Eating habits and carotenoid skin content among children based on their attendance at the school meals: A cross-sectional pilot study.

Objective: The promotion of a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean Diet (MD), among childhood is of a particular importance, since eating behaviors learned early in life have been shown to be maintained into adolescence and adulthood. The most efficient intervention in childhood is the active involvement of the schools.

Design: The aim of this study was to evaluate the adherence to the MD model and the skin carotenoid levels among children divided by their school lunch attendance.

Comparing the Dietary Habits and the Food Choices Between Italian and Dominican Adult Populations: Focus on Fruit and Vegetable Intakes and Their Association with Skin Carotenoid Levels.

The Mediterranean Diet (MD) is characterized by a high intake of fruits and vegetables (FVs), which is considered as an important contributor to the beneficial effects of the MD pattern. In this cross-sectional study, we compared the food choices, evaluated by dietary habit questionnaires, of a sample of 995 adults, including 601 and 394 participants from Southern Italy and the Dominican Republic, respectively. In addition, we focused on their FV consumption, assessed by the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) questionnaire, and on its association with skin carotenoid levels as measured by the Veggie Meter.

Differences of skin carotenoids and adherence to the Mediterranean Diet pattern in adults from Southern Italy and Dominican Republic.

Background: The measurement of the skin carotenoids using the Veggie Meter® has emerged as a rapid objective method for assessing fruit and vegetable intake, highly recommended by the Mediterranean Diet (MD), which represents one of the healthiest dietary patterns, worldwide. This study aimed to examine differences in skin carotenoid content and degree of adherence to the MD pattern between two adult populations from Southern Italy and the Dominican Republic.

Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled a total of 995 adults, 601 subjects from Italy and 394 from the Dominican Republic.

Mediterranean diet: a potential player in the link between oral microbiome and oral diseases.

Background: The oral microbiome is a complex and dynamic assemblage of microorganisms that colonize different sites of the oral cavity maintaining both oral and systemic health. Therefore, when its composition is altered, oral diseases occur. Among oral inflammatory pathologies, periodontal diseases affect the tissues surrounding the teeth, representing the main cause of tooth loss and one of the most important threats to the oral health.

A Comprehensive Review on the State of the Art of Breast Cancers in Italy.

Breast cancer (BC) currently represents one of the most prevalent cancers among women worldwide and the leading cause of cancer death among women, also negatively affecting the quality of life (QoL) in patients. Over the past two decades, BC research has led to extraordinary advances in our understanding of the disease, resulting in more effective treatments. However, its occurrence is still increasing.

Benzothiazole-Phthalimide Hybrids as Anti-Breast Cancer and Antimicrobial Agents.

The benzothiazole nucleus is a major heterocyclic scaffold whose therapeutic potential has been thoroughly explored due to its structural simplicity and ease of synthesis. In fact, several benzothiazole derivatives have been synthesized over time, demonstrating numerous pharmacological properties such as anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. Herein, we propose a new series of benzothiazole-phthalimide hybrids obtained by linking the phthalimide moiety to differently substituted benzothiazole nuclei through the N atom.

Association between Skin Carotenoid Score Measured with Veggie Meter and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet among Adolescents from Southern Italy.

The Veggie Meter (Longevity Link Corporation, Salt Lake City, UT, USA), is a new portable device for the non-invasive and rapid detection of skin carotenoid content, which represents an acceptable biomarker for the evaluation of fruit and vegetable (FV) intake. FVs are important components of a healthy diet, including the Mediterranean Diet (MD), which is a plant-based dietary pattern. Here, we evaluated the adherence to the MD via the administration of two online food questionnaires, and we measured the skin carotenoid content using the Veggie Meter in a cohort of 498 healthy adolescents (233 males and 265 females) from Southern Italy.

miRNAs in the Box: Potential Diagnostic Role for Extracellular Vesicle-Packaged miRNA-27a and miRNA-128 in Breast Cancer.

Circulating extracellular vesicle (EV)-derived microRNAs (miRNAs) are now considered the next generation of cancer "theranostic" tools, with strong clinical relevance. Although their potential in breast cancer diagnosis has been widely reported, further studies are still required to address this challenging issue. The present study examined the expression profiles of EV-packaged miRNAs to identify novel miRNA signatures in breast cancer and verified their diagnostic accuracy.

Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Metabolic/Inflammatory Profile in Adolescents: Cellular Studies and Predictive Biomarkers.

Context: The COVID-19 pandemic and its lockdown restrictions changed people's lifestyles with potential negative impact on health.

Objective: This longitudinal study aimed to assess the COVID-19 lockdown influence on the adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) pattern and its effects on the metabolic inflammatory profile in a cohort of healthy adolescents.

Methods: We analyzed anthropometric measurements, body composition, and MD adherence along with serum metabolic and inflammatory profile in 77 healthy adolescents from southern Italy before and after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

A hybrid breast cancer/mesenchymal stem cell population enhances chemoresistance and metastasis.

Patients with triple-negative breast cancer remain at risk for metastatic disease despite treatment. The acquisition of chemoresistance is a major cause of tumor relapse and death, but the mechanisms are far from understood. We have demonstrated that breast cancer cells (BCCs) can engulf mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), leading to enhanced dissemination.

CEBP-β and PLK1 as Potential Mediators of the Breast Cancer/Obesity Crosstalk: In Vitro and In Silico Analyses.

Over the last two decades, obesity has reached pandemic proportions in several countries, and expanding evidence is showing its contribution to several types of malignancies, including breast cancer (BC). The conditioned medium (CM) from mature adipocytes contains a complex of secretes that may mimic the obesity condition in studies on BC cell lines conducted in vitro. Here, we report a transcriptomic analysis on MCF-7 BC cells exposed to adipocyte-derived CM and focus on the predictive functional relevance that CM-affected pathways/processes and related biomarkers (BMs) may have in BC response to obesity.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects of Leaves and Sheath from Bamboo ( J. Houz).

Bamboo ( J. Houz) has become an emerging forest resource of economic and ecological significance with health benefits. Since the beneficial effects of the non-edible parts of bamboo have not been thoroughly explored, we characterized in this study bamboo leaf (BL) and sheath (BS) extracts.

Promising Effects of -Docosahexaenoyl Ethanolamine in Breast Cancer: Molecular and Cellular Insights.

Unhealthy dietary habits have been identified as a risk factor for the development and progression of cancer. Therefore, adopting a healthy eating pattern is currently recommended to prevent the onset of different types of cancers, including breast carcinoma. In particular, the Mediterranean diet, based on high consumption of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (-3 PUFAs), such as those found in cold-water fish and other seafood, nuts, and seeds, is recommended to reduce the incidence of several chronic-degenerative diseases.

Analysis of circulating extracellular vesicle derived microRNAs in breast cancer patients with obesity: a potential role for Let-7a.

Background: The incidence of obesity, a known risk factor for several metabolic and chronic diseases, including numerous malignancies, has risen sharply in the world. Various clinical studies demonstrate that excessive Body Mass Index (BMI) may worsen the incidence, prognosis, and mortality rates of breast cancer. Thus, understanding the link tying up obesity and breast cancer onset and progression is critically important, as it can impact patients' survival and quality of life.

Serum from Adolescents with High Polyphenol Intake Exhibits Improved Lipid Profile and Prevents Lipid Accumulation in HepG2 Human Liver Cells.

The traditional Mediterranean diet (MD) is characterized by a high phenolic-rich food intake, including in particular vegetables and fruits, but also legumes, whole grain cereals, nuts, and extra virgin olive oil. Evidence for beneficial effects of polyphenols in humans depends on the amount consumed and on their bioavailability. Here, we evaluated the association between the estimated polyphenol intake by fruits and vegetables food source and serum biochemical parameters in healthy adolescents, recruited into the DIMENU research project.

The Omega-3 Docosahexaenoyl Ethanolamide Reduces CCL5 Secretion in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells Affecting Tumor Progression and Macrophage Recruitment.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive breast cancer subtype lacking effective targeted therapies, is considered to feature a unique cellular microenvironment with high infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages (TAM), which contribute to worsening breast cancer patient outcomes. Previous studies have shown the antitumoral actions of the dietary omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in both tumor epithelial and stromal components of the breast cancer microenvironment. Particularly in breast cancer cells, DHA can be converted into its conjugate with ethanolamine, DHEA, leading to a more effective anti-oncogenic activity of the parent compound in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells.

Proteomic Profiling of Extracellular Vesicles Released by Leptin-Treated Breast Cancer Cells: A Potential Role in Cancer Metabolism.

Tumor extracellular vesicles (EVs), as endocytic vesicles able to transport nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites in recipient cells, have been recognized fundamental mediators of cell-to-cell communication in breast cancer. The biogenesis and release of EVs are highly regulated processes and both the quantity of EVs and their molecular cargo might reflect the metabolic state of the producing cells. We recently demonstrated that the adipokine leptin, whose circulating levels correlate with adipose tissue expansion, is an inducer of EV release from breast cancer cells.

From HDAC to Voltage-Gated Ion Channels: What's Next? The Long Road of Antiepileptic Drugs Repositioning in Cancer.

Cancer is a major health burden worldwide. Although the plethora of molecular targets identified in the last decades and the deriving developed treatments, which significantly improved patients' outcome, the occurrence of resistance to therapies remains the major cause of relapse and mortality. Thus, efforts in identifying new markers to be exploited as molecular targets in cancer therapy are needed.

Ancient Wheat as Promising Nutraceuticals for the Prevention of Chronic and Degenerative Diseases.

In the context of a balanced diet, wheat, mainly used as whole grains, is a good source of nutrients, including fibers and bioactive compounds. Cereals belong to the Poaceae family and are crucial for maintaining a healthy status, granted by their nutritional and chemical properties. Recent studies have demonstrated that the intake of whole grains and grain-based products may reduce the risk of oxidative stress, thus lowering chronic and age-related disorders, such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes and cancer.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Extracts from Pulsed Electric Field-Treated Artichoke By-Products in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Human THP-1 Macrophages.

In this study, pulsed electric field (PEF-3 kV/cm; 5 kJ/kg) pretreatment was used to intensify the extractability of valuable intracellular compounds from artichoke by-products during a subsequent aqueous extraction (solid-liquid ratio = 1:10 g/mL, T = 20 °C; t = 120 min). Total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS) and HPLC-PDA analysis of the artichoke extract (AE) and the biological effects on human cell lines were determined. Chlorogenic acid was found to be the most abundant phenolic compound (53% of the TPC) in the AE.

Mediterranean Diet and Physical Activity as Healthy Lifestyles for Human Health.

Health status is influenced by several factors, such as proper dietary pattern and regular physical activity (PA), which are crucial elements of lifestyle in terms of the prevention and treatment of metabolic and chronic diseases in all stages of life and particularly during childhood and adolescence [...