Sweet taste exposure and the subsequent acceptance and preference for sweet taste in the diet : systematic review of the published literature

Background: There are consistent, evidence-based global public health recommendations to reduce intakes of free sugars. However, the corresponding evidence for recommending reduced exposure to sweetness is less clear. Objective: Our aim was to identify and review the published evidence investigating the impact of dietary exposure to sweet-tasting foods or beverages on the subsequent generalized acceptance, preference, or choice of sweet foods and beverages in the diet. Design: Systematic searches were conducted to identify all studies testing relations of variation in exposure to sweetness through foods and beverages with subsequent variation in the generalized acceptance, preference, or choice of sweetened foods or beverages, in humans aged >6 mo. Results: Twenty-one studies met our inclusion criteria, comprising 7 population cohort studies involving 2320 children and 14 controlled trials involving 1113 individuals. These studies were heterogeneous in study design, population, exposure, and outcomes measured, and few were explicitly designed to address our research question. The findings from these were inconsistent. We found equivocal evidence from population cohort studies. The evidence from controlled studies suggests that a higher sweet taste exposure tends to lead to reduced preferences for sweetness in the shorter term, but very limited effects were found in the longer term. Conclusions: A small and heterogeneous body of research currently has considered the impact of varying exposure to sweet taste on subsequent generalized sweet taste preferences, and this evidence is equivocal regarding the presence and possible direction of a relation. Future work should focus on adequately powered studies with well-characterized exposures of sufficient duration.Peer reviewe

Does low-energy sweetener consumption affect energy intake and body weight? A systematic review, including meta-analyses, of the evidence from human and animal studies

By reducing energy density, low-energy sweeteners (LES) might be expected to reduce energy intake (EI) and body weight (BW). To assess the totality of the evidence testing the null hypothesis that LES exposure (versus sugars or unsweetened alternatives) has no effect on EI or BW, we conducted a systematic review of relevant studies in animals and humans consuming LES with ad libitum access to food energy. In 62 of 90 animal studies exposure to LES did not affect or decreased BW. Of 28 reporting increased BW, 19 compared LES with glucose exposure using a specific ‘learning’ paradigm. Twelve prospective cohort studies in humans reported inconsistent associations between LES use and Body Mass Index (-0.002 kg/m2/year, 95%CI -0.009 to 0.005). Meta-analysis of short- term randomized controlled trials (RCTs, 129 comparisons) showed reduced total EI for LES- versus sugar-sweetened food or beverage consumption before an ad libitum meal (-94 kcal, 95%CI -122 to -66), with no difference versus water (-2 kcal, 95%CI -30 to 26). This was consistent with EI results from sustained intervention RCTs (10 comparisons). Meta-analysis of sustained intervention RCTs (4 weeks to 40 months) showed that consumption of LES versus sugar led to relatively reduced BW (nine comparisons; -1.35 kg, 95%CI –2.28 to - 0.42), and a similar relative reduction in BW versus water (three comparisons; -1.24 kg, 95%CI –2.22 to -0.26). Most animal studies did not mimic LES consumption by humans, and reverse causation may influence the results of prospective cohort studies. The preponderance of evidence from all human RCTs indicates that LES do not increase EI or BW, whether compared with caloric or non-caloric (e.g., water) control conditions. Overall, the balance of evidence indicates that use of LES in place of sugar, in children and adults, leads to reduced EI and BW, and possibly also when compared with water

Findings in multidetector computed tomography in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis and correlation with pathology of liver explants

Objetivos: Describir el comportamiento imagenológico del hepatocarcinoma en pacientes con cirrosis utilizando la tomografía computada multidetector (TCMD) dinámica y correlacionar los hallazgos con el grado histológico de los tumores. Materiales y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo, observacional y descriptivo, donde se evaluaron 51 nódulos de 32 pacientes trasplantados de hígado con diagnóstico de cirrosis. La anatomía patológica del explante fue utilizada como referencia y los nódulos con histología de hepatocarcinoma fueron analizados retrospectivamente en las tomografías computadas efectuadas antes del trasplante. Las tomografías se llevaron a cabo con técnica dinámica, evaluando las características más frecuentes reportadas en la literatura: realce arterial, lavado del realce, cápsula y vasos arteriales intratumorales. Resultados: Cuarenta y seis de 51 (90%) tumores mostraron realce arterial. De estos 46 tumores, 39 (85%) mostraron lavado del realce en la fase portal y/o tardía. De los 51, 5 (10%) fueron hipovasculares, 22 (43%) presentaron cápsula y 12 (24%) mostraron vasos arteriales intratumorales. La combinación de hallazgos más frecuente fue la asociación de realce arterial y lavado del realce en la fase portal-tardía (39/51 tumores: 76%), y el grado histológico más usual fue el II en 35 tumores (69%). Se hallaron asociaciones estadísticamente significativas entre el grado histológico de los tumores y los comportamientos imagenológicos realce arterial e hipovascular. Conclusión: En nuestra población, el hallazgo tomográfico de realce arterial con lavado del realce en tiempo portal y/o tardío fue observado en la mayoría de los tumores. Esto coincide con publicaciones anteriores y contribuye a fortalecer el valor de estos criterios para el diagnóstico del hepatocarcinoma.Objectives: To describe the imagenological behavior of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients using a dynamic multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) technique, and correlate these À ndings with histological tumor grades. Materials and methods: A retrospective, descriptive observational study was conducted to evaluate 51 nodules in 32 liver transplant patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. The pathology of liver explants was used as a reference. Nodules with hepatocellular carcinoma histopathology were retrospectively analyzed by computed tomography scans performed pre-transplant. Using a dynamic multidetector computed tomography technique, we evaluated the most common imagenological behavior reported in the literature: arterial enhancement, washout, capsule, and intratumoral arterial vessels. Results: Forty-six of 51 (90%) tumors showed arterial enhancement. Of the 46 tumors with arterial enhancement, 39 (85%) had washout in portal-late phase. Five of 51 (10%) were hypovascular. Twenty-two of 51 (43%) had capsule and 12 of 51 (24%) showed intratumoral arterial vessels. The more frequent image combination was the combination of arterial enhancement and washout (39 of 51 tumors or 76%). The most frequent histological grade was II (35 of 51 tumors or 69%). Statistically signiÀ cant relationships were found between histological grade tumors and imagenological behavior: arterial enhancement and hypovascular. Conclusion: In our population, arterial enhancement with washout in portal-late phases was observed in most of the tumors. Our results are consistent with previously reported studies, demonstrating the high reliability of this imaging pattern for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.Fil: Haberman, D. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Castignola, M. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Mela, M. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Paladini, H. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Santilli, J. P. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Gruz, F. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Gondolesi, Gabriel Eduardo. Fundación Favaloro; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Explaining effervescence: Investigating the relationship between shared social identity and positive experience in crowds

We investigated the intensely positive emotional experiences arising from participation in a large-scale collective event. We predicted such experiences arise when those attending a collective event are (1) able to enact their valued collective identity and (2) experience close relations with other participants. In turn, we predicted both of these to be more likely when participants perceived crowd members to share a common collective identity. We investigated these predictions in a survey of pilgrims (N = 416) attending a month-long Hindu pilgrimage festival in north India. We found participants’ perceptions of a shared identity amongst crowd members had an indirect effect on their positive experience at the event through (1) increasing participants’ sense that they were able to enact their collective identity and (2) increasing the sense of intimacy with other crowd members. We discuss the implications of these data for how crowd emotion should be conceptualised

The Mitochondrial Ca(2+) Uniporter: Structure, Function, and Pharmacology.

Mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake is crucial for an array of cellular functions while an imbalance can elicit cell death. In this chapter, we briefly reviewed the various modes of mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake and our current understanding of mitochondrial Ca(2+) homeostasis in regards to cell physiology and pathophysiology. Further, this chapter focuses on the molecular identities, intracellular regulators as well as the pharmacology of mitochondrial Ca(2+) uniporter complex

The use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators in Iceland: a retrospective population based study

BACKGROUND: Indications for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation have expanded considerably in recent years, resulting in steadily growing numbers of ICD recipients worldwide. The aim of this study was to review the overall experience with ICDs in Iceland. METHODS: This was a retrospective single centre study set at the University Hospital in Iceland. Data on all ICD implantations in Iceland from the first implantation in 1992 till the end of 2002 was reviewed. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients (71% male) received an ICD during this period. There was an increase in the number of implants by year and the number of new implants in 2001 and 2002 amounted to 56 and 38 per million, respectively. The mean age at implantation was 58 (+/-14) years. Forty patients (65%) had coronary artery disease. The most common indications for ICD implantation were cardiac arrest, 32 (52%) and another 26 (42%) had experienced ventricular tachycardia without cardiac arrest. The most common adverse event was inappropriate shocks. Twenty-eight patients (45%) received therapy from their ICDs, with the majority receiving appropriate therapy. Of the thirteen patients deceased before or during the study period, no case of sudden arrhythmic death was observed. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the experience with ICDs in Iceland is in most respects similar to other Western countries

The Relationship between Depressive Symptoms, Quality of Life and miRNAs 8 Years after Bariatric Surgery

Altres ajuts: Universidad de Málaga, UMA20-FEDERJA-144; Junta de Andalucia, PI-0194-2017, C-0028-2018, RC-005-2020, DOC_00288 and DOC_01095Background: There are conflicting results on whether weight loss after bariatric surgery (BS) might be associated with quality of life (QoL)/depressive symptomatology. We aim to determine whether BS outcomes are associated with QoL/depressive symptomatology in studied patients at the 8-year follow-up after BS, as well as their relationship with different serum proteins and miRNAs. Methods: A total of 53 patients with class III obesity who underwent BS, and then classified into "good responders" and "non-responders" depending on the percentage of excess weight lost (%EWL) 8 years after BS (%EWL ≥ 50% and %EWL < 50%, respectively), were included. Basal serum miRNAs and different proteins were analysed, and patients completed tests to evaluate QoL/depressive symptomatology at 8 years after BS. Results: The good responders group showed higher scores on SF-36 scales of physical functioning, role functioning-physical, role functioning-emotional, body pain and global general health compared with the non-responders. The expression of hsa-miR-101-3p, hsa-miR-15a-5p, hsa-miR-29c-3p, hsa-miR-144-3p and hsa-miR-19b-3p were lower in non-responders. Hsa-miR-19b-3p was the variable associated with the response to BS in a logistic regression model. Conclusions: The mental health of patients after BS is limited by the success of the intervention. In addition, the expression of basal serum miRNAs related to depression/anxiety could predict the success of BS

Worldwide trends in quantity and quality of published articles in the field of infectious diseases

BACKGROUND: Trying to confront with the widespread burden of infectious diseases, the society worldwide invests considerably on research. We evaluated the contribution of different world regions in research production in Infectious Diseases. METHODS: Using the online Pubmed database we retrieved articles from 38 journals included in the "Infectious Diseases" category of the "Journal Citation Reports" database of the Institute for Scientific Information for the period 1995–2002. The world was divided into 9 regions based on geographic, economic and scientific criteria. Using an elaborate retrieval system we obtained data on published articles from different world regions. In our evaluation we introduced an estimate of both quantity and quality of research produced from each world region per year using: (1) the total number of publications, (2) the mean impact factor of publications, and (3) the product of the above two parameters. RESULTS: Data on the country of origin of the research was available for 45,232 out of 45,922 retrieved articles (98.5 %). USA and Western Europe are by far the most productive regions concerning publications of research articles. However, the rate of increase in the production of articles was higher in Eastern Europe, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia during the study period. The mean impact factor is highest for articles originating in the USA (3.42), while it was 2.82 for Western Europe and 2.73 for the rest of the world (7 regions combined). CONCLUSION: USA and Western Europe make up a striking 80% of the world's research production in Infectious Diseases in terms of both quantity and quality. However, all world regions achieved a gradual increase in the production of Infectious Diseases articles, with the regions ranking lower at present displaying the highest rate of increase