Publications by authors named "Espedita Muscariello"

The clinical response to classical immunosuppressant drugs (cIMDs) is highly variable among individuals. We performed a systematic review of published evidence supporting the hypothesis that gut microorganisms may contribute to this variability by affecting cIMD pharmacokinetics, efficacy or tolerability. The evidence that these drugs affect the composition of intestinal microbiota was also reviewed.

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Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multifactorial, immune-mediated disease caused by complex gene-environment interactions. Dietary factors modulating the inflammatory status through the control of the metabolic and inflammatory pathways and the composition of commensal gut microbiota, are among the main environmental factors involved in the pathogenesis of MS. There is no etiological therapy for MS and the drugs currently used, often accompanied by major side effects, are represented by immunomodulatory substances capable of modifying the course of the disease.

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In the last two decades, the relationship between weight status and children's motor skill competence has been receiving increasing attention, given its possible role in the prevention and treatment of obesity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a multidisciplinary obesity treatment on motor performance in a sample of Italian children and adolescents. Visual and auditory reaction time (VRT and ART), vertical jump elevation (VJE) and power (VJP), body mass index (BMI) and BMI-standard deviation score (BMI-SDS), waist circumference (WC), body composition, dietary habits and physical activity (PA) levels were assessed at baseline and at 6- and 12-month follow-up.

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Caloric restriction (CR) and dietary nitrate supplementation are nutritional interventions with pleiotropic physiological functions. This pilot study investigates the combined effects of CR and nitrate-rich beetroot juice (BRJ) on metabolic, vascular, and cognitive functions in overweight and obese middle-aged and older adults. This was a two-arm, parallel randomized clinical trial including 29 participants allocated to CR + BRJ ( = 15) or CR alone ( = 14) for 14 days.

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Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of arterial hypertension. The reduction in the bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO) causes endothelial dysfunction, altering the functions of cerebral blood vessels. Physical exercise and intake of antioxidants improve the redox state, increasing the vascular NO production and/or the decrease in NO scavenging by reactive oxygen species (ROS).

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Childhood obesity must be faced through an integrated multi-level preventive approach. This study was aimed at assessing the adherence and the outcomes of an outpatient service for childhood obesity treatment activated in the province of Naples, Italy, throughout a 2-year follow-up period. At first visit (T0), weight, height, waist circumference, and body composition of children were assessed, together with sociodemographic features and physical activity levels of children and parents.

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Background And Aims: Restriction measures adopted during the Coronavirus Disease-19 pandemic favored unhealthy behaviors. Tele-health offered the opportunity to pursue alternative ways of chronic diseases management. This retrospective study sought to determine the effects of a telehealth counselling intervention during the lockdown to children and adolescents with obesity previously engaged in a family-based secondary care program in an outpatient clinic of South Italy.

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Background: Classroom Active Breaks (CABs), short active sessions integrated in the school time, have been recognized as a promising tool to reduce sedentary behavior and increase Physical Activity (PA) levels in children. "AulAttiva" is a six-month CABs-based program implemented in primary schools of the province of Naples. The aim of this study was to evaluate its effectiveness by comparing PA and sedentary time of participating pupils respect to a control group, considering also their weight status.

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Sarcopenia is characterized by the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. In older people, malnutrition and physical inactivity are often associated with sarcopenia, and, therefore, dietary interventions and exercise must be considered to prevent, delay, or treat it. Among the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to sarcopenia, a key role is played by an increase in reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) levels and a decrease in enzymatic antioxidant protection leading to oxidative stress.

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The reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to play a major role in many pathophysiological conditions, such as ischemia and reperfusion injury. The present study was aimed to evaluate the cyanidin (anthocyanin) effects on damages induced by rat pial microvascular hypoperfusion-reperfusion injury by cerebral blood flow decrease (CBFD) and subsequent cerebral blood flow recovery (CBFR). In particular, the main purpose was to detect changes in ROS production after cyanidin administration.

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The present study was aimed to assess the blood flow oscillatory patterns in rat pial microvessels during 30 min bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) and 60 min reperfusion by laser speckle imaging (LSI). Pial microcirculation was visualized by fluorescence microscopy. The blood flow oscillations of single microvessels were recorded by LSI; spectral analysis was performed by Wavelet transform.

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Introduction: The present study was aimed to assess the in vivo hamster pial microvessel alterations due to 30 min transient bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) and reperfusion (60 min); moreover, the neuroprotective effects of Vaccinium myrtillus extract, containing 34.7% of anthocyanins, were investigated.

Materials And Methods: Two groups of male hamsters were used: the first fed with control diet and the other with Vaccinium myrtillus supplemented diet.

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Objective: To determine the prevalence of sarcopenia in a population of obese older women and to assess the effect of a diet moderately rich in proteins on lean mass in sarcopenic obese older women.

Materials And Methods: A total of 1,030 females, >65 years old, body mass index >30 kg/m(2), were investigated about their nutritional status. Muscle mass (MM) was estimated according to the Janssen equation (MM =0.

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Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vivo protective effects of hesperidin or diosmin or apigenin on damage induced by transient BCCAO and reperfusion.

Methods: Rat pial microcirculation was observed through a closed cranial window, using fluorescence microscopy. Pial arterioles were classified in five orders according to the Strahler's method.

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Objective: The present study was aimed to assess the in vivo acute effects of oleuropein or/and pinoresinol, polyphenols widely diffused in natural sources, on rat pial microvascular responses during transient BCCAO and reperfusion.

Methods: Rat pial microcirculation was visualized by fluorescence microscopy through a closed cranial window. Pial arterioles were classified into five orders of branching.

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