Bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds from cocoa shell subjected to in vitro digestion and its antioxidant activity in intestinal and hepatic cells

The cocoa shell is a by-product generated by the cocoa processing industry that could be used as a nutraceutical owing to the significant amounts of bioactive compounds it contains. This work aimed to study the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds present in the flour (CSF) and an aqueous extract (CSE) from cocoa shells through an in vitro simulated digestion and to assess their antioxidant capacity in vitro by using intestinal and hepatic cell culture models (IEC-6 and HepG2 cells). The bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds was determined using a simulated in vitro digestion model (INFOGEST). Total phenolic compounds (TPC) and antioxidant activity were measured using in vitro techniques. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were evaluated in IEC-6 and HepG2 cells after t-BOOH stimulation. TPC present in CSE were more bioaccessible than phenolic compounds present in CSF. During digestion, the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds from CSF fluctuated in the gastric (2.8 mg/g), intestinal (7.6 mg/g), and colonic (5.7 mg/g) phases. Similarly, for the phenolics of CSE, the bioaccessibility increased from 50.6 mg/g in the gastric phase to 53.4 mg/g in the intestinal phase and decreased in the colonic phase to 37.2 mg/g. The in vitro antioxidant capacity followed a similar behavior, increasing throughout the digestion in CSF (8.8- to 10.6-fold) and CSE (6.0- to 7.4-fold). Digested CSF and CSE were not cytotoxic for IEC-6 and HepG2 cells and protected their viability under oxidative stress conditions (93–100%). t-BOOH-induced ROS were prevented by CSF (72–88%) and CSE (81–94%) bioaccessible fractions in both intestinal and hepatic cells. In conclusion, cocoa shells are a source of potentially bioavailable antioxidant phenolic compounds that may protect cells from oxidative stress

Association of maternal body composition and diet on breast milk hormones and neonatal growth during the first month of lactation

Introduction: Preterm birth is associated with altered growth patterns and an increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases, with breast milk (BM) being a counteracting factor. Preterm infants also show alterations in adipokines and gut hormones influencing appetite and metabolism. Since these hormones are present in BM, it is possible that their levels may equilibrate deficiencies improving infant growth. We aimed to assess 1) the BM levels of ghrelin, resistin, leptin, insulin, peptide YY, and the gastrointestinal peptide in women with preterm and term labor; 2) the relationship between BM hormones and neonatal growth; and 3) the influence of maternal body composition and diet on these BM hormones. Methods: BM from 48 women (30 term and 18 preterm labor) was collected at days 7, 14, and 28 of lactation. Maternal body composition was evaluated by bioimpedance, and neonate anthropometric parameters were collected from medical records. The maternal dietary pattern was assessed by a 72-h dietary recall at days 7 and 28 of lactation. BM hormones were analyzed by the U-Plex Ultra-sensitive method. Data were analyzed using linear regression models. BM from women with preterm labor had lower ghrelin levels, with the other hormones being significantly higher compared to women with term delivery. Results: In premature infants, growth was positively associated with BM ghrelin, while, in term infants, it was positively associated with insulin and negatively with peptide YY. In the first week of lactation, women with preterm labor had higher body fat compared to women with term labor. In this group, ghrelin levels were positively associated with maternal body fat and with fiber and protein intake. In women with term labor, no associations between anthropometric parameters and BM hormones were found, and fiber intake was negatively associated with peptide YY. Discussion: Preterm labor is a factor influencing the levels of BM adipokines and gut hormones, with BM ghrelin being a relevant hormone for premature infant growth. Since ghrelin is lower in BM from women with preterm labor and the levels are associated with maternal fat storage and some dietary components, our data support the importance to monitor diet and body composition in women who gave birth prematurely to improve the BM hormonal statusThis research was funded by Promotion of Knowledge Transfer program (PTC-2020) from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in collaboration with Alter Farmacia, SA, Spanish Ministry of Science, and Innovation (RTI2018-097504-B-I00

Double balloon catheter for induction of labour in women with a previous cesarean section, could it be the best choice?

Introduction: We analysed the efficacy and safety of double-balloon catheter for cervical ripening in women with a previous cesarean section and which were the most important variables associated with an increased risk of repeated cesarean delivery. Materials and methods: We designed an observational retrospective study of 418 women with unfavourable cervices (Bishop Score <5), a prior cesarean delivery, and induction of labour with a double-balloon catheter. Baseline maternal data and perinatal outcomes were recorded for a descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analysis. A p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Most women improved their initial Bishop Score (89.5%) although only a 20.8% of them went into spontaneous active labour. Finally, 51.4% of the women achieved a vaginal delivery. Five cases of intrapartum uterine rupture (1.2%) occurred. After multivariate analysis, main risk factors for repeated cesarean section were dystocia in the previous pregnancy (OR 1.744; CI 95% 1.066–2.846), the absence of previous vaginal delivery (OR 2.590; CI 95% 1.066–6.290), suspected fetal macrosomia (OR 2.410; CI 95% 0.959–6.054), and duration of oxytocin induction period (OR 1.005; CI 95% 1.004–1.006). The area under the curve was 0.789 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Double-balloon catheter seems to be safe and effective for cervical ripening in women with a previous cesarean delivery and unfavourable cervix. In our study, most women could have a vaginal delivery in spite of their risk factors for cesarean delivery. A multivariate model based on some clinical variables has moderate predictive value for intrapartum cesarean section

Low dose vaginal misoprostol vs vaginal dinoprostone insert for induction of labor beyond 41st week: a randomized trial

Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of a low‐dose protocol of vaginal misoprostol and vaginal dinoprostone insert for induction of labor in women with post‐term pregnancies. Material and methods: We designed a prospective, randomized, open‐labeled trial with evaluators blinded to the end‐point, including women of at least 41 weeks of gestational age with uncomplicated singleton pregnancies and a Bishop score <6. They were randomized into dinoprostone or misoprostol groups in a 1:1 ratio. Baseline maternal data and perinatal outcomes were recorded for statistical analysis. Successful vaginal delivery within 24 hours was the primary outcome variable. A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. This study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (number NTC03744364). Results: We included 198 women for analysis (99 women in each group). Vaginal birth rate within 24 hours did not differ between groups (49.5% vs 42.4%; P = 0.412). When the Bishop score was <4, dinoprostone insert showed a higher probability of vaginal delivery within 12 hours (17.8% vs 4%; P = 0.012). In the dinoprostone group, removal of the insert was more likely to be due to an adverse event (5.1% vs 14.1%; P = 0.051) and an abnormal fetal heart rate pattern during active labor (44.4% vs 58.6%; P = 0.047). Both groups were similar in neonatal outcomes including Apgar score, umbilical cord pH and neonatal intensive care unit admission. Conclusions: Low‐dose vaginal misoprostol and vaginal dinoprostone insert seem to be equally effective and safe for induction of labor in pregnant women with a gestational age beyond 41 weeks

Time-frequency Grassmannian signalling for MIMO multi-channel-frequency-flat systems

In this paper, we consider the application of non-coherent Grassmannian signalling in practical multi-channel-frequency-flat multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication systems. In these systems, Grassmannian signalling, originally developed for single-channel block-fading systems, is not readily applicable. In particular, in such systems, the channel coefficients are constant across time and frequency, which implies that spectrally-efficient signalling ought to be jointly structured over these domains. To approach this goal, we develop a concatenation technique that yields a spectrally-efficient time-frequency Grassmannian signalling scheme, which enables the channel coherence bandwidth to be regarded as an additional coherence time. This scheme is shown to achieve the high signal-to-noise ratio non-coherent capacity of MIMO channels when the fading coefficients are constant over a time-frequency block. This scheme is also applicable in fast fading systems with coherence bandwidth exceeding that of one subchannel. The proposed scheme is independent of the symbol duration, i.e., the channel use duration, and is thus compatible with the transmit filter designs in current systems.The work of the first and second authors is supported, in part, by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). This work is also supported, in part, by Huawei Canada Co., Ltd., in part, by the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation's ORF-RE (Ontario Research Fund-Research Excellence) program, and, in part, by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (project number TEC2011-27723-C02-02). The associate editor coordinating the review of this paper and approving it for publication was Z. Wang.Fouad, YMM.; Gohary, RH.; Cabrejas Peñuelas, J.; Yanikomeroglu, H.; Calabuig Soler, D.; Roger Varea, S.; Monserrat Del Río, JF. (2015). Time-frequency Grassmannian signalling for MIMO multi-channel-frequency-flat systems. IEEE Communications Letters. 19(3):475-478. https://doi.org/10.1109/LCOMM.2014.2386873S47547819

Work shift, lifestyle factors, and subclinical atherosclerosis in spanish male workers: A mediation analysis

(1) Background: Working night shifts has been associated with altered circadian rhythms, lifestyle habits, and cardiometabolic risks. No information on the potential association of working shift and the presence of atherosclerosis is available. The aim of this study was to quantify the association between different work shifts and the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis objectively measured by imaging. (2) Methods: Analyses were conducted on the baseline data of the Aragon Workers Health Study (AWHS) cohort, including information on 2459 middle-aged men. Categories of shift work included central day shift, rotating morning-evening or morning-evening-night shift, and night shift. The presence of atherosclerotic plaques was assessed by 2D ultrasound in the carotid and femoral vascular territories. Multivariable logistic models and mediation analysis were conducted to characterize and quantify the association between study variables. (3) Results: Participants working night or rotating shifts presented an overall worse cardiometabolic risk profile, as well as more detrimental lifestyle habits. Workers in the most intense (morning-evening-night) rotating shift presented higher odds of subclinical atherosclerosis (odds ratio: 1.6; 95% confidence interval: 1.12 to 2.27) compared to workers in the central shift, independently of the presence of lifestyle and metabolic risk factors. A considerable (21%) proportion of this association was found to be mediated by smoking, indicating that altered sleep-wake cycles have a direct relationship with the early presence of atherosclerotic lesions. (4) Conclusions: Work shifts should be factored in during workers health examinations, and when developing effective workplace wellness programs

High-quality intake of carbohydrates is associated with lower prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis in femoral arteries: The AWHS study

Background and aims: High-quality of the carbohydrates consumed, apart from their total amount, appear to protect from cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the relationship between the quality of carbohydrates and the early appearance of atherosclerosis has not yet been described. Our objective was to estimate the association between the quality of dietary carbohydrates and subclinical atherosclerosis in femoral and carotid arteries. Methods: Cross-sectional study of femoral and carotid atherosclerosis assessed using ultrasounds of 2074 middle-aged males, 50.9 (SD 3.9) years old, with no previous CVD, and pertaining to the Aragon Workers’ Health Study (AWHS) cohort. Food frequency questionnaires were used to calculate a carbohydrate quality index (CQI) defined as: consumption of dietary fiber, a lower glycemic index, the ratio of whole grains/total grains, and the ratio of solid carbohydrates/total carbohydrates. The presence of plaques across four CQI intervals was studied using adjusted logistic regression models. Results: The CQI showed a direct inverse association with subclinical atherosclerosis in femoral territories. Participants with a higher consumption of high-quality carbohydrates (13–15 points) were less likely to have femoral plaques when compared with participants in the lowest index interval (4–6 points) (OR = 0.59; 95% CI = 0.39, 0.89; p = 0.005). No association was found between the CQI and the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in carotid territories. A lower consumption of high-quality carbohydrates tended to be associated with a greater atherosclerosis extension, considered as the odds for having more affected territories (p = 0.011). Conclusions: Among middle-aged males, a high-quality intake of carbohydrates is associated with a lower prevalence of femoral artery subclinical atherosclerosis when compared with a lower consumption. Thus, indicating an early relationship between the quality of carbohydrates and the development of CVD. © 2021 The Author(s