Cognitive and metabolic workload assessment techniques: A review in automotive manufacturing context

Ergonomics assessment in the automotive industry has, to date, focused mainly on physical ergonomics, for example, manual handling and posture. However, workload and, in particular, metabolic and cognitive workload, contributes to worker efficiency but has not received sufficient attention to yield practical guidance for industry. Successful workload assessment requires in-depth understanding of the context in which it will be conducted and of the various assessment techniques which will be applied, with consideration given to factors such as feasibility, resources, and skill of the assessor. These requirements are met with challenges within large and complex organizations and are often dealt with in a piecemeal and isolated matter (i.e., reactive workload assessment). The present paper explores these challenges within the automotive manufacturing industry and aims to develop a decision matrix to guide effective selection of workload assessment techniques focused on metabolic and cognitive demands. It also presents the requirements for time, equipment, and knowledge to implement these techniques as part of a participatory ergonomics approach. Early findings suggest that most assessment techniques reviewed require further development, for example, to establish the acceptance criteria for the specific workload scenario. However, five methods (Garg, Borg RPE, IPAQ, SWAT, and NASA-TLX) are ready to use in certain applications. Ultimately, the findings suggest that it is possible to implement a participatory workload evaluation program within large and complex manufacturing plants.     

A Cumulative Effect of Food and Viruses to Trigger Celiac Disease (CD): A Commentary on the Recent Literature

Celiac disease (CD) is a type of inflammatory chronic disease caused by nutrients such as gliadin that induce a TC (T cell)-mediated response in a partially known genetical background in an environment predisposed to inflammation, including viruses and food. Various experimental and clinical observations suggest that multiple agents such as viruses and bacteria have some common, inflammatory pathways predisposing individuals to chronic inflammatory diseases including celiac disease (CD). More recently, a Western diet and lifestyle have been linked to tissue inflammation and increase in chronic inflammatory diseases. In CD, the gliadin protein itself has been shown to be able to induce inflammation. A cooperation between viruses and gliadin is present in vitro and in vivo with common mechanisms to induce inflammation. Nutrients could have also a protective effect on CD, and in fact the anti-inflammatory Mediterranean diet has a protective effect on the development of CD in children. The possible impact of these observations on clinical practice is discussed.     

高脂饮食诱导高脂血症大鼠及不同器官病理变化

通过高脂饮食建立高脂血症大鼠模型,观察高脂血症大鼠体内程序性死亡受体1(PD-1)的表达变化。将40只雄性SD大鼠分为2组,分别饲喂普通饲料和高脂饲料12周,计算大鼠的肝脏、脾脏和胰腺指数,测定大鼠全血血糖,检测大鼠血清中甘油三酯(TG)、总胆固醇(T-CHO)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)的含量,通过HE染色检测大鼠肝脏的病理变化,同时采用RT-q PCR检测PD-1 mRNA在大鼠肝脏、脾脏和胰腺组织内的表达变化。结果表明:高脂饲料组大鼠的肝脏、脾脏和胰腺指数显著高于普通饲料组;高脂饲料组大鼠的血糖显著升高;高脂饲料组大鼠血清中的TG、T-CHO、LDL-C的含量均显著高于普通饲料组,LDLC/HDL-C的比值也显著高于普通饲料组,高脂血症大鼠造模成功。HE染色显示高脂饲料组大鼠肝脏组织内均出现明显脂肪空泡。与普通饲料组相比,高脂饲料组大鼠肝脏、脾脏和胰腺组织内PD-1 mRNA的表达均显著降低,提示PD-1可能参与了高脂血症的发生和发展。     

How Far Are We from Prescribing Fasting as Anticancer Medicine?

(1) Background: the present review provides a comprehensive and up-to date overview of the potential exploitation of fasting as an anticancer strategy. The rationale for this concept is that fasting elicits a differential stress response in the setting of unfavorable conditions, empowering the survival of normal cells, while killing cancer cells. (2) Methods: the present narrative review presents the basic aspects of the hormonal, molecular, and cellular response to fasting, focusing on the interrelationship of fasting with oxidative stress. It also presents nonclinical and clinical evidence concerning the implementation of fasting as adjuvant to chemotherapy, highlighting current challenges and future perspectives. (3) Results: there is ample nonclinical evidence indicating that fasting can mitigate the toxicity of chemotherapy and/or increase the efficacy of chemotherapy. The relevant clinical research is encouraging, albeit still in its infancy. The path forward for implementing fasting in oncology is a personalized approach, entailing counteraction of current challenges, including: (i) patient selection; (ii) fasting patterns; (iii) timeline of fasting and refeeding; (iv) validation of biomarkers for assessment of fasting; and (v) establishment of protocols for patients’ monitoring. (4) Conclusion: prescribing fasting as anticancer medicine may not be far away if large randomized clinical trials consolidate its safety and efficacy.     

Macrofungi: A review of cultivation strategies,bioactivity, and application of mushrooms

The production of macrofungi (mushrooms) as well as their economic value have been steadily increasing globally. The use of functional foods, dietary supplements, and traditional medicines derived from macrofungi is increasing as they have numerous health benefits as well as abundant nutrients. Macrofungi are diverse with complex and highly varied growth conditions and bioactive constituents, most macrofungal resources have not yet been fully explored and applicated, leading to an urgent need for appropriate strategies to address the problem. Increasing attention has been paid to the macrofungal cultivation and application, in particular, potential prebiotics. Herein, the present review comprehensively summarizes recent progress in the cultivation, newly identified bioactive constituents, and their effects on gut microbiota as well as the potential ways in which they affect human health. Moreover, the macrofungal food development is discussed to improve food nutritional value and change the quality characteristics of food. Finally, the review addresses consumer safety concerns and the prospective genetic manipulation of macrofungi. We hope that this review can provide a comprehensive research reference for ensuring the safety and efficacy, along with maximizing the value and profitability of macrofungi production.     

Short communication: In vitro rumen gas production and starch degradation of starch-based feeds depend on mean particle size

Our objective was to model the effect of mean particle size (mPS) on in vitro rumen starch degradation (IVSD) and the kinetics of gas production for different starch-based feeds. For each feed, 2 batches of the same grains were separately processed through 2 different mills (cutter or rotor speed mills), with or without different screens to achieve a wide range of mPS (0.32 to 3.31 mm for corn meals; 0.19 to 2.81 mm for barley meals; 0.16 to 2.13 mm for wheat meals; 0.28 to 2.32 mm for oat meals; 0.21 to 2.36 mm for rye meals; 0.40 to 1.79 for sorghum meals; 0.26 to 4.71 mm for pea meals; and 0.25 to 4.53 mm for faba meals). The IVSD data and gas production kinetics, obtained by fitting to a single-pool exponential model, were analyzed using a completely randomized design, in which the main tested effect was mPS (n = 6 for all tested meals, except n = 7 for corn meals and n = 5 for sorghum meals). Rumen inocula were collected from 2 fistulated Holstein dairy cows that were fed a total mixed ration consisting of 16.2% crude protein, 28.5% starch, and 35.0% neutral detergent fiber on a dry matter basis. The IVSD, evaluated after 7 h of rumen incubation, decreased linearly with increasing mPS for corn, barley, wheat, rye, pea, and faba meals, and decreased quadratically with increasing mPS for the other meals. The y-axis intercept for 7-h IVSD was below 90% starch for corn, barley, and rye feeds and greater than 90% for the other tested feeds. The mPS adjustment factors for the rate of rumen starch degradation varied widely among the different tested feeds. We found a linear decrease in starch degradation with increasing mPS for barley, wheat, rye, and pea meals, whereas we noted a quadratic decrease in starch degradation for the other tested meals. Further, we observed a linear decrease in the rate of gas production with increasing mPS in each tested feed, except for pea meal, which had a quadratic relationship. For each 1 mm increase in mPS, the gas production was adjusted by ?0.009 h^?1 for corn, ?0.011 h^?1 for barley, ?0.008 h^?1 for wheat, and ?0.006 h^?1 for faba, whereas numerically greater adjustments were needed for oat (?0.022 h^?1), rye (?0.017 h^?1), and sorghum (?0.014 h^?1). These mPS adjustment factors could be used to modify the starch-based feed energy values as a function of mean particle size, although in vivo validation is required.     

云南野生黄毛草莓的营养价值评价和香气成分分析

分析黄毛草莓的果实品质和香气成分并对比其他栽培品种的差异，为其品质特性评价和香气利用奠定基础。通过直接滴定法、酸碱滴定法、福林酚法、直接法、2,6-二氯靛酚滴定法和质构仪测定法对4种草莓（黄毛草莓、密宝、哈尼、R7）的还原糖、总酸、总酚、花色苷、维生素C和硬度共6项指标进行测定，综合比较4种草莓的品质；运用顶空固相微萃取和气相色谱—质谱联用技术分析草莓果实的香气成分并做聚类分析。结果显示，在营养价值方面，黄毛草莓综合评分值仅次于哈尼排在第2位，高于密宝和R7。在果实香气方面，黄毛草莓的香气鉴定物质种类最多为83种，密宝有66种，哈尼有64种，R7有57种。在4种草莓的挥发物中，酯类是主要的挥发物（30.23%~52.70%），其中黄毛草莓的酯类相对含量最高（52.70%）。构成黄毛草莓特征香气的主要成分是香味酯：异戊酸乙酯、己酸乙酯、辛酸乙酯、乙酸辛酯、甲酸辛酯、癸酸乙酯、乙酸癸酯、香味醇反式-2-己烯-1-醇。黄毛草莓香气主成分聚类分析的结果显示，黄毛草莓和其他3个栽培品种分为两类，在香气主成分上与其他3种栽培品种存在显著差异。黄毛草莓中富含多种香精香料与洗护产品等行业所需的特殊香气成分，具有极大应用潜力。     

Household endotoxin reduction in the Louisa Environmental Intervention Project for rural childhood asthma

Endotoxin exacerbates asthma. We designed the Louisa Environmental Intervention Project (LEIP) and assessed its effectiveness in reducing household endotoxin and improving asthma symptoms in rural Iowa children. Asthmatic school children (N = 104 from 89 homes) of Louisa and Keokuk counties in Iowa (aged 5-14 years) were recruited and block-randomized to receive extensive (education + professional cleaning) or educational interventions. Environmental sampling collection and respiratory survey administration were done at baseline and during three follow-up visits. Mixed-model analyses were used to assess the effect of the intervention on endotoxin levels and asthma symptoms in the main analysis and of endotoxin reduction on asthma symptoms in exploratory analysis. In the extensive intervention group, dust endotoxin load was significantly reduced in post-intervention visits. The extensive compared with the educational intervention was associated with significantly decreased dust endotoxin load in farm homes and less frequent nighttime asthma symptoms. In exploratory analysis, dust endotoxin load reduction from baseline was associated with lower total asthma symptoms score (Odds ratio: 0.52, 95% confidence interval: 0.29-0.92). In conclusion, the LEIP intervention reduced household dust endotoxin and improved asthma symptoms. However, endotoxin reductions were not sustained post-intervention by residents.     

Cyanogenic,carotenoids and protein composition in leaves and roots across seven diverse population found in the world cassava germplasm collection at CIAT,Colombia

The objective of this study was to characterise the nutritional potential of leaves and identify a diversity centre with low cyanide and high nutrient content among 178 Latin American cassava genotypes. This field-based collection represents the seven diversity centres, held at The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT Palmira, Colombia) by the Cassava Program. The cyanide, all-trans-β-carotene and lutein concentrations in cassava leaves ranged from 346 to 7484 ppm dry basis (db), from 174–547 μg g⁻¹ db and 15–181 μg g⁻¹ db, respectively. Cassava leaves also showed significant levels of essential amino acids leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, valine and threonine, and average total protein content of 26.24 g 100 g⁻¹ db. Among seven diversity centres, South American rainforest group showed low cyanide and high carotene content in leaves. In addition, VEN77 and PAN51 genotypes stood out for having low cyanide in leaves and roots and high carotene in leaves. This genetic diversity can be used to select high potential progenitors for breeding purposes.