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This paper aims to summarize the available literatures, specifically in the following areas: metabolic and other side effects of aspartame; microbiota changes/dysbiosis and its effect on the gut-brain axis; changes on gut microbiota as a result of aspartame usage; metabolic effects (weight gain and glucose intolerance) of aspartame due to gut dysbiosis; and postulated effects of dysregulated microbiota-gut-brain axis on other aspartame side-effects (neurophysiological symptoms and immune dysfunction).

Aspartame is rapidly becoming a public health concern because of its purported side-effects especially neurophysiological symptom and immune dysregulation. It is also paradoxical that metabolic consequences including weight gain and impaired blood glucose levels have been observed in consumers. Exact mechanisms of above side-effects are unclear, and data are scarce but aspartame, and its metabolites may have caused disturbance in the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Additional studies investigating the impact of aspartame on gut microbiota and metabolic health are needed.

Exact mechanism by which aspartame-induced gut dysbiosis and metabolic dysfunction requires further investigation.

Gut health has multidimensional impact on childhood growth and development. Diet being the major modulator of gut health, this study aims to hypothesize if supplementation of dietary prebiotics and vitamins can impact gut environment of healthy children.

A double-blind placebo-controlled trial was conducted with parallel allocation of children 8–13 years of age to placebo or test group. Test group was supplemented with 1.5 g of formulation comprising prebiotics and vitamins, and to placebo, maltodextrin (1.5 g) was supplemented. After four weeks, the effect on markers of gut health (i.e. beneficial microbes, and gut integrity markers such as secretory Immunoglobulin A [sIgA] and calprotectin concentration) was evaluated in feces of children.

Significant increase of 17.1% in fecal bifidobacteria counts (p = 0.04) was observed in the test group compared to placebo after four weeks. Also, fecal calprotectin concentration decreased (20%) significantly (p = 0.01) in test group compared to placebo. In addition, the test group showed significant improvement in fecal sIgA and lactobacilli compared to baseline concentration (p = 0.01 and 0.001, respectively).

This study demonstrates that prebiotic (and vitamin) intervention may influence health outcomes in children by positively modulating markers of gut health.

There are limited studies demonstrating the efficacy of prebiotic and vitamins on gut health of school age children.

Recent evidence suggests that especially processed foods may lead to undesirable metabolic effects in gut microbiota. The emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners that are added to processed foods may play a role in the progression of the diseases through the modulation of microbiota in mice. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effects of emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners.

This paper presents a narrative review of the effects of emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners which are mainly in consumed in the Western diet, to the gut microbiota by mainly focusing on the experimental studies.

Although in vivo studies and animal model studies showed various adverse effects of sweeteners and emulsifiers to microbiota, studies should be conducted in humans to investigate the effects of these food additives to human microbiota by making dietary interventions in the context of ethical rules.

In future, studies will allow us to draw more definitive conclusion whether human population consuming sweeteners and emulsifiers are at risk.

Gut microbial changes are associated with diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes and may be influenced by diet patterns. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the effects of alcohol, sodium chloride (NaCl) and dietary restriction on the composition of the gut microflora.

Five-week-old male C57BL/6N mice were orally administered by gavage with ethanol (ET; 4 g/kg), 200 µL of 6% NaCl (NC), or equivalent volumes of phosphate-buffered saline (ET-control and NC-control) every two days for 10 weeks. The mice were also orally administered by gavage with the recommended diet (RD-control; 3 g per mouse per day), or with 40% (RD-40) or 60% restricted level (RD-60). DNA samples obtained from mice ceca were sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq Sequencing system; raw data were analyzed using BIOiPLUG software.

This study shows that high ethanol and NaCl consumption, and diet restriction can change the composition of the intestinal microflora, especially Akkermansia muciniphila in ET (p = 0.0050) and NT (p = 0.0366) groups. In addition, the ratio of Bacteriodetes/Firmicutes and the diversity of microflora were generally reduced (p = 0.0487-0.4929).

These results raise the possibility of a relationship between diet patterns, change of intestinal microbiome and disease, which must be further evaluated.

The purpose of this chapter is to explore whether and how angel investors’ emotions unfold in the investment opportunity evaluation process as they interact with the social environment. Complementing recent research that has emphasized the financial calculations, we add angel investors’ own emotional arousal to the list of tools that may help them to rate investment opportunities.

Drawing on semi-structured qualitative interviews, we develop a phenomenological analysis of the investment opportunity evaluation process at the level of angel investors’ lived experience.

Our findings indicate that when angel investors use their emotional arousal in evaluating investment criteria, they engage in a developmental process characterized by three elements: subjective validation, social validation, and investment decision.

We illuminate how discrete emotions can complement rational considerations in the opportunity evaluation journey. Capturing the nature of emotion as action oriented, embodied, socially situated, and distributed, we embrace its adaptive socially situated dynamics.

Taking a step toward better understanding of the soft aspects in the relationship development that leads to investments, we hope this study will help not only those entrepreneurs who need funding but also those policymakers who design new incentives that improve the flow of investment into promising new ventures.

We demonstrate how angel investors’ emotions can complement their rational considerations in the investment opportunity evaluation process as they interact with the social environment. Identifying boundary values for the conditions that are necessary and sufficient to advance in the process, we have demonstrated how emotion can serve as a driving or restraining force not only during subjective validation but also during social validation.

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is one of the most major micronutrient deficiencies worldwide. Food fortification is one strategy for reducing IDA in the population despite concern regarding the gut pathogenic bacteria overgrowth. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of iron encapsulation in banana peel matrix on iron status and gut microbiota composition in iron deficiency anemia.

Anemia was induced in 35 male Sprague Dawley rats of age two weeks by the administration of iron-free diet for two weeks. Rats then randomly divided into control, iron-fortified tempeh (temFe) dose 10 and 20 ppm, iron matrix-fortified tempeh dose 10 and 20 ppm and iron matrix fortified tempeh dose 10 and 20 ppm with probiotic mixture. Blood was drawn at Weeks 2 and 6 for hemoglobin and serum iron analysis. Rats were sacrificed at the end of Week 6, and cecal contents were collected for Lactobacillus, Bifidobacteria and Enterobactericeae analysis.

Hemoglobin and serum iron were significantly increased (p < 0.05) in all iron-fortified group with the highest value found in iron matrix dose 20 ppm (10.71 ± 0.15 g/dl and 335.83 ± 2.17 µg/dl, respectively). The cecal Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria did not differ significantly between groups. Cecal Enterobactericeae was significantly different (p < 0.05) among groups with the lowest level in the temFe-20 (2.65 ± 0.78 log CFU) group.

The use of commercial inoculum instead of pure Rhizopus oligosporus mold for developing the fortified tempeh may impact the effect of product on cecal gut microbiota composition, as different molds and lactic acid bacteria can grow in tempeh when using commercial inoculum.

In Indonesia, iron fortification is conducted primarily in noodles and flour that limits the impact of iron fortification for reducing IDA in population. Iron fortification in food that was daily consumed by people, that is, tempeh, is potential strategy in reducing IDA in population.

Tempeh fortification using encapsulated iron improved iron status and gut microbiota composition in iron deficiency anemia.

The purpose of this study is to collect and assess the evidence available on the effect of non nutritive sweeteners on appetite, weight and glycemic regulation. As a replacement for sugars, non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) are widely being used in different food products with the assumption that these would lower calorie intake and help to manage weight and blood sugar levels better. However, studies using animal models have reported that chronic exposure to NNSs leads to increased food consumption, weight gain and insulin resistance.

Evidence was acquired from systematic reviews or meta-analyses (2016–2021) of relevant clinical studies, especially randomized control trials using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines.

The review showed NNSs exposure did not conclusively induce increased food intake or change in subjective appetite ratings. Appetite biomarkers like ghrelin, gastric inhibitory peptide, C-peptide levels and Peptide YY remained mostly unaffected by NNSs. Meta-analyses of human randomized control studies showed a reduced energy intake and body weight. No significant change was seen in blood glucose levels, post-prandial glycemic or insulin response after consumption of NNSs. Adequate evidence is not available to conclusively say that NNSs influence gut health at doses relevant to human use.

Most studies which are prospective cohort, observational and cross-sectional studies suggest that use of NNSs may promote obesity and metabolic syndrome in adults. Such studies are plagued by confounding variables and reverse causation. Mechanistic evidence is mostly based on in-vitro and in-vivo studies. The same causal pathways may not be operative or relevant in humans.

This review of available literature concludes that to achieve specific public health and clinical goals, the safe use of NNSs for the reduction of intakes of free sugars and energy should be explored. This would be possible by educating the consumer about energy compensation and understanding the nutritional content of artificially sweetened products in terms of calories coming from fat and complex carbohydrates used in the product.

This study was, thus, designed with the objective of examining the usefulness of NNSs in human population, especially with respect to insulin regulation, glycemic control and weight management. Well-designed randomized control trials which control for confounding variables are needed to generate high quality evidence.

The links between diet, bacteria and colonic cancer are examined in this article. Studies suggest that high intakes of fat and protein are associated with elevated risk of colonic cancer whereas cereals, fruits and vegetables seem to be protective. A further aspect considered in relation to this type of cancer is metabolism by gut bacteria. Probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics are presented as ways of stimulating the activities, certain gut flora and the use of “functional foods” is also discussed.

This qualitative study of managers’ use of intuition in the selection process aimed to understand if and how managers use intuition in employee hiring decisions and suggest ways in which the use of intuition might be improved. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with managers from a range of backgrounds, and with varying experience of recruitment and selection.

Findings revealed that reasons for the use of intuition included personal preferences, resource constraints and recognition of the limitations of more structured approaches. Intuition was used an indicator for performance, personality and person-environment fit. Intuition tended to be used with requisite caution; participants were aware of its limits, the potential for bias and the difficulties in justifying its use; several participants used their intuitions in concert with more structured, non-intuition based approaches.

The small-scale investigative study has limited generalisability. The paper concludes with five specific recommendations on how to improve managers’ understanding and use of intuition in employee selection.

Despite increased interest in intuition in management there is a paucity of qualitative studies of intuition-in-use in management in general and in personnel in particular. This research helps to fill this gap.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the impact of self reported gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances in middle aged and older women and the role of food in alleviating these disturbances, so that the effect of food on overall psychological state when experiencing the disturbances and their alleviation can be explored.

One‐on‐one interviews with general questions and laddering/means‐end chain (MEC) elicitation were used to reveal both physical and psychological impacts of GI disturbances and alleviation of the disturbances in women aged between 45 and 70 years old.

In terms of the laddering procedure and cognitive mapping, the number of linkages apparent between concrete and abstract levels demonstrated a complex map of cognitions regarding GI disturbances that involved both physical and psychological impacts. Positive or negative framing of context altered the cognitions revealed in the laddering, with the role of food highlighting these differences.

To the best of the authors' knowledge, MEC theory has not been applied to explore the impact of acute GI disturbances in healthy participants on their quality of life. The exploratory research demonstrates that mild and/or acute experiences of GI dysfunction have negative impacts on psychological well‐being, similar in type to those suffering from chronic conditions and deepens our understanding of the complexity of inter‐relationships between components of well‐being in the context of gut health.