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The goal of this study was to see how much genetic and environmental interaction affects essential oil yield and patchouli alcohol content and find superior genotypes over the years of patchouli's unique aroma in India. The tests were carried out for one year in 2013–2014 (initial evaluation trial) and then for three years in 2015–2016, 2016–2017, and 2017–2018 (major yield assessment trials). The fourteen patchouli genotypes and one commercial variety (CIM- Samarth) were studied in an RBD design with three replications. A pooled analysis of variance was performed across the environments/years for the eleven economic attributes. The results showed that most of the attributes had significant differences. In all three environments/years, genetic correlations between economic traits played a critical role in genetic improvement, for example, the traits X3-vs-X4, X3-vs-X5, and X4-vs-X5. As a result, according to correlations throughout the selective environments/years, picking these features will be favorable. Furthermore, the heritability in a broad sense (h2BS) was expressed as a percentage. The scores for all ten attributes ranged from 87.13 to 99.25%. The genetic advance over mean (GAM) percent, which ranged from 13.42 to 162.83%, was equally fascinating. The four winning genotypes for essential oil yield, G/PATC-11, G/PATC-1, G/PATC-2, and G/PATC-5, and the lines G/PATC-1, G/PATC-4, G/PATC-9, and G/PATC-11 for patchouli alcohol percent), were explained by biplot analysis as stable and higher-yielding genotypes. The percentage of ar-curcumene in stable genotypes with a distinct fragrance ranged from 8.60 to 8.71% in G/PATC 4, G/PATC 11, G/PATC 14, and G/PATC 1. Ar-curcumene has been found for the first time in the patchouli (Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth) species. As a result, it may be prudent to cultivate these stable genotypes on a big scale in India.

Nutrient databases are a critical component of nutrition science and the basis of exciting new research in precision nutrition (PN). To identify the most critical components needed for improvement of nutrient databases, food composition data were analyzed for quality, with completeness being the most important measure, and for FAIRness, how well the data conformed with the data science criteria of findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR). Databases were judged complete if they provided data for all 15 nutrition fact panel (NFP) nutrient measures and all 40 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) essential nutrient measures for each food listed. Using the gold standard the USDA standard reference (SR) Legacy database as surrogate, it was found that SR Legacy data were not complete for either NFP or NASEM nutrient measures. In addition, phytonutrient measures in the 4 USDA Special Interest Databases were incomplete. To evaluate data FAIRness, a set of 175 food and nutrient data sources were collected from worldwide. Many opportunities were identified for improving data FAIRness, including creating persistent URLs, prioritizing usable data storage formats, providing Globally Unique Identifiers for all foods and nutrients, and implementing citation standards. This review demonstrates that despite important contributions from the USDA and others, food and nutrient databases in their current forms do not yet provide truly comprehensive food composition data. We propose that to enhance the quality and usage of food and nutrient composition data for research scientists and those fashioning various PN tools, the field of nutrition science must step out of its historical comfort zone and improve the foundational nutrient databases used in research by incorporating data science principles, the most central being data quality and data FAIRness.

Epiboly, the coordinated spreading of the enveloping layer (EVL), the yolk syncytial layer (YSL) and the deep cells (DCs) toward the vegetal pole, is required for gastrulation. Interference with the EVL leads to early developmental failure. However, the genetic factors underlying EVL differentiation are so far unknown. By in-depth analyzing of single-cell sequencing data from 4 h post fertilization zebrafish embryos, we identified 105 genes (FDR

This survey was conducted to document the distribution, market potential, medicinal properties, and conservation status of wild food plants (WFPs) which are consumed by local communities of poor socioeconomic background, residing near the Pakistan-Afghan border. Data were collected via semi-structured during 2017–2020 and a total of 288 informers were interviewed in a different locality. In this survey, a total of 95 WFPs species of 39 families and 58 genera were documented. Among these WFPS, 70% of species are ethno-medicinally known. August was the peak month for the accessibility of WFPs (i.e., 17%). The most consumed parts were leaves (37%) and fruit (36%). Plant species of 36 families out of 39 were marketable and reported for the first time, which was further interrelated with taste, ethnobotanical, ethnomedicinal value, FC, and relative frequency of citation (RFC). Rhamnaceae and Rosaceae were the dominant families with the highest number of frequencies of citation (FC) and number of species. The highest FC (77) and RFC (0.267) were calculated for Ziziphus jujuba. This study presents the market potential and distribution of the WFPs for the first time in a war-affected zone. These findings would facilitate local people along the Pakistan-Afghan border and researchers to utilize WFPs to fulfill food requirements. We suggest that further pharmacological and biological assessments of these plants can contribute to economic prosperity, and increase the dietary diversity of this region.

Background Medicinal plants occupy an important place in the lives of people around the world. This study covers an area where medicinal plants are widely used for various health-related problems due to easily available sources. Objective: The current study aimed to document the quantities of data about the most commonly used medicinal plants in the district Bannu and two common species' biological activities. Methods Ethno-pharmacological data were collected from different locations of district Bannu in the period from 2018 to 2019.The information about biological activities was concentrated on two species: Withania coagulans (Stocks) Dunal and Mentha viridis L. The data was compiled randomly by semi-structured interviews from having different groups, ages consist of both genders, male and female. Results The ethno-pharmacological data were collected from 115 native people, including 14 traditional healers. The most frequently cited families were: Solanaceae and Moraceae with 5 species (5.88%) followed by Apiaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae with 4 species each (4.7%). The highest use-value was reported for Withania coagulans (0.47), followed by M. viridis (0.44), Tamarix aphylla (0.43), Curcuma longa (0.42), Plantago ovata (0.41), Linum usitatissimum (0.40). Least use value was reported for Ziziphus nummularia (0.04).The highest RFC value was reported for W. coagulans (47.82), followed by M. viridis (44.34), and T. aphylla (43.47). Conclusion The study will result in further pharmacological and clinical research to discover new medicines to improve the health system. It is the first step in unraveling natural products' potential and requires careful study and investigation to enrich the system worldwide. The study will also contribute to the conservation of medicinal plants in the area of Bannu.

An 8-week feeding trial investigated the optimum dietary vitamin K3 requirements of largemouth bass. A total of 600 healthy fish (12.96 ± 0.07 g) were fed diets containing varying levels of vitamin K3 at 0.78 (K0), 5.80 (K5), 10.82 (K10), 15.84 (K15), and 20.85 (K20) mg/kg with four replicates per level. Results showed that dietary vitamin K3 enhanced growth, with weight gain rate and specific growth rate in K15 trials significantly higher than K0 trials (P 0.05). However, the supplementation of vitamin K3 significantly contributed to calcium accumulation in muscle tissues and vertebrae (P 0.05). The antioxidant capacity was improved with the addition of vitamin K3, which was inconsistent with the changes in malondialdehyde and MK-4 (a form of menaquinone) within liver and serum, suggesting that the toxicity of excessive artificial vitamin K3 may account for this difference. Using regression analysis, the appropriate dietary vitamin K3 levels within a largemouth bass diet was determined to be in the range of 9.93–15.22 mg/kg, which will provide a reference for the preparation of vitamin premix and artificial diet for largemouth bass.

This study was carried out to examine the effect of combining factors for immersion technique on masculinization of red tilapia (Oreochromis spp.). Three selected doses (1000, 1,500, and 2000 μg/L) of 17α-methyltestosterone (17 MT) immersion, 2 exposure times (3 and 6 h) once or twice a week, and interaction of these factors were tested. A total of 12 treatment combinations under 3 × 2 × 2 factorial experiments in randomized complete block design were conducted to compare with the negative control group (no 17 MT-treated) and positive control group (17 MT-treated feed administration). One hundred red tilapia larvae (14 days post-hatch) were randomly allocated in each treatment and were operated in a 10-L glass jar for 21 days. At the end of the treatment regime, the survival rate was determined. Then, fish were raised in a 150-L glass tank using normal commercial feed for 2 months and sex ratios were determined via the gonad squash technique. None of the immersion treatments tested resulted in a statistically significant (p > 0.05) decrease in survival rate. All 17 MT-treated groups produced progenies with a significantly higher (p

Anaerobic digestion is considered an environmentally benign process for the recycling of food waste into biogas. However, unscientific disposal of ammonium-rich food waste digestate (FWD), a by-product of anaerobic digestion induces environmental issues such as odor nuisances, water pollution, phytotoxicity and pathogen transformations in soil, etc. In the present study, FWD produced from anaerobic digestion of source-separated food waste from markets and industries was used for converting FWD into biofertilizer using 20-L bench scale composters. The issues of nitrogen loss, NH

The objective of this work to review about interaction of different food additives with Haemoglobin (Hb) and Myoglobin (Mb) proteins. Food additives are the important components which are added in food to preserve its flavour, color, appearance along with its taste. Mb and Hb interacts with numerous food dyes at varying conditions. In this study we will use various spectroscopic techniques like fluorescence spectroscopy, UV–Visible spectroscopy, Rayleigh light scattering (RLS), fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), circular dichroism (CD)alongwithtransmissionelectronmicroscopy (TEM)andmoleculardockingtocharacterize the binding consequences of Mb and Hb. Proteinaggregationisthedistinctivepropertyrelatedtohumanbody. Deformationofprotein along with its aggregation leads to vast conformational change in human body and leads to several blood related (anemia, leukemia) andneurodegenerativediseaseslikeParkinson’sandAlzheimer’s. Foodadditivesaretoxictohumansaswellastoenvironment. Sothe aim of this study to find out the methods for detection of such diseases along with its cure as well as methods to release these toxic dyes via interaction of additives with Hb & Mb.

India is an agricultural country. Nearly 70% of the populations thrive in rural areas, engaged in agriculture making the backbone of our economy. The Trichoderma genus is widely distributed and provides an alternative to chemical pesticides in crops and plants growth. Trichoderma species are free living and commonly found in soil and root ecosystems. Root colonization by Trichoderma also regularly promotes growth and development of plants. They also perform beneficial and significant role in enhancing crop productivity, fight against pathogens, resistant to abiotic stress and increase of nutrients uptake from soil. The present study was undertaken to investigate quantitative and qualitative estimation of phosphate solubilizer by using nineteen isolates of Trichoderma grown on Pikovskaya’s Agar and NBRIP media. It was found that all isolates were capable of differentially utilizing 5 g/L TCP in NBRIP broth. This was indicated by the soluble phosphate concentrations and increase in acidity of growth medium. Out of 19 isolates, all isolates were capable in phosphate solubilization. However, the P- solubilizing efficiency was found higher in case of the isolate number-59 and 89. While isolate number-102 was the strongest and isolate number-23 was the weakest P-solubilizer. Minimum Phosphate solubilization concentration was observed in 3rd day (0%) that simultaneously increased on 7th day (52.63%) followed by 9th day (100%) and remaining all days 13th, 17th and 21st days also observed 100% efficiency.

This study investigated the effects of replacing fishmeal with Clostridium autoethanogenum protein (CAP) on growth, feed utilization and intestinal histology of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The control diet contained 350 g/kg fishmeal, and then dietary fishmeal was decreased to 300 g/kg, 250 g/kg, 200 g/kg, 150 g/kg and 100 g/kg by CAP inclusion, respectively (FM-30, FM-25, FM-20, FM-15, FM-10). The largemouth bass (110.0 ± 1.0 g) were fed one of the six diets for 8 weeks. The groups of FM-30, FM-25 and FM-20 showed the similar weight gain (WG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) to the control (P > 0.05), while the WG of FM-10 group was decreased by 15.9%, and FCR increased by 0.12 when compared to the control (P 0.05). In conclusion, CAP could replace 150 g/kg fishmeal in diet (350 g/kg fishmeal) without adverse effects on growth, feed utilization and intestinal histology of largemouth bass.

Light is an essential natural factor of fish growth and development. A light regime in indoor aquaculture is critical for sustainable fish production. This research aimed to investigate the effect of light intensity and photoperiod on the growth performance and stress response of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), which is an important commercial species, in a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). Fingerlings with an average weight of 5 ± 0.9 g were randomly assigned to nine 1.5 m3 tanks with 145 fish in each tank, cultured under different light intensities (1000, 2000, and 3000 lx) and photoperiods (12L:12D, 18L:6D, 24L:0D), and fed to apparent satiation twice a day for 160 days. The growth of tilapia subjected to 2000 lx was significantly better than that exposed to 1000 and 3000 lx (P 0.05). Light intensity and photoperiod manipulation did not cause a significant chronic stress response in tilapia. This study demonstrated that light intensity, especially at 2000 lx, and photoperiod manipulation could stimulate the growth of tilapia in the RAS and significantly affect economic profitability. This study also served as an important reference for tilapia indoor aquaculture.

This work demonstrated the promise of using industrial-grade sugar syrups derived from corn and wood, i.e., high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), glucose corn syrup (GCS) and wood-based sugar (TMP-Bio Sugar), as cheaper and competitive feedstocks for 5-HMF production using niobium phosphate as a heterogeneous solid acid catalyst in a biphasic continuous-flow tubular reactor. 5-HMF yield as high as 53.1% with 100% sugar (glucose and fructose) conversion was obtained from catalytic dehydration of HFCS-90 (containing 90 wt% fructose) at 150 °C, with feed concentration of 200 mg/ml (glucose and fructose) and aqueous to organic phase ratio of 1:5 (v/v). Catalyst stability with time was tested over 20 h of continuous-time on stream, and the reusability of the catalyst was studied after in-situ regeneration of the used catalyst by calcination in the air for removing the deposited humins and coke on the surface of the catalyst particles. The regenerated catalyst showed good activity with almost constant selectivity, although at lower glucose conversion and reduced 5-HMF yield compared to the fresh catalyst, indicating that the in-situ regeneration process could recover a part of the acid sites on the catalyst surface. The produced humins during the reaction were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and elemental analysis (CHNS). The results showed high aromaticity and the presence of a high degree of unsaturated compounds in the structure of humins.

Cryptococcus neoformans is a capsule containing yeast pathogen, commonly found in urban environments that causes Cryptococcosis which is a worldwide fungal disease. The current study. This study was aimed to compare the ability of some culture media to detect melanin production by C. neoformans isolates. A total of 202 clinical samples obtained from patients suffering from meningitis, during the period from September 2020 through April 2021. The isolation and identification results revealed that 179 (88.61%) samples were positive for yeast growth. 29 (14.35%). Twenty-nine from 202 of samples were C. neoformans according to the morphological characteristics and the biochemical tests, and 150 (74.25%) samples for Candida spp. All C. neoformans isolates produced blue dry colonies on cryptococcus differential agar. Several differential media were used for the purpose of testing the ability of C. neoformans to produce melanin pigment, these includes: Niger seed agar medium (Staib’s Agar), and the colonies of C. neoformans appeared on this medium in a brown color after 2–5 days of incubation, Tobacco agar where those colonies gave a dark brown color after 48–72 h, and Methyldopa agar which was the best medium for the detection of melanin production because the results were faster from the other media, interestingly the colonies can produce the pigment and can growth very fast within 24hr.

Increasing fuel prices and depletion of conventional sources of energy has promoted research in non-conventional sources like biodiesel from non-edible seeds and industrial wastes. The present work focuses on the elicitation of biodiesel from the seeds of capparis spinosa L. The crude bio-oil extracted from the seeds of capparis spinosa L transesterified into biodiesel using calcium oxide as a heterogeneous catalyst derived from oyster shells. The oyster shell powder is characterized before and after calcination using XRD and the calcinated oyster shell is observed through SEM to analyze the size of the particle and morphology. The produced biodiesel was characterized by GC analysis and the fuel properties of biodiesel such as density, flash point, cloud point, pour point and kinematic viscosity, ash content, carbon residue was analyzed and compared with commercial diesel.

Introduction The incidence of infections caused by aerobic actinomycetes is increasing. Recent changes in taxonomy and the variability in susceptibility patterns among species make necessary a proper identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Material and methods Fifty-three strains of aerobic actinomycetes were identified by MALDI-TOF MS using the VITEK MS Mycobacterium/Nocardia kit (bioMerieux, France) in a tertiary hospital in Spain during a six-year period. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the isolates was performed using the Sensititre Rapmycoi microdilution panel (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Massachusetts, USA). Results Forty strains of Nocardia spp. were identified in the study, being N. farcinica and N. cyriacigeorgica the most prevalent ones. All isolates were susceptible to linezolid and the resistance to amikacin was only observed in one isolate of Gordonia sputi. Resistance to cotrimoxazole was only found in five isolates. Conclusions Routine identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of aerobic actinomycetes is advisable for an efficient identification of species and effective treatment.

This study examined the association between household food insufficiency and flourishing among young children (6 months-5 years) in the U.S. and assessed whether sleep adequacy modifies this association.We used data from the 2018-2020 National Surveys of Children's Health. Adjusted prevalence differences and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between household food insufficiency and flourishing were modeled using average marginal predictions from logistic regression models. Sleep adequacy was assessed as an effect measure modifier on the additive scale.Evidence supports additive scale effect measure modification of the food insufficiency-flourishing association by sleep adequacy (Likelihood Ratio Test statistic = 12.4, degrees of freedom = 2, P.05). Adjusted for potential confounders, the prevalence of flourishing was 13.2 percentage points lower (95% CI: -22.6, -3.7) for children in households with insufficient food and inadequate sleep compared to those with sufficient food and adequate sleep.Our findings suggest that having enough food and enough sleep are associated with greater wellbeing. These modifiable factors should be targeted by public health interventions to facilitate flourishing among young children in the U.S.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the marketing techniques food and beverage brands use on Instagram, as part of their sport sponsorship strategy. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative content analysis of 31 Instagram accounts during the 2021 Australian Open tennis tournament. Branded food and beverage posts with tennis-linked content were coded based on an initial screening and previously published frameworks. RESULTS: Of the 152 included posts, 92% were made by food and beverage companies that were official 'partners' of the Australian Open. Products in posts were mostly discretionary foods and alcohol. The most frequently used strategies were 'Engagement' (89%) and 'Branding' (80%) and nearly half (45%) of alcohol posts invited direct consumption of their product. CONCLUSIONS: The powerful combination of sport and social media are utilised by brands to interact and build relationship with consumers while promoting the consumption of alcohol and discretionary foods - products which impede rather than promote health. The indirect marketing techniques favoured by brands make this form of advertising difficult to identify and control. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: These results highlight the need for counter-marketing, policy and regulatory actions to remove unhealthy food and alcohol from sport and reorient sponsorship of sporting events towards products that promote health.

To identify the abnormal characteristics of the oplegnathus punctatus is great importance to the detection of iridovirus disease in the breeding environment. In this paper, an advanced neural network model to identify the characteristics of the oplegnathus punctatus and predict its different periods of suffering from iridovirus disease is proposed based on the establishment of a data set. First of all, a standard format data set of oplegnathus punctatus and an abnormal format date set are established in order to verify the effectiveness of the method in this paper. And then, the feature extraction fusion method is used for preprocessing in terms of the abnormal format data set, which combines the edge features extracted by the improved multi-template Sobel operator and the color features extracted by the HSV model. Finally, an improved VGG-GoogleNet network recognition model comes into being through the fusion and improvement of the VGG and GoogleNet neural network structure. The experiments results show that the prediction accuracy rate for oplegnathus punctatus suffering from iridovirus disease in the the abnormal format data set and the standard format data set are improved, which reach 98.55% and 69.18%.

INTRODUCTION: The relationships between healthcare use and social needs are not fully understood. In 2015, International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision coding introduced voluntary Z codes for social needs–related healthcare encounters. This study evaluated early national patterns of Z codes in privately insured adults. METHODS: In 2021, the authors conducted a case-control analysis of national commercial health payer claims from 2016 to 2019. Among adults with ≥6 months of continuous enrollment and ≥1 medical claims, patients with any assigned Z codes were defined as cases. Controls were selected through stratified random sampling. Z codes were organized under 3 categories: socioeconomic, community/social, and environmental. RESULTS: Of 29.5 million adults, 521,334 patients (1.8%) had any assigned Z codes. Among all the Z codes, 53.5% identified community/social issues, 30.3% identified environmental issues, and 16.2% identified socioeconomic issues. Among socioeconomic Z codes, housing needs were frequently identified, but needs for food, utility bills, and transportation were very rarely identified. In multivariable regression analysis, females had higher odds of Z code assignment than males. Depression and chronic pulmonary disease were the 2 common comorbidities (≥5% prevalence in cases and controls) that were highly associated with Z code assignment. Less common comorbidities strongly associated with Z code assignment were drug abuse, alcohol abuse, psychoses, and AIDS/HIV. CONCLUSIONS: In this national study of privately insured patients, many Z codes identified healthcare encounters caused by social stressors, whereas few identified food- or transportation-related causes. Depression and chronic pulmonary disease were highly associated with Z code assignment.

Canola meal is a low-value agricultural residue obtained after oil extraction from canola, the utilization of which requires further attention. On the other hand, plastic waste disposal is also another leading issue that creates severe environmental challenges. Supercritical water gasification is considered an environmentally friendly technology to produce hydrogen from plastic residues and organic wastes. This study deals with hydrothermal co-gasification of canola meal and plastic wastes (i.e., low-density polyethylene) while exploring the influence of temperature (375–525°C), residence time (15–60 min) and plastic-to-biomass ratio (0:100, 20:80, 50:50, 80:20 and 100:0) on hydrogen yield. Maximum hydrogen yield (8.1 mmol/g) and total gas yield (17.9 mmol/g) were obtained at optimal temperature and residence time of 525°C and 60 min, respectively. A change in the gas yield with variable plastic-to-biomass ratio showed synergistic effects between both feedstocks. The trend of catalytic performance towards improving hydrogen yield was in the following order: WO3–TiO2 (18.5 mmol/g) > KOH (16.9 mmol/g) > TiO2 (9.5 mmol/g) > ZrO2 (7.8 mmol/g) > WO3–ZrO2 (7.4 mmol/g).

Clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum L.) is an aromatic, perennial herb belonging to the family Lamiaceae. The plant is indigenous to tropical areas especially India and West Africa. In Nigeria, it is found in the Savannah and coastal areas. The whole herbs of the plant contain essential oils and it is cultivated for various purposes. The plant is a rich source of eugenol in its essential oil. It is also used in the preparation of tea and infusions. It is also used in the treatment of fungal infections, fever, cold, and cough. Eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxy phenol) is a phenolic compound from the class of phenylpropanoids. It is used in the food industry as a preservative, mainly due to its antioxidant property, and flavoring agent. The fresh herb × winter season/environment produced the highest essential oil 2.07 mL/plot with essential oil content 0.41% followed by fresh herb × summer season/environment (M1S2) = 1.68 mL. For the eugenol content, the autumn season/environment was found highly favorable = 74.52% (leaves = 69.024, stem = 74.531, and in inflorescence = 80.012) followed winter season/environment 72.30% (leaves = 71.841, stem 69.389, inflorescence 76.042, mean = 72.42%). These seasons are recommended for harvesting to obtain the optimum benefit for the quality essential oil yield.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) originated in the Mediterranean region, but, due to its adaptive nature, can be readily grown across the world. It contains many bioactive phytochemical moieties, especially polyphenols. Rosemary is used as a flavoring agent, spice condiment, and preservative. Recent studies have shown that rosemary natural extracts have bioactive properties such as antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. Rosemary can withstand dry spells, warm conditions and thrive across many soil textures. Carnosic acid is now a well-known compound that is the main component of rosemary. The key components that were extracted from rosemary consisted of cirsimaritin, diosmin, and genkwanin. Rosmarinic acid in the form of carnosol and carnosic acid possesses significant antioxidant properties. Oil analysis revealed the presence of six monodominant and six intermediate chemotypes. Monoterpenes were dominant in rosemary oil composition across all seasons. Bioclimatic factors, including the temperature of the habitat, were found to be a biogenetic factors leading to differentiation in populations. The phenolic contents are reported to vary depending upon processing and agronomical properties. The major active ingredients are lipophilic compounds (carnosic acid and carnosol). Rosemary extracts are also reported to have volatile compounds that confer a unique flavor, color and aroma. Oleanolic acid is endowed with antiviral, antioxidative, and antiproliferative properties vis-a-vis protection against oxidative apoptosis. Ursolic acid helps to prevent cancer. This review provides a comprehensive overview of rosemary species cultivation, bioactive compounds, health benefits, and applications in the food industry. Rosemary was reported to enhance the levels of antioxidant enzymes. Although the current demand in the food industry is to reduce or eliminate the use of synthetic food additives, rosemary oil and extracts can help to meet that demand. This review provides a comprehensive overview of rosemary species cultivation, bioactive compounds, health benefits, and applications in the food industry.

Wenchengia alternifolia C.Y. Wu & S. Chow (Lamiaceae), the sole species of the genus Wenchengia C.Y. Wu & S. Chow, is extremely rare and is currently listed as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List. The species had long been considered endemic to Hainan Island, China and was once believed to be extinct until a small remnant population was rediscovered at the type locality in 2010. Four more populations were later found on Hainan and in Vietnam. In order to develop genomic resources for further studies on population genetics and conservation biology of this rare species, we identified infraspecific molecular markers in the present study, using genome skimming data of five individuals collected from two populations on Hainan Island and three populations in Vietnam respectively. The length of plastome of the five individuals varied from 152,961 bp to 150,204 bp, and exhibited a typical angiosperm quadripartite structure. Six plastid hotspot regions with the Pi > 0.01 (trnH-psbA, psbA-trnK, rpl22, ndhE, ndhG-ndhI and rps15-ycf1), 1621 polymorphic gSSRs, as well as 1657 candidate SNPs in 237 variant nuclear genes were identified, thereby providing important information for further genetic studies.

Establishing suitable salt tolerant all-male tilapia strains with fast growth rate is a crucial requirement for successful euryhaline farming required for controlling prolific breeding and as an adaptation to the effect of climate-induced drought. This study assessed the percentage of tilapia male hybrids, their growth performance and survival rate produced by crossing female Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and male Rufiji tilapia (Oreochromis urolepis urolepis) at different salinities. The fingerlings were reared for 70 days in triplicate concrete tanks (1 m3), each stocked with 15 fish weighing 1.62 ± 0.03 g, 1.69 ± 0.02 g and 1.41 ± 0.06 g exposed to 2, 15 and 35 ppt salinities, respectively. Acclimatization was done by adding seawater to freshwater at a rate of 2 ppt per day for 18 days. Fish sexing was done by visual assessment of the genital papilla followed by rearing the hybrids for six months to observe reproduction. Results showed that, the cross between O. niloticus (female) and O. urolepis urolepis (male) produced hybrids that were all-males without any reproduction within six months post hybridization. The hybrids reared at a salinity of 2 ppt had higher growth performance than those reared at 15 and 35 ppt. Similarly, hybrids cultured at 15 ppt had significantly higher growth performance than those reared at 35 ppt. All the hybrids produced had survival rates of 100%. This study indicated that, all-male tilapia produced by crossing between O. niloticus (female) and O. urolepis (male) can be used by fish farmers as alternative species for mariculture development to control prolific breeding and as an adaptation strategy to climate change.

Voices for Food was a longitudinal community, food pantry-based intervention informed by the social ecological model, and designed to improve food security, dietary intake, and quality among clients, which was carried out in 24 rural food pantries across 6 Midwestern states.Our objective was to evaluate changes in adult food security, dietary intake, and quality from baseline (2014) to follow-up (2016), and to assess the role of adult food security on dietary outcomes.A multistate, longitudinal, quasi-experimental intervention with matched treatment and comparison design was used to evaluate treatment vs comparison group changes over time and changes in both groups over time.Adult food pantry clients (n = 617) completed a demographic food security survey, and up to three 24-hour dietary recalls at baseline (n = 590) and follow-up (n = 160).Community coaching served as the experimental component, which only "treatment" communities received, and a food council guide and food pantry toolkit were provided to both "treatment" and matched "comparison" communities.Change in adult food security status, mean usual intakes of nutrients and food groups, and Healthy Eating Index-2010 scores were the main outcome measures.Linear mixed models estimated changes in outcomes by intervention group and by adult food security status over time.Improvements in adult food security score (-0.7 ± 0.3; P = .01), Healthy Eating Index-2010 total score (4.2 ± 1.1; Plt; .0001), and empty calories component score (3.4 ± 0.5; Plt;.0001) from baseline to follow-up were observed in treatment and comparison groups, but no statistically significant changes were found for adult food security status, dietary quality, and usual intakes of nutrients and food groups between the 2 groups over time. The intervention effect on dietary quality and usual intake changes over time by adult food security status were also not observed.Food pantry clients in treatment and comparison groups had higher food security and dietary quality at the follow-up evaluation of the Voices for Food intervention trial compared with baseline, despite the lack of difference among the groups as a result of the experimental coaching component.

The present study was conducted to estimate the optimum requirement of phosphorus in practical diets for largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Six iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous diets were formulated with the supplementation of monocalcium phosphate (MCP) of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 g/kg in basal diet containing 350 g/kg fish meal, respectively. The digestible phosphorus of the six diets was measured as 5.7, 6.7, 7.8, 8.7, 9.3 and 10.0 g/kg, respectively. Each diet was randomly fed to triplicate groups of 25 juvenile fish (initial body weight, 16.0 ± 0.2 g) for 60 days. The results showed that weight gain increased, and feed conversion ratio decreased with the increase of dietary phosphorus. When dietary MCP exceeded 15 g/kg (digestible phosphorus of 8.7 g/kg), the WG and FCR were maintained at the similar values. The crude ash, phosphorus and calcium contents in whole body, apparent digestibility of phosphorus and protein retention also increased with the increasing phosphorus level in diets. Vertebrae phosphorus and calcium levels and plasma phosphorus showed no further increase when dietary MCP reached 20, 20 and 10 g/kg with digestible phosphorus of 9.3, 9.3 and 7.8 g/kg, respectively. Broken-line analysis indicated that the digestible phosphorus requirement for largemouth bass were 8.9, 8.7 and 9.6 g/kg based on weight gain, feed conversion ratio and vertebral phosphorus content. In conclusion, the supplementation of MCP in a diet containing 350 g/kg fish meal improved the growth and feed utilization of largemouth bass, and the digestible phosphorus requirement was suggested to be 8.7–8.9 g/kg with MCP supplementation of 15.0–15.8 g/kg.

This study identifies mental health, tobacco prevention, alcohol/beer, food/beverage, pharmaceutical, and other health-related advertisements across Spanish- and English-language TV networks owned by the same parent media company in the U.S. as commercial determinants of health disparities for Latino populations and/or viewers of Spanish-language TV.A 3-week composite sample of Telemundo and National Broadcasting Company prime-time TV owned by the same parent media company was randomly drawn from March 31, 2021 to June 12, 2021 in Houston, Texas. A total of 1,593 health-related advertisements were yielded for systematic content analysis. Analyses included intercoder reliability, descriptive and bivariate analysis, and rate ratio and rate difference calculations.Telemundo had significantly more health-adverse and fewer health-beneficial advertisements than National Broadcasting Company. Telemundo broadcasted about 11 more alcohol (95% CI=9.1, 12.5) and 5 more unhealthy/noncore food/beverages (95% CI=2.0, 7.2) advertisements per hour of TV advertisement programming than the National Broadcasting Company. Telemundo also broadcasted about 1 fewer mental health/tobacco prevention (95% CI= -0.9, -0.2), 3 fewer healthy/core food/beverages (95% CI= -1.5, -4.3), and 4 fewer pharmaceutical (95% CI= -2.4, -5.7) advertisements per hour of advertisement programming than the National Broadcasting Company.Overall greater health-adverse and fewer health-beneficial advertisements are broadcasted on Spanish-language than on English-language TV. Unchecked corporate marketing strategies may serve as a commercial determinant of health disparities for Latino populations by Spanish-language TV.

This work reports for the first time the anticandidal activity of the dichloromethane (DCM) extract from the Algerian invasive red marine algae A. armata Harvey. In a preliminary assessment, the DCM extract was screened for its antifungal activity against two strains of Candida albicans, namely (IP 444) and (ATCC 10231). As a well-established approach, the anticandidal activity was expressed as zone of inhibition by agar well and disk diffusion methods. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was also determined for the two fungal strains. Within this framework, the DCM extract of the red algae A. armata has a strong inhibition effect against the considered Candida albicans strains. In addition, Candida albicans IP444 (MIC = 0.58 mg/mL) was more sensitive to DCM algal extract when compared to Candida albicans ATCC 10231 (MIC = 2.34 mg/mL). GC–MS analysis suggested that brominated compounds and fatty acids are responsible for anticandidal activity of dichloromethane extract of A. armata. These preliminary results may constitute a future applied of lipophilic extract of the red algae A. armata as a promising source of natural compounds with antifungal properties.

Nutrition is a corner stone of diabetes management, and should be regarded as fundamental to achieving blood glucose control. The current advice for nutrition in diabetes management is discussed, with a focus on body weight, macro and micro nutrients, foods and food groups, dietary patterns, and the lifestyle context. More recent evidence on topics such as body weight and dietary patterns indicate flexibility in what can be recommended, which enables patient preference and may aid adherence. Importantly, a healthy diet for those with diabetes is also appropriate to recommend for their families and the general population.

Recently, 3D bioprinting has been explored as a promising technology for biomedical applications with the potential to create complex structures with precise features. Cell encapsulated hydrogels composed of materials such as gelatin, collagen, hyaluronic acid, alginate and polyethylene glycol have been widely used as bioinks for 3D bioprinting. However, since most hydrogel-based bioinks may not allow rapid stabilization immediately after 3D bioprinting, achieving high resolution and fidelity to the intended architecture is a common challenge in 3D bioprinting of hydrogels. In this study, we have utilized shear-thinning and self-healing ionically crosslinked oxidized and methacrylated alginates (OMAs) as a bioink, which can be rapidly gelled by its self-healing property after bioprinting and further stabilized via secondary crosslinking. It was successfully demonstrated that stem cell-laden calcium-crosslinked OMA hydrogels can be bioprinted into complicated 3D tissue structures with both high resolution and fidelity. Additional photocrosslinking enables long-term culture of 3D bioprinted constructs for formation of functional tissue by differentiation of encapsulated human mesenchymal stem cells.

Mixed municipal solid waste (MSW) may be pre-treated in a mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) plant to produce an exiting stream with improved combustible characteristics. The process also produces a second waste stream, which is generally separated on a size basis by industrial sieving equipment. It contains fractions with a high moisture content such as residual food waste, soiled paper and cardboard, and small fragments of other materials. Samples of this stream, collected at an existing plant, were characterized and processed by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) at laboratory scale, at various temperatures (180, 200 and 220 °C), reaction times (1, 4 and 8 h) and solid to water ratios (0.15 and 0.07). The primary energy balance, on a hypothetical industrial scale, was performed. In brief, the results confirmed that the produced hydrochar was a brittle, hydrophobic, solid carbonaceous product which gave a better combustion performance as the residence time of the HTC process was increased. Moreover, the dewaterability of the carbonized waste was greatly improved when compared to raw, wet samples. The results of the primary energy balance confirmed that the energy contained in the produced hydrochar was higher than the energy consumption for the process itself, under all the HTC working conditions. The energy consumed in the process was in the range of 40-70 % of the energy content of the produced hydrochar.

As an alternative for commercial enzyme, crude enzyme of fungal mash could promote food waste (FW) hydrolysis, but its specific effects coupled pH adjusting on the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) remains unknown. The crude enzyme produced from an Aspergillus awamori, named complex-amylase (CA), was added to short-term anaerobic system of FW fermentation. Results showed that adding CA significantly improved the solubility and degradability of biodegradable and non-biodegradable organics in FW, where the SCOD concentration with adding CA increased by 116.9% relative to the control but a marginal enhancement on VFAs yield. In contrast, adding CA combined with adjusting pH 8 markedly increased the VFAs production to 32.0 g COD/L, almost 10 times as much as the control. Besides, pH adjusting altered the metabolic pathway from lactate-type to butyrate-type. Adding CA coupled pH adjusting significant increase the component of butyrate compared with pH adjusting alone. Moreover, microbial community analysis indicated that adding CA reinforced proportion of the butyrate-producing bacteria (e.g., Dialister) under basic conditions, thus enhancing the butyrate metabolic pathways. This study demonstrated that fungal mash pretreatment coupled pH conditioning could be an economical way to enhance VFAs yield for FW valorization during anaerobic fermentation.

This data paper presents the values of CO2 solubility at different temperatures and main compositional parameters (protein, fat, moisture, sugars and salt content) for food products from different categories: dairy products, fishes and meats. It is the result of an extensive meta-analysis gathering the results of different major papers published on the domain on the period of 1980 to 2021, presenting the composition of 81 different food products corresponding to 362 solubility measures. For each food product, the compositional parameters were either extracted directly from the original source, or extracted from open-source databases. This dataset has also been enriched with measurements made on pure water and oil for comparison purposes. In order to ease the comparison between different sources, data have been semantized and structured by an ontology enriched with domain vocabulary. They are stored in a public repository and can be retrieved through the @Web tool, a user-friendly interface allowing to capitalize and query the data ThisprojecthasreceivedfundingfromtheEuropeanUnion’sHorizon2020researchandin novationprogramundergrantagreementNo773375.

To describe the frequency of food and beverages purchased made by Mexican households at different types of grocery retailers.A national cross-sectional survey.Mexico.A representative sample of Mexican households (n = 70,311).Household food and beverages purchases.The association between amounts of food and beverages supply bought in different food retailers (as outcome) and households' sociodemographic characteristics (as covariates) was assessed using logistic and linear regression models.Mexican households acquired their food and beverages primarily from abarrotes stores, followed by supermarkets and mercados and tianguis. Abarrotes stores and supermarkets were sources of unprocessed and processed foods. Specialized stores, mercados, and tianguis were primary sources of unprocessed foods. Households with low socioeconomic status and those in the central or southern regions acquired more foods from abarrotes stores, mercados and tianguis, and specialized stores. Households with high socioeconomic status and living in the northern region acquired more foods from supermarkets and convenience stores.Abarrotes stores are the primary source of food and beverages for Mexican households; however, some interventions are needed to increase their supply of unprocessed foods. Public health interventions aiming at increasing access to unprocessed foods could be done through traditional retailers.

Dodder is a parasitic weed that causes a lot of damage to citrus production in the south of Kerman province, Iran. Introducing cultivars which tolerant to this parasite can be considered a very effective step in controlling it. Therefore, to evaluate the tolerance of seven important citrus species to dodder, an experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replicates in greenhouse conditions for two years (2016-2017). In this experiment, the reaction of orange, local, and Kara tangerine, grapefruit, Valencia orange, local orange, and lemon seedlings to dodder infestation was investigated. The infestation was done artificially by placing 10 dodder’s thallus on the seedlings of each of the mentioned species. After the successful establishment of the parasite (during 4 months), chlorophyll content, number of stems on citrus species shoots, number of capsules in infested seedlings, and seed weight on each seedling were measured and recorded. The results of this study revealed that different species of citrus showed very different reactions to the presence of dodder so that these species can be based on the success rate of its attachment to them into tolerant and sensitive species. According to the results, Valencia oranges and Bitter orange were tolerant to dodder, but lemon and tangerines (local and Kara) showed high sensitivity. A cross-sectional of plant tissues showed that concerning anatomic view, there was no difference in haustorium penetration between the different citrus species. As a result, it is recommended to use physiological, genetical, and biochemical analysis to distinguish the differences.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the association between children’s daily negative affect (NA) trajectories and unhealthy food consumption during weekends using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA). DESIGN: Children answered mobile phone based EMA surveys seven times a day for two weekend days per wave, with each survey assessing current NA and past two-hour consumption of fried foods (chips or fries), sweets (pastries or sweets), and sugary beverages (drank soda or energy drinks). SETTING: Los Angeles, California PARTICIPANTS: The sample consisted of 195 children (51% female; mean age=9.65years, SD=0.93) from the Mothers and Their Children’s Health (MATCH) cohort study. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: NA trajectory (Independent Variable), unhealthy food consumption (Dependent Variable) ANALYSIS: Latent growth mixture modeling (LGMM) classified NA trajectories across days and examined their association with unhealthy food consumption. RESULTS: The LGMM identified three classes of daily NA trajectories: (1) Stable low, (2) Inverse U-shaped, and (3) U-Shaped. Fried food consumption was higher on days with Inverse U-Shaped and U-Shaped NA trajectories compared to days with stable low NA. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: By better understanding day-to-day variability in children’s affect and eating, we can individually tailor obesity interventions to account for the emotional contexts in which unhealthy eating occurs.

In sub–Saharan Africa, Tanzania is one of the countries of global significance for biodiversity conservation. However, some plants in Tanzania, including Aloe species, are critically endangered. Tanzanian critically endangered aloes have generally limited distribution ranges and are represented by very small populations in the wild. Knowledge about their conservation, distribution, ecology and population status is also limited in the country. We carried out field surveys to assess conservation, distribution and ecological habitat of Tanzanian critically endangered aloes (CEAs) i.e. Aloe boscawenii, Aloe flexilifolia, Aloe leptosiphon and Aloe dorotheae. The study aimed to assess (i) the current population of CEAs, (ii) ecological habitats of CEAs and (iii) awareness of local people about CEAs and their conservation status. A stratified random meander survey was used to assess CEAs distribution and abundance. Their abundance was estimated by counting the number of each individual found in the area. Data on ecological habitat of CEAs were collected using direct field observations while recording signs of anthropogenic activities that threaten their survival. We recorded 141, 58 and 61 individuals of A. dorotheae, A. leptosiphon and A. flexilifolia, respectively. Most A. leptosiphon and A. flexilifolia individuals were hanging on bare rocks on higher cliffs. Moreover, we found that conservation initiatives to protect CEAs are absent in the study areas. Besides, local people were uninformed of the existence of CEAs and their conservation status. Our findings generally inform conservation gap regarding aloe species and their ecological habitats.

Liquid fermented fish (Nam pla ra) is a traditional local condiment and popular consumption in Thailand. According to previous research, tilapia frame could be used as a raw material for the production, but the amount of protein received is still below the standard. In addition, there is no information of additives in curing process on consumer preferences. In this research, response surface methodology was used to study the influence of extracted protein from soybean meal (5–15%) and salt (15–20%) contents on chemical characteristics of Nam pla ra after 4 months of fermentation. The amount of roasted rice and roasted rice bran addition in curing process on sensory preferences were also studied. The results showed the linear effect of extracted protein and salt contents on NaCl content (P

Background Since the last two decades, substantial increase in fungal infections has been observed in immunocompromised hosts. Virulence factors of Candida albicans play a role in adherence, haemolytic activity, phenotypic switching and production of hydrolytic enzymes. The secreted aspartyl proteinases (SAP family) contribute to adhesion, tissue damage and invasion, while phospholipase (PLB) supports the hydrolysis of phospholipids. Very few studies showed the correlation of phenotypic activity and detection of genes contributing to the similar enzyme activity. Therefore, our study aimed at demonstrating correlation between in vitro phenotypic production of phospholipase and proteinase enzymes with genetic level detection of SAP and PLB genes. Methods The present study was carried out on a total of 799 samples over a period of one year. Culturing was carried out on Sabouraud's dextrose agar. Confirmation and speciation of Candida spp. was carried out using cornmeal agar and CHROMagar and by the germ tube test, urease test and automated identification system Vitek-2, and antifungal susceptibility testing was performed on Candida isolates. Phenotypic phospholipase and proteinase activity was analysed, and molecular detection of SAP4 and PLB genes was carried out. Results In our study, we have screened 799 samples for mycological protocol; of which, 269 (33.6%) were Candida species, 44% (119) of which were C. albicans. Proteinase activity was exhibited by 77 (64.7%) and phospholipase activity was exhibited by 73 (61.34%) isolates, while 46.2% exhibited both activities among the C. albicans species. The PLB gene was detected in 97.3% isolates, while SAP4 was detected in 94.7% of C. albicans isolates. Conclusion The study of in vitro expression of virulence factors and gene detection of C. albicans will help to improve the prognosis despite the nature of the sample.

Language development, both what is understood (receptive language) and spoken (expressive language), is considered critical to a child's ability to understand and interact with their environment. However, little research has investigated the role children's early language skills might play in their food acceptance. The objective of this study was to explore the relationships between young children's food-related receptive language (FRL) and food-related expressive language (FEL) and acceptance of novel food.Caregivers (n = 54) reported their perceptions of children's (aged 7-24 months) FRL and FEL using the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory. Novel food acceptance was observed (grams consumed) during a laboratory visit. Multivariable linear regression tested associations between FRL, FEL, and novel food acceptance, by child age (infants [aged from 7 to12 months], toddlers [aged 12-24 months]), and at a significance level of P0.1 for hypothesis-generating research.Children's FRL and food acceptance differed by age (F = 8.08, P = 0.01). Among toddlers, greater FRL was associated with greater novel food acceptance (0.22 g [95% confidence interval, -0.04 to 0.49]), P = 0.09). In infants, greater FRL was associated with lower novel food acceptance (-0.80 g [95% confidence interval, -1.53 to -0.07], P = 0.03). No association between FEL and novel food acceptance was noted in either group.Toddlers' understanding of food-related vocabulary may facilitate food acceptance; however, young infants may not yet have sufficient FRL to facilitate novel food acceptance.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of phytogenic extract on growth and health of tilapia. Three experimental diets were designed as the basal diet (Con) and phytogenic extract (Flourishing, F) supplemented diets at 0.5 and 1 g/kg inclusion (F-1 and F-2), which the phytogenic additive was extracted from Eucommia ulmoides, Astragalus membranaceus, Lonicera japonica and Codonopsis pilosula. The three diets were fed to juvenile tilapia (14.0 ± 0.1 g) with 30 fish per cage, and three replicate cages from the three groups were placed in one indoor concrete pool (a total of three pools were used). After 8 weeks of feeding, the weight gain was significantly increased, and feed conversion ratio was decreased in F-2 group (P

To develop a context-specific methodology to assess the 5 A's of food environment: availability, accessibility, affordability, acceptability, and accommodation.Cross-sectional mixed-methods study. Availability of foods was assessed by on-site observation and interviewing vendors. To assess accessibility, buffer zones around food stores were created using geographic information systems. Affordability was controlled by selecting participants from the middle-income group. Accommodation and acceptability were assessed by interviewing vendors and caregivers.Villages of Ghatkesar subdistrict (n = 4), Telangana, South India.Caregivers of children aged 6-10 years (n = 160) and food vendors (n = 68).The quality of the 5 A's was graded on the basis of concurrence between actual and perceived measures.The actual and perceived 5 A's for semiperishable foods matched, and hence the food environment was graded as good across the villages. However, for perishable foods, the food environment was graded as poor with respect to accommodation and acceptability in all villages; and with respect to availability and affordability in at least 2 villages as the actual and perceived measures did not match.This study demonstrated the use of context-specific methods to assess the 5 key dimensions of the food environment, which can be attempted in other contexts with suitable modifications.

The production of plastic has dramatically increased in the last 50 y. Because of their stability and durability, plastics are ubiquitously incorporated in both marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Plastic is acted upon by biological, chemical, and physical agents, leading to fragmentation into small pieces [i.e., microplastics (MPs) or nanoplastics (NPs)], classified depending on their size. MPs range from 0.1 to 5000 μm and NPs are fragments between 0.001 to 0.1 μm. MPs and, especially NPs, are easily incorporated into living beings via ingestion. The penetration of MPs and NPs into the food system is an important issue, for both food security and health risk assessment. Ingestion of different MPs and NPs has been associated with different issues in the intestine, such as direct physical damage, increased intestinal permeability, diminished microbiota diversity, and increases in local inflammatory response. However, the potential harmful effects of low-dose dietary plastic are still unclear. Some evidence indicates that intestinal uptake of plastic particles is relatively low and is mostly dependent on the particle's size. However, other evidence highlights that NPs dysregulate key molecular signaling pathways, modify the gut microbiota composition, and may induce important epigenetic changes, including transgenerational effects that might be involved in the onset of many different metabolic disorders. Until now, experiments have been mostly performed on marine organisms, Caenorhabditis elegans, and mouse models, but some research indicates accidental plastic dietary consumption by humans, raising the issue of detrimental health effects of MPs and NPs. This review discusses the impact that MPs and NPs could have on the intestinal tract and the biodistribution and systemic, cellular, and molecular levels. Accumulated evidence of MPs' effects on the human gut suggests that large exposure to MPs and NPs may have phenotypical untoward effects in humans, calling for urgent research in this field.

The study of food consumption, diet, and related concepts is motivated by diverse goals, including understanding why food consumption impacts our health, and why we eat the foods we do. These varied motivations can make it challenging to define and measure consumption, as it can be specified across nearly infinite dimensions-from micronutrients to carbon footprint to food preparation. This challenge is amplified by the dynamic nature of food consumption processes, with the underlying phenomena of interest often based on the nature of repeated interactions with food occurring over time. This complexity underscores a need to not only improve how we measure food consumption but is also a call to support theoreticians in better specifying what, how, and why food consumption occurs as part of processes, as a prerequisite step to rigorous measurement. The purpose of this Perspective article is to offer a framework, the consumption process framework, as a tool that researchers in a theoretician role can use to support these more robust definitions of consumption processes. In doing so, the framework invites theoreticians to be a bridge between practitioners who wish to measure various aspects of food consumption and methodologists who can develop measurement protocols and technologies that can support measurement when consumption processes are clearly defined. In the paper we justify the need for such a framework, introduce the consumption process framework, illustrate the framework via a use case, and discuss existing technologies that enable the use of this framework and, by extension, more rigorous study of consumption. This consumption process framework demonstrates how theoreticians could fundamentally shift how food consumption is defined and measured towards more rigorous study of what, how, and why food is eaten as part of dynamic processes and a deeper understanding of linkages between behavior, food, and health.

Chitin, a kind of polysaccharide mainly obtained from food waste, has emerged as an important biodegradable biopolymer in composite materials. The difficulty of aldehyde modification, which greatly limited the application of chitin nanocrystals, was addressed by applying a facile route of partial deacetylation followed by periodate oxidation in this study. Deacetylation occurred on the surface of both crystalline and amorphous regions, which were significantly degraded in the following periodate oxidation due to the inevitable cleavage of chitin chains, leading to an increase in the crystallinity index of obtained di-aldehyde chitin. The degree of deacetylation and periodate addition had limited improvement in the aldehyde content of di-aldehyde chitin with a maximum value of around 0.42 mmol/g. With further 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl-mediated oxidation, the carboxyl content of tri-carboxyl chitin was improved to 1.58 mmol/g, which played a critical role in the dispersion efficiency and morphology of chitin nanocrystals. The obtained rod-like chitin nanocrystals with a ζ-potential value of -42 mV and an average size of 97 nm have potential application in dye-adsorption and emulsion stabilizers.

Urbanization and industrialization have led to heavy metals in aquatic environments. These metals are toxic, nondegradable, and persistent. Lead (Pb) is an immunotoxicant that can adversely affect animal health, even at low levels. Chitosan (CHI) is an eco-friendly compound with exceptional antibacterial and immunostimulant characteristics. This study investigated the effect of dietary CHI on the antioxidant defense system and innate immune responses of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) against the cytotoxic effect of prolonged Pb exposure. The results indicated dietary CHI could nullify the toxicity of prolonged Pb exposure in fish by substantially activating the antioxidant defense system capacity and fish innate immune responses. In addition, CHI minimized the alterations in the histology of fish organs. The findings suggest that chitosan can be a commercial, eco-friendly immunostimulant and bioactive compound for mitigating the effects of heavy metal toxicity in aquaculture.

BACKGROUND: Food marketing increases product appeal, purchasing, and consumption, using diverse strategies and locations to reach consumers. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine differences in adults’ self-reported exposure to various marketing strategies (brand and licensed characters, celebrities, and sponsorship of sports and cultural events) and locations (television, radio, and digital media) across 5 countries: Australia, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States. METHODS: We analyzed cross-sectional survey data on self-reported exposure to food marketing strategies and locations collected in 2018 by the International Food Policy Study. Participants (n = 21,678) aged ≥18 years completed an online survey. Exposures to unhealthy food marketing strategies and locations in the prior 30 days were self-reported. Regression models examined differences in marketing exposure and locations across countries. RESULTS: The average number of unhealthy food marketing strategies to which participants reported being exposed ranged from 0.5 in the United Kingdom to 2.3 in Mexico. Self-reported exposure to strategies across all countries was highest for brand characters (32%), followed by licensed characters (22%). In total, the reported mean exposure of marketing locations was 1.6 in the prior month. Television was the most prevalent location (44%), followed by digital marketing (32%). Adjusted models indicated that the odds of reporting exposure to marketing strategies and marketing locations were higher for Mexico compared to the rest of the countries. CONCLUSIONS: Adults report a variety of exposures to unhealthy food marketing in all countries, but exposure was highest in Mexico. Special attention should be paid to regulating marketing strategies, such as brand characters and licensed characters, and locations, such as television and digital marketing.