Vesicles: New Advances in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by brain lesions that limit normal daily activities and represent a major challenge to healthcare systems worldwide, with a significant economic impact. Nanotechnology is the science of manipulating matter at the nanoscale, where materials exhibit unique properties that are significantly different from their larger counterparts. These properties can be exploited for a wide range of applications, including medicine.

Enriching the Mediterranean diet could nourish the brain more effectively.

The increasing prevalence of neurodegenerative disorders represents a challenge to the global health of all nations and populations, particularly with increasing longevity. Urgent prevention strategies are therefore needed, and one opportunity may be to explore the relationship between dietary patterns and brain health which has emerged as a promising strategy. Numerous studies indicate that dietary choices have a significant impact on cognitive function, memory and the risks of neurological disorders, recognizing the dynamic role of diet in maintaining cognitive abilities.

New Nanovesicles from Prickly Pear Fruit Juice: A Resource with Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Nutrigenomic Properties.

Plant-derived nanovesicles represent a novel approach in the field of plant-derived biomaterials, offering a sustainable and biocompatible option for various biomedical applications. The unique properties of these vesicles, such as their ability to encapsulate bioactive compounds, make them suitable for therapeutic, cosmetic, and nutraceutical purposes. In this study, we have, for the first time, successfully bio-fabricated vesicles derived from Opuntia ficus-indica (FicoVes) using an efficient and cost-effective method.

Positive impact of indicaxanthin from Opuntia ficus-indica fruit on high-fat diet-induced neuronal damage and gut microbiota dysbiosis.

Indicaxanthin is a betalain that is abundant in Opuntia ficus-indica orange fruit and has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. Nevertheless, very little is known about the neuroprotective potential of indicaxanthin. This study investigated the impact of indicaxanthin on neuronal damage and gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by a high-fat diet in mice.

Positive Impacts of Aphanizomenon Flos Aquae Extract on Obesity-Related Dysmetabolism in Mice with Diet-Induced Obesity.

The present study evaluated the ability of KlamExtra, an Aphanizomenon flos aquae (AFA) extract, to counteract metabolic dysfunctions due to a high fat diet (HFD) or to accelerate their reversion induced by switching an HFD to a normocaloric diet in mice with diet-induced obesity. A group of HFD mice was fed with an HFD supplemented with AFA (HFD-AFA) and another one was fed with regular chow (standard diet-STD) alone or supplemented with AFA (STD-AFA). AFA was able to significantly reduce body weight, hypertriglyceridemia, liver fat accumulation and adipocyte size in HFD mice.

Antiviral, virucidal and antioxidant properties of Artemisia annua against SARS-CoV-2.

Natural products are a rich source of bioactive molecules that have potential pharmacotherapeutic applications. In this study, we focused on Artemisia annua (A. annua) and its enriched extracts which were biologically evaluated in vitro as virucidal, antiviral, and antioxidant agents, with a potential application against the COVID-19 infection.

Manipulation of HSP70-SOD1 Expression Modulates SH-SY5Y Differentiation and Susceptibility to Oxidative Stress-Dependent Cell Damage: Involvement in Oxotremorine-M-Mediated Neuroprotective Effects.

The differentiation of neural progenitors is a complex process that integrates different signals to drive transcriptional changes, which mediate metabolic, electrophysiological, and morphological cellular specializations. Understanding these adjustments is essential within the framework of stem cell and cancer research and therapy. Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, widely used in neurobiology research, can be differentiated into neuronal-like cells through serum deprivation and retinoic acid (RA) supplementation.

Long-Term Ingestion of Sicilian Black Bee Chestnut Honey and/or D-Limonene Counteracts Brain Damage Induced by High Fat-Diet in Obese Mice.

Obesity is linked to neurodegeneration, which is mainly caused by inflammation and oxidative stress. We analyzed whether the long-term intake of honey and/or D-limonene, which are known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions, when ingested separately or in combination, can counteract the neurodegeneration occurring in high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. After 10 weeks of HFD, mice were divided into: HFD-, HFD + honey (HFD-H)-, HFD + D-limonene (HFD-L)-, HFD + honey + D-limonene (HFD-H + L)-fed groups, for another 10 weeks.

Nutritional epigenomic and DNA-damage modulation effect of natural stilbenoids.

The aim of the present work is the evaluation of biological effects of natural stilbenoids found in Vitis vinifera, with a focus on their activity as epigenetic modulators. In the present study, resveratrol, pterostilbene and for the first time their dimers (±)-trans-δ-viniferin, (±)-trans-pterostilbene dehydrodimer were evaluated in Caco-2 and HepG-2 cell lines as potential epigenetic modulators. Stilbenoids were added in a Caco-2 cell culture as a model of the intestinal epithelial barrier and in the HepG-2 as a model of hepatic environment, to verify their dose-dependent toxicity, ability to interact with DNA, and epigenomic action.

A potential host and virus targeting tool against COVID-19: Chemical characterization, antiviral, cytoprotective, antioxidant, respiratory smooth muscle relaxant effects of Paulownia tomentosa Steud.

COronaVIrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a newly emerging infectious disease that spread across the world, caused by the novel coronavirus Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Despite the advancements in science that led to the creation of the vaccine, there is still an urgent need for new antiviral drugs effective against SARS-CoV-2. This study aimed to investigate the antiviral effect of Paulownia tomentosa Steud extract against SARS-CoV-2 and to evaluate its antioxidant properties, including respiratory smooth muscle relaxant effects.

Flow Synthesis of Nature-Inspired Mitochondria-Targeted Phenolic Derivatives as Potential Neuroprotective Agents.

A series of phenolic derivatives designed to selectively target mitochondria were synthesized under flow conditions starting from natural phenolic acids. The two-step continuous flow protocol, performed in Cyrene, a bioavailable dipolar aprotic solvent, allowed the isolation of the MITO compounds in moderate to good yields. The MITO compounds obtained, as a first step, were tested for their safety by cell viability analysis.

From Small Peptides to Large Proteins against Alzheimer'sDisease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly. The two cardinal neuropathological hallmarks of AD are the senile plaques, which are extracellular deposits mainly constituted by beta-amyloids, and neurofibrillary tangles formed by abnormally phosphorylated Tau (-Tau) located in the cytoplasm of neurons. Although the research has made relevant progress in the management of the disease, the treatment is still lacking.

Management Strategies and Nursing Activities for Nutritional Care in Hospitalized Patients with Cognitive Decline: A Scoping Review.

Cognitive impairment and dementia can negatively impact the nutritional capacities of older people. Malnutrition is common in hospitalized frail elderly people with cognitive impairment and negatively affects prognosis. Malnutrition worsens the quality of life and increases morbidity and mortality.

Neurological Consequences, Mental Health, Physical Care, and Appropriate Nutrition in Long-COVID-19.

SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused a collapse of the world health systems. Now, vaccines and more effective therapies have reversed this crisis but the scenario is further aggravated by the appearance of a new pathology, occurring as SARS-CoV-2 infection consequence: the long-COVID-19. This term is commonly used to describe signs and symptoms that continue or develop after acute infection of COVID-19 up to several months.

Laparoscopic deroofing in large hepatic cyst with alcohol sclerotherapy. Analysis of three cases.

Hepatic cysts have become increasingly frequent findings thanks to the improvement in diagnostic investigations. Distinction has to be made between congenital hepatic cysts (like liver cyst, PLCD) and acquired forms (such as a parasitic cyst and a cyst occurring as part of a neoplastic process) (1). When a simple hepatic cyst becomes symptomatic, when its size is > 4 cm or when there is some radiological suspicion of malignancy (thick wall, peripheral enhancement on CT/MRI) surgical management is indicated and relies on a variety of techniques (2).

Biofortification: Effect of Iodine Fortified Food in the Healthy Population, Double-Arm Nutritional Study.

It is estimated that one-third of the world's population lives in areas where iodine (I) is scarce and its deficiency is responsible for many related disorders, such as goiter, reproductive failure, hearing loss, growth impairment, congenital I deficiency syndrome, and numerous kinds of brain injury. Mineral deficiencies can be overcome dietary diversification and mineral supplementation. An alternative or even complementary way is represented by the intake of biofortified foods, which can tackle this lack of micronutrients.

Recovery from Food Waste-Biscuit Doughs Enriched with Pomegranate Peel Powder as a Model of Fortified Aliment.

The aim of the present work is the characterization of biscuit doughs enriched with pomegranate peel powder (PPP) at 3 (PPP3) and 5 (PPP5) wt% in the prospect of developing a fortified aliment as a support of the therapy of chronic inflammatory diseases of the intestinal tract. The total phenolic content of the powder was preliminarily evaluated. Then, the main compounds present in the PPP were identified by HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS analysis, being mainly hydrolysable tannins.

Promising Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis: Mitochondrial Transplantation.

In recent years, several studies have examined the multifaceted role of mitochondria in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), suggesting that, besides inflammation and demyelination, mitochondrial aberration is a crucial factor in mediating axonal degeneration, the latter being responsible for persistent disabilities in MS patients. Therefore, mitochondria have been recognized as a possible multiple sclerosis therapeutic target. Recently, mitochondrial transplantation has become a new term for the transfer of live mitochondria into damaged cells for the treatment of various diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases.

Preventive Impact of Long-Term Ingestion of Chestnut Honey on Glucose Disorders and Neurodegeneration in Obese Mice.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the impact of long-term honey ingestion on metabolic disorders and neurodegeneration in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Three groups of mice were fed with a standard diet (STD), HFD or HFD supplemented with honey (HFD-H) for 16 weeks. Biochemical, histological, Western blotting, RT-PCR and Profiler PCR array were performed to assess metabolic parameters, peripheral and central insulin resistance and neurodegeneration.

Ammonium Formate-Pd/C as a New Reducing System for 1,2,4-Oxadiazoles. Synthesis of Guanidine Derivatives and Reductive Rearrangement to Quinazolin-4-Ones with Potential Anti-Diabetic Activity.

1,2,4-Oxadiazole is a heterocycle with wide reactivity and many useful applications. The reactive O-N bond is usually reduced using molecular hydrogen to obtain amidine derivatives. NHCOH-Pd/C is here demonstrated as a new system for the O-N reduction, allowing us to obtain differently substituted acylamidine, acylguanidine and diacylguanidine derivatives.