Health effects of seasonal consumption of local phenolic-rich fruits

Els factors relacionats amb la nutrició són els principals factors determinants de les malalties no transmissibles, que actualment són la principal causa de mortalitat i morbiditat en el món. Com a part d'un patró dietètic, l'Organització Mundial de la Salut recomana un mínim de 400 g de fruites i verdures per dia per a la prevenció de malalties cròniques. Se sap que les fruites i les verdures són riques en fitoquímics, com els compostos fenòlics, que promouen els efectes de la salut. En aquest sentit, la teoria de la xenohormesis postula que quan els heterotrofs consumeixen els fitoquímics sintetitzats per les plantes estressades, aquests compostos actuen com a senyals de les condicions externes en les quals les plantes eren cultivades i els permeten adaptar-se als canvis en l'ambient. Per tant, cada planta conté una composició fenòlica característica que proporciona informació sobre les condicions ambientals. En aquest sentit, l'objectiu d'aquesta tesi era avaluar si l'origen geogràfic del cultiu, els sistemes agrícoles i el consum estacional poden condicionar la bioactivitat i biodisponibilitat dels compostos fenòlics procedents d'aliments basats en plantes. Per tal d'aconseguir aquest objectiu, es va determinar si el sistema de cultiu condiciona la concentració de compostos fenòlics i la capacitat antioxidant dels aliments de planta local conreats al Camp de Tarragona. Posteriorment, vam avaluar si l'origen geogràfic del cultiu de tomàquet i cirera dolça i el seu consum estacional influeix en la seva bioactivitat i biodisponibilitat fenòlica.Los factores relacionados con la nutrición son los principales determinantes de las enfermedades no transmisibles, que actualmente son la principal causa de mortalidad y morbilidad en el mundo. Como parte de un patrón dietético saludable, la Organización Mundial de la Salud recomienda un mínimo de 400 g de frutas y verduras al día para la prevención de enfermedades crónicas. Se sabe que las frutas y las verduras son ricas en fitoquímicos, como compuestos fenólicos, que promueven efectos saludables. En este sentido, la teoría de la xenohormesis postula que cuando los heterótrofos consumen los fitoquímicos sintetizados por las plantas estresadas, estos compuestos actúan como señales de las condiciones externas en las que se cultivaron las plantas y les permiten adaptarse a los cambios del entorno. Por lo tanto, cada planta contiene una composición fenólica característica que proporciona información sobre las condiciones ambientales. En este sentido, el objetivo de esta tesis fue evaluar si el origen geográfico del cultivo, los sistemas de cultivo y el consumo estacional pueden condicionar la bioactividad y biodisponibilidad de los compuestos fenólicos de los alimentos de origen vegetal. Para cumplir este objetivo, se determinó si el sistema de cultivo condiciona la concentración de compuestos fenólicos y la capacidad antioxidante de los alimentos cultivados en el Camp de Tarragona, España.Nutrition-related factors are the main determinants of noncommunicable diseases, which are currently the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the world. As part of a healthy dietary pattern, World Health Organization recommends a minimum of 400 g of fruits and vegetables per day for the prevention of chronic diseases. Fruits and vegetables are known to be rich in phytochemicals, such as phenolic compounds, which promotes health effects. In this sense, xenohormesis theory postulates that when heterotrophs consume the phytochemicals synthesized by stressed plants, these compounds act as signals of the external conditions in which the plants were grown and allow them to adapt to changes in the environment. Therefore, each plant contains a characteristic phenolic composition providing information about environmental conditions. In this respect, the objective of this thesis was to evaluate whether geographical origin of cultivation, farming systems and seasonal consumption can condition the bioactivity and bioavailability of phenolic compounds from plant-based foods. To meet this objective, it was determined whether the cultivation system conditions the concentration of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant capacity of local plant-based food grown in the Camp de Tarragona, Spain. Subsequently, we evaluated whether the geographical origin of tomato and sweet cherry cultivation and their seasonal consumption influences their bioactivity and phenolic bioavailability

Autophagy in health and disease

In our lab in Sabanci University, Istanbul, we focus on signaling events regulating mammalian autophagy in health and disease. To discover new autophagy regulators and coordinators, we performed several unbiased functional screens. Our microRNA (miRNA) screens led to the discovery of several miRNAs targeting autophagy at various steps of the pathway. miRNAs are able to affect the expression of a number of proteins at once. Therefore, miRNA networks seem to integrate cellular stress response pathways including autophagy and apoptosis, and coordinate them to shape cell faith. Our published and unpublished results allowed us to have a better picture of the miRNA networks modulating autophagic responses in human health and disease. Protein interaction screens performed in our lab led us to discover novel proteins involved in autophagy regulation. In fact, some of these proteins were directly interacting with the core autophagy machinery components. Unexpected direct links between autophagy and other important cellular pathways were found, allowing us to reveal novel entry points for autophagy regulation and coordination in cells. Interestingly, some of this interactions seemed to be autophagy signal specific, and our work revealed novel dynamics in autophagy regulation. Results from our recently published and unpublished studies will be presented and physiological and pathological implications of our results will be discussed.*This work was supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) 1001 Grant number: 114Z982 and Sabanci University

Blood Glucose Levels

The main source of energy for the body is glucose. Its low blood concentrations can cause seizures, loss of consciousness and death. Long lasting high glucose levels can cause blindness, renal failure, cardiac and peripheral vascular disease, and neuropathy. Blood glucose concentrations need to be maintained within narrow limits. The process of maintaining blood glucose at a steady state is called glucose homeostasis. This is achieved through a balance of the rate of consumption of dietary carbohydrates, utilization of glucose by peripheral tissues, and the loss of glucose through the kidney tubule. The liver and kidney also play a role in glucose homeostasis. This book aims to provide an overview of blood glucose levels in health and diseases

Biological Activities of Plant Food Components: Implications in Human Health

Epidemiological evidence from the last fifty years has demonstrated that nutrition plays a decisive role in human health. Eating properly is not only necessary to meet energy demands. It also actively contributes, through both preventive actions and therapeutic effects, to improving human wellness. Nutrition owes its functional role in human health to the biological activity of specific, small dietary molecules. Plants are the most important source of bioactive molecules, and dietary phytochemicals are mainly responsible for the documented protective effects of diets which are rich in plant foods. Dietary phytochemicals have attracted increasing interest in human nutrition research over the past few years due to their ability to exert several biological effects that are potentially useful for human health, In this Special Issue, the biological activity of dietary phytochemicals, either purified or in extracts from plant foods, and their potential effects on human health are addressed and investigated

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D is the topic for many discussions in the scientific community. Nowadays, a different interpretation of this secosteroid hormone is needed. Today the term "vitamin" may be considered outdated. This compound may be correctly be called a vitamin only when it is administered to humans or animals that suffer from its deficiency. This book attempts to clarify the role of Vitamin D deficiency in many pathological processes in the whole organism. Chapters in this book cover such issues as the earliest clinical and preclinical investigations of the consequences of Vitamin D deficiency for cognitive, cardiovascular, metabolic, immune, and renal disorders

Senescence

The book "Senescence" is aimed to describe all the phenomena related to aging and senescence of all forms of life on Earth, i.e. plants, animals and the human beings. The book contains 36 carefully reviewed chapters written by different authors, aiming to describe the aging and senescent changes of living creatures, i.e. plants and animals

Phenolic Compounds

Phenolics are commonly available compounds in foods, beverages, and spices. They have great importance in all aspects of daily life including industry, health, and research. As such, this book presents a comprehensive overview of phenolic compounds and their potential applications in industry, environment, and public health. Chapters cover such topics as the production of these compounds and their uses in environmental sustainability, climate change, green industry, and treatment of human disease

Sintesi delle Pubblicazioni : Anni 1988 - 1995

Repertorio delle pubblicazioni scientifiche negli anni dal 1988 al 1995 dei docenti e ricercatori della Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria. Digitalizzazione effettuata nel 2018 a cura della Biblioteca di Veterinaria "Ercolani". La digitalizzazione è stata autorizzata da Clueb, editrice della pubblicazione cartacea