The effect of walnut intake on factors related to prostate and vascular health in older men

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tocopherols may protect against prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We assessed the effect of walnuts, which are rich in tocopherols, on markers of prostate and vascular health in men at risk for prostate cancer. We conducted an 8-week walnut supplement study to examine effects of walnuts on serum tocopherols and prostate specific antigen (PSA). Subjects (<it>n </it>= 21) consumed (in random order) their usual diet +/- a walnut supplement (75 g/d) that was isocalorically incorporated in their habitual diets. Prior to the supplement study, 5 fasted subjects participated in an acute timecourse experiment and had blood taken at baseline and 1, 2, 4, and 8 h after consuming walnuts (75 g).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the timecourse experiment, triglycerides peaked at 4 h, and gamma-tocopherol (γ-T) increased from 4 to 8 h. Triglyceride – normalized γ-T was two-fold higher (<it>P </it>= 0.01) after 8 versus 4 h. In the supplement study, change from baseline was +0.83 ± 0.52 μmol/L for γ-T, -2.65 ± 1.30 μmol/L for alpha-tocopherol (α-T) and -3.49 ± 1.99 for the tocopherol ratio (α-T: γ-T). A linear mixed model showed that, although PSA did not change, the ratio of free PSA:total PSA increased and approached significance (P = 0.07). The α-T: γ-T ratio decreased significantly (<it>P </it>= 0.01), partly reflecting an increase in serum γ-T, which approached significance (<it>P </it>= 0.08).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The significant decrease in the α-T: γ-T ratio with an increase in serum γ-T and a trend towards an increase in the ratio of free PSA:total PSA following the 8-week supplement study suggest that walnuts may improve biomarkers of prostate and vascular status.</p

Translating it into real life: a qualitative study of the cognitions, barriers and supports for key obesogenic behaviors of parents of preschoolers

BACKGROUND: Little is known about preschool parents' cognitions, barriers, supports and modeling of key obesogenic behaviors, including breakfast, fruit and vegetable consumption, sugary beverage intake, feeding practices, portion sizes, active playtime, reduced screen-time, sleep and selection of child-care centers with characteristics that promote healthy behaviors. METHODS: Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine these factors via survey and focus groups among 139 parents of 2- to 5-year-old children. Standard content analysis procedures were used to identify trends and themes in the focus group data, and Analysis of Variance was used to test for differences between groups in the survey data. RESULTS: Results showed 80% of parents ate breakfast daily, consumed sugary beverages 2.7 ± 2.5SD days per week, and had at least two different vegetables and fruits an average of 5.2 ± 1.8SD and 4.6 ± 2.0SD days per week. Older parents and those with greater education drank significantly fewer sugary drinks. Parents played actively a mean 4.2 ± 2.2 hours/week with their preschoolers, who watched television a mean 2.4 ± 1.7 hours/day. Many parents reported having a bedtime routine for their preschooler and choosing childcare centers that replaced screen-time with active play and nutrition education. Common barriers to choosing healthful behaviors included lack of time; neighborhood safety; limited knowledge of portion size, cooking methods, and ways to prepare healthy foods or play active indoor games; the perceived cost of healthy options, and family members who were picky eaters. Supports for performing healthful behaviors included planning ahead, introducing new foods and behaviors often and in tandem with existing preferred foods and behaviors, and learning strategies from other parents. CONCLUSIONS: Future education programs with preschool parents should emphasize supports and encourage parents to share helpful strategies with each other.This item is part of the UA Faculty Publications collection. For more information this item or other items in the UA Campus Repository, contact the University of Arizona Libraries at [email protected]

Effect of a 75 g walnut bolus on average serum concentrations of triglycerides (A), cholesterol (B), α-tocopherol (a-T) (C) and γ-tocopherol (g-T) (D) over 8 h timecourse following consumption (time 0)

Values are least-squares means ± SEM, n = 5. Asterisks indicate *equal to or less than 0.05.<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "The effect of walnut intake on factors related to prostate and vascular health in older men"</p><p>http://www.nutritionj.com/content/7/1/13</p><p>Nutrition Journal 2008;7():13-13.</p><p>Published online 2 May 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2412899.</p><p></p

Development and Validation of a Practical Model to Identify Patients at Risk of Bleeding After TAVR

Objectives: No standardized algorithm exists to identify patients at risk of bleeding after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The aim of this study was to generate and validate a useful predictive model. Background: Bleeding events after TAVR influence prognosis and quality of life and may be preventable. Methods: Using machine learning and multivariate regression, more than 100 clinical variables from 5,185 consecutive patients undergoing TAVR in the prospective multicenter RISPEVA (Registro Italiano GISE sull'Impianto di Valvola Aortica Percutanea; NCT02713932) registry were analyzed in relation to Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 bleeding episodes at 1 month. The model's performance was externally validated in 5,043 TAVR patients from the prospective multicenter POL-TAVI (Polish Registry of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) database. Results: Derivation analyses generated a 6-item score (PREDICT-TAVR) comprising blood hemoglobin and serum iron concentrations, oral anticoagulation and dual antiplatelet therapy, common femoral artery diameter, and creatinine clearance. The 30-day area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.80 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75–0.83). Internal validation by optimism bootstrap-corrected AUC was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.75–0.83). Score quartiles were in graded relation to 30-day events (0.8%, 1.1%, 2.5%, and 8.5%; overall p <0.001). External validation produced a 30-day AUC of 0.78 (95% CI: 0.72–0.82). A simple nomogram and a web-based calculator were developed to predict individual patient probabilities. Landmark cumulative event analysis showed greatest bleeding risk differences for top versus lower score quartiles in the first 30 days, when most events occurred. Predictivity was maintained when omitting serum iron values. Conclusions: PREDICT-TAVR is a practical, validated, 6-item tool to identify patients at risk of bleeding post-TAVR that can assist in decision making and event prevention

Influence of an extract of Juglans regia on the growth of Escherichia coli, on the electrophoretic profile of plasmid DNA and on the radiolabeling of blood constituents

The aim of this work was to study the influence of a walnut (Juglans regia) extract on the growth of Escherichia coli (E. coli) AB1157, on the plasmid DNA topology and on the labeling of blood constituents with technetium-99m (99mTc). An E. coli AB1157 culture, in stationary phase, was incubated with walnut and the growth of the culture was evaluated by optical density at 600 nm for 7 hours. Plasmid DNA samples were incubated with SnCl2 in presence or absence of walnut for 40 minutes, 0.8% agarose gel electrophoresis was performed, the gel was stained and the plasmid topological forms were visualized. Blood samples from Wistar rats were incubated with walnut extract and an assay of labeling of blood constituents with technetium-99m (99mTc) was performed. Blood cells and plasma were separated. The radioactivity in each fraction was counted and percentage of incorporated radioactivity (%ATI) was determined. The results presented an inhibitory action of the growth of the E. coli AB1157 culture, no protective action of the walnut extract in plasmid DNA treated with SnCl2. Moreover, walnut was also not capable to induce modifications in the DNA mobility in agarose gel but walnut was capable to decrease the distribution of 99mTc on the blood cell compartment. In conclusion, our experimental data suggest that in the walnut extract has substances with an effect on the growth of E. coli culture, a potential action to increase the SnCl2 effect on plasmid DNA and also is capable to alter the distribution of 99mTc on the blood cell compartment probably due to redoxi properties.<br>O objetivo desse trabalho foi estudar a influência de um extrato de nogueira (Juglans regia) no crescimento de Escherichia coli (E. coli) AB1157, na topologia do DNA plasmidial e na marcação de constituintes sanguíneos com tecnécio-99m (99mTc). Uma cultura de E. coli AB1157, em fase estacionária, foi incubada com nogueira e o crescimento da cultura foi avaliado por densidade óptica a 600nm por 7 horas. Amostras de DNA plasmidial foram incubadas com SnCl2 na presença ou ausência de nogueira por 40 minutos, a eletroforese em agarose 0.8% foi realizada, o gel foi corado e as formas topológicas do plasmídio foram visualizadas. Amostras de sangue de ratos Wistar foram incubadas com extrato de nogueira e um ensaio de marcação de constituintes sanguíneos com tecnécio-99m (99mTc) foi realizado. Células sanguíneas e plasma foram separadas. A radioatividade em cada fração foi contada e a percentagem de radioatividade incorporada (%ATI) foi determinada. Os resultados apresentaram uma ação inibitória do crescimento da cultura de E. coli AB1157, nenhuma ação protetora do extrato de nogueira em DNA plasmidial tratado com SnCl2. Além disso, na nogueira também não foi capaz de induzir modificações na mobilidade do DNA em gel de agarose, mas a nogueira foi capaz de diminuir a distribuição de 99mTc no compartimento sanguíneo celular. Concluindo, nosso resultado experimental sugere que no extrato de nogueira existem substâncias com um efeito no crescimento de cultura de E. coli, uma ação capaz de aumentar o efeito do SnCl2 no DNA plasmidial e também ser capaz de alterar a distribuição de 99mTc no compartimento sanguíneo celular provavelmente devido a propriedades redoxi

A new non-invasive index for prognosis evaluation in patients with aortic stenosis

10.1038/s41598-020-63777-zScientific Reports101733