Biol. Life Sci. Forum, 2023, IECN 2023

Research into the optimal diet’s impact on health and the environment underscores the value of a plant-based diet, rich in plant foods and linked to health benefits and sustainability. However, long-term dietary adherence remains a challenge due to individual variation. A study with 3016 participants examined gender-specific differences in dietary behaviors and taste preferences. Women favored whole grains, vegetables, and salty foods, while men consumed more meat. Water and sugary drinks were more common among women. Tailored gender-specific strategies for promoting healthy lifestyles are crucial. These findings highlight societal influences and the potential for precision nutrition strategies integrating genetics, taste, and gender differences to enhance personalized interventions’ effectiveness. Full article

Maternal diet during lactation, pregnancy or even before can influence the health of the baby. The Mediterranean diet is the one with the highest level of evidence due to its richness in fiber and polyphenols, among other bioactive components. This study investigated the impact of a diet rich in fiber and polyphenols (HFP diet) supplemented during pregestation, gestation, and lactation at the intestinal level in both dams and their offspring. This diet had an intestinal impact in both pregnant rats and their offspring in terms of intestinal growth. Further research is required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved. Full article

GSH (glutathione) is crucial for the removal and detoxification of carcinogens in healthy cells, while in cancer cells, GSH is associated with cancer expansion and increased resistance to drugs. O₂^•− acts as a secondary messenger and plays a major role in the cell signalling pathways of normal and cancer cells. Herein, the levels of O₂^•− and GSH were measured in MRC-5 and HCT-116 cells after incubation with BAL (Bifidobacterium animalis spp. lactis) and BAL/EALS (ethyl acetate extract of Laetiporus sulphureus) in co-culture systems, and for the first time, sensitivity was compared between these cell lines. The O₂^•− and GSH parameters were measured spectrophotometrically after 12 and 24 h. The levels of the O₂^•− were slightly increased in the MRC-5 cells after the effect of BAL and BAL/EALS (10 µg/mL), while the highest concentration of O₂^•− was recorded in treatment with BAL/EALS (50 µg/mL). On the other hand, the GSH values were elevated already after 12 h of incubation, and then further increased after 24 h in the MRC-5 cells. In the HCT-116 cells, the concentration of O₂^•− was not enhanced at 12 and 24 h of incubation compared to that of the control. The GSH level also remained relatively low. We observed a positive dose-dependent effect on the GSH levels in the MRC-5 and a negative dose-dependent effect in the HCT-116 cells. Generally, high GSH levels in the MRC-5 after 12 and 24 h indicate a strong reaction to oxidative stress and more sensitivity compared with the HCT-116 cells, where GSH stayed at a low concentration. Full article

This study examined the association between genetic variations in the Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) gene and the composition of gut microbiota in a Spanish population. The VDR gene plays a role in mediating the effects of vitamin D on gut microbiota composition. We analyzed 87 healthy participants from the Spanish Caucasian population and found that the genetic variations were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. Through metataxonomic sequencing, we identified that the GG genotype from the VDR polymorphism rs731236 seems to be associated with the opportunistic genus Solobacterium, indicating that genetic variations may influence the composition of gut microbiota. Full article

More than 57% of US adults take dietary supplements, with the most common being daily multivitamins. Daily multivitamins are typically formulated in a pill or tablet form; however, new options, including powder form that can be mixed with water, are being utilized to increase bioavailability. While limited data are available, the theory is that multivitamin tablets must be adequately dissolved before entering the small intestine for assimilation, while powders come pre-dissolved before consumption, which theoretically ensures enhanced bioavailability. Our aim was to investigate the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of minerals (magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), calcium (Ca), and potassium (K)) using a novel foundational nutrition supplement called AG1 compared to a multivitamin tablet. AG1 contains vitamins and minerals comparable to multivitamin tablets but also includes prebiotics, probiotics, and phytonutrients. We employed the adapted Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME^®) model to assess the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of this study’s products using a simulated stomach and small intestine physiological environment equipped with a dialysis membrane (methylcellulose) to emulate absorption. Luminal contents were collected at the end of the stomach, duodenum, and 1-, 2-, and 3 h after small intestine absorption simulation (dialysis) to assess bioaccessibility. The dialysis solution was measured at 1-, 2-, and 3 h to assess bioavailability. A significantly higher (p < 0.05) percentage of the total amount of all minerals given at the baseline was present at the end of the stomach and duodenum portion for the powder form vs. the tablet. There was a significantly higher % maximal concentration (C_max), bioavailability, and bioaccessibility for Mg, Ca, and Zn for AG1 vs. the tablet. These preclinical data demonstrate that a greater proportion of minerals in AG1 enter the small intestine, have a higher C_max, and several are more bioaccessible and bioavailable than a tablet multivitamin in vitro. Full article

Selenium was discovered in the first quarter of the 19th century and classified as a chalcogen belonging to the 16th group, along with oxygen, sulfur, tellurium, and polonium. Selenium plays a crucial role in the activation of antioxidant enzymes in the body and helps to reduce oxidative stress by preventing cell damage. It is believed to have cancer-protective effects, including mechanisms such as reducing DNA damage, regulating cell growth, supporting the immune system, and engaging in epigenetic interactions. These are attributed to the antioxidant properties of selenium. The purpose of this paper was to elucidate the effects of selenium exposure on the incidence and mortality of various cancer types using the meta-meta-analysis method. Full article

This study addresses the global challenge of effectively managing diabetes through self-care practices, including medication adherence, exercise, blood glucose monitoring, foot care, and diet. Our research aimed to evaluate self-care practices among type 2 diabetic patients, using the validated Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities scale (SDSCA), and to analyze associations with age, gender, education, and socioeconomic status. This cross-sectional study was conducted at District General Hospital Chilaw, Sri Lanka, and involved 187 participants. Data analysis employed SPSS version 25. The results highlighted suboptimal self-care behaviors and medication adherence, emphasizing the need for integrated interventions to enhance knowledge and self-care among “Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus” patients. Full article

This study aimed to characterize two Peruvian cocoa populations (CCN51 and JL2) and determine their influence on rat metabolism. For this, the phytochemical composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of CCN51 and JL2 were established. Furthermore, Wistar rats were fed with either CCN51-, JL2-enriched or standard diets for 4 weeks. At the end, an oral glucose tolerance test was carried out. Moreover, visceral adiposity index and fecal pH were measured. The JL2 cocoa showed the highest content of total polyphenols, catechin and epigallocatechin-3-gallate as well as the highest in vitro antioxidant activity. No significant differences were observed in glycemia among the three experimental groups, but both cocoa-fed groups showed lower visceral adiposity than the standard diet-fed animals. Lower fecal pH was observed after both cocoa diets. In conclusion, two Peruvian cocoa populations with different polyphenol compositions induced similar effects on rat metabolism when administered as 10% of the diet for 4 weeks. Full article

This study investigated the relationship between diabetes self-management (DSM) behaviors and glycemic control among 160 adults with diabetes at District General Hospital Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka. Despite the global escalation of diabetes and its complications, DSM’s role in optimizing glycemic control lacks data in Sri Lanka. The findings unveiled percentages of 50% physical inactivity, 71% hyperglycemic management knowledge, and 79% hypoglycemic management knowledge. Only 41% exhibited foot care awareness, with 28% reporting a family diabetes history. Retinopathy affected 65%, neuropathy affected 33%, and nephropathy affected 22%. Therapeutic oral hypoglycemic drug knowledge was found to be 89%, and insulin comprehension was found to be 21%. Moderate DSM emerged, urging targeted interventions addressing age, health, family support, physical activity, and glycemic awareness to enhance diabetes self-care. Full article

Synbiotics, a combination of prebiotics and probiotics, are growing in popularity, with consumers desiring improved gastrointestinal health. Prebiotics are non-digestible nutrients that can be metabolized by microbiota to exert a beneficial effect, while probiotics are live microorganisms that can also exert beneficial effects when consumed. Due to the rise in prebiotic and probiotic usage, there has been concern from some experts that not all synbiotics indicated for use as nutritional supplements are properly evaluated for their biological efficacy. AG1 is a novel foundational nutrition supplement that has been designed to exert a synbiotic effect. In its formulation, AG1 contains traditional prebiotics, phytonutrients from wholefood sources and botanical extracts, and two probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus UALa-01 and Bifidobacterium bifidum UABb-10). Alongside ingredients evidence that AG1 exerts synbiotic effects, efficacy testing was performed using the Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME^®) model. Physical and metabolic evidence of fermentation were used to evaluate the success of AG1 as a synbiotic. Data from the SHIME^® model showed a significant increase (p < 0.01) in the total amount of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), specifically with significant increases in total acetate (p < 0.001) and propionate (p < 0.0001) production, as well as gas production. These results were expected, as both SCFAs and gas are the major byproducts of bacterial carbohydrate fermentation. These data suggest that AG1 exerts preclinical evidence of a synbiotic effect by human microbiota. Full article

This study assessed 240 antenatal mothers in Sri Lanka’s Kebithigollawa Medical Officer of Health Clinic. Demographics varied, revealing distinct marital statuses, ethnicities, income levels, and employment statuses. Pregnancy stages, parity, pre-pregnancy BMI, and gestational age exhibited diverse profiles. Hemoglobin levels ranged, reflecting nutritional status, while BMI indicated varied weight categories. Dietary patterns demonstrated associations with maternal health indicators; fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, unsweetened dairy products, prepared food, and rice/noodles positively correlated with hemoglobin levels, BMI, and gestational weight gain. Conversely, some dietary choices displayed weaker correlations. These findings emphasize the need for tailored interventions to enhance antenatal mothers’ dietary and physical activity behaviors, benefiting maternal and child health. Full article

Background and Aims: Obesity is a public health problem. The usual treatment is a reduction in calorie intake and an increase in energy expenditure, but not all individuals respond equally to these treatments. Epigenetics could be a factor that contributes to this heterogeneity. The aim of this research was to determine the association between DNA methylation at baseline and the percentage of BMI loss (%BMIL) after two dietary interventions in order to design a prediction model to evaluate %BMIL based on methylation data. Methods and Results: Spanish participants with overweight or obesity (n = 306) were randomly assigned to two lifestyle interventions with hypocaloric diets: one moderately high in protein (MHP) and the other low in fat (LF) during 4 months (Obekit study). DNA methylation was analyzed in white blood cells using the Infinium MethylationEPIC array. After identifying those methylation sites associated with %BMIL, (p < 0.05 and SD > 0.1), two weighted methylation sub-scores were constructed for each diet: 15 CpGs were used for MHP diet and 11 CpGs for LF diet. Afterwards, a total methylation score was obtained by subtracting the previous sub-scores. These data were used to design a prediction model for %BMIL through a linear mixed effect model in which the interaction between diet and total score. Conclusion: Overall, DNA methylation predicted %BMIL of two hypocaloric diets after 4 months and was able to determine which type of diet is the most appropriate for each individual. These results confirm that epigenetic biomarkers may be further used for precision nutrition and the design of personalized dietary strategies against obesity. Full article

The use of food and its nutrients as a remedy for diseases is historically and culturally well rooted in plenty of societies. An example of this is the use of Hibiscus sabdariffa to treat conditions like hypertension or high blood glucose. Furthermore, the natural biocompounds present in this plant have been demonstrated by several authors to be hypotensive, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antiobesogenic, etc. One of these compounds is Delphinidin-3-Sambubiosid (DS3), the most representative anthocyanin of Hibiscus sabdariffa, and as such, it has been proposed to have the beneficial effects previously mentioned. However, little is known about the molecular targets of DS3. Therefore, we conducted an in silico analysis using different bioinformatic tools to determine the possible molecular targets of this molecule and the potential impact the modification of its targets could have on the proteins and/or pathways of humans. We used the Swiss Target Prediction site to identify all the molecular targets of DS3, and then ShinnyGo 0.77, KEGG, and Stringdb were used to identify key pathways and hub genes related to them. Also, a literature search was conducted in PubMed, where each of the hub genes was linked to DS3 so we could gather information that complemented the results of the bioinformatic tools. The results show that DS3 can modify the behavior of genes related to nitrogen and glucose metabolism, inflammation, angiogenesis, and cell proliferation. Additionally, DS3 has direct effects on the PI3K-AKT pathway, which could be a key finding promoting further research, especially to determine the implications associated with changes in the aforementioned pathway. Full article

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are a major global health concern, responsible for 71% of annual deaths, particularly impacting low- and middle-income countries. Medication nonadherence is a significant contributor to poor NCD control. This study, conducted at Divisional Hospital Thalangama in Sri Lanka with 400 NCD patients, reveals barriers to adherence and access to medical services. Participants were primarily female, elderly, and had limited education and income. Prevalent NCDs included type II diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. Adherence to dietary guidelines and health-promoting practices was suboptimal. Addressing these barriers is essential for improving NCD management and reducing health disparities. Full article

Morinda citrifolia L., commonly known as noni or ‘Ahu’ in Sri Lanka, has traditionally been used for medicinal and black magic practices. However, noni also has therapeutic benefits and is used in various products like fresh juice, nutraceuticals, wine, powder, and puree. This study aimed to compare the bioactive compounds and antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic potential of dried noni fruit and seeds using spectroscopic methods. Noni seeds exhibit significant antioxidant properties like dried noni fruit. They also possess antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory potential, making them valuable for food production, suggesting their utilization alongside noni-fruit-based products in Sri Lanka. Full article

Objectives: We have previously shown that inhibition of the mTORC1 nutrient-sensing complex by rapamycin and mTORC1/mTORC2 inhibition by either Torin-2 or RapaLink-1 have differential effects on the global untargeted metabolomics in in vivo and in vitro cell culture models. Methods: In this study, we leveraged the mummichog Python algorithm to analyze the high-dimension untargeted metabolomics data to model the biochemical pathways and metabolic networks and predict their functional activity. We used pancreatic beta-cell culture (Beta TC6) and incubated the cells with either Rapalink-1, Rapamycin or the vehicle control for 24 h. Cells were harvested and flush-frozen in liquid nitrogen. Cells were extracted in ethanol, and the supernatant was collected. The untargeted metabolomics was performed using the high-resolution mass spectrometry LC-MS/MS HILIC peak detection of ESI-positive and -negative polarity modes. The data were collected using Bruker’s maXis-II ESI-Q-q-TOF coupled to Dionex Ultimate-3000 U(H)PLC system using Sequant ZIC-HILIC 150 × 2.1 mm column (Bruker, Hamburg, Germany). We compared the high-resolution untargeted precision metabolomics (LC-MS/MS) between groups using positive and negative polarity modes to capture both hydrophilic and hydrophobic metabolites. We employed the XCMS plus bioinformatics platform to link mTOR-regulated metabolites to the predicted biological pathways. Statistical significance (p < 0.001) was assessed by ANOVA and Ranked order data by Whitney-Cox followed by ad hoc unpaired t-test. Results: The cluster heatmap deconvolution and cloud plot analysis show the differential pattern of metabolites between Rapamycin and Rapalink-treated pancreatic beta cell lines. Mapping the downstream metabolites data onto predictive metabolic pathways and activity networks revealed that the top pathways affected included the pentose phosphate pathway, dopamine and ubiquinol degradation pathways in the ESI-positive polarity mode, and creatine synthesis/glycine degradation and nicotine degradation pathways in the ESI negative polarity mode. Conclusions: The high-resolution untargeted metabolomics can be leveraged as a proxy of the internal exposome yielding high-dimensional data that provide mechanistic insights into metabolic and signaling pathways, and the underlying biology. This approach will have beneficial applications of the internal exposome in determining the optimal precision nutrition pathways for personalized medicine. Full article

Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are poorly synthesised in the human body and are substantially lower in Western diets compared with their shorter-chain omega-3 essential fatty acid precursors, α-linolenic acid (18:3n-3; ALA). We assessed their intake among 111 (20.45 years old; 78 females) De Montfort University (DMU, England) students. The dietary intakes of total fat (100.55 vs. 81.72; p-value = 0.032), PUFA (14.61 vs. 12.91; NS), linoleic acid (LA; 3.893 vs. 2.787; p-value = 0.0019), ALA (0.925 vs. 0.613; p-value = 0.00008), arachidonic acid (AA; 0.109 vs. 0.082; p-value = 0.0303), EPA (0.088 vs. 0.075; NS), DHA (0.153 vs. 0.121; NS), and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA; 0.043 vs. 0.032 all in g/day; NS) were significantly higher or higher in male participants, respectively. The dietary intakes of DHA + EPA in the whole group monitored (0.130 + 0.079 = 0.209 g/day) were lower than the RDI of 0.5 g/day, which considers the intake of one to two portions of fish per week. Our results highlight that some DMU students did not meet the nutritional goals for ALA, EPA, and DHA. DMU students should specifically enhance the intake of oily fish (12.422, 13.406, and 10.054 g/day for the overall, female, and male population, respectively), as these intakes only provide around 0.228, 0.246, and 0.184 g of DHA + EPA/day. Education would be required to increase awareness of the importance of consuming more fish among these young adults. Another option would be to encourage the intake of dietary fish oil supplements or the enrichment of food items largely consumed by young British adults with these long-chain PUFAs. Full article

In recent years, the prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases has increased. In females, there is a close relationship in the development of these diseases after menopause to estrogenic signaling occurring in various tissues; such is the case for the bladder, compromising its physiology in females. We sought to analyze the effect of diet-induced metabolic syndrome on the bladder epithelium. Eighteen 12-week-old Wistar rats were divided into an intact control group (C, n = 6), a cafeteria diet SMet group (CAF, n = 6), and a high-fat/high-sugar diet SMet group (HF/HS, n = 6). Atrophy and hyperplasia in the bladder epithelium were observed in the case of the CAF diet, while only inflammation was observed in the other schemes. Full article

Cow milk oligosaccharides (CMOs) are complex carbohydrates found in cow milk that resemble the oligosaccharides in human milk and are essential for regulating the immune system and forming the gut flora of infants. As prebiotics, they promote the growth of specific beneficial gut bacteria, such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, thus promoting the creation of short-chain fatty acids for gut health. Furthermore, CMOs correlate with enhanced infant immune system development, offering safeguards against pathogens and anti-inflammatory benefits. The results of recent CMO research are revealed in this review, together with their biological importance and potential applications. Their relevance to infant nutrition is highlighted, as is their potential to be used as bioactive ingredients in novel functional foods and nutraceuticals. This study also describes upcoming obstacles and opportunities for CMO research, such as understanding their structures and functions, improving extraction methods, and expanding applications to different age groups. Full article

Leveraging advancements in metabolomics and other cutting-edge technologies, precision neuronutrition aims to identify personalized nutrient requirements to optimize brain health outcomes and prevent neurological disorders. The main pathological mechanisms of brain health disruption include neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, gut–brain disturbances and nutrient deficiencies. Recent studies have identified biological markers for all those mechanisms. Precision interventions for maintaining brain health and optimizing outcomes include omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, vitamin D, magnesium, coenzyme q10, polyphenols, l-carnitine, prebiotics and probiotics. Precision neuronutrition offers a promising approach to optimizing brain health through personalized nutrient interventions. Continued research in this field holds great potential for improving brain health outcomes. Full article

Vitamin D substantially influences sports performance and post-exercise recovery because it offers anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and cellular protective properties. However, deficient levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)D (25(OH)D) (<30 ng/mL) could impact the health of individuals, lead to musculoskeletal disorders and decrease athletic performance. Therefore, it would be appropriate to know the interactions between genes and vitamin D. We evaluated whether 25(OH)D had a possible connection to the presence of certain SNPs in CYP2R1 (rs10741657), GC (rs2282679) and muscle VDR (rs2228570) genes, with serum 25(OH)D concentrations and the degree of WOD performance in highly trained CrossFit^® practitioners. Knowing these relationships could be instrumental for personalized vitamin D supplementation and training strategies. Using a standardized commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay procedure, the concentrations of 25(OH)D were determined and the genotyping procedures for each SNPs were carried out using specific assays with the KASpar^® test. The 25(OH)DA performance level in grades was established based on the CrossFit^® Total score (sum in kilograms of one Repetition Max Squat, Press and Deadlift). Significant differences (p < 0.05) in 25(OH)D concentration were found between each of the SNPs of CYP2R1 and GC with 25(OH)D. We discovered statistically significant weak positive correlations (p < 0.05) between 25(OH)D and AA-alleles of the CYP2R1 and VDR genes, and TT-alleles of the GC gene. Additionally, AA (rs10741657 and rs2228570) and TT (rs2282679) have a probability between 2 and 4 of having major concentrations of 25(OH)D and 25(OH)D25(OH)D. Conversely, GG alleles present a probability of suboptimum values of 25(OH)D of 69%, 34% and 24% for VDR, GC and CYP2R1, respectively, showing a strong moderate positive correlation (r = 0.41) between the degrees of sports performance and 25(OH)D25(OH)D plasma levels. The different polymorphisms of our three candidate genes CYP2R1 (rs10741657), GC (rs2282679) and VDR (rs2228570) disturb 25(OH)D concentration and play a critical role in the sports performance of elite CrossFit^® practitioners. These results could highlight that the evaluation of genetic factors is key to designing a vitamin D supplementation strategy to improve sports performance. Full article

About 30–40% of the general population in the United Kingdom (UK) has been reported to have vitamin D deficiency during winter months, representing a public health risk. The aim of this study was to assess the dietary intake of vitamin D in university students at De Montfort University (DMU, UK). Nutrient intake data were collected from 111 (20.45 yrs old; 78 female) DMU students (41 Asian, 41 African and 27 European; 2 unclassified). The dietary intake of vitamin D was slightly higher in male participants (4.287 vs. 3.853 µg/day; p-value = 0.196), which could be attributed to the generally higher intake of food products rich in this vitamin, specifically cereals (436.165 vs. 308.750 g/day; p-value = 0.002), meat (271.553 vs. 193.063 g/day; p-value = 0.016) and bacon (4.911 vs. 1.551 g/day; p-value = 0.024), intakes of which were significantly higher in males. The dietary intakes of vitamin D recorded are lower than the amount of 10 µg/day recommended by the UK’s National Health Service. Intake did not show statistical differences according to ethnic background (Asian (3.708) < African (4.109) < European (4.199); all in µg/day), which might reflect poor and similar dietary habit/choices when students transition from home to university regardless of ethnic background. Our results suggest some prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in DMU students which should be tackled to prevent diseases related to vitamin D deficiency. Full article

Not all cancer patients respond to immunotherapy, and the variation in response may be attributed to an individual’s microbiome, which is profoundly influenced by dietary habits. Understanding and manipulating the microbiome through dietary interventions offers a potential avenue for enhancing immunotherapy outcomes in cancer patients and may consequently serve as a complementary therapeutic strategy. Bearing in mind the latter, as well as our previous research on the importance of the gut microbiome as a co-denominator for immunotherapy response, we aimed to construct this study protocol on a personalized dietary intervention based on the Mediterranean diet as a complementary strategy to modify the gut microbiome, quality of life and outcomes in patients with metastatic melanoma treated with immunotherapy. The present protocol hypothesis is that remote intervention with the MD will be achievable and will positively affect all the aforementioned parameters. The potential gains of this study protocol and upcoming research extend to enhancing quality-of-life outcomes and the survival rates of patients with metastatic melanoma since it could also result in the reinforcement of the recommendation of nutritional intervention as a crucial component of cancer treatment. Full article

A total of 29.5 million people aged 12 and older met the diagnostic criteria for alcohol use disorder (AUD) in the United States in 2021, which presents a significant social and economic burden to modern society. Impaired nutritional status has been frequently documented in patients with AUDs and could contribute to escalated alcohol consumption and behavioral impairments commonly observed in AUD. Interestingly, increased highly palatable food intake during recovery has been reported in patients with AUD, suggesting the importance of understanding the relationship between palatable food and problematic alcohol drinking. We have previously shown that patterned feeding of a palatable diet attenuated alcohol drinking in Long Evans rats. The present study evaluated the impact of patterned feeding on high and low alcohol drinking. Individually housed male high-drinking (P), moderate-drinking (Long Evans), and low-drinking (Wistar) rats received intermittent access (24 h, Tuesdays, and Thursdays) to a nutritionally complete high-fat diet (Int-HFD) or standard chow (controls). Normal chow and water were available ad libitum to all groups of rats. Intermittent HFD access induced a feeding pattern in which the Int-HFD group of rats escalated their caloric intake on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Two weeks of Int-HFD pre-exposure preceded any alcohol access, after which all rats were given unsweetened alcohol (20% v/v) in their home cages via a two-bottle choice paradigm of voluntary alcohol drinking. Alcohol was available for 24 h on chow-only days (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) while Int-HFD feeding continued. Long Evans rats receiving the Int-HFD displayed a significant ~50% reduction in alcohol drinking when compared to controls. The Int-HFD group of P rats also reduced their alcohol intake significantly (p < 0.05) by ~20%, in comparison to respective controls. Interestingly, alcohol drinking in Wistar rats was not affected (p > 0.05) by intermittent HFD exposure. These data highlight rat strain-specific differences in alcohol intake following patterned feeding of a palatable diet and identify Long Evans rats as an ideal model to evaluate the impact of palatable diet on alcohol drinking. Full article

This literature overview describes the potential benefits associated with the integration of precision nutrition and artificial intelligence (AI). PubMed was searched up to June 2023 to identify clinical studies that focused on AI dietary apps used in precision nutrition. The search yielded a total of 198 results, out of which 7 clinical studies were deemed relevant and included in this analysis. These studies examined the applications of AI mobile apps in various areas, including regulating nutrient intake, aiding in weight loss, enhancing dietary treatments for chronic diseases, and predicting metabolic parameters, such as glucose levels in individuals with diabetes. Despite some limitations, the findings indicate that these apps demonstrated a satisfactory level of accuracy in accomplishing their intended tasks. The advantages and limitations of utilizing AI-based tools for nutritional support are then discussed. In conclusion, the integration of precision nutrition and AI presents transformative opportunities for personalized health. By harnessing the computational power of AI, researchers and healthcare practitioners can unlock the potential of large-scale data analysis for tailored dietary interventions. Full article

The Mediterranean diet (MD) is very rich in bioactive and immunomodulatory components. Some of these have demonstrated their protective activity in inflammation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a diet rich in fiber and polyphenols on an inflammatory process. The intervention was performed in two groups of 7-week-old rats, one receiving an experimental MD-like diet and another fed a reference diet (REF). At the end of the study, local inflammation was induced by injecting the rat’s paw with carrageenan. A lower paw volume was observed in = rats from the MD-like diet group. Full article