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The essential oil was obtained by steam distillation, using a Clevenger apparatus, from the pericarp of the fruit of Zanthoxylum lepidopteriphilum from Ecuador. The qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and flame ionization detection (GC-FID) on two capillary columns with non-polar DB-5ms and a polar HP-INNOWax stationary phase. Thirty-three components were identified, accounting for 99.62% and 99.30% total essential oil. The essential oil was dominated by oxygenated monoterpenes (90.21-89.21%), respectively. The main constituents of the essential oil were α-thujone (70.26-70.38%), β-thujone (10.78-10.90%), terpinen-4-ol (4.15-4.06%), and sabinene (3.60-4.02%). Enantioselective analysis by GC was realized on a β-cyclodextrin-based chiral column (2,3-diethyl-6-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-β-cyclodextrin) in this analysis, determining three couples of enantiomers, which exhibited the compound ( 1R , 4S , 5S )-(+)-α-thujone with an enantiomeric excess of 84.40%.

Objective: This study aims to provide rapid and up-to-date evidence on the effectiveness of Health at Every Size (HAES) interventions compared to controls or other conventional approaches in individuals with overweight or obesity, with the goal of developing more effective and body-diverse respectful strategies., Methods: A review of literature was carried out using the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and SciELO. Research articles were selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Extracted data included study characteristics (design, setting, population demographics, sample size, intervention characteristics, study duration, and follow-up period) and health-related outcomes., Results: The search yielded 324 articles, of which 20 articles met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The majority of studies focused on lifestyle improvement, particularly in nutrition, body image, and relationships with food, utilizing a HAES approach. Additionally, other studies examined outcomes such as general well-being, body weight, body composition, cardiovascular risk, and changes in physical activity. Long-term results were particularly noted in studies incorporating physical activity interventions., Conclusion: HAES interventions appear to be a feasible strategy for promoting overall health and wellness, regardless of body size or shape. However, further evaluation is needed to assess the sustainability of these changes and their long-term impact, as current evidence suggest a they may not be maintained over time., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Suárez, Cucalon, Herrera, Montalvan, Quiroz, Moreno, Sarmiento-Andrade and Cabañas-Alite.)

Objective: Diabetes mellitus is a growing disease with severe complications. Various scores predict the risk of developing this pathology. The amount of muscle mass is associated with insulin resistance, yet there is no established evidence linking muscle mass with diabetes risk. This work aims to study that relationship., Research Methods and Procedures: This cross-sectional study included 1,388 employees. The FINDRISC score was used to assess type 2 diabetes risk, and bioimpedance was used for body composition analysis. Appendicular skeletal muscle mass adjusted by body mass index (ASM/BMI) was analyzed. Sociodemographic, clinical and anthropometric measures were evaluated, logistic regression models with sex stratification were conducted and ROC curves were calculated to determine the ability of ASM/BMI index to predict T2D risk., Results: It was observed that patients with higher ASM/BMI had a lower FINDRISC score in both men and women ( p  < 0.001). A logistic regression model showed and association between ASM/BMI and diabetes risk in women [OR: 0.000 (0.000-0.900), p  = 0.048], but not in men [OR: 0.267 (0.038-1.878), p  = 0.185]. However, when the body mass index variable was excluded from the model, an association was found between muscle mass adjusted to BMI and diabetes risk in both men [OR: 0.000 (0.000-0.016), p  < 0.001], and women [OR:0.001 (0.000-0.034), p  < 0.001]. Other risk factors were having a low level of physical activity, waist circumference, age and sedentary lifestyle. A ROC curve was built and the optimal ASM/BMI cut-of value for predicting T2D risk was 0.82 with a sensitivity of 53.71% and specificity of 69.3% [AUC of 0.665 (0.64-0.69; p  < 0.0001)]., Conclusion: When quantifying the risk of type 2 diabetes in both women and men, assessing muscle mass can help detect adult individuals with a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Suárez, Andrade, Bautista-Valarezo, Sarmiento-Andrade, Matos, Jimenez, Montalvan and Chapela.)

The Mediterranean Diet (MD) has garnered increasing attention for its potential protective effects against gastric cancer (GC). The MD's rich content of antioxidants, polyphenols, and other bioactive compounds contributes to its ability to modulate gene expression, inhibit tumor growth, and regulate apoptosis. Studies have shown significant reductions in inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) among individuals adhering to the MD, suggesting its pivotal role in mitigating chronic inflammation-associated with cancer development. Furthermore, the MD's anti-angiogenic properties, particularly in components like olive oil, red wine, fish, and tomatoes, offer promising avenues for reducing GC risk by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis. Additionally, the MD's influence on intestinal microbiota composition underscores its potential in maintaining immune homeostasis and reducing systemic inflammation, factors crucial in GC prevention. Despite challenges such as variability in dietary adherence scoring systems and the need for further gender and geographical-specific studies, evidence supports the MD as a cost-effective and holistic approach to GC prevention. Emphasizing the role of nutrition in public health is a promising strategy with broad implications for global health and cancer prevention initiatives. Therefore, this review explores the multifaceted impacts of the MD on GC prevention, delving into its anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, and molecular mechanisms., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Sarcopenia in critically ill patients is a highly prevalent comorbidity. It is associated with a higher mortality rate, length of mechanical ventilation, and probability of being sent to a nursing home after the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Despite the number of calories and proteins delivered, there is a complex network of signals of hormones and cytokines that affect muscle metabolism and its protein synthesis and breakdown in critically ill and chronic patients. To date, it is known that a higher number of proteins decreases mortality, but the exact amount needs to be clarified. This complex network of signals affects protein synthesis and breakdown. Some hormones regulate metabolism, such as insulin, insulin growth factor glucocorticoids, and growth hormone, whose secretion is affected by feeding states and inflammation. In addition, cytokines are involved, such as TNF-alpha and HIF-1. These hormones and cytokines have common pathways that activate muscle breakdown effectors, such as the ubiquitin-proteasome system, calpain, and caspase-3. These effectors are responsible for protein breakdown in muscles. Many trials have been conducted with hormones with different results but not with nutritional outcomes. This review examines the effect of hormones and cytokines on muscles. Knowing all the signals and pathways that affect protein synthesis and breakdown can be considered for future therapeutics.

Background: There is scarce epidemiological data on Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in Latin America. National epidemiological studies are needed to guide the health policy related to MS., Objective: To determine MS national prevalence in Peru and describe clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the disease., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional prevalence study in Peru's four largest regions using two sources. We included adult patients diagnosed with MS by a neurologist using the McDonald criteria. We performed a capture-recapture analysis using the nearly unbiased estimator model, and calculated prevalence as the proportion of the adult Peruvian population in 2016. Additionally, we summarized patients epidemiological and clinical characteristics., Results: We identified 417 cases: 135 from the first source and 282 from the one. We found a point prevalence of 9.12 cases per 100 000 inhabitants (95% CI: 5.6 - 12.6). The age range was 35 to 45 years-old, and 51.9% were female. The most common type of MS was relapsing-remitting (79.3%) and the most frequent treatment was subcutaneous IFN-1b (40.7%)., Conclusion: Peru has a medium MS prevalence compared to other Latin American countries. Lima is the region with the highest number of cases, with similar clinical characteristics to other countries in the region., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background Randomized and observational studies have previously reported inconsistent results for the direct association between statin therapy and 25, hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels. Thus, the present study aimed to examine the relationship between statin use and 25(OH)D and its metabolites concentrations in a large nationally representative sample of older adults. Methods This study was conducted using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants were asked to show the medication containers of all the products used in the previous 30 days, and the prescription of statins was defined on the three-level nested therapeutic classification scheme of Cerner Multum's Lexicon. General linear models adjusted for potential confounders were created to compare 25(OH)D concentrations between older adults taking statins and those who did not.  Results A total of 6,261 participants with a mean age of 69.5 years comprised the study sample. Of those, 40.2% were taking statins with a median length of therapy of 5 years. Adjusted mean 25(OH)D 3 and 25(OH)D levels were 3.3 and 4.4 nmol/L higher among participants taking statins than those who did not, respectively. Moreover, this association was consistently seen regardless of the duration of therapy and particularly in subjects taking simvastatin, atorvastatin, or rosuvastatin. In subgroup analyses according to BMI categories and vitamin D intake, higher 25(OH)D levels were also seen among statin users. By contrast, this association was attenuated among those with a daily vitamin D between 400 and 800 and >800 IU. Conclusion Older adults on statin therapy had significantly higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations. Additional research should be conducted to define the mechanism of this association and determine if the pleiotropic effects attributed to statins may be mediated by vitamin D., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2020, Orces et al.)

Aims: To determine optimal waist circumference cutoff values for predicting metabolic syndrome (MetS) among adults aged 60 years and older in Ecuador., Material and Methods: The National Survey of Health, Wellbeing, and Aging survey was used to describe the prevalence of MetS according to standard definitions. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analyses and the Younden index J (YI) were performed to examine optimal waist circumference cutoff values for predicting MetS. Moreover, the prevalence of MetS according to country-specific waist circumference cutoff values was compared with those using standard definitions., Results: Among 2306 participants with a mean age of 70.6 years, the optimal waist circumference cutoff value for predicting MetS was 90.7 cm in women with a sensitivity of 66.1%, specificity of 65.6% and YI of 0.31. In men, a waist circumference of 91.2 cm with a sensitivity of 73.2%, specificity of 62.8%, and YI of 0.36 was the optimal cutoff point for predicting MetS. In general, applying country-specific cutoff values decreased the prevalence of MetS among older Ecuadorian women. In men, except with the ATP III definition, similar MetS prevalence rates were seen whether the country-specific or standard waist circumference cutoff values were applied., Conclusions: The optimal waist circumference cutoff values for predicting metabolic syndrome among older Ecuadorians adults were 90.7 cm for women and 91.2 cm for men. Moreover, current standard definitions of abdominal obesity may overestimate the prevalence of MetS, particularly in Latin American women., (Copyright © 2019 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aims: To describe the prevalence of abdominal obesity and its association with cardio metabolic risk factors among older adults in Ecuador., Materials and Methods: The present study used data from the National Survey of Health, Wellbeing, and Aging survey to examine the prevalence of abdominal obesity according to certain demographic, behavioral, and health characteristics of the participants. Logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders were used to evaluate the association of abdominal obesity with cardio metabolic risk factors., Results: Of 2053 participants aged 60 years and older, the prevalence of abdominal obesity was 65.9% (95% CI; 62.2%, 69.4%) in women and 16.3% (95% CI; 13.8%, 19.2%) in men. Notably, a higher prevalence of abdominal obesity was seen among residents in the urban areas of the country, those who reported their race as black or mulatto, individuals with sedentary lifestyle and obesity, and older adults with greater number of comorbidities. Moreover, after adjustment for potential confounders, women with abdominal obesity were 2.0, 2.8, and 1.6 times more likely to have diabetes, the metabolic syndrome, and hypertriglyceridemia as compared with those without, respectively. Likewise, men with abdominal obesity had 51% and 22% higher rates of hypertension and diabetes than their non-obese counterparts, respectively., Conclusions: the prevalence of abdominal obesity is high among older adults in Ecuador. Moreover, abdominal obesity is significantly associated with cardio metabolic risk factors. Therefore, further research is needed to evaluate sociodemographic and nutritional determinants of this emerging public health burden among older Ecuadorians., (Copyright © 2017 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)