Notes

Intra-cellular direction modulates biflagellar synchrony.
The public health relevance of true vitamin D deficiency is undisputed, although controversy remains regarding optimal vitamin D status. Few contemporary cross-ethnic studies have investigated the prevalence and determinants of very low 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations.

We conducted cross-ethnic analyses on the prevalence and determinants of vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D≤25nmol/L) using data from 440,581 UK Biobank participants, of which 415,903 identified as White European, 7880 Asian, 7602 Black African, 1383 Chinese, and 6473 of mixed ancestry. Determinants of vitamin D deficiency were examined by logistic regression.

The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was highest among participants of Asian ancestry (57.2% in winter/spring and 50.8% in summer/autumn) followed by those of Black African ancestry (38.5% and 30.8%, respectively), mixed (36.5%, 22.5%), Chinese (33.1%, 20.7%) and White European ancestry (17.5%, 5.9%). Participants with higher socioeconomic deprivation were more likely to herable.
A higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with shorter telomeres. The loss of muscle mass with aging is associated with adverse outcomes. The appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI) is currently used to quantify muscle mass.

We investigated the association of the ASMI with leukocyte telomere length in adult Americans.

This cross-sectional study used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2002 dataset. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Low muscle mass was defined using sex-specific thresholds of the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI). The telomere-to-single-copy gene ratio (T/S ratio) was converted to base pairs. Generalized linear models were performed to evaluate the association of ASMI with telomere length.

In multivariable adjustment regression models, higher ASMI was associated with longer telomeres in US adults (β=70.2, P<0.001, P trend<0.001). In participants with preserved muscle mass, the ASMI was related to longer telomere length (β=75.1, P<0.001), but not significantly in low muscle mass participants (β=68.7, P=0.30). Further subgroup analysis by a combination of age groups and muscle mass status showed positive association with young-preserved muscle mass (β=82.6, P<0.001), old-preserved muscle mass (β=44.4, P=0.12), young-low muscle mass (β=135.4, P=0.20), and old-low muscle mass (β=52.7, P=0.55). Because each additional year of chronological age was associated with telomeres that were 15.3 base pairs shorter, on average, this would equate to 5.4 fewer years of biological aging (82.6÷15.3) in the young-preserved muscle mass participants.

A higher ASMI is associated with longer telomeres. The prevention of skeletal muscle loss has the potential to delay telomere shortening and account for less biological aging.
A higher ASMI is associated with longer telomeres. The prevention of skeletal muscle loss has the potential to delay telomere shortening and account for less biological aging.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional disorder that is characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms and that has a major impact on quality of life, resulting in direct and indirect health care costs. The majority of patients with IBS suffer from food intolerances, most commonly related to the consumption of fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs). This study aimed to develop and verify the validity and reproducibility of a short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess typical FODMAP consumption in adults with IBS.

The primary FFQ list consisted of source foods of FODMAPs that contributed at least 10% to the frequency of consumption among 855 adults from a population-based study in the municipality of Campinas in 2014/2015. In addition, source foods of FODMAPs (according to the Monash University Low FODMAP Diet application) and foods commonly consumed by the Brazilian population (according to the FFQ for adults validated in the city of São Paulo) were aker validity for fructose, polyols and oligosaccharides. As the short FFQ was carefully designed for the study population, its estimates are relatively reliable at the population group level. A future reanalysis of this questionnaire would be useful when the chemical composition data of FODMAPs are available.
The semi-quantitative short FFQ was developed to evaluate the consumption of FODMAPs in adults in São Paulo. The instrument presents good reproducibility for all groups of FODMAPs, good validity for lactose and weaker validity for fructose, polyols and oligosaccharides. As the short FFQ was carefully designed for the study population, its estimates are relatively reliable at the population group level. A future reanalysis of this questionnaire would be useful when the chemical composition data of FODMAPs are available.
Fungal β-glucans have been considered as biological response modifiers (BRMs) promoting stimulation of immune system according to numerous scientific publications performed invitro and invivo. Some clinical trials involving such compounds started to be published since 1980's. This systematic review aimed to compile and compare clinical studies using these β-glucans as adjuvants on patients undergoing cancer treatment. Healthy subjects and β-glucans from other sources were excluded.

It was developed according to PRISMA-P guidelines (PROSPERO registered n. CRD42020151539), using PICO criteria and the following databases PubMed, Scielo and LILACS.

We found 1018 articles and after removing duplicated records, select by title/abstract and full-text, only 9 studies remained and 7 more were manually added, totalizing 16 trials involving 1650 patients, with arm sizes varying from 9 until 200 patients. The selected studies (published since 1992-2018) included subjects with diagnosis of 9 types of cancer. The sturation of β-glucan is safe and well-tolerated. Most of the trials pointed that concomitant administration of β-glucan with chemo or radiotherapy reduced the immune depression caused by such treatments and/or accelerated the recovery of white blood cells counts. However, some articles also commented that no statistical difference was encountered between β-glucan treated vs. control groups, which gives a controversial conclusion about the β-glucan effects. The great diversity among the methodology studies and insufficient information was an impeditive for achieving profound statistical analysis, therefore a narrative report of the included studies was performed indicating that further evidences are required to determine the efficacy of this adjuvant in the cancer treatment.
We aimed to evaluate the relationship of plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25[OH]D3) with the risk of new-onset proteinuria and examine the possible effect modifiers in patients with hypertension and without chronic kidney disease at baseline.

This is a post hoc analysis of the renal substudy of the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial. A total of 1655 patients with hypertension, who had plasma 25(OH)D3 measurements, as well as without proteinuria and with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of ≥60mL/min/1.73m
at baseline, were included in the present study. The main outcome was new-onset proteinuria, defined as a urine dipstick reading of ≥1+ at the exit visit.

The mean (standard deviation) 25(OH)D3 level at baseline was 18.6 (7.5) ng/mL. The median follow-up duration was 4.4years. Overall, there was a significant inverse association between plasma 25(OH)D3 and the risk of new-onset proteinuria (per standard deviation increment; [odds ratio] OR 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.50, 0.97). Accordingly, when 25(OH)D3 was assessed as quartiles, a significantly lower risk of new-onset proteinuria was found in participants in quartiles 3-4 (≥17.8ng/mL; OR 0.45; 95% CI 0.23, 0.87), compared with those in quartile 1 (<13.1ng/mL). Furthermore, a stronger inverse relationship of plasma 25(OH)D3 and new-onset proteinuria was observed in nondiabetic participants (per standard deviation increment; OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.39, 0.83; vs. diabetics OR 1.48; 95% CI 0.67, 3.28; P for interaction=0.028).

There was a significant inverse association between plasma 25(OH)D3 and the risk of proteinuria in patients with hypertension, especially in those without diabetes.
There was a significant inverse association between plasma 25(OH)D3 and the risk of proteinuria in patients with hypertension, especially in those without diabetes.
The objective of this study was to assess the agreement between estimated 24-hour urinary sodium excretion (e24hUNa) and estimated 24-hour urinary potassium excretion (e24hUK), calculated from a spot urine sample using several available equations and actual sodium and potassium intake from a controlled diet in both healthy participants and those with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

This study is a secondary analysis of a controlled feeding study in CKD patients matched to healthy controls. Participants (n=16) consumed the controlled diet, which provided ∼2400mg Na/day and ∼3000mgK/day, for 8days. On days 7 and 8, participants consumed all meals and collected all urine in an inpatient research setting, and they were discharged on day 9. The day 7 morning spot urine sample was used to calculate e24hUNa and e24hUK, which was compared with known sodium and potassium intake, respectively.

Average e24hUNa from the INTERSALT and Tanaka-Na equations were higher than actual sodium intake by 373mg and 559mg, respectively, though the differences were not significant. e24hUNa from the Nerbass-SALTED equation in CKD participants was significantly higher than actual sodium intake by ∼2000mg (P<.001), though e24hUNa from the Nerbass-RRID equation was not different from intake. e24hUK from the Tanaka-K equation was significantly lower than actual potassium intake (P<.001). For both e24hUNa and e24hUK for all participants, agreement with actual intake was poor, and e24hUNa and e24hUK were not correlated with actual sodium or potassium intake, respectively.

e24hUNa and e24hUK are poor indicators of true sodium and potassium intake, respectively, in both healthy and CKD participants. Findings should be confirmed in larger sample sizes with varying levels of dietary sodium and potassium.
e24hUNa and e24hUK are poor indicators of true sodium and potassium intake, respectively, in both healthy and CKD participants. Findings should be confirmed in larger sample sizes with varying levels of dietary sodium and potassium.
To investigate the association of sarcopenia and its components (muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance) with dependency in activities of daily living (ADLs) in maintaining patients on hemodialysis.

This is a cross-sectional study. Sarcopenia was identified according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 criteria. Basic ADLs (BADLs) and instrumental ADLs (IADLs) were assessed. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association of sarcopenia and its components with dependency. Area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of gait speed corresponding with dependency was calculated.

A total of 238 patients on hemodialysis were included. The proportion of enrolled male candidates was 67.6%, and the average age was 60.9years. In all, 49.2% (n=117) and 30.7% (n=73) of patients on dialysis were diagnosed with sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia, respectively. Dependency in BADLs was 21.0% (n=50), and dependency in IADLs was 41.2% (n=98). Severe sarcopenia was significantly associated with dependency in BADLs and IADLs after adjustment of clinical covariables (odds ratio [OR], 4.
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