The natural isomers of resveratrol, cis‐ and trans‐resveratrol, are natural phenolic substances synthetized via the shikimate pathway and found in many sources, including grapes, peanuts, ...blackberries, pistachios, cacao, cranberries, and jackfruits. They have functional and pharmacological properties such as anticarcinogenic, antidiabetic, anti‐inflammatory, and cardioprotective activities. The aim of this article is to review the data published on resveratrol and its isomers, and their biosynthesis in plants, food sources, health and toxic effects, and the excretion of their metabolites. Due to its contribution to the promotion of human health, it is convenient to gather more knowledge about its functional properties, food sources, and the interactions with the human body during the processes of eating, digestion, absorption, biotransformation, and excretion, to combine this information to improve the understanding of these substances.
Resveratrol is a natural substance found in many plant species. Its main function is to protect these plants against infections and harmful stimuli. To humans, it represents an essential nutrient, as it can only be obtained through eating and digestion. The aim of this review is to study its pathways of synthesis in plants and its dietary sources, and to consider the biochemical processes and transformations during digestion, focusing on the pharmacologic effects of its two isomers: cis‐ and trans‐resveratrol.
Abstract
Background
No overall estimate of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-associated hospitalizations in children aged under 5 years has been published for the European Union (EU). We aimed to ...estimate the RSV hospitalization burden in children aged under 5 years in EU countries and Norway, by age group.
Methods
We collated national RSV-associated hospitalization estimates calculated using linear regression models via the RESCEU project for Denmark, England, Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, and Scotland, 2006–2018. Additional estimates were obtained from a systematic review. Using multiple imputation and nearest neighbor matching methods, we estimated overall RSV-associated hospitalizations and rates in the EU.
Results
Additional estimates for 2 countries (France and Spain) were found in the literature. In the EU, an average of 245 244 (95% confidence interval CI, 224 688–265 799) yearly hospital admissions with a respiratory infection per year were associated with RSV in children aged under 5 years, with most cases occurring among children aged under 1 year (75%). Infants aged under 2 months represented the most affected group (71.6 per 1000 children; 95% CI, 66.6–76.6).
Conclusions
Our findings will help support decisions regarding prevention efforts and represent an important benchmark to understand changes in the RSV burden following the introduction of RSV immunization programs in Europe.
The study estimated that an average of 245 244 children aged under 5 years are hospitalized annually due to RSV in the EU, with the highest hospitalization rates in children aged less than 2 months (71.6 per 1000 children).
Stopping smoking can considerably cut one's risk of developing cancer compared to continued smoking (i.e. up to 50% after 5 years for esophageal cancer and after 10 years for lung cancer). Much less ...is known about whether quitting smoking may bring a survival advantage to people who are active smokers at the time of cancer diagnosis. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the studies that examined the prognostic effect of quitting smoking at or around diagnosis among cancer patients. We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for articles published until 30th March 2022 that reported the impact of quitting smoking at or around diagnosis on cancer patients' survival (any type). Separately for each cancer site, study-specific data were pooled into summary relative risk (SRR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) using random effect meta-analysis models, investigating sources of heterogeneity and bias. Forty-three articles were included, including 20 for lung cancer (LC), 16 for head and neck cancer (HNC), and less than 10 for bladder, breast, gastrointestinal tract, and other sites. Quitting smoking at or around diagnosis was associated with longer overall survival (SRR 0.71, 95% CI 0.64-0.80) in LC patients (consistently for non-small cell and small cell LC) as well as HNC patients (SRR 0.80, 95% CI 0.70-0.91). No significant publication bias was found. For the other body sites, the studies were limited in number, which prevented meta-analyses, but results were generally consistent with a beneficial effect of smoking cessation on survival. Quitting smoking at or around diagnosis is associated with a significantly improved overall survival of smokers diagnosed with LC and HNC and shows beneficial effects in patients with other cancers. Physicians should offer smoking cessation counselling to smokers who start diagnostic workup for suspected cancer, and smoking cessation strategies should arguably become part of standard multidisciplinary oncological care.
Key messages
* Smoking cessation at or around diagnosis is associated with a significantly improved overall survival of smokers diagnosed with different types of cancer.
* Smoking cessation strategies (and counselling) should become part of standard multidisciplinary oncological care.
Albeit research on brain-computer interfaces (BCI) for controlling applications has expanded tremendously, we still face a translational gap when bringing BCI to end-users. To bridge this gap, we ...adapted the user-centered design (UCD) to BCI research and development which implies a shift from focusing on single aspects, such as accuracy and information transfer rate (ITR), to a more holistic user experience. The UCD implements an iterative process between end-users and developers based on a valid evaluation procedure. Within the UCD framework usability of a device can be defined with regard to its effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. We operationalized these aspects to evaluate BCI-controlled applications. Effectiveness was regarded equivalent to accuracy of selections and efficiency to the amount of information transferred per time unit and the effort invested (workload). Satisfaction was assessed with questionnaires and visual-analogue scales. These metrics have been successfully applied to several BCI-controlled applications for communication and entertainment, which were evaluated by end-users with severe motor impairment. Results of four studies, involving a total of N = 19 end-users revealed: effectiveness was moderate to high; efficiency in terms of ITR was low to high and workload low to medium; depending on the match between user and technology, and type of application satisfaction was moderate to high. The here suggested evaluation metrics within the framework of the UCD proved to be an applicable and informative approach to evaluate BCI controlled applications, and end-users with severe impairment and in the locked-in state were able to participate in this process.
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