The neglected nutrigenomics of milk: What is the role of inter-species transfer of small non-coding RNA?

The characterization of small non-coding RNA (sncRNA) in food has become part of the field of nutrigenomics. Milk contains sncRNA that are protected by extracellular vesicles which makes them resistant to digestive processes and possibly absorbable by the human gut. Due to the high conservation of sncRNA, these molecules might mediate inter-species gene expression regulations, opening numerous applications in the field of human nutrition. These include the modulation of sncRNA milk profile through diet, both in humans and dairy animals, livestock rearing methods, food technology, but also the production of infant formulas or the usage of sncRNA as biomarkers. SncRNA contained in milk might contribute to the elucidation of the long-term effects of milk consumption in the human diet, confirming the application of nutrigenomics in both health promotion and food production areas. The main aim of this review is to introduce this aspect of nutrigenomics, showing both promising aspects and pitfalls

Mitochondrial DNA and neurodegeneration: Any role for dietary antioxidants?

The maintenance of the mitochondrial function is essential in preventing and counteracting neurodegeneration. In particular, mitochondria of neuronal cells play a pivotal role in sustaining the high energetic metabolism of these cells and are especially prone to oxidative damage. Since overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration, dietary antioxidants have been suggested to counteract the detrimental effects of ROS and to preserve the mitochondrial function, thus slowing the progression and limiting the extent of neuronal cell loss in neurodegenerative disorders. In addition to their role in the redox-system homeostasis, mitochondria are unique organelles in that they contain their own genome (mtDNA), which acts at the interface between environmental exposures and the molecular triggers of neurodegeneration. Indeed, it has been demonstrated that mtDNA (including both genetics and, from recent evidence, epigenetics) might play relevant roles in modulating the risk for neurodegenerative disorders. This mini-review describes the link between the mitochondrial genome and cellular oxidative status, with a particular focus on neurodegeneration; moreover, it provides an overview on potential beneficial effects of antioxidants in preserving mitochondrial functions through the protection of mtDNA

Functional evaluation of the diaphragm with a noninvasive test

Abstract Cardiac surgery with median sternotomy causes iatrogenic damage to the function of the diaphragm muscle that is both temporary and permanent. Myocardial infarction itself causes diaphragmatic genetic alterations, which lead the muscle to nonphysiological adaptation. The respiratory muscle area plays several roles in maintaining both physical and mental health, as well as in maximizing recovery after a cardiac event. The evaluation of the diaphragm is a fundamental step in the therapeutic process, including the use of instruments such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed axial tomography (CT). This article reviews the neurophysiological relationships of the diaphragm muscle and the symptoms of diaphragmatic contractile dysfunction. The authors discuss a scientific basis for the use of a new noninstrumental diaphragmatic test in the hope of stimulating research

The Role of Nutri(epi)genomics in Achieving the Body's Full Potential in Physical Activity.

Physical activity represents a powerful tool to achieve optimal health. The overall activation of several molecular pathways is associated with many beneficial effects, mainly converging towards a reduced systemic inflammation. Not surprisingly, regular activity can contribute to lowering the "epigenetic age", acting as a modulator of risk toward several diseases and enhancing longevity. Behind this, there are complex molecular mechanisms induced by exercise, which modulate gene expression, also through epigenetic modifications. The exercise-induced epigenetic imprint can be transient or permanent and contributes to the muscle memory, which allows the skeletal muscle adaptation to environmental stimuli previously encountered. Nutrition, through key macro- and micronutrients with antioxidant properties, can play an important role in supporting skeletal muscle trophism and those molecular pathways triggering the beneficial effects of physical activity. Nutrients and antioxidant food components, reversibly altering the epigenetic imprint, have a big impact on the phenotype. This assigns a role of primary importance to nutri(epi)genomics, not only in optimizing physical performance, but also in promoting long term health. The crosstalk between physical activity and nutrition represents a major environmental pressure able to shape human genotypes and phenotypes, thus, choosing the right combination of lifestyle factors ensures health and longevity

HTR2C Gene Variant and Salivary Cortisol Levels after Endurance Physical Activity: A Pilot Study

Introduction: The 5-hydroxytryptamine 2C receptor (HTR2C) rs6318 polymorphism has been associated with increased sensitivity to stress. This study investigated whether the rs6318 genotype modified the cortisol response to endurance physical activity. Methods: The HTR2C SNP was genotyped in a population of agonistic cyclists, and salivary cortisol levels were measured before and after an endurance competition. Results and Conclusion: Salivary cortisol levels increased after the competition (from 20.72 ± 12.36 ng/mL to 33.80 ± 21.53 ng/mL; p = 3.189 × 10-5). rs6318 C carriers displayed higher baseline cortisol levels compared to G carriers (26.60 ± 9.35 ng/mL vs. 19.50 ± 12.63 ng/mL; p = 0.04). Baseline cortisol levels were able to predict the cortisol response to exercise (β = -0.846; p = 1.2 × 10-5). Although regression analysis did not identify an association between HTR2C genotype and change in cortisol levels, a secondary analysis in which the population was classified by median cortisol changes suggested that they might be weakly associated, thus warranting further investigation

Low-energy excitations of a linearly Jahn-Teller coupled orbital quintet

The low-energy spectra of the single-mode h x (G+H) linear Jahn-Teller model is studied by means of exact diagonalization. Both eigenenergies and photoemission spectral intensities are computed. These spectra are useful to understand the vibronic dynamics of icosahedral clusters with partly filled orbital quintet molecular shells, for example C60 positive ions.Comment: 14 pages revte

Observations on soil-atmosphere interactions after long-term monitoring at two sample sites subjected to shallow landslides

Soil-atmosphere interaction has implications in different scientific research contexts and is increasingly investigated through field measurements. This paper reports a detailed description of interaction between shallow soil and atmosphere at two test sites in Oltrepò Pavese area (Northern Italy). The two test sites are in the same climatic area but are characterised by different geological features. In fact, the first objective is to compare the behaviour of two different soils, namely a clayey-sandy silt (CL) and a silty clay (CH), under similar meteorological events. Soil-atmosphere interaction is studied on the basis of long-term (about 87 and 42 months for the two test sites, respectively) monitoring data of both volumetric water content and soil water potential, recorded at different depths along two vertical soil profiles in the first two metres from ground level. Field measurements, together with meteorological data such as precipitation and air temperature, allow for clear identification of the seasonal fluctuations of unsaturated soil hydraulic properties. To infer detailed information, the recorded data were processed and relationships between soil water potential and water content were investigated. Different time spans, from several months to a few days, even including single rainy events, are considered to show the hydraulic soil behaviour. The hysteretic cycles of water content with respect to soil water potential and non-equilibrium flow are highlighted. In particular, the measured soil water potential is in the range of 0–800 kPa and of 0–1500 kPa for the CL and CH soil, respectively. At both sites, the observed hysteretic cycles are more frequent in the hot season (summer) than in the cold season (winter) and tend to reduce with depth. The experimental results are compared with the soil water characteristic curves (SWCCs) to assess whether and to what extent the SWCCs are reliable in modelling the hydraulic behaviour of partially saturated soils, under atmospheric forcing, at least in the considered climatic contexts

Quantum limit in resonant vacuum tunneling transducers

We propose an electromechanical transducer based on a resonant-tunneling configuration that, with respect to the standard tunneling transducers, allows larger tunneling currents while using the same bias voltage. The increased current leads to an increase of the shot noise and an increase of the momentum noise which determine the quantum limit in the system under monitoring. Experiments with micromachined masses at 4.2 K could show dominance of the momentum noise over the Brownian noise, allowing observation of the quantum-mechanical noise at the mesoscopic scale

Can Early Life Exposure to Permethrin lead to intergenerational effects?

Pesticides are largely used in agriculture against pests and consequently are present in fruits and vegetables. The wide presence of pesticide residues in breast milk underline the risk for the population, focalizing the long-term consequence of early life pyrethroid exposure. The significant presence of pyrethroid metabolites in the urine of population over the world confirms that their presence in food is a global problem. It has been demonstrated that there is a correlation between the environmental exposure to pesticides and the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Neonatal exposure to Permethrin (PERM), a member of the family of synthetic pyrethroids, can induce neurodegeneration (i.e. Parkinson’s –like disease) and it can cause some alterations in striatum of rats, involving both genetic and epigenetic pathways. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the rat offspring (F1 generation) exposed to a low dose of PERM from postnatal day 6 to 21, presents alterations in Nurr1 gene expression as previously observed in early life permethrin treated male rats. Moreover, global DNA methylation was analyzed in untreated early life exposed mothers and offspring (F1 generation). Methods Through Nurr1gene expression analysis and global DNA methylation assessment in both PERM-treated parents and their untreated offspring, we investigated on the prospective intergenerational effect of this pesticide. Results 33% of progeny presents the same Nurr1 alteration as rats exposed to permethrin in early life. A decrease in global genome-wide DNA methylation was measured in mothers exposed in early life to permethrin as well as in their offspring, whereas untreated rats have a hypermethylated genomic DNA. Conclutions Intergenerational PERM-induced damage on progenies has been identified for the first time. On the light of these results, pesticide residues in the food could represent a risk factor for the health of children especially in early life when the brain is still in the developing phase. Further studies are needed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms associated with the damage

Nutri-epigenetics and gut microbiota: How birth care, bonding and breastfeeding can influence and be influenced?

Maternal lifestyle is an important factor in the programming of an infant’s epigenome, in particular when considered alongside the mode of birth and choice of feeding method (i.e., breastfeeding or formula feeding). Beginning in utero, and during the first two years of an infant’s life, cells acquire an epigenetic memory of the neonatal exposome which can be influential across the entire lifespan. Parental lifestyle (e.g., malnutrition, alcohol intake, smoke, stress, exposure to xenobiotics and/or drugs) can modify both the maternal and paternal epigenome, leading to epigenetic inheritance in their offspring. This review aims to outline the origin of early life modulation of the epigenome, and to share this fundamental concept with all the health care professionals involved in the development and provision of care during childbirth in order to inform future parents and clinicians of the importance of the this process and the key role it plays in the programming of a child’s health