The Role of Food Antioxidants, Benefits of Functional Foods, and Influence of Feeding Habits on the Health of the Older Person: An Overview.

This overview was directed towards understanding the relationship of brain functions with dietary choices mainly by older humans. This included food color, flavor, and aroma, as they relate to dietary sufficiency or the association of antioxidants with neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Impairment of olfactory and gustatory function in relation to these diseases was also explored.

Food Antioxidants and Their Anti-Inflammatory Properties: A Potential Role in Cardiovascular Diseases and Cancer Prevention.

Mediterranean-style diets caused a significant decline in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in early landmark studies. The effect of a traditional Mediterranean diet on lipoprotein oxidation showed that there was a significant reduction in oxidative stress in the intervention group (Mediterranean diet + Virgin Olive Oil) compared to the low-fat diet group. Conversely, the increase in oxidative stress causing inflammation is a unifying hypothesis for predisposing people to atherosclerosis, carcinogenesis, and osteoporosis.

The Chronobra identifies prevailing mammary vascularity as a candidate variable in breast cancer post-operative outcome prediction.

We previously described a menstrual heat cycle of the breast in four groups of women (healthy, family history of breast cancer, benign breast disease, 'cancer-associated') who wore a thermometric brassiere (Chronobra). We now ask if 'breast minus oral temperature', indicating 'breast-associated vascularity', could be associated with breast cancer cell vascular access around different aspects of the menstrual cycle rhythm and survival. Thirty-six pre-menopausal breast cancer patients (average age: 38.

Photolysis and thermolysis of pyridyl carbonyl azide monolayers on single-crystal platinum.

The photochemical and thermal reactivity of a number of acyl azide-substituted pyridine compounds, namely nicotinyl azide, isonicotinyl azide, picolinyl azide and dinicotinyl azide with investigated as saturated monolayers on a single-crystal Pt(111) surface in an ultrahigh vacuum chamber. Multilayers of the substrates exhibited a maximum rate of desorption at 270 K, above which, stable saturated monolayers formed as characterized by reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy by observation of C=O and N3 bands at 1700 cm(-1), and 2100 and 1300 cm(-1) respectively. The monolayers were stable up to 400 K.

Meta-analysis of clinical data using human meiotic genes identifies a novel cohort of highly restricted cancer-specific marker genes.

Identifying cancer-specific biomarkers represents an ongoing challenge to the development of novel cancer diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic strategies. Cancer/testis (CT) genes are an important gene family with expression tightly restricted to the testis in normal individuals but which can also be activated in cancers. Here we develop a pipeline to identify new CT genes.

Effects of Schistosoma mansoni worms and eggs on circulating cholesterol and liver lipids in mice.

It has previously been shown that experimental infections of the parasitic trematode Schistosoma mansoni, the adult worms of which reside in the blood stream of the mammalian host, significantly reduced atherogenesis in apolipoprotein E gene knockout (apoE(-/-)) mice. These effects occurred in tandem with a lowering of serum total cholesterol levels in both apoE(-/-) and random-bred laboratory mice and a beneficial increase in the proportion of HDL to LDL cholesterol. To better understand how the parasitic infections induce these effects we have here investigated the involvement of adult worms and their eggs on lipids in the host.

The prevention of prostate cancer.

From our better understanding of the natural history of prostate cancer, it is not unreasonable to believe that the disease is preventable. Prostate cancer has become a major healthcare problem worldwide, as life expectancy increases. Moreover, the cancer is slow growing, with a period of about 20-25 years from initiation to the stage when the clinically detectable phenotype can be identified.

A study of patients presenting to an emergency department having had a "spiked drink".

Objectives: To assess the scale of drink spiking in our area and identify which drugs are being used to spike drinks and also to assess whether there is a problem with drink spiking in any particular establishment.

Methods: A prospective study of all patients presenting to an emergency department with alleged drink spiking over a 12-month period. Samples were analysed for levels of alcohol and drugs of misuse.

Estrogens and aspects of prostate disease.

Estrogens have long been associated with the processes involved in prostate carcinogenesis, particularly in cancer suppression. However, the synergistic influence of low concentrations of estrogens, together with androgens, in promoting aberrant growth of the gland has also been recognized. As new insights into the complex molecular events implicated in growth regulation of the prostate are revealed, the role of the estrogens has become clearer.

Determination of the isoflavonoids genistein and daidzein in biological samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Background: The marked differences in the incidences of both breast and prostate cancer between the East and the West have been attributed to habitual diet. Traditionally, Japanese and Far Eastern people in general consume large quantities of soya and soya-derived foodstuffs. Diphenolic soya phytoestrogens have weak oestrogenic and anti-oestrogenic properties and have been implicated in preventing or limiting the early processes associated with breast and prostate carcinogenesis.