Effect of vitamin D supplementation on inflammatory markers and total antioxidant capacity in breast cancer women using a machine learning technique.

Aim: This study aimed to establish a learning system using an artificial neural network (ANN) to predict the effects of vitamin D supplementation on the serum levels of vitamin D, inflammatory factors, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in women with breast cancer. Methods: The data set of the current project was created from women with breast cancer who were referred to the Shafa State Hospital of Patients with Cancers in Ahvaz city, Iran. Modeling was implemented using the data set at the serum levels of vitamin D, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß), and TAC, before and after vitamin D3 supplement therapy. A prediction ANN model was designed to detect the effects of vitamin D3 supplementation on the serum level changes of vitamin D, inflammatory factors and TAC. Results: The results showed that the ANN model could predict the effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on the serum level changes of vitamin D, TNF-α, TGF-ß1, and TAC with an accuracy average of 85%, 40%, 89.5%, and 88.1%, respectively. Conclusions: According to the findings of the study, the ANN method could accurately predict the effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on the serum levels of vitamin D, TNF-α, TGF-ß1, and TAC. The results showed that the proposed ANN method can help specialists to improve the treatment process more confidently in terms of time and accuracy of predicting the influence of vitamin D supplementation on the factors affecting the progression of breast cancer (https://www.irct.ir/ identifier: IRCT2015090623924N1).

Sugary beverages are associated with cardiovascular risk factors in diabetic patients.

PURPOSE: Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) containing high amount of added sugars have increased over the last decades. Due to increased risk of cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, we designed a study to assess the association between SSBs and metabolic syndrome, a collection of cardiovascular risk factors, in these patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed on T2DM adults (N = 157). Participants had no serious disease or insulin treatment. SSBs records were obtained from a validated food frequency questionnaire. Metabolic syndrome status was extracted from biochemical and anthropometric measurements. Subjects risk factors were compared based on their usual SSBs consumption. RESULTS: About half of participants consumed at least one serving of SSBs (Mean intake: 145.6 mL/d) on a weekly basis. Men and women had a similar SSBs pattern. Demographic and anthropometric characteristics were identical in both groups. Higher SSBs intake (≥ 0.5 vs <0.5 serving/ week) was positively associated with hypertension (OR: 3.48, 95% CI: 1.31, 9.26) and obesity (OR: 4.61, 95% CI: 1.31, 16.25). After adjustment for confounders, a higher risk of the metabolic syndrome was observed in those with higher SSBs intake (OR: 4.23, 95% CI: 1.42, 12.62). CONCLUSION: Drinking SSBs, even in low amounts, could potentially elevate the risk of cardiovascular risk factors in diabetic patients. Reduction of sugary drinks would be an urgent recommendation.

Sugar-sweetened beverages consumption is associated with abdominal obesity risk in diabetic patients.

AIM: Sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) are any beverages containing added-sugar and supposed to increase body lipogenesis and fat accumulation in healthy subjects. This study was performed to assess the possible association between SSBs consumption and obesity in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients. METHODS: T2DM adults with no insulin treatment entered the study. Abdominal obesity and general adiposity were determined using waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI), respectively. SSBs intake was extracted from a validated food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: Mean SSBs intake was 0.6 serving/d (145.6mL/d). There was no considerable association between SSBs intake and gender. About 46% of patients consumed at least one serving of SSBs per week. SSBs consumption was correlated neither to WC nor to BMI. After adjustment for confounding factors, abdominal obesity was associated with drinking SSBs ≥1 serving/week (OR=4.93, 95% CI: 1.35-18.03), and SSB ≥3 serving/week (OR=5.07, 95% CI: 1.22-21.15) compared to those consumed <1 serving/week. This association was not found for general obesity (OR=0.88, 95% CI: 0.60-1.23). Ex-smokers had higher SSBs intake compared to those never smoked (OR=3.94, 95% CI=1.06-14.71). Energy intake and macronutrients were similar in both SSBs sub-groups. Mean daily energy supplied by SSBs was 120kcal in participants having ≥1 serving of SSBs/week and 2.7kcal in <1 serving SSBs/week (OR=1.14, 95% CI: 1.09-1.20). Lower SSBs drinkers had 17% higher fiber intake (OR=0.83, 95% CI=0.73-0.96). CONCLUSION: SSBs intake might increase abdominal obesity in diabetic population and therefore should be considered in diabetes control procedure.