This study was designed to investigate the possible beneficial effects of consuming a sodium-rich carbonated mineral water on lipoprotein metabolism and to determine whether consumption of this water influences endothelial dysfunction (ED) in postmenopausal women. Women included in the study were amenorrheic (>1 y), healthy, and not obese (BMI < 30 kg/m(2)). The subjects did not take estrogen replacement therapy; supplements of vitamins, minerals, and phytoestrogens; or other medications known to affect bone and lipid metabolism. The study consisted of 2 intervention periods of 2 mo each, during which women drank 1 L/d of a control mineral water (low mineral content) for 2 mo followed by the carbonated mineral water, rich in sodium, bicarbonate, and chloride, for 2 mo. Body weight, height, and blood pressure were measured, and BMI was calculated. Blood samples were taken from fasting subjects and serum was analyzed for total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerols, apolipoprotein AI, apolipoprotein B, soluble intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), and glucose. Blood pressure levels did not change throughout the study. Carbonated water intake decreased total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels by 6.8% (P = 0.001) and 14.8% (P < 0.0001), respectively, whereas HDL-cholesterol concentration increased by 8.7% (P = 0.018), compared to the control period. Therefore, cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk indexes (total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol) were markedly reduced (both P < 0.0001). Soluble ICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 levels decreased by 8.4% (P = 0.007) and 14.8% (P = 0.015), respectively. Fasting serum glucose concentration decreased by 6.7% (P < 0.0001). Triacylglycerol levels did not change. Consumption of this sodium rich carbonated water can play a beneficial role in the prevention of CVD and the metabolic syndrome.

Vegetarian diets may compromise iron status, as they provide non-haem iron which has low bioavailability. Spanish lacto-ovo vegetarians (n = 49) and vegans (n = 55) were recruited and haematological and biochemical iron parameters were analysed. Food and supplements consumption, body composition, physical activity, menstrual blood losses and hormonal contraceptive use were assessed. Four groups were studied: Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA), iron depletion (ferritin <15 ng/mL), iron deficiency (ferritin ≥15 to ≤30 ng/mL), and iron sufficiency (ferritin >30 ng/mL). IDA was uncommon (n = 5, 4.8%), 27.9% of participants were iron-depleted, and 30.8% were iron-deficient. Serum ferritin was lower in women than men (p < 0.001) and IDA and iron depleted individuals were all women. There were no differences attributed to diet type, time being vegetarian or physical activity. The menstrual period length was negatively associated with transferrin saturation ( = −0.364, p = 0.001) and hormonal contraceptive use ( = −0.276, p = 0.014). Iron supplements were consumed most frequently by IDA and iron-deficient subjects (p = 0.031). Conclusions: Iron status did not vary between lacto-ovo vegetarians and vegans and there was not an influence of the time following a vegetarian diet. Although men were iron-sufficient, iron deficiency was frequent in women, who should apply strategies to increase iron bioavailability, especially if they experience intense menstrual blood losses.

The preparation of new Ru(II) complexes incorporating faccoordinated lutidine-derived CNC ligands is r eported. These derivatives are selectively deprotonated by t BuOK at one o f the methylene arms of th e pincer, leading to catal ytically 10 active species in the hydrogenation of imines.Lutidine-derived pincer complexes have become a prominent class of derivatives in organometallic chemistry.1 In these complexes, pyridine dearomatisation occurs upon deprotonation of the acidic −CH 2 − arms, leading to species that are capable of 15 bond activation by a metal-ligand cooperative mechanism. With respect to the flanking donor groups of the pincer, attention has been largely paid to phosphorous derivatives of type PNX (P = phosphine, X = phosphine or hemilabile N-donor ligand In this communication, we present the synthesis and structural characterisation of new Ru complexes 3 containing faccoordinated bis-N-heterocyclic carbene CNC ligands. Furthermore, application of these complexes in the hydrogenation of various imines is reported. 40Synthesis of new bis-imidazolium salts 1 have been effected by refluxing of acetonitrile or THF solutions of the corresponding 2,6-bis(halomethyl)pyridine and 1-substituted 1H-imidazole in a 1:2 ratio.5 Initial experiments directed to the synthesis of ruthenium complexes incorporating CNC ligands derived from 1 45 were performed by reaction of the imidazolium salt 1a(Br) with different Ru precursors (RuHCl(PPh 3 ) 3 , RuCl 2 (PPh 3 ) 3 , RuHCl(CO)(PPh 3 ) 3 , RuH 2 (CO)(PPh 3 ) 3 ) in the presence of base. This approach, however, leads to inseparable mixture of products, and an alternative procedure based on N-heterocyclic carbene 50 transfer with Ag-NHC complexes was considered.6 Reaction of bis-imidazolium salts 1 with 1 equiv of Ag 2 O in CH 2 Cl 2 at room temperature results in the clean formation of bimetallic silver complexes 2 (Scheme 1).5 These derivatives were found adequate for CNC ligand transfer to RuHCl(CO)(PPh 3 ) 3 . Thus, complexes 55 3a(Cl) and 3b(Cl) were conveniently prepared from the appropriate silver reagent 2 and RuHCl(CO)(PPh 3 ) 3 in THF at 55 o C. Similarly, complexes 3a(BF 4 ) and 3c(Br) were synthesised by reaction of the corresponding bromide derivatives 2a(Br) and 2c(Br) with RuHCl(CO)(PPh 3 ) 3 followed by treatment with 60 NaBF 4 and NaBr, respectively. Finally, synthesis of 3,5-xilylsubstituted 3d(Cl) was more conveniently carried out in CH 2 Cl 2 at room temperature.Scheme 1 Synthesis of silver (2a-2d) and ruthenium (3a-3d) complexes of CNC ligands.