Search Results (4,155)

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasingly managed through lifestyle measures, yet the value of pairing structured exercise with a well-characterised phytotherapeutic adjunct remains poorly defined. We examined whether adding Nigella sativa (NS) to combined aerobic and resistance exercise (EX) yields greater improvements in metabolic, inflammatory, and oxidative-stress markers than exercise alone in men with T2DM. In this three-arm randomised controlled trial, 90 sedentary, non-smoking men (aged 40–60 years; T2DM duration > 2 years; glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) 6.5–9.0%; body mass index (BMI) < 30 kg/m²) were allocated 1:1:1 to control, EX, or EX + NS (2 g/day; n = 30 per group) for four weeks. Fasting blood samples obtained before and after the intervention were used to measure glycaemic indices (fasting blood glucose (FBG) and fructosamine), a lipid panel (total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c)), inflammatory markers (tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and adiponectin), and oxidative-stress markers (thiobarbituric acid–reactive substances (TBARS) and catalase activity). Outcomes were analysed by two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (time × group), with partial eta-squared (η_p²) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) reported for all principal effects. Relative to control, both exercise arms significantly improved body composition and glycaemic, lipid, inflammatory, and oxidative-stress profiles (all p < 0.05). The time × group interaction was significant for every outcome except systolic and diastolic blood pressure and triglycerides. Compared with EX alone, EX + NS produced significantly greater improvements in FBG, HDL-C, TBARS, and catalase activity; changes in fructosamine, total cholesterol, TNF-α, IL-4, and adiponectin favoured EX + NS directionally but did not reach significance after correction for multiple comparisons. Triglycerides, LDL-C, and blood pressure did not differ between the two exercise arms. These hypothesis-generating findings support NS as a candidate adjunct to structured exercise for selected metabolic and redox outcomes, and warrant larger, longer, sex-balanced confirmation. Full article

Post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) can persist even after mild acute illness, and oxidative stress has been proposed as a central mechanism for this persistence, although it remains poorly studied in the Amazon. This study characterized redox imbalance in patients with PCS through a combined analysis of lipid peroxidation, antioxidant defenses, and nitric oxide bioavailability. In a cross-sectional observational design, 85 patients with PCS and 53 healthy controls were evaluated, with determination of TBARS, total antioxidant capacity (ABTS), erythrocyte SOD, CAT, and GPx activity, plasma nitric oxide levels, and subgroup analysis according to disease duration (≤6, 6–12, and >12 months). Patients with PCS showed significantly higher TBARS concentrations and lower nitric oxide, ABTS, SOD, CAT, and GPx levels than controls, with predominantly large effect sizes. Lipid peroxidation correlated positively with HDL-c levels, and none of the markers differed significantly among the symptom duration subgroups. The findings indicate that PCS is associated with a persistent redox imbalance, marked by continuous lipid oxidative damage and sustained depletion of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant defenses, with a vascular component suggested by reduced nitric oxide levels, regardless of the time elapsed since symptom onset. Full article

High-density lipoprotein (HDL)-associated paraoxonase-1 (PON1) contributes substantially to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions of HDL. Impairment of these protective properties has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other forms of dementia, particularly those involving neurovascular dysregulation. In the present study, we investigated for the first time the potential involvement of the putative physiological lactonase activity of PON1 in serum samples from a large cohort of older adults (n = 691), including cognitively healthy controls and patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), AD, vascular dementia (VAD), mixed AD/VAD (MIXED dementia), and other forms of dementia. A difference was observed between controls and MCI patients (−34%, p < 0.001). The next largest differences were observed in the VAD and MIXED dementia groups, both showing a decrease of approximately 25% compared with controls (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively), and in AD patients (−14%, p < 0.05). After adjustment for confounding factors, only MCI and MIXED dementia remained significantly different from controls. These findings suggest that reduced serum PON1 lactonase activity is already detectable at the MCI stage and is particularly evident in conditions combining neurodegenerative and vascular pathology. Longitudinal studies are required to determine whether lower PON1 lactonase activity precedes, accompanies, or follows cognitive decline. Full article

Dyslipidemia and inflammation are two hallmarks of schizophrenia (SCZ), but the link between these two conditions remains elusive. We studied 40 SCZ patients and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (CTRL) analyzing serum total, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. In addition, we evaluated, for the first time in SCZ patients, HDL subfractions and surrogate markers of cholesterol intestinal absorption and de novo synthesis together with cholesterol precursors, aiming to address a possible dysregulation of cholesterol metabolism in SCZ. Moreover, we measured serum cytokines to evaluate systemic inflammation. SCZ patients showed an impaired cholesterol absorption, as indicated by serum phytosterols and cholestanol reduction, and a subsequent increase in de novo synthesis, confirmed by the increase in serum lathosterol. However, the last step of cholesterol biosynthesis seems to be impaired, probably for the inhibition of the 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR7), as suggested by the significant increase in serum 7-dehydrocholesterol (and its isomer 8-dehydrocholesterol). Consequently, serum HDL cholesterol is significantly reduced with an anti-inflammatory remodeling of its subfractions that likely represents a response to systemic inflammation suggested by the increased serum interleukin-6 and angiopoietin-2 levels. Overall, the impaired cholesterol metabolism in SCZ patients is associated with a pro-inflammatory state, which is responded to by the anti-inflammatory remodeling of HDL subfractions. Improving intestinal cholesterol absorption and reducing endogenous cholesterol biosynthesis could represent putative therapeutic approaches. Full article

Conventional milling separates the wheat germ and bran from the endosperm to obtain white semolina; although these fractions retain recognized nutritional value, a substantial share is still diverted to feed and other comparatively low-value uses rather than into food for direct human consumption. In this Perspective we ask whether recovering a larger share of these fractions—through a controlled industrial sequence of selection, de-oiling and physical fractionation—can be turned into a functional ingredient, commercialized as “altograno”, that improves the health profile of an ordinary pasta without compromising palatability or shelf stability. To address this objective we proceed in a fixed analytical sequence: what the product is and what a habitual portion actually delivers; a nutrient-by-nutrient appraisal graded by level of evidence; the biological mechanisms from the intestinal lumen to the hepatocyte; and only then the clinical endpoint. The evidence base integrates two complementary studies of one product line from the Casillo Next Gen Food chain: a full nutritional, microbiological and gastrointestinal characterization in healthy volunteers, and a double-blind randomized controlled trial with in vitro hepatocyte evidence in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS), with and without major psychiatric disorders (MPDs). Because the clinically tested product (67% semolina, 27% de-oiled wheat germ, 6% microencapsulated wheat-germ oil) shares the same nominal formulation as the germ-plus-oil pasta (EP3) of the characterization study—although the measured nutritional values reported in the two papers differ, so the two products cannot be regarded as analytically identical—the two datasets can be read together, with due caution, across kernel processing, composition, hepatocellular mechanism and gut-microbiota switching to a clinical endpoint: a ~13.5% fall in non-HDL cholesterol, roughly 2.5-fold greater than with conventional pasta, with no statistically significant interaction with the polygenic risk score detected, and paralleled by normalized hepatocyte lipid loading in vitro. We argue that de-oiling is best understood as a deliberate technological optimization—trading a portion of labile lipids for stability and standardization while recovering the bioactive oil for protected re-addition—and that this evidence, while still preliminary on several fronts, supports dedicated, mechanistically instrumented clinical development of upcycled-kernel staples rather than establishing these products as proven therapeutic tools. Full article

Background/Objectives: Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) is a complex endocrine–metabolic disorder of multifactorial etiology, driven by interactions among hyperandrogenism, metabolic dysfunction, oxidative stress, and chronic low-grade inflammation that interact to promote reproductive dysfunction and increase risk of cardiometabolic complications. Although the combination of letrozole and high-fat diet (LET + HFD) represents a widely used experimental approach for inducing a PMOS-like phenotype in rats, its multisystem pathophysiological features remain incompletely characterized. The present study aimed to characterize reproductive, cardiometabolic, hormonal, inflammatory, oxidative, and morphometric alterations associated with a LET + HFD-induced PMOS-like phenotype in rats. Methods: PMOS-like model was induced in rats over a 21-day period of orally administered letrozole combined with a high-fat diet. Results: Body weight gain was higher, while uterine weight was lower in the PMOS group compared with controls. Metabolic parameters suggested insulin resistance, while hormonal profiling revealed increased total testosterone and LH levels, accompanied by reduced FSH, estradiol, and progesterone levels. Elevated triglycerides and reduced HDL levels were also observed in the PMOS group. Morphometric analysis revealed numerous atretic and large thin-walled cystic follicles in the ovaries, accompanied by thinning of the uterine luminal and glandular epithelium, stromal layer, and hypoplasia of endometrial glands. Both the longitudinal diameter and cross-sectional area of cardiomyocytes were increased in the PMOS group, together with nuclear hypertrophy and enhanced myocardial collagen deposition. In addition, altered oxidative stress markers, including increased lipid peroxidation and reduced glutathione levels, were observed, whereas IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-23 were not significantly altered. Conclusions: The LET + HFD model reproduces key reproductive and cardiometabolic features of PMOS, extending beyond reproductive dysfunction to involve oxidative and structural alterations in multiple organs. These findings support its use for investigating PMOS pathophysiology and evaluating potential preventive and therapeutic strategies. Full article

Yeast hydrolysate (YH) has attracted increasing interest as a functional feed additive because of its potential benefits for maternal nutrition and offspring development. However, its effects on milk composition and the physiological responses of donkey foals remain poorly understood. This study evaluated the effects of dietary YH supplementation in lactating Dezhou jennies on milk composition, as well as growth performance, serum biochemical parameters, and fecal microbiota in their foals. Sixteen healthy jennies and their foals were randomly assigned to a control group (OCON) or a YH-supplemented group (OYE; 0.5 g/kg diet) for 60 days. Maternal dietary YH supplementation significantly increased milk fat and milk protein contents. Foals in the OYE group showed a tendency toward greater back skin thickness, although the difference was not statistically significant, while body weight and neck skin thickness were unaffected. Serum biochemical analysis showed increased HDL-C and total cholesterol concentrations together with decreased triglyceride and LDL-C concentrations in the OYE group. In addition, serum ALT activity was significantly decreased, whereas AST levels were significantly increased. Fecal microbiota analysis indicated that YH supplementation did not significantly affect overall microbial diversity but altered the relative abundance of several bacterial taxa, including Prevotella, Alistipes, and Olsenella. Overall, maternal dietary YH supplementation was associated with changes in milk composition, selected serum biochemical parameters, and the relative abundance of specific fecal bacterial taxa in donkey foals. However, no significant improvement in offspring growth performance was observed, and the underlying mechanisms require further investigation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Individual responses to weight-loss diets vary widely due to genetic, metabolic, and lifestyle factors, motivating individualized approaches over “one-size-fits-all” advice. We aimed to evaluate long-term (12-month) weight loss, weight maintenance, and cardiometabolic outcomes of a cohort following a nutrigenetically tailored Mediterranean-style dietary program in a real-world, community setting. Methods: The retrospective data cohort included 426 Israeli adults (mean BMI 32.11 ± 4.58 kg/m²; 66.9% women) who participated in a nutrigenetic weight-loss program. Following nutrigenetic direct-to-consumer screening of 425 genetic variants, the participants received a 3-month personalized adjusted diet with remote dietitian-led follow-up by telephone, after which they transitioned to a 9-month self-monitoring and maintenance period. Blood biochemical parameters were reported from routine Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) laboratory testing. Weight/BMI trajectories (0–3, 3–6, 6–9, 9–12 months) were evaluated using linear mixed-effects models; biomarker changes were analyzed with repeated-measures MANOVA and follow-up univariate ANOVAs. Results: Model-estimated cumulative weight loss at 12 months was 10.12 kg (11.4% of baseline) with a mean BMI reduction of 3.68 kg/m² (p < 0.001). The steepest decline occurred during months 3–6 (−1.13 kg/month). Triglycerides (−14.06 mg/dL), total cholesterol (−4.68 mg/dL), LDL cholesterol (−2.49 mg/dL), fasting glucose (−5.14 mg/dL), and HbA1c (−0.14%) improved significantly (p < 0.05), while HDL cholesterol levels remained stable (+0.86 mg/dL; p > 0.05) at 12 months. Among participants with elevated baseline biochemical values, levels transitioned to normal range by 12-month follow-up for triglycerides (46.4%), total cholesterol (29.4%), LDL cholesterol (34.5%), glucose (39.6%), and HbA1c (35.5%). Conclusions: In a real-world cohort, inclusion of genetic information to personalize dietary guidance was implemented through a flexible, individually tailored program supported by an initial 3-month phase of remote dietitian-led counseling. This approach was associated with durable, clinically meaningful reductions in weight and cardiometabolic risk markers over 12 months. Randomized trials are warranted to confirm causality and evaluate cost-effectiveness. Full article

Background/Objectives: A body shape index (ABSI) has been proposed as an anthropometric measure reflecting abdominal body shape beyond body mass index (BMI). However, its relative cross-sectional discriminative ability compared with conventional anthropometric measures and surrogate markers of insulin resistance for prevalent diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains poorly characterized in Korean adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 11,448 Korean adults aged 18–64 years from the 2019–2021 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses, we compared the discriminative ability of ABSI with BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglyceride-to-HDL cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C), and the triglyceride–glucose index (TyG) for prevalent diabetes and CVD. Multivariable logistic regression analyses assessed associations after adjustment for demographic and socioeconomic factors. Results: ABSI showed the highest ROC-AUC for both prevalent diabetes (74%) and CVD (74%) among the compared indices. In multivariable-adjusted analyses, individuals in the very high ABSI risk group had higher odds of prevalent CVD (OR, 3.75; 95% CI, 1.60–8.78) than those in the very low-risk group. Among individuals with diabetes, the odds of comorbid CVD were also higher in the very high ABSI group (OR, 3.38; 95% CI, 2.26–5.07). Similar patterns appeared in obesity-subgroup analyses. Conclusions: ABSI showed greater discriminative ability for prevalent diabetes and CVD than several conventional measures and insulin-resistance markers, supporting its potential utility as a simple marker of cardiometabolic disease burden. Prospective studies are needed to determine its prognostic value. Full article

Background: Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) is a common microvascular complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) associated with chronic inflammation, metabolic dysregulation, and multiple interacting systemic factors. This study evaluated the associations of inflammatory biomarkers, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], electrolyte homeostasis, and lipid-derived indices with NPDR. Methods: In this cross-sectional study with prospective recruitment, 98 patients with T2DM were classified into NPDR (n = 55) and non-DR (n = 43) groups. Clinical characteristics, hematological inflammatory indices, serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), 25(OH)D, electrolyte concentrations, lipid profile, and derived biomarkers—including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune–inflammation index (SII), LDL-C/HDL-C ratio, and calculated serum osmolarity—were compared. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and multivariable logistic regression were performed to assess discriminatory performance and independent associations with NPDR. Results: Patients with NPDR had significantly lower serum 25(OH)D concentrations than the non-DR group (16.6 ± 7.5 vs. 21.0 ± 5.2 ng/mL, p < 0.001). Serum IL-6 levels (4.2 ± 3.1 vs. 2.8 ± 1.4 pg/mL, p = 0.047), NLR (p = 0.043), LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (p = 0.031), and calculated serum osmolarity (p = 0.033) were significantly higher, whereas lymphocyte count and the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio were significantly lower. Among individual biomarkers, serum 25(OH)D showed the best discriminatory performance (AUC = 0.712). A multivariable model including insulin therapy, IL-6, serum 25(OH)D, and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio demonstrated good discrimination (AUC = 0.813), with 81.8% sensitivity and 81.4% specificity. Bootstrap validation supported the stability of the model. Conclusions: NPDR was associated with lower serum 25(OH)D concentrations, systemic inflammation, and a less favorable LDL-C/HDL-C ratio. A multivariable model integrating inflammatory, metabolic, and nutritional biomarkers showed better discriminatory performance than individual biomarkers. The association between insulin therapy and NPDR likely reflects greater diabetes severity rather than a direct effect of insulin. These findings are exploratory, and prospective studies in larger independent cohorts are needed to determine whether these biomarkers improve risk stratification beyond established clinical factors. Full article

Background: Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption may be associated not only with nutrition knowledge but also with individuals’ practical food-related competencies and overall dietary patterns. Aim: This study investigated how cooking and food skills, dietary literacy, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet were related to UPF consumption among adults in İstanbul, Türkiye. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study included 293 (85.7% female, mean age of 22.63 ± 4.66 years) adults residing in Istanbul, Türkiye between 1 January 2026 and 30 June 2026. Data were collected through an online questionnaire comprising sociodemographic and food-related characteristics, the Cooking Skills and Food Skills Measure, the e-Healthy Diet Literacy Scale (e-HDL), the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS), and the Short Screening Questionnaire of Highly Processed Food Consumption (sQ-HPF). Validated Turkish versions of all instruments were used; no measurement tool was developed specifically for this study. Results: 57.0% of participants were classified as having a high level of UPF consumption. The high level of UPF consumption group was younger, cooked at home less frequently, ordered food more frequently, and had lower cooking skills, food skills, and MEDAS scores compared to the low level of UPF consumption group (all p < 0.05). UPF consumption was negatively correlated with food skills (r: −0.33), MEDAS (r = −0.28), cooking skills (r = −0.27), age (r = −0.21), and home-cooking frequency (r = −0.18) and positively correlated with food-ordering frequency (r = 0.18). In the final regression model, younger age (β = −0.144, p = 0.009), lower food skills (β = −0.325, p < 0.001), and lower MEDAS scores (β = −0.252, p < 0.001) were independently associated with higher UPF consumption. E-HDL was not independently associated with UPF consumption. The final model explained 18.4% of the adjusted variance. Conclusions: Among this predominantly young and female sample of adults residing in Istanbul, lower food skills and lower Mediterranean diet adherence co-occurred with higher UPF consumption. Although the direction of these associations cannot be determined, the findings may inform future strategies that integrate nutrition education with practical food preparation support and the promotion of Mediterranean-style food choices. Full article

Objectives: Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, yet population-specific evidence regarding the contribution of MIA3 genetic variation in Middle Eastern populations remains limited. This study investigated the association of the MIA3 rs17465637 polymorphism with CAD susceptibility and its relationship with lipid-related phenotypes in a Saudi population. Methods: A case–control study was conducted between June 2020 and August 2022, including 200 patients with angiographically confirmed CAD and 200 age- and sex-matched healthy Saudi controls. Genotyping of rs17465637 was performed using a TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. Genotype distributions were evaluated using chi-square analysis under multiple inheritance models. Multivariable logistic regression was subsequently performed to estimate adjusted odds ratios after controlling age, BMI, smoking, physical inactivity, systolic BP, diastolic BP, blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and HDL-C. Associations between rs17465637 genotypes and serum lipid parameters were also examined. Results: Genotype frequencies of rs17465637 differed modestly between cases and controls; however, unadjusted comparisons under codominant, dominant, recessive, and allelic inheritance models did not reach statistical significance, and none remained significant after Bonferroni correction. In contrast, multivariable logistic regression demonstrated an independent association between the rs17465637 C allele and CAD after adjustment for conventional cardiovascular risk factors. In genotype–phenotype analyses, carriers of the C allele exhibited higher association with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations and less favorable lipid profiles than AA homozygotes, supporting a relationship between the variant and lipid metabolism. These findings are consistent with a potential contribution of rs17465637 to CAD susceptibility through lipid-related pathways. Conclusions: Although unadjusted genotype comparisons were not statistically significant after correction for multiple testing, multivariable analysis provides evidence supporting an independent association between the MIA3 rs17465637 variant and CAD susceptibility in this Saudi cohort. The observed associations with adverse lipid profiles further provide evidence linking this specific locus to the molecular mechanisms underlying cardiovascular disease. Replication in larger, multi-center studies incorporating genome-wide ancestry-informative markers and functional investigations is warranted to further minimize the possibility of residual population stratification, confirming these findings and clarifying the biological mechanisms underlying this association. Full article

Background/Objectives: Healthcare staff, especially nurses, face high occupational stress, yet objective biological indicators that complement self-report are not well established. We examined whether metabolic, hormonal and physiological markers act as indicators of stress and relate to anxiety, depression and burnout in nurses and other healthcare workers. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 300 hospital employees (239 in healthcare, of whom 123 were nurses; 61 non-healthcare) at a Croatian university hospital; of 329 completed questionnaires, 300 (91.2%) met the inclusion criteria and were analysed. Fasting glucose, lipids, thyroid hormones, cortisol, heart rate and blood pressure were measured; psychological status was measured using the 42-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-42), Maslach Burnout Inventory and Zung scale. Analyses used Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests, Spearman correlation, hierarchical logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, smoking and thyroid medication use, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: Healthcare workers had more favourable glucose, total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol than the older non-healthcare group (all p ≤ 0.003); because the groups differed substantially in age, these unadjusted differences are descriptive only. Metabolic markers correlated only weakly with distress and burnout. Within healthcare workers, elevated stress was discriminated in univariable analysis by low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (area under the curve (AUC) 0.72), raised triglycerides (AUC 0.67) and glucose (AUC 0.66); however, after adjustment for age, sex, smoking and thyroid medication use, none of the markers remained independently associated with elevated stress. Conclusions: In this relatively healthy hospital workforce, routinely available biological markers showed limited value as standalone indicators of occupational stress; they are exploratory rather than validated biomarkers, and require confirmation in larger, prospective, multicentre studies before they can complement—rather than replace—psychological screening in occupational-health practice. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of olive leaf extract (OLE) on growth, intestinal health, and resistance against Vibrio parahaemolyticus challenge in juvenile Litopenaeus vannamei. To a basal diet containing 12% fishmeal, OLE was added at 0%, 0.10%, 0.20%, 0.40%, and 0.80%, forming diets with equal nitrogen and lipid contents. The diets were divided into five groups and named OLE0 (control group), OLE1, OLE2, OLE4, and OLE8. The findings revealed that relative to OLE0, the weight gain rate (WGR) and specific growth rate (SGR) increased in the OLE1 group, whereas the feed conversion ratio (FCR) declined (p < 0.05). The crude protein (CP) content for whole shrimp in the OLE8 group was significantly higher (p < 0.05), and the crude lipid (CL) content in the OLE1, OLE2 and OLE8 groups significantly decreased compared with OLE0 (p < 0.05). In serum indices, the OLE8 group had notably higher total protein (TP) content than the control (p < 0.05). Compared with the OLE0 group, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels in the OLE1 and OLE2 groups were increased, whereas low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in the OLE4 and OLE8 groups were significantly decreased compared with the control (p < 0.05). Hepatopancreatic malondialdehyde (MDA) in all experimental groups was significantly decreased compared with the control (p < 0.05). The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in all experimental groups increased (p < 0.05) and was the largest in the OLE1 group. The OLE1, OLE2 and OLE4 groups had significantly increased glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity (p < 0.05). Catalase (CAT) activity in the OLE1 group was significantly higher than the control (p < 0.05). The toll, lzm, imd, cru a and propo mRNA expression levels in the hepatopancreas were significantly upregulated in each experimental group (p < 0.05). Intestinal microbial analysis indicated that the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes was elevated in the OLE4 and OLE8 groups, accompanied by a reduction in Vibrio proportion (p < 0.05). Post-challenge assays demonstrated that the OLE4 and OLE8 groups achieved remarkably higher cumulative survival rates than OLE0 (p < 0.05). In summary, OLE in a low-fishmeal diet can promote growth performance, intestinal health and disease resistance for shrimp. According to the broken-line regression model of WGR against OLE dosage, 0.08% was the optimal dietary OLE inclusion level of the OLE additive in juvenile L. vannamei. Full article

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and insulin resistance (IR) are major global health challenges. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath offer a non-invasive window into metabolic dysregulation. This study aimed to predict HOMA-IR using machine learning (ML) by integrating biochemical markers and VOC profiles in a male cohort. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1258 male participants from the Taiwan MJ cohort. Four ML algorithms (Elastic Net, MARS, Random Forest, and XGBoost) were trained to predict HOMA-IR. Model performance was evaluated using R², RMSE, and MAE. SHAP analysis was used to interpret feature contributions. Results: Ensemble tree-based approaches (Random Forest and XGBoost) demonstrated better predictive performance than Elastic Net and MARS. Random Forest achieved the highest predictive performance on the test set (R² = 0.323). SHAP analysis identified BMI (mean |SHAP| = 1.326) as the strongest predictor, followed by TG (1.005) and HDL-C (0.445). Notably, specific breath VOCs, including methanol and formic acid, ranked among the top 20 predictors, capturing distinct aspects of metabolic dysregulation orthogonal to standard blood tests. Conclusions: Integrating VOC profiles with clinical markers provides acceptable predictive performance for IR in men. While traditional metabolic markers dominate the prediction, specific VOCs capture distinct metabolic information, highlighting the potential of breath analysis as a complementary early screening tool. Full article