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Weight loss benefits of multi-ingredient supplements in conjunction with a low-calorie, high-protein diet in young women are unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a three-week low-calorie diet with and without supplementation on body composition. Thirty-seven recreationally-trained women (n = 37; age = 27.1 ± 4.2; height = 165.1 ± 6.4; weight = 68.5 ± 10.1; BMI = 25.1 ± 3.4) completed one of the following three-week interventions: no change in diet (CON); a high-protein, low-calorie diet supplemented with a thermogenic, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a protein gel, and a multi-vitamin (SUP); or the high-protein diet with isocaloric placebo supplements (PLA). Before and after the three-week intervention, body weight, %Fat via dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), segmental fat mass via DXA, %Fat via skinfolds, and skinfold thicknesses at seven sites were measured. SUP and PLA significantly decreased body weight (SUP: PRE, 70.47 ± 8.01 kg to POST, 67.51 ± 8.10 kg; PLA: PRE, 67.88 ± 12.28 kg vs. POST, 66.38 ± 11.94 kg; p ≤ 0.05) with a greater (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in SUP than PLA or CON. SUP and PLA significantly decreased %Fat according to DXA (SUP: PRE, 34.98 ± 7.05% to POST, 32.99 ± 6.89%; PLA: PRE, 34.22 ± 6.36% vs. POST, 32.69 ± 5.84%; p ≤ 0.05), whereas only SUP significantly decreased %Fat according to skinfolds (SUP: PRE, 27.40 ± 4.09% to POST, 24.08 ± 4.31%; p ≤ 0.05). SUP significantly (p ≤ 0.05) decreased thicknesses at five skinfolds (chest, waist, hip, subscapular, and tricep) compared to PLA, but not at two skinfolds (axilla and thigh). The addition of a thermogenic, CLA, protein, and a multi-vitamin to a three-week low-calorie diet improved weight loss, total fat loss and subcutaneous fat loss, compared to diet alone.

Background Over the last decade use of raw acceleration metrics to assess physical activity has increased. Metrics such as Euclidean Norm Minus One (ENMO), and Mean Amplitude Deviation (MAD) can be used to generate metrics which describe physical activity volume (average acceleration), intensity distribution (intensity gradient), and intensity of the most active periods (MX metrics) of the day. Presently, relatively little comparative data for these metrics exists in youth. To address this need, this study presents age- and sex-specific reference percentile values in England youth and compares physical activity volume and intensity profiles by age and sex. Methods Wrist-worn accelerometer data from 10 studies involving youth aged 5 to 15 y were pooled. Weekday and weekend waking hours were first calculated for youth in school Years (Y) 1&2, Y4&5, Y6&7, and Y8&9 to determine waking hours durations by age-groups and day types. A valid waking hours day was defined as accelerometer wear for ≥ 600 min·d −1 and participants with ≥ 3 valid weekdays and ≥ 1 valid weekend day were included. Mean ENMO- and MAD-generated average acceleration, intensity gradient, and MX metrics were calculated and summarised as weighted week averages. Sex-specific smoothed percentile curves were generated for each metric using Generalized Additive Models for Location Scale and Shape. Linear mixed models examined age and sex differences. Results The analytical sample included 1250 participants. Physical activity peaked between ages 6.5–10.5 y, depending on metric. For all metrics the highest activity levels occurred in less active participants (3 rd -50 th percentile) and girls, 0.5 to 1.5 y earlier than more active peers, and boys, respectively. Irrespective of metric, boys were more active than girls ( p  < .001) and physical activity was lowest in the Y8&9 group, particularly when compared to the Y1&2 group ( p  < .001). Conclusions Percentile reference values for average acceleration, intensity gradient, and MX metrics have utility in describing age- and sex-specific values for physical activity volume and intensity in youth. There is a need to generate nationally-representative wrist-acceleration population-referenced norms for these metrics to further facilitate health-related physical activity research and promotion.

Background Several single-center reports suggest that vascular resection (VR) during pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) for patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma is feasible without affecting early postoperative mortality or morbidity. Our objective is to review the outcomes associated with VR during PD using a large multicenter data source. Methods A retrospective cohort analysis was performed using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Participant User Files for 2005–2009. All patients undergoing PD for a postoperative diagnosis of malignant neoplasm of the pancreas were included. Forward stepwise multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the association between VR during PD and 30-day postoperative mortality and morbidity after adjustment for patient demographics and comorbidities. Results 3,582 patients were included for analysis, 281 (7.8 %) of whom underwent VR during PD. VR during PD was associated with significantly greater risk-adjusted 30-day postoperative mortality [5.7 % with VR versus 2.9 % without VR, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.1, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.22–3.73, P  = 0.008] and overall morbidity (39.9 % with VR versus 33.3 % without VR, AOR 1.36, 95 % CI 1.05–1.75, P  = 0.02). There was no significant difference in risk-adjusted postoperative mortality or morbidity between those patients undergoing VR by the primary surgical team versus those patients undergoing VR by a vascular surgical team. Conclusions Contrary to the findings of several previously published single-center analyses, the current study demonstrates increased 30-day postoperative morbidity and mortality in PD with VR when compared with PD alone.

Energy drink consumption has been anecdotally linked to the development of adverse cardiovascular effects in consumers, although clinical trials to support this link are lacking. The effects of Red Bull® energy drink on cardiovascular and neurologic functions were examined in college-aged students enrolled at Winona State University. In a double-blind experiment where normal calorie and low calorie Red Bull® were compared to normal and low calorie placebos, no changes in overall cardiovascular function nor blood glucose (mg/dL) were recorded in any participant (n = 68) throughout a 2-h test period. However, in the second experiment, nine male and twelve female participants subjected to a cold pressor test (CPT) before and after Red Bull® consumption showed a significant increase in blood sugar levels pre- and post Red Bull® consumption. There was a significant increase in diastolic blood pressure of the male volunteers immediately after submersion of the hand in the 5°C water for the CPT. Under the influence of Red Bull®, the increase in diastolic pressure for the male participants during the CPT was negated. There were no significant changes in the blood pressure of the female participants for the CPT with or without Red Bull®. Finally, the CPT was used to evaluate pain threshold and pain tolerance before and after Red Bull® consumption. Red Bull® consumption was associated with a significant increase in pain tolerance in all participants. These findings suggest that Red Bull® consumption ameliorates changes in blood pressure during stressful experiences and increases the participants’ pain tolerance.

Signaling pathways regulated by heterotrimeric G-proteins exist in all eukaryotes. The regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins are key interactors and critical modulators of the Gα protein of the heterotrimer. However, while G-proteins are widespread in plants, RGS proteins have been reported to be missing from the entire monocot lineage, with two exceptions. A single amino acid substitution-based adaptive coevolution of the Gα:RGS proteins was proposed to enable the loss of RGS in monocots. We used a combination of evolutionary and biochemical analyses and homology modeling of the Gα and RGS proteins to address their expansion and its potential effects on the G-protein cycle in plants. Our results show that RGS proteins are widely distributed in the monocot lineage, despite their frequent loss. There is no support for the adaptive coevolution of the Gα:RGS protein pair based on single amino acid substitutions. RGS proteins interact with, and affect the activity of, Gα proteins from species with or without endogenous RGS. This cross-functional compatibility expands between the metazoan and plant kingdoms, illustrating striking conservation of their interaction interface. We propose that additional proteins or alternative mechanisms may exist which compensate for the loss of RGS in certain plant species.

We examined the compositional associations between the intensity spectrum derived from incremental acceleration intensity bands and the body mass index (BMI) z-score in youth, and investigated the estimated differences in BMI z-score following time reallocations between intensity bands. School-aged youth from 63 schools wore wrist accelerometers, and data of 1453 participants (57.5% girls) were analysed. Nine acceleration intensity bands (range: 0–50 mg to ≥700 mg) were used to generate time-use compositions. Multivariate regression assessed the associations between intensity band compositions and BMI z-scores. Compositional isotemporal substitution estimated the differences in BMI z-score following time reallocations between intensity bands. The ≥700 mg intensity bandwas strongly and inversely associated with BMI z-score (p < 0.001). The estimated differences in BMI z-score when 5 min were reallocated to and from the ≥700 mg band and reallocated equally among the remaining bands were −0.28 and 0.44, respectively (boys), and −0.39 and 1.06, respectively (girls). The time in the ≥700 mg intensity band was significantly associated with BMI z-score, irrespective of sex. When even modest durations of time in this band were reallocated, the asymmetrical estimated differences in BMI z-score were clinically meaningful. The findings highlight the utility of the full physical activity intensity spectrum over a priori-determined absolute intensity cut-point approaches.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.75382.].

Introduction Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are the active ingredient in the majority of disinfectants approved for use against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Although widely used, they have been linked to infertility and birth defects in animals, and have been shown to increase proinflammatory cytokines, decrease mitochondrial function, and disrupt sterol biosynthetic pathways in a dose-dependent manner in humans. This study examined if there was an increased use of QAC-based disinfectants among healthcare settings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and aims to bring to light the negative health outcomes that this rise in QAC exposure may pose.  Methods This hypothesis was explored using a telephone survey tool with both open-ended and closed-ended questions to assess changes in disinfection practices within hospitals, private practices, and dental practices. To ensure that the data were most representative of the United States, all states were ranked based on 28 health metrics tracked by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Those that ranked closest to the national average were Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Healthcare facilities within these states were called at random and asked about changes in disinfection practices, specifically regarding the disinfectant type, product concentration, changes in the frequency of cleaning, and changes in the cleaning method. Additional data such as demographics, hospital ward type, and practice type were also obtained. Results QAC-based disinfectants were one of the most commonly used products in the surveyed hospitals, private practices, and dental practices both before and throughout the pandemic. Among all the medical facilities surveyed, approximately 80 to 90% indicated an increase in the frequency of cleaning. Within private practices, approximately 80 to 90% increased both spraying and wiping, while within dental practices, 75% increased wiping and only 60% increased spraying. Over 80% of hospitals reported an increase in all methods of disinfection within each ward type. The number of dental practices using QAC-containing disinfectants increased due to the pandemic. In hospitals, the class of disinfectant varied considerably by ward, but overall fewer of them used QAC-based disinfectants and more relied on peroxide-containing disinfectants. Conclusions This study identified increases in the disinfection frequency and changes to disinfection products within healthcare settings as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The predominant use of QAC-based products and the increased frequency of disinfection are important findings as they indicate heightened exposure. Emerging literature has identified adverse health outcomes in both animals and humans from contact with QACs. Increased disinfection during a pandemic or disease outbreak is critical to control the spread of disease; however, further research is needed to investigate whether the use of QAC-containing disinfectants to combat COVID-19 results in unintended disease burden in the healthcare workers.

Summary Signaling pathways regulated by heterotrimeric G-proteins exist in all eukaryotes. The regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins are key interactors and critical modulators of the G[alpha] protein of the heterotrimer. However, while G-proteins are widespread in plants, RGS proteins have been reported to be missing from the entire monocot lineage, with two exceptions. A single amino acid substitution-based adaptive coevolution of the G[alpha]:RGS proteins was proposed to enable the loss of RGS in monocots. We used a combination of evolutionary and biochemical analyses and homology modeling of the G[alpha] and RGS proteins to address their expansion and its potential effects on the G-protein cycle in plants. Our results show that RGS proteins are widely distributed in the monocot lineage, despite their frequent loss. There is no support for the adaptive coevolution of the G[alpha]:RGS protein pair based on single amino acid substitutions. RGS proteins interact with, and affect the activity of, G[alpha] proteins from species with or without endogenous RGS. This cross-functional compatibility expands between the metazoan and plant kingdoms, illustrating striking conservation of their interaction interface. We propose that additional proteins or alternative mechanisms may exist which compensate for the loss of RGS in certain plant species.

Mass reproductive events, where large numbers of organisms aggregate for synchronous reproduction, are often captivating and ecologically significant, boosting offspring survival and reducing time spent searching for mates. However, mass reproduction can also instigate cryptic but consequential responses across entire food webs. Reproductive materials are abundant and accessible resources that can attract mobile consumers from up to thousands of kilometers away. Yet, their consumption, especially in aquatic systems, is difficult to detect and rarely characterized. Here, we combine molecular techniques with acoustic telemetry, literature review, and extensive natural history observations to investigate the food web consequences of synchronized reproduction in freshwater fishes. First, we demonstrate that a common but underappreciated fish species, white sucker, creates a resource pulse used ubiquitously by consumers, from local invertebrates and fishes to mobile predatory fishes, birds, and terrestrial mammals. Spawning white sucker create trophic hotspots that attract consumers across trophic levels and ecosystems to feed on eggs, spawning adults, and aggregated egg predators. Then we show that egg provisioning and predation is widespread among north-temperate freshwater fish species, highlighting that resource pulses instigated by mass reproduction may play a critical but underappreciated role in freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems.