Moderate physical activity during neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients: effect on cancer-related inflammation and pathological complete response-the Neo-Runner study.

Background: Physical activity (PA) reduces the risk of developing breast cancer (BC) and mortality rate in BC patients starting PA after diagnosis. Immunomodulation is considered responsible for these effects. However, limited data exist on the immunomodulation induced by moderate PA (mPA) during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).

Coumarin-Induced Hepatotoxicity: A Narrative Review.

Coumarin is an effective treatment for primary lymphoedema, as well as lymphoedema related to breast cancer radiotherapy or surgery. However, its clinical use is limited in several countries due to the possible occurrence of hepatotoxicity, mainly in the form of mild to moderate transaminase elevation. It is worth noting that only a few cases of severe hepatotoxicity have been described in the literature, with no reported cases of liver failure.

Toxicity of Usnic Acid: A Narrative Review.

Usnic acid (UA) is a dibenzofuran derivative naturally present in lichens, organisms resulting from the symbiosis between a fungus and a cyanobacterium, or an alga. UA shows antimicrobial, antitumor, antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory as well as UV-protective activities. Its use as pharmacological agent is widely described in traditional medicine, and in the past few years, the product has been marketed as a food supplement for the induction of weight loss.

Socioeconomic and racial disparities in the risk of congenital anomalies in infants of diabetic mothers: A national population-based study.

We used a national population-based database to study socioeconomic and racial disparities associated with congenital anomalies in 293,498 infants of diabetic mothers. Risk of anomalies in infants of diabetic mothers was highest in poor families (13.3%) compared to the rich families (10.

Prepubertal Di-n-Butyl Phthalate Exposure Alters Sertoli and Leydig Cell Function and Lowers Bone Density in Adult Male Mice.

Phthalate exposure impairs testis development and function; however, whether phthalates affect nonreproductive functions is not well understood. To investigate this, C57BL/6J mice were fed 1-500 mg di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) in corn oil, or vehicle only, daily from 4 to 14 days, after which tissues were collected (prepubertal study). Another group was fed 1-500 mg/kg·d DBP from 4 to 21 days and then maintained untreated until 8 weeks for determination of adult consequences of prepubertal exposure.

Lithium/Valproic acid combination and L-glutamate induce similar pattern of changes in the expression of miR-30a-5p in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells.

It has been proposed that Lithium (Li) and valproic acid (VPA) may be useful to treat neurodegenerative disorders because they protect neurons against excitotoxic insults both in vitro and in vivo models. Moreover, these two drugs may exert their effects by regulating microRNAs (miRNAs), single-stranded and non-coding RNAs able to control gene expression. A subset of the miR-30a family (miR-30a-5p) is involved in the fine-tuning of neuroprotective molecules such as the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

The effect of neuropeptide Y on cell survival and neurotrophin expression in in-vitro models of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a disorder characterized by the accumulation of abnormally folded protein fragments in neurons, i.e., β-amyloid (Aβ) and tau protein, leading to cell death.

Effects of lithium and valproic acid on BDNF protein and gene expression in an in vitro human neuron-like model of degeneration.

One of the common effects of lithium (Li) and valproic acid (VPA) is their ability to protect against excitotoxic insults. Neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases may be also associated with altered trophic support of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the most widely distributed neurotrophin in the central nervous system. However, despite these evidences, the effect of Li-VPA combination on BDNF after excitoxic insult has been inadequately investigated.

Critical thinking skills of undergraduate nursing students: description and demographic predictors.

Aim: This study investigated the critical thinking skills among undergraduate nursing students in Australia to obtain a profile and determine demographic predictors of critical thinking.

Background: There is universal agreement that being a critical thinker is an outcome requirement for many accreditation and registering nursing bodies. Most studies provide descriptive statistical information about critical thinking skills while some have studied the changes in critical thinking after an intervention.

Rotating shift-work as an independent risk factor for overweight Italian workers: a cross-sectional study.

Background: A job-related factor is attracting a growing interest as a possible determinant of body weight gain in shift-workers.

Objective: The aim of the study was to reinvestigate the issue of overweight between rotating shift workers and daytime workers, taking into consideration possible confounding covariate factors.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, conducted by reviewing data from subjects participating in an occupational surveillance program in 2008.

Hydrochloric acid alters the effect of L-glutamic acid on cell viability in human neuroblastoma cell cultures.

l-Glutamic acid (l-glutamate) is used to induce excitotoxicity and test neuroprotective compounds in cell cultures. However, because l-glutamate powder is nearly insoluble in water, many manufacturers recommend reconstituting l-glutamate in hydrochloric acid (HCl) prior to successive dilutions. Nevertheless, HCl, even at low concentrations, may alter the pH of the cell culture medium and interfere with cell activity.

NPY modulates miR-30a-5p and BDNF in opposite direction in an in vitro model of Alzheimer disease: a possible role in neuroprotection?

Using in vitro models of Alzheimer's disease (AD), we found that the toxic effects of amyloid beta 25-35 (Aβ(25-35)) on the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were counteracted by pre-incubation with neuropeptide Y (NPY), a neuropeptide expressed within the central nervous system. Nonetheless, the mechanism of action of NPY on BDNF neuronal production in the presence of Aβ is not known. BDNF expression might be directly regulated by microRNA (miRs), small non-coding DNA fragments that regulate the expression of target genes.

Neuropeptide Y protects rat cortical neurons against β-amyloid toxicity and re-establishes synthesis and release of nerve growth factor.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a 36 amino acid peptide, widely distributed within central nervous system neurons. More recently, it has been shown that NPY is involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD), a disorder characterized by accumulation of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) in neurons. In a previous study, we investigated the effect of NPY on neuronal damage by exposing SH-SY5Y cells (an established human derived neuroblastoma cell line) to Aβ's pathogenic fragment 25-35 (Aβ(25-35)).

NPY intraperitoneal injections produce antidepressant-like effects and downregulate BDNF in the rat hypothalamus.

Aims: Several studies have documented an involvement of Neuropeptide Y (NPY) in stress-related disorders. Stress-related disorders are also characterized by changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophins implicated in the survival and function of neurons. Thus the aim of this study was to investigate whether an NPY intraperitoneal treatment has antidepressant-like effects in rats subjected to a classical stress paradigm, the Forced Swim Test (FST), in association with changes in local brain neurotrophin production.

DNA methylation silences miR-132 in prostate cancer.

Silencing of microRNAs (miRNAs) by promoter CpG island methylation may be an important mechanism in prostate carcinogenesis. To screen for epigenetically silenced miRNAs in prostate cancer (PCa), we treated prostate normal epithelial and carcinoma cells with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (AZA) and subsequently examined expression changes of 650 miRNAs by megaplex stemloop reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. After applying a selection strategy, we analyzed the methylation status of CpG islands upstream to a subset of miRNAs by methylation-specific PCR.

Intraperitoneal injection of neuropeptide Y (NPY) alters neurotrophin rat hypothalamic levels: Implications for NPY potential role in stress-related disorders.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a 36-amino acid peptide which exerts several regulatory actions within peripheral and central nervous systems. Among NPY actions preclinical and clinical data have suggested that the anxiolytic and antidepressant actions of NPY may be related to its antagonist action on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The neurotrophins brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) are proteins involved in the growth, survival and function of neurons.

Neuroprotective effect of neuropeptide Y against β-amyloid 25-35 toxicity in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells is associated with increased neurotrophin production.

Background: In the central nervous system, several neuropeptides are believed to be involved in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Among them, neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a small peptide widely distributed throughout the brain, where it serves as a neurotransmitter and/or a modulator of several neuroendocrine functions. More recently, NPY has generated interest because of its role in neuroprotection against excitotoxicity and modulation of neurogenesis.

Paroxetine rapidly modulates the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA and protein in a human glioblastoma-astrocytoma cell line.

Neuronal upregulation of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene appears to be a crucial factor for the efficacy of antidepressants. However, besides neurons, little information is present on the modulation of BDNF by antidepressants at RNA and protein levels in other cell types of the central nervous system. Glial cells are able to store and release BDNF, and it has been hypothesized that glial dysfunction may contribute to the etiopathogenesis of depression.

Risk of bacterial cross infection associated with inspiration through flow-based spirometers.

Background: Bacterial contamination of spirometers has been documented in water-sealed devices, mouthpieces, and connection tubes. Little information is available about bacterial contamination of flow-based apparatuses such as turbine-type spirometers and pneumotachographs. Inspiration through contaminated equipment is a potential source of cross infection.

[Low back pain in VDT operators: importance of sports activities].

Video display terminal (VDT) operators are required to maintain a sitting position for extended periods of time. This transverse study assessed the prevalence of lumbar musculoskeletal disorders (low back pain, LBP) in a population of VDT operators and related results to occupational factors and other interfering variables. Data were collected using questionnaires administered to 210 public employees.

[Body mass index in shift workers: relation to diet and physical activity].

Unlabelled: Many studies investigated adverse effects of rotating shift work, deriving from modifications of circadian rhythms and alimentary behaviours. This may cause the disregulation of glycolipidic metabolism and of insulin secretion, and the development of central obesity. We conducted the present study in order to assess the differences in body mass index (BMI) between day and shift workers, in relation to diet quality and physical activity.