Pro-inflammatory cytokine alterations in recent onset anorexia nervosa adolescent female patients before and after 6 months of integrated therapy: A case-control study.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a complex disorder affecting mainly, but not only, teenagers. Researchers agree that AN is deeply associated with a pro-inflammatory state following an impaired immune system, resulting from altered levels of cytokines such as IL-1β and TNF-α, also impacted by the frequent depressive states. Thus, this case-control study aimed to evaluate the relationship between patients suffering from AN undergoing specialized eating disorder treatment for AN and pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Evaluation of antioxidative and diabetes-preventive properties of an ancient grain, KAMUT khorasan wheat, in healthy volunteers.

Purpose: Recently, there was an increasing interest on the use of ancient grains because of their better health-related composition. The aim of this study was to evaluate in healthy human subjects the antioxidative and diabetes-preventive properties of ancient KAMUT khorasan wheat compared to modern wheat.

Methods: The study was a randomized, non-blind, parallel arm study where the biochemical parameters of volunteers with a diet based on organic whole grain KAMUT khorasan products, as the only source of cereal products were compared to a similar replacement diet based on organic whole grain modern durum wheat products.

Effect of 1-y oral supplementation with vitaminized olive oil on platelets from healthy postmenopausal women.

Objective: Olive oil is the main fat source in the Mediterranean diet and shows a protective role against aging and related diseases. Osteoporosis represents a serious health problem worldwide and is associated with an increased risk for fractures and mortality. Nutrition should be part of bone disease prevention strategies, especially in light of the aging population and the effect of diet on bone health.

Platelet-Derived NO in Subjects Affected by Type 2 Diabetes with and without Complications: Is there any Relationship with their Offspring?

Macro- and microvascular complications are currently the principal causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus. Aim of this study was to determine if type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy and coronary artery disease showed altered platelet-derived nitric oxide (NO) production, compared with diabetic subjects without complications, and if this alteration is also present in their diabetic offspring. In this case-control observational study, platelet NO and peroxynitrite content was determined on plasma from 60 male adult type 2 diabetic patients and 60 male offspring type 2 diabetic patients.

Higher Levels of Oxidized Low Density Lipoproteins in Alzheimer's Disease Patients: Roles for Platelet Activating Factor Acetyl Hydrolase and Paraoxonase-1.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with oxidative damage of low density lipoproteins (ox-LDL). In order to investigate whether higher levels of ox-LDL are related to alterations of the activity of enzymes involved in lipid metabolism, we studied the activity of paraoxonase-1 (PON1) and platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) in AD patients and the relationship between biochemical markers and severity of the disease. Levels of ox-LDL, PON1 (paraoxonase, arylesterase, and lactonase activities), and PAF-AH activity were evaluated in plasma from 49 patients affected by AD and from 34 control subjects matched for gender and age.

Placental expression of endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthase and NO metabolism in gestational hypertension: a case-control study.

Objective: Hypertension is one of the most common medical disorders in pregnancy and a role of nitric oxide (NO) metabolism has been described. Thus, the present work aimed at determining placental gene expression of eNOS and iNOS, to measure NO and ONOO(-) levels in patients with gestational hypertension (GH).

Methods: Fifteen patients with GH and 15 healthy pregnant controls were enrolled in the study.

Effect of 1-year dietary supplementation with vitaminized olive oil on markers of bone turnover and oxidative stress in healthy post-menopausal women.

Osteoporosis represents a serious health problem worldwide associated with an increased risk of fractures and mortality. Nutrition should form part of bone disease prevention strategies, especially in the light of the population ageing and the diet effect on bone health. Thus the study aimed at verifying whether 1 year of oral supplementation with either extra virgin olive oil (VOO) enriched with vitamins D3, K1 and B6 (VitVOO) or VOO used as placebo (PlaVOO) is able to modify some bone turnover and oxidative stress markers.

Effects of in vitro supplementation with Syzygium cumini (L.) on platelets from subjects affected by diabetes mellitus.

The aim of this study was to assess the in vitro effects of Syzygium cumini (L.) (Sc) incubation on platelets from patients with diabetes, in order to test its efficacy as a potential adjuvant therapy. This study was performed on 77 patients with diabetes [29 in good (DMgc) and 48 in poor glycemic control (DMpc)] and 85 controls.

Oxytocin, its antagonist Atosiban, and preterm labor: a role for placental nitric oxide.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to understand the role played by Atosiban, an oxytocin receptor antagonist, on trophoblastic human cells, and the molecular bases of its efficacy and safety in the treatment of preterm labor. NO, peroxinitrite production and NOS expression have been evaluated on placenta obtained from term and preterm labors.

Patients And Methods: We studied trophoblast cells isolated from selected placental tissue from 20 controls and 20 preterm patients after cesarean sections.

Oxidative Stress and Erythrocyte Membrane Alterations in Children with Autism: Correlation with Clinical Features.

It has been suggested that oxidative stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), but the literature reports somewhat contradictory results. To further investigate the issue, we evaluated a high number of peripheral oxidative stress parameters, and some related issues such as erythrocyte membrane functional features and lipid composition. Twenty-one autistic children (Au) aged 5 to 12 years, were gender and age-matched with 20 typically developing children (TD).

Alzheimer's disease and diabetes: new insights and unifying therapies.

Several research groups have begun to associate the Alzheimer Disease (AD) to Diabetes Mellitus (DM), obesity and cardiovascular disease. This relationship is so close that some authors have defined Alzheimer Disease as Type 3 Diabetes. Numerous studies have shown that people with type 2 diabetes have twice the incidence of sporadic AD.

Impact of gender on platelet membrane functions of Alzheimer's disease patients.

There are many evidences suggesting that oxidative stress is one of the earliest events in Alzheimer disease (AD) pathogenesis and plays a key role in the development of the AD pathology. The existence of substantial gender-related differences in the clinical features of AD has been recently confirmed (i.e.

Environmental and genetical aspects of the link between pregnancy, birth size, and type 2 diabetes.

Exposure of the fetus to the intrauterine milieu can have profound effects on the health of the offspring in adulthood. These observations are highly reproducible in many populations worldwide although the mechanisms behind them remain elusive. The 'thrifty phenotype' hypothesis proposes that poor fetal nutrition leads to programming of metabolism and an adult phenotype that is adapted to poor but not plentiful nutrition.

Nitric oxide and peroxynitrite platelet levels in gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.

The aim of the study was to investigate platelet nitric oxide (NO) pathways in women with Gestational Hypertension (GH), Preeclampsia (PE) and Controls. Platelet NO(x) and peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) levels, inducible (iNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and Nitrotyrosine expression (N-Tyr) in 30 women with GH, 30 with PE and 30 healthy pregnant controls, age, parity and gestational age-matched, were assessed. Platelet NO(x) and ONOO(-) levels were significantly higher in GH and PE vs.

Glutamate in vitro effects on human term placental mitochondria.

Objective: Oxidative stress may affect the functionality of placental mitochondria, thus contributing to serious complications. For this reason research of protective substances is of great importance. Our aim was to evaluate, in mitochondria isolated from human term placentas, the effect of in vitro glutamate supplementation on their susceptibility to oxidation, on the chemico-physical characteristics of mitochondrial membranes, and on peroxidase and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activities.

Oxidative stress in ischaemic stroke.

Background: Production of reactive oxygen species after ischaemic stroke may enhance tissue damage through multiple molecular pathways.

Materials And Methods: In this study, we examined the serum levels of lipoperoxide and hydroperoxide, conjugated dienes and total antioxidant capacity levels in 50 patients with acute ischaemic stroke (T0) to evaluate the possibility to use them as specific biochemical markers for cerebral ischaemia. Determinations were repeated after a month (T1) to correlate their relative changes with clinical evolution.

Alterations of platelet biochemical and functional properties in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes: a role in cardiovascular risk?

Background: The involvement of platelets in the pathogenesis of diabetic vascular complications is supported by several studies. Type 1 diabetic (T1D) platelets show increased adhesiveness and aggregation related to a modification of nitric oxide synthase activity. Moreover, different cell types from diabetic patients showed a decreased membrane Na(+) /K(+) -ATPase activity, which might be involved in diabetic complications.

Anorexia nervosa: a role for L-arginine supplementation in cardiovascular risk factors?

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a short-term oral L-arginine treatment on platelet NO production, intracellular calcium concentration, iNOS and eNOS expression, in AN patients.

Method: Forty outpatients belonging to restricting subtype and 40 normal participants age and sex matched were enrolled in the study.

Results: NO production was significantly elevated in the platelets from AN patients compared with controls while [Ca(2+)](i) was significantly decreased in patients with respect to controls.

Free thiols in human spermatozoa: are Na+/K+-ATPase, Ca2+-ATPase activities involved in sperm motility through peroxynitrite formation?

The aim of the present study was to measure free thiols content, Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase and Ca(2+)-ATPase activities in human spermatozoa of asthenozoospermic patients and normospermic donors, and evaluate any influence on kinetic sperm features, as well as correlation with peroxynitrite. In fact, membrane integrity and its composition are the basic characteristics of the sperm membrane; thus, it is evident that its composition is an important factor for membrane functions that can be modified upon oxidation. A total of 70 infertile patients affected by idiopathic asthenozoospermia and 25 normal fertile donors were enrolled.

Platelet membrane fluidity and Na+/K+ ATPase activity in acute stroke.

Stroke is a consequence of a reduction in cerebral blood flow but the mechanisms involved in the production of ischemic damage are complex and probably not fully known. It is hypothesized that alterations in platelet membrane fluidity are directly related to the severity of the stroke as measured by the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate Na+/K+ ATPase activity and platelet membrane fluidity, measured by fluorescent probes TMA-DPH and DPH in patients affected by ischemic stroke and controls in order to identify, if any, chemical-physical and/or functional modifications associated with cerebral ischemic damage.

Lipoproteins obtained from anorexia nervosa patients induce higher oxidative stress in U373MG astrocytes through nitric oxide production.

Eating disorders (ED) are a group of important psychiatric disorders that affect young men and women, and can have serious consequences. Among all ED, anorexia nervosa (AN) is the most typical but also the most severe. The pathogenesis of AN is multifactorial and a great variety of cognitive deficits may contribute to its pathogenesis.

Cytotoxic effects induced by hexachlorobenzene in Squilla mantis (L.) (Crustacea, Stomatopoda).

Contamination of marine environments by hexachlorobenzene (HCB) represents a serious concern for potential consequences on ecosystem and human health. Despite this, information on cytotoxic effects on marine organisms is still largely lacking. In this study, we investigated cytotoxic effects induced by HCB on gonads and muscular tissue of Squilla mantis by analysing Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity and plasma membrane fluidity.