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Abstract Background Epidemiological studies indicate that the use of artificial sweeteners doubles the risk for Crohn's disease (CD). Herein, we experimentally quantified the impact of 6-week supplementation with a commercial sweetener (Splenda; ingredients sucralose maltodextrin, 1:99, w/w) on both the severity of CD-like ileitis and the intestinal microbiome alterations using SAMP1/YitFc (SAMP) mice. Methods Metagenomic shotgun DNA sequencing was first used to characterize the microbiome of ileitis-prone SAMP mice. Then, 16S rRNA microbiome sequencing, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), bacterial culture, stereomicroscopy, histology, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity analyses were then implemented to compare the microbiome and ileitis phenotype in SAMP with that of control ileitis-free AKR/J mice after Splenda supplementation. Results Metagenomics indicated that SAMP mice have a gut microbial phenotype rich in Bacteroidetes, and experiments showed that Helicobacteraceae did not have an exacerbating effect on ileitis. Splenda did not increase the severity of (stereomicroscopic/histological) ileitis; however, biochemically, ileal MPO activity was increased in SAMP treated with Splenda compared with nonsupplemented mice (P < 0.022) and healthy AKR mice. Splenda promoted dysbiosis with expansion of Proteobacteria in all mice, and E. coli overgrowth with increased bacterial infiltration into the ileal lamina propria of SAMP mice. FISH showed increase malX gene-carrying bacterial clusters in the ilea of supplemented SAMP (but not AKR) mice. Conclusions Splenda promoted gut Proteobacteria, dysbiosis, and biochemical MPO reactivity in a spontaneous model of (Bacteroidetes-rich) ileal CD. Our results indicate that although Splenda may promote parallel microbiome alterations in CD-prone and healthy hosts, this did not result in elevated MPO levels in healthy mice, only CD-prone mice. The consumption of sucralose/maltodextrin-containing foods might exacerbate MPO intestinal reactivity only in individuals with a pro-inflammatory predisposition, such as CD.

With the epidemic of human obesity, dietary fats have increasingly become a focal point of biomedical research. Epidemiological studies indicate that high-fat diets (HFDs), especially those rich in long-chain saturated fatty acids (e.g., Western Diet, National Health Examination survey; NHANES ‘What We Eat in America’ report) have multi-organ pro-inflammatory effects. Experimental studies have confirmed some of these disease associations, and have begun to elaborate mechanisms of disease induction. However, many of the observed effects from epidemiological studies appear to be an over-simplification of the mechanistic complexity that depends on dynamic interactions between the host, the particular fatty acid, and the rather personalized genetics and variability of the gut microbiota. Of interest, experimental studies have shown that certain saturated fats (e.g., lauric and myristic fatty acid-rich coconut oil) could exert the opposite effect; that is, desirable anti-inflammatory and protective mechanisms promoting gut health by unanticipated pathways. Owing to the experimental advantages of laboratory animals for the study of mechanisms under well-controlled dietary settings, we focus this review on the current understanding of how dietary fatty acids impact intestinal biology. We center this discussion on studies from mice and rats, with validation in cell culture systems or human studies. We provide a scoping overview of the most studied diseases mechanisms associated with the induction or prevention of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in rodent models relevant to Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis after feeding either high-fat diet (HFD) or feed containing specific fatty acid or other target dietary molecule. Finally, we provide a general outlook on areas that have been largely or scarcely studied, and assess the effects of HFDs on acute and chronic forms of intestinal inflammation.

With >70,000 yearly publications using mouse data, mouse models represent the best engrained research system to address numerous biological questions across all fields of science. Concerns of poor study and microbiome reproducibility also abound in the literature. Despite the well-known, negative-effects of data clustering on interpretation and study power, it is unclear why scientists often house >4 mice/cage during experiments, instead of ≤2. We hypothesized that this high animal-cage-density  practice abounds in published literature because more mice/cage could be perceived as a strategy to reduce housing costs. Among other sources of ‘artificial’ confounding, including cyclical oscillations of the ‘dirty-cage/excrement microbiome’, we ranked by priority the heterogeneity of modern husbandry practices/perceptions across three professional organizations that we surveyed in the USA. Data integration (scoping-reviews, professional-surveys, expert-opinion, and ‘implementability-score-statistics’) identified Six-Actionable Recommendation Themes (SART) as a framework to re-launch emerging protocols and intuitive statistical strategies to use/increase study power. ‘Cost-vs-science’ discordance was a major aspect explaining heterogeneity, and scientists’ reluctance to change. With a ‘housing-density cost-calculator-simulator’ and fully-annotated statistical examples/code, this themed-framework streamlines the rapid analysis of cage-clustered-data and promotes the use of ‘study-power-statistics’ to self-monitor the success/reproducibility of basic and translational research. Examples are provided to help scientists document analysis for study power-based sample size estimations using preclinical mouse data to support translational clinical trials, as requested in NIH/similar grants or publications.

Background and Objectives: Melanoma is one of the most aggressive malignancies in humans and is associated with an unfavorable prognosis due to its high metastatic potential. In recent decades, increasing incidence and mortality rates have been reported worldwide among Caucasian populations. This study aimed to analyze melanoma incidence and mortality trends in the Republic of Serbia from 2008 to 2022, with a special regard to sex- and age-specific differences. Materials and Methods: A descriptive epidemiological study was conducted using data on all cases of primary cutaneous melanoma (ICD-10 code C43) reported to the Serbian Cancer Registry between 2008 and 2022. Data on newly diagnosed cases and melanoma-related deaths were analyzed by sex and 5-year age groups. Crude rates were calculated per 100,000 populations, whereas age-standardized rates were obtained using direct standardization. Temporal trends were evaluated using the Joinpoint regression analysis. Results: During the study period, 9600 new melanoma cases and 3882 melanoma-related deaths were reported in Serbia. Both incidence and mortality were higher in men (52.5% and 60.1%, respectively). Age-standardized incidence rates remained relatively stable in both sexes, with a slight increase in men (AAPC = 0.9%; 95% CI: −0.5 to 2.3) and a stable trend in women (AAPC = −0.1%; 95% CI: −1.5 to 1.3). Age-standardized mortality rates showed a mild, statistically insignificant decline overall (AAPC = −0.6% in men and −0.9% in women). The calculated mortality-to-incidence ratio (MIR) shows consistently higher values in men compared to women. A significant increase in incidence was observed among men aged 70–74 years (AAPC = 3.1%; p = 0.011), while mortality significantly decreased in women aged 40–44 years (APC = −7.0%; p = 0.017). Conclusions: Melanoma incidence in Serbia remained relatively stable between 2008 and 2022, with a modest increase primarily among older men. Mortality trends showed a slight decline, suggesting potential improvements in early detection and treatment outcomes.

The production of hydroponic fresh produce presents unique food safety and intervention challenges. A systematic approach was used to map and characterize the evidence on hydroponic food safety. Quantitative data describing the effectiveness of intervention studies were extracted, synthesized, and assessed for quality. A search of electronic databases yielded 131 relevant papers related to hydroponic food safety. Thirty-two studies focusing on food safety interventions reported 53 different interventions using chemical (n = 39), physical (n = 10), multiple-hurdle (n = 2), and biological (n = 2) approaches. Human pathogen indicators and surrogates were most often studied (n = 19), while pathogenic strains like Salmonella spp. (n = 9), Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) (n = 5), Listeria monocytogenes (n = 2), and viruses (Hepatitis A virus (HAV), n = 1; norovirus (NoV), n = 1) were studied less frequently. Of fourteen articles (43.8%) investigating pre-harvest interventions, most (42.9%) did not specify the hydroponic system type. Gaps remain in the available evidence regarding the efficacy of interventions for controlling human pathogens in near-commercial hydroponic systems. The quality assessment revealed a significant lack of detailed reporting on methods and outcomes, making it difficult to translate the findings into practical recommendations for the industry; therefore, this review provides recommendations for the scientific community to improve future research design and reporting in this field.

The main form of COVID-19 transmission is via \"oral-respiratory droplet contamination\" (droplet: very small drop of liquid) produced when individuals talk, sneeze, or cough. In hospitals, health-care workers wear facemasks as a minimum medical \" \" to protect themselves. Due to the shortage of masks during the pandemic, priority is given to hospitals for their distribution. As a result, the availability/use of medical masks is discouraged for the public. However, for asymptomatic individuals, not wearing masks in public could easily cause the spread of COVID-19. The prevention of \"environmental droplet contamination\" (EnvDC) from coughing/sneezing/speech is fundamental to reducing transmission. As an immediate solution to promote \" ,\" we assessed household textiles to quantify their potential as effective environmental droplet barriers (EDBs). The synchronized implementation of a universal \"community droplet reduction solution\" is discussed as a model against COVID-19. Using a bacterial-suspension spray simulation model of droplet ejection (mimicking a sneeze), we quantified the extent by which widely available clothing fabrics reduce the dispersion of droplets onto surfaces within 1.8 m, the minimum distance recommended for COVID-19 \"social distancing.\" All textiles reduced the number of droplets reaching surfaces, restricting their dispersion to <30 cm, when used as single layers. When used as double-layers, textiles were as effective as medical mask/surgical-cloth materials, reducing droplet dispersion to <10 cm, and the area of circumferential contamination to ~0.3%. The synchronized implementation of EDBs as a \"community droplet reduction solution\" (i.e., face covers/scarfs/masks and surface covers) will reduce COVID-19 EnvDC and thus the risk of transmitting/acquiring COVID-19.

Hydroponic vegetable production is increasing globally, but there is a lack of science-based recommendations to ensure their food safety. Specifically, there is limited evidence for establishing water management strategies. The purpose of this study was to determine the survival of Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes in commercial nutrient flow technology (NFT) systems during the lifecycle of lettuce exposed to sporadic or extreme contamination. NFT systems were inoculated with Salmonella Typhimurium or Listeria monocytogenes, and nutrient solution, rockwool, roots, and lettuce leaves were collected over the lettuce production cycle for pathogen enumeration and detection. Both human pathogens persisted in the lettuce NFT growing system throughout the growth cycle of lettuce. Salmonella Typhimurium and L. monocytogenes accumulated in rockwool medium and on lettuce roots and were transferred to the leaves at quantifiable levels from the contaminated nutrient solution. In the nutrient solution, Salmonella concentration under sporadic and extreme conditions declined significantly 24 h after inoculation and again 7 days post-inoculation (p < 0.0001). Under extreme conditions, the concentration did not change significantly after 7 days, while under sporadic conditions, the concentration declined again 14 days post-inoculation in the nutrient solution collected from the reservoirs. L. monocytogenes populations in the nutrient solution fluctuated significantly over the 28-day growth cycle (p < 0.0001). Under extreme conditions, L. monocytogenes concentrations in the nutrient solution declined, while under sporadic conditions, the populations increased. The findings of this study, for the first time, describe human pathogen survival in commerical NFT systems and highlight the urgent need for novel approaches to mitigating the risks from nutrient solution contaminaiton in hydroponics.

Pancreatic cancer is a significant public health problem worldwide. It is currently ranked as the 12th most common malignancy and the 6th leading cause of cancer mortality. This study aimed to investigate sex-specific and age-specific pancreatic cancer mortality trends and disparities in the Serbia from 2000 to 2021. A descriptive epidemiological population-based study analyzing pancreatic cancer mortality was conducted. Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) were calculated using the Segi's world standard population. Temporal trends for pancreatic cancer mortality were assessed using the joinpoint regression analysis. Age-standardized rate of pancreatic cancer in Serbia was 6.4/100,000 (7.9/100,000 in men, 5.1/100,000 in women). The rates were found to be 1.6 times higher in men than women. Pancreatic cancer mortality trend significantly increased from 2000 to 2010 in men (APC=+2.4%, 95%CI: 0.3 – 1.4), after 2010 rates nonsignificantly decline (APC=−0.4%; (95%CI: −2.5 – 0.5). In women, mortality trend significantly increased by +1.8% at an annual level (95%CI: 0.7–2.7). The mortality of pancreatic cancer increased by age. The joinpoint analysis showed a significant rising trend of mortality rates in all age groups 60+, with the highest average annual percent change being reported in the age groups 85+ (AAPC=+3.1 (95%CI: 1.6–4.5)). The provision of updated statistics on the occurrence and outcomes of pancreatic cancer, time trends among various population groups, along with a better understanding of its etiology and identification of causal changeable risk factors – are essential when it comes to the primary prevention of this particular disease.

Population aging is defined as one of the most current phenomena and challenges facing world. The WHO defines population aging as one of greatest successes of human society, resulting from reduction of mortality among elderly and their longer life expectancy in the protection of population, pharmacology, public health and promotion of healthy lifestyles. The certainty of the continuity of population aging in future continues to capture attention of the general public and initiates a whole series of open questions that will require very specific and concrete answers from each country. The aim of this paper is to review available literature to indicate the specific determinants of the elderly population, identify the challenges faced by the elderly population and indicate implications of the phenomenon of population aging. The unstoppable process of population ageing has profound consequences for health, social and economic spheres of society due to specific and very different needs of elderly population. The role of demographics, social factors, health needs and barriers as economic resources and differences in use of health services among elderly need to be systematically addressed and monitored. A well-organized health and social care system is important for improving the health of older people. Public health policy should address the diversity of health and functional conditions experienced by older people and maximize number of people who promote a positive journey of ageing. The creation and implementation of innovative strategies to improve health and quality of life of older people would enable well-being in old age.