Vegetative Groups Research Articles

Threats affecting the distribution of Lygeum spartum Loefl. ex L. and its associated species in the Western Mediterranean desert of Egypt: Perspectives of conservation

The current study intends to evaluate the many hazards affecting the spread of the significant fodder grass Lygeum spartum Loefl. ex. L. and its associated species in Egypt's Western Mediterranean Desert over the past 60 years (from 1958 to 2020); depending on the data of the previous literature and the current situation evaluation by recent field trips. It also aims to assess its ecosystem services. Sixty-nine stands were collected from previous studies and unpublished data, in addition to 30 stands (10 m2) were added including 5 field trips during the period from spring 2019 to spring 2020. Measurements were taken to create a classification of this vegetation and to determine the main threats that affect its distribution composition. There are 142 species associated with the distribution of the studied plant in 6 habitats. While only 107 species were recorded in the recent stands in 7 habitats. Vegetation groups (G1- G8) obtained from TWINSPAN classification indicating that G1 (wadis) is the most diverse group with a species richness 34.7 species per stand, while G6 (dune) has the highest species turnover (4.57) during the period of 1958 to 2014. But in recent stands; G5 (saline and non-saline depression) is the most diverse group (30.875), while G2 (dunes) has the highest species turnover (4.819). Medicinal plants are the most represented (79.86%), followed by grazing plants (72.9%). The most common service is sand stabilization (92% of total services), followed by windbreak (natural) (40%). Threatened species represent 92.4%; habitat loss is the most affected threat (95 species), followed by over-collecting and over-cutting (82 species). Twenty out of 99 stands (20.2% of the total stands) have been destroyed due to human activity. Continuous monitoring of remaining patches of Egypt’s northwestern Mediterranean coast was required to save its natural flora from extinction.

Urinary cadmium concentrations and intake of nutrients, food groups and dietary patterns in women from Northern Mexico

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic metal found in some foods. There is limited evidence about the relationship of Cd exposure with nutrient and food groups consumption, and almost no information regarding dietary patterns. The objective was to evaluate the association between diet and urinary Cd, and to explore whether metal concentrations vary according to the intake of some nutrients. Urinary Cd concentrations of 891 female residents of northern Mexico were determined by tandem mass spectrometry. We obtained food consumption through a food frequency questionnaire and we used previously defined food groups and estimated dietary patterns by factor analysis. We found positive associations between Cd and daily consumption of non-starchy vegetables (ß = 0.067, 95% CI 0.030, 0.1023), legumes (ß = 0.139, 95% CI 0.065, 0.213) and processed meats (ß = 0.163, 95% CI 0.035.0.291), as well as the Western (ß = 0.083, 95% CI: 0.027.0.139) and Prudent dietary patterns (ß = 0.035, 95% CI: −0.020, 0.091). In contrast, we observed a negative association with the vegetable oil group (ß = −0.070, 95% CI −0.125, −0.014). In addition, we found higher concentrations of Cd in women under 50 years of age with a lower iron intake than recommended. Food is a source of exposure to this metal and at the same time provides nutrients that modulate its metabolism. It is important to generate dietary guidelines to reduce the health effects of Cd exposure.

Pengaruh Inflasi Komoditas Pangan terhadap Inflasi Kota Manado (The Effect of Food Commodity Inflation on Manado City Inflation)

Pengaruh Inflasi Komoditas Pangan terhadap Inflasi Kota Manado (The Effect of Food Commodity Inflation on Manado City Inflation)

Genome-wide screening and characterization of long noncoding RNAs involved in flowering/bolting of Lactuca sativa

BackgroundLettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is considered the most important vegetable in the leafy vegetable group. However, bolting affects quality, gives it a bitter taste, and as a result makes it inedible. Bolting is an event induced by the coordinated effects of various environmental factors and endogenous genetic components. Although bolting/flowering responsive genes have been identified in most sensitive and non-sensitive species, non-coding RNA molecules like long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have not been investigated in lettuce. Hence, in this study, potential long non-coding RNAs that regulate flowering /bolting were investigated in two lettuce strains S24 (resistant strain) and S39 (susceptible strain) in different flowering times to better understand the regulation of lettuce bolting mechanism. For this purpose, we used two RNA-seq datasets to discover the lncRNA transcriptome profile during the transition from vegetative to reproductive phase.ResultsFor identifying unannotated transcripts in these datasets, a 7-step pipeline was employed to filter out these transcripts and terminate with 293 novel lncRNAs predicted by PLncPRO and CREMA. These transcripts were then utilized to predict cis and trans flowering-associated targets and Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Computational predictions of target gene function showed the involvement of putative flowering-related genes and enrichment of the floral regulators FLC, CO, FT, and SOC1 in both datasets. Finally, 17 and 18 lncRNAs were proposed as competing endogenous target mimics (eTMs) for novel and known lncRNA miRNAs, respectively.ConclusionOverall, this study provides new insights into lncRNAs that control the flowering time of plants known for bolting, such as lettuce, and opens new windows for further study.

A Framework to Calibrate Ecosystem Demography Models Within Earth System Models Using Parallel Surrogate Global Optimization

AbstractThe climatic feedbacks from vegetation, particularly from tropical forests, can alter climate through land‐atmospheric interactions. Expected shifts in species composition can alter these interactions with profound effects on climate and terrestrial ecosystem dynamics. Ecosystem demographic (ED) models can explicitly represent vegetation dynamics and are a key component of next‐generation Earth System Models (ESMs). Although ED models exhibit greater fidelity and allow more direct comparisons with observations, their interacting parameters can be more difficult to calibrate due to the complex interactions among vegetation groups and physical processes. In addition, while representation of forest successional coexistence in ESMs is necessary to accurately capture forest‐climate interactions, few models can simulate forest coexistence and few studies have calibrated coexisted forest species. Furthermore, although both vegetation characteristics and soil properties affect vegetation dynamics, few studies have paid attention to jointly calibrating parameters related to these two processes. In this study, we develop a computationally‐efficient and physical model structure‐based framework that uses a parallel surrogate global optimization algorithm to calibrate ED models. We calibrate two typically coexisted tropical tree species, early and late successional plants, in a state‐of‐the‐art ED model that is capable of simulating successional diversity in forests. We concurrently calibrate vegetation and soil parameters and validate results against carbon, energy, and water cycle measurements collected in Barro Colorado Island, Panama. The framework can find optimal solutions within 4–12 iterations for 19‐dimensional problems. The calibration for tropical forests has important implications for predicting land‐atmospheric interactions and responses of tropical forests to environmental changes.

Dietary carrot intake compared favourably with three other vegetable groups in protection against incidence of cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Dietary carrot intake compared favourably with three other vegetable groups in protection against incidence of cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Time series modeling and forecasting of vegetable production in United Arab Emirates

Crop forecasting is a formidable challenge. The national and state governments need such predictions before harvesting for various policy decisions relating to storage, distribution, pricing, marketing, importexport etc. In this paper, univariate forecasting models such as random walk, linear trend, quadratic trend, exponential trend, S-curve trend, simple exponential smoothing, Holt's linear exponential smoothing and Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models are used to predict vegetable production in the United Arab Emirates. For empirical analysis, a set of 9 different vegetable groups have been considered, contingent upon availability of required data. Annual data from 1974–75 to 2018–19 was used to forecast the next five years since 2019. Suitable models were selected based on the lowest RMSE and minimum of AIC criterion. Model diagnostic checking was done through Runs above and below the median, Runs up and down and Ljung-Box tests on ACF and PACF of residual terms. For onions and green shallots linear trend model was selected as the best fit, whereas simple exponential smoothing model was most suitable in cauliflowers and broccoli, pumpkins, squash and gourds and spinach. The optimum model obtained for forecasting carrots and turnips was Holt's linear exponential smoothing model and ARIMA model was the best fit for the rest of vegetable groups.

Variations of plant communities in diversity and composition along the western coast of Lake Khanka caused by high water level

Lake Khanka is the largest freshwater body of water in northeast Asia, with a basin of about 25 000 km2. The hydrological regime of the lake is cyclical in nature due to various factors affecting water inflow and outflow. The last increase of water level in the lake began in the 2000s and by 2015 reached the maximum value of 416 cm (with the average annual level of 293 cm). A steady decline in water level has been observed since 2021. To assess the diversity and structure of coastal plant communities on the sandy-pebbly substrate along the western shore of Lake Khanka and their dynamics under the influence of flooding, we laid 20 transects and performed descriptions at seven sites, including two sites in the protected area of the Cluster Sosnovy of the Khanka Nature Reserve. Using the diversity and similarity/difference indices, plant communities were compared across the sites. It was shown that their heterogeneity is due to the diversity of both aboriginal and adventive species. In protected areas, the role of adventive species is significantly lower than in recreational areas. The five dominant species in the communities account for 50 % or more of the total abundance. Vegetation groupings in the three identified zones, which have been inundated for different periods of time, have a similar diversity, with differences due only to the native fraction of species. The second zone, characterized by the greatest influx of species of different ecological and cenotic groups during water recession, differs in species richness. The obtained data show for the first time the diversity and structure of coastal plant communities of the sandy-pebble beech of the western coast of Lake Khanka and reflect some processes of its dynamics in connection with the long-term standing water. For more successful coverage of the issues raised, long-term monitoring on the laid transects, at least covering one 20–30-year cycle of the dynamics of the hydrological regime of Lake Khanka, is necessary.

Growth and production of crisp lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) using different doses of nitrogen and magnesium

Lettuce is part of the group of leafy vegetables that sees high consumption worldwide. However, population increases have forced excessive increases in fertilization, raising N levels both in the water and the soil and leading to serious environmental problems. As a result, appropriate fertilization management must be carried out; therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of nitrogen and magnesium on the growth and yield of crisp lettuce. A randomized complete block design was carried out with 10 treatments: a control plus nine treatments with a central compound and different combinations of nitrogen and magnesium doses. The variables leaf area ratio, SPAD chlorophyll index and relative growth rate decreased throughout the crop cycle. The application of 150 kg ha-1 of N + 18 kg ha-1 of Mg generated the highest production values and net assimilation rate. The response surface graph yielded a model with a maximum yield of 21 t ha-1 using fertilization with 93.8 kg ha-1 of nitrogen and 12.4 kg ha-1 of magnesium. The lower doses of both nitrogenous and magnesium fertilization showed the highest values of agronomic efficiency and partial productivity.

Reducing Dietary Acid With Fruit and Vegetables Versus Oral Alkali in People With Chronic Kidney Disease (ReDACKD): A Clinical Research Protocol.

Individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) can develop metabolic acidosis which, in turn, is associated with faster progression of CKD and an increased need for dialysis. Oral sodium bicarbonate (the current standard of care therapy for metabolic acidosis) is poorly tolerated leading to low adherence. Base-producing or alkalizing Fruit and vegetables have potential as an alternative treatment for metabolic acidosis as they have been shown to reduce acid load arising from the diet. This trial will evaluate the feasibility of providing base-producing fruit and vegetables as a dietary treatment for metabolic acidosis, compared with oral sodium bicarbonate. A 2-arm, open-label, dual-center, randomized controlled feasibility trial. Two Canadian sites: a nephrology clinic in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and a nephrology clinic in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Adult participants with G3-G5 CKD and metabolic acidosis. Participants will undergo baseline measurements and attend 5 study visits over 12 months at which they will have a measurement of feasibility criteria as well as blood pressure, blood and urine biochemistry, 5-repetition chair stand test (STS5), and questionnaires to assess quality of life and symptoms. Furthermore, participants fill out Automated Self-Administered 24-hour recalls (ASA-24) in the beginning, middle, and end of trial. A total of 40 eligible participants will be randomized 1:1 to either base-producing fruit and vegetables (experimental) group or sodium bicarbonate (control) group, beginning from a daily dose of 1500 mg. Using self-administered dietary assessments, lack of supervision over the consumption of study treatments and the possible disappointment of the control group for not receiving fruit and vegetables would be considered as limitations for this study. However, we are planning to undertake proper practices to overcome the possible limitations. These practices are discussed throughout the article in detail. This study will generate data on base-producing fruit and vegetables consumption as a dietary treatment for metabolic acidosis in CKD. The data will be used to design a future multi-center trial looking at slowing CKD progression in people with metabolic acidosis. This study is registered on clinicaltrials.gov with the identifier NCT05113641.

IDENTIFICATION OF INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES AND ASSESSMENT OF ECOLOGICAL FACTORS IN THE POOL MALEBO IN KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

The aim of this study was to identify invasive aquatic species and assess ecological factors in 5 islands, namely Mipongo, Japon, Kabongo, Kingabwa and Molondo.of the Pool Malebo. A floristic inventory was conducted around these sites and physico-chemical characteristics were measured in each island between 8:00am and 3:00pm using an appropriate electronic probe. The floristic affinity between sites was determined by cluster analysis using MVSP software version 4.03, after highlighting the Jaccard's coefficient based on the presence/absence of species in the different collection sites. The comparison between the sites was carried out using the ANOVA test with SPSS 25 software for physico-chemical parameters. The findings show that 24 species were identified as invasive out of which, six were dominant, namely Eichhornia crassipes, Echinocloa pyramidalis, Pistia stratiotes, Leersia hexandra, Ludwigia abissinega, and Ludwigia sp. No significant differences were observed for the temperature (F=0.42 and p=0.66), conductivity (F=1.55 and p=0.25) and turbidity (F=2.28 and p=0.14) for the three sites. While the pH (F=4.98; p=0.026; LSD=0.361), dissolved oxygen (F=12; p=0.001; LSD=3.65) and salinity (F=4.06; p= 0.04; LSD= 1.69) showed significant variation in the three sites. The formation of vegetation groups around these islands in the Pool Malebo would also be justified by the influence of these parameters. The spread of invasive alien species on the surface of the river needs to draw more attention to scientists, policy makers and government in order to find a way to a good management of these species.

Экология, биология и питание хариуса (Thymallus thymallus Linnaeus, 1758) р. Сотки Пинежского государственного заповедника

European grayling Thymallus thymallus (Linnaeus, 1758) is the most valuable nonmigratory species in the ichthyofauna of the Pinezhsky Reserve. The grayling’s habitat inside the specially protected natural area is the Sotka river - the main attraction in the Reserve - flowing through its karst gorges. There are presented the results of comprehensive ichthyological study of grayling population in the Sotka river. Data on the ecology, biology, linearly-weight characteristics and age structure of the population are given. It was found out that grayling prefers the water areas with a mountainous (fast) flow, where it dominates among the fish species and forms a core of the local ichthyocenosis. Specific features of nutrition and age-related changes in the grayling diet have been studied. The 18 taxonomic groups of invertebrates, vertebrates and aquatic vegetation were registered in the food spectrum. The nutrition grayling base in the summer was presented by benthic larvae of amphibiotic insects, planktonic and nektonic organisms. The older species had a narrower range of nutrition based on ground-air insects, while the juveniles' diet was dominated by aquatic insect larvae. By the nature of nutrition, graylings in the river Sotka are euryphages, whose basic diet consists of arthropods. The multi-age structure and abundant population indicates prosperous state of these species.

Alnus glutinosa Riparian Woodlands of Italy and Corsica: Phytosociological Classification and Floristic Diversity

A comparative analysis of the riparian vegetation dominated by Alnus glutinosa in Italy and Tyrrhenian islands, based on literature data and unpublished relevés, is presented. A total of 456 phytosociological relevés were processed. For the definition of plant communities and alliances, hierarchical clustering was performed by using Bray-Curtis coefficient and Detrended Correspondence Analysis ordination methods. Identification of diagnostic species of the vegetation units was performed by means of the phi fidelity index. Quantum GIS software version 3.6 was used for the interpolation of the bioclimatic variables and A. glutinosa communities. Overall, a total of 18 A. glutinosa-riparian wood communities were distinguished for Italy and Tyrrhenian islands, of which two new associations and one new subassassociation are described. The classification of the relevés showed two main vegetation groups: the first one including the plant communities of the Osmundo-Alnion alliance, and the other including the vegetation of the Ligustro vulgaris-Alnion glutinosae alliance. This latest includes the riparian meso-thermophilous communities of central and northern Italy. Within the Osmundo-Alnion alliance, two subgroups can be recognized: the first one includes the thermophilous communities of the Hyperico hircini-Alnenion glutinosae sub-alliance, mainly spread in the Tyrrhenian islands, while the second group includes the mesophilous communities attributed to the new suballiance Struthioptero-Alnenion glutinosae, widespread in central Italy and the Corsican mountains. The present paper provides the first comprehensive and exhaustive scheme of the A. glutinosa riparian woodlands diversity in Italy and Corsica.

Classification of Tree Composition in the Forest Using Images from SENTINEL-2: A Case Study of Geomunoreum Forests Using NDVI Images

Climate change may alter tree species’ distribution, which could impact on forest biodiversity. However, frequent and continuous surveys of forests need intense labor and are time-consuming. The current study utilized SENTINEL-2 images of Geomunoreum to solve this problem as a case study. Acquired images were converted into various indices, such as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), which could be an efficient method to examine the diversity in forests over time. In the current study, the images were obtained in March and April from 2017 to 2021. As a result of analysis using NDVI images of the study area taken from the satellite, vegetation groups were classified into evergreen trees and deciduous trees. This implies that NDVI using extracted data from SENTINEL-2 images could be used for surveying large-scale examinations for tree classification in order to observe variations caused by climate change in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Participation of Farmer Group Members in Designing Extension Programs on Tomato Farming

The objective of this study was to describe the participation of farmer group members in the preparation of an extension program on tomato farming in Wowasolo Village, Wongeduku District, Konawe Regency. The research method is to determine the population and sample in one of the farmer groups that cultivate tomatoes. The number of samples that were set was 30 people from all members of the vegetable farmer group, which were selected by random sampling. Analysis of the data used is Likert Scale analysis. The results of the research obtained in the field regarding the participation of farmer group members in the extension program are that there are four stages of farmer group participation in the extension program, namely: first; the planning stage obtained an average value of 2.47 with the category of High (T), second; the implementation stage the average value is 4.39 with the category of High (T), third; the utilization stage has an average value of 2.23 with high (T) and fourth categories; evaluation stage the average value is 3.19 with the High category (T). The dominant participation factor is influenced by the willingness, the opportunity and the desire to add experience in tomato farming. Low farmer education and community habits with conventional farming systems are limiting factors for participation in agricultural extension programs.

Fruit and vegetable consumption, pesticide residue intake from consumption of fruits and vegetables, and risk of uterine fibroids

To examine the association between consumption of fruits and vegetables and pesticide residue intake from consumption of fruits and vegetables and risk of ultrasound- or hysterectomy-confirmed fibroids. Only a few studies have evaluated the association of fruit and vegetable intake with uterine fibroids, with inconsistent results. No studies have examined pesticide exposure through fruits and vegetables with fibroid risk. Prospective cohort study. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Not applicable. A total of 81,782 premenopausal participants from the Nurses' Health Study II cohort were followed from 1991 to 2009 for fruit and vegetable analysis, and 49,927 participants were followed from 1999 to 2009 for pesticide residue burden analysis. Their diet was assessed every 4 years with a food frequency questionnaire. Fruits and vegetables were classified into high- or low-pesticide residues using a validated method based on surveillance data from the US Department of Agriculture. Not applicable. Cases of ultrasound- or hysterectomy-confirmed fibroids were identified from self-reports to validated questionnaires. From 1991 to 2009, 9,706 incident cases of ultrasound- or hysterectomy-confirmed fibroids were reported, and 4,195 incident cases were identified from 1999 to 2009. No association was observed between total fruit and vegetable consumption and uterine fibroid risk. Participants with the highest intake of total fruits (≥4/day) were 10% less likely to develop uterine fibroids compared with participants who consumed <1/day (95% CI = 0.80-1.01). No associations were observed with any other fruit or vegetable groups. An inverse association was observed between intake of high-pesticide-residue fruits and vegetables and fibroid risk (HR for 5th vs. 1st quintile = 0.87; 95% CI = 0.77-0.99), while no association with low-pesticide-residue fruits and vegetables was observed (HR for 5th vs. 1st quintile = 1.08; 95% CI = 0.95-1.23). Our findings suggest that pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables are not associated with a higher risk of uterine fibroids. Furthermore, our results suggest that intake of fruits may be associated with a lower risk of fibroids. Future research in this area should focus on dietary exposures across the life course as well as assessment of class-specific pesticides.

Shifts in floristic composition and structure in Australian rangelands.

Monitoring shifts in vegetation composition over time is essential for tracking biodiversity changes and for designing ecosystem management strategies. In Australia, the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) provides a continent-wide network of monitoring sites (AusPlots) that can be used to assess the shifts in vegetation composition and structure of Australian Major Vegetation Groups (MVGs). Here we use time-series site data to quantify the extent and rate of MVG shifts between repeat visits and to recommend the most appropriate sampling frequency for specific MVGs. The research area spans a ~1,500 km latitudinal gradient within south/central Australia from arid rangelands in the north to Mediterranean vegetation in the south. The standardized AusPlots protocol was employed to repeatedly survey 103 one-hectare plots, assessed between 2011 and 2019. Floristic and growth form dissimilarities between visits were calculated with distance metrics and then regressed against survey interval. Multivariate ordination was used to explore temporal floristic shifts. Rank-dominance curves were used to display variations in species' importance. Between repeated visits, sites exhibited high variability for all vegetation parameters and trajectories. However, several trends emerged: (a) Species composition moved away from baseline linearly with intervals between surveys. (b) The rate of species turnover was approximately double in communities that are herbaceous versus woody-dominated. (c) Species abundances and growth forms shift at different speeds. All floristic and structural metrics shifted between re-visits, with varying magnitude and speed, but herbaceous-dominated plots showed higher floristic dynamism. Although the expanse, logistics, and the short time between visits constrained our analysis and interpretation, our results suggest that shorter revisit intervals may be appropriate for herbaceous compared to woody systems to track change most efficiently.

Food preferences and eating behavior among children with autism spectrum disorder: A causal-comparative study in Lahore

This study aims to compare the eating behaviors, food preferences, and body mass index of children with and without Autism residing in Lahore, Pakistan. The study participants were aged 5-12 years, and were divided into two groups: 60 children with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and 120 typically developing (TD) school children. The sample was drawn from three Autism schools and three private schools through the purposive sampling technique. Data regarding the participants’ basic personal history, food preferences, and eating behavior were obtained from their parents using a self- administered structured questionnaire. BMI for age percentiles of the children was obtained from standard charts, based on their height and weight measurements. Among participants with Autism, 46.7% were obese, compared to 23.3% of the participants without Autism. Children with Autism exhibited a significantly greater degree of limited variety (U= 2797.000, p= 0.009) and food refusal (U= 1586.000, p= 0.000) as compared to children without Autism. Greater preference for food in the vegetable group was related to a higher BMI for the age percentile, for children with Autism (r = 0.327, p = 0.011). A p-value &lt; 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Children with Autism exhibited selective eating and food refusal to a greater degree than children without Autism.

Association of Dietary Protein Intake with Muscle Mass in Elderly Chinese: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Most data regarding the association between dietary protein intake and muscle mass come from developed Western countries. This cross-sectional study investigates the association between the amount and distribution of dietary protein intake and muscle mass in elderly Chinese adults. This analysis includes 4826 participants aged 60 years and above from the dataset of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) 2018. Protein intake data were assessed using 3-day, 24 h dietary recalls. Appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) was obtained using the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Two-thirds of dietary protein intake comes from plant sources in the elderly Chinese population. The median total dietary protein intake was 60.5 g/d in low muscle mass participants for males and 52.5 g/d for females, which was lower than for their respective counterparts. Compared to the lowest quartile of protein intake, the highest total protein intake group had increased muscle mass by 0.96 kg among men and by 0.48 kg among women (p < 0.0001), and the highest vegetable protein intake group had increased muscle mass by 0.76 kg among men and by 0.35 kg among women (p < 0.0001). The amount of dietary protein intake with each meal was less than 20 g. High total protein intake and high plant-based protein intake were positively associated with higher muscle mass. A U-shape was observed between total dietary protein intake and low muscle mass risk in elderly Chinese adults. It should be encouraged to increase total daily protein intake to maintain muscle health.

Patterns of Risky Health Behaviors and Associations With Chronic Diseases Among Young Adult Nursing Students: A Latent Class Analysis.

Little is known about how health behaviors cluster to form meaningful patterns that influence health outcomes in young adult nursing students. The purpose of this study was to identify the unique health behavior patterns among young adult nursing students in China and examine the associations between health behaviors and chronic diseases. Using an electronic app, the achievements of an exercise target, sedentary behavior, smoking and drinking, and dietary patterns were assessed in 1,480 nursing student participants aged 18-24 years from two medical universities in Eastern China. A four-class model was developed using latent class analysis that included the "failure to achieve exercise target, alcohol-drinking, and insufficient fruit and vegetable group" (Group 1, n = 187, 12.6%), the "alcohol-drinking and sedentary behavior group" (Group 2, n = 290, 19.6%), the "sedentary behavior only group" (Group 3, n = 721, 48.7%), and the "failure to achieve exercise target only group" (Group 4, n = 282, 19.1%). Logistic regressions indicated that nursing students in Group 2 (odds ratio [ OR ] = 0.42), Group 3 ( OR = 0.51), and Group 4 ( OR = 0.30) were less likely to have chronic diseases than those in Group 1 after adjusting for sociodemographic variables. The health behaviors were clustered in different patterns among young adult nursing students. Tailoring interventions to specific groups is suggested to improve health outcomes.