Search Results (81)

Ready-to-eat cereals are a popular breakfast choice for children and adults, offering convenience and affordability. This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional content of ready-to-eat cereals available in the Greek market and compare data for the following categories: products targeted at adults (n = 208) vs. children (n = 74) and their subgroups: all bran vs. refined and gluten containing vs. gluten free. Protein, fat, saturated fat and fiber were all present in significantly greater quantities in the adult group when compared with the child group. The median content of sugar contained in children’s products (25.0/100 g) was significantly higher than the one present in adults’ ready-to-eat cereals (15.2/100 g). Sugar content of children and adult’s RTECs was assessed against the criteria set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization (WHO). Sugar in children’s products (7.5 g per serving) did not comply with the criterion of <6 g per 30 g of serving. On the other hand, the sugar content in adult-oriented cereals (6.0 g per serving) was below the criterion of <10 g per 45 g of serving. All bran products demonstrated a better nutritional profile overall compared with the refined ones, but children’s options in the market are very limited, with only two products identified. Sugar reduction, particularly for children’s ready-to-eat cereals, should be a priority for policymakers and the food industry. Full article

Gamified virtual reality (VR) environments are increasingly used to enhance engagement and learning, yet most designs still adopt a one-size-fits-all approach that overlooks motivational diversity. The HEXAD framework, which classifies users into six player types, provides a promising lens for addressing this gap, but its predictive validity in immersive VR remains contested. This study investigates how HEXAD profiles shape navigation, time allocation, and engagement dynamics in an open-ended gamified VR environment. Thirty-two undergraduate participants, all regular gamers, completed the HEXAD scale before exploring a VR setting with five thematic islands without predefined tasks. System logs and screen recordings captured first island choices, sequential visit patterns, and time spent, and data were analyzed using qualitative pattern analysis alongside nonparametric statistics. The results showed significant associations between player type and initial choices, with Players favoring Game Island, Socialisers choosing Social Island, Philanthropists engaging most with Library, and Achievers and Free Spirits drawn to Experience. Kruskal–Wallis tests of exploration breadth revealed moderate effect sizes across types, though significance was limited by sample size. Three emergent strategies, Focused Explorers, Wanderers, and Strategic Switchers, captured motivational orientations beyond single metrics, while heat map visualizations highlighted clustering around Game and Experience Islands. By situating these findings within flow theory and inclusive–adaptive design principles, this study demonstrates how behavioral traces can link motivational typologies with embodied interaction. Overall, the results advance debates on HEXAD’s robustness and contribute practical pathways for developing adaptive, motivation-sensitive VR environments that support sustained engagement and inclusivity. Full article

Homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) is a pivotal biomarker in precision oncology, driving therapeutic strategies for ovarian and breast cancers through impaired DNA double-strand break repair. This narrative review synthesizes recent advances (2021–2025) in HRD’s biological basis, prevalence, detection methods, and clinical implications, focusing on high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC; ~50% HRD prevalence) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC; 50–70% prevalence). HRD arises from genetic (BRCA1/2, RAD51C/D, PALB2) and epigenetic alterations (e.g., BRCA1 methylation), leading to genomic instability detectable via scars (LOH, TAI, LST) and mutational signatures (e.g., COSMIC SBS3). Advanced detection integrates genomic assays (Myriad myChoice CDx, Caris HRD, FoundationOne CDx), functional assays (RAD51 foci), and epigenetic profiling, with tools like HRProfiler and GIScar achieving >90% sensitivity. HRD predicts robust responses to PARP inhibitors (PARPi) and platinum therapies, extending progression-free survival by 12–36 months in HGSOC. However, resistance mechanisms (BRCA reversion, SETD1A/EME1, SOX5) and assay variability (60–70% non-BRCA concordance) pose challenges. We propose a conceptual framework in ^{Section 10}, integrating multi-omics, methylation analysis, and biallelic reporting to enhance detection and therapeutic stratification. Regional variations (e.g., Asian cohorts) and disparities in access underscore the need for standardized, cost-effective diagnostics. Future priorities include validating novel biomarkers (SBS39, miR-622) and combination therapies (PARPi with ATR inhibitors) to overcome resistance and broaden HRD’s applicability across cancers. Full article

Promoting behavioral change in mobility is essential for sustainable urban development. This study evaluates the effectiveness of gamified challenges in fostering sustainable travel behaviors among high school students and teachers within the High School Challenge (HSC) 2024 campaign in Lecco, Italy. Over a 13-week period, participants tracked their commuting habits via gamified mobile application, Play&Go, that awarded points for sustainable mobility choices and introduced weekly challenges. Using behavioral (GPS-based tracking) and self-report data, we assessed the influence of challenge types, player characteristics (HEXAD Player Types, Big Five traits), and user experience evaluations on participation, retention, and behavior change. The results show that challenges, particularly those based on walking distances and framed as intra-team goals, significantly enhanced user engagement and contributed to improved mobility behaviors during participants’ free time. Compared to the 2023 edition without challenges, the 2024 campaign achieved better retention. HEXAD Player Types were more predictive of user appreciation than Personality Traits, though these effects were more evident in subjective evaluations than actual behavior. Overall, findings highlight the importance of tailoring gamified interventions to users’ motivational profiles and structuring challenges around SMART principles. This study contributes to the design of behaviorally informed, scalable solutions for sustainable mobility transitions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Male infertility is multifactorial, involving genetic, environmental, lifestyle, and medical factors. Recent research has underscored the influence of lifestyle choices, such as dietary habits, smoking, alcohol abuse, and metabolic disturbances, on sperm quality. In this context, nutrition plays a pivotal role: adherence to a healthy diet like the Mediterranean Diet (MD), which emphasizes seasonal, fresh, and whole foods, has been linked to improved sperm performance. Conversely, a high intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), characterized by additives, high levels of sugars, fats, and salt, and a nutrient-poor profile, may impair sperm quality. Methods: Based on data supporting the reproductive health benefits of the MD, this observational cross-sectional study aimed at evaluating the possible relationship between MD adherence, assessed using the 14-point a priori Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) and intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), based on the NOVA classification, and sperm quality in 358 individuals (mean age 34.6 ± 9.3 years) who spontaneously referred to our center of reproductive medicine. Semen analyses were performed according to the WHO 2021 criteria. Hormonal profiles (FSH, LH, testosterone, SHBG, bioavailable testosterone, and calculated free testosterone) were also determined. Results: MD adherence score was significantly and positively correlated with semen parameters, whilst negatively correlated with FSH and LH levels. In contrast, UPF intake was correlated with poor semen parameters, whilst no association was observed with hormonal levels. Multivariate analyses confirmed these associations and showed the independency from age and BMI. Notably, among men with FSH levels < 8 IU/mL, higher quartiles of UPF intake had lower markers of sperm quality, particularly for viability and typical morphology. Differently, high MD adherence scores were associated with high quality sperm parameters even when FSH levels were >8 IU/mL. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that the adherence to MD, and conversely reduced intake of ultra-processed foods, is associates with a better semen profile. These findings suggest the possible role of dietary interventions as a modifiable factor in the management of male infertility. Full article

Background: The majority of Australian children exceed the World Health Organization’s recommended dietary intake of free sugar, particularly through the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Front-of-pack nutrition labels increase perceived risk and deter the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. However, past studies of young children have focused almost exclusively on a parent’s choice of beverage for children. This study investigated the influence of four label designs (text-based warning, tooth decay pictorial, teaspoons of sugar, and Health Star Rating) on the beverage choices of N = 1229 Australian children (aged 4–11 years) and their parents. Methods: In an online vending machine scenario, parent–child dyads were separately asked to select which beverage they would choose for themselves before and after being randomised to one label condition. The beverages displayed included 100% fruit juice, soft drink, soft drink with a non-nutritive sweetener, flavoured milk, plain milk and bottled water. Beverage healthiness was determined by a 1–10 rating based on a review by a panel of experts (10 dietitians and nutritionists). Results: Mixed-model ANOVAs showed that for parents, each label design performed comparably; however, for children, small but significant differences were seen in the effectiveness of different label designs, with the teaspoons of sugar label, text-based warning, and tooth decay pictorial found to be more impactful in promoting healthier drink choices than the Health Star Rating. Conclusions: These findings can inform public health advocacy efforts to improve food labelling and could be incorporated into educational resources to help children understand the nutritional profiles of different sugary drinks. Full article

Background: In response to criticism and limitations of the Nutri-Score Nutrient Profiling Model (NS-NPM), the algorithm was updated in 2023. However, its impact on beverage classification remains partially assessed. Objective: This study aimed to compare the nutritional profiles of beverages marketed in Spain using the original and updated NS-NPM algorithms. Methods: Nutritional data for 3432 beverages in the “Drink Base” database were analyzed using both the 2015 (original) and 2023 (updated) NS-NPM versions. Results: The 2023 update showed significant changes compared to the 2015 version. Updated scores particularly increased for artificially sweetened beverages (+190.3%), milkshakes (+98.9%), nut-based beverages (+343.9%), cereal-based beverages (+651.3%), and the mix of plant-based beverages (+733%), leading to a less healthy classification. Conversely, scores decreased for fruit juices (−12.7%) and alcohol-substitute beverages (−8.2%), while legume-based beverages maintained their classification with minimal score variation (−1.4%), raising questions about the treatment of free sugars. The remaining beverage categories experienced score changes that did not alter their classification. Conclusions: The 2023 NS-NPM algorithm improves beverage classification by refining the differentiation of sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages, improving consumer guidance. While it increases discrimination, challenges remain in the classification of plant-based beverages and fruit juices. These findings highlight Nutri-Score’s impact on industry reformulation and its potential as a public health tool to promote healthier beverage choices. This study provides novel evidence on how the updated Nutri-Score algorithm may influence consumer perception and food policy in the Spanish context. Full article

Sustainability in the food chain and the prevention of food losses is an issue of increasing importance. There is a large number of processing by-products where innovative strategies are helpful for transferring these losses into a consumable state. In a step-by-step approach, this current study focused on the sensory properties of blends of sunflower press cake and whey, fermented with different consortia of microorganisms and intended for being used as a basis for a savory spread. In the first part of the work, blends fermented with six co-cultures from lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were characterized by free choice profiling and quantitative descriptive analysis. The respective results were used to modify the formulation and to select the fermentation cultures that were promising from a sensory point of view. Subsequent investigations allowed reducing sample dimensionality further, and the study was concluded by affective hedonic tests and a check-all-that-apply set-up performed by consumers. The final experiment also comprised a just-about-right approach performed for specifically evaluating spreadability. The outcome of the entire study indicates that it is possible to tailor attractive foods from by-products, provided that the need for final optimizations regarding palatability is considered. Full article

Background: Advanced-stage ovarian cancer presents a significant therapeutic challenge, with primary cytoreductive surgery (PCS) followed by chemotherapy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) with interval debulking surgery (IDS) as the two main treatment modalities. This study aims to compare the clinical outcomes, surgical complexity, and survival rates between these approaches and to assess the impact of molecular markers such as BRCA and HRD status. Methods: This retrospective, single-center observational study included 100 patients diagnosed with stage III-IV high-grade serous ovarian cancer. The patients were divided into two cohorts based on their treatment strategy: PCS followed by adjuvant chemotherapy or NACT followed by IDS. Clinical outcomes, recurrence-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were analyzed, along with the impact of genetic biomarkers. Results: No statistically significant differences were observed in OS and PFS between the two treatment approaches. Patients who underwent NACT followed by IDS had lower surgical complexity scores and reduced perioperative morbidity. The HRD-positive patients exhibited improved responses to PARP inhibitors, reinforcing the significance of molecular profiling in therapeutic decision-making. The KELIM scores demonstrated prognostic relevance, particularly in the patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Conclusion: Both PCS and NACT-IDS are viable treatment options for advanced ovarian cancer, with similar survival outcomes. The choice between strategies should be tailored based on patient-specific factors, including tumor burden, performance status, and molecular profile. The integration of biomarkers such as BRCA mutations and HRD status into clinical practice can further refine treatment selection and improve personalized management strategies. Full article

In TROPiCS-02, sacituzumab govitecan (SG) demonstrated significantly longer overall survival and progression-free survival with improved quality of life vs. chemotherapy treatment of physician’s choice (TPC) in patients with HR+/HER2− metastatic breast cancer (mBC). The safety profile was consistent with previous studies of SG. We assessed the benefit-–risk profile of SG vs. TPC by integrating patient preferences with clinical benefits using Quality-adjusted Time Without Symptoms of disease progression or Toxicity of treatment (Q-TWiST) analysis in this study population. Survival time was partitioned into three health states: TOX (grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events [TEAEs] after randomization/before disease progression), REL (disease progression until death or end of follow-up), and TWiST (time without progression or grade ≥3 TEAEs). Health state utility weights were obtained from the published literature. The established threshold for clinically important Q-TWiST gain is 10%. SG demonstrated significantly improved Q-TWiST vs. TPC (mean 9.7 vs. 8.1 months; difference 1.6 months; 95% CI, 0.5–2.7; p = 0.0067), which increased with longer follow-up. Relative Q-TWiST improvement met the threshold for clinical importance at 10.8%. Time in TOX was numerically higher with SG than TPC, and the difference stabilized over time. Q-TWiST supports a positive benefit–risk profile for SG over TPC in patients with pretreated HR+/HER2− mBC. Full article

Although every cell biologist knows the importance of selecting the right growth conditions and it is well known that the composition of growth medium may vary depending on a product brand or lot affecting many cellular processes, still those effects are poorly systematized. We addressed this issue by comparing the effect of 12 fetal bovine sera (FBS) and eight growth media from different brands on the morphological and functional parameters of five cell types: lung adenocarcinoma, neuroblastoma, glioblastoma, embryonic kidney, and colorectal cancer cells. Using high-throughput imaging, we compared cell proliferation; performed morphological profiling based on the imaging of 561,519 cells; measured extracellular regulated kinases (ERK1/2) activity, mitochondria potential, and lysosome accumulation; and compared cell sensitivity to drugs, response to EGF stimulation, and ability to differentiate. We found that changes in cell proliferation and morphology were independent, and morphological changes were associated with differences in mitochondria potential or the cell’s ability to differentiate. Surprisingly, the most drastic differences were detected in serum-free conditions, where medium choice affected cell survival and response to EGF. Overall, our data may be used to improve the reproducibility of experiments involving cell cultures, and the effects of 28 growth conditions on proliferation and 44 morphological parameters can be explored through a Shinyapp. Full article

This study investigated the impact of different ageing containers on the volatile composition and quality of Negroamaro wine, a key variety from Apulia, Italy. Seven vessel types were evaluated: traditional Apulian amphorae (ozza), five types of oak barrels (American oak, French oak, European oak, a French + European oak and a multi-wood mix) and glass bottles as the control. The impact of the vessels was evaluated after 6 months of ageing through the characterization of phenolic, volatile and sensory profiles. Amphorae allowed a specific evolution of the wine’s primary aromas, such as fruity and floral notes, while enhancing volatile compounds like furaneol, which contributed to caramel and red fruit nuances, and also 3-methyl-2,4-nonanedione, a key compound related to anise, plum and premature ageing, depending on its concentration. This container also demonstrated effectiveness in stabilizing anthocyanin–tannin complexes, supporting color stabilization. Oak barrels allowed different outcomes to be obtained in terms of color stabilization, volatile profile, aroma and astringency. French oak exhibited the highest phenolic and tannin levels, enhancing anthocyanin stabilization and color intensity. European oak followed closely, while American oak excelled in color stabilization, with tannins less reactive to polymers. Mixed wood barrels showed lower phenolic extraction and the best astringency evolution. Full article

Mezcal is a traditional beverage with relevant cultural and economic importance in Mexico, with different Protected Designation of Origin locations. This study focuses on creating a sensory lexicon for Mezcal with local producers by means of Free Choice Profiling. A selection of the most relevant descriptors was made to construct a sensory wheel. Subsequently, a sensory panel evaluated a total of 10 Mezcal samples using the sensory categories defined in the sensory wheel. Additionally, gas chromatography with mass spectrometry was performed to analyze volatile components’ contribution to the aroma and flavor descriptors. A total of 87 terms were selected for the sensory wheel, using 41 descriptors within 10 categories for odor modality and 46 more within 13 categories for flavor modality. The main volatile compounds that were identified were 37 esters, 17 alcohols, 12 ketals and 9 terpenes, which were the foremost contributors to the presence of several sensory descriptors and were also found in most of the Mezcal samples. The quantitative analysis results exhibited a higher floral odor for Mezcal of the Angustifolia variety and the highest smoked odor for an earthenware distilled Mezcal, thus proving that the selection of the descriptors from the wheel was appropriate for differentiating Mezcal samples from different origins, agave species and distillation processes. Therefore, the sensory wheel developed in this study can be used both as a quality control tool and as a marketing tool that allows producers to differentiate their products in the market. Full article

Functional carob beverages have recently attracted consumer attention as a natural and sustainable alternative due to their excellent nutritional profile and associated health benefits. Derived from the pods of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.), which thrives in Mediterranean regions, these beverages are naturally sweet, caffeine-free, and rich in bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, dietary fiber, and essential minerals. This review highlights the nutritional composition of carob beverages, noting their high fiber content, antioxidant capacity, and lack of stimulating alkaloids, making them an ideal option for health-conscious consumers. The manufacturing processes, phytochemical properties, and sensory qualities of carob beverages are discussed, along with their potential roles in promoting digestive, cardiovascular, and metabolic health. The growing interest in carob reflects broader trends in sustainable food systems and plant-based nutrition, positioning carob beverages as a promising choice in the functional beverage industry. Full article

Sustainable diets, as defined by the Food and Agriculture Organisation, aim to be nutritionally adequate, safe, and healthy, while optimising natural and human resources. Teff (Eragrostis tef), a gluten-free grain primarily grown in Ethiopia, has emerged as a key contender in this context. Widely regarded as a “supergrain”, teff offers an outstanding nutrition profile, making it an excellent choice for people with gluten-related disorders. Rich with protein, essential amino acids, polyunsaturated fats, and fibre, and abundant in minerals like calcium and iron, teff rivals other popular grains like quinoa and durum wheat in promoting human health. Beyond its nutritional benefits, teff is a hardy crop that thrives in diverse climates, tolerating both drought and waterlogged conditions. Due to its resilience and rich nutrient content, teff holds the potential to address nine of the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 2 (zero hunger), and SDG 3 (good health and wellbeing), which are tied to improving food and nutrition security. However, teff production in Ethiopia faces significant issues. Traditional farming practices, insufficient storage infrastructure, and food safety challenges, including adulteration, hinder teff’s full potential. This review explores teff’s dual role as a nutritious, sustainable food source and outlines the key challenges in its production to conclude on what needs to be done for its adoption as a golden crop to address global food and nutrition security. Full article