Publications by authors named "M Libra"

Background: Cancer onset and progression are driven by genetic and epigenetic alterations leading to oncogene activation and the silencing of tumor suppressor genes. Among epigenetic mechanisms, DNA methylation (methDNA) is gaining growing interest in cancer. Promoter hypomethylation is associated with oncogene activation while intragenic methDNA can be involved in transcriptional elongation, alternative spicing, and the activation of cryptic start sites.

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Article Synopsis
  • Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a significant role in regulating cellular processes, and their altered expression is linked to prostate cancer (PCa), affecting disease initiation and response to treatment.
  • This study focused on evaluating the effectiveness of specific RNAs, particularly miRNAs, in differentiating PCa from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) using unfiltered urine samples from 100 patients.
  • The findings indicated that certain miRNAs (like miR-27b-3p and miR-574-3p) are more reliable biomarkers for PCa than long RNAs, with combined miRNA profiles providing even better diagnostic accuracy, highlighting the potential of these non-invasive markers in clinical practice.
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Glioblastoma (GBM) represents an aggressive brain tumor, characterized by intra- and inter-tumoral heterogeneity and therapy resistance, leading to unfavourable prognosis. An increasing number of studies pays attention on the regulation of ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death, as a strategy to reverse drug resistance in cancer. However, the debate on whether this strategy may have important implications for the treatment of GBM is still ongoing.

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Recently, the mounting integration of probiotics into human health strategies has gathered considerable attention. Although the benefits of probiotics have been widely recognized in patients with gastrointestinal disorders, immune system modulation, and chronic-degenerative diseases, there is a growing need to evaluate their potential risks. In this context, new concerns have arisen regarding the safety of probiotics as some strains may have adverse effects in humans.

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Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) represents one of the most concerning aspects for cancer patients. The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) is an a priori diet quality index directly associated with health outcomes and HRQoL in cancer survivors in North American populations. We evaluated, in a Mediterranean population, the baseline associations between HEI-2015 and HRQoL in 492 women with breast cancer recruited in a DEDiCa lifestyle trial.

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