Over the last decade, proanthocyanidins (PACs) are attracting attention not only from the food industry but also from public health organizations due to their health benefits. It is well-known that ...grapes are a good source of PACs and for that reason, the industry is also focused on grape by-products identification and bioactivity evaluation. Grape seeds extract (GSPE) is a rich source of PACs, mainly composed of monomeric catechin and epicatechin, gallic acid and polymeric and oligomeric proanthocyanidins. Thus, this review encompasses the state-of-art structure and the most recent evidence about the impact of GSPE on chronic diseases, with a focus on oxidative stress, inflammation and metabolic syndrome (MeS)-related disorders such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular risk disease in vivo to offer new perspectives in the field that allow further research. Despite the controversial results, is undeniable that PACs from grape seeds are highly antioxidants, thus, the capacity of GSPE to improve oxidative stress might mediate the inflammation process and the progress of MeS-related pathologies. However, further well-design animal studies with standardized dosages and GSPE composition are necessary to shed light into the cause-effect relationship in a more accurate way to later allow a deeper study of the effect of GSPE in humans.
•Adults from 16 countries adopted healthier dietary patterns during the confinement.•The adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) increased in all countries.•52,1% of participants cooked more ...during the COVID-19 confinement.•57,8% of participants decreased the intake of fast food during the confinement.•Stricter contingency restrictions led to a higher increase in the MedDiet adherence.
We aimed to evaluate the changes in eating behaviours of the adult population across 16 European countries due to the COVID-19 confinement and to evaluate whether these changes were somehow related to the severity of the containment measures applied in each country. An anonymous online self-reported questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics, validated 14-items Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) Adherence Screener (MEDAS) as a reference of a healthy diet, eating and lifestyle behaviours prior to and during the COVID-19 confinement was used to collect data. The study included an adult population residing in 16 European countries at the time of the survey. Aggregated Stringency Index (SI) score, based on data from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker, was calculated for each country at the time the questionnaire was distributed (range: 0–100). A total of 36,185 participants completed the questionnaire (77.6% female, 75.2% with high educational level and 42.7% aged between 21 and 35 years). In comparison to pre-confinement, a significantly higher adherence to the MedDiet during the confinement was observed across all countries (overall MEDAS score prior to- and during confinement: 5.23 ± 2.06 vs. 6.15 ± 2.06; p < 0.001), with the largest increase seen in Greece and North Macedonia. The highest adherence to MedDiet during confinement was found in Spain and Portugal (7.18 ± 1.84 and 7.34 ± 1.95, respectively). Stricter contingency restrictions seemed to lead to a significantly higher increase in the adherence to the MedDiet. The findings from this cross-sectional study could be used to inform current diet-related public health guidelines to ensure optimal nutrition is followed among the population, which in turn would help to alleviate the current public health crisis.
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether dietary behaviours of the Spanish adult population were changed during the COVID-19 outbreak confinement. For that purpose, an online questionnaire, ...based on 44 items including socio-demographic data, Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) Adherence Screener (MEDAS) as a reference of a healthy diet, processed foods intake, changes in their usual food choices and weight gain was distributed using social media and snowball sampling. A total of 7514 participants (37% aged below 35 years, 70.6% female, 77.9% university-level education or higher) from all the Spanish territory completed the questionnaire. Results outlined healthier dietary behaviours during the confinement when compared to previous habits. Overall, the MEDAS score (ranging from 0 to 14, whereby higher a scoring reflects greater adherence to the MedDiet) increased significantly from 6.53 ± 2 to 7.34 ± 1.93 during the confinement. Multivariate logistic regression models, adjusted for age, gender, region and other variables, showed a statistically significant higher likelihood of changing the adherence to the MedDiet (towards an increase in adherence) in those persons who decreased the intake of fried foods, snacks, fast foods, red meat, pastries or sweet beverages, but increased MedDiet-related foods such as olive oil, vegetables, fruits or legumes during the confinement. COVID-19 confinement in Spain has led to the adoption of healthier dietary habits/behaviours in the studied population, as reflected by a higher adherence to the MedDiet. This improvement, if sustained in the long-term, could have a positive impact on the prevention of chronic diseases and COVID-19-related complications.
The results of a qualitative study of cross-border social practices of Mexican women engaged in small-scale trade on Mexico’s northern and southern borders reveal that, although their social ...practices are a response to an instrumental rationality and imply a certain economic autonomy, they develop on the basis of agency and social networks that enable reproduction of reciprocal relations and family livelihood strategies as types of informal labor, giving rise to a form of globalization from below.
Los resultados de un estudio cualitativo de las prácticas sociales transfronterizas de las mujeres mexicanas dedicadas al comercio a pequeña escala en las fronteras norte y sur de México revelan que, si bien sus prácticas sociales son en respuesta a una racionalidad instrumental e implican una cierta autonomía económica, dichas prácticas se desarrollan sobre la base de la agencia, así como redes sociales que permiten la reproducción de las relaciones recíprocas y estrategias de subsistencia familiar como tipos de trabajo informal. Todo ello da lugar a una forma de globalización desde abajo.
Human diet has an important role in protection against oxidative stress. This health-protecting factor has been partly attributed to the compounds with antioxidant capacity, fruits and vegetables ...being major sources of dietary antioxidants. Horticultural production in Andalusia includes a large variety of fruits and vegetables which are available not only in Spain but also in other European Union countries.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of the edible portion of 44 fruits and vegetables grown in Andalusia and commonly consumed by both Spanish and other European consumers. The samples, collected at different times according to the harvesting period of each crop, were submitted to three in vitro assays: TEAC (trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity), FRAP (ferric ion reducing antioxidant power), and ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity).
The samples showing the highest antioxidant capacity were red ‘California’ pepper (4.550–13.810mmoleq. Trolox/100g), ‘Fino’ lemon (11.560–14.340mmoleq. FeSO4/100g), and red onion (2.921–13.830mmoleq. Trolox/100g) in the TEAC, FRAP, and ORAC assays, respectively. The results also showed that ‘Vivaldi’ potato was the sample with the lowest antioxidant capacity in all the methods assessed (0.035–0.590mmoleq. Trolox/100g in TEAC, 0.200–0.399mmoleq. FeSO4/100g in FRAP and 0.238–0.286mmoleq. Trolox/100g in ORAC assay).
In conclusion, this study provides a comprehensive comparison of the antioxidant capacity among different cultivars of fruits and vegetables grown in Andalusia that can be acquired year round. This information reveals that the Andalusian cultivars analyzed are good sources of antioxidants.
•The antioxidant capacity of 44 vegetal samples from Andalusia was evaluated.•The samples were collected at different harvesting times.•Three different methods were used (TEAC, FRAP, and ORAC).•A total of 1479 analyses were made.•Several samples such as grape, pepper, and onion showed high antioxidant capacity.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of coronavirus SARS-Cov2 (COVID-19) confinement measures in Colombia on the dietary behaviors of a large population sample, at national and regional ...levels. A survey was conducted to assess dietary behaviors during the COVID-19 confinement. The survey involved 2,745 participants, aged 18 years or older, from six regions of the country (Atlántica, Bogotá, Central, Oriental, Orinoquía and Amazonía, and Pacífica). Dietary intake of foods and foods groups in grams per day before and during the confinement was estimated by considering standard serving sizes of foods. One-way ANOVA was used to analyze differences between the regions with regard to dietary behavior changes during the confinement. Differences were deemed significant at
value < 0.05. Dietary patterns (DPs) before and during the confinement were derived from principal component analysis. Certain dietary habits were adopted by the study population during the confinement (e.g., higher frequency of snacking and home cooking), with significant differences by regions with regard to these habits, as well as regarding culinary processes. The levels of consumption of several foods also changed during the confinement, nationally and regionally. We identified three DPs before the confinement (protein-rich, carbohydrate-rich, and sugar foods patterns) and four DPs during the confinement (westernized, carbohydrate-rich, protein-rich, fish and fruits-vegetable patterns), with an explained total variance of 33 and 45%, respectively. The profile of these DPs varied to some extent between the regions; their adherence to each DP also varied (
-value < 0.001). Our results show that there were marked differences by regions in the dietary behaviors of this population during the confinement, with an overall trend toward unhealthier DPs. These results may help to shape public health nutrition interventions in Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic and in a post-COVID stage.
Marine compounds are a potential source of new anticancer drugs. In this study, the antiproliferative effects of 20 invertebrate marine extracts on three colon cancer cell models (HGUE-C-1, HT-29, ...and SW-480) were evaluated. Extracts from two nudibranchs (
, NA and
, NB), a holothurian (
, PS), and a soft coral (
sp., CR) were selected due to their potent cytotoxic capacities. The four marine extracts exhibited strong antiproliferative effects and induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M transition, which evolved into early apoptosis in the case of the CR, NA, and NB extracts and necrotic cell death in the case of the PS extract. All the extracts induced, to some extent, intracellular ROS accumulation, mitochondrial depolarization, caspase activation, and DNA damage. The compositions of the four extracts were fully characterized via HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS analysis, which identified up to 98 compounds. We propose that, among the most abundant compounds identified in each extract, diterpenes, steroids, and sesqui- and seterterpenes (CR); cembranolides (PS); diterpenes, polyketides, and indole terpenes (NA); and porphyrin, drimenyl cyclohexanone, and polar steroids (NB) might be candidates for the observed activity. We postulate that reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation is responsible for the subsequent DNA damage, mitochondrial depolarization, and cell cycle arrest, ultimately inducing cell death by either apoptosis or necrosis.
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic condition, with increased morbidity and mortality, due to a higher rate of cardiovascular disease among other factors. Cardiovascular risk increases with the worse ...glycemic profile. Nutrition has a deep impact on diabetes control. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) has been shown to decrease cardiovascular risk in children and adults with obesity and adults with type 2 diabetes, but its impact on T1D children has been scarcely analyzed. We hypothesized that the degree of adherence to MD could relate to the increased time in range in children with T1D.
Cross-sectional analysis involving two university hospitals. We measured the adherence to MD with the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for children and teenagers (KIDMED) questionnaire, which is a validated tool for this purpose. A score of <5 indicates poor adherence to MD, while a good adherence is indicated by a score of >7. Demographic and clinical data were registered on the same day that the questionnaire was taken, with informed consent. Additionally, the patients' ambulatory glucose profiles (AGPs), were registered from the participants' glucose monitors (continuous or flash devices), and daily insulin needs were recorded from patients' insulin pumps (n=28). Other cardiovascular risk factors such as lipid profile, vitamin D levels, and other biochemical parameters were registered from a blood test, performed 2 weeks before recruitment, as part of the patients' annual screening.
Ninety-seven patients (44 girls), with an average age of 11.4 years (± 3.01), were included. Seventy-one of them were on multiple daily injection regimens, and all had either continuous or flash glucose monitoring. Fifty-three had HbA1c levels of <7.5%, while only 21 had a time in range (TIR) of >70%. Contingency analysis showed that the odds of having HbA1c <7.5% increase in children with KIDMED score of >7 (O.R. 2.38; ICR 1.05-5.41;
= 0.036). Moreover, the KIDMED score and the HbA1c levels were negatively correlated (R: -0.245;
-value: 0.001), while the KIDMED score and TIR showed a positive correlation (R: 0.200;
-value: 0.009).
Our data suggest that adherence to MD may contribute to better glycemic control in children. This should be taken into account at the time of nutritional education on T1D patients and their families.
In this pilot study, we characterize and evaluate 3D-printed swabs for the collection of nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal secretion samples for the SARS-CoV-2 detection. Swabs are made with the fused ...deposition modeling technique using the biopolymer polylactic acid (PLA) which is a medical-grade, biodegradable and low-cost material. We evaluated six swabs with mechanical tests in a laboratory and in an Adult Human Simulator performed by healthcare professionals. We proved the adequacy of the PLA swab to be used in the gold standard reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) for viral RNA detection. Then, we did
in vitro
validation for cell collection using the 3D-printed swabs and RNA extraction for samples from 10 healthy volunteers. The 3D-printed swabs showed good flexibility and maneuverability for sampling and at the same time robustness to pass into the posterior nasopharynx. The PLA did not interfere with the RNA extraction process and qRT-PCR test. When we evaluated the expression of the reference gene (RNase P) used in the SARS-CoV-2 detection, the 3D-printed swabs showed good reproducibility in the threshold cycle values (Ct = 23.5, range 19–26) that is comparable to control swabs (Ct = 24.7, range 20.8–32.6) with
p
value = 0.47. The 3D-printed swabs demonstrated to be a reliable, and an economical alternative for mass use in the detection of SARS-CoV-2.
Host cell metabolism is essential for the viral replication cycle and, therefore, for productive infection. Energy (ATP) is required for the receptor-mediated attachment of viral particles to ...susceptible cells and for their entry into the cytoplasm. Host cells must synthesize an array of biomolecules and engage in intracellular trafficking processes to enable viruses to complete their replication cycle. The tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle has a key role in ATP production as well as in the synthesis of the biomolecules needed for viral replication. The final assembly and budding process of enveloped viruses, for instance, require lipids, and the TCA cycle provides the precursor (citrate) for fatty acid synthesis (FAS). Viral infections may induce host inflammation and TCA cycle metabolic intermediates participate in this process, notably citrate and succinate. On the other hand, viral infections may promote the synthesis of itaconate from TCA cis-aconitate. Itaconate harbors anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-microbial properties. Fumarate is another TCA cycle intermediate with immunoregulatory properties, and its derivatives such as dimethyl fumarate (DMF) are therapeutic candidates for the contention of virus-induced hyper-inflammation and oxidative stress. The TCA cycle is at the core of viral infection and replication as well as viral pathogenesis and anti-viral immunity. This review highlights the role of the TCA cycle in viral infections and explores recent advances in the fast-moving field of virometabolism.
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