Azime Irem Kuruhalila, Halit Tanju Besler
Nutraceuticals are bioactive compounds that integrate the functional properties of nutrients and pharmaceuticals, offering notable benefits in promoting health, preventing diseases, and providing therapeutic solutions. Their capacity to influence biological pathways associated with chronic inflammation has garnered significant scientific attention. Chronic inflammation serves as a major contributor to carcinogenesis, driving processes such as cellular transformation, proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. The therapeutic potential of nutraceuticals lies in their ability to target critical inflammatory pathways and transcription factors, including NF-?B and STAT3, which play pivotal roles in regulating inflammatory and tumorigenic processes. These compounds, encompassing polyphenols, vitamins, and other plant-derived bioactives, are also recognized for their antioxidative properties, which help mitigate oxidative stress, a key factor in the progression of chronic diseases. Telomere length serves as a molecular clock, measuring the number of cell divisions and playing a crucial role in cellular aging. Telomeres shorten with each cell division, leading to genomic instability and cellular aging. The enzyme telomerase helps maintain telomere length, crucial for delaying cellular senescence. Diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidant vitamins, carotenoids, and polyphenols, such as the Mediterranean diet, can mitigate telomere shortening and promote genomic stability. Increased physical activity also positively influences telomere length, reducing oxidative damage and supporting healthy aging. By alleviating oxidative and inflammatory damage, nutraceuticals support healthy aging and the prevention of inflammation-related diseases. Given their multifaceted effects on cellular mechanisms, nutraceuticals emerge as promising candidates for advancing therapeutic and preventive strategies in modern medicine and nutrition. Their application in personalized and integrative approaches warrants further research to fully unlock their potential in clinical settings.
Asma Sakraouia*, Fatma Arraria*, Anis Sakhraouib,c,d and Monther Mejri a
Ethnopharmacology, at the crossroads of human and natural sciences, is devoted to exploring traditional medicines as sources of potential future treatments. In this context, our study aimed to conduct an ethnopharmacological survey investigating the traditional use of bee pollen in several regions of Tunisia. The survey comprised three main sections: demographic information about respondents (e.g., age, gender, and education level), identification and application of hive products, and details regarding the discovery and utilization of bee pollen, including diseases treated, preparation methods, and modes of administration. Our findings revealed that bee pollen is primarily used as a remedy for various ailments, with a notable focus on digestive disorders (32.7%). In terms of preparation, respondents commonly employed bee pollen in culinary applications (cooking: 31.2%, Viennese pastries: 19.9%, mixed with oat flakes: 22.2%), followed by infusion, capsules or tablets, and decoction methods (34.3%, 34.3%, and 15.9%, respectively). Oral administration was overwhelmingly preferred (76.9%). In conclusion, the insights gathered from residents of different regions regarding this medicinal bee product present compelling prospects for future therapeutic innovations. This data serves as a valuable foundation for further pharmacological and experimental studies aimed at exploring the medicinal potential of bee pollen.
Christopher Myers
Introduction
Recovery is a foundational but underdefined element of the Human Weapon System (HWS) paradigm, which integrates physical, psychological, cognitive domains, etc. to optimize the tactical professionals. Existing definitions—such as “return to duty” or “combat regeneration”—are overly simplistic and fail to capture the complexity of recovery within the multidimensional operational demands placed on HWS personnel. This review proposes a comprehensive, operationally relevant definition of recovery tailored to the HWS context.
Materials and Methods
This narrative review synthesizes literature across traditional and non-traditional Human Performance (HP) domains, including physical readiness, cognitive function, fiscal methods, nutrition, sleep, and environmental adaptation. Emphasis was placed on identifying causal (e.g., workload, stress exposure) and resultant (e.g., biomarkers, fatigue indices, psychological metrics) factors that affect recovery processes. The review also examined cross-domain interdependencies that influence performance degradation and restoration.
Results
Recovery within the HWS paradigm is best conceptualized as a multidimensional process involving restoring causal and resultant performance metrics to baseline or optimal functional levels. This review highlights that effective recovery cannot be assessed solely through return-to-duty timelines or physical indicators; it must also incorporate resolution of the causal metrics. By aligning recovery with tangible and measurable outputs across the HWS HP domains, this model enables a more precise quantification of fatigue and restoration, offering a holistic perspective.
Conclusions
This review proposes a refined definition of recovery as “the process of restoring causal and resultant metrics to baseline levels to mitigate fatigue and maximize performance across all HWS HP domains.” This conceptual model is a new foundation for developing targeted, evidence-based interventions and monitoring strategies to enhance recovery, resilience, and sustained performance among tactical HWS professionals.
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