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Increased understanding of subjective well-being (SWB), as well as factors that influence it, are essential to enhance well-being at the individual and national level. We have applied a hedonic and eudaimonic 9-item composed tool (SWB score) to measure SWB across several Mediterranean (MED) and non-Mediterranean (non-MED) countries, and to explore the association between the SWB score and a range of sociodemographic, health and Mediterranean lifestyle factors. A specifically designed web-based questionnaire was distributed to adult participants (N = 2400) from Spain, Italy, Portugal, Bulgaria and Republic of North Macedonia. Results showed that the SWB score was significantly different across the examined countries with the MED participants displaying slightly higher average scores than the non-MED ones (6.3 ± 1.5 vs. 6.1 ± 1.6, p = 0.002). Several sociodemographic, health status and lifestyle factors displayed a significant but limited association with the 9-item SWB score, with a multiple regression model explaining around 17% of the variance. Nevertheless, our results support that a closer adherence to Mediterranean lifestyle habits—the Mediterranean Diet, spending time with friends, family, and in nature, being active, and getting adequate rest at night — has a positive influence on the 9-item SWB score. Further research is needed to advance the understanding of the measuring and differentiating of SWB across different populations and to establish all the factors that influence it., Portuguese part of this research was funded by Life Quality Research Centre—UIDP/04748/2020, a program financially supported by FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnolo-gia/ Ministério da Educação e Ciência. The Bulgarian part of the study is supported by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science under the National Research Program “Healthy Foods for a Strong Bio-Economy and Quality of Life” approved by DCM # 577/17.08.2018.

The Mediterranean diet (MD) has been sponsored worldwide as a healthy and sustainable diet. Our aim was to update and compare MD adherence and food choices across several Southern European countries: Spain (SP), Portugal (PT), Italy (IT), Greece (GR), and Cyprus (CY) (MED, Mediterranean), and Bulgaria (BG) and the Republic of North Macedonia (NMK) (non-MED, non-Mediterranean). Participants (N = 3145, ≥18 y) completed a survey (MeDiWeB) with sociodemographic, anthropometric, and food questions (14-item Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener, 14-MEDAS). The MED and non-MED populations showed moderate (7.08 ± 1.96) and weak (5.58 ± 1.82) MD adherence, respectively, with significant yet small differences across countries (SP &gt, PT &gt, GR &gt, IT &gt, CY &gt, BG &gt, NMK, p-value &lt, 0.001). The MED participants scored higher than the non-MED ones for most of the Mediterranean-typical foods, with the greatest differences found for olive oil (OO) and white meat preference. In most countries, ≥70% of the participants reported quantities of red meat, butter, sweet drinks, and desserts below the recommended cutoff points, whereas &lt, 50% achieved the targets for plant-based foods, OO, fish, and wine. Being a woman and increasing age were associated with superior adherence (p-value &lt, 0.001), but differences were rather small. Our results suggest that the campaigns carried out to support and reinforce the MD and to promote plant-based foods have limited success across Southern Europe, and that more hard-hitting strategies are needed.

The Mediterranean diet (MD) and other lifestyle characteristics have been associated with well-being, a broad multiparameter concept that includes individual&rsquo, s subjective assessment of their own well-being (SWB). Some studies have suggested that diet influences SWB, thus, this work aimed to add novel information on the association of MD and SWB in a sample of Portuguese adults. Data on sociodemographic, economic, lifestyle, diet, and SWB were collected through a self-filled online questionnaire. MD adherence was assessed by the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) score ]. Results showed a moderate adherence to the MD in 490 Portuguese adults (mean MEDAS of 7.4 &plusmn, 2.1). A higher MD adherence was found to be significantly positively associated with women, employed individuals, a higher number of meals per day, and those with frequent contact with nature (p-value &lt, 0.0025, using Bonferroni adjustment). As a novelty, this study divided the participants into low SWB, medium SWB, and medium to high SWB profiles (3.9 &plusmn, 1.0, 6.2 &plusmn, 8.2 &plusmn, 1.3, respectively, p-value &lt, 0.05), which reported significantly increasing MEDAS scores (6.5 &plusmn, 2.1, 7.3 &plusmn, 7.8 &plusmn, 1.9, respectively, p-value &lt, 0.05).

Allium siculum Ucria is a perennial bulbous plant that occurs in Bulgaria as A. siculum subsp. dioscoridis (Sm.) K. Richt. The plant is locally known as “samardala”. Its herbage is used traditionally by local communities in Bulgaria as edible green and for preparation of salty spice mixtures. The study was focused on the documentation of traditional knowledge about samardala, covering local collection and cultivation practices, processing methods and consumption preferences. The respondents (aged 30–86 years, 50% over 65) were local producers and small-scale salesmen of the herbage and samardala-containing spices. To assess the health features of samardala spices the total phenol and flavonoid content was measured in home-consumed or marketed flavoured salts. Overall appreciation of the plant and related food products was found to be very high; presenting a considerable engagement of the locals in plant cultivation and gathering, laborious processing and consumption. Traditional ecological knowledge about the biology, phenology and ecology of the samardala plant and methods for its processing is still preserved by elderly people who rely mostly on their own cultivated plants. Although the introduction of modern appliances has altered the method of production, its main stages and the recipes are preserved. Modernization of the processing method has not affected the quality of the products and faster processing could be a contributing factor for the higher content of biologically active substances. Phenolic content was about twice as low as the flavonoid content, following the same pattern for all tested flavoured salts. Measures for better management of natural populations and promotion of cultivation practices of A. siculum subsp. dioscoridis would ensure the sustainable quality of traditional products as well as conservation of the natural plant resources.

The home garden is a unique human-nature interspace that accommodates a diverse spectrum of plant species and provides multiple services to households. One of the most important roles of home gardens is to shelter the agricultural plant diversity that provides for diverse and healthy nutrition, especially in rural communities. While tropical home gardens have received wide recognition due to their provisional function for the local communities, temperate and especially European home gardens have been discussed less frequently as a source of subsistence. The main objectives of the current study were to document plant species grown in Bulgarian rural home gardens and to explore related local knowledge and cultural practices that influence food plant diversity, its selection and preservation. Field work was focused on settlements situated in eight provinces in South and North-West Bulgaria. Participants representing 65 home gardens were approached through semi-structured interviews. Home gardens were found to harbor 145 cultivated and semi-cultivated plant taxa, used as food, medicinal and aromatic plants and as animal fodder. Members of the Rosaceae family were most numerous. The largest part of the garden area was occupied by vegetable crops of Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae. In 63.1% of the studied households, the food growing area comprised more than 2/3 of the total size of the garden. Most preferred crops reflected the social and cultural importance of food self-provisioning, especially in the rural areas. The provisional role of the home gardens in regard to preparation of traditional foods and the driving forces for seed saving are discussed.

The aim of the present investigation was to study the effect of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis supplemented diet on follicular development and related endocrine parameters, such as estradiol and progesterone levels as well as ghrelin levels in pre-pubertal gilts. Twenty-one 60-day-old Danube White gilts, randomly divided in three groups—control and two experimental—were involved in the experiment. The diet of experimental animals was supplemented with 2 and 3 g of dry biomass/capita daily of the micro alga A. platensis (SP), respectively, during 120 days. Pigs weighing between 109.3 and 114.7 kg were slaughtered at the age of 180 days. The visual macroscopic and histological analysis of removed ovaries was done. Progesterone and estradiol levels by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and ghrelin by ELISE methods were measured. The presence of corpora lutea in the ovaries of animals from all three groups as well as the progesterone and estradiol levels indicated that the animals were cycling and puberty had started at the time of slaughtering. In the SP 3-g group, the number of large follicles and corpora lutea was significantly higher compared to the control group and the corpora albicans were found. A positive correlation was observed between ghrelin and progesterone among all groups as well as between estradiol and ghrelin in the experimental groups independent on dosages of SP. Arthrospira platensis-supplemented diet provoked a successful follicular development and an earlier ovulation during sexual maturation of pigs between 60 and 180 days.

Selenium is a trace element, which stimulates antioxidant defenses and improves reproductive functions in human and animals, under the form of selenoproteins. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of selenium, supplemeted as inorganic or organic form in the diet of stud rams, on some of their semen parameters. The experiment was performed with 15 clinically healthy rams from North East Bulgarian merino breed. The animals were divided in three groups (5 per group). The rams from first experimental group (G1) received a diet with supplementation of 4,0mg sodium selenite (NapH of the ejaculates and motility, concentration and in vitro survivability of the spermatozoa at 39?? for 360 min. 2SeO3) per animal per day, while the animals of the second experimental group (G2) obtained diet with 1.83g L-selenomethionine (Sel-Plex, Alltech, USA) per animal per day. Eventually, each animal from the G1 and G2 received 1.83g selenium per day. The control group (GC) received a diet without supplementation of selenium. The principal composition of the diet in each group was the same. The ejaculates were obtained via artificial vagina. The evaluated parameters were volume and It was found that the supplementation of ram studs diet either with inorganic and organic selenium led to increase in the volume of the ejaculates, motility and survivability of the spermatozoa. The pH of the freshly obtained semen was not affected by selenium treatment.

The addition of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) to boar semen prior to insemination improves the conception and farrowing rates in sows. It is accepted that this is due to increased myometrial contractility, which improves the spermatozoa movement. However, there are limited data about the effect of the exogenous PGF2α analogs on sperm motility parameters and morphology. The aim of the current study was to define if there are changes in motility, morphology and kinematic parameters of spermatozoa on 1st and 24th hour after addition of PGF2α analogue to extended boar semen. A total of 18 ejaculates, obtained from clinically healthy boars were diluted 1:3 in semen extender, and each of them was separate into four aliquots, 50 ml each. PGF2α was added to 3 of them in concentrations of 6, 12 and 25 μg/ml, and the fourth served as untreated control. The motility, kinematic parameters and morphology of spermatozoa were evaluated on 1st and 24th hours after addition of PGF2α. There was no significant difference in sperm morphology, total and progressive motility between the untreated and treated groups. There was however a significant decrease in the rapid velocity and some of the kinematic parameters (VCL, VSL and VAP) in the group treated with 25 μg/ml compared to the control at the 1st hour after PGF2α treatment, which (except for the rapid velocity) persisted to the 24th hour. The results indicate that addition of Oestrophan (Bioveta, CZ) to the extended boar semen did not improve the sperm motility, morphology and kinematic parameters of the spermatozoa.

The purpose of this study is to examine the microcirculation section of the mammary glands in a dog. An euthanized dog’s cadaver was used with pre-cannulated a. subclavia and a. iliaca externa, through which an ink-gelatin solution is introduced. The samples were prepared by specific histological method. In the enlightened specimens are visualized the specific structure of arterial and venous sections of the circulatory system of the mammary glands, as well as the specific shaped capillary nets and arteriole-venular anastomoses. This method not only establishes the specific morphology of vascular formations, but also the possibility of proving regenerative, inflammatory and degenerative processes., {"references":["Georgiev, G. I. (2014). Morpholoicni proucvania varhu kravosnabdiavaneto na avtopodiuma pri kuceto. Doktorska disertacia. Sofia.","Kovachev, G. (1976). Morfologicni proucvania varhu vascularizaciata na mlecnata zleza pri ovcata. Doktorska disertacia. Stara Zagora.","Kovachev, G., G. Georgiev, А. Vodenicharov. (2010). Anatomia na domasnite zivotni, tom III. Kota, St. Zagora, 397–398.","Sapundzhiev, E. (2005). Praktikum za upraznenia po citologia i histologia. Gera Art, Sofia.","Vankov, V. (1968). Stroenie i vascularisacii stenok ven. Doktorska disertacia, Leningrad – Varna.","Hristakiev, L., G. D. Georgiev, G. I. Georgiev, E. Sapundzhiev, I. Raychev. (2015). Characteristic on the arterial blood supply of dog mammary glands. Tradition and modernity in veterinary medicine.","Meyer W, Godynicki Sz, Tsukise. (2008). A Lectin histochemistry of the endothelium of blood vessels in the mammalian integument, with remarks on the endothelial glycocalyx and blood vessel system nomenclature. Ann Anat, 190, 264–276","Spalteholz, W. (1914). Uber das Durchsichtigmachen von menschlichen und tierischen Präparaten. Verlag S. Hirzel, Leipzig."]}

Transition metal ions, mainly iron, are involved in the generation of highly reactive hydroxyl radicals, which are the most powerful inducers of oxidative damage to all biomolecules. The lipids in sperm membranes are highly susceptible to oxidation. Sperm lipid peroxidation (LPO) leads to decrease of motility and reduction of likelihood for sperm-oocyte fusion. The excess radical production may affect also the spermatozoa morphology. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Desferal on the LPO, motility, and morphology of boar sperm subjected to oxidative stress. After collection, the ejaculates were equally separated and diluted in a commercial semen extender (experiment 1) or in physiological saline (experiment 2). The ejaculates of the 2 experiments were divided into aliquots, which were incubated with one of the following agents: FeSO4 (0.1mM), H2 O2 (0.5mM), or FeSO4 + H2 O2 (Fenton system), in the presence or absence of Desferal. The application of Desferal in the incubation medium had a protective effect against FeSO4 + H2 O2 -induced sperm damage, namely, decrease of LPO; decrease the quantity of immotile spermatozoa and decrease the number of morphological abnormalities, regardless of the used medium. In experiment 2, the presence of FeSO4 in the incubation medium induced LPO in the same range as the combination FeSO4 + H2 O2 , in which the effect was reduced by Desferal. Thus, the supplement of Desferal to media used for sperm storage and processing could be a useful tool for diminishing oxidative injury and improving the quality of the semen.

This study provides comprehensive validation of the 14-item Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (14-MEDAS) in an adult population from Greece (GR), Portugal (PT), Italy (IT), Spain (SP), Cyprus (CY), Republic of North Macedonia (NMK), and Bulgaria (BG). A moderate association between the 14-MEDAS and the reference food diary was estimated for the entire population (Pearson r = 0.573, p-value &lt, 0.001, Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) = 0.692, p-value &lt, 0.001) with the strongest correlation found in GR, followed by PT, IT, SP, and CY. These results were supported by kappa statistics in GR, PT, IT, and SP with &ge, 50% of food items exhibiting a fair or better agreement. Bland&ndash, Altman analyses showed an overestimation of the 14-MEDAS score in the whole population (0.79 &plusmn, 1.81, 95%Confidence Interval (CI) 0.61, 0.96), but this value was variable across countries, with GR, NMK, and BG exhibiting the lowest bias. Taking all analyses together, the validation achieved slightly better results in the Mediterranean countries but a definitive validation ranking order was not evident. Considering growing evidence of the shift from Mediterranean Diet (MD) adherence and of the importance of culture in making food choices it is crucial that we further improve validation protocols with specific applications to compare MD adherence across countries.

Purpose The quality of the study design and data reporting in human trials dealing with the inter-individual variability in response to the consumption of plant bioactives is, in general, low. There is a lack of recommendations supporting the scientific community on this topic. This study aimed at developing a quality index to assist the assessment of the reporting quality of intervention trials addressing the inter-individual variability in response to plant bioactive consumption. Recommendations for better designing and reporting studies were discussed. Methods The selection of the parameters used for the development of the quality index was carried out in agreement with the scientific community through a survey. Parameters were defined, grouped into categories, and scored for different quality levels. The applicability of the scoring system was tested in terms of consistency and effort, and its validity was assessed by comparison with a simultaneous evaluation by experts’ criteria. Results The “POSITIVe quality index” included 11 reporting criteria grouped into four categories (Statistics, Reporting, Data presentation, and Individual data availability). It was supported by detailed definitions and guidance for their scoring. The quality index score was tested, and the index demonstrated to be valid, reliable, and responsive. Conclusions The evaluation of the reporting quality of studies addressing inter-individual variability in response to plant bioactives highlighted the aspects requiring major improvements. Specific tools and recommendations favoring a complete and transparent reporting on inter-individual variability have been provided to support the scientific community on this field. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00394-019-02069-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users., Key messages The reporting quality of human studies on inter-individual variation in response to plant bioactives is generally low and should be significantly improved.There is no specific guidance for reporting studies on inter-individual variation in response to plant bioactives.The assessment of reporting quality using a scale approach is considered a valuable tool in assessing compliance with the recommendations in the submission phase or during the reviewing process. It also provides a quantitative measure of the quality of studies to be used in meta-analysis.Eleven reporting criteria were developed and supported by detailed definitions and guidance for their scoring.The POSITIVe quality index was tested and demonstrated to be valid, reliable, and responsive.The use of the quality index and its supporting explanatory material (dictionary) as a guide for researchers, peer-reviewers, and journal editors will foster further complete and transparent reporting of data on inter-individual variability.The criteria used in the quality index can serve as additional guidance to inform the design and conduction of further studies on inter-individual variations in response to plant bioactives.Better reporting is expected to lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms and factors involved and thus better study designs with greater impact on policies and practice. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00394-019-02069-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Oregonin is an open-chain diarylheptanoid isolated from Alnus incana bark that possesses remarkable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, inhibits adipogenesis, and can be used in the prevention of obesity and related metabolic disorders. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of oregonin on the epigenetic regulation in cells as well as its ability to modulate DNA methylating enzymes expression and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copies. Our results show that oregonin altered the expression of DNA methyltransferases and mtDNA copy numbers in dependency on concentration and specificity of cells genotype. A close correlation between mtDNA copy numbers and mRNA expression of the mtDnmt1 and Dnmt3b was established. Moreover, molecular modeling suggested that oregonin fits the catalytic site of DNMT1 and partially overlaps with binding of the cofactor. These findings further extend the knowledge on oregonin, and elucidate for the first time its potential to affect the key players of the DNA methylation process, namely DNMTs transcripts and mtDNA.

Transition metal ions, mainly iron, are involved in the generation of highly reactive hydroxyl radicals, which are the most powerful inducers of oxidative damage to all biomolecules. The lipids in sperm membranes are highly susceptible to oxidation. Sperm lipid peroxidation (LPO) leads to decrease of motility and reduction of likelihood for sperm-oocyte fusion. The excess radical production may affect also the spermatozoa morphology. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Desferal on the LPO, motility, and morphology of boar sperm subjected to oxidative stress. After collection, the ejaculates were equally separated and diluted in a commercial semen extender (experiment 1) or in physiological saline (experiment 2). The ejaculates of the 2 experiments were divided into aliquots, which were incubated with one of the following agents: FeSO4 (0.1mM), H2 O2 (0.5mM), or FeSO4 + H2 O2 (Fenton system), in the presence or absence of Desferal. The application of Desferal in the incubation medium had a protective effect against FeSO4 + H2 O2 -induced sperm damage, namely, decrease of LPO; decrease the quantity of immotile spermatozoa and decrease the number of morphological abnormalities, regardless of the used medium. In experiment 2, the presence of FeSO4 in the incubation medium induced LPO in the same range as the combination FeSO4 + H2 O2 , in which the effect was reduced by Desferal. Thus, the supplement of Desferal to media used for sperm storage and processing could be a useful tool for diminishing oxidative injury and improving the quality of the semen.