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Fatty acid profile, tocopherol content, and phenolic compounds of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seed oils
Get PDFPomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seeds are typically treated as by-products of fruit processing; however, pomegranate seed oil (PSO) has recently gained attention owing to its potential health benefits. In this study, we investigated the fatty acid profile, micronutrient profile, and polyphenol composition of PSO in fresh samples, extracted via cold pressing, and also in commercial oil samples. Results showed high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids across samples (86.71 %-89.21 %), punicic acid was the main lipid (81.81 %-84.86 %), along with smaller amounts of linoleic and oleic acids. Total tocopherol content ranged between 362.69 and 397.48 mg/100 g of oil, γ-tocopherol being the major form. Catechin, gallic, vanillic, ellagic, p-coumaric, and ferulic acids were the major phenolic compounds present in PSO, particularly gallic acid, which was the most abundant (15.82–24.81 mg/100 g of oil). Our findings indicate the untapped potential of PSO as a nutraceutical or food ingredient with valuable potential health benefits
Translational medicine for cardiometabolic disorders
Get PDFPersonalised precision medicine, including sex-specific considerations, is gaining momentum in
the management of complex cardiometabolic disorders. This thesis explores aspects of
disease pathophysiology and the development and clinical implementation of relevant
pharmacotherapies in men and women. A series of clinical studies published in peer reviewed
journals is presented. Each study tested a specific hypothesis relevant to this overarching aim.
To investigate the life-long health implications of polycystic ovary syndrome a novel phenotype
of the disorder was modelled in postmenopausal women. Dose-response associations were
observed with (a) prevalent cardiovascular disease and (b) circulating adipocytokines – positive
for leptin, negative for adiponectin – that mirrored the classic syndrome in younger women.
A novel glucose-lowering drug – the glucokinase activator AZD1656 – with theoretical potential
to impair recovery from hypoglycaemia was studied in a phase 1b clinical trial in adults with type
2 diabetes receiving metformin. Counter-regulatory hormone responses to experimental
hypoglycaemia were quantified using precision automated stepped hypoglycaemic clamps.
Exogenous glucagon was effective in reversing hypoglycaemia during AZD1656 therapy.
New-onset diabetes is an adverse effect of statin therapy in which insulin resistance is
implicated. In a phase 4 investigator-initiated study, non-classic effects of atorvastatin 40 mg
daily were quantified in abdominally obese middle-aged adults. No effect was observed on
whole-body insulin sensitivity as assessed using hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamps.
Microvascular function and adipocytokines were also unaffected by the high-intensity statin.
Statins are the most commonly prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs. However, their use in
clinical practice is frequently suboptimal. In a proof-of-concept real-world study novel machine
learning methodology, trained on national clinical guidelines, was able to identify individuals
failing to reach cholesterol goals and recommend personalised therapeutic options.
Collectively, the original papers illustrate steps along the translational medicine pathway. The
studies also emphasise (a) metabolic-vascular disease intersections (b) the importance of
detailed phenotyping and use of appropriate research methodologies and (c) novel strategies to
promote personalised precision medicine. It is proposed that reversing the conventional
translational pathway may usefully inform earlier stages of target identification and clinical drug
development
EFL teachers’ knowledge and perception of metadiscourse (MD) markers in argumentative writing and their teaching practices
Get PDFThis study looks at English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ knowledge, practices, and
beliefs about teaching metadiscourse (MD) markers in argumentative writing at Saudi
Arabian universities. MD markers are important language tools that help make writing
clearer, organise arguments, and guide readers. Many Saudi EFL students struggle to write
logical and persuasive arguments, partly because they do not receive enough guidance on
using MD markers. This research aimed to explore how well teachers understand MD
markers, how they correct students’ mistakes with them, and how they include them in
writing lessons. It also studied teachers’ views on the role of MD markers in improving
students’ academic writing skills. The study used a mix of methods to collect data, including
interviews with 10 EFL teachers, classroom observations, an analysis of 100 student writing
samples, and a questionnaire completed by 150 EFL teachers. Data from interviews and
observations were analysed for themes, while the questionnaire responses were examined for
patterns and trends. The findings showed that many teachers had a limited understanding of
MD markers and often focused more on teaching grammar and vocabulary than on explaining
how to use MD markers in writing. Teachers also faced challenges like not having enough
time, strict lesson plans, and textbooks that did not cover MD markers well. Results from the
questionnaire revealed that only a small number of teachers included MD markers as a
regular part of their teaching. The study highlights the need for training programmes to help
teachers learn how to teach MD markers effectively. It also recommends updating curricula
and materials to include more examples and activities on MD markers. By addressing these
challenges, this research provides practical suggestions for improving EFL teaching methods
and helping students write clearer and better-organised essays in argumentative writing
Approximating large-scale Hessian matrices using secant equations
Get PDFLarge-scale optimization algorithms frequently require
sparse Hessian matrices that are not readily available. Existing methods for approximating large sparse Hessian matrices either do not impose sparsity or are computationally prohibitive. To try and overcome these limitations, we propose a novel approach that seeks to satisfy as many componentwise secant equations as necessary to define each row of the Hessian matrix. A naive application of this approach is too expensive for Hessian matrices that have some relatively dense rows
but, by carefully taking into account the symmetry and connectivity of the Hessian matrix, we are able devise an approximation algorithm that is fast and efficient with scope for parallelism. Example sparse Hessian matrices from the CUTEst test collection for optimization illustrate the effectiveness and robustness of our proposed method
Greenium fluctuations and climate awareness in the corporate bond market
Get PDFThis study offers a novel explanation for the dynamics of the ‘greenium,’ that is the negative yield differential of corporate green bonds relative to equivalent conventional bonds. Utilising a matched dataset of green and conventional corporate bonds from January 2014 to July 2022, we find that the ‘greenium’ in the secondary market responds significantly, even if briefly, to climate policy events.
It reaches its peak of 16 basis points shortly after the 2015 Paris Agreement. This response is economically significant as it accounts for 20% of the average yield spread observed in all the bonds within our matched sample. In addition, we find that when natural disasters strike, certified green bonds exhibit a positive return, in stark contrast to the negative performance of conventional bonds. We also show that heightened media coverage of climate change leads to a narrowing of yield spreads for both green and conventional bonds issued by green bond issuers. The impact is even more pronounced for certified green bonds. Taken together, these insights support the view that market sentiment is a key driver of the time variation of the greenium
Effects of lacto-vegetarian and vegan diets on glycemic responses and metabolite profiles in healthy adults: a randomized trial using continuous glucose monitoring and targeted metabolomics
Get PDFBackground
Our previous studies have demonstrated that dairy products protect against type 2 diabetes (T2D) and improve cardiometabolic health outcomes. Given that continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and metabolomics analysis capture different aspects of T2D, this study investigated the effects of dairy and non-dairy products on the glycemic and metabolite profiles in healthy adults following lacto-vegetarian and vegan diets.
Methods
A parallel randomized feeding trial with 30 participants compared isoenergetic vegan and lacto-vegetarian diets. All participants wore CGM sensors for 14 days to track glucose concentrations. Anthropometric and biochemical characteristics were also measured. In a subgroup of 13 individuals, fasting and postprandial blood samples were collected on days 1 and 15 for metabolomics analysis.
Results
Our CGM data showed higher mean glucose concentrations in the vegan group over 14 days compared to the lacto-vegetarian group (p = 0.0399), after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and baseline glucose concentrations. Metabolomics analysis from day 1 to day 15 showed increased postprandial phenylalanine (Phe; p = 0.0189) in the vegan group, while the lacto-vegetarian group showed increased acetyl carnitine (C2; p = 0.00704) and decreased argininosuccinic acid (p = 0.0149).
Conclusions
Our pilot CGM data suggest a lacto-vegetarian diet may offer better glycemic control, potentially explained by our preliminary metabolomics findings. The increased Phe observed in the vegan group may be explained by a hypothetical mechanism in which higher glucose induces oxidative stress, whereas the increased C2 from dairy in the lacto-vegetarian group may protect against oxidative stress, contributing to lower glucose concentrations. However, larger, longer-term studies with more diverse populations, along with in vitro investigations into biomolecular mechanisms, are needed to confirm these findings
To sell or not to sell: the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology’s position on the trade and sales of human remains in the UK
No full textWe introduce the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology’s ‘Trading and Sale of Human Remains Task Force’. This member-based subgroup started in 2016 and brings together professionals from a range of fields, including osteoarchaeology and forensic and biological anthropology, across academia, curatorial roles, and cultural heritage management. Subgroup members are concerned with and actively monitor the proliferation of human remains sales online. Here, we describe the history, goals, and current mission of the group, how we approach sellers and what assistance we provide to encourage donation over sale, alongside the challenges associated with this form of trafficking. We illustrate this discussion through select anonymised case studies to show the types of sales we respond to. These examples ultimately demonstrate that improved legislation is required if we are to end this industry in the United Kingdom (UK). Furthermore, the cases in this article exemplify the need to raise greater public awareness of the ethical implications associated with the sale and trade of once-living individuals
Neural correlates of reward processing: impact of individual differences in preference for prosocial interactions
Get PDFIntroduction: There is an ongoing debate about the neural mechanisms and subjective preferences involved in the processing of social rewards compared to non‐social reward types. Methods: Using whole‐brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined brain activation patterns during the anticipation and consumption phases of monetary and social rewards (using the Monetary and Social Incentive Delay Task—MSIDT, featuring human avatars) and their associations with self‐reported social reward preferences measured by the Social Reward Questionnaire (SRQ) in 20 healthy right‐handed individuals. Results: In the anticipation phase, all reward types activated the dorsal striatum, middle cingulo‐insular (salience) network, inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), and supplementary motor areas. The consumption phase primarily engaged posterior cortical areas. Higher preference for prosocial interactions (as assessed by SRQ) was associated with increased right posterior cingulate activity during monetary reward anticipation and enhanced activity in the left striatum and salience network activation during social reward anticipation. In the consumption phase, higher prosociality was associated with stronger activation in frontal regions, the dorsal striatum, and the thalamus for monetary rewards and stronger putamen activity for social rewards. Conclusions: Individual differences in social reward preferences, particularly prosocial tendencies, are associated with distinct neural activations during reward processing. These findings have potential implications for understanding altered reward processing in clinical populations
Public perceptions of nature-based coastal solutions in the UK
Get PDFCoastal scientists are increasingly advocating for nature-based coastal solutions (NBCS) to ensure long-term coastal sustainability. Implementing NBCS will change coastal landscapes, necessitating consultation with the wider public as such changes directly affect the socio-cultural values of coastal zone residents and users. We, therefore, investigate public willingness to support, preferences for, and perceived effectiveness of coastal management solutions, nature-based and otherwise, focusing on the UK as a case study. We do this through an online survey of >500 UK residents, capturing their demographics, place of residence, and coastal management perceptions. We apply inductive coding, statistical, and geospatial techniques to analyse our survey data. While we find consensus on the need for coastal management, there are divergent coastal management preferences and perceptions: NBCS are most preferred while hard defences are considered most effective. We find that people with coastal management and/or engineering experience are more convinced by NBCS effectiveness, while coastal residents believe in hard defences. Although NBCS may have several environmental benefits (e.g., coastal protection, carbon sequestration, greater biodiversity), we find that public knowledge on their likely effectiveness is limited. Therefore, if NBCS is deemed to be the way forward for coastal sustainability, more local stakeholder engagement on NBCS will be needed, potentially through systems mapping, in order to facilitate more robust and inclusive coastal management policies