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This study aims to investigate the effect of three-dimensional (3D)- bioplotted polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold geometry on the biological and mechanical characteristics of human adipose-derived stem cell (hASC) seeded constructs.

Four 3D-bioplotted scaffold disc designs (Ø14.5 × 2 mm) with two levels of strand–pore feature sizes and two strand laydown patterns (0°/90° or 0°/120°/240°) were evaluated for hASC viability, proliferation and construct compressive stiffness after 14 days of in vitro cell culture.

Scaffolds with the highest porosity (smaller strand–pore size in 0°/120°/240°) yielded the highest hASC proliferation and viability. Further testing of this design in a 6-mm thick configuration showed that cells were able to penetrate and proliferate throughout the scaffold thickness. The design with the lowest porosity (larger strand–pore size in 0°/90°) had the highest compression modulus after 14 days of culture, but resulted in the lowest hASC viability. The strand laydown pattern by itself did not influence the compression modulus of scaffolds. The 14-day cell culture also did not cause significant changes in compressive properties in any of the four designs.

hASC hold great potential for musculoskeletal tissue engineering applications because of their relative ease of harvest, abundance and differentiation abilities. This study reports on the effects of 3D-bioplotted scaffold geometry on mechanical and biological characteristics of hASC-seeded PCL constructs. The results provide the basis for future studies which will use this optimal scaffold design to develop constructs for hASC-based osteochondral tissue engineering applications.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have become widespread pollutants and now represent a global contamination problem. The presence of POPs in human serum and adipose tissues have raised public concern regarding their possible role as important etiologic agents in the development of human cancer. This paper aims to investigate the extent of environmental contamination with pesticides and their association with women's risk of breast cancer.

Various stages of carcinogenesis (initiation, promotion, progression), causes and risk factors associated with breast cancer are delineated. A possible mechanism of xenoestrogen and its association with breast cancer incidences in women is included. Recommendations for reducing breast cancer risks in women are also given.

Epidemiological studies have revealed that persistent pesticide residues in human serum and adipose tissues may increase women's risk of breast cancer. Women are at a greater risk than men of pesticide exposure. The association between organochlorine compounds and breast cancer is a controversial issue and there exists an exigency to execute extensive worldwide epidemiological studies under identical conditions of detected compounds, blood sampling procedures and analytical techniques to achieve conclusive results.

Women's risk of breast cancer associated with pesticide residues could be subjugated by avoiding prolonged occupational exposures, adopting precautionary measures, and changing lifestyle and dietary habits.

The paper shows that restrictions on the application of POPs and the avoidance of prolonged occupational exposure would result in lower concentrations of POP in blood, serum and adipose tissue, thus minimising women's risk of breast cancer.

This paper aims to evaluate the protective potential of prickly pear cactus fresh cladodes (opuntia ficus indica (OFI)) on glycemic disorders, dyslipidemia, prooxidant/antioxidant stress biomarkers and reverse cholesterol transport (by evaluating the activity of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT)) and paraoxonase (PON1) in rats prematurely exposed to cafeteria diet (CD).

Sixteen young rats were divided into two groups fed CD containing 50 per cent of hyperlipidic diet (HLD) and 50 per cent of junk food mix supplemented or not with 50 g of fresh young cladodes of OFI to 100 g of CD, during 30 days.

OFI cladodes supplementation decreased significantly body weight (p < 0.001), food intake (p < 0.05), adipose tissue weight (p < 0.01), fasting glycemia and glycosylated hemoglobin (p < 0.01), homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) and insulinemia (p < 0.001), levels of cholesterol (C) (p < 0.05) and triacylglycerols (TG) (p < 0.01) in serum and in very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL-C p < 0.05 and VLDL-TG p < 0.01) and improves reverse cholesterol transport by increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesteryl-esters concentrations (p < 0.001) and by stimulating LCAT activity. Moreover, they attenuated lipid peroxidation in VLDL and low-density lipoproteins by increasing atheroprotective activity of PON-1 and in liver and adipose tissue by enhancing enzymatic antioxidant defence.

The young cladodes of OFI because of their antiobesity benefits could constitute a novel functional ingredient in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.

Young cladodes of OFI in rat precociously submitted to a hyperlipidic diet/junk food (cafeteria model) seem to prevent metabolic disorders associated with obesity.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus indica (OFI)) nopalitos on body weight, food consumption, arterial blood pressure, glucidic homeostasis, cholesterol metabolic pathway and tissues redox status in type 2 diabetic (T2D) rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD).

Rats were fed by a HFD containing 30 per cent sheep fat for 10 weeks, after which they were rendered diabetic by an injection of a low dose of streptozotocin (STZ) (35 mg/kg). The diabetic rats were then divided into two groups. The first group consumed the HFD supplemented with 5 per cent (g/100 g diet) of freeze-dried OFI nopalitos (HFD-OFI), and the second group received the HFD without supplementation (HFD).

OFI nopalitos treatment decreased significantly arterial diastolic (−20%; p = 0.0001) and systolic (−16%; p = 0.0001) pressures, glycemia (−14%; p = 0.03), insulinemia (−50%; p = 0.04), glycated hemoglobin (−49%; p = 0.003), homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (−67%; p = 0.03), cholesterolemia (−31%; p = 0.003), very-low and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (−38%; p = 0.002 and −63% p = 0.0002, respectively); thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and lipid hydroperoxide contents, respectively, in liver (−26% p = 0.02, −20% p = 0.02), adipose tissue (−30% p = 0.002, −25% p = 0.001), muscle (−29% p = 0.003, −25% p = 0.008) and kidney (lipid hydroperoxides only (−28%; p = 0.001) but increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL₂) cholesteryl esters (+61%; p = 0.0001), serum lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase activity (+21%; p = 0.006) and antioxidant enzymes activities (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) of some tissues (liver, adipose tissue, muscle and kidney).

Freeze-dried OFI nopalitos improves arterial blood pressure, glycemic control, metabolic pathway of cholesterol and redox status in T2D rats.

Meteorin like-peptide (Metrnl) modulates energy hemostasis and relieves inflammation and oxidative stress. This study aims to investigate the relationship between Metrnl levels and inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress biomarkers and body composition parameters in obese type 2 diabetic patients.

This analytical cross-sectional study was carried out between August 2020 and March 2021on 93 people (n = 32 obese type 2 diabetic patients, n = 31 healthy obese, n = 30 healthy normal weight). Serum Metrnl levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), malondialdehyde and total antioxidant capacity were measured using standard methods. Body composition was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. p-Value less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Serum Metrnl levels were lower in obese diabetic patients than in healthy normal-weight subjects (82.5 [72.4–94.5] ng/mL compared to 154 [129–189] ng/mL). The difference in Metrnl levels between the two groups was significant (p < 0.001). The difference in Metrnl levels between the two groups was significant. Moreover, a significant correlation between Metrnl level and both TNF-a and hs-CRP was detected (p = 0.006 and p < 0.001, respectively) and the correlation between Metrnl and IL-6 was borderline (p = 0.051). A negative correlation was revealed between Metrnl level and anthropometric measurements and body composition (p < 0.05) with the exception of fat-free mass and skeletal muscle mass.

To discover sufficient evidence for the therapeutic function of Metrnl and its use as a prognostic biomarker in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus, future clinical studies are needed to highlight other factors influencing Metrnl serum levels.

This paper applies the study of kinanthropometry to define the physique of 49 Hong Kong‐Chinese Fire Services recruits. Kinanthropometry has been widely used in predicting the secular trend in increased body size of and among different ethnic groups world‐wide. It has also been applied in the studies of the physiques of Olympic athletes. The criteria developed for this research can be used as standards for physical recruitment in the disciplined forces, as well as for streamlining and improving the basic measurement scale for the manufacture of uniforms. The results showed that the somatotypes of the studied disciplined personnel were distributed in the range of endomorphic mesomorph. Significant correlation was observed between somatotype components and body girths and length measurements.

The breast is composed of two main types of soft tissues: glandular tissue and adipose tissue. Wearing a brassiere makes them deform easily. In order to design comfortable brassieres by which the body shape is adjusted, it is important to clarify the relationship between the breast deformation and the internal structure of the breast. The purpose of this paper is to assess a method to determine the structure inside the breast. Breast shape comparison was performed to assess the relationship between the external deformation caused by wearing a brassiere and the internal structure of the breast.

The subjects were five adult females. The breast MRI imaging in the sitting position was carried out using the vertical MRI systems under bare breasts condition and under wearing a brassiere condition. By creating 3D images from the MRI images obtained, the internal structure of the breast was determined. The 3D images under the wearing brassiere conditions were superimposed on the images under the bare breasts condition, and the breast shape comparison was performed to assess the relationship between the external deformation caused by wearing a brassiere and the internal structure of the breast.

The internal 3D structure of the breast, which had been unmeasurable in the sitting position, could be obtained using the vertical MRI system. Additionally the effect of wearing a brassiere on the breast was assessed in terms of the relation between the external deformation and the internal structure of the breast.

This paper's results can be utilized for human body model in simulation, and to provide fruitful data for the design of comfortable brassieres.

The objective of this study was to elaborate and characterize formulations of type mortadella bologna in an industrial unit.

Two formulations (Formulation 1 – F1 and Formulation 2 – F2) were characterized at a storage stability of 22 ºC for physicochemical (pH, a_w, moisture, protein, fat and lipid oxidation: TBARs and peroxide index, nitrite/nitrate, texture and thermal analysis: TG), sensory (acceptability), microbiological (Clostridium reducing sulfite, Streptococcus, Salmonella sp., mesophilic and coliform thermosensitive) and histological (organization and tissue distribution) characteristics.

In relation to the water activity (a_w), the formulation F2 presented a value of 0.925 as well as the lower TBARs (0.19 mg MDA/kg) and greater hardness (3945.47 gf), 85% acceptance index and greater mass loss by thermal analysis after 60 days of storage. The multivariate analysis showed that the hardness presents negative correlation in relation cohesiveness, resilience and a_w. There is also a strong positive correlation of the cohesiveness in relation to the resilience and a_w. In addition, moisture has a high positive correlation with TBARs, peroxide index, a_w, L* and texture parameters (adhesiveness, cohesiveness and resilience).

Therefore, the importance of the elaboration process of emulsified meat products was emphasized, aiming to add value and guarantee food safety, taking into account the current legal aspects.

ANOREXIA AND BULIMIA Anorexia and bulimia nervosa are eating disorders which are only found in western societies, and they are conditions which affect young Caucasians, primarily girls and young women. They are also more common among the higher socio‐economic groups. For example, the incidence among girls in private education is thought to be 1%, but fewer girls are affected in state education.

Weight reduction is a complex phenomenon. Dietary intervention is the most popular approach to reduce excess body fat. In this review, it has been tried to analyze the effect of individual nutrients on the weight reduction process. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Studies and review articles discussing role of individual nutrients on weight loss were collected for the purpose.

Diet high in protein and balanced in calories exerts a positive effect on weight reduction. Micronutrients such as calcium, vitamin C, A, D are also required for an effective weight reduction program.

The review tries to analyze the impact of both quantity and quality of various nutrients on weight reduction.