bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Can palm oil be substituted? A rheological study of fat mixtures
Authors: Kovács Anikó , Homolya Szabolcs , Temesi Ágoston , Unger-Plasek Brigitta , Kaszab Tímea , Badak-Kerti Katalin 
Published: October 2024

IntroductionDue to its distinctive fatty acid makeup, which makes it simple to utilize in various applications, palm oil is one of the most widely used fats in the food business. However, the increased palm oil production is causing global environmental issues, including the loss of rainforests. As a result, companies that use palm oil, particularly the food industry, must hunt for alternate sources of fat that can replace palm oil. Oleogels, which are created from liquid oils, are one of the potential substitutes. Another alternative is to combine solid fat and liquid oil, however, research in this area is scarce.MethodsTo fill this gap, we used a fully hydrogenized rapeseed oil and sunflower oil mixture in three different ratios for our research. We examined the rheological behavior of the mixtures using oscillatory and rotational viscometry.Results and discussionAccording to our results, 35% FH rapeseed oil sample yielded results most closely resembling the control palm mid fraction. Our findings show that replacing palm oil with a combination of completely hydrogenated rapeseed oil and sunflower oil is only viable to a limited degree from a rheological point of view.
Potential synergistic antihyperglycemic effects of co-supplemental Amla and Olive extracts in hyperlipidemic adults with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes: results from a real-life clinical study
Authors: Michel P. Hermans , Ahn Sylvie A. , Rousseau Michel F. , Seidel Laurence , Albert Adelin , Janssens Isabelle , Dierckxsens Yvan , Khan Amjad 
Published: October 2024

BackgroundHyperglycemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) pose a significant risk for cardiovascular diseases and associated complications in individuals with hyperlipidemia. Statin therapy, effective in reducing cholesterol and cardiovascular risks, paradoxically increases incident T2DM risk due to its adverse impact on glucose homeostasis. Therefore, there is a pressing need for safe, and effective adjunctive or alternative therapies to manage hyperglycemia in hyperlipidemic individuals. There is growing body of pharmacological evidence suggesting that Amla and Olive extract supplementation can be beneficial in managing hyperglycemia in individuals with hyperlipidemia.ObjectiveThe present study aimed to assess for the first time the potential synergistic antihyperglycemic effects of a daily co-supplementation of 1,000 mg Amla fruit and 50 mg Olive fruit standardized extracts (Cholesfytol NG®) over a 2-months period in hyperlipidemic adults with T2DM or prediabetes.MethodsThis retrospective cross-sectional observational study analyzed treatment outcomes in 191 hyperlipidemic adults under the care of their physicians at 57 General Practitioner clinics in Belgium during real-life clinical practice between March 19, 2020, and January 31, 2022. These participants received Cholesfytol NG® as supplementary therapy to improve their metabolic health. The supplement was prescribed in an open-label, non-randomized manner, tailored to each participant’s need.ResultsAfter 2-months of Cholesfytol NG® supplementation, participants showed significant reductions in glycemia levels: in the T2DM group, levels decreased by 42.7 ± 17.9 mg/dL (27.9%, p &lt; 0.0001), and in the prediabetic group, by 2.26 ± 11.5 mg/dL (4.7%, p = 0.0020). Conversely, no significant change was observed in participants with normal baseline glycemia (1.55 ± 10.3 mg/dL, p = 0.088). Overall, glycemia levels decreased from 96.4 ± 18.2 mg/dL to 94.0 ± 13.5 mg/dL (mean decrease of 2.4 ± 14.5 mg/dL, p &lt; 0.0001). The supplement was well tolerated and no side-effects, serious adverse events, or treatment-emergent effects were reported.ConclusionThe findings of this real-life clinical study highlight the potential synergistic antihyperglycemic effects of co-supplementation with Amla and Olive fruit extracts in managing hyperglycemia, particularly in individuals with hyperlipidemia. These results suggest that this botanical combination may help mitigate risks associated with hyperglycemia and cardiovascular disease in hyperlipidemic population.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06187298.
Determinants of recovery time from severe acute malnutrition among cholera-exposed and unexposed children in Ethiopia: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Alamneh Alemayehu Belay , Abate Kalkidan Hassen , Assaye Ashagre Molla , Demlie Yeshambel Worku , Guma Moti Edosa , Belachew Tefera 
Published: October 2024

BackgroundThere is a vicious interplay between severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and diarrheal diseases including cholera. The lack of sufficient evidence on the time to recovery and its determinants among children with cholera prompted this investigation. The study aimed to evaluate the time to recovery and determinants among children with severe acute malnutrition, comparing cholera-exposed and unexposed children.MethodsA prospective cohort study was carried out from September 10, 2022, to February 21, 2023, among 224 children below 15 years. The study was conducted at cholera treatment centers and nearby communities in the Bale and Guji Zones of Oromia Regional state in Ethiopia. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain information and anthropometric measurements were conducted weekly. After checking all assumptions, a multivariable Cox Proportional Hazards model was used to identify independent determinants of time to recovery using an adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Statistical significance was declared at p &lt; 0.05.ResultsNearly 80% of participants recovered from SAM with a recovery rate of 40/1000 person-week observation and a median time to recovery of 21 days [Inter Quartile Range14-28]. The recovery time from SAM for cholera-exposed children was delayed by 54% [ARR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.30–0.69] compared to unexposed children. Similarly, the recovery time from SAM for food-insecured families was delayed by 39% [ARR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.38–0.96] compared to food-secured families. Moreover, children with more than three meal frequencies per day had 1.61 times [ARR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.04–2.50] higher probability of fast recovery from SAM, compared to children with less than three meals. Children from families with good attitudes toward nutrition had more than two times [ARR: 2.23, 95% CI: 1.45–3.41] higher probability of faster recovery from SAM than families with poor attitudes.ConclusionThe study revealed that cholera exposure is one of the main determinants of prolonged recovery time for children with SAM. Food insecurity, meal frequency, and the attitude of parents toward children’s dietary habits were determinants for the recovery of children from SAM. The findings imply the need for designing interventions to enhance child feeding during cholera illness, focusing on key determinants.
The impact of perceived value on brand image and loyalty: a study of healthy food brands in emerging markets
Authors: García-Salirrosas Elizabeth Emperatriz , Escobar-Farfán Manuel , Esponda-Perez Jorge Alberto , Millones-Liza Dany Yudet , Villar-Guevara Miluska , Haro-Zea Karla Liliana , Gallardo-Canales Rodrigo 
Published: October 2024

IntroductionFood brands that promote a healthy lifestyle are gaining more followers. Healthy food consumers are a conscious and demanding segment that values the quality and benefits they receive from a product and the ethical, environmental, and social impact of their purchasing decisions. The objective of the research is to evaluate the influence of perceived value components on health food brand image and brand loyalty in an emerging market.MethodsA cross-sectional and explanatory study was conducted considering 612 consumers of a healthy brand in Peru. The participants included women (65.2%) and men (34.8%), with ages between 18 and 56 (M = 22.56; SD = 5.95). Data were collected using a self-report form and statistically analyzed using PLS-SEM.ResultsThe study hypotheses confirmed the impact of perceived emotional value, perceived social value, perceived financial value, and perceived quality on brand image and loyalty. However, the proposed model observes that perceived social value has no impact on brand loyalty.ConclusionImplementing strategies that help build stronger, healthy brands is part of effective management for business leaders. In this context, the findings indicate that brands should effectively communicate their attributes and offer them that meet and exceed consumer expectations to achieve consumer loyalty. This is a mechanism to consolidate a strong and positive image that facilitates customer loyalty based on perceived value. The results obtained can help marketers and decision-makers in the healthy food industry to design more effective brand strategies, which could increase demand for their healthy products.
Development and validation of PBPK models for genistein and daidzein for use in a next-generation risk assessment
Authors: Najjar A. , Lange D. , Géniès C. , Kuehnl J. , Zifle A. , Jacques C. , Fabian E. , Hewitt N. , Schepky A. 
Published: October 2024

IntroductionAll cosmetic ingredients must be evaluated for their safety to consumers. In the absence of in vivo data, systemic concentrations of ingredients can be predicted using Physiologically based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models. However, more examples are needed to demonstrate how they can be validated and applied in Next-Generation Risk Assessments (NGRA) of cosmetic ingredients. We used a bottom-up approach to develop human PBPK models for genistein and daidzein for a read-across NGRA, whereby genistein was the source chemical for the target chemical, daidzein.MethodsAn oral rat PBPK model for genistein was built using PK-Sim® and in vitro ADME input data. This formed the basis of the daidzein oral rat PBPK model, for which chemical-specific input parameters were used. Rat PBPK models were then converted to human models using human-specific physiological parameters and human in vitro ADME data. In vitro skin metabolism and penetration data were used to build the dermal module to represent the major route of exposure to cosmetics.ResultsThe initial oral rat model for genistein was qualified since it predicted values within 2-fold of measured in vivo PK values. This was used to predict plasma concentrations from the in vivo NOAEL for genistein to set test concentrations in bioassays. Intrinsic hepatic clearance and unbound fractions in plasma were identified as sensitive parameters impacting the predicted Cmax values. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses indicated the developed PBPK models had a moderate level of confidence. An important aspect of the development of the dermal module was the implementation of first-pass metabolism, which was extensive for both chemicals. The final human PBPK model for daidzein was used to convert the in vitro PoD of 33 nM (from an estrogen receptor transactivation assay) to an external dose of 0.2% in a body lotion formulation.ConclusionPBPK models for genistein and daidzein were developed as a central component of an NGRA read-across case study. This will help to gain regulatory confidence in the use of PBPK models, especially for cosmetic ingredients.
Developing a spectrum model of engagement in services for first episode psychosis: beyond attendance
Authors: Ferrari M. , MacDonald K. , Sabetti J. , Cowan T. , Iyer S. N. 
Published: October 2024

BackgroundEarly intervention services (EIS) for psychosis have proven highly effective in treating first episode psychosis. Yet, retention or “engagement” in EIS remains highly variable. Dis/engagement as a contested concept and fluid process involving relationships between service providers and service users remains poorly understood. This study aimed to critically evaluate and explain the dynamic interplay of service provider-user relationships in effecting dis/engagement from an early intervention program for psychosis.MethodsForty study participants, 16 service providers and 24 service users (19 current and 5 disengaged) from a Canadian EIS program, were administered semi-structured interviews. Qualitative analysis was conducted using grounded theory methods, with findings captured and reconceptualized in a novel explanatory model.FindingsA model of engagement with eight major domains of engagement in EIS positioned along a control-autonomy spectrum was developed from the findings, with Clinical engagement (attendance) and Life engagement (life activities) at opposite ends of the spectrum, interspersed by six intermediate domains: Medication/treatment, Symptoms/illness, Mental health, Physical health/wellness, Communication, and Relationships, each domain bearing uniquely on engagement.ConclusionsAn examination of service user and service provider perspectives on the various domains identified in the spectrum model, and their dynamic interplay, reveals the complexity of choices faced by service users in engaging and not engaging with services.
A survey in Austria supports the significance of genetic counseling and pharmacogenetic testing for mental illness
Authors: Aschauer Elena , Yazdi Shahriar Izadi , Aschauer Harald 
Published: October 2024

IntroductionGenetic counseling and testing in psychiatry warrant attention, but research results on attitude, knowledge, personal experience and interest are limited. There are only a few studies that have compared the opinions of the general population and experts regarding genetic counseling and genetic testing in mental illness.MethodsThis study aimed to investigate these gaps through a cross-sectional survey conducted in Austria, involving a sample of the web-active population, representative according to gender, age and geographical location (n=1,000, 24.5% of them had a psychiatric diagnosis), and experts (n=145, 83.4% of them psychiatrists). Two questionnaires were developed. Pearson chi-square statistics were used to compare responses, and regression analyses were employed to measure the strength of psycho-sociodemographic influences on answers.ResultsThe findings revealed that public considered genetic counseling to be more important than experts did (68.8% versus 54.2%; Pearson chi-square 12.183; df=1; p&lt;0.001). The general population believed that genetic testing is useful for diagnosing mental disorders, which contrasted with experts’ opinions (67.9% versus 17.2%; Pearson chi-square 137.236; df=1; p&lt;0.001). Both groups agreed on the potential benefits of pharmacogenetic testing (79% versus 80%). A small number of individuals from the public had sought genetic counseling (8%), and only a minority of experts had specific training and experience in this field (28%).DiscussionThis is the first survey study on the topic conducted in Austria, with limited international studies available. Austrian experts place less value on genetic counseling compared to their counterparts in other countries. Despite recognized importance placed on genetic counseling and testing, utilization rates remain low. The value of pharmacogenetics is predicted to increase in the future. Consequently, it is crucial for medical training programs to emphasize the significance of genetic counseling and enhance the understanding of genetic aspects related to mental illnesses to enable experts to provide adequate psychoeducation and personalized care to the extent possible to patients and their families.
Case report: A novel de novo variant of NACC1 caused epileptic encephalopathy and intellectual disability
Authors: Wu Jiahao , Gan Jing , Hua Yimin , Li Yifei , Qie Di 
Published: October 2024

BackgroundGenetic disorders could also contribute to intellectual disability. Using whole exome sequencing (WES), several variants have been identified as autosomal-dominant inheritance intellectual disability. Thus, the application of WES has demonstrated its critical role in distinguishing intellectual disability in children patients, which provides essential diagnosis and promotes therapeutic strategy.Case presentationThe proband, an 18-month-old female patient, presented with a complex clinical profile characterized by profound developmental delay, epilepsy, and neurological developmental impairment. WES identified a heterozygous c.913A&gt;G variant in exon 2 of NACC1, resulting in disease caused by a change in the amino acid sequence, affecting the protein features and resulting in splice site changes, as revealed by MutationTaster analysis. The protein structure of NAC1 was built and named AF-Q96RE7-F1, and the mutant site was beyond the BTB/POZ, NLS, and BEN domains. Subsequently, PyMOL software was used to illustrate the molecular structure between the wild type and the mutant type of NAC1. The residues around the 304 site of amino acid changed in NAC1 p.T304A with an altered hydrogen bond, indicating an unstable structure. The patient was diagnosed with intellectual disability and profound developmental delay with epilepsy harboring a novel de novo NACC1 variant. Upon hospital admission, a comprehensive treatment regimen was initiated, including antiseizure medications, nutritional supplements, and rehabilitation training. As a result, the patient’s movement performance improved. However, recurrent epilepsy attacks still occurred.ConclusionThis is the first case revealing a novel NACC1 c.903A&gt;G variant that induced a neurological impairment in an infant. This report expanded the understanding of the non-domain-associated variant of NACC1 and developmental disorder.
Urgency as a predictor of change in emotion dysregulation in adolescents
Authors: Fisher-Fox Lindsey , Whitener MacKenzie , Wu Wei , Cyders Melissa A. , Zapolski Tamika C. B. 
Published: October 2024

IntroductionAdolescence is a key developmental period characterized by increased maladaptive risky behaviors. Two related but distinct constructs, urgency (the tendency to act rashly in response to strong negative or positive emotions) and emotion dysregulation, are important risk factors for engaging in maladaptive risky behaviors. Thus far, research has largely agreed that these two risk factors are highly correlated. However, the causal direction between these constructs is less understood. The goal of the current study is to determine whether urgency predicts emotion dysregulation change among adolescents.MethodThis project is an analysis of 544 youth (49.8% female, Mage=14.22, SD=0.52). We tested whether urgency at baseline predicts change in emotion dysregulation over a nine-week period, and whether that relationship differs across boys and girls.ResultsTwo multigroup latent change score path analyses found that negative, but not positive, urgency significantly predicted emotion dysregulation change (negative urgency: b= -0.57, p=0.001; positive urgency: b=0.22, p=0.06). There was no evidence of moderation by gender.DiscussionThis work provides initial evidence of a temporal relationship between higher negative urgency and increased emotion dysregulation. The next step is to determine whether negative urgency imparts risk for maladaptive behaviors through its effect on emotion dysregulation. The long-term goal of this program of research is to design and test interventions to reduce the impact of negative urgency for adolescent risk-taking.
Prevalence of multiple long-term chronic conditions and associated disabilities among community-dwelling adults in Riyadh
Authors: Alenazi Aqeel M. , Alhwoaimel Norah A. , Alqahtani Bader A. , Alshehri Mohammed M. , Alhowimel Ahmed S. , Khunti Kamlesh 
Published: October 2024

Background/objectivesSaudi Arabia is experiencing a rapid increase in chronic diseases and disabilities. However, there is a dearth of research on these topics in the Arab world. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of multiple long-term chronic conditions (MLTCs) and disabilities and their relationship.MethodsThe survey was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2023. Convenient sampling was used to select 324 participants aged 50 years and older, using data on disabilities status. The survey collected information on age, sex, body mass index (BMI), MLTCs or multi-morbidity, and activities of daily living (ADL). Disabilities was measured using Arabic versions of basic ADL and the Barthel index.ResultsThe prevalence of MLTCs among participants was 49.4%. The prevalence of disabilities measured using the ADL and Barthel index was 33.6 and 49.7%, respectively, and these rates increased by 42.5 and 58.1% among participants with MLTCs (n = 160). MLTCs were associated with an increased risk of disabilities using ADL [odds ratio (OR) 1.99, p = 0.037] and the Barthel index (OR 2.27, p = 0.007).ConclusionApproximately half of the participants with disabilities data had MLTCs, and approximately a third to half had a disabilities. MLTCs were significantly associated with various types of disabilities among community-dwelling Saudi adults. Hence, strategies to reduce chronic diseases may result in a reduction in disabilities, and vice versa.
Manpower, financial, material resources, and participation level in national fitness: a fuzzy-set QCA approach
Authors: Xu Ping , Zhu Liang , Yang Liu , Yan Jin 
Published: October 2024

BackgroundIn the era of economic globalization, major public health events—such as the Ebola epidemic, the avian influenza epidemic, the “SARS” epidemic, and the COVID-19 pandemic—occur more frequently, severely endangering human life safety and health and making global public health governance a major survival issue of universal concern. Therefore, governments have included the improvement of national health in their sustainable development goals, and its important position in global and national health policies has become increasingly prominent. However, the most common non-medical intervention taken by the government is to encourage people to actively participate in physical fitness activities to prevent disease and improve health. Therefore, how to improve the level of participation in national fitness is not only a hot topic in the academic community, but also a work content that governments around the world attach great importance to.ObjectivesTo reveal the complex interaction of the factors affecting the participation level in national fitness and obtain the linkage and adaptation mode of multiple conditions.Study designStarting from the three elements of manpower, financial, material resources, combined with the characteristics of the organizational behavior of local governments in China, this study puts forward an integrated analysis framework to understand the difference of the participation level in national fitness in various provinces and regions.MethodsFuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) is used to carry out configuration analysis on the participation level in national fitness in 31 provinces and regions in China.ResultsFirst, no single necessary condition can explain the results, whether for high-or low-level national fitness participation. Second, the construction of social sports instructors, public financial support for mass sports, and the supply of sports venues are the core conditions for improving the participation level in national fitness. Third, high-level participation of national fitness is carried out in five ways in China’s provinces.ConclusionThese findings enrich the literature on improving the participation level in national fitness, and provide useful practical enlightenment for the local governments to increase the participation level in national fitness.