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Saturated fat and cardiovascular disease: importance of inter-individual variation in the response of serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
Get PDFThe aim of this review is to provide an overview of the history in support of the role of dietary saturated fatty acids (SFA) in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and the controversy and consensus for the evidence in support of guidelines to remove and replace SFA with unsaturated fatty acids. The review will also examine the existence, origins, and implications for CVD risk of variability in serum LDL-cholesterol in response to these guidelines. While the quality of supporting evidence for the efficacy of restricting SFA on CVD risk has attracted controversy, this has helped to increase understanding of the inter-relationships between SFA, LDL-cholesterol and CVD, and reinforce confidence in this dietary recommendation. Nevertheless, there is significant inter-individual variation in serum LDL-C in response to this dietary change. The origins of this variation are multi-factorial and involve both dietary and metabolic traits. If serum biomarkers of more complex metabolic traits underlying LDL-responsiveness can be identified, this would have major implications for the targeting of these dietary guidelines to LDL-responders, to maximise the benefit to their cardiovascular health
Meaning in life mediates the effects of sense of self and prosocial behaviours on anhedonia: a path analysis
Get PDFBackground
Anhedonia, the loss of interest and pleasure, is a core symptom of depression that is resistant to treatment. Anhedonic young people describe a weakened sense of self and reduced meaning in life. Knowing if these experiences predict anhedonia could reveal novel targets for intervention development.
Methods
We recruited young people (N = 429, mean age: 20 years) with a range of depression scores. Using path analysis, we examined anhedonia, sense of self, meaning in life, and prosocial behaviours cross-sectionally and longitudinally at ~5-month follow-up (N = 160).
Results
Cross-sectionally, sense of self (β =. 81, p < .001) and prosocial behaviours (β = 0.37, p < .001) had direct effects on meaning in life, and meaning in life had a direct effect on anhedonia (β = −0.11, p < .001). Sense of self (β = −0.09, p < .001) and prosocial behaviours (β = −0.04, p < .001) had indirect effects on anhedonia, mediated by meaning in life. In the longitudinal analysis, sense of self at T1 had a direct effect on meaning in life at T2 (β = 0.36, p < .01) and an indirect effect on anhedonia at T2 (β = −0.05, p < .01), mediated by meaning in life.
Limitations
Approximately 70 % of the participants were female. Future studies should include equal numbers of males and females.
Conclusion
We provide novel evidence that targeting meaning in life, sense of self, or prosocial behaviours in psychotherapeutic interventions could be effective in alleviating anhedonia
Spatial spread of Ditylenchus gigas and its interaction with Botrytis fabae on Vicia faba
Get PDFDitylenchus gigas Vovlas is the dominant species of Ditylenchus nematode on faba bean in the UK. It is normally reported with Botrytis fabae Sardiña, which causes chocolate spot of faba bean. The aim of the work reported here was to estimate how fast isolated infections of D. gigas may spread spatially and how background infection of the host with B. fabae alters multiplication of D. gigas. Spatial spread in field conditions was measured in plants growing in square grids. After establishment, single plants at the centre of each grid were spray inoculated with D. gigas. In summer 2017, D. gigas spread to a distance of at least 1 m, the edge of each 2 m × 2 m plot. Incidence on shoots decreased very slowly with distance beyond 0.4 m. In a repeat experiment harvested in autumn 2018, D. gigas was detected at distances of up to 160 cm in 4 m × 4 m plots. The yield effect and reproduction rate of D. gigas were measured in glasshouse experiments, alone and following brush inoculation with low (103) or high (106 conidia/mL) doses of B. fabae. At low doses of D. gigas inoculum multiplied by approximately 75‐fold, with lower rates of multiplication as the inoculum dose increased. The reproduction rate of D. gigas was reduced in plants inoculated with B. fabae, especially at high doses of D. gigas. The reduction was approximately proportional to log (B. fabae dose). Seed yield from inoculated plants decreased approximately in proportion to the logarithms of the initial dose of D. gigas and of B. fabae
A comprehensive review of thermal comfort evaluation methods and influencing factors for urban parks
No full textUrban parks play an important role in alleviating the negative impacts of global climate change and benefit urban thermal resilience. A well-designed thermal environment in urban parks contributes to people's health and attracts more individuals to engage in outdoor activities. However, the application of thermal comfort evaluation methods to urban parks and the effect of influencing factors on thermal comfort have not been deeply explored. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the evaluation and influencing factors of thermal comfort in urban parks. A total of 72 relevant articles were selected through screening. The results indicate that PET (Physiological Equivalent Temperature) and UTCI (Universal Thermal Climate Index) are commonly used for evaluating thermal comfort in urban parks. However, the reference ranges used by PET and UTCI do not quite match the actual neutral temperature ranges well. The combination of different landscape factors such as trees, water bodies, and grass can provide varying impacts on thermal comfort. Compared to winter, most people are more sensitive to temperature changes, and the neutral ranges of PET and UTCI are relatively narrow in summer. Moreover, people often adopt related adaptive behaviors (such as increasing activity intensity, moving away from sunny or warm areas, and drinking water) to alleviate thermal discomfort. This literature review emphasizes the calibrations of PET and UTCI reference ranges considering the landscapes, climate, and personal characteristics of urban parks. It provides insights for the evaluation, design, and service, aiming to develop the full potential of thermal comfort in urban parks
Superadditivity between control methods in pestmanagement
No full textPest Management (PM) has its 1959 origin in Integrated Control, a combination of a reduced dose of insecticide with biological control. At the time, it was not recognised that the interaction between these two control methods was more than additive. This ‘superadditivity’ can also be achieved with the full dose of insecticide, for example, by localising its application in space. There is also likely to be superadditivity in the interaction between partial plant resistance and biological control. Pests on resistant hosts are usually smaller and the same mortality can often be obtained with just two-thirds or one-half of the dose of insecticide needed on susceptible plants, giving superadditivity between partial plant resistance and chemical control. These positive interactions between biological control, chemical control and partial host plant resistance form a ‘Pest Management Triad’, though legislation and risk-aversion may limit the practicability of protocols based on the Triad
Western disturbances and climate variability: a review of recent developments
Get PDFWestern disturbances (WDs) are synoptic-scale weather systems embedded within the subtropical westerly jet. Manifesting as upper-level troughs often associated with a lower-tropospheric low over western or northern India, they share some dynamical features with extratropical cyclones. WDs are most common during the boreal winter (December to March), during which they bring the majority of precipitation – both rain and snow – to the Western Himalaya, as well as to surrounding areas of north India, Pakistan and the Tibetan Plateau. WDs are also associated with weather hazards such as heavy snowfall, hailstorms, fog, cloudbursts, avalanches, frost, and coldwaves.
In this paper, we review recent developments in understanding WDs and their impacts. Over the last decade, recent studies have collectively made use of novel data, novel analysis techniques such as tracking algorithms, and the increasing availability of high-resolution weather and climate models. This review is separated into six main sections – structure and thermodynamics, precipitation and impacts, teleconnections, modelling experiments, forecasting at a range of scales, and paleoclimate and climate change – each motivated with a brief discussion of the accomplishments and limitations of previous research.
A number of step changes in understanding are synthesised. Use of new modelling frameworks and tracking algorithms has significantly improved knowledge of WD structure and variability, and a more frequentist approach can now be taken. Improved observation systems have helped quantification of water security over the Western Himalaya. Convection-permitting models have improved our understanding of how WDs interact with the Himalayas to trigger natural hazards. Improvements in paleoclimate and future climate modelling experiments have helped to explain how WDs and their impacts over the Himalaya respond to large-scale natural and anthropogenic forcings.
We end by summarising unresolved questions and outlining key future WD research topics
In vitro rumen degradation, fermentation, and methane production of four agro-industrial protein-rich co-products, compared with soyabean meal
Get PDFSoyabean is considered an unsustainable protein source for livestock feeds because of the large quantity of input and energy required to cultivate and process it. Other protein-based agro-industrial co-products that are less input-intensive, can mitigate methane (CH4) production and may therefore be more sustainable options instead soyabean. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of replacing the same amount of protein (40 g/kg DM crude protein) as soyabean meal (SBM) with low-carbon local agro-industrial co-products, (brewers’ spent grains, BSG; dried wheat distillers’ grains, WDG; dried corn distillers’ grains, CDG and corn steep liquor CSL), on in vitro rumen degradation, fermentation and gas and methane production. The study used a 72-hour in vitro gas production method with a basal substrate of dried, ground grass silage and wheat. Gas volumes were measured at eleven different specific intervals, and CH4 concentrations were analysed via gas chromatography. After 72 hours, in vitro DM degradability (IVDMD) and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations were assessed. Gas and CH4 production curve profiles were fitted to models to determine asymptote production, the extent of degradation in rumen proper (RoP), and the fractional degradation rate (μ) (h-1) in the halfway 50 % of the asymptote production. The IVDMD and estimated RoP at 0.04 h and 0.025 h were lower (P0.05), were not significantly affected by treatment. Butyrate and valerate were lower (P<0.05) for BSG compared to CSL, and caproate was lower (P<0.001) for BSG compared to the other treatments and in CSL compared to SBM. The results regarding degradability and VFAs concentrations of this study demonstrated that dried wheat distillers’ grains, dried corn distillers’ grains, and corn steep liquor have the potential to replace soyabean meal as protein sources for ruminants, but further reduction of CH4 emissions as a result of such practice may not be expected. Although slightly less degradable, based on their nutrient composition and the fact they did not affect rumen fermentation characteristics, brewers' spent grains can still play a complementary role in ruminant diets, especially in regions where they are locally readily available
Modeling gaze behavior with continuous-time markov chains to investigate social attention dynamics in autism
Get PDFThis study introduces a novel methodological framework combining continuous-time Markov chains and principal component analysis (PCA) to model and investigate gaze behavior in young children observing naturalistic social interactions. By quantifying transition propensities between areas of interest (AOIs), this approach enables a dynamic, data-driven analysis of gaze patterns beyond static fixation metrics. We applied this framework to eye-tracking data from children with autism spectrum condition (ASC) and neurotypical (NT) peers as they watched scenes of a child and an adult engaged in interactive play, involving turn-taking and reciprocal imitation. The stimuli, designed to ensure ecological validity, depicted sensory social routines (SSRs) with songs and shared play with musical instruments, allowing exploration of gaze dynamics in both dyadic and triadic social contexts. Results revealed distinct gaze transition profiles in ASC children, characterized by more frequent disengagement from socially salient AOIs and reduced re-orientation to faces following non-social fixations. In contrast, NT children exhibited frequent gaze alternation between faces and triangulation with objects, supporting joint attention and reciprocal engagement. Additionally, ASC participants were more likely to enter and persist in non-social states, especially during object-centered trials, whereas NT peers showed consistent transitions toward socially meaningful targets. These findings highlight the relevance of capturing the temporal patterns of visual engagement in autism, revealing how moment-to-moment gaze transition dynamics reflect underlying differences in social motivation, attentional control, and sensory processing. The proposed framework provides a powerful tool for characterizing individual differences in gaze organization and holds promise for advancing biomarker identification in neurodevelopmental research
Sidetic graffiti in the Memnonium at Abydos
No full textTwo short graffiti from the Memnonium at Abydos, hitherto unidentified, are personal names written in the Sidetic script. They were probably left by mercenaries from Side, mostly likely in the 4th or 3rd century BC
A human intervention study using human milk oligosaccharides to improve irritable bowel syndrome symptoms through targeting of the gut microbiota
No full textIrritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of gut-brain interaction that substantially impairs quality of life yet lacks consistently effective treatments. The gut microbiota has emerged as a potential therapeutic target, and human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are promising candidates due to their selective stimulation of bifidobacteria and capacity to modulate microbial metabolism, acting as prebiotics. This thesis evaluated the potential of HMOs as a gut microbiota-directed intervention for IBS through four complementary studies. A narrative review established the conceptual rationale. In vitro batch cultures compared healthy vs IBS stool fermentations, confirming HMO enhancement of beneficial taxa, such as Bifidobacterium, and short-chain fatty acids. Focus groups with patients highlighted acceptability and practical considerations for daily use. Finally, a randomised, placebo-controlled crossover trial tested an HMO blend in adults with IBS. While the intervention did not improve symptoms beyond placebo, it consistently modulated the gut microbiota and metabolome and was well tolerated. Collectively, these findings show that HMOs are biologically active and acceptable in adults with IBS, providing a mechanistic and patient-centred foundation for longer, stratified clinical studies