Synthetic musks (SMs) have served as cost-effective substitutes for natural musk compounds in personal care and daily chemical products for decades. Their widespread use has led to their detection in various environmental matrices, raising concerns about potential risks. Despite numerous studies on SM levels in different natural environments, a systematic review of their contemporary presence is lacking. This review aims to address this gap by summarising recent research developments on SMs in diverse natural environments, including river water, lake water, seawater, estuarine water, groundwater, snow, meltwater, sediments, aquatic suspended matter, soils, sands, outdoor air, and atmospheric particulate matter. Covering the period from 2010 to 2023, the review focuses on four SM categories: nitro, polycyclic, macrocyclic, and alicyclic. It systematically examines their sources, occurrences, concentrations, spatial and temporal variations, and fate. The literature reveals widespread detection of SMs in the natural environment (freshwater and sediments in particular), with polycyclic musks being the most studied group. Both direct (e.g., wastewater discharges) and indirect (e.g., human recreational activities) sources contribute to SM presence. Levels of SMs vary greatly among studies with higher levels observed in certain regions, such as sediments in Southeast Asia. Spatial and temporal variations are also evident. The fate of SMs in the environment depends on their physicochemical properties and environmental processes, including bioaccumulation, biodegradation, photodegradation, adsorption, phase exchange, hydro-dilution effects. Biodegradation and photodegradation can decrease SM levels, but may produce more persistent and eco-toxic products. Modelling approaches have been employed to analyse SM fate, especially for indirect processes like photodegradation or long-distance atmospheric transport. Future studies should further investigate the complex fate if SMs and their environmental influence. This review enhances understanding of SM status in the natural environment and supports efforts to control environmental contamination.

Many epidemiological studies have evaluated the intake of macronutrients and the risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, current evidence is conflicting and warrants further investigation. Therefore, we carried out an umbrella review to examine and quantify the potential dose-response association of dietary macronutrient intake with CVD morbidity and mortality. Prospective cohort studies from PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL were reviewed, which reported associations of macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrate) with all-cause, CVD, cancer mortality, or CVD events. Multivariable relative risks (RR) were pooled, and heterogeneity was assessed. The results of 124 prospective cohort studies were included in the systematic review and 101 in the meta-analysis. During the follow-up period from 2.2 to 30 years, 506,086 deaths and 79,585 CVD events occurred among 5,107,821 participants. High total protein intake was associated with low CVD morbidity (RR 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.82-0.94), while high total carbohydrate intake was associated with high CVD morbidity (1.08, 1.02-1.13). For fats, a high intake of total fat was associated with a decreased all-cause mortality risk (0.92, 0.85-0.99). Saturated fatty acid intake was only associated with cancer mortality (1.10, 1.06-1.14); Both monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) intake was associated with all-cause mortality (MUFA: 0.92, 0.86-0.98; PUFA: 0.91, 0.86-0.96). This meta-analysis supports that protein intake is associated with a decreased risk of CVD morbidity, while carbohydrate intake is associated with an increased risk of CVD morbidity. High total fat intake is associated with a low risk of all-cause mortality, and this effect was different in an analysis stratified by the type of fat.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of global mortality, and is considered one of diseases with the most rapid growth rate in China. Numerous studies have indicated a closed relationship between an increased incidence of CVD and dietary factors. Dietary fat is one of the three primary nutrients of consumption; however, high fat dietary in causing CVD has been neglected in some official dietary guidelines. Our present review has analyzed the relationship between dietary fat consumption and CVD in China over the past 30 years (from 1990 to 2019). There is a significant correlation between CVD incidence and mortality for consumption of both vegetable oils and animal fats, per capita consumption, and the relative weight of dietary fat exceeding that of other food ingredients (e.g., salt, fruit, and marine food). For fatty acid species, the proportion of ω6 fatty acid consumption increased, causing a significant increase in the ratios of ω6/ω3 fatty acids, whereas the proportion of monounsaturated fatty acid consumption decreased. Such changes have been considered a characteristic of dietary fat consumption in Chinese residents over the past 30 years, and are closely related to the incidence of CVD. Therefore, we suggest that the government should spread awareness regarding the consumption of dietary fat intake to prevent CVD and related health disorders. The public should be educated to avoid high fat diet and increase the intake of monounsaturated fatty acids and ω3 fatty acids.

The impact of the dietary fat type on type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains unclear.
We aimed to evaluate the effects of replacing dietary saturated fatty acids (SFA) with mono- or poly-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA and PUFA, respectively) on insulin sensitivity, pancreatic β-cell function, and glucose tolerance, as surrogate endpoints for T2D.
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that replaced ≥5% of total energy intake provided by SFA with MUFA or PUFA and reported indexes of insulin sensitivity, β-cell function, and/or glucose tolerance. We searched MEDLINE, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library (CENTRAL) up to 9 January, 2023. Eligible interventions had to be isocaloric, with no significant difference in other macronutrients. Data were synthesized using random-effects model meta-analysis.
Of 6355 records identified, 10 parallel and 20 crossover trials with 1586 participants were included. The mean age of the participants was 42 years, 47% were male, mean body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2) was 26.8, median baseline fasting glucose was 5.13 mmol/L, and the median duration of interventions was 5 weeks. Replacing SFA with MUFA or PUFA had no significant effects on insulin sensitivity [standardized mean difference (SMD) SFA compared with MUFA: 0.01, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.06 to 0.09, I2 = 0% and SMD SFA compared with PUFA: 0, 95% CI: -0.15 to 0.14, I2 = 0%]. Replacing SFA with MUFA did not significantly impact the β-cell function, evaluated by the disposition index (mean difference: -12, 95% CI: -158 to 133, I2=0%). Evidence on glucose tolerance (SFA compared with MUFA or PUFA) and on β-cell function when SFA were replaced with PUFA was scant.
Short-term substitution of saturated with unsaturated fat does not significantly affect insulin sensitivity nor β-cell function (the latter in the SFA compared with MUFA comparison). Future studies are needed to elucidate longer term effects of dietary fat saturation on glucose homeostasis. This trial was registered at PROSPERO as CRD42020178382.

Accumulating evidence suggests that fatty acids (FAs) play an essential role in regulating skeletal muscle mass and function throughout life. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the relationship between dietary or circulatory levels of monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs) and sarcopenia in observational studies. A comprehensive literature search was performed in three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) from inception until August 2022. Of 414 records, a total of 12 observational studies were identified for this review. Ten studies were meta-analysed, comprising a total of 3704 participants. The results revealed that MUFA intake is inversely associated with sarcopenia (standardized mean difference = - 0.28, 95% CI - 0.46 to - 0.11; p < 0.01). Despite the limited number of studies, our results suggest that lower MUFA intake is associated with a higher risk of sarcopenia. However, the available evidence is still insufficient and further investigations are needed to demonstrate this relationship.

Alzheimer\'s disease (AD) diagnosis is based on invasive and expensive biomarkers. Regarding AD pathophysiological mechanisms, there is evidence of a link between AD and aberrant lipid homeostasis. Alterations in lipid composition have been observed in blood and brain samples, and transgenic mouse models represent a promising approach. Nevertheless, there is great variability among studies in mice for the determination of different types of lipids in targeted and untargeted methods. It could be explained by the different variables (model, age, sex, analytical technique), and experimental conditions used. The aim of this work is to review the studies on lipid alteration in brain tissue and blood samples from AD mouse models, focusing on different experimental parameters. As result, great disparity has been observed among the reviewed studies. Brain studies showed an increase in gangliosides, sphingomyelins, lysophospholipids and monounsaturated fatty acids and a decrease in sulfatides. In contrast, blood studies showed an increase in phosphoglycerides, sterols, diacylglycerols, triacylglycerols and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and a decrease in phospholipids, lysophospholipids and monounsaturated fatty acids. Thus, lipids are closely related to AD, and a consensus on lipidomics studies could be used as a diagnostic tool and providing insight into the mechanisms involved in AD.

Rapeseed oil is the third most consumed culinary oil in the world. It is well-known for its high content of unsaturated fatty acids, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids, which make it of great nutritional value. There is increasing evidence that a diet rich in unsaturated fatty acids offers health benefits. Although the consumption of rapeseed oil cuts across many areas around the world, the nutritional elements of rapeseed oil and the exact efficacy of the nutrients remain unclear. In this review, we systematically summarized the latest studies on functional rapeseed components to ascertain which component of canola oil contributes to its function. Apart from unsaturated fatty acids, there are nine functional components in rapeseed oil that contribute to its anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective, among others. These nine functional components are vitamin E, flavonoids, squalene, carotenoids, glucoraphanin, indole-3-Carbinol, sterols, phospholipids, and ferulic acid, which themselves or their derivatives have health-benefiting properties. This review sheds light on the health-benefiting effects of rapeseed oil in the hope of further development of functional foods from rapeseed.

Erucic acid (EA) is monounsaturated fatty acid (22:1 n-9), synthesized in the seeds of many plants from the Brassicaceae family, with Brassica napus, B. rapa, or B. carinata considered as its richest source. As the compound has been blamed for the poisoning effect in Toxic Oil Syndrome, and some data indicated its cardiotoxicity to rats, EA has been for decades classified as toxic substance, the use of which should be avoided. However, the cardiac adverse effects of EA have not been confirmed in humans, and the experiments in animal models had many limitations. Thus, the aim of this review was to present the results of the so far published studies on both toxic, and pharmacological properties of EA, trying to answer the question on its future medicinal use. Despite the ambiguous and relatively small data on toxic and beneficial effects of EA it seems that the compound is worth investigating. Further research should be particularly directed at the verification EA toxicity, more in-depth studies on its neuroprotective and cytotoxic properties, but also its use in combination with other drugs, as well as its role as a drug carrier.

Cicada flower, Isaria cicadae Miq., has been a traditional Chinese medicine for approximately 1600 years. Many works on its identification, bioactivities, and clinical use against some disorders have been published, but some inaccuracies and inconsistencies need to be further clarified. In combination with our > 20 years of research and application of cicada flower and examination of the literature and patents published in recent years, this article summarizes and reviews the life cycle and taxonomy, genome size and mating type, molecular systematic classification and cultivation, active ingredients, and pharmacological functions of I. cicadae.

We conducted a scoping review of systematic reviews (SRs) on dietary fat intake and health outcomes in human adults within the context of a position paper by the \"International Union of Nutritional Sciences Task force on Dietary Fat Quality\" tasked to summarize the available evidence and provide dietary recommendations.
We systematically searched several databases for relevant SRs of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and/or prospective cohort studies published between 2015 and 2019 assessing the association between dietary fat and health outcomes.
Fifty-nine SRs were included. The findings from SRs of prospective cohort studies, which frequently compare the highest versus lowest intake categories, found mainly no association of total fat, monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), and saturated fatty acid (SFA) with risk of chronic diseases. SRs of RCTs applying substitution analyses indicate that SFA replacement with PUFA and/or MUFA improves blood lipids and glycemic control, with the effect of PUFA being more pronounced. A higher intake of total trans-fatty acid (TFA), but not ruminant TFA, was probably associated with an increased risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease based on existing SRs.
Overall, the available published evidence deems it reasonable to recommend replacement of SFA with MUFA and PUFA and avoidance of consumption of industrial TFA.