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Background: To assess the efficacy of curcuminoids (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin [BDC]) and their analogs (tetrahydrocurcumin [THC], tetrahydrodemethoxycurcumin [THDC], tetrahydrobisdemethoxycurcumin) in reducing inflammatory cytokines and their toxicity to primary human corneal limbal epithelial cells, these cells were cultured and exposed to these compounds. Methods: The PrestoBlue assay assessed cell viability after treatment. Anti-inflammatory effects on hyperosmotic cells were determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction and significance was gauged using one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's tests, considering p-values < 0.05 as significant. Results: Curcuminoids and their analogs, at 1, 10, and 100 µM, exhibited no effect on cell viability compared to controls. However, cyclosporin A 1:500 significantly reduced cell viability more than most curcuminoid treatments, except 100 µM curcumin and BDC. All tested curcuminoids and analogs at these concentrations significantly decreased mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-17 A, matrix metallopeptidase-9, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 after 90 mM NaCl stimulation compared to untreated cells. Furthermore, proinflammatory cytokine levels from hyperosmotic cells treated with 1, 10, and 100 µM curcumin, 100 µM BDC, 100 µM THC, 1 and 100 µM THDC mirrored those treated with cyclosporin A 1:500. Conclusion: The anti-inflammatory efficiency of 1 and 10 µM curcumin, 100 µM THC, 1 and 100 µM THDC was comparable to that of cyclosporin A 1:500 while maintaining cell viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this cross-sectional evaluation was to determine the associations between raw bioelectrical impedance and cardiometabolic health parameters in a sample of young non-Hispanic White and African American adults. Methods: A total of 96 (female: 52, male: 44) non-Hispanic White (n = 45) and African American adults (n = 51) between the ages of 19 and 37 yr (22.7 ± 3.83 yr) completed several fasted assessments including resting systolic blood pressure (rSBP), blood glucose (FBG), blood lipids, and bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy. Bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy–derived measurements included phase angle, bioimpedance index (BI), impedance ratio (IR), reactance index (XCi), fat-free mass (FFM), FFM index (FFMi), and absolute (a) and relative (%) total body water (TBW) and extracellular (ECF) and intracellular fluid (ICF). All bioelectric variables were collected at 50 kHz other than IR (250 kHz/5 kHz). Multiple regressions were conducted and adjusted for sex, age, and body mass index. Results: rSBP was positively, and HDL was inversely, associated with all bioelectrical impedance and absolute hydration variables (all P ≤ 0.050) other than XCi for rSBP and XCi and FFMi for HDL. rSBP (P < 0.001) was inversely, and HDL (P = 0.034) was positively, associated with IR. FBG was positively associated with BI, XCi, FFM, TBWa, and ECFa (all P < 0.050). Metabolic syndrome severity was positively associated with BI, FFM, TBWa, and ECFa for women (all P ≤ 0.050) and with ICFa for African American women (P = 0.016). Conclusions: Given the rapid increase in the prevalence of cardiometabolic health risks among young adults and the broad use of bioelectrical impedance in practice, the conflicting associations we observed in this age group suggest that bioelectrical impedance parameters should be used with caution in the context of cardiometabolic health risks and age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigates differences in American English consonants produced by patients who present with various dentofacial disharmonies (DFDs), including severe overbites (Class II), underbites (Class III), and anterior open bites. Previous studies have found that patients with these malocclusion types all produce lingual sibilants and plosives with increased spectral center of gravity and increased spectral variance relative to controls. This result is puzzling since some DFD groups differ from controls in opposite ways, and it is also difficult to interpret because spectral moment measures are affected by a wide range of speech and nonspeech factors. Method: To better understand the articulatory basis of these differences, we apply articulatorily interpretable spectral measures derived from multitaper spectra. Results: We find that all groups of DFD patients produce /s ʃ t tʃ/ with midfrequency spectral peaks that are less prominent than those of the control group, but peak frequency measures are largely the same across all groups. Conclusion: We conclude that the DFD patients differ more in sibilant noise source properties than in front cavity filter properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the role of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), measured by the Equatorial Southern Oscillation Index (EQSOI), is used to formally forecast the inflation and GDP growth rates of the United States, advanced (excluding the United States) and emerging countries, as well as the world economy (barring the United States). We rely on univariate and multivariate singular spectrum analyses (SSA), as well as mixed-frequency version of the latter since the EQSOI is monthly, while GDP is available only at quarterly frequency unlike monthly inflation rates. We find statistically significant evidence of the ability of the EQSOI in forecasting inflation and GDP growth rates of the four economic blocs, though there are exceptions in terms of forecasting gains associated with inflation rate of emerging economies and the growth rate of the United States. Our results have important implications for policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveThis study examined the liking of fruits and vegetables among college students and the relationship between skin carotenoid levels and liking of fruits and vegetables. Participants: Sixty-six undergraduate students enrolled at a university in the southeastern United States participated in this study beginning August 2019. Methods: Skin carotenoid levels were measured using the Veggie Meter® reflection spectroscopy device. Liking of individual fruits and vegetables was measured using a hedonic general Labeled Magnitude Scale. Results: There were significant differences in mean skin carotenoid levels by year of study and age group. Students had a very strong liking for potatoes and pineapple. Veggie Meter scores and overall liking for fruits and vegetables were positively correlated. Conclusions: In order to encourage the consumption of fruits and vegetables, preferences for specific fruits and vegetables as well as accessibility should be considered to better serve and accommodate college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raw bioelectrical impedance measurements are often used as a prognosticator of health status because of their association with disease states and malnutrition. Although studies consistently show the effect of physical characteristics on bioelectrical impedance, few investigations describe the effect of race, particularly for Black adults, and many bioelectrical impedance standards were produced from primarily White adults almost 2 decades ago. Therefore, this study sought to evaluate the racial differences in bioelectrical impedance measurements using bioimpedance spectroscopy between non-Hispanic White and non-Hispanic Black adults matched for age, sex, and body mass index. We hypothesized that Black adults would have a lower phase angle from higher resistance and lower reactance compared with White adults. One hundred non-Hispanic White (n = 50) and non-Hispanic Black (n = 50) males (n = 34) and females (n = 66) matched for sex, age, and body mass index completed this cross-sectional study. Participants underwent several anthropometric assessments, including height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, bioimpedance spectroscopy, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Bioelectrical impedance measures of resistance, reactance, phase angle, and impedance were all collected at frequencies of 5, 50, and 250 kHz and bioelectrical impedance vector analysis was performed using 50-kHz data. There were no significant differences for any anthropometric variable between Black and White participants in the total sample or by sex groups. In addition, there were no significant racial differences for any bioelectrical impedance assessment, including bioelectrical impedance vector analysis. Differences in bioelectrical impedance are likely not a function of race between Black and White adults and concerns regarding its utility should not be based on this characteristic., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Grant M. Tinsley has received research support through in-kind equipment donation or loan from manufacturers of body composition assessment methods, including bioimpedance analyzers (RJL Systems and Biospace, Inc.). These entities played no role in the present manuscript. The other authors reported no conflicts of interest., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Dokha is a tobacco product commonly used in Middle Eastern and Northern African regions. It is available in three blends purportedly corresponding to the degree of "buzz" experienced by the user. The "buzz" has been linked in part to nicotine levels, which are higher than those found in cigarettes and is believed to be the reason dokha is abused as a "legal high." There have been reports of seizure activity from dokha users, and elevated concentrations of toxic metals have been measured in dokha tobacco. The purpose of this work was to determine whether we could use dokha's elemental content, measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, to link dokha back to its brand. This could aid investigators in identifying brands and/or distribution routes in the case of adverse effects resulting from dokha use. We measured the concentrations of Mg, K, Mn, Ni, Cu, Rb, Sr, and Ba in Medwakh, Nirvana, Scorpion, Enjoy, Kingdom, and Iconic dokha brands. Analysis of variance revealed statistical differences in concentrations of elements among groups. Discriminant function analysis (using leave-one-out classification) was 58.3% successful at differentiating brands. Enjoy dokha was the most, and Kingdom dokha the least, correctly classified among groups. Attempts to further link dokha blends back to light, medium, and heavy blends were less successful. These results indicate potential for using elemental content to discriminate among dokha brands. Our data may also help to understand the degree of additional processing and/or adulteration of dokha products available to users in the United States., (© 2022 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.)

A simple, sensitive and matrix-effect free analytical method for simultaneous determination of Cd, Hg and Pb in drug samples ( i.e. , commercial dosage tablets) by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) has been developed. According to the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Chapter 232, those metals are considered elemental impurities from class 1 and they must be assessed in pharmaceutical production as well as in quality control evaluation. In order to increase the sensitivity of the analysis, dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) was performed and seven factors affecting analyte extraction were optimized by multivariate analysis. A microvolume of analyte enriched phase was directly introduced into the plasma using a multi-nebulizer, providing a high enrichment factor. When compared to conventional ICP OES analysis, DLLME improves the limit of quantitation (LOQ) values on average 40-fold for all analytes. Consequently, LOQ values were significantly lower than their permissible daily exposure limits for oral drugs. Accuracy was evaluated by addition and recovery experiments following USP recommendations in eight commercial drug samples. Recovery and RSD values were within the range of 90-108% and 1-9%, respectively.