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Due to its unique characteristics selective laser melting offers the possibility to manufacture highly complex and functional parts out of otherwise difficult processable materials. One example is β-type titanium alloys, which have very promising properties for various engineering applications. Two novel β-type alloys Ti–42Nb and Ti–20Nb–6Ta were compared with commercially pure titanium and Ti–6Al–4V ELI alloy in this study. All four lightweight materials were SLM-processed and the microstructure and corrosion resistance were investigated. While pure titanium and Ti–6Al–4V showed only the martensitic α′-phase, Ti–42Nb consists solely of the β-phase and Ti–20Nb–6Ta of the orthorhombic martensitic α″-phase. Potentiodynamic polarization showed a superior corrosion resistance for both β-type alloys, whereas Ti–42Nb performed slightly better than Ti–20Nb–6Ta. Released V and Al could be clearly observed for the Ti–6Al–4V ELI alloy by mass spectrometry due to corrosion processes, in contrast the release of Nb or Ta was hardly detected for the new alloys.

Background and Aims: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a widely used index for finding people at risk for chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Early detection of MetS is especially important in prevention programs. Relying on previous studies that suggest machine learning methods as a valuable approach for diagnosing MetS, this study aimed to develop MetS prediction models based on support vector machine (SVM) algorithms, applying non-invasive and low-cost (NI&LC), and also dietary parameters., Methods and Results: This population-based research was conducted on a large dataset of 4596 participants within the framework of the Shahedieh cohort study. An Extremely Randomized Trees Classifier was used to select the most effective features among NI&LC and dietary data. The prediction models were developed based on SVM algorithms, and their performance was assessed by accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive prediction value, negative prediction value, f1-score, and receiver operating characteristic curve. MetS was diagnosed in 14% of men and 22% of women. Among NI&LC features, waist circumference, body mass index, waist-to-height ratio, waist-to-hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure were the most predictive variables. By using NI&LC features, models with 78.4% and 63.5% accuracy and 81.2% and 75.3% sensitivity were yielded for men and women, respectively. By incorporating NI&LC and dietary features, the accuracy of the model in women improved by 3.7%., Conclusions: SVM algorithms had promising potential for early detection of MetS relying on NI&LC parameters. These models can be used in prevention programs, clinical practice, and personal applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The etiology of cancer type may vary significantly due to anatomy, embryology, and physiology of the cancer site. Although the association between potato consumption and colorectal cancer (CRC) was summarized in a 2018 meta-analysis of 5 cohort studies, to the best of our knowledge, no meta-analysis has evaluated potato consumption in relation to multiple cancer sites in adults. Medline/PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, Scopus, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched for relevant publications through August 2020. We selected cohort or case-control studies conducted in adults that reported risk estimates (relative risk [RRs], HRs, and ORs) of potato intake for any cancer type. Random effects meta-analyses compared high and low intake categories. Twenty prospective cohort studies (total n = 785,348) including 19,882 incident cases, and 36 case-control studies (21,822 cases; 66,502 controls) were included. Among cohort studies, we did not find an association between high versus low intake of total potato (white and yellow) consumption and overall cancers: 1.04 (95% CI: 0.96, 1.11; tau2 = 0.005, n = 18). We found no relation between total potato consumption (high compared with low intake) and risk of CRC, pancreatic cancer, colon, gastric, breast, prostate, kidney, lung, or bladder cancer in cohort or case-control studies. We did not find an association between high versus low consumption of potato preparations (boiled/fried/mashed/roasted/baked) and risk of gastrointestinal-, sex-hormone-, or urinary-related cancers in cohort or case-control studies. Certainty of the evidence was low for total cancer, CRC, colon, rectal, renal, pancreatic, breast, prostate, and lung cancer and very low for gastric and bladder cancer. In conclusion, potato intake or potato preparations were not associated with multiple cancer sites when comparing high and low intake categories. This finding was consistent with the findings from the 2018 meta-analysis regarding potato intake and risk of CRC., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hypocaloric high-protein, low-carbohydrate weight loss diet supplemented with fennel on anthropometric and androgen indices in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)., Methods: A randomized controlled trial with a factorial design was performed on sixty-four overweight/obese women with PCOS. Participants were randomly allocated to four groups (n = 16 per group) as follows: 1) hypocaloric standardize diet + fennel (2 capsule/day) (HSDF), 2) hypocaloric high-protein diet + fennel (2 capsule/day) (HHPF), 3) hypocaloric standardize diet + placebo (HSDP), and 4) hypocaloric high-protein diet + placebo (HHPP)., Results: The mean (SD) age of the participants was 28.54 (6.80) years and body mass index was 32.24 (4.65) kg/m 2 . At the end of intervention, protein intake was 20.43 % in the groups that received a high-protein diet versus 16.37 % in the standard diet groups (P < 0.001). Combination of hypocaloric high-protein diet and fennel capsule did not significantly affect change in outcomes compared with groups not receiving them. There was a significant interaction between hypocaloric high-protein diet and fennel on weight (P = 0.019)., Conclusion: A hypocaloric high-protein diet along with fennel supplementation could not provide additional improvements in anthropometric and androgen indices among PCOS women. Further studies are required to more precisely elucidate these findings., (Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Previous studies have shown that red meat consumption has beneficial effects on health. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between red meat consumption and depression, anxiety and psychological distress in Tehrani women., Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 482 women aged 20-50 years old referred to the health centers of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2018 were selected by multistage cluster sampling. The usual dietary intake was evaluated using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire containing 168 items that its validity and reliability were approved previously. The red meat category was defined as the sum of red meats (beef, lamb), and organ meats (beef liver, kidney, and heart, ruminant meat). Psychological disorders were assessed using a validated Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales (DASS) questionnaires with 21-items. In the logistic regression analysis, the results were adjusted to the confounding factors., Results: The mean age of the study participants was 31.87 ± 7.6 years. The prevalence of depressive symptoms, anxiety and psychological distress among participants was 34%, 40% and 42%, respectively. After controlling for potential confounders, women in the highest quartile of red meat had a highest prevalence of depressive symptoms (OR: 2.51; 95% CI: 1.32-4.76; p = 0.002), anxiety (OR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.00-3.29; p = 0.034) and stress (OR: 3.47; 95% CI: 1.88-6.42; p < 0.001) compared with those in the lowest quartile., Conclusions: We found a significant association between red meat intake and mental health in women. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia are involved in the etiology of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components., Objective: The current study assessed the association of dietary insulin load (DIL) and dietary insulin index (DII) with the odds of having MetS among a large population of Iranian adults., Design: This study was a cross-sectional analysis of the Shahedieh cohort study, which began in 2015-2016 and continues to the present day., Participants/setting: A total of 5,954 Iranian adults, aged 35 to 70 years, were included in the current analysis. To collect dietary data, the validated block-format 120-item semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire was used. MetS was defined using the criteria belonging to the Iranian-modified National Cholesterol Education Program for Adults., Main Outcome Measures: Enzymatic colorimetric tests were used to measure fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations; blood pressure and waist circumference were measured using the standard protocols., Statistical Analysis: Binary logistic regression with adjusted models was used to examine the association of DIL and DII with MetS., Results: After taking potential confounders into account, moderate DIL was associated with increased odds of MetS in men, meaning that men in the third quartile of DIL had 61% greater odds for having MetS compared with those in the first quartile (odds ratio [OR]: 1.61, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-2.54). Such a significant association was not seen for DII. In women, DIL was significantly associated with increased odds of developing MetS. After controlling for potential confounders, women in the top quartile of DIL had 77% greater odds for having MetS compared with women in the bottom quartile (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.08-2.91). This significant positive association was also seen for DII, such that a higher score of DII was associated with 41% greater odds of MetS (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.08-1.83)., Conclusions: Adherence to a diet with a high DIL and DII is associated with greater odds of having MetS in women. Also, moderate DIL was associated with increased odds of MetS in men., (Copyright © 2020 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Metabolic acidosis, which can be affected by dietary acid-base load, seems to be associated with psychological disorders through different pathways. Given limited evidence on dietary acid-base load, we aimed to examine the association of dietary acid-base load with psychological disorders in Iranian women. This cross-sectional study was performed on 447 female subjects (20-50 years old). Dietary intake was assessed using a valid food frequency questionnaire for Iran. Dietary acid-base load was calculated through different indices including potential renal acid load (PRAL), net endogenous acid production (NEAP), and dietary acid load (DAL). To assess psychological disorders, an Iranian validated version of depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS-21) was used. The mean value of PRAL, NEAP, and DAL were -8.87mEq/da, 37.94mEq/day, and 30.77mEq/day, respectively. Considering a wide range of confounding variables, compared with the first tertile, a significant positive association was observed between dietary acid-base load and depression (OR PRAL : 3.63; 95 %CI:1.97, 6.71; P trend  = 0.0001) (OR NEAP :3.42; 95 %CI: 1.87, 6.23; P trend  = 0.0001) (OR DAL : 3.02; 95 %CI: 1.64, 5.58; P trend  = 0.0001). Women in the high dietary acid-base load category had higher anxiety (OR PRAL : 3.31; 95 %CI: 1.81, 6.06; P trend  = 0.0001) (OR NEAP :3.47; 95 %CI: 1.90, 6.33; P trend  = 0.0001) (OR DAL : 3.25; 95 %CI: 1.76, 5.98; P trend  = 0.0001). Moreover, there was a strong positive relationship between dietary acid-base load and psychologicaldistress (OR PRAL : 3.79; 95 %CI: 2.09, 6.90; P trend  = 0.0001) (OR NEAP : 3.67; 95 %CI: 2.04, 6.58; P trend  = 0.0001) (OR DAL : 3.00; 95 %CI: 1.66, 5.43; P trend  = 0.0001). Women with higher dietary acid-base load score had greater odds for depression, anxiety, and psychological distress compared to lower ones., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background & Aims: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet has been favorably linked to important risk factors associated with development of chronic kidney disease (CKD), such as insulin resistance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. However, the protective role of DASH dietary patterns in development of CKD, as measured by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), remains inconsistent in the literature. The aim of the current systematic review was to summarize the findings of previous observational studies and quantify the potential association between DASH dietary patterns and the risk of CKD using meta-analysis., Methods: A comprehensive search was done with the use of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Sciences, and Scopus databases to find relevant articles published prior to June 2019. Search terms included: ([Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension] OR [DASH]) AND ([Kidney Failure, Chronic] OR [Renal Insufficiency, Chronic] OR [Chronic Kidney Disease], OR [CKD] OR [End-Stage Renal Disease] OR [ESRD] OR [Kidney] OR [Renal]). To pool the risk estimates, fixed-effects and random-effects models were applied. Cochrane Q test was performed to detect sources of heterogeneity among the included studies., Results: Out of the seven studies included in the systematic review, six were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The total sample size was 568,213 participants including 16,694 cases of CKD. Combined risk estimates for 2 cross-sectional and 4 prospective cohort studies showed an inverse association between DASH dietary patterns and risk of CKD (Pooled risk estimate: 0.77, 95% CI 0.63-0.94; p = 0.01). Stratified analysis showed a marginally significant relationship between DASH dietary patterns and risk of CKD in prospective cohort studies (Pooled risk estimate: 0.79, 95% CI 0.61-1.01; p = 0.05), and no significant association in cross-sectional studies (Pooled risk estimate: 0.71, 95% CI 0.38-1.34; p = 0.29), respectively. A significant association was observed between DASH dietary patterns and risk of CKD in the studies extracted DASH based on nutrients (Pooled risk estimate: 0.78, 95% CI 0.63-0.97; p = 0.02), compared to the studies extracted DASH based on food groups (Pooled risk estimate: 0.66, 95% CI 0.28-1.58; p = 0.35)., Conclusions: The results of the present study showed a significant inverse association between DASH dietary patterns and the risk of developing CKD. Adherence to DASH dietary patterns might have protective effects against CKD development and progression. Further research is required to confirm the certainty of estimates., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Despite growing evidence for the association between other dietary macronutrients and bone health, limited and inconsistent knowledge is available regarding carbohydrate intake. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we purposed to clarify and synthesize the knowledge about the relation between carbohydrate intake and the risk of fracture., Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies., Methods: In this study, PubMed and Scopus were used to conduct a comprehensive search for articles published up to September 2018. The screening was done independently by two authors. Pooled effect sizes were calculated using fixed and random effect models for the highest versus lowest intake categories. The dose-response nature of the relationship was also investigated., Results: No association was observed between carbohydrate intake and the risk of fracture in high versus low intake meta-analysis (overall relative risk [RR]: 1.24; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.84-1.84; P = 0.27) with moderate heterogeneity (I 2  = 57.7%, P heterogeneity  = 0.05). Moreover, there was no relationship between carbohydrate intake and the risk of fracture in both linear (overall RR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.94-1.05; P = 0.88) (I 2  = 68.1%, P heterogeneity  = 0.48) and nonlinear (P non-linearity  = 0.14) models., Conclusion: No association was observed between carbohydrate intake and the risk of fracture., (Copyright © 2020 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Inflammatory processes has been shown to be associated with the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in which vitamin D supplementation might exert beneficial outcomes. We examined the effects of vitamin D supplement on inflammatory and cell adhesion molecule in patients with T2DM., Methods: This study consisted of 50 patients with T2DM who had vitamin D deficiency. Participants were randomized into two groups of 25 in which the intervention group received two intramuscular injections of a 200000-IU vitamin D supplement, one at week 0 and another at week 4. The concentrations of fasting blood glucose (FBG), lipid profiles, liver enzymes, E-selectin, C-reactive protein (CRP), calcium, phosphorus, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and anthropometric indices were obtained before and after 8 weeks., Results: Vitamin D resulted in significant reductions in CRP(P = 0.01) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels(P = 0.03) and significant increases in 25(OH)D concentrations(P = 0.01) in the intervention group compared with the control. Within-group comparisons showed that FBG decreased significantly in the intervention group(P = 0.04). No significant changes were observed regarding within- and between-group comparisons of the other markers., Conclusion: Vitamin D had beneficial effects on the levels of CRP, serum 25(OH)D and GGT among vitamin D deficient patients with T2DM. (http://www.irct.ir: IRCT2017100336539N1)., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Findings of past studies are inconsistent regarding the effects of magnesium (Mg) supplementation on endothelial function (EF). We performed this meta-analysis to examine the effects of magnesium supplementation on flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) as markers of EF., Methods: Literature searches of English publications in MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were conducted up to November 2017. Results are reported as weighted mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using random effects model (DerSimonian-Laird method). Cochrane's Q test and I-squared (I 2 ) were used to determine heterogeneity among included studies. To determine potential sources of heterogeneity, subgroup analysis was conducted for pre-defined criteria. Funnel plot and Egger's regression test were used to assess publication bias., Results: Seven RCTs with 306 participants were included. Mg supplementation significantly increased FMD (MD: 2.97; 95% CI: 0.23 to 5.70%, p = 0.033). Between studies heterogeneity was high and subgroup analysis could not identify the sources of heterogeneity. Magnesium supplementation had no significant effect on CIMT (MD: -0.13 mm; 95% CI: 0.27, 0.01; p = 0.077) with high heterogeneity. Mg dose, duration of treatment, healthy status, baseline CIMT and sample size were the potential sources of heterogeneity. Mg supplementation could decrease CIMT to a greater extent in hemodialysis (HD) patients; lower doses of Mg, higher sample size and follow up duration and subjects with higher baseline CIMT also reduced the heterogeneity to some degree (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Magnesium supplementation may improve endothelial function without affecting carotid intima media thickness., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To identify the effect of some herbal products on insulin resistance. Regarding the scientific evidences existing about ginger, this research was therefore carried out to identify the effect of ginger supplementation on insulin resistance and glycemic indices in diabetes mellitus., Methods: This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which 88 participants affected by diabetes were randomly assigned into ginger (GG) and placebo (PG) groups. The GG received 3 one-gram capsules containing ginger powder whereas the PG received 3 one-gram microcrystalline-containing capsules daily for 8 weeks. HbA1c, fructosamine, fasting blood sugar (FBS), fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), β-cell function (β%), insulin sensitivity (S%) and the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) were assessed before and after the intervention., Results: FBS mean showed a decrease of 10.5% (p=0.003) in the GG whereas the mean had an increase of 21% in the PG (p=0.01). Variation in HbA1c mean was in line with that of FBS. Statistical difference was found in the two groups before and after the intervention in terms of median of fasting insulin level, S% and HOMA-IR (P<0.005). Moreover QUICKI mean increased significantly in the two groups, the mean difference, however, was significantly higher in the GG., Conclusions: The study demonstrated that daily consumption of 3 one-gram capsules of ginger powder for 8 weeks is useful for patients with type 2 diabetes due to FBS and HbA1c reduction and improvement of insulin resistance indices such as QUICKI index., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Controversy exists as to whether eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or both are responsible for the efficacy of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in depression. We conducted a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-arm, parallel-group trial, comparing the efficacy of EPA versus DHA as adjuvants to maintenance medication treatments for mild-to-moderate depression. Eighty-one mild-to-moderately depressed outpatients were randomly assigned to receive either 1g/d of EPA or DHA or placebo (coconut oil) for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) final score in the modified intention-to-treat population, which comprised of all randomized patients with at least 1 post-randomization observation (n=62; 61.3% female; mean age 35.1 ± 1.2 years). Allocated treatments were well tolerated. Although there was no significant difference between groups at baseline, patients in the EPA group showed a significantly lower mean HDRS score at study endpoint compared with those in the DHA (p<0.001) or placebo (p=0.002) groups. Furthermore, response to treatment (defined as a ≥ 50% decrease from the baseline HDRS score) was only observed in 6 patients receiving EPA, while no one in any of DHA or placebo groups responded to treatment. Overall, these data suggest greater efficacy of EPA compared to DHA or placebo as an adjunctive treatment in mild-to-moderate depression. However, further, randomized controlled trials are needed to support these findings., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.)