A High Polyphenol Diet Improves Psychological Well-Being: The Polyphenol Intervention Trial (PPhIT).

Mental ill health is currently one of the leading causes of disease burden worldwide. A growing body of data has emerged supporting the role of diet, especially polyphenols, which have anxiolytic and antidepressant-like properties. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of a high polyphenol diet (HPD) compared to a low polyphenol diet (LPD) on aspects of psychological well-being in the Polyphenol Intervention Trial (PPhIT). Ninety-nine mildly hypertensive participants aged 40-65 years were enrolled in a four-week LPD washout period and then randomised to either an LPD or an HPD for eight weeks. Both at baseline and the end of intervention, participants' lifestyle and psychological well-being were assessed. The participants in the HPD group reported a decrease in depressive symptoms, as assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory-II, and an improvement in physical component and mental health component scores as assessed with 36-Item Short Form Survey. No differences in anxiety, stress, self-esteem or body image perception were observed. In summary, the study findings suggest that the adoption of a polyphenol-rich diet could potentially lead to beneficial effects including a reduction in depressive symptoms and improvements in general mental health status and physical health in hypertensive participants

3D DOCUMENTATION AND VIRTUAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESTORATION OF MACEDONIAN TOMBS

Archaeology as a science is based on finding and displaying the remains of the past. In recent years, with the progress of technology, the science of archeology has been expanding and evolving. Three-dimensional digitization has become an integral part of the archiving, documentation and restoration effort of cultural heritage, offering important benefits in studies for reconstruction and restoration tasks of architectural creations, archaeological sites, historic monuments and objects of art in general. The three-dimensional models are now available for many applications. In this paper such 3D models of two prominent Macedonian tombs in Northern Greece were exploited for their virtual restoration. Virtual restoration of monuments is of special importance to archaeological research, as it provides the necessary tools to investigate alternative solutions to the serious issue of archaeological restoration. These solutions do not interfere with the real monument, thus respecting its value and the international conventions. Digital 3D models have begun to be more beneficial in a science such as archaeology as they offer easy access to both archaeological and geometric information to a wider audience as well as a high degree of interaction possibilities with the user

Longitudinal Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers Correlate With Treatment Outcome in Drug-Sensitive Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Population Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Analysis

BACKGROUND: This study aims to explore relationships between baseline demographic covariates, plasma antibiotic exposure, sputum bacillary load, and clinical outcome data to help improve future tuberculosis (TB) treatment response predictions. METHODS: Data were available from a longitudinal cohort study in Malawian drug-sensitive TB patients on standard therapy, including steady-state plasma antibiotic exposure (154 patients), sputum bacillary load (102 patients), final outcome (95 patients), and clinical details. Population pharmacokinetic and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic models were developed in the software package NONMEM. Outcome data were analyzed using univariate logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard models in R, a free software for statistical computing. RESULTS: Higher isoniazid exposure correlated with increased bacillary killing in sputum (P < .01). Bacillary killing in sputum remained fast, with later progression to biphasic decline, in patients with higher rifampicin area under the curve (AUC)_{0-24} (P < .01). Serial sputum colony counting negativity at month 2 (P < .05), isoniazid C_{MAX} (P < .05), isoniazid C_{MAX}/minimum inhibitory concentration ([MIC] P < .01), and isoniazid AUC_{0-24}/MIC (P < .01) correlated with treatment success but not with remaining free of TB. Slower bacillary killing (P < .05) and earlier progression to biphasic bacillary decline (P < .01) both correlate with treatment failure. Posttreatment recurrence only correlated with slower bacillary killing (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Patterns of early bacillary clearance matter. Static measurements such as month 2 sputum conversion and pharmacokinetic parameters such as C_{MAX}/MIC and AUC_{0-24}/MIC were predictive of treatment failure, but modeling of quantitative longitudinal data was required to assess the risk of recurrence. Pooled individual patient data analyses from larger datasets are needed to confirm these findings

COVIDiSTRESS diverse dataset on psychological and behavioural outcomes one year into the COVID-19 pandemic

During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the COVIDiSTRESS Consortium launched an open-access global survey to understand and improve individuals’ experiences related to the crisis. A year later, we extended this line of research by launching a new survey to address the dynamic landscape of the pandemic. This survey was released with the goal of addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion by working with over 150 researchers across the globe who collected data in 48 languages and dialects across 137 countries. The resulting cleaned dataset described here includes 15,740 of over 20,000 responses. The dataset allows cross-cultural study of psychological wellbeing and behaviours a year into the pandemic. It includes measures of stress, resilience, vaccine attitudes, trust in government and scientists, compliance, and information acquisition and misperceptions regarding COVID-19. Open-access raw and cleaned datasets with computed scores are available. Just as our initial COVIDiSTRESS dataset has facilitated government policy decisions regarding health crises, this dataset can be used by researchers and policy makers to inform research, decisions, and policy

Trial to Encourage Adoption and Maintenance of a MEditerranean Diet (TEAM-MED): a randomised pilot trial of a peer support intervention for dietary behaviour change in adults from a Northern European population at high cardiovascular disease risk.

Adhering to a Mediterranean Diet (MD) is associated with reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. This study aimed to explore methods of increasing MD adoption in a non-Mediterranean population at high risk of CVD, including assessing the feasibility of a developed peer support intervention. The Trial to Encourage Adoption and Maintenance of a MEditerranean Diet (TEAM-MED) was a 12-month pilot parallel group RCT involving individuals aged ≥40 y, with low MD adherence, who were overweight, and had an estimated CVD risk ≥20% over ten years. It explored three interventions, a peer support group, a dietician-led support group and a minimal support group to encourage dietary behaviour change and monitored variability in Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) over time and between the intervention groups, alongside measurement of markers of nutritional status and cardiovascular risk. 118 individuals were assessed for eligibility, and 75 (64%) were eligible. After 12 months there was a retention rate of 69% (PSG 59%; DSG 88%; MSG 63%). For all participants, increases in MDS were observed over 12 months (p<0.001), both in original MDS data and when imputed data were used. Improvements in BMI, HbA1c levels, systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the population as a whole. This pilot study has demonstrated that a non-Mediterranean adult population at high CVD risk can make dietary behaviour change over a 12-month period towards a MD. The study also highlights the feasibility of a peer support intervention to encourage MD behaviour change amongst this population group and will inform a definitive trial