Non-adherence to Mediterranean diet and synergy with lifestyle habits in the occurrence of breast cancer: a case-control study in Italy

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the synergistic effect of non-adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) and lifestyle habits on the occurrence of breast cancer (BC). Patients and methods: A case-control study was carried out from September 2018 to February 2019 at the Teaching Hospital "Umberto I" in Rome. A Food Frequency Questionnaire was used for assessing the level of adherence to MD, the IPAQ Questionnaire to measure physical activity, and AUDIT-C to estimate alcohol consumption. The possible interaction between risk factors was tested using the synergism index. Results: A total of 94 cases and 88 controls were enrolled (median age 55.8 for cases and 57.9 for controls). The MD Score over 6 was associated with low odds of having breast cancer (OR = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.12-0.69). There is a clear indication for the additivity and synergism between non-adherence to MD and many risk factors on the occurrence of BC: current smoker (S = 2.02; 95% CI 0.62-8.07), physical inactivity (S = 2.14; 95% CI 0.71 2-8.28) and alcohol consumption (S = 3.02; 95% CI 0.91-12.95). Conclusions: Primary prevention of BC can benefit from intervention targeting nutritional and lifestyle factors that act synergistically

Ca2+ monitoring in Plasmodium falciparum using the yellow cameleon-Nano biosensor

Calcium (Ca2+)-mediated signaling is a conserved mechanism in eukaryotes, including the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. Due to its small size (300?nM). We determined that the mammalian SERCA inhibitor thapsigargin and antimalarial dihydroartemisinin did not perturb SERCA activity. The change of the cytosolic Ca2+ level in P. falciparum was additionally detectable by flow cytometry. Thus, we propose that the developed YC-Nano-based system is useful to study Ca2+ signaling in P. falciparum and is applicable for drug screening.We are grateful to Japanese Red Cross Blood Society for providing human RBC and plasma. We also thank Tanaka R, Ogoshi (Sakura) M and Matsumoto N for technical assistance and Templeton TJ for critical reading. This study was conducted at the Joint Usage / Research Center on Tropical Disease, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Japan. KP was a Tokyo Biochemical Research Foundation (TBRF, http://www.tokyobrf.or.jp) post-doctoral fellow and PEF was a Japanese Society of Promotion Sciences (JSPS) post-doctoral fellow. This work was supported in part by the TBRF (K.P.), JSPS (P.E.F.), Takeda Science Foundation (K.Y.), Grants-in-Aids for Scientific Research 24590509 (K.Y.), 22390079 (O.K.), and for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas 23117008 (O.K.), MEXT, Japan. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

The Role of Vividness of Visual Mental Imagery on Different Dimensions of Creativity

Although research demonstrated that people can mentally manipulate and synthesize visual elements into a creative object, the role that vividness of visual imagery plays on creative imagery is still unclear. This study explored the relationships between vividness of visual imagery and 3 dimensions of creative imagery: originality, practicality, and mental spatial transformations of visual elements. Fifty-three participants performed the creative mental synthesis task and completed the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ). Results revealed a positive relationship between vividness and the practicality dimension of objects. No relationship was found either between vividness and originality or between vividness and transformational complexity. The association vividness-practicality seems to reflect the ability to use pictorial information of imagery when people generate functional objects that belong to specific categories. Future research directions are discussed. © 2011 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC

Definizione e sviluppo di una metodologia per la valutazione dell’efficienza energetica dell’illuminazione pubblica. Parte I

In this paper the methodology exposed in the first part ia applied to a case study and presented in detail. The public lighting plant of the municipality of Carpineto Romano has been analyzed through the properly developed toolss (forms for the data collection, energy indicators and benchmark values). This case study demonstrates the methodology reliability and efficiency both regarding the energy indexes definition and the immediate selection of the most critical areas from an energy consumption point of view. Finally the developed tools allows the definition of the most efficient energy management operations in the previously selected areas

Definizione e sviluppo di una metodologia per la valutazione dell’efficienza energetica dell’illuminazione pubblica. Parte II

In this paper the methodology exposed in the first part ia applied to a case study and presented in detail. The public lighting plant of the municipality of Carpineto Romano has been analyzed through the properly developed toolss (forms for the data collection, energy indicators and benchmark values). This case study demonstrates the methodology reliability and efficiency both regarding the energy indexes definition and the immediate selection of the most critical areas from an energy consumption point of view. Finally the developed tools allows the definition of the most efficient energy management operations in the previously selected areas

Eritrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation before and after vitamin E supplementation in children with cholestasis

In 10 children with chronic cholestasis and without neurologic signs, we evaluated lipid peroxidation and vitamin E levels in serum and in the erythrocytes before and after a therapeutic trial with alpha-tocopherol. We also studied the effects of vitamin E administration on hematocrit and hemoglobin values and on reticulocyte and erythrocyte counts. Plasma and erythrocyte malonyldialdehyde (MDA) values were significantly higher compared with normal control values, whereas plasma and erythrocyte tocopherol measurements were lower. Oral administration of high doses of vitamin E (300 mg/day for 15 days) resulted in lower serum MDA levels, whereas serum vitamin levels did not change significantly. In erythrocytes, the MDA decreased but not to control levels, and vitamin E increased but to lower values than normal. Hematologic values also improved. We conclude that longer treatment might be necessary to completely reverse the oxidative damage associated with vitamin E deficiency in children with cholestasis