strategies for different medical consultation goals may be useful in reshaping the current communication behaviour of HCPs in LDCs. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: HCPs were the study population involved in this qualitative study. Refugee health advisors, general practitioners and linguistic specialists (i.e., members of the Right2Health consortium) with experience with the Dutch healthcare system were involved throughout the development of this research. This includes a review of the research question, participant information sheet and interview topic guide as well as providing interpretations of the data and feedback to this manuscript.

The measurement of young children's nocturnal sleep health and the development of the Perception of Infant and Toddler Sleep Scale (PoITSS) in Aotearoa New Zealand whanau (families).

OBJECTIVES: To modify an existing questionnaire Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire - Revised (BISQ-R) to ensure that it is suitable to measure nocturnal sleep health in a diverse sample of young children from Aotearoa New Zealand whanau (families), and to develop a "Perception of Infant and Toddler Sleep Scale" (PoITSS) to use as a primary outcome measurement in an upcoming trial. METHODS: Items from the BISQ-R were adapted for use among ethnically diverse whanau, and tested online with caregivers of 0-2 year old children. A PoITSS score was generated by scaling the responses from three of the questionnaire items to create a value between 0 (very poor) and 10 (very good). Caregivers provided qualitative feedback about the ease of interpreting and answering questionnaire items. RESULTS: Caregivers of 957 children (35% Maori, 12% Pacific) completed the questionnaire. Few differences in children's nocturnal sleep were observed by demographic characteristics. The mean PoITSS score was 6.9 (SD 2.3) and was slightly higher among Maori children (mean difference 0.4, 95% CI 0.1, 0.7). Test-retest indicated good reliability (ICC=0.81). While the majority (86%) of caregivers did not find it difficult to answer any of the items which formed the PoITSS, qualitative feedback indicated that simple modifications to some items would help ensure that they would be well understood by most caregivers. CONCLUSIONS: Items from the BISQ-R were successfully adapted, and the PoITSS scale was shown to be appropriate, for use in ethnically diverse Aotearoa New Zealand whanau with young children.

Recommendations for the implementation of a national lung cancer screening program in Portugal-A consensus statement.

Lung cancer (LC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Lung Cancer Screening (LCS) programs that use low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) have been shown to reduce LC mortality by up to 25 % and are considered cost-effective. The European Health Union has encouraged its Member States to explore the feasibility of LCS implementation in their respective countries. The task force conducted a comprehensive literature review and engaged in extensive discussions to provide recommendations. These recommendations encompass the essential components required to initiate pilot LCS programs following the guidelines established by the World Health Organization. They were tailored to align with the specific context of the Portuguese healthcare system. The document addresses critical aspects, including the eligible population, methods for issuing invitations, radiological prerequisites, procedures for reporting results, referral processes, diagnostic strategies, program implementation, and ongoing monitoring. Furthermore, the task force emphasized that pairing LCS with evidence-based smoking cessation should be the standard of care for a high-quality screening program. This document also identifies areas for further research. These recommendations aim to guarantee that the implementation of a Portuguese LCS program ensures high-quality standards, consistency, and uniformity across centres.

A Holistic Approach to Producing Anti-Vibrio Metabolites by an Endosymbiotic Dinoflagellate Using Wastewater from Shrimp Rearing.

The aquaculture industry requires green solutions to solve several environmental challenges, including adequate wastewater remediation and natural drug applications to treat bacteria- and virus-related diseases. This study investigated the feasibility of cultivating the dinoflagellate Durusdinium glynnii in aquaculture wastewater from shrimp rearing in a synbiotic system (AWW-SS), with different dilutions of f/2 medium (FM). Interestingly, D. glynnii demonstrated enhanced growth in all AWW-SS treatments compared to the control (FM). The highest growth rates were achieved at AWW-SS:FM dilutions of 75:25 and 50:50. The removal of total nitrogen and total phosphorus reached 50.1 and 71.7%, respectively, of the crude AWW-SS. Biomass extracts of D. glynnii grown with AWW-SS were able to inhibit the growth of the bacteria Vibrio parahaemolyticus (inhibition zone of 10.0 ± 1.7 mm) and V. vulnificus (inhibition zone of 11.7 ± 1.5 mm). The presented results demonstrate that the dinoflagellate D. glynnii is a potential candidate for the development of circularity for sustainable aquaculture production, particularly by producing anti-Vibrio compounds at a near-zero cost.

Chrysin attenuates epithelial prostatic hyperplasia in the ventral prostate of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of chrysin on the ventral prostate of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Ten-week-old male Wistar and SHR rats received 100 mg/kg/day of chrysin (TW and TSHR) or 200 µL/day of the dilution vehicle (CW and CSHR) for 70 days. After the treatment, the animals were euthanized and the prostates were dissected out, fixed, and processed for further morphological, immunohistochemical, and biochemical analyses. Blood was collected for serological analysis. Chrysin did not interfere with the blood pressure. Morphologically, the epithelial height increased in TW and decreased in TSHR. Stereology showed an increase in the epithelial and stromal relative frequency, and a decrease in the lumen of TW, whereas the epithelium in TSHR was reduced. Normal alveoli decreased, and hyperplastic alveoli had an increment in TW, whereas in TSHR normal alveoli increased and intense hyperplasia decreased. The secretion area was reduced in TW. Immunohistochemical analysis showed a smaller number of PCNA-positive cells in TW. Finally, the biochemical analysis showed a reduction in malondialdehyde, carbonylated proteins, superoxide dismutase, and catalase in TW and TSHR. We concluded that the chrysin effect is dependent on the context in which this flavonoid is employed. In normal conditions, the anabolic potential of the chrysin was favored, disrupting the morphology of the prostate. However, when used in animals predisposed to develop hyperplasia, this flavonoid attenuates the hyperplastic status, improving the morphology of the gland.

Opportunities and challenges in using NIH's Dietary Supplement Label Database for research on non-nutrient ingredients: Use case for ingredients in honeybee products.

Background: Non-nutrient bioactive ingredients of foods such as bee products are often of interest in preclinical and clinical research to explore their possible beneficial effects. The National Institute of Health's Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD) contains over 165,000 labels of dietary supplements marketed in the United States of America (US), including declarations on labels for many of these ingredients, including those in honeybee products which have been used in foods and traditional medicines for centuries worldwide and are now also appearing in dietary supplements. Methods: This article presents a use case for honeybee products that describes and tests the utility of the DSLD and other databases available in the US as research tools for identifying and quantifying the prevalence of such ingredients.. It focuses on the limitations to the information on product composition in these databases and describes how to code the ingredients using the LanguaL™ or FoodEx2 description and classification systems and the strengths and limitations of information on honeybee product ingredients, including propolis, bee pollen, royal jelly, beeswax, and bee venom. Results and Conclusions: Codes for the ingredients are provided for identifying their presence in LanguaL™ or FoodEx2 ontologies used in Europe and elsewhere. The prevalence of dietary supplement products containing these ingredients in DSLD and on the US market is low compared to some other products and ingredients. Unfortunately label declarations in DSLD do not provide quantitative information and so the data can be used only to screen for their presence, but cannot be used for quantitative exposure estimates by researchers and regulators .

Modeling of drinking and driving behaviors among adolescents and young adults in the United States: Complexities and Intervention outcomes.

Alcohol-impaired driving is a formidable public health problem in the United States, claiming the lives of 37 individuals daily in alcohol-related crashes. Alcohol-impaired driving is affected by a multitude of interconnected factors, coupled with long delays between stakeholders' actions and their impacts, which not only complicate policy-making but also increase the likelihood of unintended consequences. We developed a system dynamics simulation model of drinking and driving behaviors among adolescents and young adults. This was achieved through group model building sessions with a team of multidisciplinary subject matter experts, and a focused literature review. The model was calibrated with data series from multiple sources and replicated the historical trends for male and female individuals aged 15 to 24 from 1982 to 2020. We simulated the model under different scenarios to examine the impact of a wide range of interventions on alcohol-related crash fatalities. We found that interventions vary in terms of their effectiveness in reducing alcohol-related crash fatalities. In addition, although some interventions reduce alcohol-related crash fatalities, some may increase the number of drinkers who drive after drinking. Based on insights from simulation experiments, we combined three interventions and found that the combined strategy may reduce alcohol-related crash fatalities significantly without increasing the number of alcohol-impaired drivers on US roads. Nevertheless, related fatalities plateau over time despite the combined interventions, underscoring the need for new interventions for a sustained decline in alcohol-related crash deaths beyond a few decades. Finally, through model calibration we estimated time delays between actions and their consequences in the system which provide insights for policymakers and activists when designing strategies to reduce alcohol-related crash fatalities.

Amylase and lipase levels in the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes: A longitudinal study in rhesus monkeys.

Latent associations between low serum amylase and reduced plasma insulin levels and increased adiposity have been described previously in a small study of asymptomatic middle-aged humans. In the present study, we sought to determine the nature of such changes during the longitudinal progression from metabolically normal to overt type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in nonhuman primates (NHPs), a disease that appears to be the same in both pathophysiology and underlying mechanisms as that which most commonly develops in middle-aged adult humans. Amylase and lipase levels were characterized in 157 unrelated adult rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta); 38% developed T2DM while under study. In all monkeys, multivariable linear regression analysis revealed that amylase could be negatively predicted by % body fat (ß -0.29; p = 0.002), age (ß -0.27; p = 0.005), and HbA1c (ß -0.18; p = 0.037). Amylase levels were positively predicted by lipase levels (ß = 0.19; p = -0.024) in all NHPs included in the study. Amylase was significantly lower in NHPs with metabolic syndrome (p < 0.001), prediabetes (PreDM) (p < 0.001), and T2DM (p < 0.001) compared to metabolically normal adult NHPs. Lipase increased in NHPs with PreDM (p = 0.005) and T2DM (p = 0.04) compared to normal NHPs. This is the first longitudinal study of any species, including humans, to show the dynamics of amylase and lipase during the metabolic progression from normal to metabolic syndrome, to PreDM and then to overt T2DM. The extraordinary similarity between humans and monkeys in T2DM, in pancreatic pathophysiology and in metabolic functions give these findings high translational value.