Beneficial Effects of Olive Oil Enriched with Lycopene on the Plasma Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Profile of Hypercholesterolemic Patients.

Olive oil and lycopene are foods that have potent antioxidant activity. The objective was to determine the effects of consumption of olive oil enriched with lycopene on oxidative stress biomarkers in hypercholesterolemic subjects. We examined the effects of oil enriched with lycopene extract daily intake during 1 month on plasma antioxidant capacity, lipids profile (triacylgycerols, total cholesterol, cHDL; cLDL, ox-LDL), biomarkers of oxidative stress, and inflammatory markers related with atherosclerosis risk (C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6; sDC4L) in subjects hypercholesteremics (cholesterol > 220 mg/dL). In the group consuming olive oil-lycopene, significant increases (p < 0.05) in the levels of plasma lycopene concentration (0.146 ± 0.03 versus 0.202 ± 0.04 (µmol/L)), α-carotene (0.166 ± 0.064 versus 0.238 ± 0.07) and in ß-carotene (0.493 ± 0.187 versus 0.713 ± 0.221) were observed. These results are linked with the increases of plasma antioxidants and decreases biomarkers of oxidative stress (carbonyl groups, malondialdehyde and 8-hydroxy-deoxiguanosine) observed in hypercholesterolemic group. In relation to lipid profile, a significant decrease was observed in the levels of ox-LDL (781 ± 302 versus 494 ± 200), remaining unchanged the levels of TG, cholesterol, HDL and LDL-c. Regarding inflammatory biomarkers, the levels of CRP and IL-6 decreased significantly. The positive results obtained in this study support the use of olive oil enriched with lycopene to reduce the risk of coronary disease.

Gamificación educativa en el laboratorio de biología celular / Educational gamification in the cell biology laboratory

La incorporación de estrategias de gamificación en la docencia se ha descrito como una herramienta para aumentar la motivación y el compromiso de los alumnos con la materia. Bajo esta premisa, se ha desarrollado una experiencia de innovación educativa mediante la plataforma Kahoot! en la primera y última práctica de laboratorio de la asignatura de Biología Celular del Grado en Biología. Los participantes fueron 135 alumnos repartidos en 12 grupos de laboratorio, que se dividieron entre experimentales y controles. Todos los grupos resolvieron un cuestionario en papel acerca de los conceptos explicados en clase, al finalizar ambas prácticas (post-test), pero sólo aquellos grupos experimentales resolvían un cuestionario antes de la clase (pre-test). Antes de la primera práctica, los alumnos de los grupos experimentales respondieron al pre-test mediante el Kahoot! Sin embargo, para la última práctica algunos grupos lo resolvieron jugando al Kahoot! y otros, con papel y bolígrafo. Los resultados mostraron que aquellos alumnos que fueron seleccionados para jugar a Kahoot!, obtuvieron un mayor número de aciertos en el test realizado tras la sesión práctica (post-test) con respecto a aquellos que no resolvieron ningún pre-test o, que lo hicieron de un modo clásico. Por lo tanto, nuestros resultados sugieren que implementar la jugabilidad en la docencia incrementa considerablemente la motivación del alumnado debido, probablemente, a cambios fisiológicos experimentados por el cerebro durante el juego y a la creación de un clima positivo, que facilitan el proceso de aprendizaje.

SUMMARY: The incorporation of gamification strategies in teaching has been described as a tool to increase the motivation and engagement of students with the subject. Under this premise, an educational innovation experience has been developed using the Kahoot! platform in the first and last laboratory practice of the Cell Biology course of the Biology degree. The participants were 135 students divided into 12 laboratory groups, which were divided into experimental and control groups. All groups solved a questionnaire on paper about the concepts explained in class, at the end of both practices (post-test), but only the experimental groups solved a questionnaire before the class (pre-test). Before the first practice, students in the experimental groups answered the pre-test using Kahoot! However, for the last practice, some groups solved it by playing Kahoot! and others with pen and paper. The results showed that those students who were selected to play Kahoot! obtained a higher number of correct answers in the test performed after the practical session (post-test) than those who did not solve any pre- test or who did it in a classical way. Therefore, our results suggest that implementing gamification in teaching considerably increases student motivation, probably due to physiological changes experienced by the brain during the game and the creation of a positive climate, which facilitates the learning process.

Oxidative markers in children with severe obesity following low-calorie diets supplemented with mandarin juice.

AIM: To evaluate the effect of supplementing a hypocaloric diet with mandarin juice, a food with a high content of antioxidants (vitamin C, flavonoids and carotenoids), on biomarkers of oxidant/antioxidant status of severe obese children. METHODS: Forty obese children were randomized into two groups pair-wise in a 4-week controlled intervention study. Both groups followed a hypocaloric diet. One group received additionally a supplementation of 500mL of 100% mandarin juice daily. Clinical data, anthropometry, dietary intake and fasting blood samples were collected at baseline and after the intervention. Lipid peroxidation was assessed by circulating levels of malondialdehyde, and protein oxidation was determined by the concentration of plasma carbonyl groups. The antioxidant defence was evaluated by red cell-reduced glutathione and plasma levels of α-tocopherol and vitamin C. RESULTS: The supplemented group experienced a decrease in the levels of malondialdehyde (-9.6%, p =0.014) and carbonyl groups (-36.1%, p =0.006) and an increase in antioxidants (α-tocopherol +16.1%, p=0.006, glutathione +36.1%, p < 0.0001, and vitamin C + 94.6%, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The mandarin juice consumption with a reduced calorie diet positively affects the antioxidant defence and produces a decrease in biomarkers of oxidative stress in obese children.

Effects of alcohol-free beer on lipid profile and parameters of oxidative stress and inflammation in elderly women.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the influence of alcohol-free beer on factors implicated in atherosclerosis, such as lipid profile, oxidative stress parameters, and proinflammatory cytokines, in postmenopausal women, a population particularly at risk for atherosclerotic disease. METHODS: The study was carried out in 29 nuns, 58 to 73 y old, who live in a convent with a disciplined, regular, and homogeneous lifestyle. The nuns maintained their habits and diet routine, but their meals were supplemented with 500 mL/d of alcohol-free beer (0.0%) divided into two doses over a 45-d period. Lipid profile, inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein, interleukins 1 and 6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and parameters of oxidative metabolism were determined before and after the study period. RESULTS: There were no differences in the levels of C-reactive protein and proinflammatory cytokines after diet supplementation. The antibody titers to oxidized low-density lipoprotein were significant lower (P < 0.05), and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (-18%, P < 0.001) and plasma carbonyl group content (-21%, P < 0.001) were decreased when compared with initial values. Increases in alpha-tocopherol levels (+9%, P < 0.05) and erythrocytic glutathione levels (+29%, P < 0.001) were also noted. With respect to lipid profile, only subjects with cholesterol levels higher than 240 mg/dL showed lower levels after supplementation. CONCLUSION: Consumption of non-alcoholic beer produces a decrease in oxidative stress that can have a beneficial impact on cardiovascular risk; however, the circulating concentrations of inflammatory mediators involved in its pathophysiology remained unchanged.