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Background: Diet and exercise interventions have been associated with improved body composition and physical fitness. However, evidence regarding their combined effects in older adults is scarce. This study aimed to investigate the impact of a combined 12-week Mediterranean diet-based sustainable healthy diet (SHD) and multicomponent training (MT) intervention on body composition, anthropometry, and physical fitness in older adults. Methods: Diet intervention groups received a weekly SHD food supply and four sessions, including a SHD culinary practical workshop. The exercise program included MT 50 min group session, three times a week, on non-consecutive days. Body composition and physical fitness variables were assessed through dual X-ray absorptiometry, anthropometric measurements, and senior fitness tests. Repeated measures ANOVA, with terms for group, time, and interaction, was performed. Results: Our results showed that a combined intervention significantly lowered BMI and total fat. Also, significant differences between assessments in all physical fitness tests, except for aerobic endurance, were observed. Adjusted models show significant differences in BMI (p = 0.049) and WHR (p = 0.037) between groups and in total fat (p = 0.030) for the interaction term. Body strength (p < 0.001), balance tests (p < 0.001), and aerobic endurance (p = 0.005) had significant differences amongst groups. Considering the interaction term, differences were observed for upper body strength (p = 0.046) and flexibility tests (p = 0.004 sit and reach, p = 0.048 back scratch). Conclusions: Our intervention study demonstrates the potential of implementing healthy lifestyle and sustainable models to promote healthy and active aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, artificial neural network (ANN) tools were employed to forecast the adsorption capacity of Malachite green (MG) by baru fruit endocarp waste (B@FE) under diverse conditions, including pH, adsorbent dosage, initial dye concentration, contact time, and temperature. Enhanced adsorption efficiency was notably observed under alkaline pH conditions (pH 10). Kinetic analysis indicated that the adsorption process closely followed a pseudo-second-order model, while equilibrium studies revealed the Langmuir isotherm as the most suitable model, estimating a maximum adsorption capacity of 57.85 mg g−1. Furthermore, the chemical adsorption of MG by B@FE was confirmed using the Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm. Thermodynamic analysis suggested that the adsorption is spontaneous and endothermic. Various ANN architectures were explored, employing different activation functions such as identity, logistic, tanh, and exponential. Based on evaluation metrics like the coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE), the optimal network configuration was identified as a 5–11-1 architecture, consisting of five input neurons, eleven hidden neurons, and one output neuron. Notably, the logistic activation function was applied in both the hidden and output layers for this configuration. This study highlights the efficacy of B@FE as an efficient adsorbent for MG removal from aqueous solutions and demonstrates the potential of ANN models in predicting adsorption behavior across varying environmental conditions, emphasizing their utility in this field. NOVELTY STATEMENT: The innovative aspect of this study lies in the utilization of a new and effective adsorbent for the removal of Malachite Green (MG), derived from the fruit endocarp of baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.). The baru fruit endocarp, typically discarded as solid waste during processing, was found to possess favorable characteristics for adsorption processes and provides an adsorption capacity that exceeds that of most other similar adsorbents. Additionally, integrating Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) enables accurate modeling of the adsorption process, eliminating the need for extensive laboratory experiments. This contributes significantly to wastewater treatment research, enhancing effectiveness and sustainability in unwanted dye removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, dietary patterns are shifting toward an increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, raising the risk of some metabolic and nutritional diseases from a young age. This trend is now also affecting low- and middle-income countries. Considering this, we aimed to assess the contribution of ultra-processed foods to total energy intake and their association with the nutritional intake of children and adolescents in Cantagalo, São Tomé and Príncipe. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with a sample of 546 households. Data were collected on anthropometrics, sociodemographic characteristics, and lifestyle, including 24 h food recall questionnaires for children and adolescents. The reported foods were nutritionally assessed and categorized according to the NOVA classification to estimate the contribution of ultra-processed foods. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the magnitude of the associations between higher consumption of ultra-processed foods and nutritional intake, adjusting for confounders. Results: The contribution of ultra-processed foods to daily energy intake was 9.5% for girls and 8.5% for boys. Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was significantly associated with a lower intake of fiber (OR = 0.932; 95%CI, 0.872–0.996), vitamin B12 (OR = 0.812; 95%CI, 0.668–0.985), and zinc (OR = 0.443; 95%CI, 0.308–0.639) and a higher intake of iron (OR = 1.479; 95%CI, 1.065–2.055) and sodium (OR = 1.001; 95%CI, 1.000–1.001), after adjusting for confounders. Conclusion: Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was especially associated with a lower intake of fiber, vitamin B12, and zinc, and with a higher intake of iron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food insecurity (FI) is a critical socioeconomic and public health problem globally, particularly affecting children's nutritional status and development. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of nutritional inadequacy among children and adolescents in the Cantagalo district of São Tomé and Príncipe (STP), in Central Africa. It also assessed their households' FI situation and examined sociodemographic, anthropometric, and nutritional characteristics associated with severe FI. Data included 546 children/adolescents (51.8% males, aged 9–15 years) from the eight public basic education schools. A structured questionnaire provided sociodemographic data, while anthropometric measurements assessed nutritional status. Dietary intake data were gathered using a single 24 h dietary recall, and the adjusted prevalences of nutritional inadequacy were obtained using version 2.0 of the PC-Software for Intake Distribution Estimation (PC-SIDE®). The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale was used to assess FI, and households were classified as severely or non-severely food insecure. Multivariable binary logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders identified factors related to FI. Children's/adolescents' thinness was exhibited in 34.1% of participants, and over 95% had inadequate intake of essential micronutrients, including iron. Notably, 73.7% were severely food insecure. A higher severity of FI was positively associated with a lower intake of iron and certain household head characteristics, such as being female or older, and negatively associated with having a home garden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In phosphorites, the content and distribution of rare earth elements are linked to the environment of phosphogenesis. This paper focuses on the question of sources and processes controlling the rare earth element content of apatite from Belgian phosphorites formed during three major phosphogenic events in the Lower Palaeozoic, Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic. To constrain sources and processes, new data include petrological, mineralogical (including cathodoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy) and in situ trace element and Sr and O isotope analyses of apatite. Fluorapatite from Lower Palaeozoic P‐rich conglomerates has the greatest rare earth element enrichment. It is affected by metamorphism that led to deformation of apatite nodules and formation of garnet porphyroblast inclusions. The role of Fe‐oxyhydroxides in element scavenging is highlighted by some apatite nodules that maintain their primary middle rare earth element enrichment, while others are characterized by altered rare earth element patterns resulting from competition for these elements between co‐crystallizing minerals during deformation. A systematic shift towards lower δ18O and radiogenic Sr isotopic composition compared to contemporaneous seawater indicate interaction with 18O‐depleted meteoric fluids and a crustal component. By contrast, carbonate‐rich fluorapatite from the Late Cretaceous phosphatic chalk mostly keeps its primary trace element and isotopic signatures (close to seawater), although an external rare earth element addition is noted, as well as rare earth element redistribution induced by diagenetic alteration. Cenozoic carbonate fluorapatite nodules mostly present flat rare earth element patterns that are indicative of a detrital influence. Slight changes in rare earth element distribution are assigned to post‐depositional alteration, which also led to an increase in radiogenic Sr, with unchanged δ18O compared to seawater. The methodology followed here efficiently helps in deciphering the processes that modified the chemistry of apatite in the frame of major phosphogenic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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