Purpose
Cardiovascular disease remains the global leading cause of death. We evaluated at baseline the association between the adherence to eight a priori high-quality dietary scores and the ...prevalence of individual and clustered cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) in the PREDIMED-Plus cohort.
Methods
All PREDIMED-Plus participants (6874 men and women aged 55–75 years, with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome) were assessed. The prevalence of 4 CVRF (hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and dyslipidaemia), using standard diagnoses criteria, were considered as outcomes. The adherence to eight a priori-defined dietary indexes was calculated. Multivariable models were fitted to estimate differences in mean values of factors and prevalence ratios for individual and clustered CVRF.
Results
Highest conformity to any dietary pattern did not show inverse associations with hypertension. The modified Mediterranean Diet Score (PR = 0.95; 95% CI 0.90–0.99), Mediterranean Diet Adherence Score (MEDAS) (PR = 0.94; 95% CI 0.89–0.98), the pro-vegetarian dietary pattern (PR = 0.95; 95% CI 0.90–0.99) and the Alternate Healthy Eating Index 2010 (PR = 0.92; 95% CI 0.87–0.96) were inversely associated with prevalence of obesity. We identified significant inverse trend among participants who better adhered to the MEDAS and the Prime Diet Quality Score (PDQS) in the mean number of CVRF across categories of adherence. Better adherence to several high-quality dietary indexes was associated with better blood lipid profiles and anthropometric measures.
Conclusions
Highest adherence to dietary quality indexes, especially Mediterranean-style and PDQS scores, showed marginal associations with lower prevalence of individual and clustered CVRF among elderly adults with metabolic syndrome at high risk of cardiovascular disease
This paper addresses the issue of LED short-circuit fault detection in signaling and lighting systems in the automotive industry. The conventional diagnostic method commonly implemented in newer ...vehicles relies on measuring the voltage drop across different LED branches and comparing it with threshold values indicating faults caused by open circuits or LED short circuits. With this algorithm, detecting cases of a few LEDs short-circuited within a branch, particularly a single malfunctioning LED, is particularly challenging. In this work, two easily implementable algorithms are proposed to address this issue within the vehicle's control unit. One is based on a mathematical prediction model, while the other utilizes a neural network. The results obtained offer a 100% LED short-circuit fault detection rate in the majority of analyzed cases, representing a significant improvement over the conventional method, even in scenarios involving a single malfunctioning LED within a branch. Additionally, the neural network-based model can accurately predict the number of failed LEDs.
Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease that causes blindness. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the protective role of cilastatin (CIL), generally used in the treatment of nephropathologies ...associated with inflammation, in an experimental mouse model based on unilateral (left) laser-induced ocular hypertension (OHT). Male Swiss mice were administered CIL daily (300 mg/kg, i.p.) two days before OHT surgery until sacrifice 3 or 7 days later. Intraocular Pressure (IOP), as well as retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival, was registered, and the inflammatory responses of macroglial and microglial cells were studied via immunohistochemical techniques. Results from OHT eyes were compared to normotensive contralateral (CONTRA) and naïve control eyes considering nine retinal areas and all retinal layers. OHT successfully increased IOP values in OHT eyes but not in CONTRA eyes; CIL did not affect IOP values. Surgery induced a higher loss of RGCs in OHT eyes than in CONTRA eyes, while CIL attenuated this loss. Similarly, surgery increased macroglial and microglial activation in OHT eyes and to a lesser extent in CONTRA eyes; CIL prevented both macroglial and microglial activation in OHT and CONTRA eyes. Therefore, CIL arises as a potential effective strategy to reduce OHT-associated damage in the retina of experimental mice.
Summary Background & aims The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a clustering of various metabolic abnormalities which is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes ...mellitus. Due to its increasing prevalence, it has become an important public health concern. Altered fatty acid (FA) composition and desaturase activities have been associated with several metabolic diseases, including MetS. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship of the plasma FA profile and desaturase activities with the MetS in a Mediterranean population at high risk of CVD. Methods Baseline data from 427 participants aged 55–80 years who took part in the interventional PREDIMED study were obtained. Individual FA was determined in plasma and desaturase activities were estimated from product/precursor ratios. Odds ratios (OR) and partial correlation coefficients were used to examine these relations with MetS and its components, respectively. Results We found higher levels of C14:0, C16:0, C16:1 n -7, estimated Δ9 - or stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), and estimated Δ6 desaturase (D6D), and lower levels of C18:2 n -6 in people with MetS compared to those without it. After adjustment for several confounders, only higher quartiles of C14:0, C16:0, C16:1 n -7, and D6D were found to be associated with an increasing prevalence of MetS, while higher quartiles of C18:2 n -6 were inversely associated with MetS. High proportions of C14:0, C16:0, C16:1 n -7, C20:3 n -6, SCD, and D6D, and decreased proportions of C18:2 n -6 and estimated Δ5 -desaturase (D5D) were associated with adverse profiles of several metabolic risk factors. Women showed more unhealthy FA pattern and lipid profiles than men, but only among those with MetS. Conclusion A FA composition and estimated desaturase activities consisting in high levels of SFA, SCD and D6D, and low levels of PUFA and D5D are associated with increased MetS probability and are characteristic of people presenting MetS, especially women. These findings support those observed in non-Mediterranean populations in which an altered FA profile and estimated desaturase activities are associated with MetS.
The connection between physical activity and cognitive function has become a focus of attention in educational research in recent years. Regular exercise has been shown to have significant positive ...effects on physical health, but it also appears to have a significant impact on cognitive function and academic performance. Of all the exercise modalities, resistance training has drawn interest for its ability to improve cerebral abilities in addition to physical well-being. However, there is limited available knowledge exploring the relationship between resistance training regimens and academic performance. This narrative review aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms linking resistance training to academic performance. Firstly, we will examine the biological mechanisms and psychosocial links that potentially connect resistance training to academic performance to find and describe the different mechanisms by which resistance training improves academic performance. In the next part of the work, we delve into the existing observational and intervention studies that have explored the relationship between resistance training and academic performance. Lastly, we provide practical recommendations for including resistance training in institutional education settings, emphasizing the need of dispelling myths and addressing barriers to increase participation as well as the relevance of considering key training variables and adaptation of protocols to developmental stages, always guided by a properly trained professional. Overall, the available evidence supports that resistance training provides potential benefits to the academic performance of youth students with many biological and psychosocial factors that explain this relationship. However, most of the studies are observational, and broader interventional studies are needed to understand and maximize the benefits of this type of physical exercise.
This study cross-sectionally examines in the elderly population: (a) the association of type 2 diabetes with executive function (EF); (b) the effect of BMI on both type 2 diabetes and EF; (c) the ...association between glycaemia control and EF in type 2 diabetes. 6823 older individuals with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome participating in the PREDIMED-PLUS study, were assessed with a battery of cognitive tests and a medical interview. ANOVA showed a significantly worse performance on EF in type 2 diabetes vs. non-diabetic individuals. Two complementary models were displayed: (1) in the whole sample, the presence of type 2 diabetes, depressive symptoms and BMI had a direct negative effect on EF, while apnoea had an indirect negative effect; (2) in the diabetes subsample, higher illness duration was associated with worse performance in EF. Participants with type 2 diabetes and HbA1c<53 mmol/mol displayed better cognitive performance when compared to those with HbA1c≥53 mmol/mol. Our results provide a controlled comprehensive model that integrates relevant neuropsychological and physical variables in type 2 diabetes. The model suggests that, to improve treatment adherence and quality of life once diabetes has been diagnosed, cognitive decline prevention strategies need to be implemented while monitoring depressive symptoms, BMI and glycaemia control.
In this work, the analysis of the importance of hemodynamic updates on a mechanobiological model of atheroma plaque formation is proposed.
For that, we use an idealized and axisymmetric model of ...carotid artery. In addition, the behavior of endothelial cells depending on hemodynamical changes is analyzed too. A total of three computational simulations are carried out and their results are compared: an uncoupled model and two models that consider the opposite behavior of endothelial cells caused by hemodynamic changes. The model considers transient blood flow using the Navier–Stokes equation. Plasma flow across the endothelium is determined with Darcy’s law and the Kedem–Katchalsky equations, considering the three-pore model, which is also employed for the flow of substances across the endothelium. The behavior of the considered substances in the arterial wall is modeled with convection–diffusion–reaction equations, and the arterial wall is modeled as a hyperelastic Yeoh’s material.
Significant variations are noted in both the morphology and stenosis ratio of the plaques when comparing the uncoupled model to the two models incorporating updates for geometry and hemodynamic stimuli. Besides, the phenomenon of double-stenosis is naturally reproduced in the models that consider both geometric and hemodynamical changes due to plaque growth, whereas it cannot be predicted in the uncoupled model.
The findings indicate that integrating the plaque growth model with geometric and hemodynamic settings is essential in determining the ultimate shape and dimensions of the carotid plaque.
•Implemented geometry and hemodynamic updates to improve a validated atheroma plaque growth model.•Demonstrated the importance of hemodynamic updates in a model of atheroma plaque formation (with or without endothelial repair).•Double-stenosis is naturally reproduced in models considering geometric and hemodynamic changes.
Abstract
A quarter century after the detection of the last interstellar carboxylic acid, acetic acid (CH
3
COOH), we report the discovery of a new one, the
cis-trans
form of carbonic acid (HOCOOH), ...toward the Galactic center molecular cloud G+0.693–0.027. HOCOOH stands as the first interstellar molecule containing three oxygen atoms and the third carboxylic acid detected so far in the interstellar medium. Albeit the limited available laboratory measurements (up to 65 GHz), we have also directly identified several pairs of unblended lines in the astronomical data (between 75 and 120 GHz), which allowed us to slightly improve the set of spectroscopic constants. We derive a column density for
cis-trans
HOCOOH of
N
= (6.4 ± 0.4) × 10
12
cm
−2
, which yields an abundance with respect to molecular H
2
of 4.7 × 10
−11
. Meanwhile, the extremely low dipole moment (about 15 times lower) of the lower-energy conformer,
cis-cis
HOCOOH, precludes its detection. We obtain an upper limit to its abundance with respect to H
2
of ≤1.2 × 10
−9
, which suggests that
cis-cis
HOCOOH might be fairly abundant in interstellar space, although it is nearly undetectable by radio astronomical observations. We derive a
cis-cis
/
cis-trans
ratio of ≤25, consistent with the smaller energy difference between both conformers compared with the relative stability of
trans-
and
cis
-formic acid. Finally, we compare the abundance of these acids in different astronomical environments, further suggesting a relationship between the chemical content found in the interstellar medium and the chemical composition of the minor bodies of the solar system, which could be inherited during the star formation process.
The α-synucleinopathies constitute a subset of neurodegenerative disorders, of which Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most common worldwide, characterized by the accumulation of misfolded α-synuclein ...in the cytoplasm of neurons, which spreads in a prion-like manner to anatomically interconnected brain areas. However, it is not clear how α-synucleinopathy triggers neurodegeneration. We recently developed a rat model through a single intranigral administration of the neurotoxic β-sitosterol β-D-glucoside (BSSG), which produces α-synucleinopathy. In this model, we aimed to evaluate the temporal pattern of levels in oxidative and nitrosative stress and mitochondrial complex I (CI) dysfunction and how these biochemical parameters are associated with neurodegeneration in different brain areas with α-synucleinopathy (Substantia nigra pars compacta, the striatum, in the hippocampus and the olfactory bulb, where α-syn aggregation spreads). Interestingly, an increase in oxidative stress and mitochondrial CI dysfunction accompanied neurodegeneration in those brain regions. Furthermore, in silico analysis suggests a high-affinity binding site for BSSG with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) alpha (PPAR-α) and gamma (PPAR-γ). These findings will contribute to elucidating the pathophysiological mechanisms associated with α-synucleinopathies and lead to the identification of new early biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Higher consumption of some polyphenols has been associated with a reduced risk of diabetes. However, no studies have evaluated the relation between all polyphenol subclasses and the incidence of ...diabetes.
We aimed to prospectively examine the associations between the intake of total polyphenols and different groups of polyphenols (flavonoids, phenolic acids, stilbenes, lignans, and others) on the risk of incident diabetes in the PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) trial.
This was an observational cohort analysis of the nondiabetic participants in the PREDIMED trial. This study was a multicenter, controlled, randomized, parallel-group feeding trial to assess the effects of either a Mediterranean diet that was supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts or advice to adhere to a low-fat control diet on cardiovascular outcomes in elderly men and women at high cardiovascular disease risk. From the 7447 randomly assigned participants, 3430 were selected because they were free of diabetes at baseline and filled out the food-frequency questionnaires (FFQs). Polyphenol intake was calculated by matching food consumption data from repeated FFQs with the Phenol-Explorer database on the polyphenol content of each reported food. HRs and 95% CIs for diabetes according to tertiles of polyphenol intake were estimated with the use of time-dependent Cox proportional hazards models.
Over a mean of 5.51 y of follow-up (18,900 person-years), there were 314 new cases of diabetes. After multivariable adjustment, we observed a 28% reduction in new-onset diabetes in the highest compared with the lowest tertile of total polyphenol intake (HR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.99; P-trend = 0.05). The intake of subclasses of polyphenols also was inversely associated with diabetes risk, including for total flavonoids (HR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.48, 0.93; P-trend = 0.02), stilbenes (HR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.38, 0.84; P-trend = 0.003), dihydroflavonols (HR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.40, 0.88; P-trend = 0.003), and flavanones (HR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.49, 0.97; P-trend = 0.03).
A high intake of total polyphenols, total flavonoids (specifically flavanones and dihydroflavonols), and stilbenes is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes in elderly persons at high risk of cardiovascular disease. This trial was registered at http://www.controlled-trials.com as ISRCTN35739639.
PDF
