• Boje Sargent posted an update 2 days, 6 hours ago

    The results show that the constructed 2D magnetic field contour maps accurately reproduce both the locations of the individual magnets and the distributions of the magnetic fields around them.Lignans are phytochemicals studied extensively as dietary factors in chronic disease etiology. Our goal was to examine associations between the gut microbiota and lignan metabolism and whether these associations differ by ethnicity. We conducted a flaxseed (FS) dietary intervention in 252 healthy, postmenopausal women of African ancestry (AA) and European ancestry (EA). Participants consumed ~10 g/d ground flaxseed for 6 weeks and provided overnight urine collections and fecal samples before and after intervention. The gut microbiota was characterized using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and differences in microbial community composition compared by ethnicity and intervention status. We observed a significant difference in the composition of the microbiota measured as beta diversity (p less then 0.05) between AA and EA at baseline that was attenuated with FS consumption. Genera that were significantly associated with ENL production (e.g., Klebsiella, Lactobacillus, Slackia, Senegalimassilia) were unique to each group. Bacteria (e.g., Fusobacteria, Pyramidobacter and Odoribacter) previously associated with colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease, both diet-related chronic diseases, were unique to either AA or EA and were significantly reduced in the FS intervention. This study suggests that ethnic variation in ENL metabolism may be linked to gut microbiota composition, and its impact on disease risk deserves future investigation.The paper presents the results obtained in studying glycerol hydrogenolysis into 1-propanol and 2-propanol over bifunctional Ni/WO3-TiO2 and Ni/WO3-ZrO2 catalysts in the flow system. Due to the optimal combination of acidic and hydrogenation properties of the heterogeneous catalysts, they exhibit higher performance in glycerol conversion into C3 alcohols, although the process is carried out in rather mild conditions. At the reaction temperature of 250 °C and hydrogen pressure of 3 MPa, the total yield of 1-propanol and 2-propanol reaches 95%, and the glycerol conversion is close to 100%.The implications of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have stretched far beyond human health and wellbeing, causing serious setbacks for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Although governments worldwide have implemented different fiscal stimulus measures to mitigate the implications of COVID-19, it is important to develop a precise understanding of their focus areas to ensure if the progress of SDGs is on track. For a specific case of Indonesia, this study establishes a thorough understanding of the COVID-19 implications on SDGs, and its fiscal stimulus package through a literature review and semi-formal interviews with the core stakeholders in Indonesia. The study results highlighted that COVID-19 has varyingly affected the progress of all SDGs in Indonesia. Amongst the four pillars of sustainable development in Indonesia, the SDGs on the social and economic development pillars are stated to be the most impacted. As for the fiscal stimulus, it is perceived that it can help maintain the SDGs’ attainment progress to a certain extent, although there are several concerns on its implementation. Deriving lessons from the conducted research, the study puts forward key suggestions for the effective implementation of SDGs in the post-COVID-19 era.The first step in crop introduction-or breeding programmes-requires cultivar identification and characterisation. Rapid identification methods would therefore greatly improve registration, breeding, seed, trade and inspection processes. Metabolomics has proven to be indispensable in interrogating cellular biochemistry and phenotyping. Furthermore, metabolic fingerprints are chemical maps that can provide detailed insights into the molecular composition of a biological system under consideration. Here, metabolomics was applied to unravel differential metabolic profiles of various oat (Avena sativa) cultivars (Magnifico, Dunnart, Pallinup, Overberg and SWK001) and to identify signatory biomarkers for cultivar identification. The respective cultivars were grown under controlled conditions up to the 3-week maturity stage, and leaves and roots were harvested for each cultivar. Metabolites were extracted using 80% methanol, and extracts were analysed on an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) system coupled to a quadrupole time-of-flight (qTOF) high-definition mass spectrometer analytical platform. The generated data were processed and analysed using multivariate statistical methods. Principal component analysis (PCA) models were computed for both leaf and root data, with PCA score plots indicating cultivar-related clustering of the samples and pointing to underlying differential metabolic profiles of these cultivars. Further multivariate analyses were performed to profile differential signatory markers, which included carboxylic acids, amino acids, fatty acids, phenolic compounds (hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids, and associated derivatives) and flavonoids, among the respective cultivars. Based on the key signatory metabolic markers, the cultivars were successfully distinguished from one another in profiles derived from both leaves and roots. Selleckchem Vismodegib The study demonstrates that metabolomics can be used as a rapid phenotyping tool for cultivar differentiation.Although rapid urbanization is often considered as one of the most important drivers for changing dietary patterns, little attention has been paid to rural areas despite the profound transformation they have undergone. Using longitudinal data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) for the period from 2004 to 2011, this study seeks to better understand the relationship between the urbanization of rural areas and dietary transition, with the focus on nutrition intake and dietary quality. Our results suggest that with increasing urbanization, rural residents tend to have on average lower calorie intakes but higher dietary quality. Specifically, increasing urbanization consistently reduces carbohydrate consumption and reduces fat consumption after a turning point; protein consumption first decreases and then increases after the turning point with increasing urbanization. Urbanization shows a significant and positive effect on the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). In addition to sociodemographic changes, we find that changing consumer preferences and knowledge serve as important determinants in explaining the dietary transition in rural China from 2004 to 2011.