Food environment research in Canada: a rapid review of methodologies and measures deployed between 2010 and 2021.

Numerous research methodologies have been used to examine food environments. Existing reviews synthesizing food environment measures have examined a limited number of domains or settings and none have specifically targeted Canada. This rapid review aimed to 1) map research methodologies and measures that have been used to assess food environments; 2) examine what food environment dimensions and equity related-factors have been assessed; and 3) identify research gaps and priorities to guide future research. A systematic search of primary articles evaluating the Canadian food environment in a real-world setting was conducted. Publications in English or French published in peer-reviewed journals between January 1 2010 and June 17 2021 and indexed in Web of Science, CAB Abstracts and Ovid MEDLINE were considered. The search strategy adapted an internationally-adopted food environment monitoring framework covering 7 domains (Food Marketing; Labelling; Prices; Provision; Composition; Retail; and Trade and Investment). The final sample included 220 articles. Overall, Trade and Investment (1%, n = 2), Labelling (7%, n = 15) and, to a lesser extent, Prices (14%, n = 30) were the least studied domains in Canada. Among Provision articles, healthcare (2%, n = 1) settings were underrepresented compared to school (67%, n = 28) and recreation and sport (24%, n = 10) settings, as was the food service industry (14%, n = 6) compared to grocery stores (86%, n = 36) in the Composition domain. The study identified a vast selection of measures employed in Canada overall and within single domains. Equity-related factors were only examined in half of articles (n = 108), mostly related to Retail (n = 81). A number of gaps remain that prevent a holistic and systems-level analysis of food environments in Canada. As Canada continues to implement policies to improve the quality of food environments in order to improve dietary patterns, targeted research to address identified gaps and harmonize methods across studies will help evaluate policy impact over time.

A Systematic Review and Recommendations Around Frameworks for Evaluating Scientific Validity in Nutritional Genomics.

Background: There is a significant lack of consistency used to determine the scientific validity of nutrigenetic research. The aims of this study were to examine existing frameworks used for determining scientific validity in nutrition and/or genetics and to determine which framework would be most appropriate to evaluate scientific validity in nutrigenetics in the future. Methods: A systematic review (PROSPERO registration: CRD42021261948) was conducted up until July 2021 using Medline, Embase, and Web of Science, with articles screened in duplicate. Gray literature searches were also conducted (June-July 2021), and reference lists of two relevant review articles were screened. Included articles provided the complete methods for a framework that has been used to evaluate scientific validity in nutrition and/or genetics. Articles were excluded if they provided a framework for evaluating health services/systems more broadly. Citing articles of the included articles were then screened in Google Scholar to determine if the framework had been used in nutrition or genetics, or both; frameworks that had not were excluded. Summary tables were piloted in duplicate and revised accordingly prior to synthesizing all included articles. Frameworks were critically appraised for their applicability to nutrigenetic scientific validity assessment using a predetermined categorization matrix, which included key factors deemed important by an expert panel for assessing scientific validity in nutrigenetics. Results: Upon screening 3,931 articles, a total of 49 articles representing 41 total frameworks, were included in the final analysis (19 used in genetics, 9 used in nutrition, and 13 used in both). Factors deemed important for evaluating nutrigenetic evidence related to study design and quality, generalizability, directness, consistency, precision, confounding, effect size, biological plausibility, publication/funding bias, allele and nutrient dose-response, and summary levels of evidence. Frameworks varied in the components of their scientific validity assessment, with most assessing study quality. Consideration of biological plausibility was more common in frameworks used in genetics. Dose-response effects were rarely considered. Two included frameworks incorporated all but one predetermined key factor important for nutrigenetic scientific validity assessment. Discussion/Conclusions: A single existing framework was highlighted as optimal for the rigorous evaluation of scientific validity in nutritional genomics, and minor modifications are proposed to strengthen it further. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=261948, PROSPERO [CRD42021261948].

Feasibility of IVIM parameters from diffusion-weighted imaging at 11.7T MRI for detecting ischemic changes in common carotid artery occlusion rats.

This study aimed to investigate whether intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) parameters can identify ischemic changes in the rat cerebral cortex using a preclinical ultra-high-field 11.7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (11.7TMRI) scanner. In nine female Wistar rats (eight weeks old), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for IVIM analysis was successfully performed before (Pre) and after unilateral (UCCAO) and bilateral (BCCAO) common carotid artery occlusion. From the acquired DWI signals averaged in six regions of interest (ROI) placed on the cortex, volume fraction of perfusion compartment (F), pseudo diffusion coefficient (D*), F × D* and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were determined as IVIM parameters in the following three DWI signal models: the bi-exponential, kurtosis, and tri-exponential model. For a subgroup analysis, four rats that survived two weeks after BCCAO were assigned to the long survival (LS) group, whereas the non-LS group consisted of the remaining five animals. Each IVIM parameter change among three phases (Pre, UCCAO and BCCAO) was statistically examined in each ROI. Then, the change in each rat group was also examined for subgroup analysis. All three models were able to identify cerebral ischemic change and damage as IVIM parameter change among three phases. Furthermore, the kurtosis model could identify the parameter changes in more regions than the other two models. In the subgroup analysis with the kurtosis model, ADC in non-LS group significantly decreased between UCCAO and BCCAO but not in LS group. IVIM parameters at 11.7TMRI may help us to detect the subtle ischemic change; in particular, with the kurtosis model.

Anterior cingulate cortex connectivity is associated with suppression of behaviour in a rat model of chronic pain.

A cardinal feature of persistent pain that follows injury is a general suppression of behaviour, in which motivation is inhibited in a way that promotes energy conservation and recuperation. Across species, the anterior cingulate cortex is associated with the motivational aspects of phasic pain, but whether it mediates motivational functions in persistent pain is less clear. Using burrowing behaviour as an marker of non-specific motivated behaviour in rodents, we studied the suppression of burrowing following painful confirmatory factor analysis or control injection into the right knee joint of 30 rats (14 with pain) and examined associated neural connectivity with ultra-high-field resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging. We found that connectivity between anterior cingulate cortex and subcortical structures including hypothalamic/preoptic nuclei and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis correlated with the reduction in burrowing behaviour observed following the pain manipulation. In summary, the findings implicate anterior cingulate cortex connectivity as a correlate of the motivational aspect of persistent pain in rodents.

[The cadaverous fever in Chile, death in the anatomical amphitheater]. / La infección cadavérica en Chile, muerte en el anfiteatro anatómico.

Cadaverous infection is a little-known nosological entity that affected the dissectors in the practice and teaching of anatomy, since working on the dissection of cadavers entails risks in relation to the occurrence of sharps injuries that produce infections and even death associated with the manipulation of them. The present investigation is motivated by a story about a student who was injured in the dissemination ward in 1937 at the Institute of Anatomy of the U. of Chile. Historical background is investigated associated to the death of students in the usual practice with cadavers through writings and stories since the beginning of the anatomical teaching in Chile since 1833, identifying the conditioning factors that modify the epidemiology of this condition according to medical advances. Therefore, it is concluded that the designation of a dissector, the use of disinfectants and gloves, as well as the advance in the use of cadaveric preservation products, drastically reduce the biological risk of acquiring an infection known as cadaverous in the permanent contact of the students with cadaverous material for dissection of teacher use.

La infección cadavérica en Chile, muerte en el anfiteatro anatómico / The cadaverous fever in Chile, death in the anatomical amphitheater

Resumen La infección cadavérica es una entidad nosológica poco conocida y que afectaba a los disectores en la práctica y enseñanza de la anatomía. La disección de cadáveres supone riesgos como la ocurrencia de heridas corto-punzantes causantes de infecciones e incluso la muerte asociadas a la manipulación de los mismos. La presente investigación nace por el relato sobre un alumno herido en el pabellón de disección en 1937 en el Instituto de Anatomía de la Universidad de Chile. Se indagaron los antecedentes históricos asociados al fallecimiento de alumnos en la práctica habitual con cadáveres, a través de escritos y relatos desde los inicios de la docencia anatómica en Chile, en 1833. Se relatan las condiciones que han modificado la epidemiología de esta afección, según los avances médicos. Por lo anterior, se concluye que la designación de un disector, el uso de productos desinfectantes y guantes, además del avance en el uso de productos de conservación cadavérica han disminuido drásticamente el riesgo biológico de adquirir alguna infección por el contacto con cadáveres para disección de uso docente.

Cadaverous infection is a little-known nosological entity that affected the dissectors in the practice and teaching of anatomy, since working on the dissection of cadavers entails risks in relation to the occurrence of sharps injuries that produce infections and even death associated with the manipulation of them. The present investigation is motivated by a story about a student who was injured in the dissemination ward in 1937 at the Institute of Anatomy of the U. of Chile. Historical background is investigated associated to the death of students in the usual practice with cadavers through writings and stories since the beginning of the anatomical teaching in Chile since 1833, identifying the conditioning factors that modify the epidemiology of this condition according to medical advances. Therefore, it is concluded that the designation of a dissector, the use of disinfectants and gloves, as well as the advance in the use of cadaveric preservation products, drastically reduce the biological risk of acquiring an infection known as cadaverous in the permanent contact of the students with cadaverous material for dissection of teacher use.

Impacto de un programa de educación nutricional sobre variables antropométricas, dietéticas y de conocimiento nutricional en escolares y adolescentes en Santiago de Chile

Objetivo: Evaluar el impacto de un programa de educación nutricional sobre la ingesta dietética y variables antropométricas en escolares y adolescentes. Materiales y Métodos: Se estudiaron 126 escolares y adolescentes. Se midieron datos antropométricos y de ingesta dietética. Se realizó una prueba diagnóstico de conocimiento nutricional. Se diseñó y ejecutó un programa de educación nutricional. Se utilizó SPSS como software estadístico. Resultados: Relacionado a la prueba diagnóstica el promedio de los escolares niños y niñas respondió 54% y 61% correctamente del total de preguntas, respectivamente. Luego de la intervención la variable que tuvo cambio significativo fue ingesta de lípidos y pliegue tricipital tanto en escolares como adolescentes. El grupo de los escolares mejoró significativamente su conocimiento nutricional. Ambos grupos mejoraron su consumo de frutas y verduras. Recomendaciones: Resulta necesario aumentar el número de actores que participan e involucrar una serie de disciplinas que hagan de la intervención una práctica multidisciplinaria.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of nutrition education program on dietary intake and anthropometric institutionalized adolescents in school and variables. Materials and Methods: 126 school and adolescents institutionalized were studied. Anthropometric data and dietary intake were measured. One diagnostic test was conducted nutritional knowledge. It was designed and implemented a nutrition education program. SPSS was used as statistical software. Results: Related to the diagnostic test average school children responded 54% and 61% of all questions correctly, respectively. After the intervention the variable that had significant change was tricipital lipid intake and folds in school as teenagers. The school group significantly improved their nutritional knowledge. Both groups improved their consumption of fruits and vegetables. Recommendations: It is necessary to increase the number of players involved and involve a number of disciplines that make the intervention a multidisciplinary practice.

Targeted correction and restored function of the CFTR gene in cystic fibrosis induced pluripotent stem cells.

Recently developed reprogramming and genome editing technologies make possible the derivation of corrected patient-specific pluripotent stem cell sources-potentially useful for the development of new therapeutic approaches. Starting with skin fibroblasts from patients diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, we derived and characterized induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines. We then utilized zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), designed to target the endogenous CFTR gene, to mediate correction of the inherited genetic mutation in these patient-derived lines via homology-directed repair (HDR). We observed an exquisitely sensitive, homology-dependent preference for targeting one CFTR allele versus the other. The corrected cystic fibrosis iPSCs, when induced to differentiate in vitro, expressed the corrected CFTR gene; importantly, CFTR correction resulted in restored expression of the mature CFTR glycoprotein and restoration of CFTR chloride channel function in iPSC-derived epithelial cells.

Discrimination of acoustic patterns in rats using the water T-maze.

The extraction of abstract rules and their generalization to new items has been proposed to be at the heart of higher cognitive functions such as language. Research with animals has shown that various species can extract rather complex patterns from the input, as well as establish abstract same/different relations. However, much of these findings have been observed after extensive training procedures. Here, we tested rats' capacity to discriminate and generalize tone triplets that entailed a repetition from triplets that followed an ordinal, non-repeating pattern following a relatively short discrimination training procedure in a water T-maze. Our findings demonstrate that, under this procedure and after only 12 sessions, rats can learn to discriminate both patterns when a reliable difference in pitch variations is present across them (Experiment 1). When differences in pitch are eliminated (Experiment 2), no discrimination between patterns is found. Results suggest a procedure based on a water T-maze might be used to explore discrimination of acoustic patterns in rodents.

Do humans and nonhuman animals share the grouping principles of the iambic-trochaic law?

The iambic-trochaic law describes humans' tendency to form trochaic groups over sequences varying in pitch or intensity (i.e., the loudest or highest sounds mark group beginnings), and iambic groups over sequences varying in duration (i.e., the longest sounds mark group endings). The extent to which these perceptual biases are shared by humans and nonhuman animals is yet unclear. In Experiment 1, we trained rats to discriminate pitch-alternating sequences of tones from sequences randomly varying in pitch. In Experiment 2, rats were trained to discriminate duration-alternating sequences of tones from sequences randomly varying in duration. We found that nonhuman animals group sequences based on pitch variations as trochees, but they do not group sequences varying in duration as iambs. Importantly, humans grouped the same stimuli following the principles of the iambic-trochaic law (Exp. 3). These results suggest the early emergence of the trochaic rhythmic grouping bias based on pitch, possibly relying on perceptual abilities shared by humans and other mammals, whereas the iambic rhythmic grouping bias based on duration might depend on language experience.

Rule learning over consonants and vowels in a non-human animal.

Perception studies have shown similarities between humans and other animals in a wide array of language-related processes. However, the components of language that make it uniquely human have not been fully identified. Here we show that nonhuman animals extract rules over speech sequences that are difficult for humans. Specifically, animals easily learn rules over both consonants and vowels, while humans do it only over vowels. In Experiment 1, rats learned a rule implemented over vowels in CVCVCV nonsense words. In Experiment 2, rats learned the rule when it was implemented over the consonants. In both experiments, rats generalized such knowledge to novel words they had not heard before. Using the same stimuli, human adults learned the rules over the vowels but not over the consonants. These results suggest differences between humans and animals on speech processing might lie on the constraints they face while extracting information from the signal.