Publications by authors named "Maria Dri"

Article Synopsis
  • - The study sought to determine if the enzyme PDE5, important for sexual and cardiovascular health, can be detected and measured in human serum, particularly in relation to prostate cancer (PCa).
  • - Blood samples from various subjects, including those with PCa and benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), showed detectable PDE5 levels, with significant differences observed between PCa patients and controls.
  • - The results suggest that serum PDE5 levels can serve as a potential predictor for PCa, with a noteworthy sensitivity and specificity; however, more research is needed to fully understand its clinical significance.
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High levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 and angiopoietin (ANG)-2 are found in tissues from oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs). As might be expected, VEGF, FGF-2, and ANG-2 overexpression parallels the development of new blood and lymphatic vessels that nourish the growing OPMDs or OSCCs and provide the latter with metastatic routes. Notably, VEGF, FGF-2, and ANG-2 are also linked to the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a trans-differentiation process that respectively promotes or exasperates the invasiveness of normal and neoplastic oral epithelial cells.

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Periodontitis is linked to the onset and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), an epidemiologically frequent and clinically aggressive malignancy. In this context, and , two bacteria that cause periodontitis, are found in OSCC tissues as well as in oral premalignant lesions, where they exert pro-tumorigenic activities. Since the two bacteria are present also in endodontic diseases, playing a role in their pathogenesis, here we analyze the literature searching for information on the impact that endodontic infection by or could have on cellular and molecular events involved in oral carcinogenesis.

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Vitamin K (VK) is a fat-soluble vitamin that is indispensable for the activation of vitamin K-dependent proteins (VKDPs). It has been shown to play an important role in the proper calcium deposit at the bone level, hindering that on the vascular walls. The deficiency of this vitamin in European populations is frequent and unknown.

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Zearalenone (ZEN), a common non-steroidal estrogenic mycotoxin of the Fusarium genus, is one of the most frequent and powerful contaminant of grains and cereal products representing a serious threat for people and livestock health. In fact, ZEN causes cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in a variety of cell types at least in part through binding to estrogen receptors (ERs). The main pathways through which ZEN induces such effects remain, however, elusive.

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Respiratory infections are among the main causes of hospitalization and mortality, particularly in elderly patients [...

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Unlabelled: It is known for a long time that metabolic disorders can cause ovarian dysfunctions and affect a woman's fertility either by direct targeting follicular cells and/or the oocytes or by indirect interference with the pituitary-hypothalamic axis, resulting in dysfunctional oogenesis. Such disorders may also influence the efficiency of the embryo implantation and the quality of the embryo with permanent effects on the fertility and health of the offspring. Thanks to the expanding knowledge on the molecular mechanisms governing oogenesis and folliculogenesis in mammals, we are beginning to understand how such disorders can negatively affect this process and consequently fertility in women.

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Hematological neoplasias are the fourth cause of death in the world. All of them are responsible of bad quality of life, due to heavy therapies administration and a lot of side effects correlated to. It arises a new concept of "multitherapy", in which fatty acids availment is used to contrast and reduce toxic effects and ameliorate chemotherapeutic agents asset.

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Fasting potentials are the most interesting topics in the Nutritional Era. Fasting consists of the catabolism of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates to maintain blood glucose levels in a normal range. The action mechanisms of fasting were firstly understood in minor organisms and later in humans.

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Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and inflammatory risk indexes are used to calculate the exposure to morbidity. Most of them are suggested by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association to predict the risk of CVDs diagnosis in primary prevention, instead of treating the ongoing pathology. Prevention starts from habit changes with the prescription of diet and physical activity (PA).

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