Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Probiotics can support gut health by improving the balance of bacteria. [SEP] Text: IntroductionThe recent advent of high throughput sequencing technologies has provided new insights into the composition and metabolic activities of the intestinal biome. Today it is recognized that this complex ecosystem is an assemblage of more than 1000 species of microorganisms that exist in harmony (symbiosis) with the host and exert metabolic activities that virtually parallels an organ within an organ. While most of these activities are beneficial for the host some may be deleterious, the nature of effect, being determined by the composition of the flora. Thus a mutualistic relationship between the beneficial symbionts and commensals is paramount for the maintenance of health and wellbeing with dysbiosis resulting in clinical disease. It follows that the gut flora can be manipulated to enhance the beneficial components which represent a promising strategy for the prevention and management of various infective and non - infective disorders. The symposium started with the welcome address by Prof. N. K. of Biotechnology, of Immunology, New Delhi. He gave a broad introduction to the topic, emphasizing the central role of the gut flora in the improvement of health. He stated that of the many proposed interventions, probiotics offer immense potential for the prevention of a variety of diseases. It is therefore not surprising that the past decade has witnessed tremendous progress in the area of probiotic research with scientific evidence quickly accumulating to validate their possible role as important therapeutic and preventive strategy for gastrointestinal diseases, treatment and prevention of allergic disorders, chronic inflammatory diseases, prevention of cancers and reduction of respiratory diseases. Dr. R. A. the reemphasized the significant role of the gut flora in maintaining health and stated that although most of the claims and benefits associated with probiotic usage are being established, they mainly represent the findings from the West and therefore probiotics have found greater acceptance in that part of the world. The potential for their use in the developing world has not been adequately investigated. With the realization that infectious and non-infectious diseases account for a large majority of deaths annually in resource limited settings there is optimism about the ability of interventions such as probiotics to prevent health disparities. However, since colonization with a probiotic is dependent on the interplay of multiple factors in the intestinal mileu, inherent differences in gut microbial ecology may significantly impact the functioning of the probiotic strain and therefore requires a thorough understanding and much more evidence needs to be generated in these settings. Microbiota and FoundationRecognizing this need, a group of eminent scientists formed the Microbiota and Foundation. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by detailing the role of the gut flora and the beneficial effects of probiotics. It mentions that probiotics offer immense potential for the prevention of a variety of diseases and emphasizes the importance of a balanced gut microbiome for maintaining health. The central role of gut flora in improving health is highlighted, supporting the assertion that probiotics can enhance gut health.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: Eating carbohydrates always leads to weight gain. [SEP] Text: During the course of the study, there were some drop-outs in both groups. Importantly, these did not differ in baseline weight from the completers, which is why it can be ruled out that the intervention was not effective in a particular BMI group. Rather, the subjects who dropped out were those who either could not continue due to illness or did not adhere to the meal plan. However, the inclusion of drop-outs in the analysis of weight progression does not fundamentally change the results. 3. 2. ConclusionIn summary, our data show that the increase of regularity of meals to a period of 90 min for each meal promotes a significant reduction of body weight and a significant increase of well-being within short time. Importantly, the successes achieved do not seem to be related to a reduction in calories, a change in food composition, or other eating behaviors. Additionally, we believe that this intervention poses hardly any health risks since it is most likely solely based on the optimization of metabolic processes. On the contrary, the strong increase in general well-being during the study rather indicates an improvement in health on many different levels. 4. Methods4. 1. Experimental approachThe study was a randomized controlled intervention trial with repeated measures investigating the effect of regularity of mealtimes on body weight and parameters related to overall well-being. Participants were blinded to the group assignment in that both control and experimental subjects were equally informed to participate in an intervention. The study was carried out at the Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the University (LMU), Munich, Germany. The study is registered at the with the trial number DRKS00021419 and was approved by the of the LMU. 4. 2. ParticipantsThe participants were recruited across Germany via flyers at universities, fitness studios, adult education centers, pharmacies, grocery stores, and via Facebook® between September 2020 and August 2021. Those interested were able to contact the study staff by phone, email, or by making an entry in an online calendar tool. Participants had to be between 18-65 years old and have a BMI ≥ 22 kg/m². A requirement for participation in the study was that no other diet was concurrently followed, and that no medication was being taken regularly that could influence appetite or weight. No participants were included who knowingly suffer from a metabolic, mental, or addictive disorder. Further exclusion criteria were pregnancy, blindness, bedriddenness, and dependence on assistance with eating. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by discussing a study that demonstrates how regularity of meals can lead to a significant reduction in body weight without being related to calorie reduction or changes in food composition. This implies that weight gain is not simply a function of carbohydrate intake, but rather influenced by factors like meal timing and overall meal regularity. The findings suggest that carbohydrates alone do not necessarily lead to weight gain, undermining the deterministic notion of the claim.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: The suprachiasmatic nucleus is the master regulator of circadian rhythms. [SEP] Text: [PubMed] Bina, KG, Rusak, B and Semba, K (1993). Localization of cholinergic neurons in the forebrain and brainstem that project to the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus in rats J 335: 295–307. [PubMed] Nishino, H and Koizumi, K (1977). Responses of neurons in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus to putative transmitters 120: 167–172. [PubMed] Zatz, M and Brownstein, MJ (1981). Injection of alpha-bungarotoxin near the suprachiasmatic nucleus blocks the effects of light on nocturnal pineal enzyme activity 213: 438–442. [PubMed] Earnest, DJ and Turek, FW (1985). Neurochemical basis for the photic control of circadian rhythms and seasonal reproductive cycles: role for acetylcholine 82: 4277–4281. [PubMed] Liu, C and Gillette, MU (1996). Cholinergic regulation of the SCN circadian rhythm via a muscarinic mechanism at night J Neurosci 16: 744–752. [PubMed] and Menaker, M (1993). Phase shifting mechanisms in the mammalian circadian system: new light on the carbachol paradox J Neurosci 13: 1454–1459. [PubMed] Janik, D and Mrosovsky, N (1994). Intergeniculate leaflet lesions and behaviorally-induced shifts of circadian rhythms 651: 174–182. [PubMed] Rusak, B, Meijer, JH and Harrington, ME (1989). Hamster circadian rhythms are phase-shifted by electrical stimulation of the geniculo-hypothalamic tract 493: 283–291. [PubMed] and Pevet, P (2001). Intergeniculate leaflets lesion delays but does not prevent the integration of photoperiodic change by the suprachiasmatic nuclei 906: 176–179. [PubMed] Harrington, ME (1997). The ventral lateral geniculate nucleus and the intergeniculate leaflet: interrelated structures in the visual and circadian systems Rev 21: 705–727. [PubMed] Moore, RY and Speh, JC (1993). [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text provides a list of studies and references related to the suprachiasmatic nucleus but does not directly address the claim that the suprachiasmatic nucleus acts as the master regulator of circadian rhythms. Instead, it appears to provide background on various related topics, making it irrelevant to the specific claim.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Probiotics can support gut health by improving the balance of bacteria. [SEP] Text: This foundation was registered as a society on 9th November 2011 under the of 1860. will aim at providing a common scientific platform for basic scientists and clinicians to share and exchange knowledge and views and to expand into newer areas of probiotic research. While the foundation will channelize International knowledge and expertise in the field of probiotics it will also promote collaborative research in the development of probiotics as well as foster and maintain research links with scientists of similar interest. The foundation endeavors to do this through an Symposium, which will blend fundamental and applied research related to the use of probiotics for the enhancement of human health. With this in mind, the first symposium of the Foundation with the theme "of Probiotics - Vision and Opportunities" was convened on December 10 and 11, 2011 in Mumbai. This report summarizes the discussions and deliberations that ensued over the two days of the symposium. We hope this will prompt basic scientists, microbiologists and nutritionists to bring new perspectives to the science of probiotics and clarify some of the major issues such as efficacy and acceptable outcomes that surrounds implementation of probiotic usage in the country. The challenge of designing randomized controlled trials for understanding and targeting particular biomarkers and end points for the disease and identifying strain specific health benefits to mark a road map that may be followed to allow for probiotic usage in the country needs to be addressed. Unraveling the effects of probiotics in Gastrointestinal (GI) disordersEvidence for the utility of probiotics in the prevention and treatment of GI disorders in the pediatric population and in adults was presented by Prof. Philip Sherman, Professor of Pediatrics, Microbiology and Dentistry, Research Institute, University for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Canada and Dr. Philip Abraham, Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist at P. D. Hospital, Mumbai. Presenting global evidence for their utility in children, Prof. Sherman illustrated that evidence through randomized controlled trails have demonstrated that certain probiotic strains are more effective than placebo in a variety of conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Multiple meta-analyses indicate effectiveness in reducing the duration of acute enteritis in pre-schoolers and in reducing the frequency of necrotizing enterocolitis in pre-term babies [1, 2]. There is some evidence supporting the use of selected probiotic agents to either prevent or treat antibiotic-associated diarrhea and Clostridium difficile infection. In Prof. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by providing evidence that certain probiotic strains have demonstrated effectiveness in various gastrointestinal disorders. Referencing the presentations of experts, it states that randomized controlled trials have shown that selected probiotic agents can prevent or treat conditions such as antibiotic-associated diarrhea and Clostridium difficile infection, indicating their role in maintaining gut health.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: Eating carbohydrates always leads to weight gain. [SEP] Text: Mixed-effects model with Bonferroni post hoc test comparing determined and estimated cumulative energy intake. The estimated macronutrient intake is formed as an assumed continuation of the average daily intake during the exploration phase. post hoc test showed no significant differences on any study day. (N) No significant correlation between body weight/BMI and changes of cumulative macronutrient intake. Linear regression, CG: n=30; EG: n=67, (detailed statistics in Tab. S6). (K, L, M, N) Some participants were excluded from this analysis because of several erroneous diary entries about unrealistic amounts of food. (O) The absolute deviation between the times of weekend meals and the times of food intake calculated for the EG intervention did not affect the subjects’ BMI change. Linear regression, n=67 (detailed statistics in Tab. S6). Table S1:Baseline characteristics of final 100 participants. Table S2:Statistical data on the difference between completers and study drop-outs. The data in the table refers to the data shown in Fig. S2A. Table S3:Statistical data from all Two-way-analyzing time, group, as well as interaction effects between time x group. In data for Figure 1, missing p-values in the and EG are due to the different number of meals for each participant. In the data for Figure 2, some participants were excluded from this analysis because of several probably erroneous diary entries about unrealistic amounts of food. In data for Figure 3, varying n-numbers result from incomplete entries in the diaries. In data for Figure 4, missing data are due to incomplete questionnaires. Table S4:Statistical data from the development of normalized body weight and BMI of participants during the exploration and the intervention phase, and of follow-up data of continuing and discontinuing participants. At T3, three participants could no longer be reached, which is why the n-number deviates here. The data in the table refers to the data shown in Figures 1E and S2A. Table S5:Statistical data from the development of normalized body weight and BMI of participants at the different phases of the study. At T3 only continuing participants were included, which is why the n-number deviates here from the other time points. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by discussing a study that investigates the relationship between carbohydrate intake, energy consumption, and body weight/BMI. It states that there is 'no significant correlation between body weight/BMI and changes of cumulative macronutrient intake,' suggesting that increased carbohydrate intake does not necessarily result in weight gain, thereby directly challenging the idea that carbohydrates always lead to weight gain.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: The suprachiasmatic nucleus is the master regulator of circadian rhythms. [SEP] Text: GABA is the principal neurotransmitter of the circadian system 150: 112–116. [PubMed] Morin, LP and Blanchard, J (1995). Organization of the hamster intergeniculate leaflet: NPY and ENK projections to the suprachiasmatic nucleus, intergeniculate leaflet and posterior limitans nucleus 12: 57–67. [PubMed] Byku, M, Legutko, R and Gannon, RL (2000). Distribution of delta opioid receptor immunoreactivity in the hamster suprachiasmatic nucleus and intergeniculate leaflet 857: 1–7. [PubMed] Byku, M and Gannon, RL (2000). SNC 80, a delta-opioid agonist, elicits phase advances in hamster circadian activity rhythms Neuroreport 11: 1449–1452. [PubMed] and Card, JP (1984). Identical immunoreactivity of afferents to the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus with antisera against avian pancreatic polypeptide, molluscan cardioexcitatory peptide and neuropeptide Y Res 236: 41–46. [PubMed] and Harrington, ME (1997). Circadian phase shifts to neuropeptide Y In vitro: cellular communication and signal transduction. J Neurosci 17: 8468–8475. [PubMed] Moore, RY and Card, JP (1994). Intergeniculate leaflet: an anatomically and functionally distinct subdivision of the lateral geniculate complex J 344: 403–430. [PubMed] Mrosovsky, N (1995). Chadwick DJ, ed. A non -photic gateway to the circadian clcok of hamsters Circadian clocks and their adjustment. New York, John Wiley, 174. and Takahashi, JS (1995). Pharmacological and genetic approaches for the study of circadian rhythms in mammals 16: 191–223. [PubMed] and Albers, HE (1995). Bicuculline blocks neuropeptide Y-induced phase advances when microinjected in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of Syrian hamsters 675: 333–336. [PubMed] Chen, G and van den Pol, AN (1996). [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text discusses various studies related to the suprachiasmatic nucleus and neurotransmitters in the circadian system but does not explicitly address the claim that it is the master regulator of circadian rhythms. Thus, it is deemed irrelevant.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Probiotics can support gut health by improving the balance of bacteria. [SEP] Text: Sherman's opinion, more data is, however, necessary to confirm the efficacy of probiotic agents, either solely or in combination, in the management of various chronic inflammatory bowel diseases and in allergic enterocolitis. According to him, in future, probiotic strains are likely to be chosen for use in specific clinical settings based on their underlying mechanism(s) of action. There is also the possibility of developing specific disease targeted designer probiotics, he added. Elaborating further, he opined that issues related to optimal dosages, time of ingestion, single versus combination formulations, maintenance of viability, and the merits of employing probiotic-derived products would only be answered by undertaking additional research in the field. Presenting the evidence for their use in adults, Dr. Philip Abraham, Consultant Gastroenterologist, P. D. Hospital, Mumbai, India, stated that probiotics may be useful in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, including those caused by Clostridium difficile. They are also efficacious in reducing the severity and duration of other adult and pediatric diarrhoeas especially those caused by rotavirus. However, their role in prevention of traveler's diarrhoea is equivocal and hence limits their use in this condition. Dr. Abraham further elaborated on the evidence for their use in chronic and acute conditions specifying that there is increasing evidence indicating that probiotics are an effective adjunct to triple therapy in the eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection, exhibiting enhanced eradication rates and reductions in adverse events. He added that although probiotics have shown benefit in improving symptoms of Syndrome, current clinical practice guidelines do not recommend their use in treatment regimens. Bowel Diseases, results are variable although positive benefit has been shown, in preventing relapses in and Crohn's disease, the most consistent and favourable result being in the prevention and treatment of the pouchitis. Data for the prevention of colon cancer in high-risk individuals however, requires long-term intervention and is therefore hard to come by. There is favourable evidence in animal studies and some evidence in humans, that probiotics can reduce cell proliferation in patients with colonic adenoma [1]. Previous studies suggest that clinical improvement may occur in patients with hepatic encephalopathy due to reduction of fecal urease activity and blood ammonia concentration. Why probiotics in diarrhoea in low and middle income countries? [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by discussing various positive outcomes linked to probiotics, such as their utility in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea, their role in treating conditions linked with bacteria, and their potential benefits in managing chronic bowel diseases. For instance, it states that probiotics have shown benefits in reducing the severity and duration of diarrheas and suggests their effectiveness in conjunction with other treatments, like triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection. This supports the idea that probiotics can have a beneficial impact on gut health.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: A vegetarian diet is automatically healthier than an omnivorous diet. [SEP] Text: -19 PreprintsProtocolsVideosJournalsTools & a 10. 21203/rs. 3. rs-2005120/v1This work is licensed under a CC BY 4. 0 LicenseStatus:PostedVersion 1posted You are reading this latest preprint versionAbstractBackground: The relationships between environmental variables, diet-type, and nutritional parameters are incompletely known. Objective: To estimate the environmental footprint and selected nutritional parameters of in silico-designed vegan (VEG), lacto-ovo-vegetarian (LOV) and omnivorous (OMN) weekly menus (n=7 for each type) complying with Mediterranean-Diet (MD) standards and satisfying Essential-Amino- Acids (EAA) requirements. Methods: Land-Use (LU), Water-Footprint (WF), Green-House-Gas-Emission (GHGE), sodium, saturated-fat, calorie, protein contents, and food weight, were calculated. A global EAA-based Nutritional and (EAA-NES) was developed. Key findings: calories, protein and food weight, and EAA-NES scores, were similar among menu-types. In LOV menus, sodium and saturated fat were greater (by ≈140%, p<0. 006, and by ≈60%, p<0. 006), than in VEG or in VEG and OMN menus, respectively. However, the and WF allocation of VEG menus fell predominantly into the first two quartiles (with lower environmental impact), whereas that of LOV and OMN menus was more scattered. No difference was found in the EAA-NES distribution among menu-types, by combining the two lower or the two higher quartiles. Conclusions: In silico-designed VEG diets might not exhibit a lower environmental impact, nor a better EAA-NES score, than LOV or OMN diets at safe EAAs requirements. EnergyEnvironmental footprintFood productionNutritionEnvironmentGreen-House-Gas-EmissionMediterranean DietLand useSaturated fatSodiumWater FootprintFiguresFigure 1Figure 2Figure 3Figure 4Figure 5IntroductionThe steadily-growing global population requiring appropriate nutrition, the increase of global warming and the shifts in land use and water consumption, constitute serious risks to the planet’s environmental sustainability [1, 2]. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by providing findings from a study that suggests there is no inherent nutritional superiority of vegetarian (VEG) diets over lacto-ovo-vegetarian (LOV) or omnivorous (OMN) diets. It states that key nutritional parameters including calories, protein content, and EAA-NES scores were similar among the different diet types. Additionally, it points out that sodium and saturated fat levels were higher in LOV diets when compared to VEG and OMN diets, which complicates the assertion that a vegetarian diet is automatically healthier.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: The suprachiasmatic nucleus is the master regulator of circadian rhythms. [SEP] Text: Multiple NPY receptors coexist in pre- and postsynaptic sites: inhibition of GABA release in isolated self-innervating SCN neurons J Neurosci 16: 7711–7724. [PubMed] and Jones, BE (1978). Serotonin neurons of the midbrain raphe: ascending projections J 180: 417–438. [PubMed] and Assenmacher, I (1983). Efferences dextrahypothalamiques de noyau suprachiasmatique chez le rat C R 297: 347–350. Medanic, M and Gillette, MU (1992). Serotonin regulates the phase of the rat suprachiasmatic circadian pacemaker in vitro during the subjective day J Physiol 450: 629–642. [PubMed] and Dement, WC (1993). Serotonin and the mammalian circadian system: phase shifting rat behavioral rhythms with serotonergic agonists J 8: 17–31. [PubMed] Block, M and Zucker, I (1976). Circadian rhythms of rat locomotor activity after lesions of the midbrain raphe nuclei J 109: 235–247. and Ibata, Y (1987). VIP-like immunoreactive neurons and retinal projections in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus 8: 253–262. and Bengston, L (1999). Retinal afferents to the dorsal raphe nucleus in rats and Mongolian gerbils J 414: 469–484. [PubMed] Prosser, RA (2000). Serotonergic actions and interactions on the SCN circadian pacemaker: In vitro investigations Res 31: 315–339. and Allen, CN (2000). Pre- and postsynaptic actions of serotonin on rat suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons 866: 247–256. [PubMed] and Colwell, CS (1994). Serotonin modulates photic responses in the hamster suprachiasmatic nuclei J Neurosci 14: 3635–3642. [PubMed] Ying, SW and Rusak, B (1994). Effects of serotonergic agonists on firing rates of photically responsive cells in the hamster suprachiasmatic nucleus 651: 37–46. [PubMed] and Gannon, RL (1995). Serotonergic potentiation of photic phase shifts of the circadian activity rhythm Neuroreport 6: 1289–1292. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text discusses various research studies related to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and its interactions with serotonin and NPY receptors, but it does not directly address the claim that the SCN is the master regulator of circadian rhythms. Therefore, it is irrelevant to the claim.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Probiotics can support gut health by improving the balance of bacteria. [SEP] Text: India continues to face disproportionate morbidity and mortality due to diarrhoeal diseases. The 2008 statistics indicate that 18% of the global child diarrhoeal deaths and 77% of diarrhoeal deaths of children in were from India [3]. Using both culture dependent and culture independent methods for 26 different enteric pathogens, Dr. G. Balakrish Nair, of the Science and Technology Institute, Gurgaon, Haryana, provided evidence that more than two thirds of the patients with diarrhoea admitted to the Hospital in Kolkata excreted more than one enteric pathogen and, some of them excreted as many as six pathogens. Several community-based diarrhoeal surveillance studies conducted in the urban slums of Kolkata, have also shown that enteric pathogens found amongst cases with varied age and socio economic status, matched healthy children sampled as controls thereby substantiating that the extent of exposure to fecal bacteria and enteric pathogens in impoverished settings is huge. This results in tropical enteropathy, increased permeability and modest malabsorption [4]. The consequence of these conditions include impaired nutrient utilization because of altered microbiota, poor oral vaccine uptake, diminished protective efficacy of these vaccines as compared to that in developed countries and requirement of higher oral vaccine dose in the impoverished settings [5]. Available data from developed countries suggest that probiotics are effective against diarrhoea of diverse causes and furnish the evidence for the use of probiotics in prevention and treatment of diarrhoea. In stark contrast, in developing countries, probiotics need to be effective against a complex backdrop of child undernutrition, ingestion of high concentration of fecal bacteria because of poor sanitary conditions, tropical enteropathy, hyperpermeable gut, reduced nutrient absorption and growth faltering. Using this as the background, Dr. Nair opined that probiotics may serve as an ideal intervention strategy to improve gut microbiota and counter enteric pathogens present in such disease endemic areas. Appropriately conducted randomized trials would decide the future significance of probiotics in impoverished settings and would also help to furnish information on the mechanism of action of probiotics in settings quite different from the sanitized West. Dr. Nair shared the findings of a recent study on 3758 children aged 1-5 years in an urban slum in Kolkata which evaluated the occurrence of first episodes of diarrhoea as primary outcome and composition of fecal microbiota as the secondary outcome. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by stating that probiotics may serve as an ideal intervention strategy to improve gut microbiota and counter enteric pathogens in disease endemic areas. It provides evidence that in developed countries, probiotics are effective against various causes of diarrhoea, which indicates their potential role in improving gut health. Furthermore, Dr. Nair's opinion on the future significance of probiotics in impoverished settings supports the claim that probiotics can positively affect gut microbiota.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: A vegetarian diet is automatically healthier than an omnivorous diet. [SEP] Text: An optimal balance between peoples’ healthy nutritional requirements [for health maintenance and chronic disease prevention], and the food-associated global environmental footprint, is strongly felt to be pursued nowadays. There are growing ethical implications about food choice & quality and the associated environmental footprint [3-7]. Common indexes of the environmental footprint linked to food production are land use (LU), the water footprint (WF) and the (GHGE) [8-11]. Many studies have investigated these indexes of environmental footprint in respect to the food industry [7-14], also by comparing animal and vegetal foods, type of meat, common menus etc. [11, 13, 14]. Generally speaking, crop-based diets are usually associated to a lower environmental footprint than that of animal or mixed ones [12-14], and many have hypothesized that producing (and eating) more vegetables and fruit than animal-derived foods, could result in a better environmental impact. Some key methodological issues should however be considered in these investigations. The comparisons among foods or diets have been usually based on either food raw weight [11], energy density [7], average daily menu(s) [11], or nutritional quality [13], but normally they did not consider the quality of the protein consumed based on their amino acid profile. As a matter of fact, a healthy diet should provide all the essential nutrients as well as the energy required daily [15, 16]. The essential amino acids (EAAs) are key, indispensable substrates that need to be introduced in sufficient amounts, i. e. at the recommended daily allowances (RDAs) to guarantee optimal growth, health, recovery from disease, etc. , along with other essential nutritional elements [16, 17]. Therefore, in the light of the growing interest in the complex and important relationships between food consumption and the environmental footprint [18-27], also the nutritional availability of all the EAAs should be taken into consideration. From an investigational standpoint, both “bottom-up” and “top-down” methods can be employed. The former are based on data collection on existing eating habits, that need to be associated to estimates of the environmental footprint of the eaten foods. Conversely, the latter could examine the theoretical footprint of either single foods or in silico-designed diets, on the environmental parameters. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim as it discusses various aspects regarding the balance of diets, the environmental footprint of food production, and the nutritional quality of both vegetarian and omnivorous diets. It emphasizes that while crop-based diets may have a lower environmental footprint, it also highlights the importance of essential nutrients and amino acid profiles, suggesting that the overall health benefits depend on the qualitative aspects of the diet rather than simply categorizing one type as healthier than another.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: The suprachiasmatic nucleus is the master regulator of circadian rhythms. [SEP] Text: Non-synaptic and dendritic exocytosis from dense-cored vesicles in the suprachiasmatic nucleus NeuroReport 7: 543–547. [PubMed] Isobe, Y and Nishino, H (1998). AVP rhythm in the suprachiasmatic nucleus in relation to locomotor activity under constant light Peptides 9: 827–832. [PubMed] Van der and Gerkema, MP (2002). Vasopressin immunoreactivity and release in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of wild-type and tau mutant Syrian hamsters 936: 38–46. [PubMed] and Stopa, EG (1988). Putative melatonin receptors in a human biological clock Science 242: 78–83. [PubMed] Van den and Hermes, ML (2001). Melatonin generates an outward potassium current in rat suprachiasmatic nucleus neurones in vitro independent of their circadian rhythm Neuroscience 107: 99–108. [PubMed] Watanabe, K, Yamaoka, S and Vanecek, J (1998). Melatonin inhibits spontaneous and VIP-induced vasopressin release from suprachiasmatic neurons 801: 216–219. [PubMed] and Deng, MH (1994). Effect of inducing nocturnal serum melatonin concentrations in daytime on sleep, mood, body temperature, and performance 91: 1824–1828. [PubMed] and Arendt, J (2000). Melatonin administration can entrain the free-running circadian system of blind subjects J Endocrinol 164: R1–R6. [PubMed] and Lewy, AJ (2000). Entrainment of free-running circadian rhythms by melatonin in blind people N Med 343: 1070–1077. [PubMed] and Hishikawa, Y (2000). Supplementary administration of artificial bright light and melatonin as potent treatment for disorganized circadian rest-activity and dysfunctional autonomic and neuroendocrine systems in institutionalized demented elderly persons 17: 419–432. [PubMed] Sack, RL and Lewy, AJ (1997). Melatonin as a chronobiotic, treatment of circadian desynchrony in night workers and the blind J 12: 595–603. [PubMed] and Eastman, CL (). [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text is irrelevant to the claim as it provides information and citations regarding various studies related to the suprachiasmatic nucleus and melatonin without directly affirming or contradicting the assertion that this nucleus is the master regulator of circadian rhythms. It lists multiple studies but does not specifically address the role of the suprachiasmatic nucleus as the master regulator.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Probiotics can support gut health by improving the balance of bacteria. [SEP] Text: The results of the study revealed that daily intake of a probiotic strain, Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota played an important role in prevention of acute diarrhoea in young children in a community setting. These results show a significant protective effect (14%, 95% CI: 4-23%) of the probiotic on acute diarrhea in children during the 24 week period with only 608 children in the Probiotic group (0. 88 no. of cases/child/year) developing diarrhoea as compared to 674 children in the Nutrient group (1. 029 no. of cases/child/year) during the 24 week study period [6]. Elaborating on the same study Dr. for Microbiological Research, Tokyo, presented details of the variation in the composition of the gut flora in the diarrhoeal samples from the children in the probiotic and nutrient groups. Analysis of the composition was done using Flora - SCAN (YIF- SCAN®) which is based on reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT- qPCR) using specific primers that target bacterialr RNA molecules [7–9]. Dr. Nomoto shared results which revealed that the gut flora was disrupted in the diarrhoeal samples in comparison to the non diarrhoeal samples and how these aberrations in the gut flora could be restored by including a probiotic intervention. According to Dr. at the at present, there is a lack of sufficient evidence for the use of probiotics in the treatment of acute diarrhoea in the developing world and large randomized controlled studies using specific probiotic regimes in defined groups of children with uniform definitions for clinical outcomes would definitely pave the way forward. She stated that this would help to advance the understanding of specific probiotics in Indian settings where breast feeding rates are higher and microbial colonization of the gut is different. In her opinion, these studies should focus on evaluating possible interactions when probiotics are used as combinations or with other antimicrobials/drugs/zinc. Probiotics in mucosal immunology by which mechanisms can probiotics be clinically effective? As a key physical interface to the external environment, the gut epithelium is a highly dynamic and multi functional barrier. In health, a delicate homeostasis is maintained at intestinal surfaces between the micro organisms present and the host tissues to finely tune responses appropriate to native commensals versus potential pathogens. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by discussing the protective effects of the probiotic strain Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota on gut health, specifically in preventing acute diarrhea and restoring the gut flora in affected children. It highlights how disruptions in gut flora can be addressed through probiotic intervention, which aligns with the claim that probiotics can support gut health by improving bacterial balance.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: A vegetarian diet is automatically healthier than an omnivorous diet. [SEP] Text: Using the latter approach, we recently reported that the environmental footprint of selected, staple vegetal and animal-origin foods, at an edible food weight guaranteeing the RDA of all EAAs, does not show any consistent, clear-cut advantage of vegetal over animal foods [28]. Such a somehow-unexpected conclusion was apparently due, besides their specific footprint values, also to the greater edible fraction, the higher protein concentration, and the richer and more balanced EAA content, of animal than vegetal foods. In other words, a smaller quantity of animal than vegetal food was required to satisfy human EAA requirements. Therefore, from our as well as from other reports, it may be suggested that the choice between vegetal and animal foods should be based on a more-in-depth consideration of nutritional and environmental variables, under an integrated perspective [28-31]. Our initial investigation was however limited almost exclusively to single foods, i. e. it did not consider complex diets, nor it compared different diet-types [28]. In addition, the water footprint and the energy content of the foods were not considered [28]. Generally speaking, no food guarantees the ideal proportion and/or quantity of amino acids to meet their requirements in humans, although some are closer than others. Such a target could rather be better achieved with mixed diets, where the deficiency in some EAA(s) and the excess in some other EAAs of a given food, could be compensated by different, complementary proportions of EAAs from other foods. In other words, the statements formulated from the analysis of single foods [28] couldn’t be applied directly to complex diets. Moreover, the nutritional adequacy of the diets should include other nutritional elements besides the EAAs. Given these premises, the current study was designed to analyze, under the driving perspective of EAA requirement(s), the effects of food combinations in sample, in-silico designed, applicable diets, on the environmental footprint. The diets were divided into vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian and omnivorous ones. A variety of daily meal choices were assembled, to end up into seven different one-week menus for each diet-type, all complying with Mediterranean-Diet (MD) standards [32, 33]. The environmental footprint data (LU, WF and GHGE) of foods were retrieved from the literature and re-calculated. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by indicating that there is no clear or consistent advantage of a vegetarian diet over an omnivorous diet when it comes to the environmental footprint and the nutritional adequacy based on essential amino acids (EAAs). It states that a smaller quantity of animal food is required to meet EAA requirements, suggesting that mixed diets, incorporating both animal and plant foods, may be more nutritionally beneficial. It emphasizes that the analysis of single foods cannot directly apply to complex diets, which undermines the idea that a vegetarian diet is automatically healthier.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: The suprachiasmatic nucleus is the master regulator of circadian rhythms. [SEP] Text: Aging selectively suppresses vasoactive intestinal peptide messenger RNA expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the Syrian hamster Res 87: 196–203. [PubMed] and Inouye, SI (1994). Phase advances of circadian rhythms in somatostatin depleted rats: effects of cysteamine on rhythms of locomotor activity and electrical discharge of the suprachiasmatic nucleus J [A] 175: 677–685. [PubMed] and Watanabe, S (1992). Effect of substance P on circadian rhythms of firing activity and the 2-deoxyglucose uptake in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus in vitro 597: 257–263. [PubMed] and Inouye, ST (1994). Emergence of VIP rhythmicity following somatostatin depletion in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus 645: 343–346. [PubMed] and Nunez, JM (1996). Calbindin-D28K cells in the hamster SCN express light-induced 7: 1224–1228. [PubMed] and Romero, MT (2000). Retinal innervation of calbindin-D28K cells in the hamster suprachiasmatic nucleus: ultrastructural characterization J 15: 103–111. [PubMed] and Moore, RY (1999). Hamster suprachiasmatic nucleus: chemoarchitecture and topography of projections Abst 25: s552. and Silver, R (2002). Calbindin-D(28 K) cells selectively contact intra-SCN neurons Neuroscience 111: 575–585. [PubMed] and Silver, R (2003). Calbindin influences response to photic input in suprachiasmatic nucleus J Neurosci 23: 8820–8826. [PubMed] Ikeda, M and Allen, CN (2003). Developmental changes in calbindin-D28k and calretinin expression in the mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus Neurosci 17: 1111–1118. [PubMed] and Mutt, V (1983). Galanin – a novel biologically active peptide from porcine intestine FEBS Lett 164: 124–128. [PubMed] Skofitsch, G and Jacobowitz, DM (1985). [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text does not provide a direct affirmation or contradiction to the claim regarding the suprachiasmatic nucleus as the master regulator of circadian rhythms. Instead, it presents a series of studies and findings related to various aspects of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, including its cellular composition and changes in gene expression during aging, which do not explicitly address whether it is the master regulator of circadian rhythms.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Probiotics can support gut health by improving the balance of bacteria. [SEP] Text: The protective mucus layer in the intestine controls unchecked bacterial proliferation and also serves as a feedback system to regulate both innate and adaptive immune responses [10]. Dr. S. V. discussed the various in vitro and in vivo studies which have shown that specific strains of probiotics are able to modulate the immune system to protect against infectious diseases and cancer. She stated that probiotic supplementation leads to a significant increase in phagocytic activity of blood monocytes, granulocytes and augments NK cell activity though a variety of mechanisms. Major gaps, she said, exist in our knowledge about the mechanisms by which probiotics modulate antitumor immunity. Further, different probiotic strains vary in their ability to modulate the immune system and therefore efficacy of each strain needs to be carefully demonstrated through rigorously designed randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies. In conclusion, she emphasized that probiotics play an important role in potentiating innate and acquired immune responsiveness which can be further exploited for modulating anti-cancer immunity [11]. Extending these deliberations further Dr. Masanobu Nanno, at the Institute for Microbiological research, Tokyo presented the significant role of Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) as an important immune modulator that has the ability to prevent recurrence of cancers. This strain of bacteria, he shared, has more than 75 years of research to back its scientific efficacy and has demonstrated a beneficial role in the prevention of recurrence of superficial bladder cancer following transurethral resection [12]. The same strain of bacteria according to him was also effective in preventing the recurrence of colorectal cancer with moderate or severe atypia in subjects who had undergone surgical resection of colon polyps [13]. He elaborated that for understanding the mechanism of action of LcS especially in the prevention of colon cancer, the effect of LcS on colitis associated cancer models was examined where it was observed that administration of LcS prevented the reccurrence of colon cancer by down-regulating IL - 6 production in the colonic mucosa [14]. NK cell activity was also restored in HTLV-I-associated myelopathy patients and the cytotoxic activity increased significantly in healthy subjects who consumed LcS for a period of three weeks. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by discussing the beneficial effects of probiotics, specifically mentioning that they modulate the immune system, which is an important aspect of gut health. The text also highlights the role of specific probiotic strains, such as Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota, in preventing the recurrence of certain cancers, suggesting their role in maintaining a healthy gut environment. Furthermore, the discussion on immune modulation indicates a connection between probiotics and gut health, supporting the claim.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: A vegetarian diet is automatically healthier than an omnivorous diet. [SEP] Text: Some relevant nutritional parameters (sodium, saturated fat, energy and protein, in addition to food weight) were determined too. A global “EAA-Nutritional and Environmental Score” (EAA-NES) was proposed, to enable a simple comparisons among the menu types. ResultsThe calculated MD Index score [33] was (9/11) in all menus, but (10/11) in the two fish-containing OMN menus, showing a good/excellent overall compliance with the MD (See Methods). As reported above, despite the addition of extra foods, the average total caloric content of the menus resulted to be between ≈8% and ≈25% lower (Table 1) than that recommended in sedentary middle-age female and male subjects] [34]. The total content of starch-rich foods (excluding legumes) in OMN menus (283 ± 29 g) was greater than that in VEG menus (183 ± 25 g, p<0. 04 by ANOVA followed by the Tukey’s post-hoc test), whereas that of LOV menus (214 ± 29 g) menus was intermediated (p >0. 17). The content of legumes of OMN menus (36 ± 4 g) was >3-fold lower than that of both VEG (101 ± 16 g) and LOV menus (105 ± 16 g) (p<0. 007 and p<0. 005 respectively, by ANOVA followed by the Tukey’s post-hoc test). The data of the environmental footprint, i. e. the LU, total WF and GHGE, associated to the different menus calculated to comply with the RDA of all the EAAs, are visually reported on Figures 1-3, ranking the diets from the lowest (i. e. with a more favorable impact) to the highest value (=less favorable impact). In regard of LU (Figure 1), the different diets of the three menu-types are not clearly clustered, although all VEG menus fell within middle-to-low positions of the ranking, indicating a tendency for a lower land requirement. In the case of the total WF, an overlap in the ranking of the three menu-types was more evident, the VEG menus occupying both the first and the last position (Figure 2). [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by presenting detailed comparisons of various nutritional parameters among vegetarian and omnivorous diets, revealing that despite some health aspects, such as lower caloric content and better compliance with recommended dietary allowances (RDA), the absolute scores of different diets do not imply that a vegetarian diet is inherently healthier. For instance, the mention of legume content being greater in vegetarian diets compared to omnivorous options does not support the overarching claim that a vegetarian diet is automatically healthier, as it indicates variability in nutritional profiles.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: The suprachiasmatic nucleus is the master regulator of circadian rhythms. [SEP] Text: Immunohistochemical mapping of galanin-like neurons in the rat central nervous system Peptides 6: 509–546. [PubMed] and Blessing, WW (1990). Galanin immunoreactive neurons in the human hypothalamus: colocalization with vasopressin-containing neurons J 298: 265–280. [PubMed] and Beauvillain, JC (1999). Expression of the galanin receptor subtype Gal-R2 mRNA in the rat hypothalamus J 16: 265–277. [PubMed] and Ganten, D (1985). Organization of angiotensin II immunoreactive cells and fibers in the rat central nervous system. An immunohistochemical study Neuroendocrinology 40: 2–24. [PubMed] and Lemmer, B (2004). Localization of components of the renin-angiotensin system in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats: part A. angiotensin I/II, a light and electron microscopic study 1008: 212–223. [PubMed] and Lemmer, B (2004). Localization of components of the renin-angiotensin system in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats: part B. angiotensin II (AT1)-receptors, a light and electron microscopic study 1008: 224–235. [PubMed] Takatsuji, K and Tohyama, M (1989). Geniculo-geniculate projection of enkephalin and neuropeptide Y containing neurons in the intergeniculate leaflet of the thalamus in the rat J 2: 19–27. [PubMed] and Pert, A (1987). Autoradiographic visualization of sex differences in the pattern and density of opiate receptors in hamster hypothalamus 421: 1–13. [PubMed] Tubbiola, ML, Nock, B and Bittman, EL (1989). Photoperiodic changes in opiate binding and their functional implications in golden hamsters 503: 91–99. [PubMed] and Mason, R (1999). Electrophysiological effects of opioid receptor activation on Syrian hamster suprachiasmatic nucleus neurones in vitro Bull 50: 119–125. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text is irrelevant to the claim as it discusses various studies related to neurotransmitters and components within the nervous system, particularly mentioning the suprachiasmatic nucleus. However, it does not provide any specific information or evidence regarding its role as the 'master regulator' of circadian rhythms.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Probiotics can support gut health by improving the balance of bacteria. [SEP] Text: In vitro analysis revealed that LcS-induced activation of NK cells is mediated by IL-12 produced by phagocytic cells. Therefore, establishing the fact that LcS plays a significant role in immune modulation which may be the mechanism for the prevention of recurrence of cancers. Yamashiro from the Laboratory of of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan elaborating two studies of LcS supplementation shared how the administration of LcS, decreased febrile episodes (> 37°C) and the duration of such episodes, reduced constipation frequency and decreased development of diarrhoea thereby bestowing health benefits to elderly people at a Institution. Data presented by him evidenced that investigation of faecal bacteria disclosed significant increment in numbers of faecal Bifidobacterium. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococci were detected from 1 case and from 5 cases, respectively, out of 42 cases before the clinical study, were not isolated after the administration of LcS [15]. also illustrated that B. breve was very effective in the treatment of mucositis (also referred to as mucosal barrier injury), one of the most debilitating side effects of chemotherapy treatment and was also very effective in preventing NEC and infection in preterm infants [16]. Bacterial vaginosis and probioticsDr. P. Hemalatha of the of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad presented information on the use of probiotics in (BV), one of the most common vaginal syndrome afflicting premenopausal and pregnant women. Dr. Hemalatha indicated that since reduction of lactobacilli and increase in pH are the main pathogenesis of BV, probiotics are being explored for their role in restoring the vaginal flora. Meta-analysis of several trials with antibiotics have shown a cure rate of 60% but oral lactobacilli treatment followed by antibiotics for treatment of BV have shown more than 80% cure rate after one month. Further, a Cochrane meta-analysis on efficacy of lactobacilli for the treatment of BV showed beneficial outcome with oral probiotics combined with metronidazole or estriol preparation suggesting the need to combine antibiotics with lactobacilli while aiming to treat BV. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by discussing various health benefits associated with probiotics, including their role in the treatment of conditions like bacterial vaginosis (BV) and the improvement of gut health. It mentions the use of probiotics, such as lactobacilli, to restore vaginal flora and highlights a meta-analysis that supports a significant cure rate improvement when combining probiotics with antibiotics. This notion of restoring bacterial balance ties directly into the claim about probiotics supporting gut health.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: A vegetarian diet is automatically healthier than an omnivorous diet. [SEP] Text: Also GHGE ranking of the individual menus of the three menu types was quite scattered (Figure 3), showing no preferential menu-associated distribution. In respect to menus occupied both the first two and the last two positions. These visual impressions were confirmed by quartile analysis (Figure 4), although the and total WF allocation of VEG menus fell predominantly into the first two quartiles. The aggregated values (as Means ± SE) of the environmental footprint data, of sodium, saturated fat, calories, protein menu content, food weight, and of the global EAA-based, Nutritional and Environmental score (EAA-NES), are reported on Table 1. Despite the apparent trend(s) depicted on Figure 1, no statistical difference in any of the environmental parameters was observed among the mean values of the three menu-types, except for a borderline lower (by ≈15%) in VEG than LO menus (p=0. 052 by 1-way ANOVA and the Tukey’s post-hoc test). In contrast, in LOV menus, sodium content was ≈60% greater than in VEG menus (p<0. 006, by 1-way ANOVA and the Tukey’s post-hoc test), whereas saturated-fat content was greater by ≈70% (p<0. 006) and ≈60% (p<0. 025) than in VEG and OMN menus respectively. Total energy, protein and food weight were not significantly different among the three menu types. The EAA-NES was not different among the menu types too (Table 1), also when the mean differences from the median were calculated (VEG: -38 ± 28; LOV: 40 ± 18; OMN: -11 ± 26) (F: 2,54, p = 0. 106, by 1-way ANOVA). The menus’ distribution of the global EAA-NES score, (calculated as the sum of the percent values of each variable vs. the corresponding maximum) is reported in Figure 5. First, it can be observed that the maximum difference between the highest and the lowest value was by <50%, showing a relatively small variation among menus. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by detailing a study that found no statistical difference in environmental parameters among vegetarian (VEG), omnivorous (OMN), and lacto-vegetarian (LOV) menu types. Specifically, while the text mentions a potential trend where sodium content was lower in VEG menus compared to LOV and saturated fat content was also lower in VEG, it ultimately states that total energy, protein, and food weight were not significantly different among the three menu types. This indicates that a vegetarian diet is not inherently healthier than an omnivorous one based on the parameters assessed in the study.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: The suprachiasmatic nucleus is the master regulator of circadian rhythms. [SEP] Text: CCR are driven by release of Ca2+ from ryanodine-sensitive internal Ca2+ stores, and are resistant to the Na+ channel blocker tetrodotoxin (TTX; Ikeda et al. , 2003a). Brancaccio et al. (2013) recently used a GCaMP3 Ca2+ sensor together with a luciferase reporter for the Ca2+/cAMP-responsive element and Per1/2 gene transcription, and detected the most phase-advanced rhythms occurring in CCR. Therefore, determination of the molecular generator(s) of CCR is an important issue. Bmal1−/− mice show reduced expression of ryanodine receptors and caffeine-induced Ca2+ mobilization in SCN neurons (Pfeffer et al. , 2009). Therefore, it is reasonable to hypothesize that Bmal1 is a regulator of CCR. To directly address the involvement of Bmal1 in CCR, we used a p3. 1 vector (Invitrogen). The mutant Bmal1 sequences were finally verified using a DNA Sequencer. The firefly reporter plasmid (E54-TK) was kindly provided by Dr M. Noshiro (Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima Japan). To investigate the intracellular distribution of BMAL1, wild-type, and mutant mBmal1 were individually inserted into the pcDNA3. 1/vector (Invitrogen), with an Xpress-tag epitope bound to the N-terminus of mBmal1. The psiRNA-hH1 neo shRNA expression vector was purchased from InvivoGen. An independent 21-bp sequence (5′--3′) within the coding region of the mBmal1 gene was selected as the insert for shRNA expression using siDirect ( cloned into the psiRNA-hH1neo G1 vector, and designated psiRNA-mBmal1-204. The psiRNA hH-neo G1-scr vector supplied by the manufacturer was used as a negative control for mBmal1 silencing. Monoclonal antibody production. In collaboration with Dr K. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text does not directly address the claim regarding the suprachiasmatic nucleus being the master regulator of circadian rhythms. Instead, it discusses Ca2+ release and the role of Bmal1 in circadian rhythms without explicitly mentioning the suprachiasmatic nucleus or supporting or contrasting the claim.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Probiotics can support gut health by improving the balance of bacteria. [SEP] Text: Sharing findings of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study conducted by NIN on 67 healthy, non pregnant, married women aged 20 to 40 years from urban slum with BV (Nugents' score > 7) where a vaginal tablet containing at least 10 [9] viable Lactobacilli (L. brevis, L. salivarius subsp. Salicinius, L. plantarum) inserted into the vagina daily at bedtime for 8 days demonstrated a cure rate of nearly 80%. Cervico-vaginal lavage (CVL) was collected to measure the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- α, interleukin (IL)-1 β and IL-6 by kit. It was interesting to note significant reduction in IL-1β and IL-6 proinflammatory cytokines with lactobacilli treatment, while an increase in IL-6 cytokine was observed with pH adjustment tablet. This is the first study demonstrating the effect of lactobacilli treatment on local proinflammatory cytokines [15]. Merits of this study include control on time of sampling and initiation of treatment, which was during the same phase of the menstrual cycle in all the subjects. Therefore, hormonal influence could be ruled out on the effectiveness of the lactobacilli treatment. Attrition rate was also minimum all through. The major drawbacks of the study include non-use of antibiotics for the treatment of BV and using a pH adjustment tablet instead of a placebo. The vaginal tablet containing three strains of lactobacilli used in the study discussed was well tolerated and no side effects were reported, which was similar to the earlier findings. The strains of lactobacilli used in the study were however, chosen not so much for their ability to adhere and colonize at high levels but primarily because, the preparation when used in Italy showed 100% efficacy. However, as suggested earlier, longer and repeated treatments could be suggested for better out come and must be treated with antibiotics prior to lactobacilli instillation. Which is the best carrier matrix for a probiotic? A question that often comes up in most deliberations is about the choice of the carrier matrix for the delivery of the probiotic strain. Dr. A. K. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by discussing a study that demonstrates the effect of Lactobacilli on pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are important in maintaining gut health. Although the study primarily focused on vaginal health, the presence of Lactobacilli is well-known for improving the balance of beneficial bacteria in various parts of the body, including the gut. Additionally, the mention of the tolerance and absence of side effects with the Lactobacilli treatment supports the idea that probiotics can be beneficial.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: A vegetarian diet is automatically healthier than an omnivorous diet. [SEP] Text: Although the five lowest positions (indicating a better combined Nutritional and Environmental score) are occupied by four VEG and one OMN menus, as opposed to three LOV and two OMN menus placed in the highest five ones, there is no apparent, consistent trend or pattern associated to any menu type. As a matter of fact, the menus are scattered anywhere in the panel, irrespective of their types. This impression is supported also by the quartile distribution analysis of the data (Figure 4). Although four out of the seven VEG menus are allocated within the first quartile vs. none in the fourth one (at variance with what observed for LOV and OMN menus), by combining the data of the two lowest (i. e. 1 and 2) and the two highest (3 and 4) quartiles, the distribution of the three menu types into the combined low and high quartiles was virtually the same. DiscussionWe report here estimates of the environmental footprint and of some key nutritional variables, of in-silico designed vegan, lacto-ovo-vegetarian and omnivorous menus, calculated on food amounts satisfying the daily requirements of all the essential amino acids, and complying with Mediterranean diet standards. This study represents a step-forward over our previous one [28] focused on the environmental footprint of selected, staple vegetal and animal-origin foods, here extended to a larger variety of popular foods included into complex meals and structured into vegan, lacto-ovo-vegetarian and omnivorous menus. The meal design intentionally was not based on epidemiologically-derived, statistically-calculated food frequencies, nor on schematic diets and/or menus proposed by official and public agencies (predominantly because of the enormous amount of choices). Rather, it was based on the unbiased assembly of some popular foods providing the RDAs of all the essential amino acids and complying with the “Mediterranean” diet and custom. Nevertheless, it represents a theoretical exercise both to calculate “in silico” the environmental footprint and some nutritional parameters of sampled diets/menus, and to show the technical feasibility of designing diets with a specific environmental impact. We also propose here a global EAA-based, environmental-nutritional (EAA-NES) score, to rank menus by combining their environmental footprint and few nutritional variables. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by indicating that there is no consistent trend suggesting that vegetarian (VEG) menus are healthier or superior to omnivorous (OMN) menus. It mentions that, although some VEG menus scored better in certain quartiles, the overall distribution of menu types in low and high quartiles was virtually the same. This suggests a lack of automatic superiority of vegetarian diets over omnivorous ones.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: The suprachiasmatic nucleus is the master regulator of circadian rhythms. [SEP] Text: Yoshimura (of Medical Science, Moroyama, Saitama, Japan), a monoclonal antibody against BMAL1 was generated by immunization using peptides with common sequences between murine and human BMAL1. Hybridoma supernatants were screened using an ELISA-based assay and the resulting positive clone was named 2F11. For ascites production, clones were intraperitoneally injected (∼1 × 107 cells per injection) into BALB/c mice primed with Pristane (Chemical Industries) as described previously (Yoshimura et al. , 1996). Typing of the 2F11 monoclonal antibody was performed using a mouse monoclonal antibody isotyping kit (GE Healthcare). Transfection of mBmal1 mutants into NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. NIH 3T3 fibroblasts were maintained in high-glucose DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS and 1% penicillin-streptomycin (Invitrogen). The cell cultures were maintained in a CO2 incubator at 37 ± 0. 5°C under 5% CO2. For dual luciferase assays, cells were grown in 24-well plates and transfected with 0. 06 μg of E54-TK luciferase reporter vector and 0. 01–0. 1 μg of Bmal1 expression vector using Lipofectamine (Invitrogen) according to the manufacturer's instructions. As a control, 6 ng of Renilla luciferase expression vector was transfected into cells in separate wells. The total amount of expression plasmids transfected per well was kept constant (0. 16 μg) by adding empty vector. The cells were lysed and monitored for their luciferase activity using a (Nippon Gene) at 24 h after transfection. The E54-TK luciferase activity was normalized by the Renilla luciferase activity in the neighboring well. For immunofluorescence assays, wild-type Bmal1 and DN-Bmal1 (mBMF1R5) were subcloned into an epitope-tagged vector (pcDNA3. 1/His A; Invitrogen). [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text is irrelevant to the claim regarding the suprachiasmatic nucleus's regulatory role in circadian rhythms. The excerpt discusses the generation of a monoclonal antibody against BMAL1, details about hybridoma production, and various laboratory techniques, but does not address the suprachiasmatic nucleus or its function in circadian regulation.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Probiotics can support gut health by improving the balance of bacteria. [SEP] Text: stated that dairy based foods, particularly traditional fermented milks like dahi, yoghurts and dairy beverages which are already an integral part of the traditional Indian diet and are considered functional foods can be explored as the most appropriate carriers of probiotics to optimally express their health promoting functions in the gut. Dairy based probiotic foods represent the largest segment accounting for nearly 65% of the total world functional food market. Presently, dairy based probiotic food industry is firmly placed at the global level completely dominated by Europe, Japan and USA. Although, India is yet to make a mark in the probiotic product development in a big way, major global leaders like Yakult and Nestle, and National player: have undertaken the formidable task of introducing a new market for probiotics in India having covered much ground in a short span. He emphasized that to launch Indian probiotic products in the country, vital issues such as developing novel indigenous probiotic strains with proven functional efficacy both in vitro and in vivo, their inter-compatibility, effective dosage and colonization in the human gut, technological parameters during processing of the product, encapsulation and their impact on stability, survival and viability of probiotic strains along with validation of health claims and safety using different animal models as well as in human subjects through clinical studies would need to be worked out. Future success of probiotic formulations, in his opinion, will depend on consumer's acceptance. Dr. B. S. Ramakrishna, Professor and Head, Department of stated that although the FAO/WHO criteria provide excellent general principles for the characterization and evaluation of probiotics in food, they fall short of prescribing the specific tests that may need to be done in an individual case [17]. Given that metagenomic studies and metabolomic profiling of the microbiota and the human host have provided major advances in the ability to characterize the molecular aspects of the intestinal microbiota and understand the human-microbiota interaction, it can be hoped that these will eventually translate to more robust in vitro and animal testing procedures that can precede human trials and provide the additional evidence for health benefits. In addition, he emphasized that the health system would need to be harnessed in a way that would allow the reporting and capture of any adverse events that can be potentially related to use of probiotic foods or drugs and provide post-market surveillance of the kind available in the developed world. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by discussing the role of dairy-based probiotic foods, which are integral to the traditional Indian diet and recognized as functional foods that can support gut health. It highlights their potential in optimizing health-promoting functions in the gut, thus aligning with the claim that probiotics can improve the balance of bacteria.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: A vegetarian diet is automatically healthier than an omnivorous diet. [SEP] Text: This study shows that vegan, lacto-ovo-vegetarian and omnivorous sample diets, analyzed as separate groups, could result to be not different in any of the environmental variables (Table 1), nor in the calculated global nutritional & environmental score (Figure 5). Thus, on the basis of these in-silico-designed menus, it cannot be concluded that VEG diets, as a group, are per se better than LOV and OMN diets from an environmental & nutritional standpoint. Overall diet ranking apparently depends at large on which diet within each group is chosen, i. e. on within-group diet variability and, possibly, also on the limited number of diets here designed for each group. Therefore, although our diet design and choice may appear somehow subjective, our study demonstrate a potentially ample choice within and OMN diets, complying with different degrees of environmental footprint. The ranking of the menus in respect of the environmental variables appeared randomly scattered, and included a rather limited range too, irrespective of menu type (Figures 1-3). Although VEG menus apparently exhibited lower and total WF values than LOV and OMN menus (Figures 1, 2), these differences were not confirmed by comparing the three menus’ groups (Table 1). Furthermore, the relative difference between the lowest and the highest value(s) (irrespective of menu type), was approximately 0. 6 fold for LU (Figure 1), 1. 0-fold for total WF (Figure 2), and ≈1. 2-fold for GHGE (Figure 3). These ranges are either close to, or lower than, those previously reported for environmental footprint parameters of vegetal and animal single foods [9, 11, 14], as well as of dietary regimens [4, 9, 10, 14, 26]. Also the global EAA-NES did not cluster around any specific menu type (Figures 4 and 5), the relative difference between the lowest and the highest value being approximately by 50%. Although omnivorous diets are usually associated with worse carbon, water and ecological footprints, than those of both lacto-ovo-vegetarian and vegan diets [9,11-14, 26], a large intragroup variability within OMN diets was reported by others too [26]. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by indicating that the study found no significant differences in environmental or nutritional scores when comparing vegan, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, and omnivorous diets. Specifically, it states that 'it cannot be concluded that VEG diets, as a group, are per se better than LOV and OMN diets from an environmental & nutritional standpoint.' This suggests that a vegetarian diet is not automatically healthier than an omnivorous diet, as the health and environmental impact depends on specific diet choices within each group.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: The suprachiasmatic nucleus is the master regulator of circadian rhythms. [SEP] Text: The resulting vectors were transfected into cells according to a standard protocol using Lipofectamine 2000 (Invitrogen) at 1 d after seeding on coverslips. The cell density was adjusted to reach 60–70% confluency at the time of transfection, and the cells were cultured in reduced (5%) FBS-containing medium to maintain the cell density until fixation. Western blotting. NIH 3T3 cells in 35 mm dishes were transiently transfected with 0. 25 μg of mBmal1 expression construct (mBmal1/pcDNA3) and 0. 25 μg of shRNA control vector (psiRNA-hH1-neoG1-scr) or shRNA expression construct for mBmal1 (psiRNA-mBmal1-204), using Lipofectamine 2000 as described above. Nuclear extracts were prepared using a Kit (Active Motif), mixed with three times SDS sample buffer, heated at 95°C for 3 min, and loaded onto a 10% SDS-polyacrylamide gel. After electrophoresis, the separated proteins were transferred to a polyvinylidene fluoride membrane and incubated in 5% ECL (GE Healthcare) at room temperature for 1 h. The membrane was then incubated at room temperature for 1 h with an anti-BMAL1 antibody (2F11) or anti-GAPDH antibody (Sigma-Aldrich) diluted in 0. 5% Western blocking reagent. An HRP-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG antibody (Zymed Laboratories) was used as the secondary antibody and detected with ECL (GE Healthcare). The chemiluminescent signals were quantified using a bioimage analyzer (LAS 1000 Plus; Fujifilm). Organotypic SCN culture. The details for the preparation and maintenance of organotypic slice cultures, yellow cameleon (yc) expression vectors, and Ca2+ imaging were described previously (Ikeda et al. , 2003a). Briefly, SCN slice cultures were prepared from 3-d-old male C57BL/6J mice. The animals were deeply anesthetized with pentobarbital, and the brain was quickly removed and dropped into ice-cold artificial CSF bubbled with 95% O2 and 5% CO2. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text is irrelevant to the claim as it discusses the methods of a laboratory experiment involving Western blotting and organotypic SCN culture. It does not provide any information regarding the suprachiasmatic nucleus or its role in regulating circadian rhythms.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Probiotics can support gut health by improving the balance of bacteria. [SEP] Text: Dr. extended the discussion further and illustrated in a very exciting presentation entitled "for Probiotics: by a Multi-Dimensional Approach" how predictability can be improved from in vitro tests for better selection and characterization of potential anti-infectious probiotic strains [1]. Presenting a multi-dimensional integrative approach applied by him and his team to screen 100 LAB strains in vitro, they developed novel host-bacteria heterotypic co-culture systems with and Dendritic cells that were incubated with strains of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium or Streptococcus and cytokine secretion profiles determined. In addition mannose adhesion and direct pathogen-inhibition on agar plates were tested. All the results were compiled and analyzed by Analysis in order to rank and compare the strains [18]. Two strains displayed distinct activity profiles of great interest for probiotic application, one for anti-inflammatory effect and the other one for anti-infectious purpose. Preliminary results, he shared, show anti-infectious effect in vivo using mice infection models. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by discussing the application of various probiotic strains (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Streptococcus) in research aimed at improving gut health through anti-inflammatory and anti-infectious effects. It highlights the development of co-culture systems to evaluate the effects of these probiotics, reinforcing the idea that they can positively influence gut health.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: A vegetarian diet is automatically healthier than an omnivorous diet. [SEP] Text: These observations support the view that the difference(s) in the average environmental footprint among and OMN diets could be both quite limited, and affected by a large within-diet variability, enabling an imaginative approach in the design of vegan, vegetarian and omnivorous regimens with the best environmental footprint. In other words, adequate food combinations may optimize the nutritional and environmental parameters irrespective of the diet type. In regard of the impact of meat in the comparison between OMN, and either LOV or VEG diets, it may be argued that the amount of meat in OMN diets was modest (i. e. ≈150 g and 120 g of red and white meat, respectively, per week) (1), as opposed to greater amounts commonly reported for omnivorous diets [26, 35-37]. Although the relatively low meat amount included in our OMN diets was primarily due to the constraint of our approach (i. e. the focus on EAA requirements), a moderate intake of meat [preferably white, but not excluding small amounts of red and/or processed meat], is considered by recent dietary indications [3, 32, 38]. LOV menus as a group were associated to greater sodium and saturated fat content than the two other menu types (Table 1), although well below the maximum recommended intakes [16]. This was mostly due to the presence in LOV menus of dairy products, particularly of cheese, rich in [natural] saturated fat, as well as in salts [39-42]. Both sodium and saturated fat had been positively associated to cardiovascular disease [33, 38, 43, 44, 45]. In regard of saturated fat, its health-related effects should however be reconsidered in the light of recent meta-analyses and large prospective cohort studies [46, 47], outlining the inconsistency of the common claims about a negative role of saturated fatty acids on cardio-vascular diseases. In a State-of-the-Art review, the of Cardiology recently stated the absence of “beneficial effects of reducing saturated fat intake on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and total mortality”, rather the presence of “a protective effects against stroke” [47]. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by discussing the variability in health outcomes within both omnivorous and vegetarian diets. It specifically notes that 'adequate food combinations may optimize the nutritional and environmental parameters irrespective of the diet type,' suggesting that vegetarian diets are not inherently healthier due to factors like saturated fat content in vegetarian menus that may be linked to cardiovascular disease. Additionally, it emphasizes recent research questioning the conventional idea that reducing saturated fat directly improves cardiovascular health, implying that the health comparison between vegetarian and omnivorous diets isn't straightforward or necessarily in favor of the vegetarian diet.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: The suprachiasmatic nucleus is the master regulator of circadian rhythms. [SEP] Text: Coronal hypothalamic slices containing the SCN were cut using a vibrating-blade microtome, and placed in 0. 40 μm filter cups. The filters were placed in standard 6-well plates and cultured with 1 ml of medium consisting of 50% Eagle's basal medium, 25% Earle's balanced salt solution, and 25% heat-inactivated horse serum, supplemented with glucose and glutamax (Invitrogen). The cultures were maintained in a CO2 incubator at 36. 0 ± 0. 5°C under 5% CO2. of Care and approved all procedures involving animals. Cotransfection of yc and Bmal1 mutants into cultured SCN neurons. SCN slice cultures were transfected with YC expression vectors (YC2. 1, YC2. 6, YC3. 1 or YC3. 6) using a (Bio-Rad Laboratories). A HindIII-EcoRI fragment containing the cDNA encoding YC was isolated and subcloned into HindIII- and EcoRI-digested pBluescriptII (Stratagene). For neuron-specific expression, the 5′-flanking sequence (2. 7 kb) with exon-1 and intron-1 of rat neuron-specific enolase genomic DNA and SV40 polyadenylation signals from pRc/RSV (Invitrogen) were bound to the HindIII/EcoRI site of pBluescriptII containing the yc gene. For these YC sensors, we initially compared the signal-to-noise ratios of CCR for detection with YC2. 1 (primary Kd = 100 nm) > YC3. 6 (Kd = 250 nm) > YC2. 6 (Kd = 40 nm) > YC3. 1 (Kd = 1. 5 μm). These reported Kd values (Miyawaki et al. , 1999; Nagai et al. , 2004) are ∼1. 5 times lower in the presence of a competitive cation (1 mm MgCl2) and were thus lower in cells. Although the absolute amplitude of CCR in SCN neurons remains controversial (estimated as 120–440 nm by Ikeda et al. , 2003a using YC2. 1 and 80–120 nm by Enoki et al. , 2012 using YC3. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text provided is irrelevant to the claim regarding the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) as the master regulator of circadian rhythms. The text focuses on methodological details about culturing SCN neurons and does not address the role of the SCN in circadian rhythms or affirm its regulatory role.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Probiotics can support gut health by improving the balance of bacteria. [SEP] Text: Online first Effect of Probiotics on and Inflammation after SurgeryMin-+Division of Gastroenterology, Department of of Medicine, Seoul, KoreaCorrespondence to: hjpark21@yuhs. acReceived: April 18, 2024; Revised: June 10, 2024; Accepted: June 11, 2024This is an 4. 0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Gut Liver. Published online September 27, 2024 Copyright © Gut and Liver. to 2. 3,4 The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in influencing bowel diseases and various aspects of host physiology, including nutrient, xenobiotic, and drug metabolism, maintenance of the gut mucosal barrier’s structural integrity, immunomodulation, and protection against pathogens. 15-19 Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota, a major concern for multiple diseases, is associated with the pathogenesis of both intestinal and extraintestinal conditions. 20-22 Prolonged stress or severe injury induced by surgery can hinder the recovery of intestinal microbiota, potentially leading to the emergence of lethal pathogens or the dominance of more virulent healthcare-associated ones. 23-25 A previous study on an animal model of POI demonstrated the induction of gut bacterial dysbiosis following surgery. Administration of probiotics before surgical intervention prevented a decrease in beneficial intestinal bacteria, butyrate production, and bowel movement. 26 However, the mechanisms connecting the improvement in colonic transit time and gut microbiota dysbiosis through probiotic pretreatment have not been investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which probiotic pretreatment improves POI. We measured intestinal permeability, intestinal inflammation, TJ protein expression in the GI epithelium, and plasma interleukin (IL)-17 levels in a guinea pig model of POI. to 1. Preparation of animals Adult male Hartley guinea pigs (Inc. , Seoul, Korea) weighing 250 to 350 g were acclimatized to controlled breeding conditions for at least 1 week prior to the surgical intervention. The conditions were a temperature of 20 to 22°C, humidity of 50%±10%, and a 12-hour light/dark cycle commencing at 7 AM. The guinea pigs had ad libitum access to water and feed consisting of ≥16% crude protein, ≥2. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by discussing how probiotics can prevent a decrease in beneficial intestinal bacteria and their role in maintaining gut health post-surgery. Specifically, it states that 'Administration of probiotics before surgical intervention prevented a decrease in beneficial intestinal bacteria,' directly supporting the idea that probiotics help improve the balance of gut bacteria.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: A vegetarian diet is automatically healthier than an omnivorous diet. [SEP] Text: Substitution of the current nutrients-based guidelines for food-group based macronutrient indications was recommended [47], and no available evidence from a large body of current studies would support a restriction in the intake of “whole-fat dairy, unprocessed meat, and dark chocolate” to prevent cardiovascular disease [48, 49]. The acceptance of such a recent position on saturated fat would obviously question the validity of including saturated fat among “the lower, the better” variables considered in the NES score (see Methods and Results). Therefore, waiting for an updated, unanimously-accepted position about the role of saturated fat on cardiovascular disease(s), our results should be taken with caution. All menus were intentionally designed to provide approximately the same energy to avoid a significant bias in menu comparisons (see the Method section and Supplementary details of methods). Furthermore, since the “focal” variable of our approach was the satisfaction of rather than energy provision, the calculated total food amounts, irrespective of menu type, resulted into an (unexpected) total caloric content by ≈20%-25% lower than reference intakes even in sedentary individuals [34, 50]. While we acknowledge such a limitation, an increase of the caloric content of the diet(s), approaching the “minimum” requirement of ≈2000 kcal/day, could be easily and freely attained at the consumer’s choice, by adding sucrose (not considered in our diets), either as such and/or as sucrose-containing soft drinks, sweets or cakes, as well as by increasing vegetal oil in the menus. These additional nutrients, if added at the same amount to all menus, will not modify the (relative) differences among the menus in the environmental footprint. We did not report here the calculated provision of other essential nutritional elements (oligo elements, vitamins, essential fatty acids etc. ) in respect to their individual RDAs (Tessari et al, unpublished results). The abundance of fruit and vegetables could anyway guarantee consistent amounts of some of these elements, that however need to be accurately determined. The design of an “ideal food system” requires an integrated approach, combining health science(s), food technologists, the food production system(s) and their environmental footprint, and else [12, 14]. Regional, income-related factors can condition the effects of replacement of animal-source foods with vegetal-based diets [10]. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by highlighting that substitution of animal-source foods with plant-based diets may not necessarily lead to a healthier outcome without considering regional and income-related factors. It discusses the complexity of dietary guidelines and the uncertainties surrounding current nutritional science, particularly regarding saturated fat and cardiovascular disease, which suggests that a blanket statement asserting vegetarian diets are healthier may not be valid.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: The suprachiasmatic nucleus is the master regulator of circadian rhythms. [SEP] Text: 6), we used YC2. 1 for the present study because of its better signal-to-noise ratio in our assay system. For biolistics, gold p2. 1 expression vector together with a vector carrying a Bmal1 mutant or a vector carrying the shRNA encoding Bmal1. The two vectors were suspended in Tris-EDTA buffer containing spermidine (Sigma-Aldrich) and then coated onto gold p0. 6 μm, 5 mg for 50 bullets) in a droplet of 1 m CaCl2 according to the manufacturer's instructions. The gene-gun bullet was made using a Station (Bio-Rad Laboratories) and blasted onto 7- to 9-d-old cultures with helium pressure (190–200 psi) using a (Bio-Rad Laboratories). The efficacy of this double-transfection technique has been evaluated using cell line models (Ikeda et al. , 2013). Immunohistochemistry. For immunofluorescence staining, SCN slice cultures were fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde in PBS at pH 7. 4 for 15 min, rinsed three times with PBS, and incubated in 10% donkey serum (Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories) in 0. 01% Triton X-100 (Sigma-Aldrich) in PBS overnight at 4°C to block nonspecific antibody binding. The samples were then incubated with 1:2000 diluted 2F11 antibody in 5% donkey serum and 0. 01% Triton X-100 in PBS for 48 h at 4°C. Following four 20 min rinses with PBS, the samples were incubated overnight with Cy3-conjugated donkey anti-mouse IgG (1:200 dilution; Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories) at 4°C. After another four 20 min rinses with PBS, the slices were embedded in VectaShield mounting reagent containing DAPI (Vector Laboratories). To examine the intracellular distribution of exogenous BMAL1, NIH 3T3 cells, and organotypic cultures of SCN were transfected with wild-type Bmal1 and DN-Bmal1 linked at the C-terminus with an Xpress-tag (Invitrogen), fixed, rinsed, and incubated in blocking solution as described above. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text is irrelevant to the claim, as it discusses a methodology involving transfection and immunohistochemistry techniques without providing any information about the suprachiasmatic nucleus or its role in regulating circadian rhythms.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Probiotics can support gut health by improving the balance of bacteria. [SEP] Text: 431); however, no significant differences were observed in the ileal tissue (Fig. 2). Administration of probiotics improved the expression of occludin in the proximal colon (p=0. 064), while no significant differences were observed in the ileum. Figure 2. (A) Occludin expression in the ileum and proximal colon of the control, POI, and probiotic groups. (B) Representative immunohistochemical occludin staining (×200) in the ileum and proximal colon of the control, POI, and probiotic groups 6 hours after the operation. Bars indicate the mean±SEM. POI, postoperative ileus; SEM, standard error of mean. Similar results were observed for ZO-1 expression levels. No significant differences were observed in the ileal tissue among the three groups. However, ZO-1 expression in the proximal colon of the POI group was significantly lower than that in the control group (p=0. 047). ZO-1 expression was greater in the probiotic group than in the POI group (p=0. 002) (Fig. 3). Figure 3. (A) Expression of ZO-1 in the control, POI, and probiotics group. (B) Representative immunohistochemical ZO-1 staining (×200) in the ileum and proximal colon of the control, POI, and probiotic groups 6 hours after the operation. Bars indicate the mean±SEM. ZO-1, zonula occludens 1; POI, postoperative ileus; SEM, standard error of mean. *p<0. 05 indicated significance with respect to that in the POI group. 3. Intestinal inflammation Analysis of leukocyte counts revealed that intestinal inflammation in both the ileal and proximal colonic muscle layers of the POI group was significantly higher than in the control group (p=0. 001). In contrast, the leukocyte count in both the ileal and proximal colonic muscle layers of the probiotic group was significantly lower than that in the POI group (p=0. 001 and p=0. 028 in the ileum and proximal colon, respectively (Fig. 4). Figure 4. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by discussing the administration of probiotics and its effects on the expression of occludin and ZO-1 in the proximal colon and ileal tissues. The results indicate that probiotics improve local intestinal health, as evidenced by the lower leukocyte counts in the probiotic group compared to the POI group, suggesting an improvement in gut health.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: A vegetarian diet is automatically healthier than an omnivorous diet. [SEP] Text: Energy-balanced, plant-based dietary regimens are associated with both healthy nutritional habits and a low environmental impact particularly in high-income and middle-income countries [10]. Conversely, their impact would be of lower magnitude in low-income countries, because of less efficient production systems and increase demand for environmental resources [10]. In our in silico, theoretical study, we did not aim at either examining these complex relationships, nor at analyzing extensive epidemiological data; rather we present here theoretical estimates of the environmental impact of some sample, in silico-designed, although applicable, dietary regimens. The conclusion(s) of our work should be placed in the context of many other social-economic variables, as well as applied and/or adapted to specific populations. The study of the association between the type of food production/consumption, and the environmental footprint is at the core of current debates. The agricultural system accounts for relevant fractions of the earth’s cultivable land (≈40%), of freshwater use (≈70%) and of the total greenhouse gas emission (≈20%) [49, 51]. The growing use of land and water, and the worsening of the greenhouse effect for food production, represent serious challenges to the earth’s sustainability [51, 52]. Therefore, dietary choices could represent key lifestyle-related factors capable of modifying and/or minimizing the environmental footprint due to agriculture and food production. Any intervention upon the agricultural food system should however be weighed in respect of the provision of adequate nutrition to people. High quality proteins are distinctly found in many animal foods, besides (red) meat. The heavy environmental impact of an [excessive] production of bovine meat [8, 9, 11, 49, 51], as well as the risk conveyed by an exaggerated consumption particularly of processed red meat on human health are well established [43]. The shift from current consumption patterns to “sustainable diets” rich in vegetal foods, could be associated to both human health protection and a reduced GHGE [52]. While keeping in mind these key observations, a comprehensive, unbiased and thoughtful analysis of all the variables involved in dietary planning, based on objective data, would nevertheless be advisable. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of dietary health. It highlights that while vegetarian diets can contribute to lower environmental impact and potentially benefit human health, the text recognizes the importance of high-quality proteins found in various animal foods and the risks associated with excessive consumption of processed red meat. The statement that dietary choices must consider many social-economic variables suggests that being vegetarian does not automatically equate to a healthier diet without a comprehensive analysis of the overall dietary context.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: The suprachiasmatic nucleus is the master regulator of circadian rhythms. [SEP] Text: The samples were then incubated with 1:200 diluted monoclonal antibody against Xpress (Invitrogen) dissolved in 5% donkey serum and 0. 01% Triton X-100 in PBS for 48 h at 4°C. Following four 20 min rinses with PBS, the samples were incubated overnight with Cy3-conjugated donkey anti-mouse IgG (1:200 dilution; Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories) at 4°C. After another four 20 min rinses with PBS, the slices were embedded in VectaShield mounting reagent containing DAPI. The fluorescence images were acquired using a confocal laser-scanning unit (LSM510; Carl Zeiss) mounted on an inverted microscope (Axiovert 200M; Carl Zeiss) with a 63×/1. 40 oil-immersion objective lens (Carl Zeiss). For quantitative analyses of anti-Xpress immunostaining in NIH 3T3 cells, the intensities of immunofluorescence in the cytosol and nucleus were compared with the intensity of DAPI nuclear staining. Calcium imaging. The YC fluorescence levels at 3 d after transfection were observed using an inverted fluorescence microscope (TE-2000s; Nikon) with a 10× objective lens (Plan-Fluor 10×, NA0. 3; Nikon) and a GFP filter set. SCN slices that exhibited successful gene transfection were carefully dissected from the filter cups and transferred to collagen-coated glass-bottom dishes (Industries) with the transfection surface on the bottom. Half of the culture medium (60–70 μl) was replaced every 1–2 d. On day 5 after gene transfection, the slices on the glass-bottom dishes were transferred to a recording system with an inverted fluorescence microscope (Axiovert 405M; Carl Zeiss) equipped with a custom-built microscope stage, CO2 incubator, mercury arc lamp, excitation filter (435. 8 nm DF10; Omega Optical), excitation neutral density filter (ND. 5; Omega Optical), dichroic mirror (455DRLP; Omega Optical), and 20× objective lens (Plan-Neofluor 20×, NA0. 5; Carl Zeiss). [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text is irrelevant to the claim as it discusses a detailed immunostaining and microscopy protocol unrelated to the function of the suprachiasmatic nucleus or its role in circadian rhythms.