Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil exert a protective effect on the development of colorectal cancer in animal models. Patients with colorectal adenomas have been shown to have increased crypt cell ...proliferation and decreased apoptosis in macroscopically normal appearing colonic mucosa. We investigated whether dietary supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) could alter crypt cell proliferation and apoptosis in such patients.
Thirty subjects were randomised to either 3 months of highly purified EPA in free fatty acid form (2 g/day) or to no treatment. Colonic biopsies were taken at the initial colonoscopy and repeated 3 months later, and analysed for cell proliferation and apoptosis (immunohistochemistry) and mucosal fatty acid content.
Crypt cell proliferation was significantly reduced whilst apoptosis was significantly increased after EPA supplementation. Neither crypt cell proliferation nor apoptosis were altered in the control group. EPA in the mucosa increased significantly after EPA supplementation, whereas there was no significant change in controls.
Dietary supplementation with EPA significantly increases levels of this fatty acid in colonic mucosa, associated with significantly reduced proliferation and increased mucosal apoptosis. Further studies are needed to assess the potential efficacy of EPA supplementation in preventing polyps in the chemoprevention of colorectal cancer.
Aims: Use of an electronic nose (zNoseTM) to discriminate between volatile organic molecules delivered during bacterial/fungal growth on agar and in broth media.
Methods and Results: Cultures of ...bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli) and yeasts (two Candida albicans strains) were grown on agar and in broth media and incubated for 24 h at 37°C. Headspace samples from microbial cultures were analysed by the zNoseTM, a fast gas chromatography‐surface acoustic wave detector. Olfactory images of volatile production patterns were observed to be different for the various species tested after 24 h. Moreover, some strains (two K. pneumoniae, two C. albicans) did not show changes in volatile production patterns within our species.
Conclusions: Our experiments demonstrate that the electronic nose system can recognize volatile production patterns of pathogens at species level.
Significance and Impact of the Study: Our results, although preliminary, promise exciting challenges for microbial diagnostics.
Over the last twenty years, newly developed chemical sensor systems (socalled“electronic noses") have odour analyses made possible. This paper describes theapplications of these systems for microbial ...detection in different fields such as medicineand the food industry, where fast detection methods are essential for appropriatemanagement of health care. Several groups have employed different electronic noses forclassification and quantification of bacteria and fungi to obtain accurate medicaldiagnosis and food quality control. So far, detection and identification of bacterial andfungal volatiles have been achieved by use of e-noses offering different correctclassification percentages. The present review includes examples of bacterial and fungalspecies producing volatile compounds and correlated to infectious diseases or fooddeterioration. The results suggest the possibility of using this new technology both inmedical diagnostics and in food control management.
Despite the interest for the brain correlates of male sexual arousal, few studies investigated neural mechanisms underlying psychogenic erectile dysfunction (ED). Although these studies showed ...several brain regions active in ED patients during visual erotic stimulation, the dynamics of inhibition of sexual response is still unclear.
This study investigated the dynamics of brain regions involved in the psychogenic ED.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and simultaneous penile tumescence (PT) were used to study brain activity evoked in 17 outpatients with psychogenic ED and 19 healthy controls during visual erotic stimulation. Patterns of brain activation related to different phases of sexual response in the two groups were compared.
Simultaneous recording of blood oxygen level-dependent fMRI responses and PT during visual erotic stimulation.
During visual erotic stimuli, a larger activation was observed for the patient group in the left superior parietal lobe, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and posterior cingulate cortex, whereas the control group showed larger activation in the right middle insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and hippocampus. Moreover, the left superior parietal lobe showed a larger activation in patients than controls especially during the later stage of sexual response.
Our results suggest that, among regions more active in patient group, the left superior parietal lobe plays a crucial role in inhibition of sexual response. Previous studies showed that left superior parietal lobe is involved in monitoring of internal body representation. The larger activation of this region in patients during later stages of sexual response suggests a high monitoring of the internal body representation, possibly affecting the behavioral response. These findings provide insight on brain mechanisms involved in psychogenic ED. Cera N, Di Pierro ED, Sepede G, Gambi F, Perrucci MG, Merla A, Tartaro A, Del Gratta C, Galatioto Paradiso G, Vicentini C, Romani GL, and Ferretti A. The role of left superior parietal lobe in male sexual behavior: Dynamics of distinct components revealed by fMRI. J Sex Med 2012;9:1602–1612.
A constantly growing part of consumers considers the organic foods healthier than the conventional foods. However, so far few nutritional intervention studies in humans are available on the ...comparison of organic and conventional food products.
The aim of the present work was to compare the total antioxidant activity of organic versus conventional fruits (apples, pears, red oranges, lemons, strawberries and bananas), vegetables (lettuces, tomatoes, onions, garlics, carrots, beans, potatoes, celeries, peas, courgettes and zucchinies), red wine and milk.
The oxygen radical absorbing capacity (ORAC) procedure was used to determine both the antioxidant activity of food from organic or conventional origin, and the human plasma antioxidant capacity. Ten Caucasian Italian men, aged 30-65 years, were recruited. The subjects were healthy, according to the clinical examination and the disease history, none smoked or took any drug. Anthropometric parameters of all the participants were measured.
The ORAC values of most part of organic foods, i.e. fruits, vegetables as well as red wine and milk were significantly (p < 0.005) higher than those of the conventional homologues. Three organic foods, i.e. pears (-25%) (p < 0.01), lettuces (-20%) (p < 0.01), and tomatoes salsas (-4%) showed ORAC values lower than the conventional homologues. After the consumption of 14 days Mediterranean organic diet a significant (p < 0.005) increase (21%) of the human plasma total antioxidant capacity was observed.
Our results clearly show that the organic food products have an higher total antioxidant activity and bioactivity than the conventional foods. The results could be used in public health campaign to increase the consumption of products able to provide a significant health protection and prevention of chronic diseases.
What Is the Blockchain? Di Pierro, Massimo
Computing in science & engineering,
2017, Letnik:
19, Številka:
5
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Blockchain is a new technology, based on hashing, which is at the foundation of the platforms for trading cryptocurrencies and executing smart contracts. This article reviews the basic ideas of this ...technology and provides a sample minimalist implementation in Python.
In otorhinolaryngologist’s experience the nasal out-breath of people affected by chronic nasal or paranasal infections may be characterized by peculiar odours. In a previous study we showed that an ...electronic nose (EN), examining nasal out breath was able to distinguish subjects affected by chronic rhinosinusitis from healthy subjects. The present study is aimed at analysing the intensity and the quality of the odorous components present in the air expired by patients affected by rhinosinusitis, using a new EN based on gas-chromatography and surface acoustic wave analysis. In the gas-chromatographic tracings of the pathologic subjects there were six peaks, which were not present in control group cases. These peaks correspond to odorous components, whose chemical composition ranges from C6 to C14. Peaks obtained were compaired with other tracings revealed from specific bacterial and fungal cultures analyses and we appreciated some analogies.
To evaluate levels of malondialdehyde and the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in the blood, aqueous humor, and vitreous bodies of diabetic and nondiabetic patients. We also measured the blood energy ...charge potential (ECP).
We examined 19 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy. Ten were scheduled for cataract surgery and pars plana vitrectomy because of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). The other nine, with mild nonproliferative PDR (NPDR), and fourteen nondiabetic, age-matched subjects enrolled as a control group were scheduled for cataract surgery and vitrectomy because of epiretinal membranes. Blood, aqueous humor and vitreous body samples were collected at the time of surgery. Malondialdehyde concentrations and blood ECP were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography. The TAC of the samples was estimated with the oxygen radical absorbance capacity method.
The level of blood and vitreous malondialdehyde in the PDR group was significantly higher compared to controls and to NPDR patients. PDR patients also had lower levels of TAC at the vitreous body and aqueous humor level, but not at the blood level, compared to controls and with NPDR patients. In all diabetic patients, the blood ECP values were significantly lower, compared to control subjects.
Our data support the hypothesis that oxidative stress and the decrease of antioxidant defenses are associated with the progression of diabetic retinopathy to its proliferative form. Antioxidant supply may have the effect of correcting oxidative stress and inhibiting disease progression.
RESUMO: 2020 expôs a condição de vulnerabilidade do ser humano com a eclosão de uma pandemia que atingiu o mundo globalizado. No campo das migrações internacionais, os processos foram marcados por ...uma ruptura, em função das medidas de confinamento, adotadas pelos países para conter a Covid-19. O presente artigo tem como objetivo refletir sobre o impacto dessas medidas nas migrações internacionais, nos migrantes, bem como na efetivação de seus direitos educativos. O texto é uma análise exploratória apoiada em revisão bibliográfica e documental, subdividido em duas partes: a primeira, um panorama das vulnerabilidades às quais os migrantes estão submetidos; a segunda, referente às consequências sobre seus direitos educativos. A adoção do ensino remoto emergencial sem a necessária preparação de alunos ou professores, a não consideração das limitações tecnológicas e sociais e a não observação das especificidades de migrantes e refugiados adultos podem levar essa população a novos mecanismos de exclusão e à restrição de seus direitos educativos.
ABSTRACT: 2020 exposed the condition of human vulnerability with the pandemic that hit the globalized world. In the field of international migration, the processes were marked by a rupture, due to the confinement measures adopted by the countries to contain Covid-19. This article aims to reflect on the impact of these measures on international migration, on migrants, as well as on the realization of their educational rights. The text is an exploratory analysis supported by a bibliographic and documentary review, divided into two parts: the first, an overview of the vulnerabilities to which migrants are subjected; the second, regarding the consequences on their educational rights. The adoption of emergency remote education without preparation of students or teachers, the lack of consideration of technological and social limitations, and the failure to observe the specificities of migrants and refugees adults can lead this population to new mechanisms of exclusion and the restriction of their educational rights.
RESUMEN: 2020 expusó la condición de vulnerabilidad humana con el estallido de una pandemia que azotó al mundo globalizado. En el campo de la migración internacional, los procesos estuvieron marcados por una ruptura, debido a las medidas de confinamiento adoptadas por los países para contener el Covid-19. Este artículo tiene como objetivo reflexionar sobre el impacto de estas medidas en la migración internacional, en los migrantes, así como en la realización de sus derechos educativos. El texto es un análisis exploratorio sustentado en una revisión bibliográfica y documental, dividido en dos partes: la primera, un panorama de las vulnerabilidades a las que están sometidos los migrantes; el segundo, las consecuencias sobre sus derechos educativos. La adopción de la educación a distancia de emergencia sin la preparación necesaria de estudiantes o docentes, la no consideración de las limitaciones tecnológicas y sociales y el incumplimiento de las especificidades de los adultos migrantes y refugiados pueden conducir esta poplación a nuevos mecanismos de exclusión y restricción de sus derechos educativos.
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