Language and face in interactions: emotion perception, social meanings, and communicative intentions

Introduction Human emotions can be complex to interpret as they have multiple sources and are often times ambiguous, for example, when the signals sent by different channels of communication are inconsistent. Our study investigates the interaction of linguistic and facial expressions of emotions. Methods In two experiments, participants read short scenarios in German containing a direct utterance with positive or negative emotive markers, in combination with different facial expressions as still images of the speaker (i.e., the protagonist in the story). They answered questions about their perception regarding the intensity of the emotions (e.g., happiness, sadness), the properties of the expresser (e.g., honesty, warmth, likeability) and their relation to the addressee (e.g., closeness), as well as the expresser intention (e.g., irony, joke). Results The findings suggest that facial expressions have a more dominant role in the emotion perception in comparison to emotive markers. Furthermore, consistent and inconsistent combinations of emotive markers and facial expressions convey distinct social meanings and communicative intentions. Conclusion This research points to the importance to consider emotive markers in the emotional context that they occur in.Peer Reviewe

How Can We Increase Postpartum Glucose Screening in Women at High Risk for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus?

Women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at increased risk for diabetes mellitus but postpartum followup is problematic for frequent nonattendance. Our aim was to increase coverage of postpartum oral glucose tolerance tests (ppOGTTs) and examine associated factors. This was a prospective observational study of altogether 266 high-risk women for GDM from 2005 to 2008 in four Finnish municipalities. The groups were as follows: women (n = 54) who had previously participated in early pregnancy lifestyle intervention study and high-risk women (n = 102) from the same municipalities studied within one-year after delivery. Furthermore, in two neighboring municipalities nurses were reminded to perform a ppOGTT on high-risk women (n = 110). The primary outcome was the prevalence of ppOGTT performed and associated factors. Overall the ppOGTT was performed in 35.7% of women. Only 14.7% of women returned for testing to health care centers, 30.9% after a reminder in municipalities, and 82.5% to the central hospital, respectively. The most important explaining factor was a special call or reminder from the central hospital (OR 13.4 (4.6–38.1), P < 0.001). Thus, additional reminders improved communication between primary care and secondary care and more attention to postpartum oral glucose testing in primary care are of great importance

BMC Nutrition: the voice of nutrition within the BMC series

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GLIM in diagnosing malnutrition and predicting outcome in ambulatory patients with head and neck cancer

Peer reviewe

Nutritional Counseling for Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing (Chemo) Radiotherapy—A Prospective Randomized Trial

Background: Locally advanced head and neck cancer is managed either by combined surgery and (chemo) radiotherapy or definitive (chemo) radiotherapy, which may deteriorate nutritional status. Previous data have shown that intensive nutritional intervention by a dietician reduces radiation-induced adverse events including weight loss.Objective: To determine if on-demand nutritional counseling (ODC, control group) would be as efficacious as intensive nutritional counseling (INC, experimental group) in patients undergoing (chemo) radiotherapy.Methods: Fifty-eight patients were randomly assigned to receive INC (n = 26) or ODC (n = 32). Outcome measures were nutritional status (PG-SGA), weight loss, handgrip strength (HGS), body composition, and survival.Results: Weight loss and impaired nutritional parameters during oncological treatment were seen equally in both groups (NS). Leaner patients at baseline maintained their weight, while overweight patients lost both weight and handgrip strength during treatment. Disease-free survival (DFS) (median = 43 months) was not affected by weight loss during treatment. Lower baseline HGS and malnutrition were associated with worse DFS (low vs. normal HGS: 15 vs. 42 months; p = 0.05 and malnutrition vs. good nutrition status: 17 vs. 42 months; p = 0.014, respectively). Survival according to low vs. normal HGS in the INC group was 4 vs. 44 months (p = 0.007) and in the ODC group 28 vs. 40 months (p = 0.944). According to malnutrition vs. good nutritional status in the INC group, DFS was 21 vs. 43 months (p = 0.025) and in the ODC group 15 vs. 41 months (p = 0.03).Conclusions: As for our primary endpoint, individualized on-demand nutritional counseling was as efficacious as intensive counseling in preventing deterioration of nutritional status and incidence of malnutrition during (chemo) radiotherapy. This should be verified with larger number of patients. Additional findings were that overweight patients had more severe weight loss, but not poorer survival. Low HGS and malnutrition at baseline were associated with poor survival.Clinical Trial Registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT02159508

FADS1 rs174550 genotype and high linoleic acid diet modify plasma PUFA phospholipids in a dietary intervention study

Introduction: Fatty acid desaturase 1 (FADS1) gene encodes for delta-5 desaturase enzyme which is needed in conversion of linoleic acid (LA) to arachidonic acid (AA). Recent studies have shown that response to dietary PUFAs differs between the genotypes in circulating fatty acids. However, interactions between the FADS1 genotype and dietary LA on overall metabolism have not been studied. Objectives: We aimed to examine the interactions of FADS1 rs174550 genotypes (TT and CC) and high-LA diet to identify plasma metabolites that respond differentially to dietary LA according to the FADS1 genotype. Methods: A total of 59 men (TT n = 26, CC n = 33) consumed a sunflower oil supplemented diet for 4\ua0weeks. Daily dose of 30, 40, or 50\ua0ml was calculated based on body mass index. It resulted in 17–28\ua0g of LA on top of the usual daily intake. Fasting plasma samples at the beginning and at the end of the intervention were analyzed with LC–MS/MS non-targeted metabolomics method. Results: At the baseline, the carriers of FADS1 rs174550-TT genotype had higher abundance of long-chain PUFA phospholipids compared to the FADS1 rs174550-CC one. In response to the high-LA diet, LA phospholipids and long-chain acylcarnitines increased and lysophospholipids decreased in fasting plasma similarly in both genotypes. LysoPE (20:4), LysoPC (20:4), and PC (16:0_20:4) decreased and cortisol increased in the carriers of rs174550-CC genotype; however, these genotype–diet interactions were not significant after correction for multiple testing. Conclusion: Our findings show that both FADS1 rs174550 genotype and high-LA diet modify plasma phospholipid composition. Trial registration: The study was registered to ClinicalTrials: NCT02543216, September 7, 2015 (retrospectively registered)

Fatty Fish Intake Decreases Lipids Related to Inflammation and Insulin Signaling—A Lipidomics Approach

The evidence of the multiple beneficial health effects of fish consumption is strong, but physiological mechanisms behind these effects are not completely known. Little information is available on the effects of consumption of different type of fish. The aim of this study was to investigate how fatty fish or lean fish in a diet affect serum lipidomic profiles in subjects with coronary heart disease.A pilot study was designed which included altogether 33 subjects with myocardial infarction or unstable ischemic attack in an 8-week parallel controlled intervention. The subjects were randomized to either fatty fish (n = 11), lean fish (n = 12) or control (n = 10) groups. Subjects in the fish groups had 4 fish meals per week and subjects in the control group consumed lean beef, pork and chicken. A fish meal was allowed once a week maximum. Lipidomics analyses were performed using ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and gas chromatography. Multiple bioactive lipid species, including ceramides, lysophosphatidylcholines and diacylglycerols, decreased significantly in the fatty fish group, whereas in the lean fish group cholesterol esters and specific long-chain triacylglycerols increased significantly (False Discovery Rate q-value <0.05).The 8-week consumption of fatty fish decreased lipids which are potential mediators of lipid-induced insulin resistance and inflammation, and may be related to the protective effects of fatty fish on the progression of atherosclerotic vascular diseases or insulin resistance.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00720655

Nutritional Counseling for Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing (Chemo) Radiotherapy—A Prospective Randomized Trial

Background: Head and neck cancer and its treatment may deteriorate nutrition status. Previous data have shown that intensive nutrition intervention by a dietician reduces radiation-induced adverse events including weight loss. Objective: To determine if on-demand nutrition counselling (ODC) would be as effective as intensive nutrition counselling (INC) in patients undergoing (chemo)radiotherapy. Methods: Fifty-eight patients were randomly assigned to receive INC (n=26) or ODC (n=32). Outcome measures were nutrition status (PG-SGA), weight loss, handgrip strength (HGS), body composition and survival. Results: Weight loss and impaired nutrition parameters during oncological treatment were seen equally in both groups (NS). Leaner patients at baseline maintained their weight, while overweight patients lost both weight and handgrip strength during treatment. Disease- free survival (DFS) (median=43 months) was not affected by weight loss during treatment. Lower baseline HGS and malnutrition were associated with worse DFS (low vs. normal HGS: 15 vs. 42 months; p=0.05 and malnutrition vs. good nutrition status: 17 vs. 42 months; p=0.014, respectively). Survival according to low vs. normal HGS in the INC group was 4 vs. 44 months (p=0.007) and in the ODC group 28 vs. 40 months (p=0.944). According to malnutrition vs. good nutrition status in the INC group, DFS was 21 vs. 43 months (p=0.025) and in the ODC group 15 vs. 41 months (p=0.03). Conclusions: Individualised on-demand nutrition counselling was as efficient as intensive counselling during (chemo)radiotherapy. Overweight patients had more severe weight loss but not poorer survival. Low HGS and malnutrition at baseline were directly associated with poor survival.Peer reviewe

Aikuisten vaikean ruoka-aineallergian siedätyshoito

English summaryPeer reviewe

Clinical Study How Can We Increase Postpartum Glucose Screening in Women at High Risk for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus?

Women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at increased risk for diabetes mellitus but postpartum followup is problematic for frequent nonattendance. Our aim was to increase coverage of postpartum oral glucose tolerance tests (ppOGTTs) and examine associated factors. This was a prospective observational study of altogether 266 high-risk women for GDM from 2005 to 2008 in four Finnish municipalities. The groups were as follows: women (n = 54) who had previously participated in early pregnancy lifestyle intervention study and high-risk women (n = 102) from the same municipalities studied within oneyear after delivery. Furthermore, in two neighboring municipalities nurses were reminded to perform a ppOGTT on high-risk women (n = 110). The primary outcome was the prevalence of ppOGTT performed and associated factors. Overall the ppOGTT was performed in 35.7% of women. Only 14.7% of women returned for testing to health care centers, 30.9% after a reminder in municipalities, and 82.5% to the central hospital, respectively. The most important explaining factor was a special call or reminder from the central hospital (OR 13.4 (4.6-38.1), P &lt; 0.001). Thus, additional reminders improved communication between primary care and secondary care and more attention to postpartum oral glucose testing in primary care are of great importance