High Health Benefits Research Articles

Improving Skills and Knowledge of Healthy Drink Intake in PKK Cadres Sempu Village Wonokerto Turi Sleman

The temperature in Sempu, Village of Wonokerto Turi Sleman is cool on weekdays, while at dusk and dawn the temperature is cold because it is located on a medium-high plain. This cold condition requires warm and healthy intake, especially for elderly people. This is because Sleman Regency has the highest average of life expectancy (UHH) in Indonesia. The pre-elderly population (45-59 years) is 53,146 people and the elderly population (> 60 years) is 55,967 people out of a total population of 1,090,567 people. The large number of elderly population requires serious attention in the health sector so that it does not become a burden. Thus, a promotive preventive program is needed. The morbidity rate for the elderly is the proportion of health problems that interfere with daily activities. The morbidity rate of the elderly in rural areas tends to be higher than in urban areas. It is important for the elderly to maintain their health by consuming nutritious food and additional mineral intake which has high health benefits, considering that the elderly has experienced a decrease in the performance of their organs. There are many natural ingredients that have healthful properties for the body, especially for the elderly in rural areas, and they are easy to grow in Turi with cool weather conditions. Among those natural ingredients is ginger (Zingiber officinale). Phenol compounds are antioxidants, which are thought to protect cells from damage. Ginger has properties for treating impotence, coughs, aching rheumatic pain, headaches, rheumatism, back pain, and colds. Those health problems often affect the elderly. Not many people, especially PKK Dusun (Hamlet of) Sempu, know the benefits of ginger widely and how to process it as a healthy drink. So far, ginger is only used as cooking spice. The purpose of this service is to increase knowledge and skills in making ginger-based healthy drinks for the community and PKK in Sempu, Turi. The method used was the lecture and practice method. Conclusion: This activity was fully completed, and the community was enthusiastic and grateful. The result of this activity was an increase in knowledge and understanding of the benefits of ginger by 15.6%.

The Portrayal of Premium Cigar Selling Propositions in Lifestyle Magazines: A Content Analysis.

Although lifestyle magazines are an important marketing tool for premium cigars, little is known about their recent portrayal of the products. We expand on research conducted for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Committee on Patterns of Use and Health Effects of "Premium Cigars" and Priority Research. A content analysis of magazine covers, articles, and advertisements published in 2021 from Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Snob (five issues each) and Cigar Journal (three issues) assessed magazine themes and mentions of lower harm. Magazine covers (n = 14), advertisements (n = 105), and every fifth article (n = 45) were coded. In total, 92% of the magazine covers, 72.4% of advertisements, and 62.2% of articles had premium cigar content. Celebrities (e.g. musicians and actors) appeared on 92.9% of covers. The most common themes in the advertisements and articles were "high quality." Regarding article content, 80% portrayed the premium cigars' quality (e.g. superior materials), and the taste of featured products (e.g. "tones," "aromas," and "notes") was portrayed in 42.4%. While no articles described their health risks, 6.7% described the positive health effects of premium cigar use (e.g. stress relief and clear cognition). Additionally, a digital search of Cigar Snob and Cigar Aficionado for terms related to lower harm (e.g. "organic," "healthy," "clean," "pure," and "natural") found 7.7 mentions of lower-harm words per issue. Our findings indicate that lifestyle magazines are an important marketing strategy that promotes and normalizes premium cigar use as a high-quality product that can have positive health effects for users. Our manuscript characterized the premium cigar companies' use of selling propositions, including promoting the products' features, safety, taste, and flavors, as a part of their advertising promotion practices. Premium cigar companies used digital and print lifestyle magazines as marketing tools to promote and normalize the use of their products by emphasizing their high quality and positive health benefits (e.g. reducing stress). Premium cigars were promoted as a symbol of power and success, featured in advertisements of upscale social events (e.g. exclusive trade shows, social clubs, and lounges), and often juxtaposed with expensive alcohol, food, and other luxurious goods. Future research should assess if exposure to premium cigar content increases consumer appeal and detracts from the products' potential adverse health outcomes.

Ginger: a representative material of herb-derived exosome-like nanoparticles.

Edible plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PELNs) provide numerous benefits, including high yield, low cost, ethical compatibility, and multiple health benefits, which enable them to address technical constraints associated with mammalian nanoparticles. Herbs, known for their abundant bioactive components, are considered the primary source of natural medicines within the plant kingdom. Recently, a number of herbaceous sources have been investigated for the isolation and functionality of exosome-like nanoparticles (ELNs). However, they are commonly referred to as PELNs, and their distinct pharmacological properties are overlooked. In this review, these herb-derived ELNs are designated as HELNs, a novel herbal product that may also exhibit superior pharmacological activity compared to other types of PELNs. Among the documented HELNs, ginger-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (GELNs) are the most extensively studied. This review employs GELNs as an exemplar to delineate the process of extraction and purification, together with their physical and biochemical characteristics and therapeutic potential. The aim of this review is to promote the development and application of HELNs, and future research is encouraged to uncover their additional properties, extending beyond those of GELNs.

Consumer response to blended beef burgers and chicken nuggets is influenced by ingredient and nutrition claims - qualitative assessment

Consumers and meat processors are receptive to blended/hybrid meat products, defined as products with partial meat replacement by plant-based ingredients. Blended meat products are a novel way to reduce meat consumption, however, a novel product's market success is determined by consumer expectations and acceptance. Therefore, this qualitative study investigated consumer expectations and opinions of blended meat products in different formats (beef burger, BB and chicken nugget, CN), with a range of blended ingredients, and nutrition claims. Twenty eight meat-eating consumers from Asian (N = 16) and non-Asian (N = 12) countries participated in the product mapping sessions. Both Asian and non-Asian consumers were willing to consume blended meat products for their health and environmental sustainability benefits, but commented that acceptable taste was required. Taste was the most important attribute driving Asian consumers’ acceptance of new food products; it was less important for non-Asian consumers. Both groups liked the concept of blended BBs with added vegetables. Non-Asians favored blended with legumes and questioned the sustainability and high degree of processing associated with plant protein alternatives. The high nutritional value and health benefits of micro-algae was accepted by Asians and non-Asians, but it was not considered a desirable ingredient due to concerns about its expected undesirable taste. Most of the nutrition claims related to high protein and low fat in blended BBs were considered healthy and desirable for both groups. Blended BBs with “No GMO” and “No MSG” were classified as healthy and desirable by Asian groups while for non-Asians they were considered undesirable and not healthy. Labeling with “High in dietary fiber” led to consumers expecting an undesirable product texture in both groups. Blended CNs were especially undesirable for the non-Asians, as they were generally regarded as not healthy and undesirable as a snack. For Asian consumers, blended CNs had better healthiness than conventional CN, but were less desirable. Blended CN with “High in dietary fiber” claim was most liked followed by blended CN with “No trans-fat”. Therefore, blended BBs show great opportunities for further product development for both non-Asian and Asian consumers. Findings from this preliminary study provide meat manufacturers and product developers with insight into how consumers from different cultures perceive BBs and CNs.

Screening of Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Activities of Caulerpa Racemosa from the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh

Caulerpa spp; is a remarkably potential seaweed due to its pharmacological importance, high nutritional compositions, biological activities , and human health benefit. It is a species of ulvophyte green algae inhabiting mostly in the intertidal and shallow sub-tidal coastal regions in the Asia- Pacific and commonly consumed in South-East Asia for its high contents of vitamins and minerals. Besides its culinary uses, it is well-reported for its antibacterial, antifungal, diabetes, blood pressure, and lipid-lowering properties. However, to date, no extensive assessment of the diversity, distribution, and biological activity assay of these seaweeds found on the Bangladesh coast has been carried out. This study aimed at anti-inflammatory and analgesic studies of 50% ethanolic extract of Caulerpa racemosa. collected from St. Martin's Island, Bangladesh. Consequently, secondary metabolites such as steroids, flavonoids, glycoside, and saponin were also detected in the phytochemical assay. In the present study, 25 & 50mg/kg body weight of ethanolic extract of C. racemosa was used in hot plate, acetic acid, formic acid, and carrageenan-induced paw edema in Swiss albino mice showing C. racemosa extract has significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
 Bioresearch Commu. 9(2): 1330-1339, 2023 (July)

Association between targeted cancer drug net health benefit and uptake, patient out-of-pocket spending, and total spending.

6644 Background: Targeted cancer drugs (TCDs) have revolutionized oncology, but they are widely variable in their clinical benefit and are often accompanied by high patient-out-pocket (OOP) costs. The ASCO Value Framework uses published clinical trial data on survival, toxicity, and potential for symptom palliation to quantify the net health benefit (NHB) of any given cancer drug. We aimed to evaluate the association between NHB and uptake, patient OOP spending, and total spending for eight oral TCDs approved for the first line treatment of an advanced solid tumor based on one or more clinical trials comparing to a non-TCD control arm. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of incident pharmacy claims for oral TCDs prescribed to patients aged 18-64 years between 2012-2020 in the nationwide Health Care Cost Institute de-identified commercial claims dataset. NHB scores were calculated for each TCD of interest using the ASCO Value Framework and categorized as high (>60), medium (40-60), and low (<40) net health benefit. Distributions of incident 28-day TCD supplies were plotted over time by NHB category. The primary outcome was patient OOP spending (patient copay + coinsurance + deductible), whereas the secondary outcome was total spending (patient OOP spending + pharmacy reimbursement). Generalized linear models were used to evaluate the association between each outcome of interest and TCD NHB, adjusted for cancer indication. Results: We included 8,524 incident pharmacy claims for eight TCDs with nine indications in breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), melanoma, and pancreatic cancer. NHB scores ranged from 7 (erlotinib for pancreatic cancer) to 81 (crizotinib for ALK-rearranged NSCLC), with 1,145 (13%), 6,608 (78%), and 771 (9%) of pharmacy claims falling into low-, medium-, and high-NHB categories, respectively. Medium- and high-NHB TCDs accounted for the majority of incident TCD prescriptions throughout the study period. Median patient OOP spending was $18.78 for the first 28-day TCD supply (IQR $0.00-$87.57), with 45% of patients paying $0 and 8% paying >$1,000 OOP. Patient OOP spending was not significantly associated with TCD NHB category (difference $0.94, 95% CI -$49.99-$51.87 for medium vs low NHB; difference $58.86, 95% CI -$28.04-$145.75 for high vs low NHB). Median total spending was $10,118.79 (IQR $6,365.95-$10,600.37) for an incident 28-day TCD supply. There was a $1,083.56 increase in total spending for each 10-point increase in NHB score (95% CI $1,050.27-$1,116.84, p <0.01 for H0 = $0). Conclusions: Although TCDs are widely variable in their NHB, low-NHB TCDs are not prescribed as frequently as medium- and high-NHB TCDs. Total spending on TCDs is high and positively associated with NHB. Commercially insured patients are largely shielded from high OOP spending on TCDs.

Differentiation of the Organoleptic Volatile Organic Compound Profile of Three Edible Seaweeds.

The inclusion of seaweeds in daily-consumption food is a worthy-of-attention challenge due to their high nutritional value and potential health benefits. In this way, their composition, organoleptic profile, and toxicity must be assessed. This work focuses on studying the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by three edible seaweeds, Grateloupia turuturu, Codium tomentosum, and Bifurcaria bifurcata, with the aim of deepening the knowledge regarding their organoleptic profiles. Nine samples of each seaweed were prepared in glass vials, and the emitted headspace was analyzed, for the first time, with a gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry device, a highly sensitive technology. By statistically processing the collected data through PCA, it was possible to accurately differentiate the characteristic patterns of the three seaweeds with a total explained variance of 98%. If the data were pre-processed through PLS Regression, the total explained variance increased to 99.36%. The identification of 13 VOCs was accomplished through a developed database of compounds. These outstanding values in addition to the identification of the main emissions of VOCs and the utilization of a never-before-used technology prove the capacity of GC-IMS to differentiate edible seaweeds based solely on their volatile emissions, increase the knowledge regarding their organoleptic profiles, and provide an important step forward in the inclusion of these highly nutritional ingredients in the human diet.

BANANA BLOSSOM: NUTRITIONAL VALUE, HEALTH BENEFITS AND ITS UTILIZATION

Bananas are an attractive and low-cost food supply for poor countries, where bananas are consumed by the majority of the population. Typically, only the fruit of the banana tree is consumed, and before the fruit is cooked, the banana heart is chopped out and thrown. However, many people are unaware that the banana heart, also known as the banana blossom, has a high nutritional content and numerous health benefits. The blossom of a banana contains a lot of fiber and can be used to make fiber-rich foods. In addition, the flower includes a variety of bioactive substances, such as alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds, all of which have anti-cancer, anti-microbial, and antioxidant activities. This plant is often used as a food additive in many Asian countries. On the other hand, the banana flower has received only sporadic attention. As a result, the aim of this review is to evaluate the nutritionally dense compact pack of banana blossoms and highlight the value-added product fortified with banana blossoms. So, these unique nutritional values of banana blossom should get maximum utilization, and incorporation of this banana blossom in food products can be performed for value addition.

The Life of Saccharomyces and Non-Saccharomyces Yeasts in Drinking Wine.

Drinking wine is a processed beverage that offers high nutritional and health benefits. It is produced from grape must, which undergoes fermentation by yeasts (and sometimes lactic acid bacteria) to create a product that is highly appreciated by consumers worldwide. However, if only one type of yeast, specifically Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was used in the fermentation process, the resulting wine would lack aroma and flavor and may be rejected by consumers. To produce wine with a desirable taste and aroma, non-Saccharomyces yeasts are necessary. These yeasts contribute volatile aromatic compounds that significantly impact the wine's final taste. They promote the release of primary aromatic compounds through a sequential hydrolysis mechanism involving several glycosidases unique to these yeasts. This review will discuss the unique characteristics of these yeasts (Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Pichia kluyveri, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Wickerhamomyces anomalus, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Hanseniaspora vineae, Lachancea thermotolerans, Candida stellata, and others) and their impact on wine fermentations and co-fermentations. Their existence and the metabolites they produce enhance the complexity of wine flavor, resulting in a more enjoyable drinking experience.

An integrated untargeted metabolomic approach reveals the quality characteristics of black soybeans from different geographical origins in China

Black soybeans are extensively planted and consumed in China due to their high nutritional value and numerous health benefits. However, very few is known about the characteristic metabolites of black soybeans from different geographical origins in China. In the present study, 31 black soybean samples were collected from 11 main producing provinces in China. A combined metabolomics approach using ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) and gas chromatography coupled to an Orbitrap mass analyzer (GC-orbitrap-MS) was performed for the first time to comprehensively investigate the metabolite variability among the black soybeans from different geographical origins. A total of 48 differential non-volatile metabolites and 14 differential volatile metabolites were identified based on orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) coupled with analysis of variance (ANOVA). Higher procyanidin B1, procyanidin B2, epicatechin, malonylated isoflavones, and β-pinene were observed in Gansu black soybeans. Guangxi black soybeans had higher amounts of linoleic acid and its oxidation products of hexanal and pentane. The black soybeans from Xinjiang and Yunnan were found to have higher delphinidin-derived anthocyanins, gamma-glutamyl peptides, and aromatic hydrocarbons. The characteristic metabolites of black soybeans from other geographical origins were also clarified. This study indicated that the integrated untargeted metabolomic approach can be a powerful tool to provide knowledge for developing specialty black soybeans.

Optimization of Wheat Bran and Refined Flour for the Development of Fiber-Rich Pasta

Background: As a by-product derived from roller milling of wheat flour production, wheat bran has high dietary fiber content, which contains 44-50% of fiber and can be incorporated into food products to alter the nutritional quality of foods. Objective: In this research paper, the development of fiber-rich pasta with supplementation of wheat bran and analyzed by dietary fiber, total phenolic acid, free radical scavenging capacity, color value, overall acceptability and flavour Methods: In the present study, the methods used, i.e., TPC and FRAP content for antioxidant properties and dietary fiber determined by the enzyme-gravimetric method. Results: This study found that an increase in the bran ratio increased the percent of dietary fiber, total phenolic acid, and free radical scavenging capacity of pasta. , The percentage of wheat bran, can also affect the color value of pasta ,which reduced L* values while a* and b* values increased. The flavour and overall acceptability of the wheat bran enriched pasta increases at certain after that, it could decrease, and the flavour of the pasta was reduced with the increase of wheat bran. result: This study was found out that an increase in bran ratio increased the percent of dietary fiber, total Phenolic acid and free radical scavenging capacity of pasta. Percentage of wheat bran also affect the color value of pasta in which, reduced L values while a* and b* values increased. The flavor and over all acceptability of the wheat bran enriched pasta was increases at certain level after that, it could be decreases and flavor of pasta was reduced with increasing of wheat bran Conclusion: The functionality of wheat bran-enriched pasta has observed more high dietary fiber and health benefits. In the future, wheat bran-enriched pasta food products can be used in the prevention of chronic diseases like colon cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc. other: Keywords- Wheat bran, Dietary fiber, Total Phenolic acid, Free radical scavenging capacity, Response surface methodology

Oat AsDA1-2D enhances heat stress tolerance and negatively regulates seed-storage globulin

The importance of oats has increased because of their high nutritional value and health benefits in the human diet. High-temperature stress during the reproductive growth period has a detrimental effect on grain morphology by changing the structure and concentration of several seed-storage proteins. DA1, a conserved ubiquitin-proteasome pathway component, plays an important role in regulating grain size by controlling cell proliferation in maternal integuments during the grain-filling stage. However, there have been no reports or studies on oat DA1 genes. In this study, we identified three DA1-like genes (AsDA1-2D, AsDA1-5A, and AsDA1-1D) using genome-wide analysis. Among these, AsDA1-2D was found to be responsible for high-temperature stress tolerance via a yeast thermotolerance assay. The physical interaction of AsDA1-2D with oat-storage-globulin (AsGL-4D) and a protease inhibitor (AsPI-4D) was observed using yeast two-hybrid screening. A subcellular localization assay revealed that AsDA1-2D and its interacting proteins are localized in the cytosol and plasma membrane. An in vitro pull-down assay showed that AsDA1-2D forms a complex with both AsPI-4D and AsGL-4D. An in vitro cell-free degradation assay showed that AsGL-4D was degraded by AsDA1-2D under high-temperature conditions and that AsPI-4D inhibited the function of AsDA1-2D. These results suggest that AsDA1-2D acts as a cysteine protease and negatively regulates oat-grain-storage-globulin under heat stress.

Evaluation the Effects of Chia Supplementation on Basisa Functional Properties

Bassissa is one of the traditional Arabian foods and characterized by high nutritional value and health benefits. However, its preparation procedures could negatively influence its nutritional components. Accordingly, the objectives of this research was to supplement bassissa with chia powder by 5 and 10% and evaluate its effects on bassissa nutritional and sensory attributes. Three types of bassissa were prepared according to their original areas in Libya. Then, dietary fiber, omega 6, omega 3, bioactive compounds (ascorbic acid, riboflavin, thiamine and pyridoxine), minerals and sensory properties of bassissa samples were measured. The results indicated that addition of chia by 5 or 10% to all bassissa samples significantly increased total dietary fiber. Furthermore, adding chia by 5 or 10% caused a significant (p ˂ 0.05) elevation in the content of ascorbic acid, riboflavin, thiamine and pyridoxine. Moreover, chia-fortified bassissa significantly recorded higher values of the studied minerals and omega 3 and 6. The sensory properties of chia-fortified samples had higher grades compared to the controls. Chia powder can be used as a functional ingredient and as an improver of the sensory and nutritional properties of bassissa.

Development and Characterization of Cultured Buttermilk Fortified with Spirulina plantensis and Its Physico-Chemical and Functional Characteristics

In recent years, there has been an unprecedented increase in the demand for fermented dairy products due to medical recommendations and lifestyle preferences. Cultured buttermilk, as an ancient fermented dairy beverage, is an appropriate product choice in this context. This study presents a novel cultured buttermilk formulated by fortification with high protein microalgae Spirulina platensis, thus making it valuable and attractive because of its antioxidant properties. The fermentation process, nutraceutical properties, and sensory characteristics of developed cultured buttermilk with various concentrations of Spirulina (0.25, 0.5, and 1%) were compared with the control sample (0% Spirulina buttermilk). Different concentrations of Spirulina in buttermilk result in a significant increase in chlorophyll and carotenoid content, boosting its antioxidant properties. The study also evaluated the prebiotic properties of Spirulina, thus, demonstrating its ability to promote a healthy digestive system. It was found that the addition of 0.25% Spirulina was able to ferment the product more quickly and retained the sensory acceptability of the finished product. The protein content, free radical scavenging activity, chlorophyll, carotenoid, and total phenolic content of 0.25% Spirulina-fortified buttermilk was 1.83%, 48.19%, 30.9 mg/g, 8.24 mg/g, and 4.21 mg/g GAE, respectively. Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that cultured buttermilk with a high nutritional value and functional health benefits can be developed by fortification with 0.25% Spirulina as a natural ingredient.

Are Portuguese Cowpea Genotypes Adapted to Drought? Phenological Development and Grain Quality Evaluation.

Along with population growth, global climate change represents a critical threat to agricultural production, compromising the goal of achieving food and nutrition security for all. It is urgent to create sustainable and resilient agri-food systems capable of feeding the world without debilitating the planet. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) refers to pulses as a superfood, as one of the most nutritious crops with high health benefits. Considered to be low-cost, many can be produced in arid lands and have an extended shelf-life. Their cultivation helps reduce greenhouse gases and increases carbon sequestration, also improving soil fertility. Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. is particularly drought tolerant, with a wide diversity of landraces adapted to different environments. Considering the importance of knowing and valuing the genetic variability of this species in Portugal, this study assessed the impact of drought on four landraces of cowpea (L1 to L4) from different regions of the country and a national commercial variety (CV) as a reference. The development and evaluation of morphological characteristics were monitored in response to terminal drought (imposed during the reproductive phase), and its effects were evaluated on the yield and quality of the produced grain, namely the weight of 100 grains, color, protein content, and soluble sugars. Under drought conditions, the landraces L1 and L2 showed early maturation as a strategy to avoid water deficit. Morphological alteration of the aerial part of the plants was evident in all genotypes, with a rapid reduction in the number of leaves and a reduction in the number of flowers and pods by between 44 and 72%. The parameters of grain quality, the weight of 100 grains, color, protein, and soluble sugars did not vary significantly, except for sugars of the raffinose family that is associated with the adaptive mechanisms of plants to drought. The performance and maintenance of the evaluated characteristics reflect the adaptation acquired in the past by exposure to the Mediterranean climate, highlighting the potential agronomic and genetic value, still little exploited, that could contribute to production stability, preserved nutritional value, and food safety under water stress.

Mitigation of Paeoniae Radix Alba extracts on H2O2-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells and hyperglycemia in zebrafish, and identification of phytochemical constituents.

Paeoniae Radix Alba (PRA), as a Traditional Chinese Medicine, is widely used in Chinese cuisine due to high health-benefits and nutrition, but the effect of different polarity of solvents on the extraction of antioxidant and hypoglycemic constituents, as well as the major active compounds remain unclear. In this research, 40, 70, and 95% ethanol were firstly applied to extract the polyphenols from PRA, the extraction yields, total phenolics, and total flavonoids content, free radical scavenging ability, α-glucosidase inhibition ability, and anti-glycation ability of extracts were evaluated spectroscopically. The oxidative damage protection, hypoglycemic activity, and alleviation on peripheral nerve damage were evaluated by H2O2-induced HepG2 cells and hyperglycemic zebrafish models. UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS was used to identify the major chemical constituents. The results showed that 40, 70, and 95% ethanol exhibited insignificant difference on the extraction of phenolics and flavonoids from PRA. All extracts showed promising DPPH⋅ and ABTS⋅+ scavenging ability, α-glucosidase inhibition and anti-glycation ability. In addition, PRA extracts could restore the survival rate of HepG2 cells induced by H2O2, and alleviate the oxidative stress by reducing the content of MDA and increasing the levels of SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px. The 70% ethanol extract could also mitigate the blood glucose level and peripheral motor nerve damage of hyperglycemic zebrafish. Thirty-five compounds were identified from 70% ethanol extract, gallotannins, gallic acid and its derivatives, and paeoniflorin and its derivatives were the dominant bioactive compounds. Above results could provide important information for the value-added application of PRA in functional food and medicinal industry.

Quality assessment of commercial dried ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) based on targeted and non-targeted chemical profiles and anti-inflammatory activity

Dried ginger, a well-known medicine and food homologous production, has been widely circulated in China with high health benefits and economic value. Currently, there is still a lack of quality assessment on whether dried ginger in China exhibits chemically and biologically distinct properties, which creates a barrier to its quality control in commercial circulation. In this study, the chemical characteristics of 34 batches of common dried ginger samples in China were first explored using non-targeted chemometrics based on the UPLC-Q/TOF-MS analysis, leading to the identification of 35 chemicals that contributed to clustering into two categories, with sulfonated conjugates being the key chemically distinct components. By comparing the samples before and after sulfur-containing treatment and the further synthesis of a key differentiating component of [6]-gingesulfonic acid, it was then demonstrated that sulfur-containing treatment was the primary cause of the formation of sulfonated conjugates, as opposed to regional or environmental factors. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory efficacy of dried ginger with high presence of sulfonated conjugates was significantly decreased. Consequently, for the first time, UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS was used to develop a targeted quantification method for 10 characteristic chemicals in dried ginger, allowing researchers to quickly determine whether dried ginger has been processed with sulfur and quantitatively evaluate the quality of dried ginger. These results provided an insight into the quality of commercial dried ginger in China and a suggested method for its quality supervision as well.

Creation of products made from honey based on the content of elements determined by ICP-OES.

People of different age can consume honey, but the taste is often not accepted easily. Therefore, products made from honey with a pleasant taste and high nutritional and health benefits are highly demanded on the market. Honey is a bioindicator of environmental pollution. Certain plants are known as high accumulators of toxic elements. Here on the example of three honey-based prototypes, with sesame, shelled pumpkin, sunflower seeds, plums, walnut, almond, hazel, and cinnamon as minor ingredients, we demonstrated the creation of new products putting the accent on the content of toxic and potentially toxic elements, usually treated as irrelevant in making products. Nineteen elements (Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Se, Si, and Zn) were determined by ICP-OES after oven-based and wet digestion methods in blossom honey and prototypes samples. Among the investigated elements, the most abundant element in blossom honey for the products and the investigated products was potassium in most cases. Investigated honey (used for the products) and two of the products contain small quantities of toxic and potentially toxic elements. However, the second product, containing besides honey two accumulators of toxic metals (sesame, sunflower seeds), shows higher values for toxic elements. Therefore, the ICP-OES analysis can be a good step in making new products with high nutritional and health values but almost free from toxic and potentially toxic elements.

Risk Model-Based Lung Cancer Screening : A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.

In their 2021 lung cancer screening recommendation update, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) evaluated strategies that select people based on their personal lung cancer risk (risk model-based strategies), highlighting the need for further research on the benefits and harms of risk model-based screening. To evaluate and compare the cost-effectiveness of risk model-based lung cancer screening strategies versus the USPSTF recommendation and to explore optimal risk thresholds. Comparative modeling analysis. National Lung Screening Trial; Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program; U.S. Smoking History Generator. 1960 U.S. birth cohort. 45 years. U.S. health care sector. Annual low-dose computed tomography in risk model-based strategies that start screening at age 50 or 55 years, stop screening at age 80 years, with 6-year risk thresholds between 0.5% and 2.2% using the PLCOm2012 model. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and cost-effectiveness efficiency frontier connecting strategies with the highest health benefit at a given cost. Risk model-based screening strategies were more cost-effective than the USPSTF recommendation and exclusively comprised the cost-effectiveness efficiency frontier. Among the strategies on the efficiency frontier, those with a 6-year risk threshold of 1.2% or greater were cost-effective with an ICER less than $100 000 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). Specifically, the strategy with a 1.2% risk threshold had an ICER of $94 659 (model range, $72 639 to $156 774), yielding more QALYs for less cost than the USPSTF recommendation, while having a similar level of screening coverage (person ever-screened 21.7% vs. USPSTF's 22.6%). Risk model-based strategies were robustly more cost-effective than the 2021 USPSTF recommendation under varying modeling assumptions. Risk models were restricted to age, sex, and smoking-related risk predictors. Risk model-based screening is more cost-effective than the USPSTF recommendation, thus warranting further consideration. National Cancer Institute (NCI).

High Light Intensity Triggered Abscisic Acid Biosynthesis Mediates Anthocyanin Accumulation in Young Leaves of Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis)

There is increasing interest in the production and consumption of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) processed from purple-leaved cultivar due to their high anthocyanin content and health benefits. However, how and why seasonal changes affect anthocyanin accumulation in young tea leaves still remains obscured. In this study, anthocyanin and abscisic acid (ABA) contents in young leaves of Zifuxing 1 (ZFX1), a cultivar with new shoots turning to purple in Wuyi Mountain, a key tea production region in China, were monitored over four seasons. Young leaves produced in September were highly purplish, which was accompanied with higher anthocyanin and ABA contents. Among the environmental factors, the light intensity in particular was closely correlated with anthocyanin and ABA contents. A shade experiment also indicated that anthocyanin content significantly decreased after 168 h growth under 75% shade, but ABA treatment under the shade conditions sustained anthocyanin content. To confirm the involvement of ABA in the modulation of anthocyanin accumulation, anthocyanin, carotenoids, chlorophyll, ABA, jasmonic acid (JA), and salicylic acid (SA) in the young leaves of four cultivars, including ZFX1, Zijuan (ZJ), wherein leaves are completely purple, Rougui (RG) and Fudingdabaicha (FDDB) wherein leaves are green, were analyzed, and antioxidant activities of the leaf extracts were tested. Results showed that ABA, not other tested hormones, was significantly correlated with anthocyanin accumulation in the purple-leaved cultivars. Cultivars with higher anthocyanin contents exhibited higher antioxidant activities. Subsequently, ZFX1 plants were grown under full sun and treated with ABA and fluridone (Flu), an ABA inhibitor. ABA treatment elevated anthocyanin level but decreased chlorophyll contents. The reverse was true to those treated with Flu. To pursue a better understanding of ABA involvement in anthocyanin accumulation, RNA-Seq was used to analyze transcript differences among ABA- or Flu-treated and untreated ZFX1 plants. Results indicated that the differentially expressed genes in ABA or Flu treatment were mainly ABA signal sensing and metabolism-related genes, anthocyanin accumulation-related genes, light-responsive genes, and key regulatory MYB transcription factors. Taking all the results into account, a model for anthocyanin accumulation in ZFX1 cultivar was proposed: high light intensity caused reactive oxygen stress, which triggered the biosynthesis of ABA; ABA interactions with transcription factors, such as MYB-enhanced anthocyanin biosynthesis limited chlorophyll and carotenoid accumulation; and transport of anthocyanin to vacuoles resulting in the young leaves of ZFX1 with purplish coloration. Further research is warranted to test this model.