Effects of a Community-Based Behavioral Intervention with a Traditional Atlantic Diet on Cardiometabolic Risk Markers: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (“The GALIAT Study”)

The Atlantic diet, the traditional dietary pattern in northern Portugal and northwest Spain, has been related to metabolic health and low ischemic heart disease mortality. The Galiat Study is a randomized controlled trial aimed to assess the effects of the Atlantic diet on anthropometric variables, metabolic profile, and nutritional habits. The dietary intervention was conducted in 250 families (720 adults and children) and performed at a primary care center. Over six months, families randomized to the intervention group received educational sessions, cooking classes, written supporting material, and foods that form part of the Atlantic diet, whereas those randomized to the control group followed their habitual lifestyle. 213 families (92.4%) completed the trial. Adults in the intervention group lost weight as opposed to controls who gained weight (adjusted mean difference −1.1 kg, p < 0.001) and total serum cholesterol (adjusted mean difference −5.2 mg/dL, p = 0.004). Significant differences in favor of the intervention were found in other anthropometric variables and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but changes in triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, inflammation markers, blood pressure, and glucose metabolism were not observed. A family-based nutritional intervention based on the Atlantic diet showed beneficial effects on adiposity and the lipid profileThis project received funding from the ERDF-Innterconecta for Galicia Program (ITC-20133014 & ITC-20151009), managed by the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and CompetitivenessS

A clustering approach to analyse the environmental and energetic impacts of Atlantic recipes - A Galician gastronomy case study

The definition of the term gastronomy encompasses both the knowledge of food and its handling, preparation and consumption. Beyond a sense of cultural identity and tradition, gastronomy also represents a pole of tourist attraction. This is the case of Galicia, a region in north-western Spain. Within this framework, local dishes, which include distinctive elements of the Atlantic diet, have gained popularity. This research delves into the sustainability of 60 Galician recipes by performing a hierarchical cluster analysis to study their carbon footprint, the energy return on investment ratio and cost. The life cycle assessment methodology was followed to account for the carbon footprint and the energy return on investment ratio of the recipes. The scope was bounded to the cradle-to-fork phases through the life cycle: production of the ingredients, transport, and meal preparation. The functional unit selected was one serving of a Galician meal. The results suggest that the recipes could be classified into three main groups according to the presence of a greater or lesser amount of animal-based products. Cluster 1 comprises 10 meat recipes. Cluster 2 encompasses 31 recipes rich in fish with some vegetables and moderate consumption of red meat and dairy products. Cluster 3 includes 22 vegetable-based recipes. The higher the portion of animal products in the recipes (mainly red meat), the higher the costs and carbon footprint and the lower the energy return on investment ratio. Conversely, plant-based recipes tend to reduce greenhouse gases emissions and increase cost competitiveness and energy efficiency indicators. Based on this study, the food service could promote eco-labelling that support and certify restaurant menus. This research could also provide transformative climate education for sustainable food for consumers, giving advice to improve food-based dietary guidelines in SpainThe Galiat project received funding from the ERDF-Interconecta for Galicia Program (ITC-20133014 & ITC-20151009), managed by the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness. The authors thank the participating companies that assisted in this study; these include the Belarmino Fernández Iglesias Hostelry School, Bodegas Terras Gauda, Bodegas Pazo de Rivas, Conservas A Rosaleira, Conservas Friscos, Aceites Olei, and Quescrem. C.C.-F. would like to thank the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities for financial support (Grant reference FPU 19/06648). C.C-F, S.G.-G., G.F. and M.T.M. belong to the Galician Competitive Research Group (GRC ED431C 2017/29) and to the Cross-disciplinary Research in Environmental Technologies (CRETUS Research Center, ED431E 2018/01). All these programs are co-funded by FEDER (EU)S

Comprehensive cross-platform comparison of methods for non-invasive EGFR mutation testing : results of the RING observational trial.

Abstract Several platforms for noninvasive EGFR testing are currently used in the clinical setting with sensitivities ranging from 30% to 100%. Prospective studies evaluating agreement and sources for discordant results remain lacking. Herein, seven methodologies including two next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based methods, three high-sensitivity PCR-based platforms, and two FDA-approved methods were compared using 72 plasma samples, from EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients progressing on a first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). NGS platforms as well as high-sensitivity PCR-based methodologies showed excellent agreement for EGFR-sensitizing mutations (K = 0.80-0.89) and substantial agreement for T790M testing (K = 0.77 and 0.68, respectively). Mutant allele frequencies (MAFs) obtained by different quantitative methods showed an excellent reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficients 0.86-0.98). Among other technical factors, discordant calls mostly occurred at mutant allele frequencies (MAFs) ≤ 0.5%. Agreement significantly improved when discarding samples with MAF ≤ 0.5%. EGFR mutations were detected at significantly lower MAFs in patients with brain metastases, suggesting that these patients risk for a false-positive result. Our results support the use of liquid biopsies for noninvasive EGFR testing and highlight the need to systematically report MAFs. Keywords: NGS; circulating free DNA; epidermal growth factor receptor; non-small-cell lung cancer; osimertinib; tyrosine kinase inhibitor

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Efectos de una intervención comunitaria con Dieta Atlántica tradicional

Las dietas subóptimas son, en la actualidad, la principal causa de morbilidad y mortalidad en el mundo. Se diseña y se realiza un ensayo clínico para demostrar que una intervención comunitaria en 250 familias, seleccionadas aleatoriamente de la población general, realizada desde la Atención Primaria y basada en un patrón de Dieta Atlántica tradicional, puede promover cambios beneficiosos para la salud. Después de 6 meses, el grupo de intervención perdió peso frente al de control (-1,1 kg, p<0,001) y disminuyó el colesterol (-5,2 mg/dL, p=0,004). También se modificaron los patrones dietéticos, con menor ingesta de "Fritos" y mayor de "Frutas, verduras y lácteos". Así, se aporta la evidencia científica que justifica la Dieta Atlántica como dieta saludable

A randomised, family-focused dietary intervention to evaluate the Atlantic diet: the GALIAT study protocol

Abstract Background The traditional diet of northwestern Spain and northern Portugal follows an ‘Atlantic diet’ pattern. Adherence to the Atlantic diet has been related to the good metabolic health and low coronary mortality recorded for these regions. Methods The GALIAT (Galicia Alimentación Atlántica [Galicia Atlantic Diet]) study is a randomised, controlled, dietary intervention clinical trial designed to examine the effect of the Atlantic diet on the lipid profile, glucose metabolism, inflammation makers and adiposity of the general population. The trial involved 250 randomly selected families (715 adults and children over 3 years of age) from a town in Spain’s northwest, randomly allocated to follow either a control diet (C group) or the Atlantic diet (AD group) for a period of 6 months. The families of the AD group received educational sessions on food, diet and gastronomy and were provided written supporting material with nutritional recommendations and recipes for the preparation of menus. They also attended cooking classes. Throughout the study period, these families were provided a range of foods (free of charge) that form part of the traditional Atlantic diet. The C group families took part in none of the above activities, nor were they provided with any food. Lipid profile variables (primary variables), and anthropometric, inflammation marker and glucose metabolism status (secondary variables), were measured at baseline, three and six months. Discussion The GALIAT study is the first clinical trial to examine the effects of the Atlantic diet on metabolic and cardiovascular health and adiposity. If the study hypothesis is confirmed, this dietary pattern could be included in strategies to promote health. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02391701 on March 18, 2015