The effects of inulin-type fructans on cardiovascular disease risk factors: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Inulin-type fructans (ITF) are the leading prebiotics in the market. Available evidence provides conflicting results regarding the beneficial effects of ITF on cardiovascular disease risk factors. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of ITF supplementation on cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Emcare, AMED, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library databases from inception through May 15, 2022. Eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) administered ITF or placebo (for example, control, foods, diets) to adults for ≥2 weeks and reported one or more of the following: low, very-low, or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, VLDL-C, HDL-C); total cholesterol; apolipoprotein A1 or B; triglycerides; fasting blood glucose; body mass index; body weight; waist circumference; waist-to-hip ratio; systolic or diastolic blood pressure; or hemoglobin A1c. Two reviewers independently and in duplicate screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. We pooled data using random-effects model, and assessed the certainty of evidence (CoE) using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. RESULTS: We identified 1767 studies and included 55 RCTs with 2518 participants in meta-analyses. The pooled estimate showed that ITF supplementation reduced LDL-C [mean difference (MD) -0.14 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval (95% CI: -0.24, -0.05), 38 RCTs, 1879 participants, very low CoE], triglycerides (MD -0.06 mmol/L, 95% CI: -0.12, -0.01, 40 RCTs, 1732 participants, low CoE), and body weight (MD -0.97 kg, 95% CI: -1.28, -0.66, 36 RCTs, 1672 participants, low CoE) but little to no significant effect on other cardiovascular disease risk factors. The effects were larger when study duration was ≥6 weeks and in pre-obese and obese participants. CONCLUSION: ITF may reduce low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and body weight. However, due to low to very low CoE, further well-designed and executed trials are needed to confirm these effects. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42019136745.

Malnutrition care in hospitalized pediatric inpatients: comparison of perceptions and experiences across two pediatric academic health sciences centres.

Malnutrition affects up to one in three Canadian children admitted to hospital. Awareness among pediatric healthcare providers (HCPs) of the prevalence and impacts of hospitalized malnutrition is critical for optimal management. The purpose of this study was to determine perceptions of malnutrition among pediatric HCP across two major academic health sciences centres, and to determine how the use of a standardized pediatric nutritional screening tool at one institution affects responses. Between 2020 and 2022, 192 HCPs representing nursing, dietetics, medicine, and other allied health were surveyed across McMaster Children's Hospital and The Hospital for Sick Children. 38% of respondents from both centres perceived rates of malnutrition between approximately one in three patients. Perceptions of the need for nutritional screening, assessment, and management were similar between centres. All respondents identified the need for better communication of hospitalized malnutrition status to community providers at discharge, and resource limitations affecting nutritional management of pediatric inpatients. This study represents the largest and most diverse survey of inpatient pediatric HCPs to date. We demonstrate high rates of baseline knowledge of hospital malnutrition, ongoing resource challenges, and the need for a systematic approach to pediatric nutritional management.

Assessment of reporting quality of randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of inulin-type fructans supplementation on cardiovascular disease risk factors: A systematic survey.

BACKGROUND: Transparent and detailed reporting of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is essential to judge its validity and generalizability. We assessed the reporting quality of RCTs examining the effects of inulin-type fructans supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors, before and after the publication of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) in 2010. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Emcare, AMED, the Cochrane Library, and CINAHL from inception to May 15, 2022, including the reference lists of selected RCTs. We screened titles and abstracts and extracted the data independently and in duplicate. We included RCTs that investigated the effects of inulin-type fructans on cardiovascular disease risk factors (e.g., low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose) in adults (18 years or older). The primary outcomes of this study were: the overall reporting quality of RCTs (defined as the total number of items [0 to 36] present from the CONSORT checklist) published before and after CONSORT; and the study characteristics (e.g., sample size, significance of primary outcome) predictive of the CONSORT score. The secondary outcome was the reporting of each specific item of the CONSORT checklist during pre- and post-CONSORT periods. The mean difference in the total number of reported items in studies published before and after CONSORT were compared using a t-test and Poisson regression to explore the factors associated with overall reporting quality of RCTs. We used Fisher's exact test to compare the adherence to each of the 36 items during pre- and post-CONSORT periods. RESULTS: We identified 1,767 citations from our systematic search, of which 55 were eligible. There was a significant increase in the reporting of CONSORT items (mean difference 8.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.24 to 11.71) between studies published before and after publication of CONSORT. The sole variable that was predictive of better reporting quality of RCTs was whether the study was published before or after CONSORT (incidence rate ratio 1.67, 95% CI 1.40 to 2.02). Completeness of reporting of RCTs only improved in 15 out of 36 items (41.6%) after the publication of CONSORT. CONCLUSION: The completeness of reporting in RCTs investigating inulin-type fructans supplementation on cardiovascular disease risk factors remains inadequate after the publication of CONSORT. Greater adherence to CONSORT by authors and enforcement of CONSORT by journals may improve the quality of reporting among RCTs.

A combined first principles and experimental approach to Bi2WO6.

Here we synthesized Bi2WO6 (BWO) using both solid-state reaction (SBWO) and hydrothermal (HBWO-U and HBWO-S) methods. The orthorhombic Pca21 phase purity in all samples is confirmed from Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction data, Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The HBWO-U and HBWO-S morphology revealed rectangular, spherical, and rod-like features with an average particle size of 55 nm in field emission scanning electron micrographs. A high-resolution transmission electron micrograph showed spherical-shaped particles in the HBWO-U sample with an average diameter of ∼10 nm. The diffuse reflectance-derived indirect electronic band gaps lie within the 2.79-3.23 eV range. The BWO electronic structure is successfully modeled by Hubbard interaction Ud and Up corrected Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof generalized gradient approximation GGA-PBE+Ud+Up with van der Waals (vdW) force in effect. The optimized (Ud, Up) values are further justified by tuning the Hartree-Fock (HF) exact-exchange mixing parameter αHF from 25% in Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof (HSE06) to 20% in the PBE-HF20% functional. Moreover, no inconsistencies were seen in the GGA-PBE+Ud+Up+vdW simulated crystallographic parameters, and the elastic tensor, phonon, and linear optical properties. Overall, the computationally cheap GGA-PBE+Ud+Up with vdW force may have successfully probed the physical properties of BWO.

Calcined chicken eggshell-derived biomimetic nano-hydroxyapatite as a local drug-delivery aid for doxycycline hyclate: characterization, bio-activity, cytotoxicity, antibacterial activity and in vitro release study.

The integration of bioactive substances with antibiotics has been extensively pursued for the treatment of osteomyelitis. These materials, also known as biomaterials, can serve both as bone replacements and targeted drug delivery systems for antibiotics. In this study, biomimetic nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp) was synthesized via the coprecipitation technique where waste chicken eggshell (WCE) was employed as the source of Ca. Heat treatment was performed at four different temperatures (100 °C, 300 °C, 600 °C and 900 °C). Subsequently, the samples were characterized using XRD, FTIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, FESEM, EDX, XPS, DLS hydrodynamic size and zeta potential analysis. Also, their biomedical effectiveness was evaluated in terms of cytotoxicity, hemolysis, antibacterial performance, and bioactivity. Doxycycline hyclate (DOXh) was loaded in the synthesized nHAp samples, and subsequently its in vitro release was studied under stirring in simulated body fluid (SBF). The DOXh release kinetics was evaluated, and it was found that the first-order model was the best fitted kinetic model describing the release of DOXh from the nHAp samples, except for nHAp100, which was best described by the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. The nHAp synthesized utilizing WCE showed excellent potential for biomedical application and can be used as a drug delivery agent for antibiotics, such as DOXh.

Exploring the lived experiences of participants and facilitators of an online mindfulness program during COVID-19: a phenomenological study.

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has placed incredible demands on healthcare workers (HCWs) and adversely impacted their well-being. Throughout the pandemic, organizations have sought to implement brief and flexible mental health interventions to better support employees. Few studies have explored HCWs' lived experiences of participating in brief, online mindfulness programming during the pandemic using qualitative methodologies. To address this gap, we conducted semi-structured interviews with HCWs and program facilitators (n = 13) who participated in an online, four-week, mindfulness-based intervention program. The goals of this study were to: (1) understand how participants experienced work during the pandemic; (2) understand how the rapid switch to online life impacted program delivery and how participants experienced the mindfulness program; and (3) describe the role of the mindfulness program in supporting participants' mental health and well-being. We utilized interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) to elucidate participants' and facilitators' rich and meaningful lived experiences and identified patterns of experiences through a cross-case analysis. This resulted in four main themes: (1) changing environments; (2) snowball of emotions; (3) connection and disconnection; and (4) striving for resilience. Findings from this study highlight strategies for organizations to create and support wellness programs for HCWs in times of public health crises. These include improving social connection in virtual care settings, providing professional development and technology training for HCWs to adapt to rapid environmental changes, and recognizing the difference between emotions and emotional states in HCWs involved in mindfulness-based programs.

Intestinal microbiome in short bowel syndrome: diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The intestinal microbiome plays a strong, complementary role in the development and integrity of the intestinal epithelium. This biology is crucial for intestinal adaptation, particularly after the mucosal insults that lead to short bowel syndrome (SBS). The purpose of this review is to discuss relationships between the intestinal microbiota and the physiology of intestinal adaptation. RECENT FINDINGS: We will address interactions between the intestinal microbiome and nutritional metabolism, factors leading to dysbiosis in SBS, and common compositional differences of the gut microbiome in SBS patients as compared to healthy controls. We will also discuss novel opportunities to expand diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in this population, by using our knowledge of the microbiome to manipulate luminal bacteria and study their resultant metabolites. As microbial therapeutics advance across so many fields of medicine, this review is timely in its advocacy for ongoing research that focuses on the SBS population.Our review will discuss 4 key areas: 1) physiology of the intestinal microbiome in SBS, 2) clinical and therapeutic insults that lead to a state of dysbiosis, 3) currently available evidence on microbiome-based approaches to SBS management, and 4) opportunities and innovations to inspire future research. SUMMARY: The clinical implications of this review are both current, and potential. Understanding how the microbiome impacts intestinal adaptation and host physiology may enhance our understanding of why we experience such clinical variability in SBS patients' outcomes. This review may also expand clinicians' understanding of what 'personalized medicine' can mean for this patient population, and how we may someday consider our nutritional, therapeutic, and prognostic recommendations based on our patients' host, and microbial physiology.

Waste newspaper driven activated carbon to remove polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon from wastewater.

In this study, a carbon-based adsorbent was developed from waste newspaper through pyrolysis at 800 °C to evaluate the removal efficiency of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Benzo[ghi]perylene (BghiP) and Indeno [1,2,3-cd] pyrene (IP)) from wastewater. The surface area of the developed adsorbent was estimated at 509.247m2g-1 which allowed the adsorption of the PAHs from wastewater. The maximum adsorption capacity was estimated at 138.436 µg g-1 and 228.705 µg g-1 for BghiP and IP, respectively and the highest removal efficiency was observed at pH 2. Around 91% removal efficiency was observed at pH 7 for both pollutants. Experimental adsorption data were fit for pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm models, which demonstrate electrostatic interaction, monolayered deposition, hydrogen bonding, and π-π interaction between adsorbate and adsorbent which play a significant role in adsorption. The regeneration study described that the developed adsorbent could be able to intake 52.75% BghiP and 48.073% IP until the 8th and 6th cycles, respectively. The removal efficiency of the adsorbent in the real sample was also evaluated. This study will provide a method to convert waste material into adsorbent and will remove PAHs from wastewater as a function of pollutant mitigation and waste management.

Learning from intersectoral initiatives to respond to the needs of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants without status in the context of COVID-19 in Quebec and Ontario: a qualitative multiple case study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants without status experience precarious living and working conditions that disproportionately expose them to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In the two most populous Canadian provinces (Quebec and Ontario), to reduce the vulnerability factors experienced by the most marginalized migrants, the public and community sectors engage in joint coordination efforts called intersectoral collaboration. This collaboration ensures holistic care provisioning, inclusive of psychosocial support, assistance to address food security, and educational and employment assistance. This research project explores how community and public sectors collaborated on intersectoral initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic to support refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants without status in the cities of Montreal, Sherbrooke, and Toronto, and generates lessons for a sustainable response to the heterogeneous needs of these migrants. METHODS: This theory-informed participatory research is co-created with socioculturally diverse research partners (refugees, asylum seekers and migrants without status, employees of community organizations, and employees of public organizations). We will utilize Mirzoev and Kane's framework on health systems' responsiveness to guide the four phases of a qualitative multiple case study (a case being an intersectoral initiative). These phases will include (1) building an inventory of intersectoral initiatives developed during the pandemic, (2) organizing a deliberative workshop with representatives of the study population, community, and public sector respondents to select and validate the intersectoral initiatives, (3) interviews (n = 80) with community and public sector frontline workers and managers, municipal/regional/provincial policymakers, and employees of philanthropic foundations, and (4) focus groups (n = 80) with refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants without status. Qualitative data will be analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings will be used to develop discussion forums to spur cross-learning among service providers. DISCUSSION: This research will highlight the experiences of community and public organizations in their ability to offer responsive services for refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants without status in the context of a pandemic. We will draw lessons learnt from the promising practices developed in the context of COVID-19, to improve services beyond times of crisis. Lastly, we will reflect upon our participatory approach-particularly in relation to the engagement of refugees and asylum seekers in the governance of our research.

Psidium guajava leaf extract mediated green synthesis of silver nanoparticles and its application in antibacterial coatings.

In this study, Psidium guajava (P. guajava) leaf extract-assisted silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized and their antibacterial activities were investigated. The synthesized green AgNPs were characterized by various analytical techniques including UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, etc. From the UV-Vis spectroscopic analysis, the formation of nanoparticles has been confirmed by the color change from light yellow to reddish brown of the solution due to the excitation of the surface plasmon resonance peak at 430 nm. In addition, the FTIR study showed the reduction of Ag ions owing to the presence of biomolecules in the leaf extract, which acted as reducing as well as capping agents. Furthermore, XRD analysis reveals the identified 2θ peaks of AgNPs at ∼39° with cubic structure. The FE-SEM micrograph illustrated the material was formed in nano-dimensions, with an average particle size of ∼12 nm and almost spherical in shape. Moreover, P. guajava-mediated AgNPs demonstrated good antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive (S. aureus) and Gram-negative (E. coli) bacterial strains. The synthesis was performed by a bio-reduction process where a bioactive agent is responsible for reducing metallic ions to metallic nanoparticles as an eco-friendly, cost-effective, non-toxic, one-step, and sustainable method. Therefore, this study may create an imperative synthetic route for the fabrication of green-AgNPs and their application in antibacterial coatings in cotton textiles.

Nanostructured chitosan-polyphenolic patch for remote NIR-photothermal controlled dermal drug delivery.

We describe the synthesis of a nanostructured dermal patch composed of chitosan-tannic acid (CT) that can carry near-infrared (NIR) active Indocyanine green (ICG) dye for performing photothermal heat conversion activity. The NIR-responsive CT-I dermal patch can deliver topical antibiotic drugs (Neomycin). The CT-I and drug-loaded CT-I/N patches have been demonstrated by FTIR, SEM/EDX, TGA, and DSC analysis. The in vitro drug release from the CT-I/N patch are favorable in the dermal environment (pH = 5.5) and significantly increases 25 % more at higher temperatures of 40 to 45 °C. The CT-I/N showed increasing photothermal heat in response to NIR (808 nm) light. The in vivo thermograph demonstrated that the CT-I/N patch can generate >45 °C within 5 min NIR irradiation. As a result, sustained wound healing was shown in H&E (hematoxylin and eosin) staining dermal tissue. Such NIR-active nanostructure film/patch is promising for the future of any sustained on-demand drug delivery system.

Covid-19 waste facemask conundrum: A facile way of utilization through fabricating composite material with unsaturated polyester resin and evaluation of its mechanical properties.

Since the outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) has increased profusely. Among all the PPEs, face masks are the most picked ones by the mass people for protective purpose. This spawned extensive daily use of face masks and production of masks had to augment to keep up this booming demand. Such extensive use of face masks has resulted in a huge waste generation. Lack of proper disposal, waste management and waste recycling have already led this waste to pervade in the environment. In quest of finding a solution, here in this research, a composite material was fabricated utilizing waste face mask (WFM) with unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) and the mechanical properties were evaluated. The composites were fabricated by incorporating 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% WFM (by weight) within the UPR matrix in the shredded form following hand lay-up technique. Tensile properties, i.e., tensile strength (TS), tensile modulus (TM) and percentage elongation at break (% EB) as well as flexural properties, i.e., bending strength (BS) and bending modulus (BM) were evaluated for the fabricated composites. According to the results obtained, the 2% WFM loaded composites showed highest values of TS, TM, BS and BM which are 31.61 N/mm2, 1551.41 N/mm2, 66.53 N/mm2 and 4632.71 N/mm2 respectively. These values of 2% WFM loaded composite are 69.58%, 107.78%, 129.49% and 152% higher than the values of the control sample (UPR). Such results depict the successfulness of WFM's incorporation as a reinforcing material in the composite materials. Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water uptake and thickness swelling tests were also carried out for the fabricated composites. FTIR of the collected WFM revealed the fiber to be of polypropylene and the existing functional groups were also identified. The SEM images confirmed the proper adhesion of WFM and UPR in terms of mechanical bonding rather than chemical bonding. Water absorption and dimension change was investigated by water uptake and thickness swelling test. To sum up, the way we have utilized WFM as a reinforcing agent in a composite material, this could be a possible solution for the face mask's waste conundrum.