Effects of mixed nuts as part of a Brazilian Cardioprotective diet on LDL-cholesterol in adult patients after myocardial infarction: a multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Nuts consumption is related to cardioprotective effects on primary cardiovascular prevention, but studies conducted in secondary prevention are small, scarce and controversial. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effects of a regional and sustainable cardioprotective diet added or not with an affordable mixed nuts on cardiometabolic features in patients with previous myocardial infarction. METHODS: DICA-NUTS study is a national, multi-center, and superiority-parallel randomized clinical trial. Males and females over 40 years old diagnosed with previous myocardial infarction in the last 2 to 6 months were included. Patients were allocated into two groups: the Brazilian Cardioprotective diet (DICA Br) supplemented with 30 g/day of mixed nuts (10 g of peanuts; 10 g of cashew; 10 g of Brazil nuts) (intervention group, n = 193); or only DICA Br prescription (control group, n = 195). The primary outcome was low-density lipoprotein cholesterol means (in mg/dL) after 16 weeks. Secondary outcomes were other lipid biomarkers, glycemic and anthropometric data and diet quality. RESULTS: After adjustment for baseline values, participating study site, time since myocardial infarction and statin treatment regimen (high potency, moderate and low potency/no statins), no significant difference was found between the groups in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations (intervention-control difference: 3.48 mg/dL [-3.45 to 10.41], P = 0.32). Both groups improved their overall diet quality at the end of the study without differences between them after 16 weeks (intervention-control difference: 1.05 (-0.9 to 2.99); P = 0.29). Other lipids, glycemic profile and anthropometrics were also not different between study groups at the end of the study. CONCLUSION: Adding 30 g/day of mixed nuts to the DICA Br for 16 weeks did not change lipid, glycemic and anthropometric features in the post-myocardial infarction setting. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov website under number NCT03728127 and its World Health Organization Universal Trial Number (WHO-UTN) is U1111-1259-8105.

Bioactive compounds of peanut skin in prevention and adjunctive treatment of chronic non-communicable diseases.

The global prevalence of cancer continues to increase, so does its mortality. Strategies that can prevent/treat this condition are therefore required, especially low-cost and low-toxicity strategies. Bioactive compounds of plant origin have been presented as a good alternative. In this scenario, due to its abundant polyphenolic content (around 60 to 120 times greater than that of the grain), peanut skin by-products stand out as a sustainable source of food bioactives beneficial to human health. Investigated studies highlighted the importance of peanut skin for human health, its phytochemical composition, bioactivity and the potential for prevention and/or adjuvant therapy in cancer, through the advanced search for articles in the Virtual Health Library (VHL), Science direct and the Mourisco platform of the FioCruz Institute, from 2012 to 2022. Using the keywords, "peanut skin" AND "cancer" AND NOT "allergy", the words "peanut testa" and "peanut peel" were included replacing "peanut skin". 18 articles were selected from Plataforma Mourisco, 26 from Science Direct and 26 from VHL. Of these, 7 articles evaluated aspects of cancer prevention and/or treatment. Promising benefits were found in the prevention/treatment of chronic non-communicable diseases in the use of peanut and peanut skin extracts, such as cholesterolemia and glucose control, attenuation of oxidative stress and suppressive action on the proliferation and metabolism of cancer cells.

Overall diet quality, food groups and mental health disorders among Brazilians older than 15 years old: Brazilian National Health Survey - 2019.

BACKGROUND: Adherence to a nutrient-dense diet can have an impact on depression and other mental health issues. Little is known whether this is attributed to some or all components and how these differ in a country that is known to have a vast diversity of nutrient-dense foods. The aim was to examine whether there is a relationship between individual food groups with depression and other mental health disorders. METHODS: Data was from 89,955 Brazilians from the National Health Survey. Mental health and diet were accessed using a screener questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses were calculated. RESULTS: Persons living with depression had significantly lower diet scores for vegetables/fruits (ß = -0.08, 95 % CI -0.13, -0.02), grains/roots (ß = -0.05; 95%CI (-0.07, -0.03)), beans (ß = -0.03; 95%CI (-0.04, -0.01)) and higher scores for sweetened beverages (ß = 0.04; 95%CI (0.01, 0.07)), sweets and sugars (ß = 0.03; 95%CI (0.01, 0.05) and high fat/sodium products (ß = 0.04; 9%CI (0.01, 0.07). Individuals living with other mental disorders showed lower scores for grains/roots (ß = -0.03; 95%CI (-0.06, -0.01)) and higher scores for sweets and sugars (ß = 0.06; 95%CI (0.03, 0.09)) and high fat/sodium products (ß = 0.05; 95%CI (0.01, 0.09)). CONCLUSION: People with mental health disorders are more likely to have an unhealthy diet. Relationships were slightly stronger with depression in particular food groups as other mental disorders. Further studies are needed to help in the prevention of these disorders.

An adapted cardioprotective diet with or without phytosterol and/or krill oil supplement in familial hypercholesterolemia: A pilot study protocol

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A healthy diet is one of the pillars of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) treatment. However, the best dietary pattern and indication for specific supplementation have not been established. Our aim is to conduct a pilot study to assess the effect of an adapted cardioprotective diet with or without phytosterol and/or krill oil supplement in participants with a probable or definitive diagnosis of FH, treated with moderate/high potency statins. METHODS: A national, multicenter, factorial, and parallel placebocontrolled randomized clinical trial with a superiority design and 1:1:1:1 allocation rate will be conducted. The participants will undergo whole exome sequencing and be allocated into four treatment groups: 1) a cardioprotective diet adapted for FH (DICAFH) þ phytosterol placebo þ krill oil placebo; 2) DICA-FH þ phytosterol 2 g/day þ krill oil placebo; 3) DICA-FH þ phytosterol placebo þ krill oil 2 g/day; or 4) DICA-FH þ phytosterol 2 g/day þ krill oil 2 g/day. The primary outcomes will be low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol and lipoprotein (a) levels and adherence to treatment after a 120-day follow-up. LDL- and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol subclasses, untargeted lipidomics analysis, adverse events, and protocol implementation components will also be assessed. RESULTS: A total of 58 participants were enrolled between May e August 2023. After the end of the follow-up period, the efficacy and feasibility results of this pilot study will form the basis of the design of a large-scale randomized clinical trial. CONCLUSIONS: This study's overall goal is to recommend dietary treatment strategies in the context of FH.

Total Outflow of High-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesteryl Esters from Plasma Is Decreased in a Model of 3/4 Renal Mass Reduction.

(1) Background: Previous studies have enriched high-density lipoproteins (HDL) using cholesteryl esters in rabbits with a three-quarter reduction in functional renal mass, suggesting that the kidneys participate in the cholesterol homeostasis of these lipoproteins. However, the possible role of the kidneys in lipoprotein metabolism is still controversial. To understand the role of the kidneys in regulating the HDL lipid content, we determined the turnover of HDL-cholesteryl esters in rabbits with a three-quarter renal mass reduction. (2) Methods: HDL subclass characterization was conducted, and the kinetics of plasma HDL-cholesteryl esters, labeled with tritium, were studied in rabbits with a 75% reduction in functional renal mass (Ntx). (3) Results: The reduced renal mass triggered the enrichment of cholesterol, specifically cholesteryl esters, in HDL subclasses. The exchange of cholesteryl esters between HDL and apo B-containing lipoproteins (VLDL/LDL) was not significantly modified in Ntx rabbits. Moreover, the cholesteryl esters of HDL and VLDL/LDL fluxes from the plasmatic compartment tended to decrease, but they only reached statistical significance when both fluxes were added to the Nxt group. Accordingly, the fractional catabolic rate (FCR) of the HDL-cholesteryl esters was lower in Ntx rabbits, concomitantly with its accumulation in HDL subclasses, probably because of the reduced mass of renal cells requiring this lipid from lipoproteins.

In vitro toxicity of fine and coarse particulate matter on the skin, ocular and lung microphysiological cell-culture systems.

Particulate matter (PM) has been associated with adverse effects on human health, causing allergies, skin and eye irritation and corrosion, respiratory tract irritation, headaches, bronchoconstriction, cardiopulmonary diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, reproductive problems, premature deaths, and epigenetic changes that lead to a wide variety of cancers, among other health conditions. The air quality in the Medellín - Colombia presents fluctuations that oscillate between the maximum permissible levels established at the national level and by the WHO, which represents a latent risk to people's health. Although important efforts have been made to quantify the different levels of pollution and administrative measures have been established to mitigate air pollution, little research work has been done to establish the relationship between these levels of pollutants and the effects on biological systems. The objective of the present research was to make a morphological and chemical characterization of particulate matter (PM) captured with a commercial air filter and a electrospun nanofiber membrane and evaluate the cytotoxicity of the each PM extracts in monolayer and co-culture models which recreate microphysiological systems of lung, skin and cornea and propose the possible cellular interactions that lead the cytotoxic response of the chemical compounds found in particulate matter in cities. The morphology and elemental chemical characterization were done with scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM - EDS). For the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons detection was made with a chromatographic method accoupled to mass spectrometer. Finally, the cytotoxicity was made in monolayers of A549, HEK001, and SIRC cell lines and microphysiological systems consisting of two-cell layer construct to resemble the interaction between fibroblast and epithelial cells that comprises naturally the corneal, skin and lung tissue. We performed three different cocultures models with BALB/3T3 clone A31 as a feeder layer, using porous Transwell® inserts in the in-contact and non-contact way. Monolayer and co-culture models were exposed to coarse and fine PM (1, 2, and 5 mg/mL) and the cell viability was evaluated at 24 h using an MTT assay. The electrospun nanofibers membranes demonstrates higher efficiency to capture PM with different sizes and high concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and other chemical compounds responsible of many human diseases. Cytotoxic effects of MP were observed in all models at higher concentration; however, models exposed to fine PM exhibited a significant reduction in cell viability compared to those exposed to coarse PM. In addition, multilayer models are more resistant to PM exposure than monolayer models. Furthermore, the study indicated that, depending on the seeding strategy, different results might be observed: the non-contact model showed higher resistance to PM exposure than in-contact for SIRC and HEK001, but A549 monolayers showed the highest viability response. This study demonstrates the usefulness of applying co-culture models to assess environmental pollutant toxicity, in addition to being a potential alternative method to animal testing for risk assessment.

Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Induced by Obesity, Gestational Diabetes, and Preeclampsia in Pregnancy: Role of High-Density Lipoproteins as Vectors for Bioactive Compounds.

Inflammation and oxidative stress are essential components in a myriad of pathogenic entities that lead to metabolic and chronic diseases. Moreover, inflammation in its different phases is necessary for the initiation and maintenance of a healthy pregnancy. Therefore, an equilibrium between a necessary/pathologic level of inflammation and oxidative stress during pregnancy is needed to avoid disease development. High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are important for a healthy pregnancy and a good neonatal outcome. Their role in fetal development during challenging situations is vital for maintaining the equilibrium. However, in certain conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, and other cardiovascular diseases, it has been observed that HDL loses its protective properties, becoming dysfunctional. Bioactive compounds have been widely studied as mediators of inflammation and oxidative stress in different diseases, but their mechanisms of action are still unknown. Nonetheless, these agents, which are obtained from functional foods, increase the concentration of HDL, TRC, and antioxidant activity. Therefore, this review first summarizes several mechanisms of HDL participation in the equilibrium between inflammation and oxidative stress. Second, it gives an insight into how HDL may act as a vector for bioactive compounds. Third, it describes the relationships between the inflammation process in pregnancy and HDL activity. Consequently, different databases were used, including MEDLINE, PubMed, and Scopus, where scientific articles published in the English language up to 2023 were identified.

In Vitro Digestion of Peanut Skin Releases Bioactive Compounds and Increases Cancer Cell Toxicity.

Peanut skin is a rich source of bioactive compounds which may be able to reduce the risk factors associated with metabolic syndromes. This study aimed to characterize bio-compounds from peanut skin (Arachis hypogaea) and their bioactivity (antioxidant activity, inhibition of lipase, and carbohydrase enzymes) and to evaluate their anti-proliferative properties in colorectal cancer cells (HCT116) upon in vitro digestion. Peanut skin was digested in two sequential phases, and the final content, named phase-1 (P1) and phase-2 (P2) extracts, was evaluated. Several bioactive compounds were positively identified and quantified by liquid chromatography, including quinic acid, released especially after in vitro digestion. The total phenolic content and, regardless of the method, the antioxidant activity of P1 was higher than P2. P1 also showed a lower enzyme inhibitory concentration IC50 than P2, lipase, and α-glucosidase. For cell viability in HCT116 cells, lower concentrations of P1 were found for IC50 compared to P2. In conclusion, bioactive compounds were released mainly during the first phase of the in vitro digestion. The digested samples presented antioxidant activity, enzyme inhibitory activity, and cancer cell cytotoxicity, especially those from the P1 extract. The potential applications of such a by-product in human health are reported.

CD8+ T-cell Exhaustion Phenotype in Human Asymptomatic and Ocular Toxoplasmosis.

This work analyzed exhaustion markers in CD8+ T-cell subpopulations in 21 samples of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from individuals with ocular toxoplasmosis (n = 9), chronic asymptomatic toxoplasmosis (n = 7), and non-infected people (n = 5) by using RT-qPCR and flow cytometry techniques. The study found that gene expression of PD-1 and CD244, but not LAG-3, was higher in individuals with ocular toxoplasmosis versus individuals with asymptomatic infection or uninfected. Expression of PD1 in CD8+ central memory (CM) cells was higher in nine individuals with toxoplasmosis versus five uninfected individuals (p = .003). After ex vivo stimulation, an inverse correlation was found between the exhaustion markers and quantitative clinical characteristics (lesion size, recurrence index, and number of lesions). A total exhaustion phenotype was found in 55.5% (5/9) of individuals with ocular toxoplasmosis. Our results suggest that the CD8+ exhaustion phenotype is involved in the pathogenesis of ocular toxoplasmosis.

Metal ion content of internal organs in the calorically restricted Wistar rat.

BACKGROUND: Despite the agreed principle that access to food is a human right, undernourishment and metal ion deficiencies are public health problems worldwide, exacerbated in impoverished or war-affected areas. It is known that maternal malnutrition causes growth retardation and affects behavioral and cognitive development of the newborn. Here we ask whether severe caloric restriction leads per se to disrupted metal accumulation in different organs of the Wistar rat. METHODS: Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy was used to determine the concentration of multiple elements in the small and large intestine, heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas, spleen, brain, spinal cord, and three skeletal muscles from control and calorically restricted Wistar rats. The caloric restriction protocol was initiated from the mothers prior to mating and continued throughout gestation, lactation, and post-weaning up to sixty days of age. RESULTS: Both sexes were analyzed but dimorphism was rare. The pancreas was the most affected organ presenting a higher concentration of all the elements analyzed. Copper concentration decreased in the kidney and increased in the liver. Each skeletal muscle responded to the treatment differentially: Extensor Digitorum Longus accumulated calcium and manganese, gastrocnemius decreased copper and manganese, whereas soleus decreased iron concentrations. Differences were also observed in the concentration of elements between organs independently of treatment: The soleus muscle presents a higher concentration of Zn compared to the other muscles and the rest of the organs. Notably, the spinal cord showed large accumulations of calcium and half the concentration of zinc compared to brain. X-ray fluorescence imaging suggests that the extra calcium is attributable to the presence of ossifications whereas the latter finding is attributable to the low abundance of zinc synapses in the spinal cord. CONCLUSION: Severe caloric restriction did not lead to systemic metal deficiencies but caused instead specific metal responses in few organs.

Eicosapentaenoic and Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation Increases HDL Content in n-3 Fatty Acids and Improves Endothelial Function in Hypertriglyceridemic Patients.

High-density lipoproteins (HDLs) are known to enhance vascular function through different mechanisms, including the delivery of functional lipids to endothelial cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that omega-3 (n-3) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content of HDLs would improve the beneficial vascular effects of these lipoproteins. To explore this hypothesis, we performed a placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial in 18 hypertriglyceridemic patients without clinical symptoms of coronary heart disease who received highly purified EPA 460 mg and DHA 380 mg, twice a day for 5 weeks or placebo. After 5 weeks of treatment, patients followed a 4-week washout period before crossover. HDLs were isolated using sequential ultracentrifugation for characterization and determination of fatty acid content. Our results showed that n-3 supplementation induced a significant decrease in body mass index, waist circumference as well as triglycerides and HDL-triglyceride plasma concentrations, whilst HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipids significantly increased. On the other hand, HDL, EPA, and DHA content increased by 131% and 62%, respectively, whereas 3 omega-6 fatty acids significantly decreased in HDL structures. In addition, the EPA-to-arachidonic acid (AA) ratio increased more than twice within HDLs suggesting an improvement in their anti-inflammatory properties. All HDL-fatty acid modifications did not affect the size distribution or the stability of these lipoproteins and were concomitant with a significant increase in endothelial function assessed using a flow-mediated dilatation test (FMD) after n-3 supplementation. However, endothelial function was not improved in vitro using a model of rat aortic rings co-incubated with HDLs before or after treatment with n-3. These results suggest a beneficial effect of n-3 on endothelial function through a mechanism independent of HDL composition. In conclusion, we demonstrated that EPA and DHA supplementation for 5 weeks improved vascular function in hypertriglyceridemic patients, and induced enrichment of HDLs with EPA and DHA to the detriment of some n-6 fatty acids. The significant increase in the EPA-to-AA ratio in HDLs is indicative of a more anti-inflammatory profile of these lipoproteins.

Effect of a parenteral fish-oil-containing lipid emulsion on liver lipid perioxidation and antioxidative defenses in Lewis rats.

BACKGROUND: Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), naturally abundant in fish oil (FO), are known for their anti-inflammatory and potential antioxidant properties. The aim in this article is to evaluate the effect of the infusion of a parenteral FO-containing lipid emulsion on markers of liver lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress in rats undergoing central venous catheterization (CVC). METHODS: After 5-day acclimatization, adult Lewis rats (n = 42) receiving a 20-g/day AIN-93M oral diet were randomly subdivided into four groups: (1) basal control (BC) (n = 6), without CVC or LE infusion; (2) SHAM (n = 12), with CVC but without LE infusion; (3) soybean oil (SO)/medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) (n = 12), with CVC and receiving LE without FO (4.3 g/kg fat); and (4) SO/MCT/FO (n = 12), with CVC and receiving LE containing 10% FO (4.3 g/kg fat). Animals from the BC group were euthanized immediately after acclimatization. The remaining groups of animals were euthanized after 48 or 72 h of surgical follow-up to assess profiles of liver and plasma fatty acids by gas chromatography, liver gene transcription factor Nrf2, F2-isoprostane lipid peroxidation biomarker, and the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. R program (version 3.2.2) was utilized for data analysis. RESULTS: Compared with the other groups, liver EPA and DHA levels were higher in the SO/MCT/FO group, which also showed the highest liver Nrf2, GPx, SOD, and CAT levels and lower liver F2-isoprostane (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Experimental delivery of FO via EPA and DHA sources in a parenteral LE was associated with a liver antioxidant effect.

Concentration and potential health risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons for consumers of chocolate in Brazil.

Chocolate is widely consumed worldwide and its market grows every year, with emerging demands for new high-quality products. However, this product is susceptible to contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), representing a risk for humans. In this study, a methodology for the evaluation of benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene and chrysene in chocolate by high performance liquid chromatography was validated. The occurrence, dietary exposure, and health risks of 4 PAHs in 38 commercial chocolate samples was investigated. The methodology demonstrated adequate accuracy and precision, with recovery (95.25 %-108.12 %) and relative standard deviation (0.14 %-5.83 %). Benzo[a]pyrene and the ∑4 PAHs concentrations varied between 1.09 and 10.42 µg/kg and 8.38-41.58 µg/kg, respectively. The results of risk assessment suggest low potential health risk for chocolate consumers, considering the margin of exposure (MOE) and the incremental life cancer risk (ILCR) values.

The impacts of pink pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) on fatty acids and cholesterol oxides formation in canned sardines during thermal processing.

The effect of adding pink pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) fruits during sardines canning to minimize cholesterol oxidation were investigated. Canning resulted in an exchange of fatty acids, cholesterol and cholesterol oxides between fish muscle and liquid medium (soybean oil). It also induced lipid oxidation, which was demonstrated by the degradation of fatty acids and the formation of cholesterol oxides. Cholesterol oxides increased from 39.53 ± 2.14 µg/g (raw sardines) to 116.04 ± 0.78 µg/g (control sardines) after canning. However, lower levels were found in samples with pink pepper. Additionally, chromatographic analyses showed the migration of compounds (phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, terpenes) from pink pepper to sardines, indicating the constituents that could have contributed to its antioxidant properties. Thus, pink pepper may be highlighted as a suitable additive to reduce the intake of cholesterol oxides, minimizing the loss of nutritional quality in canned fish.

Quantification of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Commonly Consumed Salami in Brazil

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are organic compounds that have been found in different food categories, and meat products can have high concentrations of PAHs, since the technological processes to which they are subjected, such as smoking, can produce several compounds. Considering the risk that these compounds can bring to the population's health, it is essential to develop an accurate and reliable method to evaluate the contamination of PAHs in products of animal origin. The objective of this study was to optimize and validate a method for the quantification of 4 PAHs (benz[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and benzo[a]pyrene) in salami. The methodology included saponification, liquid­liquid extraction, solid-phase purification, and quantification by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography. The effects of saponification parameters were investigated by experimental design, whereas the model obtained by regression analysis was considered satisfactory with the dissolution solvent of potassium hydroxide providing the highest global sum of areas. In validation, the parameters studied were adequate and within European and INMETRO Guidelines limits. The evaluation of 22 samples indicated that 27% were contaminated with at least one of the 4 PAHs, and benz[a]anthracene being the prevalent one with content varying between < 1.00 and 17.58 µg/kg. Two samples showed PAHs contamination above the maximum tolerable limit in the European Commission Regulation.

Coupling cell proliferation rates to the duration of recruitment controls final size of the Drosophila wing.

Organ growth driven by cell proliferation is an exponential process. As a result, even small variations in proliferation rates, when integrated over a relatively long developmental time, will lead to large differences in size. How organs robustly control their final size despite perturbations in cell proliferation rates throughout development is a long-standing question in biology. Using a mathematical model, we show that in the developing wing of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, variations in proliferation rates of wing-committed cells are inversely proportional to the duration of cell recruitment, a differentiation process in which a population of undifferentiated cells adopt the wing fate by expressing the selector gene, vestigial. A time-course experiment shows that vestigial-expressing cells increase exponentially while recruitment takes place, but slows down when recruitable cells start to vanish, suggesting that undifferentiated cells may be driving proliferation of wing-committed cells. When this observation is incorporated in our model, we show that the duration of cell recruitment robustly determines a final wing size even when cell proliferation rates of wing-committed cells are perturbed. Finally, we show that this control mechanism fails when perturbations in proliferation rates affect both wing-committed and recruitable cells, providing an experimentally testable hypothesis of our model.

Nutraceuticals for Complementary Treatment of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children: A Perspective from Their Use in COVID-19.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) has been widely reported in some children diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2. Clinical signs of MIS-C are manifested at 2 to 4 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection, where elevated biomarkers of inflammation and cardiac dysfunction are the hallmark of this syndrome when infection or exposure to SARS-CoV-2 has been confirmed. However, after two years of acknowledgment, MIS-C treatment is still under research to reach safety and effectiveness in the acute phase in children. Therefore, in this review, we discuss the potential use of natural compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects to reduce collateral damage caused by hyperinflammation in MIS-C pathology for new research in treatment and interventions.

Coffee simulated inhibition of pancreatic lipase and antioxidant activities: Effect of milk and decaffeination.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Dietary intake of polyphenols may protect against the development of NCDs. Coffee is a rich source of phenolic acids in the Western diet that may prevent or treat hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes, chronic liver diseases, and obesity. These health effects are attributed, at least partially, to the antioxidant properties and inhibitory activity of phenolic acids on lipases. However, the effect of milk on these properties is not clear. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the antiradical properties and inhibitory activity on pancreatic lipase in vitro of phenolic acids from coffee. We obtained commercial traditional and decaffeinated espresso coffee capsules and prepared the beverages according to the manufacturer's instructions using a domestic coffee maker. Espresso prepared with traditional and decaffeinated coffee capsules were evaluated with and without the addition of milk following in vitro digestion.The total phenolic content ranged from 168.21 to 397.38 mg equivalent to chlorogenic acid/mL. All coffee-based beverages showed antioxidant activity, with emphasis on decaffeinated and milk-added beverages, respectively. Caffeic acid was the most abundant phenolic compound followed by 5-caffeoylquinic acid before digestion. In contrast after in vitro digestion, only caffeic acid was bioaccessible. The addition of milk improved the bioaccessibility of caffeic acid and caffeine. Overall, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration of the samples for pancreatic lipase varied between 222 and 3035.8 µg/mL. Decaffeinated coffee had a greater inhibitory effect than regular coffee regardless of milk addition. In conclusion, decaffeinated and milk-added coffee beverages have a greater effect on lipase inhibition. This may be related to the greater bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds in these samples. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms of enzymatic inhibition by phenolic acids.

High Sucrose Ingestion during a Critical Period of Vessel Development Promotes the Synthetic Phenotype of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Modifies Vascular Contractility Leading to Hypertension in Adult Rats.

Cardiometabolic diseases, including hypertension, may result from exposure to high sugar diets during critical periods of development. Here, we studied the effect of sucrose ingestion during a critical period (CP) between postnatal days 12 and 28 of the rat on blood pressure, aortic histology, vascular smooth muscle phenotype, expression of metalloproteinases 2 and 9, and vascular contractility in adult rats and compared it with those of adult rats that received sucrose for 6 months and developed metabolic syndrome (MS). Blood pressure increased to a similar level in CP and MS rats. The diameter of lumen, media, and adventitia of aortas from CP rats was decreased. Muscle fibers were discontinuous. There was a decrease in the expression of alpha-actin in CP and MS rat aortas, suggesting a change to the secretory phenotype in vascular smooth muscle. Metalloproteinases 2 and 9 were decreased in CP and MS rats, suggesting that phenotype remains in an altered steady stationary state with little interchange of the vessel matrix. Aortic contraction to norepinephrine did not change, but aortic relaxation was diminished in CP and MS aortas. In conclusion, high sugar diets during the CP increase predisposition to hypertension in adults.

NuMoOS - COVID-19 Nutrition and Mood Online Survey: Perception about dietary aspects, stress, anxiety, and depression in the social isolation of Coronavirus Disease 2019.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is an infectious disease which led to a pandemic. Social isolation was therefore adopted as the main measure to prevent contamination and maintain public health. Some changes can occur in stress levels, sleep quality, dietary consumption, and mood (such as levels of anxiety and depression). The aim of this study is to describe the association and prediction between social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression, and food consumption self-reported. METHODS: This cross-sectional, quantitative, and descriptive study, with a non-probabilistic sample design for convenience, was carried out with 1,004 Brazilians, aged between 18 and 85 years old, from August to December 2020. A virtual questionnaire was applied on socioeconomic and lifestyle data, changing in food consumption, and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) self-reported. The data were analyzed applying the chi-square test for comparison between male and female, and a linear regression was applied to explore associations and predictions of variables that may be strongly associated, using anxiety, depression and stress as dependent and self-reported changes in food consumption. The strength of association of each category of independent variables on the levels of change in food consumption was estimated using ß coefficient and 95%CI, in the SPSS software (version 26.0). RESULTS: Although most declared that consumption remained the same, a small important increase was detected in some groups such as bread, pasta, potatoes, cassava. The consumption of plant-based foods remained unchanged according to the data collected. An increase of 13.25% of sugar sweetened beverages, 23.51% of alcoholic beverages, 37.25% of added of sugar, and 20.42% of fast foods was self-reported, and 52.7% stopped or reduced the practice of physical activity. The self-reported level of stress, anxiety, and depression reached 38.8%, 40.90% and 32.90. Changes in food consumption to predict stress, anxiety or depression symptoms were observed in relation to decrease red meat, fish, chicken, eggs, dairy, vegetables, legumes, and fruits, to increased consumption were associated to dairy, fats, sugar sweetened beverages, and fast foods. CONCLUSIONS: A remarkable increase in Fast foods and alcoholic beverages were observed. Carbohydrate-rich foods was associated to stress, and anxiety symptoms. The same was observed in increase of caloric foods such as fats, sugar sweetened beverages, and fast foods. Besides the decrease of proteins, vitamins, and fibers sources foods had a strength association with stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms.