Knowledge and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in individuals practicing regular amatorial physical activity: a cross-sectional study conducted in the Metropolitan Area of Palermo, Italy

IntroductionMediterranean Diet (MD) is a universal model of nutrition that prevents several metabolic, cardiovascular, and oncological diseases. Main objective of the present study was to analyze adherence and knowledge regarding MD principles in a sample of individuals practicing amatorial sports from the Metropolitan Area of Palermo. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 Sports Centers, between October 2020 and September 2021, through a previously validated anonymous questionnaire structured in five sections including 74 items. ResultsOverall, 337 subjects answered to the questionnaire. Based on the multivariable analysis conducted, a higher knowledge score (KS) on MD principles was observed among individuals daily consuming vegetables (OR: 3.32; CI95%: 1.82-6.02) and in the ones more adherent to MD principles (OR: 10.15; CI95%:5.47-18.85). More in depth, using MEDAS score to analyze the adherence to MD, a significant lower adherence was observed among overweight/obese (OR: 0.57; CI95%:0.33-0.99) and among employed subjects (OR: 0.52; IC95%: 0.28-0.98); while, a higher adherence was highlighted among daily consumers of vegetables (OR: 2.52; CI95%:1.52-4.17), daily consumers of fruit (OR: 1.77; CI95%:1.08-2.90), and in individuals that have daily breakfast (OR: 4.29; CI95%:1.15-15.96). DiscussionIn accordance with the WHO Europe Gaining Health Campaign, Public Health Authorities should simplify accessibility to healthy food among general population, promoting principles and accessibility to MD

Years of life that could be saved from prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) causes premature death and loss of life expectancy worldwide. Its primary and secondary prevention can result in a significant number of years of life saved. AIM: To assess how many years of life are lost after HCC diagnosis. METHODS: Data from 5346 patients with first HCC diagnosis were used to estimate lifespan and number of years of life lost after tumour onset, using a semi-parametric extrapolation having as reference an age-, sex- and year-of-onset-matched population derived from national life tables. RESULTS: Between 1986 and 2014, HCC lead to an average of 11.5 years-of-life lost for each patient. The youngest age-quartile group (18-61 years) had the highest number of years-of-life lost, representing approximately 41% of the overall benefit obtainable from prevention. Advancements in HCC management have progressively reduced the number of years-of-life lost from 12.6 years in 1986-1999, to 10.7 in 2000-2006 and 7.4 years in 2007-2014. Currently, an HCC diagnosis when a single tumour <2 cm results in 3.7 years-of-life lost while the diagnosis when a single tumour 65 2 cm or 2/3 nodules still within the Milan criteria, results in 5.0 years-of-life lost, representing the loss of only approximately 5.5% and 7.2%, respectively, of the entire lifespan from birth. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatocellular carcinoma occurrence results in the loss of a considerable number of years-of-life, especially for younger patients. In recent years, the increased possibility of effectively treating this tumour has improved life expectancy, thus reducing years-of-life lost

BIS-HISTIDYL COORDINATION IN TETRAMERIC HEMOGLOBINS: COLD-ADAPTED FISH HEMOGLOBINS VS HUMAN HEMOGLOBIN

All tetrameric hemoglobins from the Antarctic fish, included Trematomus bernacchii, HbTb, in its ferric state promptly, and distinctively from all the other tetrameric hemoglobins, form a mixture of aquo-met at the α subunits and bis-histidyl adduct (hemichrome) at the β subunits 1,2. The role of the tertiary and quaternary structure in the hemichrome formation in HbTb is still unknown. Here we report the cloning, expression, purification, spectroscopic and computational characterization of the β-chain of HbTb (Tbβ), along with a novel cystallographic determination of the ferric β-chain of human Hb (β4-HbA). As β4-HbA 3,4, Tbβ self assembles to form a β4 homotetramer, but, differently from β4-HbA, Tbβ forms quantitatively a reversible ferric bis-histidyl adduct in the ferric state. Indeed, the herein presented crystal structure of the ferric β4-HbA hosts an aquo-met coordination in all the four independent chains, and not hemichrome. A molecular dynamics study on the isolated β-subunit of HbTb indicates that the ability to form hemichrome is an intrinsic feature of Tbβ chain, probably due to the high intrinsic flexibility associated with its sequence. Differently from HbTb α2β2 heterotetramer 5,6, in the ferrous state Tbβ forms a bis-histidyl adduct (hemochrome). On the bases of these experimental, crystallographic and computational results, a discussion on the effect of quaternary structure on the stability of endogenous ferrous and ferric hexa-coordination is presented. We acknowledge PNRA and PRIN for financial support (1) Merlino, A.; Vitagliano, L.; Howes, B.; Verde, C.; di Prisco, G.; Smulevich, G.; Sica, F.; Vergara, A. Biopolymers 2009, 91, 1117. (2) Vergara, A.; Franzese, M.; Merlino, A.; Vitagliano, L.; di Prisco, G.; Verde, C.; Lee, H. C.; Peisach, J.; Mazzarella, L. Biophys. J. 2007, 93, 2822. (3) Rachmilewitz, E. A.; Peisach, J.; Blumberg, W. E. J Biol Chem 1971, 246, 3356. (4) Shikama, K. Chem. Rev. 1998, 98, 1357. (5) Vergara, A.; Vitagliano, L.; Merlino, A.; Sica, F.; Marino, K.; Verde, C.; di Prisco, G.; Mazzarella, L. J Biol Chem 2010, 285, 32568. (6) Mazzarella, L.; Vergara, A.; Vitagliano, L.; Merlino, A.; Bonomi, G.; Scala, S.; Verde, C.; di Prisco, G. Proteins 2006, 65, 490

Role of the tertiary and quaternary structure in the formation of bis-histidyl adducts in cold-adapted hemoglobins.

All tetrameric hemoglobins from Antarctic fish, including that from Trematomus bernacchii, HbTb form in the ferric state, promptly and distinctively from all the other tetrameric hemoglobins, a mixture of aquo-met at the α subunits and bis-histidyl adduct (hemichrome) at the β subunits. The role of the tertiary and quaternary structure in the hemichrome formation is unknown. Here we report the cloning, expression, purification, spectroscopic and computational characterization of the β-chain of HbTb (β-HbTb). Similarly to the human β-chains, β-HbTb self-assembles to form the homotetramer β(4)-HbTb; however, the latter quantitatively forms reversible ferric and ferrous bis-histidyl adducts, which are only partially present in the human tetramer (β(4)-HbA). A molecular dynamics study of the isolated β subunit of the two Hbs indicates that the ability to form hemichrome is an intrinsic feature of the chain; moreover, the greater propensity of β-HbTb to form the bis-histidyl adduct is probably linked to the higher flexibility of the CD loop region. On the bases of these experimental and computational results on the isolated chain, the influence of the quaternary structure on the stability of the endogenous ferrous and ferric hexa-coordination is also discussed

An autochthonous sexually transmitted Zika virus infection in Italy 2016

We describe two cases of Zika virus infection involving an Italian patient returning from the Dominican Republic and his wife, who remained in Italy and had not travelled to Zika virus endemic areas in the previous months. The infection was transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse after the man's return to Italy