Nutrition
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Provision of nutritional support (NS) can improve disease outcome and shorten hospital length of stay. NS, often prescribed by medical doctors, requires adequate clinical nutrition (CN) expertise. The aim of this study was to investigate self-perceived and actual CN knowledge among medical doctors in Greece. ⋯ Medical doctors in Greece demonstrate low knowledge of fundamental CN principles, jeopardizing the provision of high-quality and efficient NS. Most importantly, the majority of participants overestimated their CN knowledge and prescribe artificial nutrition or participate in related decision making. Physicians' CN knowledge should be enhanced accordingly, either by attending CN modules during their studies, by participating in basic and advanced courses or CN-specific continuous medical education, or both.
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Grape juice is a drink that is rich in phenolic compounds, which are important natural antioxidants that reduce the incidence of diseases linked to oxidative stress including cardiovascular disease. Studies on the effects of purple grape juice supplementation have already been conducted; however, there are no data on the effects of the consumption of white grape juice (WGJ) to date. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of WGJ supplementation on body mass index, waist and abdominal circumference, blood pressure and glucose, insulin, oxidative damage, and lipid profile in women. ⋯ These results demonstrate that the consumption of WGJ can improve metabolic parameters in women, which may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
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This 1-y cohort study examined whether Council of Nutrition Appetite Questionnaire (CNAQ) scores predicted mortality in 316 elderly Japanese residents of five nursing homes (60 men, 256 women; mean age: 84.9 ± 8.3 y). ⋯ This study showed that CNAQ scores were inversely associated with 1-y mortality. Furthermore, appetite assessment using the CNAQ predicted the death of Japanese nursing home residents. Similarly, the SNAQ and SNAQ-JE scores were inversely associated with 1-y mortality.
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Physical exercise decreases the incidence of breast cancer and also improves survival in breast cancer patients. However, the mechanistic basis of these protective effects of exercise is not well known. Changes in tumor cytokines, such as oncostatin-M (OSM), have been associated with modulation of antitumor immune responses in breast cancer. Exercise and antioxidants such as selenium affect both antitumor immune responses as well as tumor cytokine expression. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of aerobic exercise training (AET) and selenium nanoparticle (SeNP) administration on T-helper 1 and 2 and tumor tissue cytokines in mice bearing the 4 T1 mammary carcinoma. ⋯ These findings suggest that the combination of AET and SeNP supplementation effects antitumor immune responses in splenocytes, whereas AET induced antitumor cytokines, such as OSM and TNF-α in tumor tissue.
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Comparative Study
A comparative study on the effect of argan oil versus fish oil on risk factors for cardio-vascular disease in high-fat-fed rats.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two different sources of polyunsaturated fatty acid-fish oil (FO) and argan oil (AO)-on some risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as platelet aggregation, dyslipidemia, and oxidative stress. ⋯ For rats, the consumption of FO prevented the development of adiposity, restored insulin sensitivity, decreased plasma and liver lipid levels, and also prevented the prothrombotic effect. Intake of AO as a food supplement did not affect adiposity or liver lipid levels but decreased plasma lipid levels and improved oxidative status and platelet activity. FO and, to a lesser degree, AO thus represent promising nutritional tools in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.