Volatile markers as a reliable alternative for the correct classification of citrus monofloral honey.

The pollen analysis to classify monofloral honey is an unresolved challenge specially when the pollen is under-represented as the case of citrus honey. Thus, this study assesses the validity of the volatile fraction to differentiate types of honey, with special attention to markers compounds of citrus honey that could permit their distinction. Unsupervised analysis (PCA and HCA) showed that the volatile fraction of honey containing Citrus sp. pollen, undoubtedly differentiates it from other types of honey. An OPLS model focused on citrus honey selected 5 volatile compounds (of the 123 found in all samples by GC-MS) as significant predictors of the currently used value of methyl anthranilate obtained by HPLC. The joint detection of 4 lilac-aldehydes and the volatile methyl-anthranilate has the advantage of providing more precise information. Therefore, it could be proposed as a consistent marker to ensure the correct classification of citrus honey, fostering its labelling reliability.

Multidisciplinary approach to patients with heart failure and kidney disease: preliminary experience of an integrated cardiorenal unit.

Background: Cardiorenal programs have emerged to improve the management of cardiorenal disease (CRD). Evidence about the benefits of these programs is still scarce. This work aims to evaluate the performance of a novel cardiorenal program and describe the clinical profile and outcomes of patients with CRD. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of patients with CRD attended in a cardiorenal unit (CRU) from February 2021 to February 2022. Demographics and laboratory tests were collected and events (all-cause death and cardiovascular hospitalizations) were evaluated. Optimization of comorbidities and protective therapies was also assessed. Results: Eighty-two patients were included, with a mean age of 76.8 years [standard deviation (SD) 8.5] and 72% were men. A total of 58.5% (n = 47) had left ventricular ejection fraction <50%. The mean follow-up was 11 months (SD 4.0). Almost 54% of the patients (n = 44) required hospitalization, 30.5% for heart failure (HF) decompensation. Total hospitalizations significantly decreased after CRU inclusion: 0.70 versus 0.45 admissions/year (P < .02). Global mortality was 17.1% (n = 14). The percentage of patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction on quadruple therapy increased by 20%, and up to 60% of the patients were on three drugs. A total of 39% of the patients with HF and preserved ejection fraction started treatment with sodium-glucose co-transporter inhibitors. Hyperkalaemia required the use of potassium binders in 12.2% of the patients and treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism was started in 42.7% and renal anaemia in 23.2%. Renal replacement therapy was initiated in 10% of the patients (n = 8). Conclusion: CRD confers a considerable risk of adverse outcomes. Cardiorenal programs may improve cardiorenal syndrome management by optimizing therapies, treating comorbidities and reducing hospitalizations.

Antioxidant and reduced skin-ageing effects of a polyphenol-enriched dietary supplement in response to air pollution: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Air pollution exposure is one of the major threats to skin health and accelerates skin ageing mainly through oxidative stress mechanisms. Since it is difficult to minimize skin exposure to air pollutants, especially in urban areas, strategies to protect the skin are needed. Plant phenolic compounds have been found to be effective in attenuating cellular oxidative stress and inflammation induced by different air pollutants and a dietary approach based on these compounds could provide an efficient protection measure. OBJECTIVE: Here we investigated the efficacy of a commercially available polyphenol-enriched dietary supplement (Zeropollution®) in reducing pollution-induced oxidative stress and in improving different skin parameters related to skin ageing of Caucasian and Asian subjects exposed to air pollution. Zeropollution is composed of four standardized herbal extracts: Olea europaea leaf, Lippia citriodora, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Sophora japonica. DESIGN: A double-blind randomized, parallel group study was carried out on 100 outdoor workers living in a polluted urban European area (Milan) to assess the efficacy of the dietary supplement. The total antioxidant capacity on saliva (FRAP), the oxidative damage on skin (lipoperoxides content), skin moisturization (corneometer), transepidermal water loss (tewameter), skin radiance and colour (spectrophotometer), skin elasticity (cutometer), skin sebum content (sebumeter), and the skin roughness (image analysis) were measured. RESULTS: Both inter-group and intra-group analysis proved that the dietary supplement improved all clinical and biochemical-monitored parameters, in both Caucasian and Asian individuals. Some of the positive effects such as decreased wrinkle depth, increased elasticity and firmness, improved skin moisturization and transepidermal water loss, and reduced dark spots pigmentation were statistically significant as early as 2 weeks of product consumption. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study indicate reduced oxidative stress-induced skin damage in both Asian and Caucasian women living in a polluted urban area. Therefore, the oral intake of this four-plant based supplement could be considered a complementary nutrition strategy to avoid the negative effects of environmental pollution exposure.

Inflamación e infección en la enfermedad coronaria estable y en el síndrome coronario agudo / Inflammation and Infection in Stable Coronary Disease and the Acute Coronary Syndrome

Objetivo. Estudiar la posible interrelación entre infección, inflamación y enfermedad coronaria. Pacientes y método. Se seleccionaron 60 pacientes con síndrome coronario agudo (44 varones, 62 ñ 13 años), 40 con enfermedad coronaria estable (31 varones, 64 ñ 10 años) y 40 individuos sin enfermedad coronaria conocida (grupo control: 34 varones, 53 ñ 5 años). Se investigó la IgG frente a Chlamydia pneumoniae, citomegalovirus y Helicobacter pylori, y la proteína C reactiva en todos los enfermos y la IgM sólo en pacientes con síndrome coronario agudo ( C. pneumoniae y citomegalovirus) y proteína C reactiva e IgG al mes. Resultados. No hubo sueros reactivos para IgM. La prevalencia de IgG ( C. pneumoniae, citomegalovirus o H. pylori) fue similar en todos los casos: C. pneumoniae en 44 (73 por ciento), 29 (73 por ciento) y 25 (63 por ciento) enfermos agudos, estables y del grupo control, respectivamente; citomegalovirus en 55 (92 por ciento), 37 (92 por ciento) y 38 (95 por ciento), respectivamente, y H. pylori en 43 (72 por ciento), 32 (80 por ciento) y 34 (85 por ciento), respectivamente. Los síndromes coronarios agudos ocurrieron en una mayor proporción de pacientes con valores de proteína C reactiva superiores al límite de referencia (48 [80 por ciento], 10 [25 por ciento] y 0 pacientes, respectivamente; p < 0,001). Dichos valores estaban más elevados en el infarto de miocardio con onda Q que en el síndrome coronario agudo sin segmento ST elevado (medianas: 22,65 frente a 7,69; p < 0,001). Al mes persistían los valores elevados en el 40 por ciento de los pacientes que los tuvieron en la fase aguda (mediana: 22,65 frente a 3,38; p < 0,001). Conclusiones. Se han detectado niveles significativos de inflamación en los síndromes coronarios agudos y en menor grado en la enfermedad coronaria estable con métodos habituales en la práctica clínica. La serología posiblemente no sea el método adecuado para analizar la interrelación, si es que existe, entre síndromes coronarios, infección e inflamación (AU)