Search results

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the possible relationship of dietary glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) with ulcerative colitis (UC) risks because there is insufficient evidence on the association of GI and GL with UC incidences.

In this case–control study, dietary GI and GL of 62 patients with histology-confirmed UC and 124 controls were assessed using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The primary outcome measure was the association between dietary GI and GL and UC risk.

In age-adjusted and unadjusted models, there was no statistically significant association between dietary GI and GL and UC risk. However, after adjusting for all known covariates, the odds ratio of UC in third tertile of GI was 2.86 folds higher than first tertile (95% CI: 1.02–8.00, p for trend = 0.04). In the case of GL, when the confounders were adjusted, although subjects in the third tertile were at 2.70 times higher risk of having UC than those in the first tertile (95% CI: 0.72–10.15, p for trend = 0.15), the association was not statistically significant.

In conclusion, the findings indicate a positive relationship between dietary GI and risk of UC. Further prospective studies are needed to elucidate if the findings are consistent, in addition to experimental studies to explore the potential mechanisms of this association.

The results of human studies evaluating the efficacy of plant Phytosterols on liver function were inconsistent. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to eliminate these controversies about the Phytosterols consumption on liver serum biochemistry in adult subjects.

The literatures systematically searched throughout PubMed and Scopus databases up to June 2018; it was conducted by using related keywords. Estimates of effect sizes were expressed based on weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% CI from the random-effects model (erSimonian and Laird method). Heterogeneity across studies was assessed by using I2 index. Eighteen studies reported the effects of Phytosterols (PS) supplementation on liver serum biochemistry.

The current meta-analysis did not show a significant effect on ALT (MD: 0.165 U/L, 95% CI: −1.25, 1.58, p = 0.820), AST (MD: −0.375 IU/Liter, 95% CI: −1.362, 0.612, p = 0.457), ALP (MD: 0.804 cm, 95% CI: −1.757, 3.366, p = 0.538), GGT (MD: 0.431 U/L, 95% CI: −1.803, 2.665, p = 0.706) and LDH (MD: 0.619 U/L, 95% CI: −4.040, 5.277, p = 0.795) following PS consumption.

The authors found that no protective or toxic effects occur after the consumption of Phytosterols on liver enzymes including ALT, AST, ALP, LDH and GGT.

Cataract, or lens opacification, is a major public health burden accounting for more than half of all blindness worldwide. Plant-based dietary indices provide a unique approach to investigating a modifiable risk for age-related cataracts (ARC). The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between plant-based diet indices and risk of ARC.

This case-control study was conducted on 97 patients with newly diagnosed ARC and 198 healthy people (as a control group) in Iran. Convenience sampling and a food frequency questionnaire were used. Three plant-based dietary indices were used based on the health promoting qualities of food items, the overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthful plant-based diet index (H-PDI) and unhealthful plant-based diet index (U-PDI) which comprised refined carbohydrates and highly processed foods. The plant-based dietary indices were used to investigate relationships with risk of ARC.

After adjusting for potential covariates, no significant association between a higher adherence to O-PDI and risk of ARC. As well, a higher adherence to H-PDI was inversely associated with the risk of ARC (OR = 0.35,95%CI:0.16–0.78). In contrast, there was a significant positive association between a higher adherence to U-PDI and the risk of ARC (OR = 3.67,95%CI:1.66 – 8.15).

The findings of this study have underscored the potential impact of the quality of plant-based food selections on the likelihood of developing ARC. Therefore, adopting a plant-based diet that is rich in nutrient-dense plant-based foods while being low in unhealthy options may have the potential to reduce the risk of ARC.

The authors performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of all published randomized controlled trials with the aim to determine and quantify the anti-hyperglycemic effects of glutamine (Gln) in acute and chronic clinical settings.

The authors conducted a comprehensive search of all randomized clinical trials performed up to December 2018, to identify those investigating the impact of Gln supplementation on fasting blood sugar (FBS), insulin levels and homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) via ISI Web of Science, Cochrane library PubMed and SCOPUS databases. A meta-analysis of eligible studies was conducted using random effects model to estimate the pooled effect size. Fractional polynomial modeling was used to explore the dose–response relationships between Gln supplementation and diabetic indices.

The results of the present meta-analysis suggest that of Gln supplementation had a significant effect on FBS (weighted mean difference (WMD): –2.868 mg/dl, 95 per cent CI: –5.467, –0.269, p = 0.031). However, the authors failed to observe that Gln supplementation affected insulin levels (WMD: 1.06 units, 95 per cent CI: –1.13, 3.26, p = 0.34) and HOMA-IR (WMD: 0.001 units, 95 per cent CI: –2.031, 2.029, p = 0.999). Subgroup analyses showed that the highest decrease in FBS levels was observed when the duration of intervention was less than two weeks (WMD: –4.064 mg/dl, 95 per cent CI: –7.428, –0.700, p = 0.01) and when Gln was applied via infusion (WMD: –5.334 mg/dl, 95 per cent CI: –10.48, 0.17, p = 0.04).

The results from this meta-analysis show that Gln supplementation did not have a significant effect on insulin levels and HOMA-IR. However, it did significantly reduce the levels of FBS, obtaining a higher effect when the duration of the intervention period was less than two weeks.

The purpose of this research is to develop a dynamic conceptual framework depicting factors related to the adoption of a healthy diet, which will underpin the development of an agent-based model (ABM) to uncover the dynamic interplay between these factors.

The conceptual framework was developed in three steps using available empirical data from a semi-structured in-depth interview qualitative study, comprehensive systematic literature searches, existing theories and models and expert opinions from across the world.

The conceptual framework explicitly presents intention as the key determinant of the tendency to adopt a healthy diet. Intention is determined by demographic, psychological and behavioural factors and individual dietary mindset factors and dynamically affected by social environment and the person's past behaviour. The relationship between intention and behaviour is dynamically moderated by perceived control factors (price and accessibility of healthy food and time).

The conceptual framework developed in this study is well supported by evidence and experts' opinions. This conceptual framework will be used to design the ABM of this study, and it can be used in future investigations on the tendency to adopt healthy diet and food choices.

Studies investigating the association between dietary inflammatory index (DII) and body mass index (BMI) have led to inconsistent findings. Therefore, to decisively conclude, this paper aims to clarify the relationship between DII and obesity by performing meta-analysis.

PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar were searched up to July 2017 using key words selected from Medical Subject Headings and other related keywords to identify all relevant articles. In total, 22 articles were entered into the meta-analysis; 22 studies compared the mean of BMI among subjects with highest versus the lowest DII and 4 studies had data on the hazard risk (HR) or odds ratio (OR) for obesity.

A meta-analysis on included studies indicated a significant association on either mean differences (MD) in BMI (MD = 0.811; 95 per cent CI: 0.365-1.256; p: 0.0001) or obesity OR (OR: 1.310; 95 per cent CI: 1.144-1.500; p = 0.000) by comparing the highest and lowest DII categories. Between-study heterogeneity was high (Cochrane Q test, p < 0.001, I² = 98.1 per cent, df = 21, τ² = 0.9273), and only dietary assessment methods could explain the source of heterogeneity in which 24-h dietary recalls were homogeny (I² = 8.4 per cent, df = 2, p = 0.335).

The results of the present meta-analysis suggest that adherence to high DII score increased BMI and obesity. More prospective studies in different populations are needed to better clarify this relation.

This chapter is building conceptual background of psychological risk for international tourists. Drawing on Place Attachment Theory, Moral Disengagement Theory, Followership Theory, Job Demands-Resources, Acculturation Theory and Goal Progress Theory of Rumination, this chapter proposes a framework of psychological risks with six psychological risks that tourists could encounter in foreign destination: destination detachment risk, moral disengagement risk, risk of false risk assessment, burnout risk, risk of loneliness and risk of rumination. High destination detachment could lead tourists to behave less environmentally friendly, while high moral disengagement could lead tourists to behave less ethically friendly. Followership to the influencers in social media could lead tourists to engage in risk-taking behaviours and false risk assessment, leading to burnout risk, risk of loneliness and risk of rumination, where negative autobiographical memory is created and forming memory-related distress when they arrive homes. Place detachment and moral disengagement risk local environmental and social health, while burnout, loneliness and rumination pose risks for the tourists' psychological health. Several studies propose suggestions for the destination manager and tourists to manage the risk effectively and adequately, including place attachment and moral engagement campaign, careful travel planning and social support.

Big data challenges and opportunities on the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) have emerged as a transformative paradigm to change intelligent transportation systems. With the growth of data-driven applications and the advances in data analysis techniques, the potential for data-adaptive innovation in IoV applications becomes an outstanding development in future IoV. Therefore, this paper aims to focus on big data in IoV and to provide an analysis of the current state of research.

This review paper uses a systematic literature review methodology. It conducts a thorough search of academic databases to identify relevant scientific articles. By reviewing and analyzing the primary articles found in the big data in the IoV domain, 45 research articles from 2019 to 2023 were selected for detailed analysis.

This paper discovers the main applications, use cases and primary contexts considered for big data in IoV. Next, it documents challenges, opportunities, future research directions and open issues.

This paper is based on academic articles published from 2019 to 2023. Therefore, scientific outputs published before 2019 are omitted.

This paper provides a thorough analysis of big data in IoV and considers distinct research questions corresponding to big data challenges and opportunities in IoV. It also provides valuable insights for researchers and practitioners in evolving this field by examining the existing fields and future directions for big data in the IoV ecosystem.