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Edible Algae Reduce Blood Pressure in Humans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Edible algae contain bioactive compounds such as peptides, fucoidan, polyphenols, potassium, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants that may benefit cardiovascular health, particularly in lowering blood pressure (BP) regulation. Certain species, including Nori and Kelp, are also rich in inorganic nitrate, known for its BP-lowering effects. However, the relationship between algae consumption and hypertension remains controversial. This study evaluated the effects of edible algae on BP in humans, considering factors such as algae type, format, dosage, intervention duration, health status, and baseline BP.
METHODS: A systematic search of Medline-Pubmed, Scopus and Cochrane databases was conducted through December 2024. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in adults (≥ 18 years), healthy or with a cardiometabolic condition, with interventions ≥ 4-weeks and BP outcomes were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted; heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed using statistical tests and plots. Sensitivity, subgroup, and meta-regression analyses were conducted to explore sources of heterogeneity.
RESULTS: Twenty-nine RCTs encompassing 1583 participants were included. Edible algae intake significantly reduced systolic BP (SBP: -2.05 mmHg; 95% CI: -3.80, -0.31; p = 0.022) and diastolic BP (DBP: -1.87 mmHg; 95% CI: -3.10, -0.64; p = 0.001). Heterogeneity was high for SBP (Q-value: 230; I 2 = 75%; p \u3c 0.001) and moderate for DBP (Q-value: 102; I 2 = 68%; p \u3c 0.001). Spirulina was the most effective algae, reducing SBP by -5.28 mmHg (p = 0.032) and DBP by -3.56 mmHg (p = 0.044). Dosage of algae \u3e 3 g/day significantly lowered SBP (-3.71 mmHg; p = 0.004) and DBP (-3.05 mmHg; p = 0.022). Whole algae intake showed greater effects than extracts. Benefits were more pronounced in individuals with cardiometabolic risk. Meta-regression found no independent association between algae dosage and SBP change, but baseline SBP significantly predicted both SBP and DBP reductions.
CONCLUSION: Consuming over 3 g/day of whole edible algae, especially Spirulina, for at least 12 weeks significantly lowers BP, particularly in those with elevated levels. This suggests that edible microalgae may serve as a natural approach to managing hypertension, complementing pharmacological treatments
Using individualised bowel care plans to improve clinical outcomes in specialist intellectual disability mental health units in England and Wales: quality improvement project
Get PDFBackground Constipation is a significant problem for people with intellectual disabilities, with a prevalence of 33-50%, causing at least five deaths annually in England. Individualised bowel care plans (IBCP) are recommended in England and Wales. Aims We evaluated the feasibility and impact of IBCPs for people with intellectual disabilities who are in in-patient psychiatric units, and the effect on clinical outcomes. Method People with intellectual disabilities who were at risk of constipation were recruited from four specialist in-patient psychiatric units in England and Wales. A constipation questionnaire was used to capture relevant data to devise IBCPs. Baseline, 3- and 6-monthly Health of the Nation Scales - Learning Disability (HoNOS-LD) were completed after the intervention. Descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon signed-rank, Mann-Whitney U, repeated-measures analyses of variance, with Bonferroni adjustment and Mauchly’s tests were conducted. Significance was taken at P \u3c 0.05. Results Of 24 people with intellectual disabilities recruited from four units, all three data points were available for 18 patients. Constipation rates showed no statistically significant decline. The total HoNOS-LD score (18 items) did not decline. HoNOS-LD item 12 for physical functioning showed significant improvement for PwID with constipation compared with those without, between baseline and 6 months. Conclusions This quality improvement project suggests that a bigger study of IBCPs is feasible. Most outcomes examined via the HoNOS-LD, particularly those linked with mental illness, challenging behaviour and quality of life, did not show significant change, possibly because of the small sample size. However, people with intellectual disabilities and constipation showed positive changes in their physical functioning outcomes compared with those without constipation. Further in-depth evaluation of this intervention is needed
A comprehensive review of frugal artificial intelligence: challenges, applications, and the road to sustainable AI
No full textArtificial Intelligence (AI) has demonstrated its transformative impact in creating learning models, processing extensive datasets, and executing intricate calculations rapidly. Nevertheless, achieving optimal performance with AI models demands substantial investment in powerful and expensive high-end hardware. The learning models running on the hardware are complex, requiring massive data and huge training time. However, the race to achieve higher accuracy and computational limitations of AI further poses a threat to the environment and thus provides motivation to develop AI technology that is cost-effective, scalable, and suitable for resource-constrained environments, Frugal Artificial Intelligence, or Frugal AI. The objective of this paper is to present a detailed survey of the latest concepts and applications of Frugal AI. The definition, concept, history, and evolution of Frugal AI are discussed in the paper. The article presents the key characteristics of Frugal AI, as well as the ethical considerations and techniques needed for developing Frugal AI systems. Further, the challenges in Frugal AI are discussed along with potential future research directions. The paper concludes by highlighting the role of Frugal AI in Industry 4.0. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of Frugal AI and will help researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to better understand the technology and aim for sustainable and green computation
The impact of port sector reforms on the productivity and efficiency of container ports in lower-middle-income countries: a Malmquist productivity index approach
Get PDFDespite the extensive research on container port efficiency, the impact of port organizational reforms on productivity and efficiency in lower-middle-income countries remains underexplored, with most studies focusing on developed nations or specific regions. This study addresses this gap. It aims to analyse the productivity changes in container ports within world-wide lower-middle-income countries. The Malmquist Productivity Index, estimated using data envelopment analysis (DEA), was applied to a balanced panel of 39 container ports from 2001 to 2012 being a period that covers substantial port organisational reforms in the target population. The findings reveal an average productivity growth rate of 1.9% among the sample ports during the study period. Decomposition of the Malmquist Index shows that this growth is primarily driven by improvements in technical efficiency, with pure efficiency change emerging as the main driver. These insights are valuable for guiding strategic decision-making to enhance port competitiveness, particularly in lower-middle-income countries
Challenging magicians’ intuitive insights: The role of audience participation in experiencing a magic trick.
Get PDFMagic is a performance art that relies on tricking the spectator’s mind into experiencing things that seem impossible. Experience in performing these tricks in front of live audiences provides magicians valuable insights into how spectators experience such tricks. However, most of these assumptions have not been empirically tested. Three widely held assumptions were selected: active participation increases the sense of wonder that participants experience, naming a card feels freer to the participant than physically selecting a card from a deck, and a trick that happens in the spectator’s hand is more impressive than if it happens elsewhere. To validate those assumptions, we asked 201 magicians about their insights on performing magic. Data from our experimental studies did not support magicians’ assumptions about how magic is experienced. Magic that happened in the participant’s hand was not viewed as more impossible or engaging than when it happened elsewhere. Also, active participation did not increase enjoyment but increased confusion. Interestingly, contrary to magicians’ insights, we observed that participants felt that selecting a card was felt as being freer than naming a card. We discuss these findings in light of the sense of agency participants experienced over their own thoughts and behaviors. These findings provide interesting insight into how the art of magic is experienced and pave new avenues into the study of the sense of agency over one’s thoughts and behaviors
A Novel Method for Information Hiding in Images
Get PDFInformation security is a fundamental principle during data transmission. The main threat to information security is hacking. They are focusing on finding new techniques to breach encryption methods. Therefore, developing new approaches for hiding information against hacker attacks is a potential solution. Different steganography methods are available for hiding information, such as in texts, disk space, network packets, audio and images. In contrast to cryptography, which is concerned with data encryption. Steganography is the art of hiding transmitted information by using seemingly harmless carriers to hide the presence of information. Steganography is cost-effective and unrelated to hardware components. This study aims to develop a novel method for hiding information in images at low cost. The proposed method is combing between mathematical transformations (i.e., DCT transformation) and image characteristics (i.e., image components, and location of the image’s pixel). The JPEG colour images were used to apply the proposed method as a cover image. The text message was spread on the cover image without affecting its size. The proposed method has shown significant results in information hiding with a PSNR of 60.65 dB that exceeds the typical threshold of PSNR, which is near 40 dB to 60 dB. It can be utilised in data communication, user authentication, finance, and banking operation
Shedding light to the rights to light in England and Wales: the need for reform
No full textThe right to light is unarguably a right that could hinder the development of the servient land. Owing to the possibility of granting a mandatory injunction when breached, this right could lead to extra costs and delays in the efficient development of the servient land by real property developers, even when the dominant tenement does not wish to enjoy the right. Hence, this paper critically reflects on rights to light in England and Wales to determine the impact of this right on the servient land. It explores the direction of travel across the Courts – by briefly examining rights to light claims – pre-Coventry and post-Coventry. After this, it examines the complex practical aspects of rights to light. The paper concludes by calling for the implementation of the Law Commission’s Report 2014 as the potential equitable way(s) of addressing the concerns in this esoteric aspect of Property Law
Post-pandemic restaurant patronage: the importance of neuroticism in shaping in person dining intentions.
Get PDFPurpose Even after the lifting of all government restrictions, introduced to combat the spread of Covid-19, many consumers remain fearful of in-person dining. This paper seeks to understand this reticence, and explain post-pandemic restaurant dining intentions. Design/methodology/approach The paper introduces and tests a conceptual framework for understanding in-person dining intentions in the post-Covid-19 era, utilizing structural equation modelling. To empirically validate the model, survey data collection (n = 436) occurred in China after the government lifted its “Zero-Covid” policy. Findings Neuroticism, as a personality trait, negatively affects restaurant trust and increases fear of Covid-19 (threat appraisal), which in turn reduces intentions to dine in a restaurant post-pandemic. Neuroticism also increases the importance placed on preventative measures by diners (coping appraisal), with the latter positively affecting in-person dining intentions. Practical implications The paper details the hygiene-related actions that restaurateurs can take to strengthen consumers’ intentions to dine, post-pandemic. We encourage restaurant managers to communicate the measures they implement to reduce the spread of Covid-19 and other viruses, to encourage in-person dining. Managers should regard such measures not as short-term actions, but important to long-term, post-pandemic restaurant viability. Originality/value The paper introduces and validates a novel model, which relates neuroticism to Protection Motivation Theory. It identifies that neuroticism increases the fear of Covid-19 (threat) and the importance placed on restaurants’ preventive measures (coping strategy). Neuroticism is associated with maladaptive coping strategies and underpins reticence to dine out even after the lifting of all government restrictions
Cross-cultural data on romantic love and mate preferences from 117,293 participants across 175 countries
Get PDFPsychological studies on close relationships have often overlooked cultural diversity, dynamic processes, and potentially universal principles that shape intimate partnerships. To address the limited generalizability of previous research and advance our understanding of romantic love experiences, mate preferences, and physical attractiveness, we conducted a large-scale cross-cultural survey study on these topics. A total of 404 researchers collected data in 45 languages from April to August 2021, involving 117,293 participants from 175 countries. Aside from standard demographic questions, the survey included valuable information on variables relevant to romantic relationships: intimate, passionate, and committed love within romantic relationships, physical-attractiveness enhancing behaviors, gender equality endorsement, collectivistic attitudes, personal history of pathogenic diseases, relationship quality, jealousy, personal involvement in sexual and/or emotional infidelity, relational mobility, mate preferences, and acceptance of sugar relationships. The resulting dataset provides a rich resource for investigating patterns within, and associations across, a broad range of variables relevant to romantic relationships, with extensive opportunities to analyze individual experiences worldwide