The RNCP/NIAID recommends the creation of a North American Biodosimetry Assessment Networking Group (BANG) by developing a blueprint for integrating the relevant national capabilities to provide emergency biodosimetry assistance in civilian populations following a radiological or nuclear incident. The goals of BANG are to: 1) establish a collaborative network (public/private partnership) and engage its membership to address emergency preparedness, response, and recovery, 2) promote strategic relationships between network members to encourage resource sharing, 3) engage with stakeholders to utilize recommended tools and support training exercises, and 4) advance bioinformatics and machine learning approaches to integrate and utilize the network data for managing emergency situations.

To be adequately prepared for large-scale radiological or nuclear incidents, a coordinated network among well-trained, commercial, hospital, and/or academic laboratories is a critical factor for providing rapid exposure assessments. Interactive and productive collaborations between North American laboratories will improve the capabilities of the network by offering a wider range of complementary biological and physical techniques. BANG would connect community service providers with various biodosimetry capabilities, and enable members to discuss best practices, common goals, emergency planning/ training, and sharing of resources, to increase the nation’s resiliency before, during, and after a radiological public health emergency.

Greater consumption of red meat has been linked to a higher risk of mortality and chronic diseases, including diabetes. We aim to examine the associations between total, processed, and unprocessed red meat intake and diabetes, and to evaluate the substitution effects of other protein sources for red meat on diabetes. This population-based cross-sectional study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2016. Diabetes was defined as being diagnosed by a physician or other health professional, having a fasting plasma glucose of 126 mg/dL or higher, an HbA1c level of 6.5% or higher, or the use of antidiabetic drugs. Multivariable logistic regression models were conducted. The study included 34,737 adult participants (mean (SD) age of 45.8 (17.5) years) from NHANES 2003-2016. After adjusting for major confounders, compared to the first quintile, higher intakes of total, processed, and unprocessed red meat were positively associated with higher odds of diabetes, with adjusted odds ratios of 1.49 (95% CI, 1.22-1.81), 1.47 (95% CI, 1.17-1.84), and 1.24 (95% CI, 1.06-1.44), respectively (P- trend for all < 0. 001). In this nationally representative sample of U.S. adults, participants in the highest quintiles of total, processed, and unprocessed red meat intake had higher odds of diabetes than those in the lowest quintile. Substituting 1 serving/day of dietary protein from foods of plant origin (including nuts, seeds, legumes, and soy) for total, processed, or unprocessed red meat was associated with 9% to 14% lower odds of diabetes.

Assessing the size of twins at birth using charts developed for singletons may over diagnose small for gestational age in this sub-population. The study aimed to produce international, twin-specific, newborn size normative charts by gestational age and sex. This longitudinal observational study in eight geographically diverse settings prospectively collected data between May 2009 and August 2013 from healthy pregnant women and their newborn twins. The participants were enrolled as part of the INTERGROWTH-21st study, and recruited based on World Health Organization recommendations for evaluation of anthropometric measures. All the women met, in addition to the underlying population characteristics of low perinatal risk, strict individual criteria for a population at low risk of impaired fetal growth. Newborn weight, length and head circumference measures were collected independently in duplicate by two trained anthropometrists within 12 hours of birth using identical equipment and protocols at all sites. From 1034 multiple pregnancies, after exclusions of condition such as smoking, high maternal BMI, and congenital malformations, the final sample was 864 twin newborns. Most of the twins were below the 50th centile of the INTERGROWTH-21st standards for singletons. We present international newborn size normative charts for twins using the same methodological approach adopted to construct the singleton standards.

Limited evidence exists on the combined effect of lifestyle factors on breast cancer (BC) risk, particularly in developing countries. This study aimed to investigate the association between adherence to WCRF/AICR cancer prevention recommendations and BC risk among Moroccan women. We conducted a large case control study including 1400 cases and 1400 matched controls (by age and place of residence), between 2019 and 2023. A structured general questionnaire and a food frequency questionnaire were used for data collection. Adherence to cancer recommendations was assessed using a scale ranging from 0 to 7, including 7 components about: food categories, physical activity, healthy weight, and breastfeeding. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to calculate multivariable odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for Potential confounding variables. For each one-point increase in the WCRF/AICR adherence score, the odds of BC decreased by 67% overall (95% CI: 0.29–0.37). This inverse association was consistent among both premenopausal women (OR = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.24–0.35) and postmenopausal women (OR = 0.35; 95% CI: 0.30–0.41). Analysis of individual recommendations showed that being physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, breastfeeding, consuming a plant-rich diet, and limiting the intake of fast foods and other processed foods were the main key drivers of the observed inverse associations with BC. In conclusion, the present study suggests that greater adherence to the WCRF/AICR recommendations is associated with decreased risk of BC risk in Morocco. Prevention strategies should consider comprehensive interventions targeting multiple lifestyle factors.

Grip strength is a simple and practical method for evaluating overall muscle strength, and a key health biomarker that is linked to sarcopenia, chronic conditions, and overall mortality. Although protein intake plays a vital role in muscle protein synthesis, its association with grip strength in adults remains unclear. This study examined the cross-sectional relationship between total, animal, and plant protein intake and grip strength among local government workers in Japan. Participants were 349 workers (175 men and 174 women; mean age, 42.9 years; range, 19-71 years) who received a health check-up and participated in a nutrition and health survey. Protein intake was assessed using a validated self-administered diet-history questionnaire. Grip strength was measured with a digital dynamometer. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to estimate adjusted means of grip strength according to tertile of protein intake. Higher animal protein intake was significantly associated with higher grip strength in women, but not in men. After adjustment for covariates including lifestyle and dietary factors, mean (95% confidence interval) grip strength for the lowest through highest tertile of animal protein intake was 24.6 (21.7-27.5) kg, 25.8 (22.9-28.7) kg, and 26.8 (23.7-29.9) kg (P for trend = 0.015) in women. No association was found between total and plant protein intake and grip strength in either men or women. These findings suggest that animal protein is important for muscle strength in women, with potential sex differences in the relationship between protein intake and grip strength.

Selenium (Se) is an important micronutrient that plays a key role in brain development. Only a few studies have explored the associations between prenatal maternal Se concentration and motor development in early infancy. We have previously described that 36% of pregnant Nepalese women had Se concentration below the cut off of 71.1 µg/L in early pregnancy. In the current cohort study, we aimed to describe the association between maternal plasma Se concentration and infant motor development measured at 8-12 weeks of age. From a cohort of 800 Nepalese mother-infant pairs we included 711 dyads with available data on maternal Se concentration and motor development scores. Maternal Se concentration was measured in plasma samples collected within 15 weeks of gestation using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Motor development was measured by the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP). We examined the association between Se concentration and the TIMP scores in regression models adjusted for age of the mother and socioeconomic status. There was no association between maternal Se concentration and the TIMP scores (coefficient for the total TIMP score: -0.035 (95% CI: -0.105, 0.036). In conclusion, even though a considerable proportion of the women had Se concentration below the cut off of 71.1 µg/L, there were no association between maternal Se concentration and early motor development in their infants. Our findings do not support Se supplementation during pregnancy to enhance early infant motor development. However, Se may still be essential for other aspects of maternal and infant health.

Growing evidence supports early eating to control appetite and energy balance but there are few controlled studies to assess the amount and/or type of breakfast meal. This randomized, within-participant, diet intervention examined the effects of higher-fibre (HF) and higher-protein (HP) breakfasts in adults with overweight/obesity. Nineteen healthy adults consumed two randomized 28 day weight loss (WL) diets; as higher-fibre (HFWL) or higher protein (HPWL), with all food provided. Both WL diets were designed as 45%, 35% and 20% of calories to be consumed at the morning, afternoon and evening, respectively. The primary outcome was energy balance, analysed by body weight changes. The secondary outcomes were gut health (assessed by changes in faecal microbiota composition and microbial metabolite concentrations) and subjective appetite assessed with visual analogue scales (VAS). There was a diet effect on WL, with mean loss of -4.87 kg and -3.87 kg for the HFWL and HPWL diets, respectively (P=0.002). The HPWL diet was superior to the HFWL diet for suppressing subjective appetite (P=0.003). The faecal microbiota analysis showed beneficial groups of bacteria, including bifidobacteria, and the butyrate-producers Faecalibacterium and Roseburia, were significantly increased in proportional abundance on the HFWL diet. Breakfast composition has an important role in influencing subjective appetite with the higher-protein diet promoting greater feelings of satiety. The proportional abundance of putatively beneficial groups of gut microbiota was markedly higher on the fibre-enriched diet, which may be preferable for gut health.

One of the most relevant types of human-made disasters, due to its intense and long-lasting effects on health, is the so-called Complex Emergency (CE) or Complex Humanitarian Emergency, defined since the early 1990s as “a relatively acute situation affecting a large civilian population, usually involving a combination of a situation of war or massive civil disturbance, food insecurity or shortage, and population displacement, resulting in a significant increase in mortality.”