Nutrition
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Review
Molecular aspects of cancer chemopreventive and therapeutic efficacies of tea and tea polyphenols.
The natural dietary product tea (Camellia sinensis) and its bioactive polyphenols such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and theaflavin (TF) demonstrated potential anticancer effects in different preclinical and clinical studies. The aim of the present review was to understand the molecular mechanisms of the tea and tea polyphenol-mediated cancer prevention and therapy. In the setting of in vivo cancer prevention studies, administration of the tea and tea polyphenols at preinitiation stages only showed partial prevention, whereas continuous administration showed potential effect in restriction of carcinogenesis in the body's multiple organs at early premalignant stages throughout the experiment. ⋯ They mainly serve as antioxidants and induce the detoxification system, thereby inhibiting carcinogen metabolism and cancer initiation. Additionally, they could inhibit self-renewal, proliferation, and survival of the tumor-initiating population in restriction of the carcinogenesis progression from cancer initiation and promotion. This might be a result of the modulation of membrane organization, interaction with DNA/RNA/proteins and epigenetic modifications, as well as regulation of cellular replicative potential by the tea polyphenols.
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Comparative Study
Effect of physical activity and age on plasma copper, zinc, iron, and magnesium concentration in physically active healthy males.
The concentration of nutritionally important minerals in circulation is under tight homeostatic control, however, physical activity and aging influence their body stores and nutritional requirement. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of both physical activity and age on plasma concentrations of copper, zinc, iron, and magnesium. ⋯ Physical activity-related energy expenditure and age play a remarkable role in deciphering the plasma mineral levels in the healthy individuals.
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Underweight is a well-known complication of chronic pancreatitis (CP), but little is known about its prevalence in the outpatient setting. We investigated the prevalence of underweight in outpatients with CP and its association with quality of life (QOL) and various risk factors. ⋯ One quarter of outpatients with CP are underweight and report reduced life quality compared with their normal-weight counterparts. EPI, alcoholic etiology, and pain-related symptoms are independent risk factors. Our findings emphasize the need for a multidisciplinary approach in the handling of patients with CP that focuses on alcohol cessation and the appropriate treatment of pain and EPI.
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The goal of this study was to determine variables preceding and predicting incident obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in the population at large. ⋯ An enhanced pro-inflammatory state appeared to be the underlying pathophysiologic mechanism for OSAS, whereas in men, the added factor of high-density lipoprotein dysfunction was suggested. Because it contributes to the pro-inflammatory state, discontinuance of smoking was another further significant predictor of OSAS.