Herbal Waste from Filter-Tea Production as Eco-Friendly Ash for Sustainable Natural Rubber Composites.

Herbal dust, a waste byproduct from filter-tea production, was annealed to form ash that can be incorporated into natural rubber as an eco-friendly filler. Three types of herbal dust ash (HDA), green tea, hibiscus, and lemon balm, were added at two different contents, 2.5 and 5 phr, into the rubber compound, while the content of carbon black, as a filler, was maintained at 50 phr in all samples.

Creatine Intake Is Not Associated With Elevated Circulating Cystatin C Levels in Individuals With and Without Kidney Dysfunction in the General Population.

Objective: The potential adverse effects of dietary creatine on kidney health are rarely addressed at the population level, particularly in individuals with preexisting kidney disease. This study aimed to evaluate the association between dietary creatine intake and serum cystatin C levels in participants with and without kidney failure, utilizing data from the 1999-2001 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) round.

Method: A total of 4969 individuals (50.

New Composite Packaging Material from Edible Oil By-Product Coated with Paraffin Wax for Dry Apricot Slice Packing Under a Modified Atmosphere.

Composite biopolymer hydrogel as food packaging material, apart from being environmentally favorable, faces high standards set upon food packaging materials. The feature that favors biopolymer film application is their low gas permeability under room conditions and lower relative humidity conditions. However, most biopolymer-based materials show high moisture sensitiveness and limited water vapor permeability, which limits their application for food packaging.

Gene Polymorphisms and DNA Methylation in Idiopathic Spontaneous Preterm Birth.

: Preterm birth (PTB) is a complex condition with various contributing factors, including genetic and epigenetic influences such as DNA methylation. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) plays a critical role in DNA methylation and the remethylation of homocysteine. This study aimed to investigate the association between maternal MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms, LINE-1 DNA methylation levels, and the risk of idiopathic spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) in Caucasian women from Croatia and Slovenia.

Part II. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show?

Creatine monohydrate supplementation (CrM) is a safe and effective intervention for improving certain aspects of sport, exercise performance, and health across the lifespan. Despite its evidence-based pedigree, several questions and misconceptions about CrM remain. To initially address some of these concerns, our group published a narrative review in 2021 discussing the scientific evidence as to whether CrM leads to water retention and fat accumulation, is a steroid, causes hair loss, dehydration or muscle cramping, adversely affects renal and liver function, and if CrM is safe and/or effective for children, adolescents, biological females, and older adults.

Identifying the impact of local connectivity patterns on dynamics in excitatory-inhibitory networks.

Networks of excitatory and inhibitory (EI) neurons form a canonical circuit in the brain. Seminal theoretical results on dynamics of such networks are based on the assumption that synaptic strengths depend on the type of neurons they connect, but are otherwise statistically independent. Recent synaptic physiology datasets however highlight the prominence of specific connectivity patterns that go well beyond what is expected from independent connections.

Aligned and oblique dynamics in recurrent neural networks.

The relation between neural activity and behaviorally relevant variables is at the heart of neuroscience research. When strong, this relation is termed a neural representation. There is increasing evidence, however, for partial dissociations between activity in an area and relevant external variables.

Laser-Induced Graphene on Novel Crosslinked Poly(dimethylsiloxane)/Triton X-100 Composites for Improving Mechanical, Electrical and Hydrophobic Properties.

Laser-induced graphene (LIG) has become a highly promising material for flexible functional devices due to its robust mechanical stability, excellent electrical properties, and ease of fabrication. Most research has been focused on LIG production on rigid or flexible substrates, with an obvious gap in laser induction of graphene on elastic, stretchable substrates, which limits the scope of application of LIG in flexible electronics. We demonstrate laser induction of graphene on a novel, cross-linked poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)/Triton X-100 composite substrates.

The effects of 3-month supplementation with synbiotic on patient-reported outcomes, exercise tolerance, and brain and muscle metabolism in adult patients with post-COVID-19 chronic fatigue syndrome (STOP-FATIGUE): a randomized Placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Purpose: Considering the observed gastrointestinal issues linked to post-COVID-19 myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), beneficially modulating the gut microbiota could offer a safe, cost-effective nutritional strategy. This trial aimed to evaluate the effects of medium-term synbiotic supplementation on patient-reported outcomes, exercise tolerance, and tissue metabolism in patients with post-COVID-19 ME/CFS.

Methods: Between September 2022 and December 2023, we investigated the impact of 3-month supplementation with a synbiotic mixture including L.

Creatine with guanidinoacetic acid improves prefrontal brain oxygenation before, during, and after a cognitive task: A randomized controlled pilot trial.

Preliminary studies suggest that creatine and guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) may function as moderate vasodilators, enhancing tissue oxygen saturation. However, the potential effects of this combination on brain oxygenation in humans remain unknown. The primary objective of this randomized controlled pilot trial was to assess cerebral blood oxygenation indices following a 7-day administration of a mixture containing creatine and GAA in healthy adults.

Creatine and sleep habits and disorders in the general population aged 16 years and over: NHANES 2007-2008.

Preclinical studies have suggested that dietary creatine may affect sleep quality yet no studies have explored the potential association between creatine consumption and sleep patterns or disorders in the general population. This cross-sectional study aims to examine the association between creatine consumption and sleep habits and disorders among individuals aged 16 years and older, using data from the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The analysis included 5988 individuals (50.

Thermoanalytical study of protein state during rehydration and rehydration kinetics in osmotically dehydrated pork meat (Longissimus dorsi): Insights from Peleg and Weibull models.

Osmotically dehydrated pork meat (Longissimus dorsi), in the molasses, was used in the aim to study the protein state during rehydration. Protein state and rehydration kinetics are crucial for obtaining the desired meat product quality. The thermoanalytical techniques were employed to follow protein state and kinetics of rehydration.

Association of 25(OH)-Vitamin D3 Serum Concentrations and Vitamin D Receptor Gene Variants with the Risk of Idiopathic Spontaneous Preterm Birth in the Croatian Population.

Preterm birth (PTB) forms a heterogeneous group with possible genetic predisposition. 25(OH)-vitamin D3 plays a significant role during implantation, placentation, and the maintenance of normal pregnancy. The aim of our research was to examine whether FokI, Cdx2, and ApaI gene variants, as well as serum concentrations of 25-hydroxy25(OH)-vitamin D3 in women and their newborns, might be predisposing factors for idiopathic spontaneous preterm birth.

Dietary creatine and carcinogenic biomarkers in adult population.

Several reports suggest potential cytotoxic effects of creatine, possibly due to its role in facilitating the formation of food-borne chemical carcinogenic compounds. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the relationship between creatine consumption and various carcinogenic biomarkers in blood and urine among individuals aged 18 years and older, utilizing data from the 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Daily creatine intake was assessed using the Dietary Data databases, which were compiled from individual in-person 24-h food recall interviews.

Protective Effect of () Polymorphism in Sporadic and Familial Spontaneous Preterm Birth: Insights from a Case-Control Study.

This study investigated the potential role of specific single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes (), (), , (), (), and () to assess whether these genetic variants contribute to the risk of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). A case-control study was conducted involving 573 women from Croatia and Slovenia: 248 with sporadic sPTB (positive personal and negative family history of sPTB before 37 weeks' gestation), 44 with familial sPTB (positive personal and family history of sPTB before 37 weeks' gestation), and 281 control women. The analysis of rs146756455, rs2963463, rs2946169, rs201450565, rs188343966, and rs1800629 SNPs was performed using TaqMan real-time PCR.

Assessing Dietary Creatine Intake in Population Studies: Challenges and Opportunities.

Limited data exist for establishing the dietary requirements for creatine in the general population. This paper delineates the challenges linked to estimating creatine intake from a typical diet, and explores opportunities to improve the assessment of population-wide creatine intake. Conducting additional food chemistry studies with creatine as a standard analyte, labeling the creatine content in common foods, generating more diverse data from population-based studies, and validating new biomarkers could facilitate the establishment of nutrient reference values for this conditionally essential nutrient.

The Impact of Short-Term Supplementation With Guanidinoacetic Acid and Creatine Versus Creatine Alone on Body Composition Indices in Healthy Men and Women: Creatine-Guanidinoacetic Acid Affects Body Composition.

The main objective of this pilot study was to compare the effects of short-term supplementation with a mixture containing creatine and guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) versus creatine alone on body composition indices in men and women. Twenty-three apparently healthy young adults (mean age: 21.4 ± 0.

The relationship between perceived school stress and satisfaction with life among Norwegian school-based adolescents and the moderating role of perceived teacher care: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Perceived stress from schoolwork and perceived teacher care are shown to influence adolescents' life satisfaction. However, there is a need to further explore how levels of perceived school stress affect life satisfaction of Norwegian adolescents across gender and school levels using nationwide data, and whether this association is moderated by perceived teacher care. Hence, this paper sought to: (1) describe perceived school stress, perceived teacher care and satisfaction with life in Norwegian adolescents stratified by gender and school level, (2) examine the association between perceived school stress and satisfaction with life by testing perceived teacher care as a possible moderator and (3) explore the association between perceived teacher care and adolescents' satisfaction with life.

Decoding the Epigenetics of Infertility: Mechanisms, Environmental Influences, and Therapeutic Strategies.

Infertility is a complex condition caused by a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Recent advances in epigenetics have highlighted the importance of epigenetic changes in fertility regulation. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the epigenetic mechanisms involved in infertility, with a focus on DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNAs.

Establishing Reference Intakes for Creatine in Infants Aged 0 to 12 Months.

Creatine is recognized as a conditionally essential nutrient in certain populations; however, there is a lack of established reference values across different life stages. Infants rely exclusively on dietary creatine from human milk for their first 6 months; evaluating creatine adequacy in this population can be estimated based on preliminary data regarding the intake needed to promote optimal growth. This special article explores creatine requirements for infants aged 0 to 12 months, presents a summary of creatine content in human milk, and proposes reference intakes for creatine in this population.

Food-sourced guanidinoacetic acid and methylation cycle biomarkers in individuals aged one year and older: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Purpose: Several preliminary studies suggest dietary guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) might impact methyl group availability and/or methylation biomarkers, fueling ongoing debates. This study aimed to explore the relationship between dietary GAA intake and plasma indicators of the methylation cycle in individuals aged one year and older, using data from the 2001-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Methods: Dietary information was obtained from individuals who completed a 24-hour Dietary Recall, with total daily intake of GAA calculated by aggregating all relevant food items.

Associations between levels of physical activity and satisfaction with life among Norwegian adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

Background: A robust association between physical activity (PA) and satisfaction with life (SWL) has been established, wherein self-efficacy has been identified as a mediator across different populations. However, there is a need to further examine the relationship between PA and SWL and whether self-efficacy act a as mediator within different levels of PA among Norwegian adolescents. Thus, the objective of this study was to explore the relationship between levels of PA and SWL by testing for self-efficacy as a possible mediator.