Repeated exposure and conditioning strategies for increasing vegetable liking and intake: Systematic review and meta-analyses of the published literature

Background Vegetable intakes are typically lower than recommended for health. Although repeated exposure has been advocated to increase vegetable liking and consumption, no combination of the evidence yet provides a measure of benefit from repeated exposure or alternative conditioning strategies. Objective This work aimed to identify and synthesize the current evidence for the use of repeated exposure and conditioning strategies for increasing vegetable liking and consumption. Design Three academic databases were searched over all years of records using prespecified search terms. Published data from all suitable articles were tabulated in relation to 3 research questions and combined via meta-analyses. Results Forty-three articles detailing 117 comparisons investigating the use of repeated exposure and conditioning strategies for increasing liking and intakes of vegetables were found. Our analyses demonstrate: 1) increased liking and intakes of the exposed vegetable after repeated exposure compared with no exposure; 2) increased liking for the exposed vegetable after conditioning compared with repeated exposure, increased intakes after the use of rewards, and some suggestion of decreased intakes after flavor-nutrient conditioning; and 3) increased liking and intakes of a novel vegetable after repeated exposure to a variety of other vegetables compared with no exposure or repeated exposure to one other vegetable. Effect sizes, however, are small, and limited evidence suggests long-term benefits. Our analyses, furthermore, are limited by limitations in study design, compliance, and/or reporting. Conclusions Based on our findings, we recommend the use of repeated exposure to one and a variety of vegetables, and the use of rewards, for increasing vegetable liking and consumption. Confirmation from further large, well-conducted studies that use realistic scenarios, however, is also required

No effects of sweet taste exposure at breakfast for 3 weeks on pleasantness, desire for, sweetness or intake of other sweet foods: a randomized controlled trial

This work investigated the effects of repeated sweet taste exposure at breakfast on perceptions and intakes of other sweet foods, while also examining effects due to duration of exposure (1/3 weeks), test context (breakfast/lunch), and associations between taste perceptions and intakes. Using a randomised controlled parallel-groups design, participants (N=54, 18 male, mean age: 23.9±5.8yrs, mean BMI: 23.6±3.5kg/m2) were randomized to consume either a sweet breakfast (cereal with sucralose) (N=27) or an equicaloric non-sweet breakfast (plain cereal) (N=27) for 3 weeks. On days 0 (baseline), 7, and 21, pleasantness, desire to eat and sweetness were rated for other sweet and non-sweet foods, and sweet food consumption was assessed in an ad-libitum meal at breakfast and lunch. Using intention-to-treat analyses, no statistically significant effects of exposure were found at breakfast (largest F(2,104)=1.84, p=0.17, ηp2=0.03), or lunch (largest F(1,52)=1.22, p=0.27, ηp2=0.02), and using Bayesian analyses, the evidence for an absence of effect in all rating measures was strong to very strong (smallest BF01=297.97 (BF01error=2.68%)). Associations between ratings of pleasantness, desire to eat and intake were found (smallest r=0.137, p<0.01). Effects over time regardless of exposure were also found: sugars and percent energy consumed from sweet foods increased throughout the study smallest (F(2,104)=4.54, p=0.01, ηp2=0.08). These findings demonstrate no effects of sweet taste exposure at breakfast for 1 or 3 weeks on pleasantness, desire for, sweetness or intakes of other sweet foods in either the same (breakfast) or in a different (lunch) meal context

Potentially inappropriate medication use in institutionalized older adults according to the Beers Criteria

The need for specific care, coupled with new family arrangements, has contributed to the increasing institutionalization of elderly members. The purpose of this study was to evaluate drug use by institutionalized older adults according to Beers Criteria. This prospective, longitudinal study was conducted in the three non-profit long-stay geriatric care institutions of Campo Grande, in the Central-West region of Brazil. All subjects aged 60 years and above on November 2011 were included and followed until November 2012. Eighteen subjects were excluded and the final sample consisted of 133 individuals aged 60 to 113 years. Overall, 212 medications were used at geriatric care institution A, 532 at B, and 1329 at C. Thirty-four drugs were inappropriately prescribed 89 times at geriatric care institution A (41.98%), 49 prescribed 177 times at B (33.27%), and 91 prescribed 461 times at C (34.68%). Statistical differences in the inappropriate drug use were found between genders (p=0.007). The most commonly used potentially inappropriate medication were first-generation antihistamines (15.34%). There was a high frequency in the use of potentially inappropriate medications which can initiate marked side effects and may compromise the fragile health of institutionalized elderly. Thus, adopting the Beers Criteria in prescribing medication contributes to minimize adverse reactions and drug interactions

Characterization of nanostructured bulk cobalt triantimonide doped with tellurium and indium prepared by pulsed plasma in liquid method

One of the ways to decrease thermal conductivity is nano structurization. Cobalt triantimonide (CoSb3) samples with added indium or tellurium were prepared by the direct fusion technique from high purity elements. Ingots were pulverized and re-compacted to form electrodes. Then, the pulsed plasma in liquid (PPL) method was applied. All materials were consolidated using rapid spark plasma sintering (SPS). For the analysis, methods such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with a laser flash apparatus (LFA) were used. For density measurement, the Archimedes’ method was used. Electrical conductivity was measured using a standard four-wire method. The Seebeck coefficient was calculated to form measured Seebeck voltage in the sample placed in a temperature gradient. The preparation method allowed for obtaining CoSb3 nanomaterial with significantly lower thermal conductivity (10 Wm–1K–1 for pure CoSb3 and 3 Wm–1K–1 for the nanostructured sample in room temperature (RT)). The size of crystallites (from SEM observations) in the powders prepared was about 20 nm, joined into larger agglomerates. The Seebeck coefficient, α, was about –200μVK–1 in the case of both dopants, In and Te, in microsized material and about −400 μK−1 for the nanomaterial at RT. For pure CoSb3 , α was about 150 μVK−1 and it stood at −50 μVK−1 for nanomaterial at RT. In bulk nanomaterial samples, due to a decrease in electrical conductivity and inversion of the Seebeck coefficient, there was no increase in ZT values and the ZT for the nanosized material was below 0.02 in the measured temperature range, while for microsized In-doped sample it reached maximum ZT = 0.7 in (600K)

Laparoscopic embryo transfer in pigs - comparison of different variants and efficiencies of the method

The aim of the study was to develop a method of laparoscopic embryo transfer in pigs and to compare different variants of this method. Two catheter diameters (1.6 mm and 1.0 mm), the method and site of embryo deposition (oviduct or uterus), the embryo development stage (2 – 4 cell or blastocyst), the method for oviduct or uterus stabilization, the potential for cryopreserved embryo transfer, the developmental potential of the embryos after transfer to the oviduct, patomorphology of the oviduct after transfer and possible clinical complications were taken into consideration. Two studies compared two variants of transfer to the uterus, and five variants of transfer to the fallopian tube. The transfer of embryos by the infundibulum may be of limited use due to handling problems and very low efficiency (pregnancy was not achieved). Very low efficiency was shown after transfer of vitrified embryos. Transfer to the fallopian tube by puncture of the fallopian tube, regardless of the developmental stage of the embryo, is the recommended method of embryo transfer. The histopathological examination of the fallopian tube revealed possible changes within the puncture site. The numerous clinical complications observed did not affect the effectiveness of the method

Co-assessment of cell cycle and micronucleus frequencies demonstrates the influence of serum on the in vitro genotoxic response to amorphous monodisperse silica nanoparticles of varying sizes

Serum proteins have been shown to modulate the cytotoxic and genotoxic responses to nanomaterials. The aim was to investigate the influence of serum on the induction of micronuclei (MN) by nanoparticles (NPs) of different sizes. Therefore, A549 human lung carcinoma cells and amorphous monodisperse silica nanoparticles (SNPs) were used as models. Assessment of the cell viability, cell cycle changes and induction of MN by SNPs ranging from 12 to 174 nm was performed in presence or absence of serum, applying the in vitro flow cytometry-based MN assay. Here, it has been demonstrated that serum has an influence on these end points, with a lower cell viability in absence of serum compared with the presence of serum. Further, cell cycle changes, specifically, G1 and S-phase arrest, were observed in absence of serum for four out of six SNPs tested. A size-dependent MN induction was observed: larger SNPs being more active in absence of serum. In addition, the serum influence was characterised by a size-dependency for cytotoxic and genotoxic effects, with a higher influence of serum for smaller particles. The data indicate that the in vitro micronucleus assay in presence and absence of serum could be advised for hazard assessment because it demonstrates a higher sensitivity in serum-free conditions than in conditions with serum. However, this recommendation applies only if the cell line used is able to proliferate under serum-free conditions because cell division is a prerequisite for MN expression