Publications by authors named "Ana I Alvarez-Mercado"

Background/objectives: Dysgeusia contributes to the derangement of nutritional status in patients with cancer as well as worsening the quality of life. There has been a lack of effective treatments for taste disorders provided by the pharmaceutical industry.

Methods: This was a pilot randomized, parallel, triple-blind, and placebo-controlled intervention clinical trial in which 31 malnourished patients with cancer and dysgeusia receiving antineoplastic treatment were randomized into three arms [standard dose of DMB (150 mg DMB/tablet), high dose of DMB (300 mg DMB/tablet) or placebo (300 mg freeze-dried strawberry)] for three months.

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Taste disorders (TDs) are common among systemically treated cancer patients and negatively impact their nutritional status and quality of life. The novel food approved by the European Commission (EFSA), dried miracle berries (DMB), contains the natural taste-modifying protein miraculin. DMB, also available as a supplement, has emerged as a possible alternative treatment for TDs.

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Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. According to recent studies, alterations in the microbiota and epigenetic modulations are risk factors for this disease. This systematic review aims to determine the possible associations between the intestinal and mammary microbial populations, epigenetic modifications, and breast cancer.

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Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most diagnosed cancers in women. Based on histological characteristics, they are classified as non-invasive, or in situ (tumors located within the milk ducts or milk lobules) and invasive. BC may develop from in situ carcinomas over time.

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Asthma is a multifactorial condition that can be associated with obesity. The phenotypes of asthma in lean and obese patients are different, with proinflammatory signatures being further elevated in the latter. Both obesity and asthma are associated with alterations in intestinal barrier function and immunity, and with the composition of the intestinal microbiota and food consumption.

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It is estimated that 25% of the world's population has non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This disease can advance to a more severe form, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a disease with a greater probability of progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). NASH could be characterized as a necro-inflammatory complication of chronic hepatic steatosis.

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The most common cancer in women is breast cancer, which is also the second leading cause of death in this group. It is, however, important to note that some women will develop or will not develop breast cancer regardless of whether certain known risk factors are present. On the other hand, certain compounds are produced by bacteria in the gut, such as short-chain fatty acids, secondary bile acids, and other metabolites that may be linked to breast cancer development and mediate the chemotherapy response.

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Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and also one of the leading causes of mortality among women. The genetic and environmental factors known to date do not fully explain the risk of developing this disease. In recent years, numerous studies have highlighted the dual role of the gut microbiota in the preservation of host health and in the development of different pathologies, cancer among them.

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The intestinal microbiota is a community of microorganisms that subsists within the gastrointestinal ecosystem [...

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A polysaccharide is a macromolecule composed of more than ten monosaccharides with a wide distribution and high structural diversity and complexity in nature. Certain polysaccharides are immunomodulators and play key roles in the regulation of immune responses during the progression of some diseases. In addition to stimulating the growth of certain intestinal bacteria, polysaccharides may also promote health benefits by modulating the gut microbiota.

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Diseases caused by bacteria cause millions of deaths every year. In addition, the problem of resistance to antibiotics is so serious that it threatens the achievements of modern medicine. This is a very important global problem as some bacteria can also develop persistence.

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Previous works have described the activity of subsp. CECT 7210 (also commercially named IM-1) against rotavirus in mice and intestinal pathogens in piglets, as well as its diarrhea-reducing effect on healthy term infants. In the present work, we focused on the intestinal immunomodulatory effects of IM-1 and for this purpose we used the epithelial cell line isolated from colorectal adenocarcinoma Caco-2 and a co-culture system of human dendritic cells (DCs) from peripheral blood together with Caco-2 cells.

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Diet is a determinant for bodyweight and gut microbiota composition. Changes in dietary patterns are useful for the prevention and management of overweight and obesity. We aim to evaluate diet behavior and its potential association with selected gut bacteria and body weight among Mexican young adults.

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Physical activity, exercise, or physical fitness are being studied as helpful nonpharmacological therapies to reduce signaling pathways related to inflammation. Studies describing changes in intestinal microbiota have stated that physical activity could increase the microbial variance and enhance the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes, and both actions could neutralize the obesity progression and diminish body weight. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the literature describing the relationship between physical activity profiles and gut microbiota and in obesity and some associated comorbidities.

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Hepatocellular carcinoma has become a leading cause of cancer-associated mortality throughout the world, and is of great concern. Currently used chemotherapeutic drugs in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma lead to severe side effects, thus underscoring the need for further research to develop novel and safer therapies. Liver resection in cancer patients is routinely performed.

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Background: Epigenetic modifiers, such as methyltransferases, play crucial roles in the regulation of many biological processes, including development, cancer and multiple physiopathological conditions.

Summary: The Su(Var)3-9, Enhancer-of-zeste and Trithorax (SET) and Myeloid, Nervy, and DEAF-1 (MYND) domain-containing (SMYD) protein family consists of five members in humans and mice (i.e.

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Adequate nutrition is vital for immune homeostasis. However, the incidence of obesity is increasing worldwide due to the adoption of the Western diet and a sedentary lifestyle. Obesity is associated with chronic inflammation which alters the function of adipose tissue, liver, pancreas, and the nervous system.

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is a Gram-negative bacterium that colonizes the stomach and can induce gastric disease and intra-gastric lesions, including chronic gastritis, peptic ulcers, gastric adenocarcinoma, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. This bacterium is responsible for long-term complications of gastric disease. The conjunction of host genetics, immune response, bacterial virulence expression, diet, micronutrient availability, and microbiome structure influence the disease outcomes related to chronic infection.

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The pro-tumorigenic activity of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 19 (FGF15 in its rodent orthologue) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as well as the unsolved problem that ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury supposes in liver surgeries, are well known. However, it has been shown that FGF15 administration protects against liver damage and regenerative failure in liver transplantation (LT) from brain-dead donors without tumor signals, providing a benefit in avoiding IR injury. The protection provided by FGF15/19 is due to its anti-apoptotic and pro-regenerative properties, which make this molecule a potentially beneficial or harmful factor, depending on the disease.

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Visceral obesity is an important component of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of diseases that also includes diabetes and insulin resistance. A combination of these metabolic disorders damages liver function, which manifests as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD is a common cause of abnormal liver function, and numerous studies have established the enormously deleterious role of hepatic steatosis in ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury that inevitably occurs in both liver resection and transplantation.

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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an increasing cause of chronic liver illness associated with obesity and metabolic disorders, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, or type 2 diabetes mellitus. A more severe type of NAFLD, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is considered an ongoing global health threat and dramatically increases the risks of cirrhosis, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Several reports have demonstrated that liver steatosis is associated with the elevation of certain clinical and biochemical markers but with low predictive potential.

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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has reached pandemic proportions worldwide. We have previously reported that the probiotic strains CNCM I-4035, CNCM I-4034 and CNCM I-4036 exert anti-inflammatory effects in the intestine of Zucker-Lepr rats. In this work, we focused on their hepatic effects.

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Synopsis of recent research by authors named "Ana I Alvarez-Mercado"

  • - Ana I Alvarez-Mercado's recent research focuses on the impact of food supplements, particularly those containing miraculin, on the health and nutritional status of malnourished cancer patients, aiming to address taste disorders that impair quality of life and treatment adherence.
  • - Her systematic reviews and studies examine the interplay between microbiota, epigenetic factors, and various types of cancer, particularly breast cancer, identifying potential biomarkers and therapeutic strategies related to gut and mammary microbial populations.
  • - Additionally, Alvarez-Mercado investigates the connections between obesity, asthma, and gut microbiota composition, highlighting the role of microbiota in chronic diseases and proposing avenues for therapeutic interventions.