Search Results (274,384)

Background/Objectives: Korean traditional fermented foods may confer metabolic and anti-inflammatory benefits; however, their high sodium content raises concerns, particularly given age-related differences in sodium sensitivity. This study examined age-specific associations between fermented food intake and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), a marker of low-grade systemic inflammation, and assessed whether sodium intake modifies these associations. Methods: Data from KNHANES 2015–2018 were used to analyze 17,984 adults. Fermented foods were categorized into 10 groups (grains, jang, vinegars, vegetables, fish, fruits, dairy, alcoholic beverages, sauces, and tea/beverages). Intake (% of total energy) was classified into quartiles. Elevated hs-CRP was defined as ≥1 mg/L. Complex-sample multivariable logistic regression was used to assess age-stratified associations and interactions with total sodium and fermented food-derived sodium (SPSS 29.0; p < 0.05). Results: Fermented food intake decreased with age (p < 0.001). In adults aged 20–39, higher intake was associated with lower odds of elevated hs-CRP (Q4 vs. Q1: OR = 0.699, 95% CI 0.542–0.901; p for trend = 0.002). A similar inverse association was observed in those aged 40–64 (Q4: OR = 0.817, 95% CI 0.691–0.967; p for trend = 0.006), which remained significant after adjustment for fermented food-derived sodium. Among adults ≥65, significant interactions were observed for both fermented food-derived sodium (p = 0.040) and total sodium (p = 0.042), indicating variation across sodium intake levels. Conclusions: The association between fermented food intake and systemic inflammation differs by age. In older adults, this relationship appears to be modified by dietary sodium context, highlighting the importance of age-specific dietary considerations. Full article

Background: Malnutrition is highly prevalent among critically ill patients and has been associated with worse clinical outcomes, particularly in sepsis. Several nutritional risk scores have been proposed to identify patients at increased risk of mortality in the intensive care unit (ICU). This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of three commonly used nutritional indices—modified Nutrition Risk in the Critically Ill (mNUTRIC), Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), and Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT)—for predicting mortality in septic ICU patients. Methods: In this prospective observational cohort study conducted at two ICUs, 155 critically ill patients at nutritional risk were evaluated, including 105 patients with sepsis and 50 without sepsis. The primary endpoint was ICU mortality. Nutritional risk scores (mNUTRIC, PNI, and CONUT) were calculated at ICU admission. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan–Meier (KM) curves and log-rank tests to compare survival probabilities across nutritional risk categories. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to assess the association between nutritional scores and ICU mortality. Of note, only 24 mortality events were recorded in the septic cohort, which limits the statistical power of the findings. Results: KM analysis revealed significantly reduced survival among patients with severe malnutrition, as measured by the PNI score (log-rank p = 0.044). Patients with high mNUTRIC scores showed a tendency toward lower survival probability compared with those with low nutritional risk, approaching statistical significance (log-rank p = 0.059). No significant survival differences were observed between CONUT categories (log-rank p = 0.380). In univariate Cox regression analysis, the mNUTRIC score was significantly associated with ICU mortality (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.17–2.38, p = 0.005). Conclusions: In this selected cohort, mNUTRIC demonstrated the strongest univariate prognostic signal for ICU mortality; however, this association was attenuated and did not reach statistical significance after limited multivariable adjustment. These findings are exploratory and apply specifically to a cohort of septic ICU patients with confirmed nutritional risk and therefore should not be generalized to the broader population of critically ill septic patients. Full article

Automated milk feeders (AMFs) offer significant advantages in promoting natural feeding behavior in calves and reducing manual labor. With widespread use, the impact of AMF hygiene on calf health has attracted increasing research attention, as inadequate cleaning protocols may lead to bacterial accumulation on calf-contact surfaces and subsequent health risks for calves. This study aimed to quantify bacterial contamination on AMF surfaces, evaluate the cleaning efficacy of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) compared to warm water and chemical disinfectants (n = two total samples), and optimize SAEW cleaning parameters using response surface methodology (RSM). Results revealed that bacterial loads on five high-frequency calf-contact surfaces ranged from 5.48 to 8.21 log₁₀ CFU/cm². SAEW at 60 mg/L achieved significantly higher cleaning efficacy than warm water and chemical disinfectants under field conditions (p < 0.01). Through RSM optimization (highly significant (p < 0.001)), the optimal SAEW cleaning parameters were determined as follows: cleaning time of 35 s, cleaning temperature of 78 °C, and available chlorine concentration (ACC) of 108 mg/L. Under the optimized parameters, bacterial and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) removal rates reached approximately 98%. These findings suggest that SAEW is a promising alternative sanitation agent for AMFs, provide preliminary parameters for rapid sanitation under the tested conditions, and hold the potential to support the standardized hygiene control of calf feeding equipment. Full article

Background/Objectives: Radiologic technologists are frequently exposed to occupational stressors that heighten the risk of burnout, compromising well-being and job performance. Workplace exercise programs have been identified as promising strategies to enhance physical and mental health across occupational groups; however, robust experimental evidence among radiologic technologists remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a structured workplace exercise program on perceived stress, burnout, and quality of life among radiologic technologists. Methods: A small-scale randomized controlled experimental study was conducted with 19 radiologic technologists from the Local Health Unit of Castelo Branco, Portugal. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 10, age mean = 43.8 ± 9.92 years old) or a control group (n = 9, age mean = 48.2 ± 7.86 years old). The intervention consisted of a six-week workplace exercise program conducted during work hours, comprising sessions three times per week, twice per day. Each session lasted approximately 15–20 min and included balance, stretching, and light resistance exercises. Outcomes were assessed pre- and post-intervention using the Perceived Stress Scale, the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, and the WHOQOL-BREF. Results: The experimental group showed significant reductions in perceived stress (p = 0.013, d = −0.697 (−1.6–0.206) [moderate]) and in personal (p = 0.004, d = −0.834 (−1.748–0.08) [moderate]) and work-related burnout (p = 0.026, d = −0.756 (−1.664–0.151) [moderate]), as well as improvements in the physical (p = 0.046, d = 0.592 (−0.303–1.488) [small]) and environmental (p = 0.032, d = 0.991 (0.062–1.92) [moderate]) domains of quality of life. No significant changes occurred in the control group. Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest that a brief, low-cost workplace exercise program may reduce stress and burnout and improve quality of life among radiologic technologists. These findings support the integration of structured physical activity into healthcare work settings as a feasible, preventive, and health-promoting strategy. Full article

Background: In the context of global population aging, nutritional risk has emerged as an important factor associated with both physical and mental health among older adults. This study aimed to examine the associations between nutritional risk, depression, and cognitive function in older adults and to explore potential variations across residential area, educational attainment, employment status, frailty status, and activities of daily living (ADL). Methods: Data were obtained from 9955 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older who participated in the 2023 National Survey of Older Koreans. Nutritional risk was assessed using the DETERMINE checklist (21-point scale), a multidimensional screening tool reflecting dietary, functional, and social risk factors. Depression was measured using the Short-form Geriatric Depression Scale (15-point scale), and cognitive function was assessed using the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination-2 (K-MMSE-2; 30-point scale). Hierarchical multiple linear regression, correlation, subgroup, and sensitivity analyses were conducted, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, and geriatric factors. Results: Correlation analyses showed significant associations between nutritional risk and cognitive function (r = −0.191, p < 0.05), nutritional risk and depression (r = 0.440, p < 0.05), and depression and cognitive function (r = −0.259, p < 0.05). Higher nutritional risk scores were significantly associated with greater depressive symptoms (B = 0.314, p < 0.001) and lower cognitive function (B = −0.051, p < 0.05). While some subgroup differences were observed, not all interaction effects reached statistical significance, and these findings should be interpreted with caution. Conclusions: These findings suggest that nutritional risk is associated with depressive symptoms and cognitive function in older adults. Given that the DETERMINE checklist reflects multidimensional vulnerability, the results should be interpreted as indicating broader risk contexts rather than direct nutritional status alone. These findings highlight the importance of integrated, multidimensional approaches to support older adults at nutritional risk in community settings. Full article

Background: Subclinical psychological symptoms—such as low mood, perceived stress, and poor sleep—affect a large portion of the population and can impair quality of life despite remaining below clinical thresholds. The gut–brain axis has emerged as a promising target for interventions that support emotional and psychological resilience. Probiotics and postbiotics are gaining attention for their potential to modulate mood and stress via microbiome-related mechanisms, but human evidence remains limited, particularly in non-clinical populations. Objectives: We aimed to assess the effects of a two-strain combination of live microorganisms alongside a two-strain combination of heat-treated inactivated microorganisms on outcomes associated with anxiety, mood, perceived stress, and quality of life in healthy adults experiencing mild stress. Methods: This study was conducted in two parts. In Part I, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 100 participants were randomized to receive either a blend of live microorganisms (Bifidobacterium longum CECT 7347 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus CECT 8361) or an identical placebo once daily for 12 weeks. In Part II, a pilot feasibility study, a subset of eight placebo non-responders from Part I received the heat-inactivated preparation of the same bacterial strains in a 6-week trial extension phase. For Parts I and II, the primary outcome was the change in the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). Secondary outcomes included measures of mood (Beck Depression Inventory (BDI); Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)), stress (state and trait anxiety inventory (STAI); Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)), sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)), quality of life (36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36)), gastrointestinal symptoms (Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS)), salivary cortisol and microbiome modulation. Results: In Part I, there were no significant effects of the live blend on the HAM-A, indicating that the primary endpoint was not met. In addition, no significant effects were seen on the STAI or PSS scores when compared to the placebo. However, participants consuming the live blend trended toward a reduction in total PHQ-9 scores compared to placebo (p = 0.089), whilst preliminary exploratory analyses suggested an improvement in anhedonia (p = 0.045). Furthermore, there was a significant improvement in the vitality domain of the SF-36 compared to placebo (p = 0.017). On microbiome analysis, it was noted that consumption of the live blend was linked to the preservation of butyrate-producing bacteria, particularly members of the Pseudoflavonifractor genus and the Clostridium SGB6179 species. Furthermore, the abundance of B. longum species was found to be inversely associated with the total PSS Scores. In Part II, supplementation with the inactivated preparation resulted in significant within-group improvements for the vitality (p = 0.006) and social functioning (p = 0.010) domains of the SF-36 and improvements in PSS scores compared to baseline (p = 0.050). Conclusions: Supplementation with either the dual-strain live or inactivated formulations was associated with significant improvements in the vitality domain of the SF-36, whilst participants receiving the inactivated formulation demonstrated lower perceived stress and improved social functioning compared to baseline. Overall, the findings from this pilot study suggest that these two biotic consortia are well-tolerated and may be associated with improvements in measures of vitality in individuals with subclinical psychological symptoms. The subtle observations detected for stress and anhedonia suggest that further well-powered trials are needed to better characterize these findings, potentially in populations with greater baseline symptomatology. Full article