Impact of Chemotherapy Regimens on Body Composition of Breast Cancer Women: A Multicenter Study across Four Brazilian Regions.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of chemotherapy (CT) and its different types of regimens on the anthropometry and body composition of women with breast cancer. Three-hundred-and-four women with breast cancer were enrolled in this multicenter study. The participants were evaluated before the infusion of the first cycle of CT (pre-CT), and until two weeks after CT completion (post-CT), regarding body weight, body mass index (BMI); waist circumference (WC); waist-to-height ratio (WHtR); conicity index (C-index); fat mass index (FMI); and fat-free mass index (FFMI). CT regimens were classified as anthracycline-based (AC-doxorubicin or epirubicin); anthracyclines and taxane (ACT); cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil (CMF); or isolated taxanes (paclitaxel or docetaxel). Women significantly increased BMI and FMI post-CT (p < 0.001 and p = 0.007, respectively). The ACT regimen increased FMI (p < 0.001), while FFMI increased after AC (p = 0.007). It is concluded that the CT negatively impacted body composition and the type of regime had a strong influence. The ACT regimen promoted an increase in FMI compared to other regimens, and the AC increased FFMI. These findings reinforce the importance of nutritional monitoring of breast cancer patients throughout the entire CT treatment.

Advances in muscle health and nutrition: A toolkit for healthcare professionals.

Low muscle mass and malnutrition are prevalent conditions among adults of all ages, with any body weight or body mass index, and with acute or chronic conditions, including COVID-19. This article synthesizes the latest research advancements in muscle health and malnutrition, and their impact on immune function, and clinical outcomes. We provide a toolkit of illustrations and scientific information that healthcare professionals can use for knowledge translation, educating patients about the importance of identifying and treating low muscle mass and malnutrition. We focus on the emerging evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction in the context of aging and disease, as well as the cross-talk between skeletal muscle and the immune system. We address the importance of myosteatosis as a component of muscle composition, and discuss direct, indirect and surrogate assessments of muscle mass including ultrasound, computerized tomography, deuterated creatine dilution, and calf circumference. Assessments of muscle function are also included (handgrip strength, and physical performance tests). Finally, we address nutrition interventions to support anabolism, reduce catabolism, and improve patient outcomes. These include protein and amino acids, branched-chain amino acids, with a focus on leucine; ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB), vitamin D; n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA), polyphenols, and oral nutritional supplements. We concluded with recommendations for clinical practice and a call for action on research focusing on evaluating the impact of body composition assessments on targeted nutrition interventions, and consequently their ability to improve patient outcomes.

The influence of coffee consumption on bioelectrical impedance parameters: a randomized, double-blind, cross-over trial.

BACKGROUND: Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a widely used method for estimating body composition. Avoiding foods/beverages containing caffeine is a frequently enforced pre-test protocol to ensure reliability of BIA measurements. However, few studies have evaluated whether this is necessary, with conflicting results. We aimed to determine whether the coffee consumption differing in caffeine content influences BIA parameters in healthy adults. METHODS: Twenty-five healthy adults were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind cross-over trial. Three amounts of caffeine were given with 200 mL of coffee: 0 mg (11 g of decaffeinated), 200 mg (5.5 g of caffeinated plus 5.5 g of decaffeinated), and 400 mg of caffeine (11 g of caffeinated). BIA measurements were conducted at 6 different times, and coefficient variations (CV) explored. RESULTS: No differences were observed for group × time interaction on impedance, resistance, or reactance (p > 0.05). Values of BIA parameters increased after 30-min of coffee consumption, independently of the caffeine dosage (all p < 0.001). Body fat percentage followed the same pattern and increased after 45-min (p < 0.05). Median CV for consecutive impedance, resistance, and reactance measurements were >95%CI of expected device measurement error over 70-min, without difference between groups. Urine output volume was not different between groups (decaffeinated: 440.45 ± 197.57 mL; 200 mg: 471.80 ± 171.88 mL; 400 mg: 489.30 ± 204.10 mL, p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Coffee consumption influenced BIA-derived results after 70-min but was not related to caffeine content, likely due to water intake.

Antioxidant capacity index based on gold nanoparticles formation. Application to extra virgin olive oil samples.

A simple gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) based colorimetric assay for the antioxidant activity determination has been developed. The AuNP formation is mediated by extra virgin olive oil (EVOO's) endogenous polyphenols; the reaction is described by a sigmoidal curve. The ratio KAuNPs/Xc(50) (slope of the linear part of the sigmoid/concentration at half value of the absorbance) was found to be the optimal parameter to report the antioxidant capacity with respect to the single KAuNPs or Xc(50) values. The obtained data demonstrated that the compounds with ortho-diphenols functionality are most active in reducing gold (III) to gold (0). Thus, intermediate activity was found for gallic acid, while tyrosol (mono-phenols) had a significant lower activity than the others antioxidant compounds (at least one order of magnitude). In the analysis of olive oil samples, a significant correlation among classical methods used to determine antioxidant activity and the proposed parameter was found with R values in the 0.96-0.97 range.

SU-8/Pyrex microchip electrophoresis with integrated electrochemical detection for class-selective electrochemical index determination of phenolic compounds in complex samples.

A SU-8/Pyrex single-channel microchip integrating three 100 µm Pt electrodes (MCE-ED) for class-selective electrochemical index determination (CSEID) of phenolic acids and flavonoids in complex extracts of Tagetes lucida (Tl), Mentha piperita (Mp), Cymbopogon citratus (Cc), Calendula officinalis (Co), and Cynara scolymus (Cs) is proposed. Under strategic conditions controlled by a MES buffer (pH 5.0; 25 mM) and accordingly to the antioxidant acid-base properties, the simultaneous measurement of total acids and flavonoids indexes was achieved in less than 100 s with excellent analytical performance. The reliability of MCE-ED approach was demonstrated toward the high agreement between the total phenolic content obtained using microchip approach with those obtained by the well-established HPLC-DAD; revealing both identical order regarding the total phenolic content in the target samples. In addition, further comparison of MCE-ED with the traditional Folin-Ciocalteu antioxidant capacity assay, showed that MCE-ED approach could become a class-selective antioxidant capacity assay revealing that the sample antioxidant capacity was decreasing as Tl > Mp > Cs > Cc > Co according to their endogenous polyphenol content. These results suggested that the microchip approach is not only a reliable method for fast assessment of class-selective antioxidants constituting a very good alternative to the long analysis times and the using of toxic solvents required in HPLC but a novel truly antioxidant capacity assay. This excellent analytical performance is connected with the key-features of the "ready-to-use" system employed in this work such as portability, full integration of electrochemical detection, easy-operation, and potential MCE-ED disposability.

Conceptos y prácticas sobre salud y enfermedad en mujeres residentes de la ciudad de México / Concepts and practices in health and disease, in women residents in Mexico city

Antecedentes. La conceptualización de salud y enfermedad es un proceso dinámico, varía en cada población, matizada individual y colectivamente por las condiciones histórico-sociales prevalecientes. Material y métodos. Se analizó encuesta aplicada a 81 mujeres, en una comunidad del Distrito Federal, consignando conceptos de salud y enfermedad (aspectos orgánicos, juicios de valor y otros factores), factores que afectan la salud (conductas personales y factores ambientales) y qué alterntivas eligen cuando se enferman (médico, remedios caseros o automedicación). Resultados y discusión. Se encuestó a mujeres entre 21 y 60 años, con escolaridad básica 0.60, dedicadas al hogar 0.76, nacidas en el Distrito Federal 0.68, con pareja 0.80, en familia nuclear 0.65, con menos de 4 hijos 0.73, con dos o menos salarios mínimos de ingreso 0.70, con vivienda hacinada 0.52 y con agua intradomiciliaria 0.89. Los conceptos de salud y enfermedad correspondieron en mayor proporción a aspectos orgánicos (0.41 y 0.38), a juicios de valor (0.37 y 0.30) y a otros factores (0.22 y 0.32). Las conductas personales se consideraron como que afectan la salud en 0.59, los factores ambientales en 0.41. Se acude al médico para problemas de salud en 0.48. Se analizan interrelaciones entre variables. Conclusiones. Se encontró una asociación entre el uso de juicios de valor y recurrir al médico preferentemente y entre los conceptos basados en características orgánicas y preferir otros recursos no médicos. Tal asociación no alcanzó a ser significativa.