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Most experts of genetics are not quite aware of the facts that epigenetics could be the primary step in gene function or dysfunction. This mechanism of genome and epigenome is important because genetic or epigenetic damage could be the first event in the mechanism of development of most of the noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The risk of development of NCDs vary depending upon susceptibility of epigenome as well as genome and the damaging effects of environmental precursors because they have identifiable Mendelian subsets. The heritability of the variant phenotypes may be dependent on the supplementation of nutrients, for their expression. Genes are important in determining enzymes, receptors, cofactors, structural components involved in regulation of blood pressure, the metabolism of lipids, lipoproteins, and inflammatory and coagulation factors that are involved in determining individual risk for NCDs. The interaction of specific nutrient, with the genetic code possessed by all nucleated cells can be recognized. Recently, polymorphisms of the human delta-5 fatty acid desaturase gene (FADS1) and delta-6 (FADS2) desaturase genes have been described to be associated with the level of several long- chain ω-3 and ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in serum phospholipids. Increased consumption of refined starches, sugar, trans fat, omega-6 fat, and saturated fat causes increased generation of superoxide anion in the tissues, which are damaging to genome and epigenome. However, a low ω-6: ω-3 ratio of foods with antioxidants, micronutrients, minerals, vitamins, coenzyme Q10 may inhibit the generation of superoxide and suppress the pro-inflammatory transcription factors; NF-kB as well as AP-1, and Egr-1 which may inhibit phenotypic expressions. The phenotypic expressions and polymorphisms may be silenced by targeting simple sequence differences known as single nucleotide polymorphisms by nutrients and slowly absorbed foods with low ω-6/ω-3 fatty acids ratio.

Millets are a group of highly variable small-seeded grasses, mostly grown in Asia and the most important species are pearl millet, finger millet, proso millet, foxtail millet, and pearl millet. Proso millet is used for bird seed in the developed countries and for food in some parts of Asia. In China and Eastern Europe, foxtail millet is an important crop. Finger millet is widely produced in the cooler, higher-altitude regions of Africa and Asia both as a food crop and as a preferred input for traditional beer. Food security has been a major concern to the world’s population that is highly dependent on grains. Millets are nutritionally superior as their grains contain high amounts of proteins, minerals, flavonoids, polyphenols, and vitamins and could be used as functional food for prevention of noncommunicable diseases. Millets could be used to combat micronutrient malnutrition by bio-fortification of staple crops. Millets could be mixed in cakes, biscuits, cookies, bread, and pastries to provide proteins and the abovementioned micronutrients which may convert modern foods into functional foods.

Economic growth and affluence are associated with an increase in the intake of total and saturated fat, and trans fat, as well as animal foods. Economic development also allows the people to consume ready prepared refined foods; snacks, beverages, and major meals with high glycemic index. These foods are characteristic of a Western diet, i.e., deficient in micronutrients; vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids, and omega-3 fatty acids, but they are high in refined carbohydrates, fat (saturated, trans fat, and linoleic acid) and salt compared to the prudent diet. Globalization of the Western diet is associated with the emergence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs); cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, cancer, liver and gastrointestinal diseases, bone and joint diseases, degenerative diseases of brain, and psychological disorders. NCDs come in a wave, first they occur to affluent populations with high income and those who are becoming rich during economic growth of the developing countries such as India, China, Indonesia. After learning the methods of prevention, there is a decline in NCDs in affluent and educated populations. Population health education that occurs with further economic growth is associated with the globalization of prudent diets, resulting in a decline in NCDs which has already started in the high-income countries, such as United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Northern Europe, Mediterranean countries, Australia, and New Zealand. Grains are specifically very high in carbohydrates and omega-6 fatty acids but low in proteins, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids as compared to prudent foods: vegetables, fruits, pulses and nuts. Globalization of prudent diets may be associated with a decline in the NCDs as well as in health promotion.

The NanoRelease Food Additive project developed a catalog to identify potential engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) used as ingredients, using various food-related databases. To avoid ongoing debate on defining the term nanomaterial, NanoRelease did not use any specific definition other than the ingredient is not naturally part of the food chain, and its dimensions are measured in the nanoscale. Potential nanomaterials were categorized based on physical similarity; analysis indicated that the range of ENMs declared as being in the food chain was limited. Much of the catalog's information was obtained from product labeling, likely resulting in both underreporting (inconsistent or absent requirements for labeling) and/or overreporting (inability to validate entries, or the term nano was used, although no ENM material was present). Three categories of ingredients were identified: emulsions, dispersions, and their water-soluble powdered preparations (including lipid-based structures); solid encapsulates (solid structures containing an active material); and metallic or other inorganic particles. Although much is known regarding the physical/chemical properties for these ingredient categories, it is critical to understand whether these properties undergo changes following their interaction with food matrices during preparation and storage. It is also important to determine whether free ENMs are likely to be present within the gastrointestinal tract and whether uptake of ENMs may occur in their nanoform physical state. A practical decision-making scheme was developed to help manage testing requirements.

Historical, current and future aspects of the potential value of 'phyto-oestrogens' and lifestyle in lowering the risk of endocrine cancer, and high-lighting the crucial importance of global policy makers in providing the means for a healthier diet, is the purport of this paper. Early studies in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and S.W. Australia demonstrated the po- tential value of oestrogen-like dietary constituents, viz. flavonoids and lignans, in treating menstrual dysfunction and act- ing as potential antioestrogens and anticarcingens, acting directly through oestrogen receptor mechanisms or even indi- rectly. This report also listed some international migrant studies. Chemopreventative strategies need to be undertaken, based on well-designed evidence-based information, which lead to the development of functional foods. A balance has to be struck which takes all major disease causes into account and, an affordable lifestyle strategy has to be developed for homo economicus, at different stages of human development, from the conceptus to old age, in which epigenetics must play a very significant role in disease prevention.

Randomly ordered mesoporous silicas hollow microspheres of 20-50 μm in diameter with distinguished characteristic of interconnected porosity (7-14 nm) of their thin outer walls are developed. Food grade emulsifier polyglycerol esters of fatty acids (PGEFA) are used as a soft-template and n-decane as a swelling agent, which was necessary for the formation of silica doped micelles to improve the mesoporous channel orientation without leading the phase transition. The interconnected pore channels that extend from the outside of the microspheres shell to its inside are used to fill the mesoporous silicas microspheres for enhanced encapsulation of VB3 precursor and cumulative in vitro release of vitamin B3 with considerable rate pharmacokinetics using simple pH trigger mechanism for the delivery systems. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

The prevalence and mortality due to multifactorial polygenic diseases; hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes and cancer vary depending upon genetic susceptibility and environmental precursors because they have identifiable mendelian subsets. Rapid changes in diet and lifestyle, may influence heritability of the variant phenotypes that are dependent on the nutraceutical or functional food supplementation for their expression. It is possible to recognize the interaction of specific nutraceuticals, with the genetic code possessed by all nucleated cells. There is evidence that South Asians have an increased susceptibility to CAD, diabetes mellitus, central obesity and insulin resistance at younger age, which may be due to interaction of gene and nutraceutical environment. These populations appear to have enherited predisposition and may have interaction of internal nutritional status and environmental factors. Higher intake of refined starches and sugar increases generation of super oxide anion in the leucocytes and mononuclear cells, and free fatty acids (FFA), as well as higher amount and activity of nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB), a transcriptional factor regulating the activity of at least 125 genes, most of which are pro-inflammatory. Glucose intake also causes an increase in two other pro- inflammatory transcription factors; activating protein-1 (AP-1) and early growth response protein-1 (Egr-1), the first regu- lating the transcription of matrix metallo-proteinases and the second modulating the transcription of tissue factor and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Refined food, mixed meal induces activation of NF-kB associated with free radicals generation by mononuclear cells. The super oxide anion is an activator of at least two major pro-inflammatory transcrip- tion factors, NF-kB and AP-1. Increased intake of linoleic acid, saturated fat, trans fat and refined starches and sugars can increase the generation of free radicals and activate the NF-kB, leading to rapid expression of proinflammatory genes. It is possible that nutraceuticals; antioxidants, micronutrients, minerals, vitamins, coenzyme Q10 and w-3 fatty acids may in- hibit the generation of super oxide and suppress NF-kB as well as AP-1, and Egr-1 leading to suppression of phenotypic expressions. It is known that genes are important in determining enzymes, receptors, cofactors, structural components in- volved in regulation of blood pressure, the metabolism of lipids, lipoproteins and inflammatory and coagulation factors that are involved in determining individual risk for vascular diseases and diabetes. It seems that these phenotypic expres- sions may be silenced by targeting simple sequence differences known as single nucleotide polymorphisms by nutraceuti- cals and slowly absorbed wild foods rich in micronutrients and antioxidants.

The adsorption of linear tetrapyrroles and porphyrins to mesoporous silicas with pore diameters of 2.3, 2.7, 4.0, and 7.0 nm from a benzene solution was investigated. As linear tetrapyrroles, 1,15,21,22-tetrahydro-19-benzoyl-5,10,15-triphenyl-15-hydroxybilin-1-one (biladien- ab -one, 1a ), its zinc complexes ( 2 and 3 ), 1,15,21,22-tetrahydro-19-(4-hexyloxybenzoyl)-5,10,15-tri(4-hexyloxy)phenyl-15-hydroxybilin-1-one (C6-biladienone, 1b ), 1,15,21,22-tetrahydro-19-(4-nonyloxybenzoyl)-5,10,15-tri(4-nonyloxy)phenyl-15-hydroxybilin-1-one (C9-biladienone, 1c ), 1,15, 21,22-tetrahydro-19-(4-dodecyloxybenzoyl)-5,10,15-tri(4-dodecyloxy)phenyl-15-hydroxybilin-1-one (C12-biladienone, 1d ), and 1,15,21,22-tetrahydro-19-(3,5-didodecyloxybenzoyl)-5,10,15-tri(3, 5-di-dodecyloxy)phenyl-15-hydroxybilin-1-one ( 1e ) were employed. As porphyrins, 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin ( 4a ) and 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-methoxyphenyl)porphyrin ( 4b ) were used. The isothermal adsorption curves were determined, showing that the amount of adsorption decreases in the order, 1a > 1b > 1c > 1d > 2 , while neither 1e , 4a , nor 4b were adsorbed to mesoporous silicas. Mesoporous silica with the diameter of 4.0 nm adsorbed the largest amounts of biladienones. The adsorption was not observed in THF, acetone or ethanol. Neither 1c nor 1d was adsorbed to mesoporous silica with the pore diameter of 2.3 nm. These results indicate that the absorption is driven by polar interactions such as hydrogen bonding, and size exclusion effects are observed even for a molecule with flexible alkyl chains. The amount of adsorbed biladienone increased as the temperature was raised from 25 to 35 °C. The adsorption of biladien- ab -ones at 80 °C caused dehydration of biladien- ab -one to bilatrien- abc -one due to the acidity of the mesoporous silica.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and recurring inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract; however, current pharmaceutical treatments are only moderately effective and have potential long-term toxicity, therefore novel IBD therapies are required. Hen egg white has been shown to be an abundant source of novel immunomodulating proteins and peptides. The anti-inflammatory activity of egg white peptides was examined using a porcine model of dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced colitis. DSS was administered for five days via intra-gastric catheter to induce experimental colitis, followed by five days of treatment with egg white peptides (EWP) or saline. Supplementation with EWP attenuated the DSS-induced clinical symptoms, including weight loss, mucosal and submucosal inflammation, crypt distortion, and colon muscle thickening, and restored gut barrier function by decreasing intestinal permeability and increasing mucin gene expression. Furthermore, treatment with EWP significantly reduced the local expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, IFN-γ, IL-8, and IL-17, suggesting that EWP is a promising novel therapeutic for the treatment of IBD.

A series of aluminum isopropoxide-grafted mesoporous organosilica having ethane (–CH 2 –CH 2 –) and ethene (–CH CH–) groups in the frame wall positions (ethane–silica, ethene–silica) as well as mesoporous silicas (MCM-41, MCM-48, SBA-15) through siloxide linkages were fabricated. The samples were used as catalysts in the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reduction of ketones and aldehydes of different nature and size using secondary alcohols as the hydrogen transfer agents. Aluminum isopropoxide supported mesoporous silica samples show higher catalytic conversion and among them, the one-dimensionally channel oriented Si-MCM-41 supported aluminum isopropoxide shows better results than the three-dimensional Si-MCM-48 and the large pore Si-SBA-15. Compared to aluminum isopropoxide-grafted mesoporous silica samples, aluminum alkoxide-grafted organosilica samples shows better catalytic activity even in the presence of 10% of water and the better stability is attributed to the presence of integrated hydrophobic organic groups in the frame wall positions.

The phenylene-bridged hybrid mesoporous silica material with well-defined cubic three-dimensional (Pm3n) symmetry was prepared using a allylorganosilane precursor 1,4-bis(triallylsilyl)benzene and cetyltrimethylammoniumchloride (C16TMACl) surfactant in acidic medium. Sulfonic acid functionalized derivatives of 3d-cubic phenylene-bridged hybrid mesoporous silica materials were prepared and found effective in Friedel–Crafts acylation reaction. The catalytic results were also compared to the sulfonic acid functionalized derivatives of phenylene-bridged mesoporous silica with 2d-hexagonal (P6mn) symmetry, sulfonated SBA-1 (Pm3n) mesoporous silica, and sulfonated phenyltrimethoxy silane (PTMS) grafted SBA-1 (Pm3n) mesoporous silica. The degree of sulfonation could be controlled using the different sulfonating agents as well as the time on sulfonation. It was revealed that 3d-cubic mesoporous hybrids could be functionalized with higher concentration of sulfonic acid moieties. Friedel–Crafts acylation reaction was performed over all sulfonated materials. Mesoporous materials derived from allylorganosilane precursors showed an excellent activity in Friedel–Crafts acylation of aromatic ether anisol using acetic anhydride as acylating agent.

Recent studies indicate that the optimal ratio of ω-6 and ω-3 fatty acids may vary within the pathogenesis of a disease under consideration. This is consistent with the fact that noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are polygenic and multifactorial. It seems likely that the therapeutic dose of omega-3 fatty acids will depend on the risk factor of the disease as well as on degree of severity of disease resulting from the genetic predisposition. A lower ratio of omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids is more desirable in reducing the risk of many of the NCDs of high prevalence in Western societies, as well as in the developing countries that are rapidly adopting Western dietary habits (1–3). It has been proposed that human beings evolved on a diet with a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) of ∼1, whereas in Western diets the ratio is 15/1 to 16.7/1 and in Asia the ratio may be 1/50. Modern diets are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids and have excessive amounts of omega-6 fatty acids compared with the diet on which human beings evolved and their genetic patterns were established. Excessive amounts of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and a very high omega-6/omega-3 ratio, as is found in today’s modern diets, promote the pathogenesis of NCDs, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, whereas increased levels of omega-3 PUFA (a lower omega-6/omega-3 ratio) exert suppressive effects. In the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, a ratio of 4/1 was associated with a 70% decrease in total mortality. A ratio of 2.5/1 reduced rectal cell proliferation in patients with colorectal cancer, whereas a ratio of 4/1 with the same amount of omega-3 PUFA had no effect. The lower omega-6/omega-3 ratio in women with breast cancer was associated with decreased risk. A ratio of 2–3/1 suppressed inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and a ratio of 5/1 had a beneficial effect on patients with asthma, whereas a ratio of 10/1 had adverse consequences. It is possible that the intake of wild foods rich in ω-3 and low in ω-6 fatty acids may also be protective, whereas Western diet and lifestyle may enhance the expression of genes related to NCDs. Our genes or pathways are most likely regulated by microRNA (2–4). It is difficult to tell which miRNA sequences might be responsible. It is possible now to apply a simple and accurate real-time PCR technique to identify miRNA expression patterns that correlate with biological phenotypes of the disease. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diabetes, obesity, and cancer are polygenic in nature, and their prevalences and mortality vary depending upon genetic susceptibility and presence of phenotype risk factors (1–6).

While the neuroprotective effect of green tea (Camellia sinensis) might be explained by the presence of amino acid L-theanine in the tea leaves, it is not known whether postischemic administration of L-theanine could also provide neuroprotection. In the present study, we investigated the neuroprotective effect of L-theanine (1 and 4 mg/kg) administered at 3, 12, and 24 h after reperfusion in the rat model of stroke. We also studied the effect of L-theanine on brain injury caused by exogenous administration of N-methyl-D-aspartate and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propionate/kainate receptor agonists during reperfusion. Rats were subjected to 30-min middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by 48-h reperfusion. Neurological deficit and infarct size were determined at the end of reperfusion. At 3 and 12 h, but not at 24 h of reperfusion, L-theanine substantially reduced the size of brain infarct. Neurological status was improved when L-theanine was administered 3, 12, and 24 h after reperfusion. Repeated intrastriatal injections of L-theanine at a total dose of 800 µg/kg during reperfusion prevented brain injury caused by glutamate receptor agonists. In conclusion, L-theanine at reperfusion exerts neuroprotective effect in the in vivo rat model of stroke. Local treatment with L-theanine at reperfusion prevents glutamate receptor agonist-mediated brain injury.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of L-theanine as an aid to the improvement of objectively measured sleep quality in a population of 98 male children formally diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted involving boys, ages 8-12 years, who had been previously diagnosed with ADHD. An experienced physician confirmed the diagnosis of ADHD in each subject. Randomization was stratified based upon current use of stimulant medication to ensure an equal distribution of stimulant/non-stimulant treated subjects into active and placebo treated groups. Participants consumed two chewable tablets twice daily (at breakfast and after school), with each tablet containing 100 mg of L-theanine (total 400 mg daily Suntheanine®, Taiyo Kagaku, Yokkaichi, Japan) or identical tasting chewable placebo for six weeks. Subjects were evaluated for five consecutive nights using wrist actigraphy at baseline, and again at the end of the six-week treatment period. The Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) was completed by parents at baseline and at the end of the treatment period.Actigraph watch data findings indicated that boys who consumed L-theanine obtained significantly higher sleep percentage and sleep efficiency scores, along with a non-significant trend for less activity during sleep (defined as less time awake after sleep onset) compared to those in the placebo group. Sleep latency and other sleep parameters were unchanged. The PSQ data did not correlate significantly to the objective data gathered from actigraphy, suggesting that parents were not particularly aware of their children's sleep quality. L-theanine at relatively high doses was well tolerated with no significant adverse events.This study demonstrates that 400 mg daily of L-theanine is safe and effective in improving some aspects of sleep quality in boys diagnosed with ADHD. Since sleep problems are a common co-morbidity associated with ADHD, and because disturbed sleep may be linked etiologically to this disorder, L-theanine may represent a safe and important adjunctive therapy in childhood ADHD. Larger, long-term studies looking at the wider therapeutic role of this agent in this population are warranted.

Dr Zhu Shoumin was a steadfast friend who believed in the warmth of friendship. Zhu gave his all to those that knew him. He was a shining light that guided us with his happy enthusiasm, visionary NUTRIOLOGICAL thinking and his exemplary work ethos and energy. In the last 30 years, he coauthored important classic article that have been published in the international journals and he made contributions to presentations in India, UK, Canada. We will always think of him as a great friend and his parting is a great loss. We in the International College of Nutrition knew him for the last 30 years, planned great adventures with him in India and China as well as in Canada on Cardiovascular Diseases and somehow these should be kept alive. He organised the 5th World Congress on Clinical Nutrition at Zhejiang Medical University, Hangzhou, China in 1995 which is unforgettable.

Hyperimmunized bovine colostrum containing antibodies has been shown to be effective in the treatment of rotavirus diarrhea. Antibodies derived from eggs of immunized hens may be a less expensive and more practical alternative. In this study, children with proven rotavirus diarrhea were treated with immunoglobulin extracted from eggs of chicken immunized with human rotavirus strains.In a randomized, double-blind study, 79 children with known rotavirus diarrhea were assigned to receive either 10 g hyperimmune egg yolk (HEY) daily in four equally divided doses for 4 days (HEY group) or a similar preparation obtained from nonimmunized chicken (placebo group). The daily stool frequency and amount, oral rehydration solution iORS) intake, and presence of rotavirus in the stool were monitored for 4 days.In the HEY-treated group, there was significant reduction in stool output (in grams per kilogram per day; HEY vs. placebo; 87+/-59 vs. 120+/-75, P = 0.03), and significant reduction of ORS intake (in milliliters per kilogram per day) (HEY vs. placebo; 84+/-46 vs. 122+/-72, P = 0.008) on day 1 and clearance of virus on day 4 (HEY vs. placebo; 73% vs. 46%, P = 0.02). There was, however, no difference in diarrheal duration between the groups.Treatment with HEY against four human rotavirus strains resulted in modest improvement of diarrhea associated with earlier clearance of rotavirus from stools. These results indicate an encouraging role of HEY in the treatment of rotavirus-induced diarrhea in children. Further studies are needed to optimize the dose and neutralization titer and thus improve the efficacy of egg yolk immunoglobulin IgY derived from immunized hens.

Premenstrual syndrome is a condition, which occurs in women during reproductive age. It is recognized as a disorder characterized by complaints of recurrent psychological, physical and/or somatic s...

The synthesis of three-dimensional (Pm3n) cubic phenylene-bridged hybrid mesoporous silica material using a novel allylorganosilane precursor 1,4-bis(triallylsilyl)phenylene and cetyltrimethylammoniumchloride (C16TMACl) as a structure-directing agent in acidic medium is presented. Sulfonic acid functionalized derivatives of these materials are effective in Friedel–Crafts acylation reactions and in controlling the atmosphere emission of volatile organic compounds, which are responsible for ground level ozone, air toxicity and smog.