135 research outputs found
The production of university technological knowledge in European regions: evidence from patent data
This paper explores the European regional distribution of the production of new technological knowledge generated by universities, as measured by patent counts. The empirical basis for this study is a unique panel data set of 4,580 European university patents from 1998 to 2004. Our main findings were a strong regional and sectoral concentration of patents, and no average relation between university technological specialization and industrial specialization. Furthermore, our results suggest that variations in regional R&D funding do affect patenting activities in regions, with elasticities showing constant returns to scale, but no evidence was found regarding the industrial potential of the region encouraging the production of new university technological knowledge
Efecto del ácido linoleico conjugado (CLA) sobre el perfil lipídico en humanos
El término ácido linoleico conjugado (CLA) hace referencia
a un grupo de isómeros del ácido linoleico, caracterizados
por tener enlaces dobles conjugados en varias posiciones y conformaciones.
El CLA se encuentra de forma natural en algunos alimentos,
aunque desde que se le atribuyen efectos beneficiosos sobre varios
aspectos relacionados con la salud, numerosos grupos investigadores
han estudiado los efectos de la suplementación con este ácido
graso. En este sentido, el efecto del CLA sobre el perfil lipídico
de los animales ha sido extensamente estudiado y existen evidencias
confirmadas de beneficios sobre diversos marcadores metabólicos.
Sin embargo, los resultados de los ensayos de intervención en humanos
son ambiguos. El objetivo de esta revisión fue reunir los datos disponibles y más actuales acerca de los efectos del CLA en el perfil lipídico de humanos. Diversos estudios no hallaron efectos significativos en ninguna de las variables estudiadas; sin embargo, otros trabajos encontraron tanto efectos beneficiosos como desfavorables
en el colesterol total, c-LDL, c-HDL, índice aterogénico, triglicéridos y lipoproteína(a). Esta discrepancia podría probablemente deberse a las diferencias en la dosis, composición de isómeros y placebo utilizado, así como a la duración del estudio y al estado nutricional de los sujetos incluidos, entre otros. No obstante, el análisis
de los estudios de 12 semanas de duración, realizados con una mezcla en cantidades iguales de los dos isómeros principales del CLA (cis-9, trans-11 y trans-10, cis-12) y con dosis diarias de entre 3 y 4 g aproximadamente, parecen ofrecer los resultados más beneficiosos
Implication of miR-612 and miR-1976 in the regulation of TP53 and CD40 and their relationship in the response to specific weight-loss diets
Background: Non-coding RNAs (i.e., miRNAs) play a role in the development of obesity and related comorbidities and the regulation of body weight.
Objective: To identify candidate miRNA biomarkers throughout omics approaches in order to predict the response to specific weight-loss dietary treatments.
Design: Genomic DNA and cDNA isolated from white blood cells of a subset from the RESMENA nutritional intervention study (Low-responders (LR) vs High-responders (HR)) was hybridized in Infinium Human Methylation450 BeadChip and in Illumina Human HT-12 v4 gene expression BeadChips arrays respectively. A bioinformatic prediction of putative target sites of selected miRNAs was performed by applying miRBase algorithms. HEK-293T cells were co-transfected with expression vectors containing the 3'-UTR of candidate genes to validate the binding of miRNAs to its target sites.
Results: 134 miRNAs were differentially methylated between HR and LR in the methylation array, whereas 44 miRNAs were differentially expressed between both groups in the expression array. Specifically, miR-1237, miR-1976, miR-642, miR-636, miR-612 and miR-193B were simultaneously hypomethylated and overexpressed in HR. miR-612 and miR-1976 showed greatest differences in methylation and expression levels, respectively. The bioinformatic prediction revealed that TP53 was a putative target gene of miR-612 and CD40 of miR-1976. Moreover, TP53 was downregulated in the expression array when comparing HR vs LR expression levels adjusted by sex, diet, age and baseline weight, and CD40 showed a statistical trend. Furthermore, gene expression levels of TP53 and CD40 in white blood cells, when measured by qPCR, were also downregulated in HR. Finally, miR-612 and miR-1976 potently repressed TP53 and CD40 respectively by targeting its 3'-UTR regions.
Conclusion: miR-612 and miR-1976 levels could be prospective biomarkers of response to specific weight-loss diets and might regulate the gene expression of TP53 and CD40
Avances en nutrición molecular: nutrigenómica y/o nutrigenética
La aplicación de las técnicas de la biología molecular
y el éxito del Proyecto Genoma Humano ha abierto una
nueva era tanto en Medicina como en Nutrición. Hasta
la fecha, al menos, 1.000 genes humanos causantes de enfermedades
han sido identificados y parcialmente caracterizados,
el 97% de los cuales sabemos ahora que son
causantes de enfermedades monogénicas. Sin embargo,
otras patologías como la obesidad, enfermedad cardiovascular,
diabetes, cáncer se deben a complejas interacciones
entre diversos genes y factores ambientales. A pesar
de los numerosos estudios de asociación, más de 600
publicados desde 2002, la base molecular de las enfermedades
crónicas es todavía incierta. La información sobre
polimorfismos de nucleótidos y mapas de haplotipos son
recursos adicionales para identificar genes involucrados
en enfermedades. El desarrollo genómico se aproxima,
sin embargo, no se conocen con precisión algunos componentes
de la dieta y sus mecanismos, que influyen de
forma importante en la expresión de la información genética
y en las alteraciones patológicas. La industria alimentaria
tiene la oportunidad de utilizar los componentes bioactivos
de los alimentos para mejorar la salud y evitar las
enfermedades teniendo en cuenta la constitución genética
de los consumidores. Esta nueva era de la nutrición molecular
—interacciones genes-nutrientes— puede crecer
en diversas direcciones, aunque hay dos esenciales. De
una parte, el estudio de la influencia de los nutrientes sobre
la expresión de genes (nutrigenómica) y de otra conocer
la influencia de las variaciones genéticas en la respuesta
del organismo a los nutrientes (nutrigenética)
A regular curd consumption improves gastrointestinal status assessed by a randomized controlled nutritional intervention
This study evaluated the influence of curd consumption (a dairy product in which most whey proteins are discarded) on nutritional status markers and on gastrointestinal symptoms through an open-label randomized nutritional intervention. A total of 20 males and 20 females were involved in the study. Body weight and plasma levels of different health markers were measured at baseline and at the end of the study. Gastrointestinal symptoms and satiety were assessed by self-reported subjective questionnaires. There were neither relevant changes in body weight and composition, nor in all screened plasma determinations after the intervention. Satiety score analyses revealed no differences between the two experimental groups. The regular consumption of curd-improved abdominal pain (19%) and deposition scores (16%) when compared with those participants non-consuming curd, which may indicate a better tolerability of this product. Curd intake within a balanced diet improved some subjective markers of gastrointestinal status, which may be explained by the nutritional composition of curds
Down-regulation of heart HFABP and UCP2 gene expression in diet-induced (cafeteria) obese rats.
Long-term exposure to hypercaloric high fat diet induced marked tissue fatty acid accumulation and may influence cell function. Previous results in our laboratory showed that uncoupling proteins (UCPs) and fatty acid-binding protein (FABP) gene expression are changed in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle tissue in diet-induced (cafeteria) obese animals. The aim of this study was to examine heart FABP (HFABP) and UCP2 gene expressions in dietary obese rats. Rats fed on a high-fat diet for 65 days had significantly higher fat stores and body weight than control rats. Interestingly, we found that both HFABP and UCP2 mRNA levels were significantly reduced in cafeteria-obese rats when compared to control animals. Moreover, a statistically significant correlation was observed between the two gene expression levels. The down-regulation of heart HFABP and UCP2 parallels the lower lipid utilization which may account for an enhanced fat deposition. It is plausible that these two genes are regulated by the same family of transcription factors
Different postprandial acute response in healthy subjects to three strawberry jams varying in carbohydrate and antioxidant content: a randomized, crossover trial
PURPOSE:
Dietary food composition influences postprandial glucose homeostasis. Thus, the objective was to investigate the effects of an acute intake of three different types of strawberry jam, differing in carbohydrate and antioxidants content, on postprandial glucose metabolism, lipid profile, antioxidant status, and satiety.
METHODS:
Sixteen healthy adults participated in a randomized, crossover, double-blind study with three arms, receiving 60 g of three different strawberry jams. Blood samples were collected at fasting and at 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after its intake. Blood analyses were performed with validated procedures and satiety was estimated with visual analogue scale (VAS).
RESULTS:
Blood glucose concentrations were maintained at normal values and without peaks within the 2 h after consumption of low-sugar jams. However, blood glucose and insulin were significantly higher at 30 and 60 min after high-sugar (HS) jam intake versus both low-sugar jams. Furthermore, HS jam produced more satisfaction at short time, but decreased as soon as blood glucose concentration began to decrease. Moreover, HS ingestion produced lower free fatty acid levels (p < 0.05) throughout the trial with respect both the low-sugar jams. However, no additional benefits on oxidative status (malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase, total antioxidant capacity, and uric acid), glucose, lipid, and satiety variables were observed due to the inclusion of an antioxidant to low-sugar jam.
CONCLUSIONS:
This study reinforces the idea that products without added sugars are appropriate for the management of glycemic alterations and provides further insight into the effect of natural antioxidants as a functional ingredient on oxidative status and related metabolic disturbances
Dietary total antioxidant capacity and obesity in children and adolescents
Dietary antioxidant intake has been suggested to protect against oxidative damage and related clinical complications. The aim of this study was to assess the potential relationships between the dietary total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and obesity-related features in children and adolescents.
Anthropometric variables from 369 children and adolescents were measured (184 obese and 185 control). A validated food-frequency questionnaire was used to calculate the TAC and the daily nutrient and energy intake.
Dietary TAC showed positive associations with fiber, folic acid, magnesium, and vitamins A, C and E. BMI, SDS-BMI and total body fat were inversely associated with dietary TAC only in obese subjects.
These data suggest that dietary TAC may be a potential indicator of the risk to develop obesity-related features and could be considered as a useful method in assessing antioxidant intake
Effects of the whole seed and a protein isolate of faba bean (Vicia faba) on the cholesterol metabolism of hypercholesterolaemic rats
The aim of the present work was to analyse the hypocholesterolaemic efficiency of a Vicia fabaprotein
isolate in relation to the intact legume. In addition, the mechanisms underlying the
effects of this isolate were investigated. Hypercholesterolaemic rats were divided into three
groups n10 3 and fed high-fat diets rich in cholesterol-containing casein, whole seeds of
Vicia faba or the protein isolate of faba beans as protein source, for 2 weeks ad libitum. The
protein isolate was prepared by isoelectric precipitation and spray dried. Analyses of serum,
liver and faeces, as well as of the activity of hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-CoA
reductase, were assessed by enzymatic methods. The rats fed on Vicia faba diets showed
significantly lower body weights and energy intakes than rats fed on casein diets. The wholeseed
diet induced a significant reduction in plasma triacylglycerol. Feeding rats on diets
containing faba bean seeds, or the protein isolate, induced a significant decrease in plasma
(LDL+VLDL)-cholesterol but not in HDL-cholesterol. Hepatic cholesterol and triacylglycerol
were also reduced. The hypocholesterolaemic effects of Vicia faba were not the result of a
reduction in cholesterol synthesis as assessed from HMG-CoA reductase activity, but the result
of an increase in steroid faecal excretion. The faba bean-protein isolate obtained under our
experimental conditions was useful in improving the metabolic alterations induced by feeding
with a hypercholesterolaemic diet compared with casein. The effectiveness of the whole seeds
was higher than that of the protein isolate
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