Osteoporosis prevention in postmenopausal female workers : Beneficial effects of silicon dietary supplementation on oxidative status. A pilot study

In the last years, the employment of ageing women is increased, and the well-being of these workers, together with the prevention of chronic disabling diseases, is an issue of great importance. Moreover, as postmenopausal ageing is associated with the loss of bone density and consequent increased fracture risk, promoting bone health in these women could be the best strategy for avoiding osteoporotic fractures. We aimed to evaluate the effects of 3-month supplementation with a commercial antioxidant product containing Silica on oxidative status and bone markers in a sample of Italian female workers. Subjects were menopausal and osteopenic women (N=29, age 59.34\ub16.37, mean BMI 26.19\ub14.01 kg/m2). At baseline (T0) and after three-month treatment (T1) bone mineral density (BMD) was evaluated by phalangeal osteosonogrammetry. Haematological, serum biochemical parameters, reactive oxygen species (ROS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), oxydated low-density lipoproteins (oxLDL) and urinary cross-links pyridinoline (PYD) and deoxypyridinoline (DPD) were assessed. Parametric or non-parametric tests were performed at T0 and T1. To analyse the possible association between two variables a linear correlation test was performed. At T0, slightly high levels of ROS (86% of subjects), oxLDL (59%), Total Cholesterol (T-Chol) (90%) and LDL-Chol (59%) were observed, together with suboptimal or deficient 25-OH vitamin D (98%) concentrations. At T1, oxLDL levels and the ratio oxLDL/LDL-Chol significantly decreased (p<0.01). At T0 significant negative correlations between BMD T-score and cross-links were observed (DPD/Crea: r=-0.57, p=0.001; PYD/ Crea: r=-0.45, p=0.01). At T1, a significant reduction (p=0.03) was observed only for DPD (\u3bcg/L) but not for cross-links normalized by creatinine amounts. In conclusion 3-months Silica supplementation improves significantly oxidative status and bone resorption markers in most postmenopausal female workers, representing a complementary treatment for early phases of BMD reduction

Lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in patients affected by Hodgkin's lymphoma.

A dysregulation of the redox homoeostasis has been reported in various neoplastic disorders. Malondialdehyde/4-hydroxy-2,3-nonenal (MDA/HNE) and protein carbonyl groups represent in vivo indexes of lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation, respectively, suitable to investigate radical-mediated physio-pathological conditions. We evaluated MDA/HNE and protein carbonyl groups in sera of untreated Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) patients in advanced disease stages, in order to quantify the oxidative stress. HL patients displayed significantly higher levels of both MDA/HNE and protein carbonyl groups as compared with healthy controls. This is the first evidence that a strong increase in HL is one of the most common haematological malignancies, representing approximately 30% of all lymphomas in the circulating protein carbonyl content in HL. These findings may contribute to a better definition of the redox homoeostasis dysregulation in HL

Lignin nanoparticles as sustainable photoprotective carriers for sunscreen filters

Sunscreen filters may be degraded after prolonged UV exposure with loss of their shielding property and generation of harmful radical species. They are contained in cosmetic formulations in high concentrations, so the improvement of photostability is of relevance for safety concerns. We report here that lignin nanoparticles are sustainable carriers and photostabilizers of two common UV chemical filters, namely, avobenzone and octyl methoxycinnamate. These compounds have been encapsulated by nanoprecipitation into kraft lignin nanoparticles using eco-certified dimethyl isosorbide as a primary solvent and deionized water as an antisolvent. After the encapsulation, both compounds significantly prolonged the half-life stability against UV irradiation. The stabilizing properties of lignin nanoparticles were further improved by coencapsulation of avobenzone and octyl methoxycinnamate with hydroxytyrosol, a natural phenol with antioxidant activity recovered from olive oil wastes and characterized by skin regenerative properties

Terahertz imaging and spectroscopy of large-area single-layer graphene

We demonstrate terahertz (THz) imaging and spectroscopy of a 15x15-mm^2 single-layer graphene film on Si using broadband THz pulses. The THz images clearly map out the THz carrier dynamics of the graphene-on-Si sample, allowing us to measure sheet conductivity with sub-mm resolution without fabricating electrodes. The THz carrier dynamics are dominated by intraband transitions and the THz-induced electron motion is characterized by a flat spectral response. A theoretical analysis based on the Fresnel coefficients for a metallic thin film shows that the local sheet conductivity varies across the sample from {\sigma}s = 1.7x10^-3 to 2.4x10^-3 {\Omega}^-1 (sheet resistance, {\rho}s = 420 - 590 {\Omega}/sq).Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

The impact of combined nutraceutical supplementation on work-related stress, mood and eating disorders during the menopausal transition: A pilot study

Objectives: Menopause represents a "window of vulnerability" in women's life. This transition comprehends many changes: Physical, metabolical and psychological. It could, also, cause difficulties at work and the most problematic symptoms are poor concentration and memory, tiredness, feeling depressed and lowered confidence. Moreover food becomes, often, a practical, easy and fast solution to manage negative emotions. The aims of this pilot study were: To analyze the existence of a possible link between menopausal transition, mood, eating behavior and well-being perception on the workplace and to verify the possible influence of nutraceutical supplementation on the above mentioned factors. Method: 40 women, with mean age 52 years old and mean BMI 33.27 were enrolled and divided into two groups: Diet + behavioral advices (D), or diet + behavioral advices and a nutraceutical compound (D+N) (Assist Forte Retard\uae 1 cp in the evening) for four months. The following psychological questionnaires were administrated at the beginning and after four months: Zung depression scale, (ZDS); Binge Eating Scale (BES); Job Content Questionnaire ( JCQ) used to measure the investigate job related stress. After the test, each woman had an individual psychological interview aimed to investigate her personal experiences, related to what come out from the results. Results: After four months: women (D+N) achieved a statistically significant improvement in both tests (ZDS p <0.0001 Bes p <0.0083). The women (D) had no statistically significant changes in BES, even if there was better management of feeding behavior, and ZDS did not show an improvement in mood. JCQ analysis showed: women (D+N) had a moderate increase of decision-making capacity (DL 64 to 66) compared with an unchanged workload ( JD 33 to 33.5); social-support perception (SS ) showed a slight improvement even if it remained below the median line of the reference sample. In the (D) group we observed a slight increase of the workload , accompanied by a reduction of the decision-making capacity (DL 74 to 69) and by a tiny lowering of the perception of the social support (SS). Conclusions: The combination of a diet program, behavioural advice and nutraceuticals, compared to the sole diet, made it possible to relieve the emotional and eating disturbs related to the menopause and to improve the perception of a satisfactory work

Protein carbonyl group content in patients affected by familiar chronic nail candidiasis.

Familiar chronic nail candidiasis (FCNC) is a rare disorder characterized by early-onset infections caused by different species of Candida, restricted to the nail of the hands and feet, and associated with a low serum concentration of intercellular adhesion molecule 1. Host defense mechanisms against candidiasis require the cooperation of many immune cells through several candidacidal mechanisms, including oxygen-dependent killing mechanisms, mediated by a superoxide anion radical myeloperoxidase--H2O2--halide system, and reactive nitrogen intermediates. We analyzed protein carbonyl groups (considered a useful marker of oxidative stress) in the serum of patients belonging to a five-generation Italian family with an isolated form of FCNC. Serum protein carbonyl groups in FCNC patients were significantly lower than those measured in healthy donors. Also, if this hypothesis is merely speculative, we could suggest that the decreased circulating level of protein carbonyl groups in these patients is not a marker of a lower oxidative stress condition, but might be linked to a lower protease activity

Updating the mediterranean diet pyramid towards sustainability: focus on environmental concerns

Background: Nowadays the food production, supply and consumption chain represent a major cause of ecological pressure on the natural environment, and diet links worldwide human health with environmental sustainability. Food policy, dietary guidelines and food security strategies need to evolve from the limited historical approach, mainly focused on nutrients and health, to a new one considering the environmental, socio-economic and cultural impact—and thus the sustainability—of diets. Objective: To present an updated version of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid (MDP) to reflect multiple environmental concerns. Methods: We performed a revision and restructuring of the MDP to incorporate more recent findings on the sustainability and environmental impact of the Mediterranean Diet pattern, as well as its associations with nutrition and health. For each level of the MDP we provided a third dimension featuring the corresponding environmental aspects related to it. Conclusions: The new environmental dimension of the MDP enhances food intake recommendations addressing both health and environmental issues. Compared to the previous 2011 version, it emphasizes more strongly a lower consumption of red meat and bovine dairy products, and a higher consumption of legumes and locally grown eco-friendly plant foods as much as possible

A method for measuring joint kinematics designed for accurate registration of kinematic data to models constructed from CT data

A method for measuring three-dimensional kinematics that incorporates the direct cross-registration of experimental kinematics with anatomic geometry from Computed Tomography (CT) data has been developed. Plexiglas registration blocks were attached to the bones of interest and the specimen was CT scanned. Computer models of the bone surface were developed from the CT image data. Determination of discrete kinematics was accomplished by digitizing three pre-selected contiguous surfaces of each registration block using a three-dimensional point digitization system. Cross-registration of bone surface models from the CT data was accomplished by identifying the registration block surfaces within the CT images. Kinematics measured during a biomechanical experiment were applied to the computer models of the bone surface. The overall accuracy of the method was shown to be at or below the accuracy of the digitization system used. For this experimental application, the accuracy was better than +/-0.l mm for position and 0.1 degrees for orientation for linkage digitization and better than +/- 0.2 mm and +/- 0.2 degrees for CT digitization. Surface models of the radius and ulna were constructed from CT data, as an example application. Kinematics of the bones were measured for simulated forearm rotation. Screw-displacement axis analysis showed 0.1 mm (proximal) translation of the radius (with respect to the ulna) from supination to neutral (85.2 degrees rotation) and 1.4 mm (proximal) translation from neutral to pronation (65.3 degrees rotation). The motion of the radius with respect to the ulna was displayed using the surface models. This methodology is a useful tool for the measurement and application of rigid-body kinematics to computer models. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved