El diario reflexivo como actividad formativa-reflexiva en el marco de las Prácticas Externas del grado de Nutrición Humana y Dietética / The reflective learning journal as a formative and reflexive activity in the frame of the Practicum of Nutrition and Dietetics Degree

Introducción. Los diarios escritos se utilizan cada vez más como forma de desarrollar un aprendizaje profesional relevante y de calidad. El objetivo de este trabajo es el desarrollo de un diario reflexivo guiado (DRG) como actividad formativa-reflexiva en la asignatura de Prácticas Externas del grado de Nutrición Humana y Dietética (NHD). Material y métodos. Se ha diseñado un DRG tomando como base las estrategias previas conocidas para la formación práctica-reflexiva en el ámbito universitario, estudios previos sobre niveles de reflexión, el perfil de competencias del titulado en NHD y la experiencia del profesorado en la temática de nutrición práctica y reflexión. El DRG se ha aplicado a los estudiantes en Prácticas Externas de NHD de la Universidad de Barcelona. Resultados. El DRG es un documento estructurado en seis niveles de reflexión, donde en cada uno hay una serie de preguntas a las que el alumno debe ir respondiendo, y cada nivel da un grado de reflexión más elevado. El DRG guía las reflexiones a través de preguntas, pautas y sugerencias programadas para profundizar en el aprendizaje del alumno durante las Prácticas Externas y, al mismo tiempo, dar respuesta a diferentes competencias de la asignatura. Conclusiones. Los DRG son una de las mejores maneras de desarrollar y consolidar el aprendizaje de cara a la futura práctica profesional. Este trabajo puede servir de guía en la ayuda a la reflexión en el Prácticum de ciencias de la salud (AU)

Introduction. Reflexive journals have been used as a way to develop relevant and quality professional learning. The objective of this work is the development of a guided reflexive learning journal (GRLJ) as a formative-reflexive activity in the Practicum of the Human Nutrition and Dietetics Degree (HNDD). Material and methods. The DRG has been designed based on: previous known strategies used in practical-reflexive training in a university environment, previous studies on levels of reflection, competences of the HNDD and, the own experience of professors. The DRG has been applied to students from NHD of the University of Barcelona during their Practicum. Results. The GRLJ is a document structured in six levels of reflection where in each of them there are a series of questions to which the student must respond. Each level gives a higher degree of reflection. The GRLJ guides the reflections through questions, guidelines and suggestions programmed to deepen the student's learning during the Practicum and at the same time to respond to different competences of the subject. Conclusions. GRLJs are one of the best ways to develop and consolidate learning in the face of future professional practice. This work can serve as a guide in assisting reflection in Practicums of health sciences (AU)

Tomato Sauce Enriched with Olive Oil Exerts Greater Effects on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors than Raw Tomato and Tomato Sauce: A Randomized Trial.

Epidemiological studies have observed a negative association between tomato intake and the incidence of cardiovascular disease. As tomato sauces are usually cooked with the addition of oil, some studies have pointed out that both processes may increase the bioavailability of the bioactive compounds. However, the effect of consumption of raw tomatoes and tomato sauces on inflammation biomarkers and adhesion molecules related to atherosclerosis remains unknown. The aim of this study was to test the postprandial effects of a single dose of raw tomatoes (RT), tomato sauce (TS) and tomato sauce with refined olive oil (TSOO) on cardiovascular disease risk factors. We performed an open, prospective, randomized, cross-over, controlled feeding trial in 40 healthy subjects who randomly received: 7.0 g of RT/kg of body weight (BW), 3.5 g of TS/kg BW, 3.5 g of TSOO/Kg BW and 0.25 g of sugar solved in water/kg BW on a single occasion on four different days. Biochemical parameters and cellular and circulating inflammatory biomarkers were assessed at baseline and 6 h after each intervention. The results indicate that, compared to control intervention, a single tomato intake in any form decreased plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides and several cellular and plasma inflammatory biomarkers, and increased plasma high density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol and interleukine (IL) 10 concentrations. However, the changes of plasma IL-6 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) from T-lymphocytes and CD36 from monocytes were significantly greater after TSOO than after RT and TS interventions. We concluded that tomato intake has beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk factors, especially cooked and enriched with oil.

Sensitive and Rapid UHPLC-MS/MS for the Analysis of Tomato Phenolics in Human Biological Samples.

An UHPLC-MS/MS method for the quantification of tomato phenolic metabolites in human fluids was optimized and validated, and then applied in a pilot dietary intervention study with healthy volunteers. A 5-fold gain in speed (3.5 min of total run); 7-fold increase in MS sensitivity and 2-fold greater efficiency (50% peak width reduction) were observed when comparing the proposed method with the reference-quality HPLC-MS/MS system, whose assay performance has been previously documented. The UHPLC-MS/MS method led to an overall improvement in the limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) for all the phenolic compounds studied. The recoveries ranged between 68% and 100% in urine and 61% and 100% in plasma. The accuracy; intra- and interday precision; and stability met with the acceptance criteria of the AOAC International norms. Due to the improvements in the analytical method; the total phenolic metabolites detected in plasma and urine in the pilot intervention study were 3 times higher than those detected by HPLC-MS/MS. Comparing with traditional methods; which require longer time of analysis; the methodology described is suitable for the analysis of phenolic compounds in a large number of plasma and urine samples in a reduced time frame.

Carotenoid profile of tomato sauces: effect of cooking time and content of extra virgin olive oil.

The consumption of carotenoid-rich vegetables such as tomatoes and tomato sauces is associated with reduced risk of several chronic diseases. The predominant carotenoids in tomato products are in the (all-E) configuration, but (Z) isomers can be formed during thermal processing. The effect of cooking time (15, 30, 45 and 60 min) and the addition of extra virgin olive oil (5% and 10%) on the carotenoid extractability of tomato sauces was monitored using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) and LC-ultraviolet detection (LC-UV). The thermal treatment and the addition of extra virgin olive oil increased the levels of antioxidant activity, total carotenoids, Z-lycopene isomers, α-carotene and ß-carotene. These results are of particular nutritional benefit since higher lycopene intake has been associated with a reduced risk of lethal prostate and a reduction of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Moreover, ß-carotene has been reported to suppress the up-regulation of heme oxygenase-1 gene expression in a dose dependent manner and to suppress UVA-induced HO-1 gene expression in cultured FEK4.

Home Cooking and Phenolics: Effect of Thermal Treatment and Addition of Extra Virgin Olive Oil on the Phenolic Profile of Tomato Sauces.

Tomato products are a key component of the Mediterranean diet, which is strongly related to a reduced risk of cardiovascular events. The effect of cooking time (15, 30, 45, and 60 min) and the addition of extra virgin olive oil (5 and 10%) on the phenolic content of tomato sauces was monitored using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Concentration of phenolics in the tomato sauces decreased during the cooking process, with the exception of caffeic acid and tyrosol. The main degradation observed was the oxidation of quercetin, since the hydroxy-function at the C-ring of this flavonoid is not blocked by a sugar moiety, unlike rutin. Higher levels of virgin olive oil in tomato sauce seemed to enhance the extraction of phenolic compounds from the tomato, leading to higher phenolic contents in the sauces. Thus, the food matrix containing the phenolic compounds plays a crucial role in determining their accessibility.

Validation of a new LC-MS/MS method for the detection and quantification of phenolic metabolites from tomato sauce in biological samples.

Tomato is a good source of bioactive molecules such as vitamin C, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds. Up to now, only a few studies have evaluated the bioavailability of phenolic compounds from tomato. This paper presents the optimization of a method for the determination of phenolics in tomato and their metabolites in human urine and plasma after ingestion of tomato sauce. The sample preparation includes a SPE step to obtain cleaner extracts for injection in the LC-MS/MS system. The mean recovery of analytes ranged from 73 to 104% in plasma and from 65 to 106% in urine, the accuracy was between 90.3 and 115.0% in urine and between 85.7 and 115.0% in plasma, and the precision coefficient of variation was <15%. The method allowed detection and quantification limits of 0.5-29 and 2.0-90 ng mL⁻¹ in urine, respectively, and 0.5-30 and 2.0-105 ng mL⁻¹ in plasma, respectively, for the same phenolic compounds.