Background: Gut microbiota plays an important role in physiological and pathological processes of the host organism, including aging. Microbiota composition was shown to vary significantly throughout the life course. Agerelated changes in the composition of microbiota were reported in several human studies. In present study, agerelated dynamics of phylogenetic profile of gut microbiota was investigated in 1550 healthy participants from Ukrainian population. Results: Significant changes in the microbiota composition determined by qRT-PCR at the level of major microbial phyla across age groups have been observed. The relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Firmicutes phyla increased, while that of Bacteroidetes decreased from childhood to elderly age. Accordingly, the Firmicutes/ Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio was shown to significantly increase until elder age. In both sexes, odds to have F/B > 1 tended to increase with age, reaching maximum values in elder age groups [OR = 2.7 (95% CI, 1.2-6.0) and OR = 3.7 (95% CI, 1.4-9.6) for female and male 60-69-year age groups, respectively, compared to same-sex reference (0-9year) age groups]. Conclusions: In conclusion, data from our study indicate that composition of the human intestinal microbiota at the level of major microbial phyla significantly differs across age groups. In both sexes, the F/B ratio tends to increase with age from 0-9-year to 60-69-year age groups. Further studies are needed for a better understanding of mechanisms underlying age-related dynamics of human microbiota composition.

Background Gut microbiota composition is known to depend on environmental (diet, day length, infections, xenobiotic exposure) and lifestyle (alcohol/drug intake, physical activity) factors. All these factors fluctuate seasonally, especially in areas with highly variable climatic conditions between seasons. Seasonal microbiota changes were reported in several previous studies. The purpose of our study was to investigate whether there is a seasonal variability in the gut microbiota composition in Ukrainian population. In contrast to previous studies performed on small-size samples using a longitudinal design, we used cross-sectional design with a large sample size (n = 769). Determination of microbial composition at the level of major microbial phyla was performed by qRT-PCR. Results The relative abundance of major taxonomic groups of gut microbiota was found to be affected by month of sampling. Actinobacteria were more abundant and Bacteroidetes were less abundant in summer-derived samples compared to those obtained during other seasons, whereas Firmicutes content was seasonally independent. The Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio was significantly higher in summer-derived samples than in winter-derived ones. Odds to have F/B > 1 were 3.3 times higher in summer samples and 1.9 times higher in autumn samples than in winter ones; neither age, nor sex were significant confounding factors. Conclusions Seasonality of sampling could influence results of human microbiome research, thereby potentially biasing estimates. This factor must be taken into consideration in further microbiome research.

To study leukocyte telomere length and its relationship with metabolic profile 35 patients with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and 21 healthy people of middle age (35-59 years) were examined. The anthropometric characteristics of obesity, indicators of lipid and glucose metabolism, alanin aminotransferase (ALT) and high sensitive C-reactive protein levels were studied. The relative average telomere length was determined by the method of monochrome multiplex quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. Patients with T2DM had higher BMI, waist circumference, higher high sensitive C-reactive protein, ALT and glucose levels and a worse lipid profile (p <0.05). At the same time, the median telomere length did not differ between groups. Nevertheless, in the T2DM group the telomere length inversely correlated with body weight (r = –0.35; p < 0.05), BMI (r = –0.36; p < 0.05), waist circumference (r = –0.34; p < 0.05) and ALT level (r = –0,44; p<0,05) in contrast to healthy subjects. No relationship was found between the telomere length and the level of fasting glycemia, as well as the age of the participants of both groups. Thus, in T2DM patients increase in BMI, waist circumference and ALT level were associated with a shorter leukocyte telomere length. Despite the worse metabolic profile, the telomere length in middle-aged T2DM patients did not differ from that in the control group. This indicates that the leukocyte telomere length is influenced not only by the presence of T2DM and the metabolic profile indicators, but, obviously, by other factors as well.

Morning chronotypes are associated with healthier metabolic profiles and lifestyles compared to evening chronotypes. However, limited research examined the relationship between chronotype, dietary intake, and metabolic health using accurate measures such as food records. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between chronotype, dietary intake, and metabolic health markers in a cohort of Ukrainian individuals. Chronotypes were determined using the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) in 110 healthy to obese individuals (30-75 years) without type 2 diabetes. Dietary intake was derived from weighed seven days food diaries, anthropometrics and blood markers of glucose and lipid metabolism were measured. Morning chronotypes were significantly older and exhibited distinct dietary patterns, including lower intake of fat and animal protein and higher intake of carbohydrates when compared to evening chronotypes (p<0.01). Higher MEQ scores were associated with lower BMI, waist circumference, fasting triglyceride, and glucose (p<0.05). Further, being of morning chronotype predicted better overall metabolic health. These associations remained significant after adjusting for confounders. The findings suggest that morning chronotypes have a different dietary pattern characterized by a more balanced diet and favorable metabolic profile. These results suggest that aligning daily activities with morning preferences may have positive effects on metabolic health.

The article analyzes the basic principles, stages and objectives of psychosynthesis in the provision of medical and psychological care to patients with eating disorders (ED). It is noted that a patients' compliance with dietary recommendations is often impossible due to the low level of their self-awareness, reflection, volitional self-regulation and trauma of the individual, which is experienced as an unconscious psychological problem that requires urgent solution. Nutritionists are invited to provide professional assistance based on psychosynthesis in cooperation with a psychologist in order to optimize a holistic approach to the treatment of ED through the psychological support of the patient (client) directly during medical counseling. The basic methodology of psychosynthesis is presented through a theoretical analysis of the principles of polypsychism and self-determination, which are explained through the R. Assagioli`s idea of the psyche, the concept of unifying centers and the theory of subpersonalities. It has been suggested that food and eating behavior replace the subject's self-consciousness (“I”) and become unifying centers around which the whole personality is neurotized. It leads to the displacement of not only traumatic experience that caused the disorder itself, but also the unmet personal need satisfaction of which is often ignored in modern treatment practice. The authors developed the stages and tasks of psychosynthesis as its special methodology for working with ED and began to test it in the form of an individual care program in medical and psychological practice. Particular attention in highlighting the preliminary results of the implementation of their developments is paid to the development of patients' ability to perform a voluntary act, which permeates all stages of treatment by psychosynthesis and is aimed not only at the change of eating behavior but also at self-actualization of a personality. The article briefly presents a partial methodology of psychosynthesis, which includes techniques of disidentification, image transformation and construction of an ideal model.