Dietary and gastrointestinal (GI) problems have been frequently reported in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the relative contributions of autism-linked traits to dietary and GI problems in ...children with ASD are poorly understood. This study firstly compared the dietary intake and GI symptoms between children with ASD and typically developing children (TDC), and then quantified the relative contributions of autism-linked traits to dietary intake, and relative contributions of autism-linked traits and dietary intake to GI symptoms within the ASD group.
A sample of 121 children with ASD and 121 age-matched TDC were eligible for this study. The dietary intake indicators included food groups intakes, food variety, and diet quality. The autism-linked traits included ASD symptom severity, restricted repetitive behaviors (RRBs), sensory profiles, mealtime behaviors, and their subtypes. Linear mixed-effects models and mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to estimate the relative contributions.
Children with ASD had poorer diets with fewer vegetables/fruits, less variety of food, a higher degree of inadequate/unbalanced dietary intake, and more severe constipation/total GI symptoms than age-matched TDC. Within the ASD group, compulsive behavior (a subtype of RRBs) and taste/smell sensitivity were the only traits associated with lower vegetables and fruit consumption, respectively. Self-injurious behavior (a subtype of RRBs) was the only contributing trait to less variety of food. Limited variety (a subtype of mealtime behavior problems) and ASD symptom severity were the primary and secondary contributors to inadequate dietary intake, respectively. ASD symptom severity and limited variety were the primary and secondary contributors to unbalanced dietary intake, respectively. Notably, unbalanced dietary intake was a significant independent factor associated with constipation/total GI symptoms, and autism-linked traits manifested no contributions.
ASD symptom severity and unbalanced diets were the most important contributors to unbalanced dietary intake and GI symptoms, respectively. Our findings highlight that ASD symptom severity and unbalanced diets could provide the largest benefits for the dietary and GI problems of ASD if they were targeted for early detection and optimal treatment.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
Our previous work revealed that unbalanced dietary intake was an important independent factor associated with constipation and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder ...(ASD). Growing evidence has shown the alterations in the gut microbiota and gut microbiota-derived metabolites in ASD. However, how the altered microbiota might affect the associations between unbalanced diets and GI symptoms in ASD remains unknown. We analyzed microbiome and metabolomics data in 90 ASD and 90 typically developing (TD) children based on 16S rRNA and untargeted metabolomics, together with dietary intake and GI symptoms assessment. We found that there existed 11 altered gut microbiota (FDR-corrected P-value <0.05) and 397 altered metabolites (P-value <0.05) in children with ASD compared with TD children. Among the 11 altered microbiota, the Turicibacter, Coprococcus 1, and Lachnospiraceae FCS020 group were positively correlated with constipation (FDR-corrected P-value <0.25). The Eggerthellaceae was positively correlated with total GI symptoms (FDR-corrected P-value <0.25). More importantly, three increased microbiota including Turicibacter, Coprococcus 1, and Eggerthellaceae positively modulated the associations of unbalanced dietary intake with constipation and total GI symptoms, and the decreased Clostridium sp. BR31 negatively modulated their associations in ASD children (P-value <0.05). Together, the altered microbiota strengthens the relationship between unbalanced dietary intake and GI symptoms. Among the altered metabolites, ten metabolites derived from microbiota (Turicibacter, Coprococcus 1, Eggerthellaceae, and Clostridium sp. BR31) were screened out, enriched in eight metabolic pathways, and were identified to correlate with constipation and total GI symptoms in ASD children (FDR-corrected P-value <0.25). These metabolomics findings further support the modulating role of gut microbiota on the associations of unbalanced dietary intake with GI symptoms. Collectively, our research provides insights into the relationship between diet, the gut microbiota, and GI symptoms in children with ASD.
Background
Emotional and behavioral problems are common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It's still unclear whether children with ASD have abnormal sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) ...and milk intake and whether this abnormality will affect their emotions and behavior remains unclear. The current study aims to investigate the association of SSBs and milk intake with emotional and behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Methods
107 children with ASD and 207 typical developing (TD) children aged 6-12 years old were recruited for the study. The frequency of SSBs and milk intake was assessed by a self-designed questionnaire. Emotional and behavioral problems were assessed by Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Then, the linear regression model was produced to evaluate the association of SSBs and milk intake with emotional and behavioral problems.
Results
In the current study, there was no difference in frequency of SSBs intake between children with ASD and TD children (
p
> 0.05), and children with ASD consumed less milk compared to TD children (
p
< 0.05). After adjusting sex, age, maternal and paternal education, and monthly family income, we found a significant difference in each subscale score of SDQ in the two groups (
p
< 0.05). In children with ASD, higher frequent SSBs intake was positively associated with the scores of the emotional problem (
p
for trend <0.05), and lower frequent milk intake was inversely associated with the scores of prosocial behavior (
p
for trend <0.05). No interactive effects were found on SSBs and milk intake with emotional and behavioral problems (
p
for trend > 0.05).
Conclusion
In children with ASD, frequency of SSBs and milk intake was associated with the emotional problem and prosocial behavior, respectively. Children with ASD should increase the frequency of milk intake and decrease the frequency of SSBs intake.
The association between sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) consumption and executive function (EF) among typically developing (TD) children has been investigated in previous studies but with ...inconsistent results. Furthermore, this relationship has been less investigated among autistic children who perform worse in EF compared with TD children. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between SSB consumption and EF in autistic children, and whether the association between SSB and EF in autistic children is different from that in TD children. We recruited 106 autistic children and 207 TD children aged 6–12 years in Guangzhou, China. Children’s EF was assessed by using the Chinese version of parent-reported Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Stroop Color–Word Test, and working memory subscales of the Chinese version of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for children, Fourth edition. Meanwhile, we assessed children’s dietary intake and SSB consumption with a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire. In this study, 70 (66.0%) autistic children consumed SSB and 20 (18.9%) of them consumed more than two servings SSB a week. Among autistic children, over two servings per week SSB consumption was associated with poorer performance in emotional control β = 7.20, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.94–13.46 and plan/Organize (β = 6.45, 95% CI: 0.27–12.63). The association between over two servings/week SSB consumption and emotional control among autistic children was significantly different from that among TD children (β
ASD
= 7.20; β
TD
= −3.09,
Z
= 2.72,
p
= 0.006). Results of this study show that SSB consumption was associated with an impairment in some subscales of EF in autistic children. Furthermore, the association between SSB and EF in autistic children might be different from that in TD children.
In situ effective separation of oil pollutants including oil spills and oil emulsions from water is an emerging technology yet remains challenging. Hydrophobic micro- or nano-materials with ...ferromagnetism have been explored for oil removal, yet the separation efficiency of an oil emulsion was compromised due to the limited dispersion of hydrophobic materials in water. A surfactant coating on microparticles prevented particle aggregation, but reduced oil absorption and emulsion cleaning ability. Recently, polystyrene microbeads covered with nanospikes have been reported to display anomalous dispersion in phobic media without surfactants. Inspired by this phenomenon, here magnetic microparticles attached with nanospikes were fabricated for enhanced separation of oil emulsions from water. In this design, the particle surfaces were functionalized to be superhydrophobic/superoleophilic for oil absorption, while the surface of the nanospikes prevented particle aggregation in water without compromising surface hydrophobicity. The magnetic spiky particles effectively absorbed oil spills on the water surface, and readily dispersed in water and offered facile cleaning of the oil emulsion. In contrast, hydrophobic microparticles without nanospikes aggregated in water limiting the particle-oil contact, while surfactant coating severely reduced particle hydrophobicity and oil absorption ability. Our work provides a unique application scope for the anomalous dispersity of microparticles and their potential opportunities in effective oil-water separation.
In situ
effective separation of oil pollutants including oil spills and oil emulsions from water is an emerging technology yet remains challenging. Hydrophobic micro- or nano-materials with ...ferromagnetism have been explored for oil removal, yet the separation efficiency of an oil emulsion was compromised due to the limited dispersion of hydrophobic materials in water. A surfactant coating on microparticles prevented particle aggregation, but reduced oil absorption and emulsion cleaning ability. Recently, polystyrene microbeads covered with nanospikes have been reported to display anomalous dispersion in phobic media without surfactants. Inspired by this phenomenon, here magnetic microparticles attached with nanospikes were fabricated for enhanced separation of oil emulsions from water. In this design, the particle surfaces were functionalized to be superhydrophobic/superoleophilic for oil absorption, while the surface of the nanospikes prevented particle aggregation in water without compromising surface hydrophobicity. The magnetic spiky particles effectively absorbed oil spills on the water surface, and readily dispersed in water and offered facile cleaning of the oil emulsion. In contrast, hydrophobic microparticles without nanospikes aggregated in water limiting the particle-oil contact, while surfactant coating severely reduced particle hydrophobicity and oil absorption ability. Our work provides a unique application scope for the anomalous dispersity of microparticles and their potential opportunities in effective oil-water separation.
Surface nanospikes prevented particle aggregation in water without compromising surface hydrophobicity.
Dispersion of hydrophilic particles in non-polar media has many important applications yet remains difficult. Surfactant or amphiphilic functionalization was conventionally applied to disperse ...particles but is highly dependent on the particle/solvent system and may induce unfavorable effects and impact particle hydrophilic nature. Recently 2 m size polystyrene microbeads coated with ZnO nanospikes have been reported to display anomalous dispersity in phobic media without using surfactant or amphiphilic functionalization. However, due to the lack of understanding whether this phenomenon was applicable to a wider range of conditions, little application has been derived from it. Here the anomalous dispersity phenomenons of hydrophilic microparticles covered with nanospikes were systematically assessed at various conditions including different particle sizes, material compositions, particle morphologies, solvent hydrophobicities, and surface polar groups. Microparticles were functionalized with nanospikes through hydrothermal route, followed by dispersity test in hydrophobic media. The results suggest nanospikes consistently prevent particle aggregation in various particle or solvent conditions, indicating the universal applicability of the anomalous dispersion phenomenons. This work provides insight on the anomalous dispersity of hydrophilic particles in various systems and offers potential application to use this method for surfactant-free dispersions.
Orthorhombic vanadium pentoxide (V
2
O
5
) nanowires with uniform morphology were successfully fabricated
via
a facile hydrothermal process. The effect of disodium citrate dosage on the ...crystallinity, morphology and electrochemical properties of the products was analyzed. Experimental results indicate that orthorhombic V
2
O
5
nanowires with high crystallinity and diameter of about 20 nm can be obtained at 180 °C for 24 h when the dosage of disodium citrate is 0.236 g. Furthermore, the prepared V
2
O
5
nanowires demonstrate a high specific capacitance of 528.2 F g
−1
at 0.5 A g
−1
and capacitance retention of 85% after 1000 galvanostatic charge/discharge cycles at 1 A g
−1
when used as supercapacitors electrode in 0.5 M K
2
SO
4
.
Orthorhombic vanadium pentoxide (V
2
O
5
) nanowires with uniform morphology were successfully fabricated
via
a facile hydrothermal process.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, UL, UM, UPUK
Conflicting results on the correlation between hyperuricemia and the prognosis of stroke had been reported and the close association between serum uric acid (SUA) and abnormal glycomatabolism might ...further complicate the assessment of the correlation. We aimed to investigate SUA in predicting the prognosis of acute stroke in different glycometabolism status.
A total of 2907 patients aged from 18 to 85 (1220 diabetes mellitus (DM), 777 prediabetes and 910 normoglycemia) were selected from the Abnormal Glucose Regulation in Patients with Acute Stroke across China (ACROSS-China) study. The patients were divided into groups according to the SUA quartile as well as decile. The correlations between SUA and the poor outcome (mRS > 2) at discharge were assessed stratified by glucose metabolism status. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the potential risk factors of poor in-hospital outcome of stroke and the risk-adjustment of the correlation between SUA and the prognosis of stroke. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
SUA were divided first as Quartile1 to 4 (Quartile1 < 221 μmol L
; Quartile2 (221-286) μmol L
; Quartile3 (286-352) μmol L
and Quartile4 > 352 μmol L
), then as decile1 to 10. In normoglycaemia, SUA quartiles, deciles and continuous SUA concentration were independently significantly associated with poor outcome. Q1 was independently associated with the higher possibility of poor functional outcome (compared to Q4, odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidential interval (CI) was 3.79 (1.23-8.67) in Q1); Lower level of SUA in DM was also associated with poor functional outcome at discharge compared to the highest level of SUA(Q4)(OR with 95% CI, 2.07 (1.05-4.08)), however, lower SUA level was also related to severer stroke at admission in DM as well as in prediabetes (P < 0.001 in DM and 0.023 in prediabetes) and severer stroke resulted in worse functional outcome at discharge (OR with 95% CI, 12.15 (8.08-18.21) in DM and 11.58 (7.50-23.25) in prediabetes). But in normoglycamic stroke, SUA levels did not differ in stroke severity at admission (P = 0.066).
Low SUA level (<221 μmol L
) independently and strongly predicts the short-term poor functional outcome in acute stroke with normoglycaemia other than diabetes or prediabetes.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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