Stress-induced hyperphagia: empirical characterization of stress-overeaters

Background Stressful situations can have an impact on an individual’s eating behavior. People vulnerable to the influence of stress tend to change the quantity and quality of their food intake. Variables such as sex and body mass index (BMI) seem to be related to this stress-eating behavior, but it is rather unclear what factors account to the parameters associated with stress-eating behavior. The aim of this survey was to identify further characteristics of adults in Germany related to stress-overeating, focusing on stress perception, coping, eating motives and comfort foods as well as personality types. Methods This online survey was performed throughout Germany and comprised a 38-item pre-tested questionnaire. Stress-induced overeating was classified based on the Salzburg Stress Eating Scale (SSES). Moreover, validated questionnaires were used to identify additional characteristics of stress eaters. Participants were recruited using a convenience sampling approach, and data were collected between January and April 2021. Results The overall sample consisted of 1222 participants (female 80.8%, aged 31.5±12.8). 42.1% of participants were identified as stress-overeaters. Among the remaining group, 78.9% stated to eat less, 21.1% to eat equally when stressed. Female participants had a higher mean SSES score compared to male participants. The BMI was positively correlated to SSES, r(1220)=0.28, p>0.005. ‘Agreeableness’ (BigFive) was found to be a negative predictor of stress-overeating. The most pronounced difference in eating motives (The Eating Motivation Survey, TEMS) was found for ‘Affect Regulation’ and ‘Weight Control’. Conclusions The results indicate that stress-overeating affects a large proportion of the surveyed population. BMI, personality and eating motives additionally characterize stress-overeaters and may contribute to develop new approaches to address unhealthy stress-related eating patterns.

The effect of inorganic processing during malting on the enzymatic activity of wheat malt

Определяющей целью солодоращения является повышение ферментативной активности зерна. Нами предлагается способ интенсификации солодоращения пшеницы посредством применения неорганического стимулятора роста «Энерген». В исследовании использовали пшеницу Алтайской селекции трех сортов: «Алтайская 100», «Дуэт» и «Алейская». Предложенный неорганический препарат вносили при замачивании в последнюю замочную воду в количестве 0,6 г/дм и выдерживали с ним в контакте пшеницу в течение 6 ч. За данный период в ферментативной системе обработанного зерна произошли более выраженные изменения в сравнении с контрольным вариантом (необработанным зерном). К концу замачивания уровень активности ферментов опытных образцов стал выше уровня аналогичных активностей ферментов контрольных вариантов на 11,8 и 9,9 % соответственно для амилолитической и протеолитической активностей. Последующее проращивание зерна повысило ферментативную активность пшеничного солода. По окончании 7 сут данной стадии прирост амилолитической активности над активностями необработанного зерна для разных сортов составил от 31,5 до 59,0 %, протеолитической - от 97,8 до 125,4 %. При этом отмечено маловыраженное отличие показателей амилолитической и протеолитической активностей проращиваемого обработанного пшеничного солода шестых и седьмых суток ращения, что позволяет сократить продолжительность данной стадии и всего производства солода на одни сутки. Готовый пшеничный солод отличался высокой ферментативной активностью (в диапазоне для трех сортов): амилолитическая - 344,9-360,8 ед./г, протеолитическая - 324,9-257,8 ед./г, более низкой в сравнении с контрольным вариантом продолжительностью осахаривания - от 18 до 20 мин. Кроме этого, предложенный способ солодоращения позволяет использовать пшеницу с высоким содержанием белка, как, например, сорт «Алейская» с массовой долей белка 14,6 %, поскольку в процессе проращивания под стимулирующим действием неорганического препарата «Энерген» процесс протеолиза протекает более интенсивно, и в конечном солоде содержание белка снижается до 10,4 %. The defining goal of malting is to increase the enzymatic activity of grain. We propose a method for intensifying the malting of wheat through the use of an inorganic growth stimulator «Energen». The study used wheat of the Altai selection of three varieties: «Altai 100», «Duet» and «Aleyskaya». The proposed inorganic preparation was introduced during soaking into the last soak water in an amount of 0.6 g/dm and wheat was kept in contact with it for 6 hours. During this period, more pronounced changes occurred in the enzymatic system of the processed grain in comparison with the control variant (unprocessed grain). By the end of soaking, the enzyme level of the experimental samples is 11.8 and 9.9 % higher than the level of similar enzymes of the control variants, respectively, for amylolytic and proteolytic activities. The subsequent germination of grain increased the enzymatic activity of wheat malt. At the end of seven days of this stage, the increase in amylolytic activity over the activities of unprocessed grain for different varieties ranged of 31.5 to 59.0 %, proteolytic - of 97.8 to 125.4 %. At the same time, there was a little pronounced difference in the indicators of amylolytic and proteolytic activities of the germinated processed wheat malt of the sixth and seventh days of fermentation, which makes it possible to shorten the duration of this stage and the entire malt production by one day. The finished wheat malt was characterized by high enzymatic activity (in the range for three varieties): amylolytic 344.9-360.8 units /g, proteolytic 324.9-257.8 units/g, lower duration of saccharification in comparison with the control variant of 18 to 20 minutes. In addition, the proposed method of malting allows the use of wheat with a high protein content, such as the Aleyskaya variety with a mass fraction of protein of 14.6 %, since during germination under the stimulating effect of the inorganic preparation Energen, the proteolysis process proceeds more intensively, and in the final malt the protein content decreases to 10.4 %.

Effect of gastrointestinal alterations mimicking elderly conditions on in vitro digestion of meat and soy proteins

We evaluated the digestion of meat (chicken, beef, and pork) and soy proteins under in vitro conditions mimicking gastrointestinal (GI) conditions of adults (control, C) and elderly with achlorhydria (EA). The changes in degree of hydrolysis (DH), SDS-PAGE profiles, peptide concentration, and proteomics profiles during the digestion process were investigated. Digestion under the EA condition markedly decreased the DH of all protein sources, especially for soy protein. SDS-PAGE profiling and proteomics showed that myofibrillar/sarcoplasmic protein from meat and glycinin/beta-conglycinin from soy were the proteins most affected by the different digestive conditions. Our results indicated that the difference in the digestibility of meat protein between EA and control conditions gradually narrowed from the gastric to the intestinal phase, while a pronounced difference between control and EA conditions was maintained also in the intestinal phase. This work provides new insights of value for future dietary recommendations for elderly individuals.

The Effect of Particle Size on the Physical Characteristics and Drug-release Behavior of Mini-tablets

This study aimed to investigate the influence of particle size of the excipients on the behavior of mini-tablets in terms of physical characteristics and drug release profiles. Material and methods: All of the mini-tablets based on HPMC, PEG 6K and PEO 8M PVP produced high quality mini-tablets from both sieve fractions while 90F was very fragile. Results: Crushing strength values were the most pronounced difference between the mini-tablets from all formulations. The PEO 8M-based mini-tablets showed the highest values and deformation behavior instead of fracture. Water absorption and drug release profiles also showed intriguing and different results between the various formulations. Conclusion: The results suggested that even though different particle size has limited effect on the physical characteristic of the product, it may have a significant effect on its drug dissolution profile. HIGHLIGHTS The particle size of powders or granules can influence the physical properties and release profiles of tablets, particularly mini-tablets PEG 6K and PEO 8M mini-tablets from the larger sieve fraction variation absorbed less moisture and released drugs faster than their counterparts, whereas HPMC and PVP 90F mini-tablets from both sieve fractions exhibited a similar pattern in terms of moisture uptake and drug release profiles PEO 8M mini-tablets of both sieve fractions displayed almost linear release profiles with the highest crushing strength than the rest of the formulations GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Sodium hypochlorite pecularities in application for restoration of highly porous fillers after their use in biofiltration systems of recirculating aquaculture systems

Purpose. Development of a method for the regeneration of highly porous fillers for biofilters after slagging of their pores with biofilm residues in the process of growing aquaculture objects in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). Methodology. Regeneration of fillers was performed with solutions of sodium hypochlorite of different concentrations (2.5%, 1%, 0.5% of active chlorine) after their exploitation for 6 months. The cleaning efficiency was monitored by the difference in fillers weights after cleaning. Findings. According to the study, the use of sodium hypochlorite for cleaning highly porous fillers for biofilters (using an example of porous ceramic filler and foamed glass «JBL Micromec») is efficient and cost-effective. A reduction in the weight of the test samples averaged 12.95% for porous ceramics and 15.01% for foamed glass. Based on the obtained data, aqueous solutions with different concentrations of sodium hypochlorite do not have a pronounced difference in efficiency, respectively; the optimal for use is a 0.5% solution. Originality. The use of highly porous fillers for biofilters has long been unprofitable in fish farming due to the rapid loss of their main advantages - a high specific area per unit volume as a result of micropore slagging with biofilm residues. As a result, complete regeneration of these filter materials was required annually, which, given the significantly higher cost compared to polymeric fillers, made their use unprofitable. The described technique allows the use of porous ceramics and foamed glass, after their restoration, for a long time, with replacement only after mechanical wear. Practical value. The described method allows using highly porous fillers for biofilters in the process of growing aquaculture objects without their main disadvantage - a rapid decrease in efficiency as a result of pore slagging with biofilm residues. Keywords: RAS, biofilter, filler, restoration, sodium hypochlorite.

Sound Stimulation Can Affect Saccharomyces cerevisiae Growth and Production of Volatile Metabolites in Liquid Medium

The biological effect of sound on microorganisms has been a field of interest for many years, with studies mostly focusing on ultrasonic and infrasonic vibrations. In the audible range (20 Hz to 20 kHz), sound has been shown to both increase colony formation and disrupt microbial growth, depending upon the organism and frequency of sound used. In the brewer’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, sound has been shown to significantly alter growth, increase alcohol production, and affect the metabolite profile. In this study, S. cerevisiae was exposed to a continuous 90 dB @ 20 μPa tone at different frequencies (0.1 kHz, 10 kHz, and silence). Fermentation characteristics were monitored over a 50-h fermentation in liquid malt extract, with a focus on growth rate and biomass yield. The profile of volatile metabolites at the subsequent stationary phase of the ferment was characterised by headspace gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Sound treatments resulted in a 23% increase in growth rate compared to that of silence. Subsequent analysis showed significant differences in the volatilomes between all experimental conditions. Specifically, aroma compounds associated with citrus notes were upregulated with the application of sound. Furthermore, there was a pronounced difference in the metabolites produced in high- versus low-frequency sounds. This suggests industrial processes, such as beer brewing, could be modulated by the application of audible sound at specific frequencies during growth.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: A Midwifery Survey Into Attitudes Towards the COVID-19 Vaccine

Background: Ethnic minority populations have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging evidence suggests a lower uptake of the vaccine in ethnic minority populations, particularly Black females of reproductive age. Midwives are the principal healthcare professionals responsible for counselling the pregnant population on decisions relating to vaccine uptake. The aim of this study was to explore midwifery uptake of and attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine in two ethnically diverse areas.Methods: A 45-point questionnaire was circulated over a six-week period to midwives employed in two teaching hospitals in England; London (Barts Health NHS Trust) and Sussex (Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust (BSUH)). A total of 278 out of 868 midwives responded. Results were analysed to determine vaccine uptake as well as factors influencing vaccine hesitancy and decision-making between the two trusts and ethnic groups. Thematic analysis was also undertaken. Results: Midwives of black ethnicity were over 4-times less likely to have received a COVID-19 vaccine compared to white ethnicity midwives (52% vs 85%, OR=0.22, p<0.001). Overall, there were no significant differences between trusts in receipt of the COVID-19 vaccine (p=0.13). Midwives at Barts Health were significantly more likely to have tested positive for COVID-19 compared to midwives at BSUH (OR=2.47, p=0.01). There was no statistical difference between ethnicities in testing positive for COVID-19 (p=0.86). Midwives at Barts Health had a higher occurrence of concerns relating to the vaccine being developed too fast (OR=2.06, p=0.01), allowing the government to track individuals (OR=9.13, p=0.001), interfering with fertility (OR=2.02, p=0.03), or transmitting the virus (OR=7.22, p=0.006), compared to BSUH. Black midwives had a higher occurrence of all concerns examined compared to white midwives; the most pronounced difference was in concerns relating to the long-term effects of the vaccine (adjusted OR=4.97, p<0.001), concerns relating to the speed in which the vaccine was developed (adjusted OR=5.59, p<0.001) and concerns regarding the vaccine containing meat products (adjusted OR=6.31, p<0.001).Conclusion: This study highlights the significantly higher level of vaccine hesitancy amongst black ethnicity midwives and offer insights into midwives’ views and concerns to facilitate future targeted public health interventions for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Improving In Vitro Culture of Human Male Fetal Germ Cells

Male human fetal germ cells (hFGCs) give rise to spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), which are the adult precursors of the male gametes. Human SSCs are a promising (autologous) source of cells for male fertility preservation; however, in contrast to mouse SSCs, we are still unable to culture them in the long term. Here, we investigated the effect of two different culture media and four substrates (laminin, gelatin, vitronectin and matrigel) in the culture of dissociated second trimester testes, enriched for hFGCs. After 6 days in culture, we quantified the presence of POU5F1 and DDX4 expressing hFGCs. We observed a pronounced difference in hFGC number in different substrates. The combination of gelatin-coated substrate and medium containing GDNF, LIF, FGF2 and EGF resulted in the highest percentage of hFGCs (10% of the total gonadal cells) after 6 days of culture. However, the vitronectin-coated substrate resulted in a comparable percentage of hFGCs regardless of the media used (3.3% of total cells in Zhou-medium and 4.8% of total cells in Shinohara-medium). We provide evidence that not only the choices of culture medium but also choices of the adequate substrate are crucial for optimizing culture protocols for male hFGCs. Optimizing culture conditions in order to improve the expansion of hFGCs will benefit the development of gametogenesis assays in vitro.

Different translation dynamics of β-and γ-actin regulates cell migration

β- and γ-cytoplasmic actins are ubiquitously expressed in every cell type and are nearly identical at the amino acid level but play vastly different roles in vivo. Their essential roles in embryogenesis and mesenchymal cell migration critically depend on the nucleotide sequences of their genes, rather than their amino acid sequence, however it is unclear which gene elements underlie this effect. Here we address the specific role of the coding sequence in β- and γ-cytoplasmic actins' intracellular functions, using stable polyclonal populations of immortalized mouse embryonic fibroblasts with exogenously expressed actin isoforms and their 'codon-switched' variants. When targeted to the cell periphery using the β-actin 3′UTR, β-actin and γ-actin have differential effects on cell migration. These effects directly depend on the coding sequence. Single molecule measurements of actin isoform translation, combined with fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, demonstrate a pronounced difference in β- and γ-actins' translation elongation rates in cells, leading to changes in their dynamics at the focal adhesions, impairments in actin bundle formation, and reduced cell anchoring to the substrate during migration. Our results demonstrate that coding sequence-mediated differences in actin translation play a key role in cell migration.

Desire for Success Awakens: Proof of Competence Restoration in a Non-competitive Environment

Pioneering studies reported that individuals who worked on a highly difficult task and experienced competence frustration beforehand would activate a restorative process and show enhanced autonomous motivation in a subsequent irrelevant activity. In this follow-up study, we explored the effect of prior competition outcome on one’s autonomous motivation in a subsequent non-competitive environment. According to our experimental manipulation, participants were randomly assigned to two treatment groups (a winning group and a losing group) and a control group. The experiment lasted for three sessions. Participants in the control group completed a single-player stop-watch (SW) task all along, while those in both treatment groups worked on a competitive SW task and competed for monetary rewards during Session 2 only. Electrophysiological data in Session 1 serve as the baseline and measure one’s trait-level autonomous motivation towards the SW game. For participants in the losing group, more pronounced difference wave of feedback-related negativity was observed in Session 3 compared with Session 1, suggesting enhanced autonomous motivation in Session 3. Such a pattern was observed in neither the winning group nor the control group. These results suggested that failure in a prior competition would activate one’s competence restoration in a subsequent non-competitive environment. Task difficulty and social competition are varied sources of competence frustration. Thus, our findings advanced understanding of the competence restorative process and helped clarify the dynamics between competition and human motivation.