•Synergistic effects of surface and groundwater on desert riparian vegetation were analyzed.•The cautionary depth to groundwater for vegetation expansion in the lower Tarim River is ...4.0–5.0 m.•Flooding by surface water (lateral water transfer coverage) acts as the main driver for the expansion of vegetation in arid areas.•A zonal ecological water transfer strategy helps to promote effective ecosystem restoration in the region.
Restoring degraded ecosystems in drylands is challenging because of low precipitation and high evapotranspiration. Water availability determines the existence and spatiotemporal distribution patterns of key endangered species struggling to survive in the severely damaged desert riparian ecosystem of the lower Tarim River (LTR) in NW China. Ecological water flow restoration measures with high costs and uncertainties have been implemented since 2000. The key task for scientists is to assess the success and drawbacks of this restoration project and propose specific recommendations for stakeholders to optimize the ecological benefits of the project in a cost-effective manner. In this study, Landsat time-series data from 1990 to 2020 were used to extract vegetation index values from river corridors along the LTR and explore the spatiotemporal patterns of desert riparian forest (DRF) vegetation. Based on land use and surface water data, we extracted the interannual spatial distribution range of vegetation and surface water, and selected several sample plots to demonstrate the influence of surface water and groundwater on vegetation change trends. The study results showed the following. 1) From 1990 to 1999, the vegetation slowly degraded; from 2000 to 2012, the extent of vegetation restoration was approximately 1 km from the river; and from 2013 to 2020, the extent of vegetation restoration at the Yingsu and Karday sections increased to 4.5–6.0 km, while that at the Arghan and Yiganbujima sections remained within 1 km from the river. 2) The vegetation growth rate increased substantially and was spatially heterogeneous when the groundwater level reached 4.0–5.0 m and was influenced by surface water divergence; the average vegetation expansion rates per square km for P1–P4 were 0.017 km2/a, 0.011 km2/a, 0.005 km2/a, and 0.002 km2/a, respectively. 3) Flooding by surface water was the main driver of vegetation expansion when groundwater was stable and elevations in surface vegetation area were often accompanied by the spreading of surface water. Surface water was significantly correlated with vegetation cover and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) (Water pixels–Vegetation cover P1: R2 = 0.57, P < 0.001; P2: R2 = 0.45, P < 0.01; Water pixels–NDVI P1: R2 = 0.22, P < 0.05; P2: R2 = 0.40, P < 0.01). The increase in surface vegetation has alleviated the desertification process in the LTR, and the survival of the poplar has been mitigated. The results of this paper can help decision makers to formulate reasonable ecological water conveyance strategies and realize sustainable management of DRF ecosystems in arid zones.
Canola oil‐based diets have been shown to reduce plasma cholesterol levels in comparison with diets containing higher levels of saturated fatty acids. Consumption of canola oil also influences ...biological functions that affect various other biomarkers of disease risk. Previous reviews have focused on the health effects of individual components of canola oil. Here, the objective is to address the health effects of intact canola oil, as this has immediate practical implications for consumers, nutritionists, and others deciding which oil to consume or recommend. A literature search was conducted to examine the effects of canola oil consumption on coronary heart disease, insulin sensitivity, lipid peroxidation, inflammation, energy metabolism, and cancer cell growth. Data reveal substantial reductions in total cholesterol and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, as well as other positive actions, including increased tocopherol levels and improved insulin sensitivity, compared with consumption of other dietary fat sources. In summary, growing scientific evidence supports the use of canola oil, beyond its beneficial actions on circulating lipid levels, as a health‐promoting component of the diet.
Intestinal dysbiosis is thought to be an important cause of disease progression and the gastrointestinal symptoms experienced in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Inflammation appears ...to be a major contributor in perpetuating a dysregulated gut microbiota. Although current drug therapies can significantly induce and maintain disease remission, there is no cure for these diseases. Nevertheless, ongoing human studies investigating dietary fibre interventions may potentially prove to exert beneficial outcomes for IBD. Postulated mechanisms include direct interactions with the gut mucosa through immunomodulation, or indirectly through the microbiome. Component species of the microbiome may degrade dietary-fibre polysaccharides and ferment the products to form short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate. Prebiotic dietary fibres may also act more directly by altering the composition of the microbiome. Longer term benefits in reducing the risk of more aggressive disease or colorectal cancer may require other dietary fibre sources such as wheat bran or psyllium. By critically examining clinical trials that have used dietary fibre supplements or dietary patterns containing specific types or amounts of dietary fibres, it may be possible to assess whether varying the intake of specific dietary fibres may offer an efficient treatment for IBD patients.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not new anymore; it has become a new normal. In the present 3A era (Advanced, automated and autonomous), the Next Rembrandt paintings, Shimon's lyrics and songs and ...Bot Dylan's Irish folk songs are the works generated by the AI without any considerable human contribution. In the US, the Copyright Act, 1976 does not protect the works generated independently by the AI without human intervention and thus dropping such works in the public domain immediately after their creation. However, in the UK, the Copyright, Patents and the Designs Act, 1988 under Section 9 (3) attributes copyright to "the person by whom the arrangements necessary for the creation of the work are undertaken" in case of AI generated works. India has taken a giant leap by considering AI as the joint author along with the human responsible for the creation of work. However, there is not much comprehensive literature available that focuses on the impact of AI being considered as a joint author. This paper aims to create a concrete foundation by emphasising such impact under the Copyright Act, 1957. Furthermore, the paper considers the stance of the US, UK and Australia in protecting AI generated works to suggest measures to the current copyright regime in India.
The metabolic syndrome is associated with cardiovascular diseases and cognitive decline. The egg protein hydrolysate NWT-03 has shown to improve cardiovascular risk factors in humans. This study ...investigated whether NWT-03 also has an effect on cognitive function.
Men and women with the metabolic syndrome (n = 76) with a mean age of 60 ± 10 years participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial with an intervention (5 g/day NWT-03) and control period (5 g/day maltodextrin) of 4 weeks separated by a wash-out period of 2-8 weeks. Cognitive function was assessed with the anti-cue reaction time test (impulse control) and psychomotor vigilance test (sustained attention) at day 0, 2, and 27 of both periods. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations were measured at the start and end of both periods.
NWT-03 consumption significantly improved the change (day 27 - day 0) in response times of the anti-cue reaction time test compared with the control period (P < 0.001), but not of the psychomotor vigilance test (P = 0.487). Serum BDNF concentrations of all subjects did not significantly change (P = 0.241).
NWT-03 has the ability to improve cognitive function within the executive function domain. The underlying mechanism warrants further research and could either be indirect via inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) or direct via passage of small peptides over the blood-brain barrier inducing local effects.
Trial registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02561663.
Scope
The present study assesses the absorption, pharmacokinetics, and urinary excretion of coffee pyridines and their metabolites after daily regular exposure to specific dosages of coffee or ...cocoa‐based products containing coffee (CBPCC), considering different patterns of consumption.
Methods and results
In a three‐arm, crossover, randomized trial, 21 volunteers are requested to randomly consume for 1 month: one cup of espresso coffee per day, three cups of espresso coffee per day, or one cup of espresso coffee plus two CBPCC twice per day. The last day of the one‐month treatment, blood and urine samples are collected for 24 h. Trigonelline, N‐methylpyridinium, N‐methylnicotinamide, and N‐methyl‐4‐pyridone‐5‐carboxamide are quantified. Trigonelline and N‐methylpyridinium absorption curves and 24‐h urinary excretion reflect the daily consumption of different servings of coffee or CBPCC, showing also significant differences in main pharmacokinetic parameters. Moreover, inter‐subject variability due to sex and smoking is assessed, showing sex‐related differences in the metabolism of trigonelline and smoking‐related ones for N‐methylpyridinium.
Conclusion
The daily exposure to coffee pyridines after consumption of different coffee dosages in a real‐life setting is established. This data will be useful for future studies aiming at evaluating the bioactivity of coffee‐derived circulating metabolites in cell experiments, mimicking more realistic experimental conditions.
The daily exposure to coffee pyridines after consumption of different coffee dosages in a real‐life setting is established. These data will be useful for future studies aiming at evaluating the bioactivity of coffee‐derived circulating metabolites in cell experiments, mimicking more realistic experimental conditions.
•Fermentation changed soybean isoflavones, enhancing absorption and bioavailability.•Total isoflavone levels were similar in 24 h urine samples after FS or NFS diet.•Urinary genistein 7-O-sulfate ...level may discriminate between FS and NFS diets.•Isoflavone conjugate profiles might be a potential marker for FS diet.
Fermentation may enhance the nutritional properties of foods by increasing metabolite bioactivity or bioavailability. This study explored the effect of fermentation on isoflavone bioavailability and metabolism. Isoflavone metabolites were tracked in foods and biospecimens of healthy adults after fermented soybean (FS) or non-fermented soybean (NFS) consumption in a randomized, controlled, crossover intervention study. The change in soybean isoflavones caused by fermentation resulted in faster absorption and higher bioavailability after consumption of FS. Although the urinary level of total isoflavone metabolites was similar after the consumption of the two diets, urinary genistein 7-O-sulfate was derived as a discriminant metabolite for the FS diet by partial least squares discriminant analysis. This study suggests that an isoflavone conjugate profile might be a more appropriate marker than total isoflavone levels for discriminating between the consumption of FS and NFS diets.
Governing marine environments has evolved from dominant interests in exploitation, allocation, conservation, and protection to restoration. Compared to terrestrial and freshwater environments, ...restoration of and in marine ecosystems presents a new mode of intervention with both technical and governance challenges. This paper aims to enhance understanding of the important factors at play in governing marine ecosystem restoration. Discourses of marine ecosystem restoration are an important factor which shape how the restoration activity is governed, as discourses structure how actors and coalitions define problems and their approaches to solutions. The article produces a conceptual model of the discourses of marine ecosystem restoration, built on two dimensions: (1) the degree of human intervention and (2) motivations for restoration. Together, these dimensions create four broad restoration discourses: “Putting Nature First,” “Bringing Nature Back,” “Helping Nature support Humans,” and “Building with Nature.” Moreover, marine ecosystem restoration is confronted with different forms of uncertainty, such as incomplete knowledge, unpredictability, and ambiguity, which must be managed by actors participating in restoration initiatives. The article's overall contribution is the synthesis of these components, which illuminates the specific governance challenges under various circumstances.
•Ecological restoration is defined and operationalized in manifold ways.•Restoration discourses are conceptualized by degree of intervention and motivation.•Four dominant restoration discourses are distinguished in the conceptual model.•Three forms of uncertainty are at play in marine ecosystem restoration.•Governance should consider restoration discourses and three forms of uncertainty.
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