Dietetics, Nutrition and Biological Sciences
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/23
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Item Reformulation of Biscuit and Oatcake Products With Nutritional and Environmental Benefits Using a Novel Palm Shortening Substitute(Wiley, 2025-08-28) Mora-Gallego, Hector; Craddock, Robert; Euston, Stephen R.; Liddle, Catriona; Lonchamp, JulienThis paper assessed the feasibility of replacing palm shortening with a novel sustainable ingredient composed of rapeseed oil, linseed meal, and beta-glucan (PALM-ALT) in hard-texture bakery products (biscuit and oatcake). There is currently no palm shortening alternative that is functional, sustainable, nutritionally-balanced, and competitive. The PALM-ALT ingredient was characterized by oil droplet size distribution, rheology, confocal microscopy, and scanning-electron microscopy, whilst the biscuits and oatcakes were profiled by sensory, texturometry, colorimetry, water activity, and moisture analyses. The PALM-ALT ingredient exhibited a stable emulsion-gel structure (32 µm oil droplet size, 62 Pa.s viscosity, 40 Pa yield stress). Linseed proteins contributed to the formation and stabilization of oil droplets, whilst linseed mucilage, oat beta-glucan, and aggregates of linseed proteins and/or beta-glucan (observed in the continuous phase) further stabilized the emulsion. Three formulations were prepared with either palm shortening, rapeseed oil, or PALM-ALT. PALM-ALT biscuits and oatcakes respectively showed an 86% and 75% saturated fat reduction in comparison with their palm-based control product. PALM-ALT products displayed similar sensory and instrumental profiles to their palm-based controls, whereas rapeseed oil formulations exhibited significantly different color, odor, and texture profiles than the controls (p < 0.05). Rapeseed oil biscuits showed a lower overall sensory quality than their palm-based control, whilst PALM-ALT oatcakes displayed a higher acceptability than the control and rapeseed oil products (p < 0.05). This study showed that PALM-ALT was able to replace palm shortening in hard-texture bakery formulations with maintenance of their sensory profiles, whilst providing nutritional and sustainability benefits.Item The Evaluation of a Simulated Interprofessional Education Session Between Dietetics and Acting Students(2025-08-18) Lyles, Alison L.; Scott, MarionIntroduction: This paper evaluates a simulated interprofessional education (IPE) session that brought together dietetic and acting students to explore the development of communication skills and collaborative practice through role‐play consultations. Designed to foster experiential learning, the session enabled dietetics students to practice patient‐centred communication while acting students portrayed patients based on character briefs and offered feedback from a service‐user perspective. Methods: The session aimed to enhance empathy, rapport‐building, and professional adaptability across both disciplines. Evaluation data were collected via a structured questionnaire completed by 17 dietetic and 5 acting students, assessing areas including skill development, interprofessional collaboration, and session impact. Results: Results indicated high satisfaction, with 100% of participants rating the session positively and reporting gains in communication, teamwork, and understanding of interdisciplinary roles. Both groups valued the opportunity to apply their respective skills in a realistic, low‐risk setting, highlighting the benefits of including nontraditional disciplines in IPE. Recommendations for future iterations include expanding scenario diversity and providing more time for practice and feedback. Conclusion: Overall, the session was found to be an effective and engaging method of supporting communication competence and mutual learning between healthcare and performing arts students.Item UV Spectrophotometric analysis of phosphate content in plant-based milk alternatives in relation to Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease(Elsevier, 2025-08-05) Lyles, Alison L.; Sture, Estere; Walker, RossBackground: Managing dietary phosphorus is critical in advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), where excess intake can lead to complications such as hyperphosphataemia. Plant-based milk alternatives (PBMAs) are increasingly consumed, yet their phosphorus content, particularly in relation to phosphate additives, remains poorly defined in the UK. Objective: This study aimed to quantify and compare the total phosphorus content and phosphorus-to-protein ratio (PPR) in a range of commercially available UK PBMAs, with and without phosphate additives, using UV spectrophotometric analysis. Materials & Methods: Fourteen PBMAs (from seven plant sources) were analysed using the molybdenum blue method. Samples were categorised based on presence or absence of phosphate additives. Phosphorus content (mg/100g) and PPR (mg/g protein) were calculated and compared with previously documented data for cow’s milk. Results: PBMAs with phosphate additives contained significantly higher phosphorus levels (mean 58.47 mg/100g) than those without (mean 7.38 mg/100g; p < .001). Similarly, PPR was substantially higher in additive-containing PBMAs (mean 197.76 mg/g) versus additive-free options (mean 16.25 mg/g; p < .001). Some PBMAs with additives had phosphorus content and PPR values exceeding those of cow’s milk, raising concerns for phosphate management in CKD. Conclusion: Phosphate additives significantly increase the phosphorus load and PPR of PBMAs, which may not be readily apparent to consumers or clinicians due to insufficient labelling. For patients with advanced CKD, selecting additive-free PBMAs may support better phosphorus control and dietary management.Item Effect of Cocoa on Glucocorticoids and Markers of Stress(ISCHOM, 2020-12) Tsang, CatherineItem Effect of N-Acetylcysteine on Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale associated with Schizophrenia: A Meta-Analysis(Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, 2020-10) Ghaderi, Amir; Bussu, Anna; Tsang, Catherine; Jafarnejad, SadeghBackground and objective: N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a precursor of L-cysteine with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neurotropic effects, is a promising agent in alleviating symptoms associated with schizophrenia. However, the role of NAC on parameters of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) remain uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis explored the effect of NAC on parameters of PANSS in patients with chronic schizophrenia. Methods: We searchedPubmed/MEDLINE™, PsycNET™, PsycLIT™, Scopus™ and Google Scholar™ for studies on the effect of NAC on PANSS in patients with schizophrenia from inception to March 2019. We adopted medical and non-medical subjects headings (MeSH, non-MeSH) and several keywords, including “NAC”, “N-acetylcysteine”, “N-acetyl cysteine”, “Acetylcysteine”, “N-Acetyl-L-cysteine”, “schizophrenia”, “psychotic disorder”, “psychosis”, “schizoaffective” and “dementia praecox”. Results: We identified seven trials with274 patients meeting the inclusion criteria, with follow up between 8-52 weeks, and NAC supplementation between 1200-3600 mg/day. Significant improvements in PANSS were identified following NAC for total (SMD=-0.61, 95% CI = -0.91, -0.31 ; P<0.001), general (SMD = -0.58; 95% CI = -0.90, -0.26; P=0.0004); and negative (SMD = -0.56; 95% CI = -0.92, -0.21; P = 0.001) scores, respectively. No significant heterogeneity was found among studies. Significant reductions were observed following sub-group analysis in trials ≤ 24 weeks duration, with appreciable effect size for total (SMD= -0.83), general (SMD= -0.67) and negative (SMD=-1.09) scores. Conclusion: Supplementation of NAC was effective in alleviating PANSS symptoms associated with schizophrenia in trials ≤ 24 weeks duration. The use of NAC as an adjunct seems promising and further investigation is warranted to determine its precise role.Item Potential blood pressure lowering effect of L-citrulline supplementation in at risk populations: a meta-analysis(Emerald, 2022-05-10) Jafarnejad, Sadegh; Tsang, Catherine; Amin, NeginPurpose This paper aims to investigate the effect of L-citrulline supplementation on blood pressure (BP) in middle-aged and elderly populations. Design/methodology/approach Three electronic databases, namely, Google Scholar, PubMed and Scopus, were searched from 1990 to November 2020. Random effects model analysis was applied for quantitative data synthesis, and 6 trials with 150 participants were identified and included in the analysis. Findings Results showed an overall non-significant effect of L-citrulline supplementation on both systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) in middle-aged and elderly participants. However, stratified analysis indicated a significant reduction in SBP (SMD: −0.41, 95% CI: −0.84, 0.02; p = 0.06, heterogeneity p = 0.41; I2 = 10%) but not in DBP (SMD:−0.15, 95% CI: −0.57, 0.28; p = 0.51, heterogeneity p = 0.60; I2 = 0%), following longer-term (= 8 weeks) supplementation of L-citrulline. Additionally, higher doses of L-citrulline (= 6 grams) showed a marginally significant reduction in DBP (SMD: −0.38, 95% CI: −0.78, 0.02; p = 0.06, heterogeneity p = 0.50; I2 = 0%). Originality/value In conclusion, a higher dosage and longer duration of supplementation with L-citrulline may have potential BP lowering effects in populations at an increased risk of hypertensionItem Polyphenol supplementation and executive functioning in overweight and obese adults at risk of cognitive impairment: A systematic review and meta-analysis(Public Library of Science, 2023-05-25) Farag, Sara; Tsang, Catherine; Murphy, Philip N.Background and objectives Increasing evidence indicates a link between obesity and cognitive impairment. Furthermore, there is limited literature regarding the effect of polyphenols, a plant derived compounds, on executive functioning in an overweight/obese population at-risk of cognitive impairment. The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials is to examine the effect of polyphenol supplementation on executive functions in overweight and/or obese populations at risk of cognitive impairment. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted from inception to March 2023 using four electronic databases: PubMed/Medline, PsycInfo, Scopus and Cochrane trials library. Published primary research studies in English that compared the effect of polyphenols with placebo on executive function in overweight/obese adults were considered eligible for the meta-analysis. Jadad scale was used for the methodological quality rating of the included studies. Hedges g with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for endpoints were calculated using random effect model where applicable. Rosenthal’s Fail-safe N, funnel plots, the Begg and Mazumdar’s rank correlation test (Kendall’s S statistic P-Q), Egger’s linear regression test, and Duval and Tweedie’s trim-and-fill test were identified for potential use as appropriate, to examine publication bias. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the robustness of the results. Results and conclusion A total of 23 RCT studies involving N = 1,976 participants were included in the review. The results of the meta-analysis revealed a non-significant effect for polyphenol supplementation on executive function (g = 0.076, CI = -0.018 to 0.170). Observations from primary studies within the meta-analysis showed a potential positive effect of polyphenol supplementation in a younger population at-risk of cognitive impairment and it is recommended to investigate this further in future studies. Moreover, the variability of the tasks used to examine executive functions as well as the adequate reporting of supplement’s phenolic composition is a limitation that future work should also consider.Item Effect of Polyphenol Supplementation on Memory Functioning in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis(MDPI, 2024-02-06) Farag, Sara; Tsang, Catherine; Al-Dujaili, Emad A. S.; Murphy, Philip N.Negative health consequences of obesity include impaired neuronal functioning and cell death, thus bringing the risk of impaired cognitive functioning. Antioxidant properties of polyphenols offer a possible intervention for overweight people, but evidence for their effectiveness in supporting cognitive functioning is mixed. This review examined evidence from randomized controlled trials concerning the effect of polyphenols on tasks requiring either immediate or delayed retrieval of learned information, respectively, thus controlling for differences in cognitive processes and related neural substrates supporting respective task demands. Searches of the PubMed/Medline, PsycInfo, and Scopus databases identified 24 relevant primary studies with N = 2336 participants having a BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m2. The participants’ mean age for the 24 studies exceeded 60 years. Respective meta-analyses produced a significant summary effect for immediate retrieval but not for delayed retrieval. The present findings support a potential positive effect of chronic supplementation with polyphenols, most notably flavonoids, on immediate retrieval in participants aged over 60 years with obesity being a risk factor for cognitive impairment. We recommend further investigation of this potential positive effect in participants with such risk factors. Future research on all populations should report the phenolic content of the supplementation administered and be specific regarding the cognitive processes tested.Item OE-4-1 Extraction and properties of protein extracted from fungal fermentations [abstract](Elsevier, 2025-07-07) Euston, S; Lonchamp, Julien; Stewart K, Munialo C; Willoughby, NItem Dysfunctional pericellular hyaluronan deposition contributes to attenuated CD44/EGFR co-localization and impaired myofibroblast differentiation in chronic wound fibroblasts.(2025-06-14) Morris, Nathaniel Glyn; Woods, Emma Louise; Dally, Jordanna; Midgley, Adam Christopher; Steadman, Robert; Moseley, RyanNon-healing chronic wounds, such as venous ulcers and pressure sores, represent significant causes of patient morbidity and financial burden to Healthcare Services worldwide. During normal healing, dermal fibroblasts (DFs) mediate numerous responses to promote wound closure. However, phenotypic changes induced within chronic wound environments lead to dysfunctional fibroblast functions, which facilitate non-healing. Although the processes underlying impaired proliferative and migratory responses in chronic wound fibroblasts (CWFs) are established, the mechanisms that mediate impaired CWF-myofibroblast differentiation remain poorly understood. Fibroblast-myofibroblast differentiation is induced by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β ) and downstream classical Smad2/3 and non-classical epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/ERK1/2 signaling, initiated through hyaluronan (HA) receptor (CD44) binding to EGFR and dependent on elevated HA synthesis and its pericellular accumulation. Here, we demonstrate that these signaling pathways are dysregulated in venous ulcer- and pressure sore-derived CWFs, compared to DFs. CWFs exhibit increased susceptibilities to cellular senescence and impaired myofibroblast differentiation, accompanied by defective lysosomal/endosomal activities and dysfunctional activation of the HA/CD44/EGFR pathway. Irrespective of wound source, CWFs exhibited increased HAS1 versus HAS2 expression, altered HAS1 and HAS2 intracellular localization, and deregulated hyaladherin (CD44, TSG-6, and IαI heavy chain motifs, HC3, HC4 and HC5) induction, following TGF-β stimulation. These events attenuated HA pericellular coat formation and CD44/EGFR co-localization within membrane lipid rafts, essential for myofibroblast development. Our findings suggest that aberrant HAS1 and HAS2 expression and distributions cause reduced pericellular hyaluronan deposition, leading to attenuated CD44/EGFR co-localization and dysfunctional CWF-myofibroblast differentiation, which contributes to the impaired closure and healing of chronic wounds. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.]