Dance sports influence female university students' physical health in ethnic universities / Influência da dança esportiva sobre a saúde física das universitárias em universidades étnicas / Influencia de la danza deportiva en la salud física de las estudiantes en universitarias étnicas

ABSTRACT Introduction Ensuring healthy growth with high cultural quality in the population is an important part of Chinese revitalization. University students, as a group of high cultural quality, have the mission and responsibility entrusted by the state and the people. It is believed that these goals can be achieved by using sports dance, which has a wide range and high demands; dancers should have motor skills, physical qualities, understanding of the art of dress, and psychological balance as basic requirements. Objective To test and evaluate whether sports dance activities in physical education students are conducive to promoting students' healthy physical development. Methods This paper examines the influence of teaching sports dance on the physical health of female college students in Ethnic Colleges and its countermeasures. It also discusses the strategies for teaching sports dance to provide viable suggestions for follow-up dance instruction. Conclusion The combination of sports and femininity in exercise has a good fitness effect, improves the artistic feelings of college women, and is conducive to the healthy development of the physical quality of college women. Level of evidence III; Analysis based on alternatives and limited costs.

RESUMO Introdução Garantir o crescimento saudável com alta qualidade cultural na população é parte importante da revitalização chinesa. Estudantes universitários, como um grupo de alta qualidade cultural, possuem a missão e responsabilidade confiada pelo Estado e pelo povo. Acredita-se que essas metas possam ser alcançadas utilizando a dança esportiva, que tem um vasto leque e altas exigências nesse sentido, os dançarinos devem ter habilidades motoras, qualidades físicas, compreensão na arte de vestuário e equilíbrio psicológico, como requisitos básicos. Objetivo Testar e avaliar se as atividades de dança esportiva nos alunos de educação física são propícias na promoção do desenvolvimento físico saudável dos alunos. Métodos Este artigo analisa a influência do ensino de dança esportiva sobre a saúde física de universitárias em Faculdades Étnicas e suas contramedidas. Também se discute as estratégias de ensino da dança esportiva, a fim de fornecer sugestões viáveis para o ensino de dança de acompanhamento. Conclusão A combinação de esportes e feminilidade no exercício tem um bom efeito de aptidão física, melhora os sentimentos artísticos das universitárias e é propício ao desenvolvimento saudável da qualidade física das Universitárias. Nível de evidência III; Análises baseadas em alternativas e custos limitados.

RESUMEN Introducción Garantizar un crecimiento saludable con una alta calidad cultural en la población es una parte importante de la revitalización de China. Los universitarios, como grupo de alta calidad cultural, tienen la misión y la responsabilidad encomendadas por el Estado y el pueblo. Se cree que estos objetivos pueden alcanzarse mediante el uso de la danza deportiva, que tiene una amplia gama y altas exigencias en este sentido, los bailarines deben tener habilidades motoras, cualidades físicas, la comprensión en el arte de vestir y el equilibrio psicológico como requisitos básicos. Objetivo Comprobar y evaluar si las actividades de danza deportiva en los estudiantes de educación física favorecen el desarrollo físico saludable de los alumnos. Métodos Este trabajo analiza la influencia de la enseñanza de la danza deportiva en la salud física de las estudiantes universitarias de los colegios étnicos y sus contramedidas. También se analizan las estrategias de enseñanza de la danza deportiva con el fin de ofrecer sugerencias viables para el seguimiento de la enseñanza de la danza. Conclusión La combinación de deporte y feminidad en el ejercicio tiene un buen efecto de aptitud física, mejora los sentimientos artísticos de las universitarias y favorece el desarrollo saludable de la calidad física de las universitarias. Nivel de evidencia III; análisis basado en alternativas y costes limitados.

Editorial to Special Issue Molecular Biology of Selenium in Health and Disease.

The selenium field expanded at a rapid rate for about 45 years, from the mid-1970's until about 2015 (see [...].

Comparison of Topical Oxygen with Vacuum Assisted Closure in Wound Healing in a Low Resource Setting

The aim of this pilot study is to obtain preliminary results comparing topical oxygen therapy (TOT) and vacuum assisted closure (VAC) in terms of its ability to accelerate wound healing. METHODS: This non-randomised prospective study included patients with age 16-50 years, wound size ≥ 16cm2 and present below knee joint within seven days of occurrence. Bates-Jensen wound assessment tool (BWAT) was used for evaluation at 8-day interval along with percent area reduction at final follow up. RESULTS: Mean number of cycles required in VAC and TOT group were 1.97 (range 1-3) and 2.1 (range 1-3) (each cycle of 5 days) per patient respectively. Percent area reduction was significantly higher in the VAC group (34±9.7%) than TOT (11.3±3.8%) group at final follow up (p<0.05). TOT patients had better improvement in epithelialization compared to VAC at last follow up. More extensive debridement was needed in patients of TOT than VAC. There was no significant difference between final score in both groups. CONCLUSION: TOT appears to be comparable to well-established VAC in treatment of fresh traumatic wounds below the knee joint. Further large scale, multicentric and randomised studies comparing both these modalities of treatment should be the way forward

Clove Essential Oil (Syzygium aromaticum L. Myrtaceae): Extraction, Chemical Composition, Food Applications, and Essential Bioactivity for Human Health.

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum L. Myrtaceae) is an aromatic plant widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical countries, rich in volatile compounds and antioxidants such as eugenol, ß-caryophyllene, and α-humulene. Clove essential oil has received considerable interest due to its wide application in the perfume, cosmetic, health, medical, flavoring, and food industries. Clove essential oil has biological activity relevant to human health, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, and insecticidal activity. The impacts of the extraction method (hydrodistillation, steam distillation, ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, cold pressing, and supercritical fluid extraction) on the concentration of the main volatile compounds in clove essential oil and organic clove extracts are shown. Eugenol is the major compound, accounting for at least 50%. The remaining 10-40% consists of eugenyl acetate, ß-caryophyllene, and α-humulene. The main biological activities reported are summarized. Furthermore, the main applications in clove essential oil in the food industry are presented. This review presents new biological applications beneficial for human health, such as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anesthetic, antinociceptive, and anticancer activity. This review aims to describe the effects of different methods of extracting clove essential oil on its chemical composition and food applications and the biological activities of interest to human health.

Experimental Animal Studies Support the Role of Dietary Advanced Glycation End Products in Health and Disease.

The increased incidence of obesity, diabetes mellitus, aging, and associated comorbidities indicates the interplay between genetic and environmental influences. Several dietary components have been identified to play a role in the pathogenesis of the so-called "modern diseases", and their complications including advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are generated during the food preparation and processing. Diet-derived advanced glycation end products (dAGEs) can be absorbed in the gastrointestinal system and contribute to the total body AGEs' homeostasis, partially excreted in the urine, while a significant amount accumulates to various tissues. Various in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies support that dAGEs play an important role in health and disease, in a similar way to those endogenously formed. Animal studies using wild type, as well as experimental, animal models have shown that dAGEs contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of various diseases and their complications, and are involved in the changes related to the aging process. In addition, they support that dAGEs' restriction reduces insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and inflammation; restores immune alterations; and prevents or delays the progression of aging, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and their complications. These data can be extrapolated in humans and strongly support that dAGEs' restriction should be considered as an alternative therapeutic intervention.

Therapeutic Potential of Various Plant-Based Fibers to Improve Energy Homeostasis via the Gut Microbiota.

Obesity is due in part to increased consumption of a Western diet that is low in dietary fiber. Conversely, an increase in fiber supplementation to a diet can have various beneficial effects on metabolic homeostasis including weight loss and reduced adiposity. Fibers are extremely diverse in source and composition, such as high-amylose maize, ß-glucan, wheat fiber, pectin, inulin-type fructans, and soluble corn fiber. Despite the heterogeneity of dietary fiber, most have been shown to play a role in alleviating obesity-related health issues, mainly by targeting and utilizing the properties of the gut microbiome. Reductions in body weight, adiposity, food intake, and markers of inflammation have all been reported with the consumption of various fibers, making them a promising treatment option for the obesity epidemic. This review will highlight the current findings on different plant-based fibers as a therapeutic dietary supplement to improve energy homeostasis via mechanisms of gut microbiota.

Impact of Vitamin D Supplementation on Inflammatory Markers' Levels in Obese Patients.

In view of research suggesting a possible beneficial impact of vitamin D on systemic inflammatory response, the authors decided to investigate an influence of vitamin D supplementation on serum levels of certain inflammatory markers in obese patients. The current study included such biomarkers as interleukin-6 (IL-6), pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), C-X3-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 1 (CX3CL1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and nitric oxide (NO). The measurements were performed with the ELISA method before and after 3-month-long supplementation of 2000 IU of vitamin D orally. The results showed that the therapy did not induce any statistically significant changes in serum levels of MCP-1, IL-6, CX3CL1, and PACAP. The supplementation was related to a significant increase in measurements of NO and AOPP levels, although the correlation analysis between vitamin D concentration after its supplementation and the concentration of the molecular parameters did not show significant relation. In conclusion, our study seems to contradict certain aspects of findings available in the literature regarding the vitamin D's impact.

Effect of white tea consumption on serum leptin, TNF-α and UCP1 gene expression in ovariectomized rats.

BACKGROUND: Obesity and dyslipidemia due to estrogen deficiency are among the important health problems in menopausal women. Increasing evidence reports the anti-obesity and anti-hyperlipidemic properties of tea polyphenols. However, the effect of white tea (WT) with high polyphenol content on overweight and lipid profile is uncertain. Here, we aimed to examine the effects of long-term WT consumption on serum leptin, tumor necrosis factor- alpha (TNF-α) and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) mRNA gene expression in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. METHODS: Adult rats were divided into four groups (n = 8): (i) sham, (ii) OVX, (iii) WT and (iv) OVX + WT. WT was given at a dose of 0.5% w/v for 12 weeks. In the study, body weight, serum leptin, TNF, estradiol (E2) levels, lipid profile and UCP1 mRNA gene expression in brown adipose tissue (BAT) were evaluated. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in body weight of OVX rats, which was decreased following WT consumption. While leptin and E2 levels decreased in the OVX group, TNF levels increased. There was no difference between the NF-kB levels of the groups. In addition, BAT UCP1 mRNA expression was significantly decreased in OVX groups, while WT treatment stimulated UCP1 activity. CONCLUSION: We explain the stimulatory effect of WT on weight loss mainly by the induction of UCP1 gene-mediated thermogenesis and suppression of inflammation. Therefore, we suggest that prolonged WT consumption may have beneficial effects in limiting excess weight gain caused by estrogen deficiency.

L'efficacité de l'évaluation d'impact sur la santé : leçons tirées d'une expérience dans l'agglomération bordelaise.

INTRODUCTION: This work presents the results of an impact evaluation applied to an HIA of an urban development project. The purpose of the evaluation was to assess the direct effects of the HIA procedure on the decision making by the implementation of the recommendations as well as its indirect effects in terms of stakeholders’ appropriation and use of the information produced throughout the process. METHODS: 12 semi-structured interviews were conducted with HIA stakeholders including regional public health directors and professionals, local elected officials, and technical staff from the engaged local authorities. RESULTS: Data collected confirmed HIA indirect impacts in terms of interviewees’ enhanced values and beliefs according to a holistic model of health, changes in professional practices through appropriation of the knowledge generated throughout the process and strengthening of intersectoral collaborations for health. More modest results were identified regarding HIA direct effects on decision making through the consideration of the proposed recommendations because of their redundancy with technical teams’ routine practices and their late timing. Nevertheless, interest in capitalizing on these recommendations for future municipal and metropolitan projects suggests deferred effects on decision making that should not be neglected. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides new data on the effectiveness, to varying degrees, of one of the first HIAs conducted in the region of Nouvelle Aquitaine. Other evaluations should be promoted in France to demonstrate HIA value and to draw useful lessons to inform its further development and consolidation in the coming years.

L'appropriation de la démarche d'évaluation d'impact sur la santé par les collectivités : trois exemples en Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

Through a structured approach that allows urban projects to be observed with a holistic view of health, health impact assessment (HIA) encourages partnerships and anticipates health issues as early as possible in the decision-making process of urban programs. The appropriation of the approach by communities, the integration of recommendations and their follow-up are apprehended through the feedback from three HIA carried out in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. It appears that the structuring of proposals according to political criteria and technical feasibility is a very effective decision-making tool for elected officials and technicians. The emergence of new risk factors and the sharing of this knowledge between elected representatives, technicians and inhabitants facilitate the establishment of a common scientific culture and the conditions for a balanced debate between actors on complex subjects. HIA also makes it possible to involve other actors who were absent from the previous phases of consultation. The continuity of the monitoring group is an important element. HIA makes it possible not only to act on health determinants but also to create dynamics favorable to health in the long term. But this interdisciplinary work can be felt to be a hindrance, as some actors find it difficult to grasp work opportunities, to have a new approach that can lead to different outcomes and that requires personal investment. Through its cross-cutting nature, HIA helps to have a different approach to projects and a willingness to move forward to speed things up. There is a strong challenge to go all the way through all the stages of the process.

Using health impact assessment (HIA) to understand the wider health and well-being implications of policy decisions: the COVID-19 'staying at home and social distancing policy' in Wales.

BACKGROUND: Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is promoted as a decision-informing tool by public health and governmental agencies. HIA is beneficial when carried out as part of policy development but is also valuable as a methodology when a policy is being implemented to identify and understand the wider health and well-being impacts of policy decisions, particularly when a decision needs to be taken rapidly to protect the population. This paper focusses on a HIA of the 'Staying at Home and Social Distancing Policy' or 'lockdown' in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales conducted by the Welsh national public health institute. It describes the process and findings, captures the learning and discusses how the process has been used to better understand the wider health and well-being impacts of policy decisions beyond direct health harm. It also examines the role of public health institutes in promoting and using HIA. METHODS: A HIA was conducted following a standard HIA five step process. A literature review was undertaken alongside 15 qualitative semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, and relevant health and demographic data were collated. The results were triangulated and analysed to form a holistic assessment of the policy decision and its impacts. RESULTS: A wide range of major health and well-being impacts of the lockdown in Wales were identified across the determinants of health, which included positive and negative social, economic, environmental and mental well-being impacts beyond the impact on direct health. Populations affected included children and young people, those on low incomes and women as well as those whose health has been directly impacted by COVID-19 such as older people. The work highlighted the benefit that HIA can bring in emphasizing impacts which can inform policy and shared learning with others. CONCLUSION: HIA is a largely underused tool to understand the impact of policy and political decisions, particularly when a decision has been taken at speed. This case study highlights how HIA provide evidence and information for advocacy and further work by public health institutes, health agencies and policy makers.

Antioxidant Supplements versus Health Benefits of Brief/Intermittent Exposure to Potentially Toxic Physical or Chemical Agents.

Although antioxidants can act locally to react with an oxidant, oral administration of "antioxidants" is quite useless in treating oxidative stress in tissues. Furthermore, it does not make sense to consider a vitamin as an antioxidant, but vitamin B3 leads to the in vivo formation of compounds that are essential for reducing this stress. A rigorous treatment of the subject indicates that to deal with oxidative stress, the most direct approach is to enhance the innate antioxidant mechanisms. The question is whether this is possible through daily activities. Diets can contain the necessary components for these mechanisms or may induce the expression of the genes involved in them. Another possibility is that pro-oxidant molecules in food increase the sensitivity and power of the detoxification pathways. This option is based on well-known DNA repair mechanisms after exposure to radiation (even from the Sun), or strong evidence of induction of antioxidant capacity after exposure to powerful pro-oxidants such as H2O2. More experimental work is required to test whether some molecules in food can increase the expression of antioxidant enzymes and/or improve antioxidant mechanisms. Identifying effective molecules to achieve such antioxidant power is critical to the food and nutraceutical industries. The potential of diet-based interventions to combat oxidative stress must be viewed from a new perspective.

Metodologias de monitoramento e avaliação de ações de Promoção da Saúde na Atenção Primária à Saúde / Monitoring and evaluation methodologies of Health Promotion actions in Primary Health Care

Esta revisão rápida foi comissionada e subsidiada pelo Ministério da Saúde, no âmbito do projeto GEREB-010-FIO-20 e faz parte da Coleção "Rapid response for health promotion". Contexto: A Política Nacional de Promoção da Saúde reconhece a necessidade de implementação das ações de maneira integrada, transversal e intersetorial. A promoção da saúde é caracterizada como um conjunto de formas e estratégias, individuais e coletivas, de produzir saúde, em articulação intersetorial com forte participação social. Assim, seu processo de implementação contempla um novo paradigma da saúde e os processos que levam ao adoecimento, deslocando o foco da doença e acolhendo os modos e contextos de vida. Muitos avanços ocorreram nas políticas e programas de promoção à saúde, no entanto há uma necessidade de metodologias para monitorar e avaliar as ações nesse campo. Uma metodologia estruturada serve como um modelo que possibilita um passo a passo a fim de construir e avaliar um programa de intervenção e sua implementação. Pergunta: Quais são as metodologias que têm sido utilizadas para monitorar e avaliar o resultado e o impacto das ações de Promoção da Saúde na APS? Métodos: Três frameworks para avaliação e monitoramento de ações de promoção da saúde foram identificados: RE-AIM, PRECEDE-PROCEED, PROCTOR e colaboradores. Buscas manuais foram realizadas nas fontes de informação Pubmed e Google Acadêmico para identificar artigos que abordassem os conceitos e o modo de operação desses frameworks, bem como exemplos de estudos que os tenham aplicado. As buscas foram realizadas por uma revisora e as extrações de dados por três revisores. Não foi realizada a avaliação da qualidade metodológica dos estudos. Os resultados são apresentados em síntese narrativa. Resultados: As buscas manuais recuperaram treze publicações, das quais dez compuseram a síntese narrativa desta revisão rápida. Cinco artigos abordando o framework RE-AIM são apresentados, um que discorre sobre o modelo e quatro que ilustram suas possibilidades de aplicação (exemplos de estudos de desenhos diversos sobre intervenções em atividade física, obesidade infantil e mudanças no estilo de vida). Para o framework PRECEDE-PROCEED foram incluídos um artigo sobre o modelo e dois artigos que exemplificam sua aplicação na avaliação de programa de saúde comunitária para adultos hipertensos e aconselhamento de atividade física. O modelo de ciência de implementação proposto por Proctor e colaboradores é abordado em um artigo e exemplificado em outro sobre avaliação qualitativa de um programa de promoção de saúde para usuários com risco de desenvolver doenças. Considerações finais: São apresentados três frameworks para avaliação de ações de promoção da saúde em ambientes de APS. Os modelos são distintos entre si e, de maneira geral, os estudos que os utilizaram indicam que eles podem ser boas ferramentas para planejar, implementar, monitorar e avaliar programas e ações de promoção de saúde.

This rapid review was commissioned and subsidized by the Ministry of Health, within the scope of the GEREB-010-FIO-20 project and is part of the "Rapid response for health promotion" Collection. Context: The Brazilian National Health Promotion Policy recognizes the need to implement actions in an integrated, transversal and intersectoral manner. Health promotion is characterized as a set of individual and collective ways and strategies to produce health, in intersectoral articulation with strong social participation. Thus, its implementation process contemplates a new health paradigm and the processes that lead to illness, shifting the focus of the disease and welcoming the ways and contexts of life. Many advances have been made in health promotion policies and programs, however there is a need for methodologies to monitor and evaluate actions in this field. A structured methodology serves as a model that provides a step-by-step approach to building and evaluating an intervention program and its implementation. Question: What methodologies have been used to monitor and evaluate the result and impact of Health Promotion actions in PHC? Methods: Three frameworks for evaluating and monitoring health promotion actions were identified: RE-AIM, PRECEDE-PROCEED, PROCTOR and collaborators. Manual searches were carried out in Pubmed and Google Scholar information sources to identify articles that addressed the concepts and operation of these frameworks, as well as examples of studies that have applied them. Searches were performed by one reviewer and data extractions by three reviewers. The evaluation of the methodological quality of the studies was not performed. The results are presented in narrative synthesis. Results: Manual searches retrieved thirteen publications, ten of which composed the narrative synthesis of this quick review. Five articles addressing the RE-AIM framework are presented, one that discusses the model and four that illustrate its application possibilities (examples of studies of different designs on interventions in physical activity, childhood obesity and changes in lifestyle). For the PRECEDE-PROCEED framework, an article about the model and two articles that exemplify its application in the evaluation of a community health program for hypertensive adults and physical activity counseling were included. The implementation science model proposed by Proctor and collaborators is addressed in an article and exemplified in another on qualitative evaluation of a health promotion program for users at risk of developing diseases. Final considerations: Three frameworks for evaluating health promotion actions in PHC environments are presented. The models are distinct from each other and, in general, the studies that used them indicate that they can be good tools for planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating health promotion programs and actions.

Thiamine supplementation holds neurocognitive benefits for breastfed infants during the first year of life.

Women reliant on mostly rice-based diets can have inadequate thiamine intake, placing breastfed infants at risk of thiamine deficiency and, in turn, physical and cognitive impairments. We investigated the impact of maternal thiamine supplementation doses on infants' cognitive, motor, and language development across the first year. In this double-blind, four-parallel-arm, randomized controlled trial, healthy mothers of exclusively breastfed newborn infants were recruited in Kampong Thom, Cambodia. At 2 weeks postnatal, women (n = 335) were randomized to one of four treatment groups to consume one capsule/day with varying amounts of thiamine for 22 weeks: 0, 1.2, 2.4, and 10 mg. At 2, 12, 24, and 52 weeks of age, infants were assessed with the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) and the Caregiver Reported Early Development Instrument (CREDI). Multiple regression and mixed effects modeling suggest that by 6 months of age, the highest maternal thiamine dose (10 mg/day) held significant benefits for infants' language development, but generally not for motor or visual reception development. Despite having achieved standardized scores on the MSEL that approximated U.S. norms by 6 months, infants showed a significant drop relative to these norms in both language domains following trial completion, indicating that nutritional interventions beyond 6 months may be necessary.

Medical Cannabis in Oncology: a Valuable Unappreciated Remedy or an Undesirable Risk?

OPINION STATEMENT: The use of the cannabis plant by cancer patients has been rising significantly in the past few years worldwide, primarily driven by public demand. There is an obvious need for more reliable scientific data, pharmacology information, a better understanding of its mode of action, and available clinical evidence supporting its robust use. Physicians must complete a thorough medical assessment, screening for potential drugs, or treatment contraindications before allowing its consumption. In light of the growing popularity of cannabis usage, it is highly essential that, in the near future, the medical community will be able to provide practical recommendations and explicit guidelines, including doses, and that cannabinoid concentrations in the used products are defined regarding its prescription before any medical procedure involving its usage is authorized. Here, we review and describe the favorable outcomes demonstrating the benefits of cannabis as an adjunctive treatment to conventional medicines for chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting, and cancer-related pain (primarily refractory chronic or neuropathic pain). Although not yet substantial enough, the treatment of anorexia, insomnia, depression, and anxiety is also seemingly favorable. To date, reports regarding its anti-neoplastic effects or its potent immunosuppressive properties influencing response to immunotherapy are still very conflicting and controversial. Thus, with the current state of evidence, cannabis use is not advisable as initial treatment, as an adjunct or an advanced line of care. In the coming years, we expect that preclinical data and animal models will shift to the clinical arena, and more patients will be recruited for clinical trials, and their reports will advance the field. Thus, physicians should prescribe cannabis only if careful clarification and consideration is provided together with a follow-up response evaluation.

Recent Studies on Berry Bioactives and Their Health-Promoting Roles.

Along with the increased knowledge about the positive health effects of food bioactives, the eating habits of many individuals have changed to obtain higher nutritional benefits from foods. Fruits are among the most preferred food materials in this regard. In particular, berry fruits are important sources in the diet in terms of their high nutritional content including vitamins, minerals, and phenolic compounds. Berry fruits have remedial effects on several diseases and these health-promoting impacts are associated with their phenolic compounds which may vary depending on the type and variety of the fruit coupled with other factors including climate, agricultural conditions, etc. Most of the berries have outstanding beneficial roles in many body systems of humans such as gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, immune, and nervous systems. Furthermore, they are effective on some metabolic disorders and several types of cancer. In this review, the health-promoting effects of bioactive compounds in berry fruits are presented and the most recent in vivo, in vitro, and clinical studies are discussed from a food science and nutrition point of view.

Coriandrum sativum L.: A Review on Ethnopharmacology, Phytochemistry, and Cardiovascular Benefits.

Coriandrum sativum (C. sativum), belonging to the Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) family, is widely recognized for its uses in culinary and traditional medicine. C. sativum contains various phytochemicals such as polyphenols, vitamins, and many phytosterols, which account for its properties including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and analgesic effects. The cardiovascular benefits of C. sativum have not been summarized before, hence this review aims to further evaluate and discuss its effectiveness in cardiovascular diseases, according to the recent literature. An electronic search for literature was carried out using the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, preprint platforms, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Articles were gathered from the inception of the database until August 2021. Moreover, the traditional uses and phytochemistry of coriander were surveyed in the original resources and summarized. As a result, most of the studies that cover cardiovascular benefits and fulfilled the eligibility criteria were in vivo, while only a few were in vitro and clinical studies. In conclusion, C. sativum can be deemed a functional food due to its wide range of cardiovascular benefits such as antihypertensive, anti-atherogenic, antiarrhythmic, hypolipidemic as well as cardioprotective effects.

Role of Phenolic Compounds in Human Disease: Current Knowledge and Future Prospects.

Inflammation is a natural protective mechanism that occurs when the body's tissue homeostatic mechanisms are disrupted by biotic, physical, or chemical agents. The immune response generates pro-inflammatory mediators, but excessive output, such as chronic inflammation, contributes to many persistent diseases. Some phenolic compounds work in tandem with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to inhibit pro-inflammatory mediators' activity or gene expression, including cyclooxygenase (COX). Various phenolic compounds can also act on transcription factors, such as nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) or nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2), to up-or downregulate elements within the antioxidant response pathways. Phenolic compounds can inhibit enzymes associated with the development of human diseases and have been used to treat various common human ailments, including hypertension, metabolic problems, incendiary infections, and neurodegenerative diseases. The inhibition of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) by phenolic compounds has been used to treat hypertension. The inhibition of carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzyme represents a type 2 diabetes mellitus therapy, and cholinesterase inhibition has been applied to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD). Phenolic compounds have also demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties to treat skin diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Plant extracts and phenolic compounds exert protective effects against oxidative stress and inflammation caused by airborne particulate matter, in addition to a range of anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-aging, antibacterial, and antiviral activities. Dietary polyphenols have been used to prevent and treat allergy-related diseases. The chemical and biological contributions of phenolic compounds to cardiovascular disease have also been described. This review summarizes the recent progress delineating the multifunctional roles of phenolic compounds, including their anti-inflammatory properties and the molecular pathways through which they exert anti-inflammatory effects on metabolic disorders. This study also discusses current issues and potential prospects for the therapeutic application of phenolic compounds to various human diseases.

Mushrooms and immunity.

In the wide field of nutraceuticals, the effects of mushrooms on immunity, cancer and including autoimmunity have been proposed for centuries but in recent years a growing interest has led scientists to elucidate which specific compounds have bioactive properties and through which mechanisms. Glucans and specific proteins are responsible for most of the biological effects of mushrooms, particularly in terms of immunomodulatory and anti-tumor results. Proteins with bioactive effects include lectins, fungal immunomodulatory proteins (FIPs), ribosome inactivating proteins (RIPs), ribonucleases, laccases, among others. At the present status of knowledge, numerous studies have been performed on cell lines and murine models while only a few clinical trials have been conducted. As in most cases of dietary components, the multitude of variables implicated in the final effect and an inadequate standardization are expected to affect the observed differences, thus making the available evidence insufficient to justify the treatment of human diseases with mushrooms extracts. We will herein provide a comprehensive review and critically discussion the biochemical changes induced by different mushroom compounds as observed in in vitro studies, particularly on macrophages, dendritic cells, T cells, and NK cells, compared to in vivo and human studies. Additional effects are represented by lipids which constitute a minor part of mushrooms but may have a role in reducing serum cholesterol levels or phenols acting as antioxidant and reducing agents. Human studies provide a minority of available data, as well illustrated by a placebo-controlled study of athletes treated with ß-glucan from Pleurotus ostreatus. Variables influencing study outcomes include different mushrooms strains, growing conditions, developmental stage, part of mushroom used, extraction method, and storage conditions. We foresee that future rigorous research will be needed to determine the potential of mushroom compounds for human health to reproduce the effects of some compounds such as lentinan which a metaanalysis demonstrated to increase the efficacy of chemotherapy in the treatment of lung cancer and in the improvement of the patients quality of life.

Anticancer and Immunomodulatory Benefits of Taro (Colocasia esculenta) Corms, an Underexploited Tuber Crop.

Taro corms contain valuable bioactive molecules effective against cancer and cancer-related risk factors, such as carcinogens and biological agents, several pathophysiological conditions, including oxidative stress and inflammation, while controlling metabolic dysfunctions and boosting the immunological response. Such broad effects are achieved by the taro health-influencing compounds displaying antitumoral, antimutagenic, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-hyperglycemic, and anti-hyperlipidemic activities. Taro bioactivities are attributed to the combination of tarin, taro-4-I polysaccharide, taro polysaccharides 1 and 2 (TPS-1 and TPS-2), A-1/B-2 α-amylase inhibitors, monogalactosyldiacylglycerols (MGDGs), digalactosyldiacylglycerols (DGDGs), polyphenols, and nonphenolic antioxidants. Most of these compounds have been purified and successfully challenged in vitro and in vivo, proving their involvement in the aforementioned activities. Although these health-promoting effects have been recognized since ancient times, as well as other valuable features of taro for food profit, such as hypo-allergenicity, gluten-free, and carbohydrates with medium-glycemic index, taro crop remains underexploited. The popularization of taro intake should be considered a dietary intervention strategy to be applied to improve the overall health status of the organism and as supportive therapy to manage tumorigenesis.