Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma: a rare case of rectal cancer.

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a histological variant that resembles nasopharyngeal lymphoepithelioma and occurs in various locations such as the salivary glands and lung. LELCs in the digestive tract are rare, accounting for only 2% of cases, being exceptional in the rectum. We present the case of an 84-year-old man with rectorrhagia, whitish malodorous discharge and constipation of one month's duration. Rectal examination identified a tumour. Colonoscopy revealed a rectal lesion that was confirmed by biopsy as malignant, and MRI showed an extensive rectal tumour. Histopathology revealed undifferentiated carcinoma with acute inflammatory infiltrate, consistent with LELC. Immunohistochemistry was positive for keratins 5/6, 18, 20, CEA and BER.EP4, while in situ hybridisation for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) RNA was negative. The multidisciplinary decision included neoadjuvant radiotherapy and anterior rectal resection. The patient remains in complete response two years after treatment. Histologically, LELC is characterised by an acute inflammatory infiltrate interspersed with poorly differentiated neoplastic cells. The stomach is the most commonly affected region in the gastrointestinal tract, with more than 80% of gastric LELCs associated with EBV. To date, only four cases of rectal LELC have been reported, and its association with EBV was demonstrated in only one case. There are no standard treatments for rectal LELC, underscoring the need to gather more cases to understand its pathogenesis and develop effective treatment strategies.

Adherence to Oxidative Balance Scores is Associated with a Reduced Risk of Breast Cancer; A Case-Control Study.

We aimed to examine whether anthropometric indices, dietary factors, and nutrient intakes of women with and without breast cancer (BrCa) are associated with the oxidative balance score (OBS). This case-control study was carried out among 253 patients with BrCa and 267 healthy subjects aged >18 years. The OBS was calculated by using the following 13 dietary and non-dietary anti- and prooxidant components: dietary antioxidants (selenium, fiber, ß-carotene, vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin E, and folate), dietary prooxidants (iron and saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids), and nondietary anti- (physical activity) and prooxidants (smoking and obesity). The binary logistic regression was used to determine the association OBS with BrCa. After adjusting for potential confounders in the final model, there was evidence that the odds of BrCa decreased with increasing categories of the OBS (OR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.28 - 0.98; P-trend = 0.021). When we made stratified analysis by menopausal status, OBS was inversely associated with odds of BrCa in premenopausal women after adjusting for potential confounders. No significant association was found between OBS and odds of BrCa among post-menopausal women. Our data suggest that OBS scores were associated with decreased BrCa risk in the overall population.

Associations of the Paleolithic Diet Pattern Scores and the Risk of Breast Cancer among Adults: A Case-Control Study.

Evidence suggests the role of changing traditional lifestyle patterns such as Paleolithic to modern lifestyle in the incidence and epidemic of chronic diseases. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the association between Paleolithic diet (PD) and risk of Breast Cancer (BC) in adult Iranian women. This matched case-control study included 253 women with BC and 267 healthy women aged >18 years. PD score was evaluated using a validated 168-item quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Conditional logistic regression model was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs), and dose-response was investigated. Mean of PD score was 39.00 ± 6.39. Among the food groups of the PD components, BC patients significantly had lower consumption of healthy food groups as vegetables, fruits, fish, and nuts, higher intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages as well as grains and starches. After adjustment for potential confounders, comparing the highest quartile of PD scores with the lowest quartile, a decrease in the risk of BC was observed for all women (OR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.13-0.53), as well as those premenopausal (OR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.11), and postmenopausal (OR: 0.17; 95% CI: 0.05 - 0.56). Our findings show that adherence to the PD pattern significantly reduces the risk of BC in the population studied. However, prospective studies are needed to further investigate this association.

Association between an oxidative balance score and mortality: a prospective analysis in the SUN cohort.

PURPOSE: We aimed to prospectively investigate the association of an overall oxidative balance score (OBS) with all-cause death and cause-specific mortality among participants in the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) Study, a Mediterranean cohort of Spanish graduates. METHODS: Using baseline information on 12 a priori selected dietary and non-dietary lifestyle pro- and antioxidants exposures-vitamins C and E, ß-carotenes, selenium, zinc, heme iron, polyphenols, total antioxidant capacity, body mass index, alcohol, smoking, and physical activity-we constructed an equally weighted OBS categorized into quartiles, with higher scores representing greater antioxidant balance. Cox proportional hazards models were fitted to evaluate the association between the OBS and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 18,561 participants (mean [SD] age, 38.5 [12.4] years; 40.8% males) were included in the analysis. During a median follow-up of 12.2 years (interquartile range 8.3-14.9), 421 deaths were identified, including 80 deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD), 215 from cancer, and 126 from other causes. After adjustment for potential confounders, the hazard ratios and 95% confidence interval (CIs) between the highest quartile (predominance of antioxidants) vs. the lowest quartile (reference category) were 0.35 (95% CI 0.22-0.54, P-trend < 0.001) for all-cause mortality, 0.18 (95% CI 0.06-0.51, P-trend = 0.001) for CVD mortality, 0.35 (95% CI 0.19-0.65, P-trend = 0.002) for cancer mortality, and 0.45 (95% CI 0.20-1.02, P-trend = 0.054) for other-cause mortality. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest a strong inverse association between the OBS and all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality. Individuals exposed to both antioxidant dietary and lifestyle factors may potentially experience the lowest mortality risk. STUDY REGISTRY NUMBER: Dynamic Mediterranean Prospective Cohort: the SUN Project; NCT02669602. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02669602 . https://proyectosun.es.

Consumption of sesame seeds and sesame products has favorable effects on blood glucose levels but not on insulin resistance: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials.

Sesame, with an oily seed containing oil, lignans, and proteins, is a popular plant that has demonstrated health benefits such as antioxidative, antiobesity, and antiinflammatory effects. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to summarize the effect of sesame seeds and their consumption compared to a control group on blood glucose and insulin resistance in human adults. PubMed/MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and EMBASE were searched to identify eligible controlled clinical trials up to February 2021. Finally, eight clinical trials were included in this study. Sesame products used in these trials were sesame oil, sesamin, and tahini, and the duration of the intervention varied from 45 days to 9 weeks. Our results showed the significant positive effects of sesame and its products on fasting blood glucose FBG (weighted mean difference, WMD: -21.31 mg/dl, 95% CI: -41.23, -1.39, p = .036) and HbA1c (WMD: -0.75, 95% CI: -1.16, -0.34, p < .001) levels but results about fasting serum insulin (WMD: 5.51 µU/ml, 95% CI: -2.31, 13.33, p = .167) and HOMA-IR (WMD: -0.07, 95% CI: -0.33, 0.20, p = .617) were not meaningful. Sesame may be considered a beneficial agent for human glucose metabolism and can be a part of glucose-lowering diets.

Statistical Validation of Rare Complement Variants Provides Insights into the Molecular Basis of Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome and C3 Glomerulopathy.

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) and C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) are associated with dysregulation and overactivation of the complement alternative pathway. Typically, gene analysis for aHUS and C3G is undertaken in small patient numbers, yet it is unclear which genes most frequently predispose to aHUS or C3G. Accordingly, we performed a six-center analysis of 610 rare genetic variants in 13 mostly complement genes (CFH, CFI, CD46, C3, CFB, CFHR1, CFHR3, CFHR4, CFHR5, CFP, PLG, DGKE, and THBD) from >3500 patients with aHUS and C3G. We report 371 novel rare variants (RVs) for aHUS and 82 for C3G. Our new interactive Database of Complement Gene Variants was used to extract allele frequency data for these 13 genes using the Exome Aggregation Consortium server as the reference genome. For aHUS, significantly more protein-altering rare variation was found in five genes CFH, CFI, CD46, C3, and DGKE than in the Exome Aggregation Consortium (allele frequency < 0.01%), thus correlating these with aHUS. For C3G, an association was only found for RVs in C3 and the N-terminal C3b-binding or C-terminal nonsurface-associated regions of CFH In conclusion, the RV analyses showed nonrandom distributions over the affected proteins, and different distributions were observed between aHUS and C3G that clarify their phenotypes.

Seasonal variations do not affect the superiority of fecal immunochemical tests over guaiac tests for colorectal cancer screening.

The aim of this study was to compare the seasonal variation in performance of a faecal immunochemical test for haemoglobin (FIT) and a guaiac test (gFOBT) for colorectal cancer screening. From June 2009 to May 2011, 18,290 screening participants (50-74 years old) performed OC-SENSOR quantitative FIT (1 sample) and Hemoccult II gFOBT (3 stool samples with 2 spots/sample). Referral for colonoscopy required a minimum of one positive spot (gFOBT), or a positive FIT [cut-off 150 ng haemoglobin/mL buffer (i.e. 30 µg haemoglobin/g feces)]. The performance of tests for detection of advanced neoplasia was compared according to seasons using Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves, at various FIT cut-off values. The positivity rate of FIT was significantly lower in the summer compared with other seasons (2.3% versus 3.0%, p = 0.03), whilst the positivity rate of gFOBT increased in the autumn (1.8% versus 1.5%, p = 0.11). FIT was clinically more effective than gFOBT over the four season-specific ROC curves. At the cut-off concentration used in the study, the season-specific FIT/gFOBT ratios for true positive rates were: 2.8 (Autumn), 2.5 (Winter), 3.0 (Spring), 3.7 (Summer), and for false positive rates: 1.2 (Autumn), 1.5 (Winter), 1.8 (Spring), 0.9 (Summer). Therefore, in this study with this cut-off concentration and in spite of lower positivity rate in summer, the seasonal variations of performance of OC-SENSOR FIT led to improved gain in specificity in the summer, without a decrease in gain in sensitivity compared with gFOBT.

A population-based comparison of immunochemical fecal occult blood tests for colorectal cancer screening.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Quantitative fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) identify individuals with colorectal cancer with greater levels of accuracy than guaiac tests. We compared the performances of 2 FITs in a population undergoing screening for colorectal cancer. METHODS: We collected fecal samples from 19,797 individuals in France (age, 50-74 y) who participated in a colorectal cancer screening program, from June 2009 through May 2011. Samples were analyzed using the Magstream (Fujirebio Inc, Tokyo, Japan) and OC Sensor (Eiken Chemical Co, Tokyo, Japan) (2 samples each) FITs, as well as the Hemoccult II guaiac test (SKD, Villepinte, France) (3 samples each). Colonoscopies were performed for patients with positive results from all 3 tests. The cut-off values for levels of hemoglobin in buffer and stools were 55 ng/mL and 180 µg/g for the Magstream and 150 ng/mL and 30 µg/g for the OC Sensor, respectively. Results from the FITs were compared with those from the guaiac test for cut-off values for stool samples, positivity rates, and the receiver operating characteristic curve values. The numbers needed to screen and the numbers needed to scope to detect an advanced neoplasia (cancer, adenoma ≥10 mm, or high-grade dysplasia) were calculated. RESULTS: A positive test result was found in 1224 participants (6.2%); 1075 (87.8%) underwent a colonoscopy examination. Of these, 334 were found to have advanced neoplasia. Considering the cut-off values associated with the positivity rate of Hemoccult II (1.6%), the numbers needed to screen were 239 for Hemoccult II, 166 for a 1-sample Magstream FIT, and 129 for a 1-sample OC Sensor FIT; the numbers needed to scope were 3.3, 2.3, and 1.8, respectively. For the same false-positive rate as Hemoccult II (0.98%), the true-positive rates for Magstream and OC Sensor FITs were 0.65% and 0.90% respectively, compared with 0.42% for Hemoccult II. The OC Sensor FIT had a greater area under the receiver operating characteristic curve value than the Magstream FIT. CONCLUSIONS: Based on results from a large, population-based study, the OC Sensor FIT identifies patients with colorectal cancer with greater accuracy than the Magstream FIT. ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT01251666.

Effect of the ketogenic diet as a treatment for refractory epilepsy in children and adolescents: a systematic review of reviews.

CONTEXT: Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent neurological disorders in childhood. Antiepileptic drugs are the preferred treatment. However, 30% of children continue suffering seizures. A ketogenic diet (KD) is one of the emerging alternative treatments. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to analyze the current evidence regarding the use of a KD for the treatment of refractory epilepsy (RE) in childhood. DATA SOURCES: A systematic review of reviews was performed, based on MEDLINE (PubMed) as at January 2021. DATA EXTRACTION: The data extracted included the first author's last name; the year of publication; the country; the study design; the population; the diagnosis, concept, and description of KD types; and major outcome. RESULTS: Twenty-one reviews were included, 8 with systematic methodology (2 of them included a meta-analysis) and 13 with unsystematic methodology. The main difference between the 2 types of reviews is the reproducibility of their methodology. Therefore, the results of each type of review were analyzed separately. Each type of review described 4 categories of KD: classic KD, modified Atkins diet (MAD), use of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), and low glycemic index treatment (LGIT). In terms of effectiveness, the considered systematic reviews reported reductions in the frequency of seizures greater than 50% in about half of the patients. Reviews without systematic methodology reported that 30%-60% of the children showed a 50% or greater reduction in seizures. The most frequently described adverse effects in the 8 systematic reviews were: vomiting (6/8), constipation (6/8), and diarrhea (6/8); and in the unsystematic reviews: vomiting and nausea (10/13), constipation (10/13), and acidosis (9/13). CONCLUSION: KD can be an effective treatment for RE, with a more than 50% reduction in the frequency of seizures and cognitive improvement being achieved in half of the pediatric patients. The effectiveness of the various types of KD is comparable, and the KD can be adapted to the needs of the patient. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42021244142.

Effectiveness of Health Action Interventions in Enhancing Diet Quality and Glycemic Control Among Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials.

CONTEXT: Diet quality is directly related to glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The use of dietary indices can provide a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between diet quality and clinical outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate the relationship between diet quality, measured using dietary indices, and its impact on improving glycemic control in individuals with T2DM through health interventions. DATA SOURCE: This study was conducted using 6 databases, including Web of Science, MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, Bireme, Scopus, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), as well as the gray literature (Google Academic). DATA EXTRACTION: Randomized clinical trials that evaluated the effectiveness of health interventions in adult and older adult individuals with T2DM and presented data on diet quality evaluated using dietary indices and the percentage of glycated hemoglobin (%HbA1c) were included. DATA ANALYSIS: A total of 3735 articles were retrieved, 4 of which were included in the study selection stages. The quality indices assessed in the studies were the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010), Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I), and Diet Quality Index-Revised (DQI-R). A reduction in %HbA1c was observed in 2 studies, which correlated with the AHEI and DQI-I scores in the intervention groups. The approach of using food labels to improve diet quality reduced %HbA1c by 0.08% in the intervention group compared with the control group. Only 1 study found no significant association between the DQI-R index and %HbA1c. Additionally, negative correlations were observed between body weight and the AHEI and DQI-I scores. CONCLUSION: Health interventions improved diet quality, glycemic control, and weight loss in individuals with T2DM. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO no. CRD42023430036.

Proximity of first sexual intercourse to menarche and risk of high-grade cervical disease.

BACKGROUND: We assessed if risk of developing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2/3 (CIN2/3) or adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) is associated with a short interval between menarche and first sexual intercourse (FSI). METHODS: A total of 1009 Colombian and 1012 Finnish females, aged 16-23, who were enrolled in the phase 3 trials of a quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) 6/11/16/18 vaccine had nonmissing data for age of menarche and FSI. The impact of menarche interval on the odds of developing CIN2-3/AIS was evaluated in placebo recipients who were DNA negative to HPV 6/11/16/18/31/33/35/39/45/51/52/56/58/59 and seronegative to HPV 6/11/16/18 at day 1, and had a normal Pap result at day 1 and month 7, thus approximating sexually naive adolescents (n = 504). RESULTS: The mean age of menarche and FSI was 12.4 and 16.0 years, respectively. Among the women approximating sexually naive adolescents, 18 developed CIN2-3/AIS. Compared with women who postponed FSI beyond 3 years of menarche, those with FSI within 3 years of menarche had a greater risk of cytologic abnormalities (odds ratio [OR], 1.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-2.68; P = .04) and CIN2-3/AIS (OR, 3.56; 95% CI, 1.02-12.47; P = .05). CONCLUSIONS: A short interval between menarche and FSI was a risk factor for cytologic abnormalities and high-grade cervical disease. These data emphasize the importance of primary prevention through education and vaccination. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT00092521 and NCT00092534.

[Dietary patterns and factors and their association with the anxiety in adult population: proposed recommendations based on a scoping review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses]. / Patrones y factores dietéticos y su asociación con la ansiedad en población adulta: propuesta de recomendaciones basada en una revisión de alcance de revisiones sistemáticas y metaanálisis.

Introduction: A high percentage of the population suffers from anxiety, a disorder that can be influenced by dietary habits. The aim of this review was to compile the existing evidence on dietary patterns and factors, and their association with anxiety to propose clinically applicable recommendations. A scoping review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses was conducted in the MEDLINE database (PubMed) until January 2021, reporting the main findings based on PRISMA (2020). To construct the search strategy, MeSH language, keywords ("diet", "nutrients", "healthy lifestyle", "anxiety") and filters were used, combined using Boolean operators. Twelve articles, seven systematic reviews with meta-analysis and five systematic reviews were selected. Several results were obtained evaluating the relationship between anxiety and different aspects of diet. The main associations found were between increased consumption of raw vegetables and fruits, substitution of refined cereals by whole grains, intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fats, and increased intake of minerals and vitamins, tryptophan and antioxidants. Based on the systematic reviews and meta-analyses included as findings, ten recommendations on food consumption that should be considered as a priority for these patients were proposed. Based on the literature reviewed, it is concluded that there are dietary patterns and factors that could have a stronger positive influence on anxiety. This proposal of evidence-based dietary recommendations may allow healthcare professionals to have updated recommendations to provide a first orientation.

Introducción: Un alto porcentaje de la población sufre ansiedad, trastorno que puede verse influenciado por los hábitos dietéticos. El objetivo de esta revisión fue recopilar la evidencia existente sobre los patrones y factores dietéticos, y su asociación con la ansiedad para proponer unas recomendaciones clínicamente aplicables. Se realizó una revisión de alcance (Scoping Review) de revisiones sistemáticas y metaanálisis en la base de datos MEDLINE (PubMed) hasta enero de 2021, informando de los principales hallazgos según PRISMA (2020). Para construir la estrategia de búsqueda, se emplearon el lenguaje MeSH, palabras clave ("dieta", "nutrientes", "estilo de vida saludable", "ansiedad") y filtros, combinándose mediante operadores booleanos. Se seleccionaron 12 artículos, siete revisiones sistemáticas con metaanálisis y cinco revisiones sistemáticas. Se obtuvieron diversos resultados en los que se evaluaba la relación entre la ansiedad y diferentes aspectos de la dieta. Las principales asociaciones encontradas se observaron entre un mayor consumo de verduras crudas y frutas, la sustitución de cereales refinados por integrales, la ingesta de AGP omega-3 y omega-6 y el incremento del consumo de minerales y vitaminas, triptófano y antioxidantes. De acuerdo con las revisiones sistemáticas y metaanálisis incluidos como resultados, se propusieron diez recomendaciones sobre el consumo de alimentos y la ingesta de nutrientes que deberían priorizarse en estos pacientes. Según la literatura revisada, se concluye que existen patrones y factores dietéticos que podrían ejercer una mayor influencia protectora sobre la ansiedad. Esta propuesta de recomendaciones dietéticas basadas en la evidenciapermitirá a los profesionales sanitarios disponer de unas pautas actualizadas que sirvan como una primera guía.

[Relationship between diet, nutritional aspects and sleep quality in a pediatric population]. / Relación entre la dieta, aspectos nutricionales y la calidad del sueño en población pediátrica.

The relationship between diet and sleep has been studied in adults. However, there is little evidence in the pediatric population. The objective of this review was to analyze in a narrative way the relationship between diet, some nutritional aspects and sleep quality in population under 14 years. A quick review was performed in MEDLINE (PubMed) and Cochrane with a search strategy combining MeSH terms and keywords. Studies were selected to estimate diet and evaluate nutritional status and sleep in children using different tools. The risk of bias from the 14 selected studies was determined with validated tools (AMSTAR 2, Newcastle Ottawa scale [NOS] and Risk of Bias [Rob2]). Adherence to some dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean, high consumption of fruits and vegetables, tryptophan intake or substitution of saturated fatty acids by unsaturated fats were associated with better sleep quality. The consumption of ultra-processed products, the "unhealthy fast food" or the high intake of simple sugars hinder an adequate rest. On the other hand, an association between a high body mass index and lack of sleep was observed in young people under 14. In conclusion, the collected studies showed a significant association between some dietary patterns, food groups and nutrients with sleep quality. "Unhealthy" dietary factors were associated with poorer sleep quality. However, healthier and recommended habits and diets were associated with improved sleep hygiene. On the other hand, the lack of hours of rest in the youth population increases height, weight and BMI. Further research is needed in this direction.

Dietary intake, nutritional adequacy and food sources of vitamins involved in the methionine-methylation cycle from Spanish children aged one to <10 years: results from the EsNuPI study.

Background: Methionine-methylation cycle and the derived critical functions during infancy are key regulated by folates, vitamins B12, and B6. At present in Spain, there is an absence of studies that assess the intakes and dietary sources of total folates and B12 by children consuming all types of milks and those regularly consuming adapted milk formulas. Thus, our aim was to evaluate folates intakes alongside with vitamins B6 and B12 while describing their major dietary contributors in Spanish children aged one to <10 years. Methods: A total of 1,448 children aged between 1 and 10 years (49.7% girls and 50.3% boys) from the EsNuPI, a prospective cross-sectional study, were allocated into two cohorts: one Spanish Reference Cohort (SRS) of the general population (n = 707), and another including children consuming adapted milks called Adapted Milk Consumers Cohort (AMS) (n = 741) completed two 24 h dietary recalls used to estimate their nutrient intakes and to compare them to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Population Reference Intakes. Results: The median intake of vitamin B6 was 1.35 (1.06-1.70) mg/day in the SRS and 1.45 (1.17-1.79) mg/day in the AMS, being significantly higher in the AMS for all age-groups. Prevalence of adequacy for vitamin B6 in the SRS and AMS was 97.7 and 98.7%, respectively. Total folates intakes in the AMS were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.001) in all age groups than in the SRS, independently of age. In addition, the prevalence of adequacy for folates intakes in all groups was more than 60%. Vitamin B12 intake increased with age independently of the type of milk consumed. The prevalence of adequacy for vitamin B12 was highly compliant by all population groups. The major contributors to vitamin B6 were milk and dairy products being significantly higher in AMS than SRS (p ≤ 0.001). The highest contributors to folates intakes were milk and dairy products, cereals, vegetables, and fruits in both groups whereas for vitamin B12 in the SRS sample were milk and dairy products followed by meat and meats products and for adapted milks, were milk and dairy products, followed by eggs, then meat and meats products. Conclusion: A satisfactory prevalence of adequacy for vitamins B6, and B12 amongst the Spanish children population was observed, which was not the case for folates, regardless of the dietary group evaluated. Nevertheless, a possible strategy to increase folate intake among the youngest children is to increase the consumption of milk and dairy products within a healthier dietary pattern, as these may contribute significantly to the vitamin needs of the infant population.

Biorefinery Approach Applied to the Production of Food Colourants and Biostimulants from Oscillatoria sp.

In this study, a biorefinery based on Oscillatoria sp. is developed to produce high-value compounds such as C-phycocyanin, used in food colourant applications, and biostimulants, used in agriculture-related applications. First, the Oscillatoria biomass production was optimized at a pilot scale in an open raceway reactor, with biomass productivities equivalent to 52 t/ha·year being achieved using regular fertilizers as the nutrient source. The biomass produced contained 0.5% C-phycocyanins, 95% of which were obtained after freeze-thawing and extraction at pH 6.5 and ionic strength (FI) 100 mM, with a purity ratio of 0.71 achieved in the final extract. This purity ratio allows for use of the extract directly as a food colourant. Then, the extract's colourant capacity on different beverages was evaluated. The results confirm that C-phycocyanin concentrations ranging from 22 to 106 mg/L produce colours similar to commercial products, thus avoiding the need for synthetic colourants. The colour remained stable for up to 12 days. Moreover, the safety of the extracted C-phycocyanin was confirmed through toxicity tests. The waste biomass was evaluated for use as a biostimulant, with the results confirming a relevant auxin-like positive effect. Finally, an economic analysis was conducted to evaluate different scenarios. The results confirm that the production of both C-phycocyanin and biostimulants is the best scenario from an economic standpoint. Therefore, the developed biomass processing scheme provides an opportunity to expand the range of commercial applications for microalgae-related processes.

Challenges and perspectives of the double burden of malnutrition in Latin America.

Nutrition is a key factor in the development of non-communicable chronic diseases (NCCDs), especially cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and their risk factors. The "double burden of malnutrition" (DBM) is the coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition in the same population across the life-course. In Latin America, the transition from a predominantly underweight to an overweight and obese population has increased more rapidly than in other regions in the world. Undernutrition and the micronutrient deficiencies particularly iron, zinc, and vitamins A and D, present high heterogeneity in Latin American countries, and are currently considered important public health problems. In this region, NCCDs account for 50% of the disability-adjusted life-years, led by CVD. The most prevalent cardiovascular risk factors are overweight, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Because of the cost of treatment and the potential years of life lost due to premature death, CVD is known to affect the poorest segments of the population, affecting communities, and governments. More than 80% of CVD deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. The persistence of damage in some cells due to undernutrition may explain certain findings regarding the increase in NCCD. These aspects together with epigenetic changes have highlighted the importance of a lifelong approach to nutritional policy development. Reducing DBM requires major societal interventions in public health and nutrition to achieve holistic change that can be sustained over the long term and spread throughout the global food system. The implementation of effective state policies of double impact actions should influence both sides of the burden and be considered an urgent priority, considering country-specific inequalities and socio-demographic differences in the Latin American region, using diverse and multidisciplinary strategies.

Oxidative Balance Scores (OBSs) Integrating Nutrient, Food and Lifestyle Dimensions: Development of the NutrientL-OBS and FoodL-OBS.

Oxidative Balance Scores (OBS) are tools that allow us to assess the individual's antioxidant state by ranking both antioxidant and pro-oxidant components of dietary and lifestyle factors. Our aim was to develop novel OBSs accounting for either the global supply of nutrient antioxidants in the diet, or the intake of antioxidant-rich foods, in combination with lifestyle factors. Pro-oxidant factors were also considered. Within two centers of the Spanish European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study, EPIC-Granada and EPIC-Gipuzkoa (N = 14,756 participants), we developed the Nurient, Food and Lifestyle OBS (NutrientL-OBS and FoodL-OBS), and their simplified versions (solely with dietary or lifestyle factors, the Nutrient-OBS, Food-OBS and L-OBS). Their antioxidant potential was evaluated considering their relationship with: (i) 20 scores of adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD); and, (ii) 25 biomarkers of antioxidant nutrients (ascorbic acid, ß-carotene, etc.), inflammation (CRP, TNF-alpha, etc.) and oxidative stress (uric acid), among 210 participants. Spearman correlation and multivariate linear regression analyses were applied to analyze these associations. Some statistically significant relationships were encountered between the NutrientL-OBS and the FoodL-OBS with the MD scores, and with ascorbic acid (per one-unit increase in OBS: ß = 0.012 and 0.015; p = 0.022 and 0.008, respectively) and CRP (per one-unit increase in both OBS: ß = -0.02; p = 0.02); the latter appeared to be restricted to the OBS´s lifestyle components. In conclusion, the NutrientL- and FoodL-OBSs and their sub-versions are related to antioxidant-rich dietary patterns and to biomarkers of antioxidant nutrient intake and inflammation, supporting that these tools are valid to assess the individual´s oxidative/antioxidant status.

Experimental evidence of contamination driven shrimp population dynamics: Susceptibility of populations to spatial isolation.

Contamination is likely to affect the composition of an ecological landscape, leading to the rupture of ecological connectivity among habitats (ecological fragmentation), which may impact on the distribution, persistence and abundance of populations. In the current study, different scenarios within a spatially heterogeneous landscape were simulated in the Heterogeneous Multi-Habitat Assay System (HeMHAS) to evaluate the potential effect that contamination (copper at 0.5 and 25 µg/L) might have on habitat selection by the estuarine shrimp Palaemon varians in combination with two other ecological factors: predator presence and food availability. As a result, P. varians detected and avoided copper; however, in the presence of the predation signal, shrimps shifted their response by moving to previously avoided regions, even if this resulted in a higher exposure to contamination. When encouraged to move towards environments with a high availability of food, a lower connectivity among the shrimp populations isolated by both contamination and predation risk simultaneously was evidenced, when compared to populations isolated only by the risk of predation. These results indicate that contamination might: (i) trigger avoidance in shrimps, (ii) prevent colonization of attractive foraging areas, (iii) enhance populations' isolation and (iv), make populations more susceptible to local extinction.

Dietary Intake, Nutritional Adequacy, and Food Sources of Selected Antioxidant Minerals and Vitamins; and Their Relationship with Personal and Family Factors in Spanish Children Aged 1 to <10 Years: Results from the EsNuPI Study

Minerals and vitamins involved in the antioxidant defense system are essential for healthy growth and proper development during infancy. Milk and dairy products are of particular importance for improving the supply of these nutrients to children. Indeed, the present study aimed to evaluate the nutrient intake and food sources of zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), retinol and carotenoids (sources of vitamin A), and vitamins C and E, and to analyze their relationships with personal and familiar factors in Spanish children from the EsNuPI study. One subpopulation representative of the Spanish population from 1 to <10 years old (n = 707) (reference group, REF) who reported consuming all types of milk over the last year, and another subpopulation of the same age who reported consuming fortified milk formulas (FMFs) (including follow-on formula, young child formula, growing up milk, toddler's milk, and enriched and fortified milk) (n = 741) (fortified milk consumers, FMCs) completed two 24 h dietary recalls used to estimate their nutrient intakes and to compare them to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Dietary Reference Values (DRVs). The REF reported higher median intakes than FMCs for Se (61 µg/kg vs. 51 µg/kg) and carotenoids (1079 µg/day vs. 998 µg/day). Oppositely, FMCs reported higher intakes than REF for Zn (7.9 mg/day vs. 6.9 mg/day), vitamin A (636 µg/day vs. 481 µg/day), vitamin E (8.9 mg/day vs. 4.5 mg/day), vitamin C (113 mg/day vs. 71 mg/day), and retinol (376 µg/day vs. 233 µg/day). In the REF group, more than 50% of the children met the EFSA recommendations for Zn (79.6%), Se (87.1%), vitamin A (71.3%), and vitamin C (96.7%), respectively. On the other hand, 92.2% were below the EFSA recommendations for vitamin E. In the FMC group, more than 50% of the children met the EFSA recommendations for Zn (55.2%), Se (90.8%), vitamin A (75.7%), vitamin E (66.7%), and vitamin C (100%). We found statistically significant differences between subpopulations for all cases except for Se. In both subpopulations, the main sources of all antioxidant nutrients were milk and dairy products. For carotenoids, the main sources were vegetables and fruits followed by milk and dairy products. A high percentage of children had vitamins A and E intakes below the recommendations, information of great importance to stakeholders. More studies using intakes and biomarkers are needed, however, to determine an association with diverse factors of oxidative damage.