Effects of Ramadan intermittent fasting on gut microbiome: is the diet key?

Much research has been conducted regarding the impact of diet on the gut microbiota. However, the effects of dietary habits such as intermittent fasting are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of intermittent fasting during Ramadan on the gut microbiota. The study was conducted on 12 healthy adult individuals who practiced fasting 17 h per day for 29 consecutive days during the month of Ramadan. To determine the dietary intake of individuals, a 3-day dietary record was kept at the beginning and end of the study. Reads that passed quality filtering were clustered, and custom-prepared 16S rRNA gene regions of bacteria associated with the human microbiome were used as a reference. Consensus sequences were created, and genus-level taxonomic annotations were determined using a sequence identity threshold of 95%. The correlations between the dietary intake measurements of the participants and the respective relative abundance of bacterial genera were investigated. The results showed that Firmicutes were higher in abundance in the gut microbiota before fasting among participants, while they were significantly lower in abundance at the end of Ramadan fasting (p < 0.05). Proteobacteria were significantly higher in abundance at the end of the month of Ramadan (p < 0.05). Fasting was associated with a significant decrease in levels of seven genera: Blautia, Coprococcus, Dorea, Faecalicatena, Fusicatenibacter, Lachnoclostridium, and Mediterraneibacter. Conversely, the abundances of two bacterial genera were enhanced at the end of the fasting month: Escherichia and Shigella. The results of the dietary intake analysis showed that a negative correlation was detected for three comparisons: Ihubacter and protein (rho = -0.54, p = 0.0068), Fusicatenibacter and vegetables (rho = -0.54, p = 0.0042), and Intestinibacter and nuts (rho = -0.54, p-value = 0.0065). The results suggest that even when the fasting period during Ramadan is consistent, the types of food consumed by individuals can affect the gut microbiota.

A New Perspective on Metabolic Syndrome with Osteopontin: A Comprehensive Review.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) imposes a substantial burden on the healthcare systems and economies of countries and is a major public health concern worldwide. MetS is mainly caused by an imbalance between calorie intake and energy expenditure; however, it is recognized that additional variables, such as chronic inflammation, may have the same predictive potential as insulin resistance or MetS components in the genesis of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular events. More importantly, the early diagnosis or treatment of MetS may significantly reduce the burden on the health systems of the disease with any prevention or biomarker and should not be underestimated. Osteopontin (OPN), also called secreted phosphoprotein 1, is a soluble protein found mostly in body fluids. Studies suggest that serum OPN levels may be an early and new biomarker to predict metabolic and cardiovascular complications significantly associated with some diseases. This review aims to provide specific insight into the new biomarker OPN in MetS. With this purpose, it is examined the link between the MetS cornerstones and OPN. In addition, the interaction between the microbiota and MetS is predicted to be bidirectional, and the microbiota may act as a bridge in this interaction process. Increased OPN levels may have unfavourable consequences for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity, all of which are components of MetS. Further studies are required to evaluate the use of OPN levels as a clinical biomarker risk of MetS.

Can Dietary Fiber Knowledge Level Be a Determinant of Dietary Fiber Intake in Adolescents? Turkey Example / ¿Puede el nivel de conocimiento de la fibra dietética ser un factor determinante de la ingesta de fibra dietética en los adolescentes? Ejemplo de Turquía

Objective: This study aims to determine the relationshipbetween dietary fiber knowledge level, nutritional status, anddietary fiber in adolescents. Methods: This research was carried out on 276 adolescents between the ages of 14-17 who studied at the highschool level in İnegöl between November 2018 and May 2019and who voluntarily agreed to participate in the research. Athreestage questionnaire was applied to the participants, andtheir anthropometric measurements were taken. A dietaryfiber knowledge level scale (KADF) was used to determine thelevel of diet fiber knowledge. Three days of dietary recordwas taken to determine the nutritional status. Results: The mean percentage of the adolescents abouttheir level of knowledge about dietary fiber sources (SDF) is41.0 ± 16.1 (min: 0-max: 100), while the mean percentageof their knowledge about the effects of dietary fiber on health(DFPH) is 63.5 ± 18.1 (min: 0-max: 100). The average of thetotal score percentage was determined as 52.2 ± 12.3 (min:18.8-max: 100). Although participants have a high level ofknowledge about the health effects of dietary fiber, theirawareness of dietary fiber sources is low. The percentage ofDFPH scores of female and male adolescents studying in science high school is significantly higher compared to individuals studying in college. There was no statistically significantdifference between dietary fiber information levels of adolescents and daily diet, energy, nutrient consumption, and vitamin mineral intake (p> 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in dietary fiber information levels and dailydietary fiber consumption of adolescents (p> 0.05). Conclusion: This is since the level of knowledge is a necessary but not sufficient factor in food selection. As a result,more studies are needed to examine the relationship between dietary fiber knowledge level and dietary fiber intakein adolescents.(AU)

Este estudio tiene como objetivo determinar la relación entre el nivel de conocimiento de la fibra dietética, el estado nutricional y la fibra dietética en adolescentes. Esta investigación se llevó a cabo en 276 adolescentes de 14 a 17 años que estudiaron el nivel secundario en İnegöl entre noviembre de 2018 y mayo de 2019 y que voluntariamente aceptaron participar en la investigación. Se utilizó una escala de nivel de conocimiento de fibra dietética (KADF) para determinar el nivel de conocimiento de fibra dietética. Se tomó registro de tres días de consumo de alimentos para determinar el estado nutricional. El porcentaje medio de los adolescentes sobre su nivel de conocimiento sobre las fuentes de fibra dietética (SDF) es de 41,0 ± 16,1 (min: 0-max: 100), mientras que el porcentaje medio de su conocimiento sobre los efectos de la fibra dietética en la salud (DFPH) es 63,5 ± 18,1 (mín: 0-máx: 100). El promedio del porcentaje de puntuación total se determinó como 52,2 ± 12,3 (mín: 18,8-máx: 100). El porcentaje de puntajes DFPH de adolescentes mujeres y hombres que estudian en la escuela secundaria de ciencias es significativamente mayor en comparación con las personas que estudian en la universidad. No hubo diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre los niveles de información de fibra dietética de los adolescentes y la dieta diaria, la energía, el consumo de nutrientes y la ingesta de vitaminas y minerales (p> 0,05). No hubo diferencia estadísticamente significativa en los niveles de información de fibra dietética y el consumo diario de fibra dietética de los adolescentes (p> 0,05). Como resultado, se necesitan más estudios para examinar la relación entre el nivel de conocimiento de fibra dietética y la ingesta de fibra dietética en adolescentes.(AU)

A long-lasting Sphingomonas paucimobilis outbreak: A potential for pathogens to persist on environmental devices despite disinfection measures.

BACKGROUND: Sphingomonas paucimobilis, an aerobic, non-fermentative, Gram-negative opportunistic bacillus, can colonize everywhere in hospital settings where water is used. We reported a hospital S paucimobilis outbreak that persisted for nearly 2 years despite all necessary preventive measures. METHODS: Over a period from February 13, 2020 to December 3, 2021, 67 patients were identified to have S paucimobilis as documented by positive cultures from clinical samples, along with 19 positive environmental samples. RESULTS: Bacterial regrowth for molecular analysis could be obtained in 49 isolates (39 clinical, 4 extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) water heater devices, 1 unused mouthwash solution, 5 water samples from thoracic drainage aspirators). Two distinct clonally indistinguishable genotypes were detected in AP-PCR and PFGE analyses, with 100% consistency. The main cluster was obtained consistently throughout the outbreak from 30 samples (61.2%: 24 clinical, 4 ECMO, 1 unused mouthwash solution, 1 water sample from the thoracic drainage aspirator). The other cluster involved 15 clinical samples and 4 water samples from the thoracic drainage aspirators. CONCLUSIONS: Given that waterborne pathogens can spread to a wide range of equipment used in healthcare environments, the pathogens can persist on the surfaces of environmental devices even after recommended disinfection measures have been applied. Therefore, individual tracking of all devices used in critical care settings, such as thoracic drainage aspirators and ECMO water heater devices, with records of pre- and post-disinfection procedures is of paramount importance for complete elimination of the source of infection.

Validation of the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire Children (DEBQ-C) version in Turkish preadolescence children.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: It is important to determine Dysfunctional eating behaviors such as dietary restraint and overeating tendencies in order to provide weight management and acquire the right habits in children. The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire Children (DEBQ-C) with Turkish preadolescent children. MATERIALS/METHODS: This research included 440 preadolescents (9.3 ± 6.9 years and 235 girls, 205 boys). The instrument is divided into three subscales, each with 20 items. Emotional eating, restrained eating, and external eating are the three subscales. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to assess the construct validity of the Turkish version of the DEBQ-C, and Cronbach α values were computed to evaluate the subscale reliabilities. There were 20 observable variables and three latent variables in the hypothesized model. RESULTS: Fit indices for the hypothesized model were good (×2/degree of freedom = 1.96; root mean square error of approximation = 0.05; comparative fit index = 0.95; goodness of fit index = 0.93). These findings revealed that the Turkish version of the DEBQ-C has a factor structure that was identical to the three-factor structure of the original scale. The Turkish version of the DEBQ-C subscales has internal consistency coefficients ranging from 0.72 (external eating) to 0.86. (emotional eating). CONCLUSIONS: The DEBQ-C Turkish version is a viable and reliable tool for measuring overeating tendencies in Turkish preadolescents, according to the findings.

Turkish version of the Intuitive Eating Scale-2: Validity and reliability among university students.

Intuitive Eating is defined as "the dynamic process-integrating attunement of mind, body, and food". The purpose of this study was, therefore, adapt the IES-2 to the Turkish language and reliability and validity of IES-2 among Turkish populations. We also examined the instrument's internal consistency and test-retest reliability and analysed the relationships between the IES-2 and several variables so as to evaluate the convergent and discriminant validity. Three hundred seventy-seven undergraduate and postgraduate women and men between the ages of 19-31 years (mean 22.3, SD = 3.53) attending two large private universities in Istanbul, Turkey. The best solution from the principal factors analysis of the 23 items of the IES-2 revealed four factors corresponding to the four subscales (F1: Eating for physical rather than emotional reasons; F2: Unconditional permission to eat; F3: Reliance on hunger and satiety cues; F4: Body-food choice congruence), as reported by the authors of the questionnaire. Bartlett's test of sphericity gave X2 = 9043.49 (p < 0.001), while the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin index was 0.87 (KMO were 0.89 for women and 0.83 for men). The test-retest reliability of the IES-2 was 0.88 for the IES-2 total score. The IES-2 had a = 0.82. These findings support the notion that intuitive eating is a viable concept for university students and the IES can be used to examine adaptive eating behaviors in this population.