Effectiveness Of Disease Prevention Research Articles

New Concept of Forest Medicine

Forest bathing was proposed in Japan in 1982 for the purpose of reducing stress and health management, and research on the health promotion and disease prevention effects of forest bathing began in Japan in 2004. Since then, the author’s research team has published many papers and, in 2012, established Forest Medicine as a new preventive medicine. Imagine a new medical science that could let you know how to be more active, more relaxed, healthier, and happier, with reduced stress and a reduced risk of lifestyle-related diseases. This new medical science is Forest Medicine. Forest Medicine studies the effects of forest environments on human health and is a new interdisciplinary science that belongs to the categories of environmental and preventive medicine. On the other hand, more than 10 years have passed since then, and a lot of evidence has been obtained and many articles regarding Forest Medicine have been published. Therefore, in this review, the author proposes a new concept of Forest Medicine, based on the new evidence and published papers, with the psycho-neuro-endocrino-immune network in mind.

Cardiovascular disease preventive effects of aspirin combined with different statins in the United States general population

The purpose of this study was to explore the use of aspirin in conjunction with various statins for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention in the general population of the United States (U.S.). A total of 3778 people from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 2011 to 2018 were included in our analysis. After adjusting for sociodemographic and common cardiovascular risk factors, we used multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine aspirin should be combined with which type of statin for better CVD preventive effects. Subgroup analyses were carried out subsequently. In comparison to the aspirin use alone, the odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for CVD were 0.43 (0.33, 0.57), 0.69 (0.42, 1.13), 0.44 (0.31, 0.62), 0.34 (0.23, 0.50) and 0.64 (0.49, 0.84) for the combination use of aspirin and atorvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin as well as simvastatin, respectively, in the fully-adjusted model. Aspirin combined with rosuvastatin was more effective in the prevention of individual CVD, including congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, angina pectoris and heart attack, than aspirin combined with other statins. In conclusion, statins combined with aspirin have a clear advantage over aspirin alone in preventing CVD. In addition, when various sex, age, and fitness levels were considered, as well as with and without diabetes mellitus, the combination usage of aspirin and rosuvastatin had the greatest CVD preventive effects than aspirin coupled with other statins.

Advantages and application prospects of heat-sensitive moxibustion robot

Moxibustion therapy is a unique health resource in China, which is advantageous by its irreplaceable effectiveness in treatment, disease prevention and healthcare. But, moxibustion therapy used in primary care institutions in China is far from the due role of this therapy played in medical practice. The authors believe that the heat-sensitive moxibustion (HSM) robot should be developed by integrating the manipulation of moxibustion therapy with modern artifical intelligence technology so that moxibustion therapy can be operated precisely and easily, deqi of moxibustion be effectively stimulated and the cost of its manual manipulation be reduced. Eventually, the technology of moxibustion therapy can be popularized in the primary care institutions to serve the health of the people. This paper introduces the creation of HSM technology, the research and development (R&D) of HSM robot, and its advantages, as well as the application prospects. It is anticipated that the R&D of HSM robot may speed up the development of moxibustion therapy worldwide.

Review of the antioxidant potential of flavonoids as a subgroup of polyphenols and partial substitute for synthetic antioxidants.

This review describes the antioxidant activity of flavonoids as a subgroup of polyphenols and a partial or entire substitute for synthetic antioxidants. All relevant databases were searched using the terms "Phytochemical", "Polyphenol", and "Flavonoid". The oxidative reaction caused by free radicals is a reason for food spoilage, which causes unpleasant odor, loss of taste, and damaged tissues. The common antioxidants employed in foods include butylated hydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene, propyl gallate, and tert-butyl hydroquinone. Despite their high efficiency and potency, synthetic antioxidants have adverse effects on the human body, such as causing mutation and carcinogenicity. A whole and a group of them known as polyphenols possess high antioxidant activity. These compounds are potential antioxidants due to their capabilities such as scavenging free radicals, donating hydrogen atoms, and chelating metal cations. The antioxidant mechanism of action of flavonoids is transferring hydrogen atom to free radicals. Accordingly, the more the flavonoid structure makes the hydrogen transfer faster and easier, the more the flavonoid's antioxidant power will be. Therefore, the antioxidant activity of the flavonoids with hydroxyl groups in their structure is the highest among different flavonoids. In addition to health promotion and some disease prevention effects, various in vitro investigations have indicated that flavonoids possess high antioxidant activity that is comparable with synthetic antioxidants. However, to be commercially available, these compounds should be extracted from a low-price source with a high-performance method.

Polypharmacy and precision medicine.

Precision medicine is an approach to maximise the effectiveness of disease treatment and prevention and minimise harm from medications by considering relevant demographic, clinical, genomic and environmental factors in making treatment decisions. Precision medicine is complex, even for decisions about single drugs for single diseases, as it requires expert consideration of multiple measurable factors that affect pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and many patient-specific variables. Given the increasing number of patients with multiple conditions and medications, there is a need to apply lessons learned from precision medicine in monotherapy and single disease management to optimise polypharmacy. However, precision medicine for optimisation of polypharmacy is particularly challenging because of the vast number of interacting factors that influence drug use and response. In this narrative review, we aim to provide and apply the latest research findings to achieve precision medicine in the context of polypharmacy. Specifically, this review aims to (1) summarise challenges in achieving precision medicine specific to polypharmacy; (2) synthesise the current approaches to precision medicine in polypharmacy; (3) provide a summary of the literature in the field of prediction of unknown drug-drug interactions (DDI) and (4) propose a novel approach to provide precision medicine for patients with polypharmacy. For our proposed model to be implemented in routine clinical practice, a comprehensive intervention bundle needs to be integrated into the electronic medical record using bioinformatic approaches on a wide range of data to predict the effects of polypharmacy regimens on an individual. In addition, clinicians need to be trained to interpret the results of data from sources including pharmacogenomic testing, DDI prediction and physiological-pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling to inform their medication reviews. Future studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of this model and to test generalisability so that it can be implemented at scale, aiming to improve outcomes in people with polypharmacy.

Evaluation of a community-based One Health intervention to reduce the risk of Lyme disease in a high-incidence municipality

Abstract Integrated interventions coherent with the One Health approach are required to maximize the effectiveness of tick-borne disease prevention. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a community-based One Health preventive intervention in a municipality reporting a high incidence of Lyme disease (LD) in the province of Quebec, Canada. The intervention integrated several activities to promote the adoption of preventive behaviours in the community (community component), with the reduction of infected ticks in the environment (environmental component). To evaluate short-term effects of the community component, quantitative data on knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of citizens were collected using online questionnaires at the beginning of the intervention and 1 year later. To evaluate the implementation of the intervention, a qualitative approach was principally used, and individual interviews (n=37) were conducted with key informants. Results showed that having a high level of participation in the community activities included in the intervention was associated with a higher adoption of preventive measures at the end of the intervention, although participation was not significantly associated with changes in KAP over the intervention period. Interviews revealed that the community mobilization approach was perceived as an effective and sustainable way to empower citizens and researchers with regard to LD prevention. This study suggests that community-based interventions of this type offer a promising approach to the prevention of tick-borne diseases.

السيطرة على الامراض المعدية في الحيوانات الحقلية في العراق

Agricultural production, food security and safety, public health animal welfare, access to markets and alleviation of rural poverty have been achieved by controlling on veterinary services to prevent animal disease. World organization for animal health guidelines focus on controlling of animal disease which depends on good governance and veterinary services quality. The aim of veterinary services is controlling and preventing animal disease some of other aspects; it's responsibility of early detection, rapid response to outbreaks of emerging or re-emerging animal disease, optimizing quality and effectiveness of disease prevention and control systems based on suitably adapted legislation and protect animal health as well as public health. Iraq has been focusing on controlling and preventing animal diseases through several aspects such as implementing laws, resolution on combating communicable disease, reporting communicable disease, setting a national policy for disease preventing and introducing health and vaccination programmers. Human and animal health have been protected from biological risks prevent pathogen spread in case of disease outbreak in a non- endemic area, disinfection of establishments, equipment and vehicles and temporary ban of movements animals.

Periodontal status in male smokers visiting Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital

Background: Many clinical studies, which were conducted to evaluate the association between smoking and periodontal diseases, have confirmed the harmful effects of smoking on oral health. Therefore, it is essential to properly assess the periodontal status and smoking habits to improve the effectiveness of interventions and disease prevention. Objective: This study aims to compare the prevalence and severity of periodontal disease in male smokers and male non-smokers visiting Hue University Hospital of Medicine and Pharmacy and to investigate the relationship between smoking and periodontal disease. Methods: A casecontrol study with 220 patients divided into two groups using a questionnaire to survey men aged 18-65 who have been smoking at the Department of Odonto-Stomatology - the Hue University Hospital of Medicine and Pharmacy. Factors related to smoking behavior and clinical examination of periodontal status were adopted. Results: In the smokers group, the mean gingival index “GI” (0.647 ± 0.316), plaque index “PlI” (2.045 ± 0.447), “PPD” periodontal pocket depth (1.955 ± 0.470mm), clinical adhesion loss “CAL” (1.883 ± 0.771mm), “BOP” bleeding index (4.898 ± 3.117) with 95% confidence interval “CI”. The percentage of patients without periodontitis accounts for the majority compared with the remaining levels of periodontitis with values of smokers 67.27% and 99.36% non-smokers. There is a signficant difference in gingivitis and periodontitis in both study groups with p<0.05. There is a correlation between periodontal indices and smoking indicators such as the number of cigarettes smoked per day, the number of years of smoking, and cumulative exposure p<0.05. Conclusion: The study shows that the heavier the smoking status, the worse the periodontal condition. However, the more cigarettes smoked, the less gingivitis and bleeding gums. Key words: Periodontal index, smoking, periodontal disease

Physicochemical, Sensory, Microbiological And Antioxidant Characterization Of A Jelly Made From Tacinga Inamoena

ABSTRACT Quipá (Tacinga inamoena) is a plant native to Northwestern Brazil which contains valuable minerals in its composition that are of great interest to the scientific community. The purpose of this study was to assess the physicochemical, antioxidant, sensory and microbiological properties of a quipá-based gelatinous sweet. The jelly presented a high concentration of carbohydrates and soluble fibers, being free of microbiological contamination, a good sensorial acceptance, and was therapeutic in terms of antioxidant effects. Due to its ability to chelate copper and ferric ions, the jelly was also responsible for an 80% reduction in DPPH and a preventative activity against oxidative damage. This product contains a high amount of active ingredients, such as phenolic compounds, which have biological benefits effects in disease prevention and health promotion. The quipá jelly provides benefits, functional properties, and advantages, which may be of interest to the industrial sector.

Implementation research on noncommunicable disease prevention and control interventions in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review.

While the evidence for the clinical effectiveness of most noncommunicable disease (NCD) prevention and treatment interventions is well established, care delivery models and means of scaling these up in a variety of resource-constrained health systems are not. The objective of this review was to synthesize evidence on the current state of implementation research on priority NCD prevention and control interventions provided by health systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). On January 20, 2021, we searched MEDLINE and EMBASE databases from 1990 through 2020 to identify implementation research studies that focused on the World Health Organization (WHO) priority NCD prevention and control interventions targeting cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease and provided within health systems in LMICs. Any empirical and peer-reviewed studies that focused on these interventions and reported implementation outcomes were eligible for inclusion. Given the focus on this review and the heterogeneity in aims and methodologies of included studies, risk of bias assessment to understand how effect size may have been compromised by bias is not applicable. We instead commented on the distribution of research designs and discussed about stronger/weaker designs. We synthesized extracted data using descriptive statistics and following the review protocol registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021252969). Of 9,683 potential studies and 7,419 unique records screened for inclusion, 222 eligible studies evaluated 265 priority NCD prevention and control interventions implemented in 62 countries (6% in low-income countries and 90% in middle-income countries). The number of studies published has been increasing over time. Nearly 40% of all the studies were on cervical cancer. With regards to intervention type, screening accounted for 49%, treatment for 39%, while prevention for 12% (with 80% of the latter focusing on prevention of the NCD behavior risk factors). Feasibility (38%) was the most studied implementation outcome followed by adoption (23%); few studies addressed sustainability. The implementation strategies were not specified well enough. Most studies used quantitative methods (86%). The weakest study design, preexperimental, and the strongest study design, experimental, were respectively employed in 25% and 24% of included studies. Approximately 72% of studies reported funding, with international funding being the predominant source. The majority of studies were proof of concept or pilot (88%) and targeted the micro level of health system (79%). Less than 5% of studies report using implementation research framework. Despite growth in implementation research on NCDs in LMICs, we found major gaps in the science. Future studies should prioritize implementation at scale, target higher levels health systems (meso and macro levels), and test sustainability of NCD programs. They should employ designs with stronger internal validity, be more conceptually driven, and use mixed methods to understand mechanisms. To maximize impact of the research under limited resources, adding implementation science outcomes to effectiveness research and regional collaborations are promising.

Spatially resolved metabolomics reveals variety-specific metabolic changes in banana pulp during postharvest senescence

Banana is one of most popular fruits globally due to health-promoting and disease-preventing effects, yet little is known about in situ metabolic changes across banana varieties. Here, we integrated gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (LDI-MSI) and metabolomics to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution and levels of metabolites within Brazil and Dongguan banana pulps during postharvest senescence. Metabolomics results indicated that both postripening stages and banana varieties contribute to metabolite levels. Benefiting from improved ionization efficiency of small-molecule metabolites and less peak interference, we visualized the spatiotemporal distribution of sugars, amino acids (AAs) and monoamines within pulps using AuNP-assisted LDI-MSI for the first time, revealing that AAs and monoamines exclusively accumulated in the middle region near the seed zone. Monosaccharides and di/trisaccharides were generally distributed across entire pulps but exhibited different accumulation patterns. These findings provide a guide for breeding new varieties and improving extraction efficiency of bioactive compounds.

Using e-Health resources for disease prevention and health promotion

Objective. To assess the opportunities and economic effectiveness of the use of e-Health resources for disease prevention and health promotion.Materials and methods. During the investigation of e-Health opportunities we used the data of the two previous pivotal studies conducted by us which concern the features of the implementation of modern methods of prevention and health promotion used in the Republic of Belarus. To evaluate the economic effectiveness, the method proposed by J. Pearson-Stuttard et al. was used taking into account the requirements from the guidelines for evaluating the effectiveness of scientific, technical and innovative developments and their implementation.Results. The result of the study was the creation and justification of an organizational model of disease prevention and health promotion developed on the basis of the use of e-Health resources which can be applied in practice by professionals in the field of prevention and health promotion.Conclusion. The developed model will help to increase the effectiveness of disease prevention, to promote health and a healthy lifestyle among the population, as well as to introduce modern methods to public health and healthcare.

Nutritional and Functional Potential of Carob Syrup Versus Date and Maple Syrups.

SUMMARYResearch backgroundThe carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is grown primarily for its seeds that are utilized in the production of the highly prized locust bean gum. The material left after the separation of seeds from the pods is utilized in the production of a range of traditional products including carob syrup, usually in cottage-type industries. The international market penetration of carob syrups is rather limited and, accordingly, scant information exists on their composition and phytochemical properties compared to mainstream syrups. The present study aims to determine key chemical parameters, phenolic profiles and antioxidant properties of carob syrups and benchmark these against those of date and maple syrups.Experimental approachCarob syrups were prepared from 19 accessions of the carob, under laboratory conditions, by a similar procedure to those practiced by small-scale producers. The pH, browning index, the content of proteins, minerals, hydroxymethylfurfural, sugar composition, total phenols, antioxidant capacity and phenolic profiles of the produced syrups along with branded samples of date and maple syrups were analyzed.Results and conclusionsThe pH and sugar composition of the carob syrups were comparable to those of date and maple syrups. In general, the carob syrups contained more proteins, minerals, phenolic acids, flavonoids and total phenols, and exhibited higher antioxidant capacity than the date and maple syrups. The carob syrups exhibited excessive browning and contained more, or comparable content of hydroxymethylfurfural, than the date and maple syrups. The data indicate that carob syrups provide more nutrients and possess superior antioxidant potential to date and maple syrups. The high contents of the carcinogenic hydroxymethylfurfural of the carob syrups warrant milder heating regimens in the concentration step during production.Novelty and scientific contributionIn contrast to studies based on commercial and/or homemade syrups, this work utilized a relatively large number of laboratory-prepared samples for creating a robust database for carob syrup. The results indicated that carob syrups possess superior health promotion and disease prevention effects than the widely traded date and maple syrups. In addition to their potential positive contribution to public health, carob syrups have been shown to be promising candidates for bolstering the economic returns of farmers in carob-producing countries.

An overview on recent advances in functional properties of dietary lipids, encapsulation strategies and applications

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to provide contemporary scientific knowledge on the functionality of edible lipids, sources, health benefits, and a special emphasis on different encapsulation strategies to enhance their dietary application and boost the market value.Design/methodology/approachNovel technologies overcoming these issues are in great demand. Given that, several novel encapsulation techniques have been established aiming at most of the aspects of functional lipids. In addition, these techniques have been designed to enhance the storage stability and controlled release of lipids in food systems.FindingsPlant and marine oils are one of the richest sources of functional lipids but are attached with limitations. Currently, alternative sources, such as different types of algae and microorganisms are gaining attention in terms of sustainable production systems. Advances in various encapsulation techniques have helped to overcome the dispersibility and stability problems of lipids encapsulation. Refinement in physicochemical interaction, colloidal dispersion and core-shell modules between wall and core matrix protect dietary lipids during processing have been implemented. Liposomes, micro/nanoemulsions and micro/nanocapsules are found most suitable for food application by improving the fatty acid profile, stability and sensorial properties.Originality/valueFunctional lipids offer numerous health benefits (i.e., simple health-promoting properties to complex disease preventive and curative effects). However, these functional lipids are associated with several disadvantages, such as region-specific availability, vulnerability to oxidation depending on the level of unsaturation, degradation/hydrolysis on processing, low bioavailability, confined storage stability, and others.

Evaluating the Potential of Phytochemicals as Natural Substitute for Synthetic Antioxidant: A Review

This study aimed at investigating the antioxidant potential of flavonoids as a subgroup of polyphenols and ultimately entirely and partially substitute the synthetic antioxidant with natural them. All relevant databases were searched for the terms including 'phytochemical', polyphenol', 'flavonoid', 'natural additive', as well as 'antioxidant activity' combined with in vivo and in vitro phrases. Free radicals are among the damaging factors to macromolecules. The oxidative reaction caused by these radicals is one of the reasons for food spoilage, which causes unpleasant odor, loss of taste, damaged tissue and appearance, and loss of nutritional value of exposed material. The common antioxidants employed in foods include Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), Tert-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ), and Propyl gallate (P.G.). Synthetic antioxidants have adverse effects such as causing mutation and carcinogenicity in the human body despite their high performance; hence, many studies have been carried out on replacing them with natural antioxidants. Phytochemicals and a widespread group of them known as polyphenols possess a high antioxidant activity. A major subset of polyphenols, Flavonoids, are secondary metabolites in plants with many applications. These compounds are potential antioxidants because of their capabilities, such as scavenging the free radicals donating hydrogen atoms, electrons, and chelate metal cations. The antioxidant mechanism of action of flavonoids is transferring hydrogen toward free radicals. Accordingly, the more the flavonoid structure makes the hydrogen transfer faster and easier, the more the flavonoid's antioxidant power will be. Therefore, the antioxidant activity of the flavonoids with hydroxy groups in their structure is higher among the different flavonoids. Besides health promotion and some disease prevention effects, various in vitro studies have shown that flavonoids possess a high antioxidant activity that is competitive with synthetic antioxidants. However, to make it commercially available, cheaper and high-performance extraction methods of flavonoids will have to be developed.

The effectiveness of BIFIFORM KIDS in the prevention of the incidence of acute respiratory infections in children

Probiotics are widely used as a means of dietary correction of the intestinal microbiota in patients not only with alimentary, but also with allergic and inflammatory diseases. They have systemic effects on the human organism. However, the diversity of the composition of probiotic complexes complicates the determination of the beneficial effects of specific microorganisms on the human body. These circumstances call for more research. Investigation of the effect of probiotic intake on the levels of various cytokines may explain the mechanisms of the beneficial effect of probiotic intake on the functioning of the immune system. Objective - to study the effectiveness of the probiotic Bifiform Kids for the prevention of respiratory infections in children with recurrent respiratory infections with gastrointestinal allergy symptoms. Material and methods. The prospective randomized controlled trial included 92 children aged from 4 to 5 years who suffers from more than 5 episodes of respiratory infections per year with gastrointestinal allergy symptoms. Patients from the main group (n=46) were prescribed 2 chewable tablets Bifiform Kids (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG not less than 1×109 CFU, Bifidobacterium animalis spp. lactis not less than 1×109 CFU, thiamine mononitrate 0.40 mg, pyridoxine hydrochloride 0.50 mg in each) twice per day within 21 days. Patients from the control group (n=46) were prescribed no probiotics during the study period. The study included the measurement of blood serum levels of immunoglobulins A, M, G (by immunoturbodimetry) and E, as well as the concentration of cytokines IL-17, IL-10 (by enzyme immunoassay). Measurements were performed at the 1st day of the study, at the 21st day of the study, and 6 months after the study initiation. The microbiota composition was determined by sequencing the bacterial 16S rRNA genes in DNA preparations isolated from stool samples collected at the start of the study and after 21 days. The Shannon index was calculated for the species of detected bacteria to determine the diversity of the microbiome. The effectiveness of disease prevention was measured by calculating the prevention index and the efficiency coefficient based on the incidence of respiratory infections in both groups during the observation period (6 months). Results. In the main group, the volume of the commensal flora decreased 3 weeks after the study initiation: Enterobacter from 18.3±19.3 to 10.5±18.1%; Enterococcus from 8.7±16.1 to 3.1±10.0%; Clostridium from 3.1±8.1 to 0.5±2.2%. There was a statistically significant increase in the proportion of representatives of the genus Bifidobacterium by 2.2 times (from 16.9±26.4 to 36.5±31.5%, p=0.0017) and a decrease in the Shannon index from 1.1±2.1 up to 0.4±1.1 (p<0.05). In the control group, there were no statistically significant changes in the microbiota content. In the main group, after 21 days, the blood IL-10 level increased from 11.3±15.4 to 15.7±13.4 pg/ml, and the IL-17 concentration decreased from 8.9±7.7 to 6.5±7.1 pg/ml (p=<0.05) while maintaining this trend by the 6th month of observation. There were no changes in these indicators in children from the control group. The main group demonstrated a significant (р=<0.05) decrease in the level of IgE from 184±121 to 104±67 and 114±54 kU/l, and a significant increase in IgA from 0.73±0.45 to 1.33±0.65 and 1.21±0.57 g/l after 3 weeks and at the end of the probiotic intake, respectively. The level of IgA in the main group remained higher during the study compared to the control group. The main group demonstrated a 3-fold decrease in the incidence of respiratory infections in comparison with the control group. The efficiency index was 3.21, the therapeutic response was 69%. Conclusion. The results of the study show the effectiveness of the complex probiotic for the respiratory infections prevention in children with gastrointestinal allergy symptoms.

Effectiveness of disease and injury prevention among healthcare workers: intervention studies published in the Conference proceedings of the Italian Society of Occupational Medicine (1989-2018)

Effectiveness of disease and injury prevention among healthcare workers: intervention studies published in the Conference proceedings of the Italian Society of Occupational Medicine (1989-2018)

Protective Effects and Benefits of Olive Oil and Its Extracts on Women's Health.

Women and men share similar diseases; however, women have unique issues, including gynecologic diseases and diseases related to menstruation, menopause, and post menopause. In recent decades, scientists paid more attention to natural products and their derivatives because of their good tolerability and effectiveness in disease prevention and treatment. Olive oil is an essential component in the Mediterranean diet, a diet well known for its protective impact on human well-being. Investigation of the active components in olive oil, such as oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, showed positive effects in various diseases. Their effects have been clarified in many suggested mechanisms and have shown promising results in animal and human studies, especially in breast cancer, ovarian cancer, postmenopausal osteoporosis, and other disorders. This review summarizes the current evidence of the role of olives and olive polyphenols in women’s health issues and their potential implications in the treatment and prevention of health problems in women.

Quantitative age grading of mosquitoes using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Mosquito-borne pathogens, including malaria, Zika, dengue, and chikungunya continue to be a major public health concern globally. Based on the understanding that only older female mosquitoes are infectious and represent a risk to human health, scientists have sought to age-grade mosquitoes for decades. To date, however, no reliable, cost-effective and practical methods exist to age older mosquitoes despite the tremendous epidemiological value of this approach. This study is the first attempt to develop a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) method to age mosquitoes. The water extracts of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes aged 0-22 days were mixed with silver nanoparticles. The SERS spectra, which were analysed by principal component analysis and partial least square (PLS), demonstrated the capability of this approach to predict the calendar age of mosquitoes between 0 and 22 days with the coefficient of correlation (R)=0.994 and 0.990 for PLS model calibration and validation, respectively. Spectral analysis with both SERS and infrared spectroscopy revealed the key biological sources leading to changes in spectra allowing mosquito age-grading is adenine-containing compounds and proteins. In addition, we evaluated the impact of two arthropod-borne pathogen deactivating pre-treatments (bleach and ethanol) on the discrimination capability of the SERS approach. The result shows the ethanol treatment has the potential to enhance the discrimination capability and the safety of the approach. This study represents the first step towards developing the SERS approach as a quick, reliable and field-deployable method for mosquito age-grading, which would significantly improve the effectiveness of vector-borne disease monitoring and prevention.

Metabolism of natural forms of vitamin E and biological actions of vitamin E metabolites

Natural forms of vitamin E comprise four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. During the last twenty years, there have been breakthroughs in our understanding of vitamin E metabolism and biological activities of vitamin E metabolites. Research has established that tocopherols and tocotrienols are metabolized via ω-hydroxylase (CYP4F2)-initiated side chain oxidation to form 13′-hydroxychromanol and 13′-carobyxychromanol (13′-COOH). 13′-COOHs are further metabolized via β-oxidation and sulfation to intermediate carboxychromanols, terminal metabolite carboxyethyl-hydroxychroman (CEHC), and sulfated analogs. Animal and human studies show that γ-, δ-tocopherol and tocotrienols are more extensively metabolized than α-tocopherol (αT), as indicated by higher formation of CEHCs and 13′-COOHs from non-αT forms than those from αT. 13′-COOHs are shown to be inhibitors of cyclooxygenase-1/-2 and 5-lipoxygenase and much stronger than CEHCs for these activities. 13′-COOHs inhibit cancer cell growth, modulate cellular lipids and activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ and pregnane X receptor. Consistent with mechanistic findings, αT-13′-COOH or δTE-13′-COOH, respective metabolites of αT or δ-tocotrienol, show anti-inflammatory and cancer-preventive effects, modulates the gut microbiota and prevents β-amyloid formation in mice. Therefore, 13′-COOHs are a new class of bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities and potentially capable of modulating lipid and drug metabolism. Based on the existing evidence, this author proposes that metabolites may contribute to disease-preventing effects of γ-, δ-tocopherol and tocotrienols. The role of metabolites in αT's actions may be somewhat limited considering controlled metabolism of αT because of its association with tocopherol-transport protein and less catabolism by CYP4F2 than other vitamin E forms.