Nutrition
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Clinical Trial
Selenium blood concentrations in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery and receiving perioperative sodium selenite.
We recently reported that cardiac surgical patients in our institution exhibited low selenium blood levels preoperatively, which were further aggravated during surgery and independently associated with the development of postoperative multiorgan failure. Low circulating selenium levels result in a decreased antioxidant capacity. Both can be treated effectively by sodium-selenite administration. Little is known about the kinetics of exogenously administered sodium-selenite during acute perioperative oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of perioperative high-dose sodium-selenite administration on selenium blood concentrations in cardiac surgical patients. ⋯ Despite preemptive high-dose sodium-selenite administration, cardiac surgical patients experienced a significant decrease in circulating selenium levels on the first postoperative day.
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To analyze the effect of the fatty acid-binding protein (FABP2) gene Ala54Thr polymorphism on anthropometric and biochemical variables in response to a moderate-fat diet in overweight or obese subjects. ⋯ This study showed that the Thr54 allele carriers responded better to a moderate-fat diet.
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We assessed whether disease activity was associated with dietary habits, nutritional status, adipokines, and oxidative stress in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. ⋯ Altered serum adipokine levels with decreased albumin may reflect the deterioration that is associated with rheumatoid arthritis. An increased oxidative stress was observed in sera and saliva. Intakes of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, fish oil, and monounsaturated fatty acid seem to affect disease activity and may have beneficial effects by decreasing inflammation.
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Nuts are an integral part of the Mediterranean food patterns, and their incorporation into the regular diets of human beings is believed to provide many health benefits. The recent recognition of nuts as "heart-healthy" foods by the U. S. ⋯ In addition, because nuts are energy-dense foods with high-fat content, there is a misconception among consumers that increased consumption may lead to unwanted gain in body weight with the risk of developing overweight/obesity. Nonetheless, available epidemiologic studies and short-term controlled feeding trials have supported the theory that the inclusion of nuts in the typical diet does not induce weight gain, despite an expected increase in total caloric intake. To address the misperception about nuts and body weight gain, the present review focuses mainly on the relation between nut consumption and body weight gain, in the context of the many health benefits of nuts.