Search Results (827)

The Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii, Brandt, 1869) is a potamodromous freshwater species with major ecological and commercial importance. Natural populations across the main Siberian River basins have declined so severely that the species is now classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. This narrative analysis synthesizes current scientific knowledge regarding the ecology, reproductive biology, conservation status, and nutritional value of products derived from A. baerii, with the aim of providing an integrated perspective on this species, which has recently been introduced into Romanian aquaculture and occupies the interface between biodiversity and human consumption needs. The species’ remarkable ecological and morphological plasticity, which underlies its wide natural distribution in the Ob, Irtysh, Yenisei, and Lena River basins, has also made it the dominant species in global sturgeon aquaculture, commercially farmed in Europe, Asia, and South America. Reproductive management in farming systems relies on hormonal induction, non-invasive maturity assessment, and controlled hatchery practices, while emerging no-kill technologies enable repeated caviar harvesting without sacrificing the female, improving both ethical standards and economic efficiency. From a nutritional standpoint, A. baerii yields two high-value products: caviar, a rich source of the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids EPA and DHA, whose dietary intake has been associated with cardiovascular and neurodevelopmental benefits in the broader nutrition literature, and meat, characterized by high-biological-value protein, a favorable amino acid profile, and significant omega-3 content. By-products such as skin, swim bladders, glands, and cartilage contribute to the higher-value utilization of the species within the circular bioeconomy. Still, notable gaps remain in genetics and sex determination methods, in early life behavioral ecology, and in cryopreservation protocols. Future work should also look at more sustainable feed formulations and new value-added products. Full article

Despite advances in parenteral nutrition (PN) formulations, the temporal aspects of PN delivery are less defined. This review synthesizes evidence on the optimal timing of PN initiation, duration, and delivery within the 24-h day in pediatric populations. Evidence suggests that the optimal timing of PN initiation varies by age and clinical context. While early PN remains standard practice for very preterm and very low birth weight infants, delaying PN has been associated with improved outcomes in critically ill children. Continuous PN is routinely initiated in neonates and critically ill children to minimize fluid and metabolic fluctuations, whereas cyclic PN is generally used in older infants and children who are clinically stable to allow infusion-free periods and greater mobility. Despite the widespread use of overnight PN infusions in both the hospital and home settings, the clinical implications of aligning PN delivery with endogenous circadian rhythms remain very limited. Future studies should establish optimal temporal strategies for different pediatric populations and determine whether optimizing the timing, infusion pattern, and circadian alignment of PN delivery improves growth, development, metabolic health, and quality of life. Full article

General practitioners (GPs) are at the forefront of stunting interventions, but only a few studies have examined their understanding of growth monitoring. Therefore, this study aims to assess the effectiveness of massive open online course (MOOC)-based Continuing Medical Education (CME) programs to increase GPs’ knowledge of nutrition and early detection of growth abnormalities. The study procedures were carried out using a pre- and post-cohort approach involving 121 GPs, mostly working in primary care in Indonesia. The pre- and post-test scores were observed before and after the 12-week MOOC intervention, and the participants were asked for feedback. There were 190 verified participants; the attrition rate was 27.4% (n = 52), and there were six participants with incomplete data, leaving 121 participants as the final sample. The results showed that post-test scores significantly increased after intervention in all domains. These domains included early-life nutrition (7.00 to 9.00), breastfeeding and lactation management (5.56 to 7.78), and feeding problems (7.33 to 8.00) (p < 0.001). Participants reported high satisfaction and preferred a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning. The feedback suggested improving parental education techniques, specifically in low-socioeconomic settings, and strengthening collaboration between GPs and nutritionists in managing feeding problems. Full article

Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial systemic syndrome characterized by progressive muscle loss, with or without adipose tissue depletion, that cannot be reversed by conventional nutritional support. It affects cancer patients and is associated with reduced treatment tolerance, impaired physical function, poor quality of life, and increased mortality. The understanding of cachexia has evolved recently, from the perception of a simple nutritional disorder to a complex immune–metabolic syndrome, based on tumor–host interactions, systemic inflammation, metabolic dysregulation, and multi-organ dysfunction. This review summarizes the progression of cachexia research, highlighting key findings involving inflammatory cytokines, proteolytic pathways, mitochondrial dysfunction, and immune dysregulation. The development of therapeutic strategies is examined, from early nutritional and appetite-stimulating interventions to contemporary targeted therapies, including ghrelin receptor agonists, cytokine inhibitors, and anabolic agents. Despite advances in mechanistic understanding, numerous trials targeting single pathways have failed to produce meaningful functional or survival benefits, underscoring the limitations of reductionist approaches. Emerging evidence supports a paradigm shift toward multimodal, biomarker-guided, and patient-centered interventions that address the interconnected biological mechanisms underlying cachexia. Particular emphasis is given to novel immunomodulatory strategies, including agents such as R-ketorolac, which may restore immune homeostasis and target the root causes of cachexia. It is hypothesized that future therapeutic success will likely depend on integrated approaches combining immunological, metabolic, nutritional, and rehabilitative interventions. Full article

Background: Subjective cognitive complaints (SCCs) are common in middle-aged and older adults and may reflect early cognitive changes, alongside alterations in stress, mood, sleep, and quality of life. N-PEP-12 is a peptide-based nutritional supplement with potential neuroprotective effects, but evidence of its benefits in healthy adults with SCCs remains limited. Objective: To evaluate the effects of N-PEP-12 supplementation on attention, cognitive function, and mental wellbeing in healthy middle-aged and older adults with SCCs. Methods: In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 276 participants aged 50–75 years with SCCs and no clinically significant cognitive impairment were randomized to placebo, N-PEP-12 45 mg, or N-PEP-12 90 mg. Assessments were performed at baseline and after 30, 90, and 180 days. Primary outcomes included Test of Attentional Performance measures. Secondary outcomes included WAIS-IV Digit Span Forward and Backward, perceived stress, mood, sleep quality, and EQ-5D-5L visual analog scale. Results: Across the three primary attention outcomes analyzed jointly in a multivariate repeated-measures model, there was a significant group-by-visit interaction (p = 0.003) and a significant effect of visit (p < 0.001), without a significant main effect of treatment arm (p = 0.133), indicating a time-dependent treatment effect. This result was obtained in a sensitivity analysis population in which missing values were imputed under assumptions least favorable to the active arms. In exploratory endpoint-specific comparisons at 90 days, both N-PEP-12 groups showed greater improvements than placebo in alertness, attention omissions and memory omissions, and Digit Span Forward and Backward scores also improved. In a subsequent uncontrolled extension phase, in which all participants received active treatment, participants initially assigned to placebo showed comparable improvements after switching to N-PEP-12 90 mg. These observations are exploratory. Adverse events were infrequent and similarly distributed across groups. Conclusions: N-PEP-12 supplementation was associated with improvements in attention, working memory, and mental wellbeing in healthy middle-aged and older adults with subjective cognitive complaints. These findings support further investigation of N-PEP-12 as a nutritional intervention for early subjective cognitive changes associated with aging. Full article

Early-life calf mortality is a significant barrier to herd growth and overall productivity in yak husbandry. This retrospective study investigated the survival pattern and potential risk factors linked to yak calf mortality during the first 90 days of life. Analysis was performed on existing farm records from 428 yak calves born between 2013 and 2025 at a semi-intensive yak farm. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate survival probability, and the log-rank test was used to compare survival probabilities; additionally, a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was employed to identify independent risk factors. Overall, 70 (16.4%) calves died within the first 90 days after birth. The Kaplan–Meier analysis indicated significantly lower survival probability among low-birth-weight calves (≤12 kg; p = 0.0005) and calves born to primiparous dams (p = 0.0003). In contrast, survival did not differ according to calf sex (p = 0.620) and birth season (p = 0.658). In the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, low birth weight (HR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.24–4.16; p = 0.008) and primiparous dams (HR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.28–3.38; p = 0.003) were independently associated with higher mortality risk. As a result, calf sex and birth season were not significant predictors. Diarrhea and respiratory disease were the predominant causes of calf deaths. The current study’s results indicate that maternal and neonatal factors are the major determinants of early-life calf survival. This highlights the need for special care with optimum nutrition and regular monitoring of primiparous dams and low-birth-weight calves in order to lower pre-weaning mortality and improve overall herd productivity. Full article

Background/Objectives: The oral microbiome plays a central role in maintaining oral health from early life, with childhood representing a critical period for its establishment and long-term stability. While many environmental factors influence this dynamic microbial ecosystem, diet is distinct in being both universal and highly modifiable. This systematic review aims to evaluate and synthesize current evidence regarding the impact and mechanisms of distinct dietary habits, food matrices, and nutritional components on the composition, diversity, and ecological resilience of the pediatric oral microbiome. Methods: A literature review aligned with PRISMA guidelines was conducted via digital searches on PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane databases (January 2015–December 2025). Search strategies combined MeSH terms and keywords targeting “Microbiota”, “Mouth”, “Child”, “Diet”, and “Oral health”. Results: From 1068 records identified, 16 relevant articles met the inclusion criteria. Dietary habits may influence taxonomic and functional profiles. Frequent consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, sucrose-rich sodas, and sweet treats induces notable dysbiosis and enriches acidogenic/aciduric taxa. Conversely, protective food matrices, including probiotic-fortified dairy products, polyol-based sugar-free chewing gums (xylitol and maltitol), bovine milk, and bioactive-rich agents like green tea, actively suppress cariogenic pathways (specifically Streptococcus mutans) and support commensal, health-associated genera without disrupting overall microbial structures. Conclusions: Diet represents an important modifiable factor shaping the pediatric oral microbiome, capable of either driving dysbiosis or reinforcing symbiosis. Cultivating a microbiome-informed dietary approach early in childhood supports a resilient microbial architecture, offering a non-invasive, public health framework for long-term oral and systemic disease prevention. Full article

Advances in healthcare have led to substantial growth in the global population of cancer survivors, yet young adult cancer survivors (YACS) aged 18–39 years remain an underrepresented population in cancer survivorship research. This review examines the health challenges and psychosocial factors that shape nutritional status in YACS, with the aim of informing age-appropriate nutritional care. YACS face significant financial and psychosocial demands unique to this life stage, balancing education, early careers and family responsibilities. They report greater unmet nutritional and health needs than other age cohorts, in addition to concerns regarding long-term side effects, financial strain, fear of cancer recurrence and increased responsibility for managing their own care. Cancer treatment can cause nutrition impact symptoms (e.g., nausea, taste changes, fatigue, dysphagia and gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances) that may persist for years, and YACS are vulnerable to late effects such as endocrine dysfunction, cardiometabolic disease, chronic pain and osteoporosis, all of which can be influenced by diet. Poor dietary patterns have been observed in YACS, indicating low intakes of fruits, vegetables, fibre and dairy, and higher consumption of saturated fat, sodium and processed foods. This narrative review evaluated fourteen nutritional intervention studies targeting YACS aged 18–39. Most existing interventions demonstrate minimal recruitment and retention rates, small sample sizes, and a reliance on self-report methods rather than objective nutritional measures. These limitations highlight the need for a deeper understanding of YACS’ specific nutritional needs and more effective strategies to engage this cohort. Future research should prioritise larger, more representative samples, incorporate objective nutritional and clinical measures, and explicitly address psychosocial and age-related barriers to healthy eating in young adulthood. Full article

Early-life nutrition and the gut microbiota interact to shape host health programming. During early-life development, spanning the neonatal period of initial gut colonization through infancy to toddlerhood, the gut microbiota undergoes dynamic succession driven by feeding patterns, host genetic background, environmental exposures, and other intrinsic and extrinsic factors, among which early feeding practices play a particularly prominent role. Among these factors, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), key bioactive components of human milk, contribute to the shaping of infant gut microbial ecology by selectively supporting HMO-utilizing bacteria, influencing microbial metabolism and cross-feeding, and exhibiting structure- and context-dependent effects on pathogen–host interactions, intestinal barrier function, and immune responses. This narrative review summarizes the succession patterns of the gut microbiota in early life and the core regulatory mechanisms by which HMOs shape infant gut microbial ecology, aiming to provide a conceptual basis for understanding the potential long-term health implications of early nutritional interventions. Full article

Autoimmune oral mucosal diseases, including pemphigus vulgaris, mucous membrane pemphigoid, and oral lichen planus, are important yet frequently underrecognized causes of morbidity in older adults. These conditions often initially present with nonspecific symptoms such as persistent oral pain, erosions, ulcerations, or gingival inflammation, contributing to delays in diagnosis and treatment. Primary care clinicians and geriatricians are uniquely positioned to identify these diseases early and facilitate timely referral for diagnostic confirmation and initiation of therapy. This review provides a practical overview of the clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, and initial management of pemphigus vulgaris, mucous membrane pemphigoid, and oral lichen planus and highlights features that should raise suspicion for an autoimmune oral process. In addition to disease-specific therapies, supportive care measures including pain control, oral hygiene counseling, nutritional support, and mental health screening are essential to reducing morbidity and improving quality of life. Special consideration should be given to challenges disproportionately affecting older adults, including frailty, polypharmacy, and social barriers to care. Through timely recognition and a multidisciplinary, patient-centered approach, clinicians can improve outcomes and support the quality of life of this patient population. Full article

Malnutrition, a key factor in oncology, affects 20–70% of cancer patients and influences both cancer risk and outcomes, being linked to decreased treatment tolerance, higher toxicity, lower quality of life, and shorter survival. Although international guidelines recommend early and systematic nutritional screening, its adoption in clinical practice remains inconsistent. This study, promoted by the Italian College of Hospital Medical Oncology Directors (CIPOMO), aimed to provide a national snapshot of current organizational practices regarding nutritional screening, assessment, and management in Italian oncology centers. A 15-item survey was sent to 165 centers to investigate organizational practices and awareness of nutrition and physical activity in cancer care. Data were collected and analyzed as overall percentages. A total of 100 centers responded (61%). Although a nutritional assessment is routinely conducted at diagnosis in 67% of centers (n = 67), only 31 centers perform it for all patients. The remaining centers limit nutritional assessment to high-risk or selected patient groups. Moreover, although 86% of centers have dedicated professionals, multidisciplinary integration remains limited. Validated nutritional screening tools are used in 69% of centers, but follow-up reassessment is rarely systematic (15%). However, awareness of the importance of nutrition is high, with nearly all centers supporting educational interventions and dedicated nutritional pathways. Despite this high level of awareness, a significant gap remains between guideline recommendations and daily clinical practice. Standardizing early nutritional screening, enhancing multidisciplinary collaboration, and ensuring equitable and consistent access to nutritional services are crucial to fully integrating nutrition into oncology care and improving patient outcomes. Full article

Adverse childhood experiences are associated with long-term metabolic disturbances, yet their effects on the exocrine pancreas remain poorly understood. Using maternal separation (MS) as a model of early-life stress, this study examined whether MS modifies the exocrine pancreatic response to a post-weaning high-fat diet (HFD) in male C57BL/6 mice. Animals were exposed to MS or standard rearing conditions and fed a control diet or HFD for 16 weeks. Body and pancreatic mass, plasma amylase and lipase activities, exocrine pancreatic histopathology, and apoptosis were assessed. HFD increased body mass and reduced the pancreas-to-body mass ratio independently of MS, without altering absolute pancreatic mass. Lipase activity increased significantly in response to both MS and HFD, whereas amylase showed a non-significant upward trend. Histopathological analysis revealed condition-dependent exocrine pancreatic remodeling, including acinar hypertrophy, autophagic vacuolization, focal necrosis, vascular alterations, interstitial edema, and ductal changes. These alterations were mild in HFD-only mice but more pronounced in MS-exposed animals, particularly when combined with HFD. Apoptosis was strongly influenced by early-life stress and modulated by diet, with significant effects of MS and the MS × diet interaction. Overall, early-life stress induces persistent structural and functional alterations in the exocrine pancreas, increasing susceptibility to nutritional challenges in adulthood. Full article

Background/Objectives: Early-life undernutrition may exert lifelong and intergenerational effects on height and weight, but its impact on body shape remains unclear. Using the Great Chinese Famine (1959–1961) as a natural experiment, this study explored the associations between early-life undernutrition and body shape indices across two generations. Methods: We analyzed nine waves of longitudinal data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (1991–2015), including 5156 participants (F1) born in 1955–1966 and their 2383 biological offspring (F2). F1 famine exposure was classified by birth year; F2 exposure was defined by parental status. Anthropometric indices including body adiposity index (BAI), body roundness index (BRI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), conicity index (COI), and a body shape index (ABSI) were derived from repeated measurements. Age-specific fitted curves of these indices were compared across exposure groups using mixed-effects models with fractional polynomials of age. Results: Fetal famine exposure was modestly associated with lower COI and ABSI in adulthood, particularly among men. Childhood famine exposure was significantly linked to lower BAI (−0.40), BRI (−0.26), WHtR (−0.0140), COI (−0.0188), and ABSI (−0.0008), with stronger associations in men (all P for sex interaction <0.05). Intergenerationally, maternal childhood exposure was associated with higher offspring BAI, whereas paternal childhood exposure was associated with lower BAI, BRI, WHtR, COI, and ABSI. Conclusions: Famine exposure showed more pronounced associations with body shape in men, and maternal and paternal exposures displayed different intergenerational patterns. These exploratory findings suggest the possibility that early-life undernutrition may relate to long-term phenotypes in a sex-specific manner, though this requires independent replication. Full article

Background: Adolescence represents an essential stage of life for the prevention of metabolic changes associated with diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to identify nutritional status and associate it with metabolic alterations in adolescent girls. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study that included adolescent 10–14-year-old girls from public schools. The research was undertaken with 79 girls. Results: We identified that over half of the girls were sedentary, excessively exposed to screens, physically inactive, and did not practice physical activities in sunlight. The menarche age was significantly lower in girls with overweight and obesity. Most girls skipped breakfast (53.1%) and watched television (84.8%). We observed a high percentage of adolescents with overweight (65.7%), hypovitaminosis D (78.4%) and high levels of triglycerides (69.6%). We did not find an association between hypovitaminosis D and some recorded metabolic parameters (glycemia, glycated hemoglobin, insulin, total cholesterol, HDL-c, LDL-c and triglycerides). However, insulin levels, HOMA-IR, HDL-c, and systolic blood pressure were significantly associated with overweight and obesity, and our results may reflect the characteristics of the study sample and suggest that obese children may already exhibit early signs and risk factors for these chronic diseases during childhood, consistent with national and international data. Conclusions: The identification of metabolic alterations, nutritional status and lifestyle enables early and directed interventions, which may lead to the present and future cardiometabolic health improvements relative to adolescents. Full article

Asthma prevalence in school-age children varies widely by geography, from below 5% in some regions to above 20% in others, averaging 10–12% across industrialized countries, but genetic factors account for less than 40% of disease liability. Gut microbiota is increasingly recognized as a critical intermediary between early-life dietary exposure and immunological trajectories that determine asthma susceptibility. Through the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), particularly butyrate, propionate, and acetate, commensal bacteria regulate dendritic cell function, promote T-regulatory (Treg) cell differentiation, and attenuate Th2-polarized airway inflammation via the gut–lung axis. Epidemiological cohorts including CHILD, WHEALS, and PASTURE associate early-life dysbiosis and reduced Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii with increased asthma risk, while dietary patterns rich in fermentable fibre, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and diverse plant-based foods are associated with preserved microbial diversity and, in preclinical models, attenuated type-2 inflammatory signalling. This narrative review synthesizes mechanistic and epidemiological evidence on how nutritional exposures shape gut microbiota composition and influences asthma onset and severity in paediatric populations, including the distinct obesity-related asthma phenotype. Critical gaps, insufficient dietary intervention trials with microbiome endpoints, methodological heterogeneity across cohorts, and the paucity of data from non-Western populations are discussed, with implications for preventive nutritional counselling in paediatric allergology practice. Full article