Publications by authors named "Pirrotta I"

Obesity is considered one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. The browning process has been recently recognized as a promising anti-obesity therapy. Lycopene (LYC) and fruit extract (GE) might be important resources for anti-obesity drugs; therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the anti-obesity effects of LYC and GE on 3T3-L1 adipocytes and Zucker rats.

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Hypovolemic shock is a circulatory failure, due to a loss in the effective circulating blood volume, that causes tissue hypoperfusion and hypoxia. This condition stimulates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and pro-inflammatory cytokine production in different organs and also in the central nervous system (CNS). Levosimendan, a cardioprotective inodilator, and dobutamine, a β1-adrenergic agonist, are commonly used for the treatment of hypovolemic shock, thanks to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

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Article Synopsis
  • Research has shown that natural substances like selenium (Se) and lycopene may help reduce male infertility caused by varicocele, with each having a positive effect individually.
  • In a study with male rats, those with varicocele showed decreased testosterone levels, testicular weight, and structural damage in testicular tissues, indicating infertility issues.
  • When treated with Se, lycopene, or both, the rats demonstrated significant improvements in testis weight, testosterone levels, and overall testicular health, suggesting that combining these nutrients could be a potential therapeutic approach alongside surgery, although more research is needed.
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Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) represents a serious health and socio-economic problem in different geographical areas of the world. It is characterized by a high rate of mortality, recurrence and metastasis. Despite the therapeutic strategies implemented for its management and resolution, currently the survival estimate for locally advanced disease is about 50%.

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Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) complicates the clinical management of patients subjected to long-term glucocorticoid use. This study explored the effects of genistein on bone loss in a randomized double-blind alendronate-controlled trial in postmenopausal women with GIO. 200 postmenopausal women (taking at least 5 mg of prednisone equivalents) since 3 months, or more, and expected to continue for at least other 12 months, were randomized to receive genistein (54 mg/day daily) or alendronate (70 mg once a week) for 24 months.

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Article Synopsis
  • Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN), derived from salmon trout sperm, and selenium (Se), a trace dietary element, were studied for their effects on testicular damage after ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) in rats.
  • The I/R condition increased harmful factors like HIF-1α and malondialdehyde (MDA) while decreasing testosterone and other protective factors in the testicles.
  • Treatment with either PDRN or Se improved testicular health, but their combination provided the best results, suggesting they could help mitigate damage caused by conditions like varicocele.
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Chronic glucocorticoid (GC) therapy is the most common cause of iatrogenic osteoporosis and represents an important risk factor for osteoporosis and bone fractures. New therapeutic approaches are required in order to treat osteoporosis and reduce the side effects related to the use of anti-osteoporotic drugs. In this context, previous studies reported the efficacy of some isoflavones and carotenoids, such as lycopene and genistein, on the reduction of the risk of fracture related to osteoporosis.

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Antibiotics are prescribed for children both in hospital and community settings, particularly at preschool age. Italy shows a high rate of inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions which may represent a serious problem in the hospital scenario. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing in the context of different paediatric subspecialties in a hospital setting.

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Obesity is a worldwide chronic metabolic disease characterized by an abnormal fat accumulation and represents one of the main risk factors for several diseases. White adipose tissue is the primary site for energy storage in the form of triglycerides, whereas brown adipose tissue does not store energy-providing lipids but rather dissipates it by producing heat. White-to-brown adipocyte trans-differentiation could represent a new target of anti-obesity strategies and result in fat reduction.

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The half-metallic ferromagnet K(2)Cr(8)O(16) with the hollandite structure has been chemically modified using soft chemistry methods to increase the average oxidation state of chromium. The synthesis of the parent material has been performed under high pressure/high temperature conditions. Following this, different redox reactions have been carried out on K(2)Cr(8)O(16).

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