Could Hop-derived Bitter Compounds Improve Glucose Homeostasis by Stimulating the Secretion of GLP-1?

Hops (Humulus lupulus L.) is by far the greatest contributors to the bitter property of beer. Over the past years, a large body of evidence demonstrated the presence of taste receptors in different locations of the oral cavity. In addition to the taste buds of the tongue, cells expressing these receptors have been identified in olfactory bulbs, respiratory and gastrointestinal tract. In the gut, the attention was mainly directed to sweet Taste Receptor (T1R) and bitter Taste Receptor (T2R) receptors. In particular, T2R has shown to modulate secretion of different gut hormones, mainly Glucagon-like Peptide 1 (GLP-1), which are involved in the regulation of glucose homeostasis and the control of gut motility, thereby increasing the sense of satiety. Scientific interest in the activity of bitter taste receptors emerges because of their wide distribution in the human species and the large range of natural substances that interact with them. Beer, whose alcohol content is lower than in other common alcoholic beverages, contains a considerable amount of bitter compounds and current scientific evidence shows a direct effect of beer compounds on glucose homeostasis. The purpose of this paper is to review the available literature data in order to substantiate the novel hypothesis of a possible direct effect of hop-derived bitter compounds on secretion of GLP-1, through the activation of T2R, with consequent improvement of glucose homeostasis

Patients’ Satisfaction by SmileInTM Totems in Radiotherapy: A Two-Year Mono-Institutional Experience

Background: Patient’s satisfaction is recognized as an indicator to monitor quality in healthcare services. Patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) may contribute to create a benchmark of hospital performance by assessing quality and safety in cancer care. Methods: The areas of interest assessed were: patient-centric welcome perception (PCWP), punctuality, professionalism and comfort using the Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology. The RAMSI (Radioterapia Amica Mia SmileINTM (SI) My Friend RadiotherapySI), project provided for the placement of SI totems with four push buttons using HappyOrNot technology in a high-volume radiation oncology (RO) department. The SI technology was implemented in the RO department of the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS. SI totems were installed in different areas of the department. The SI Experience Index was collected, analyzed and compared. Weekly and monthly reports were created showing hourly, daily and overall trends. Results: From October 2017 to November 2019, a total of 42,755 votes were recorded: 8687, 10,431, 18,628 and 5009 feedback items were obtained for PCWP, professionalism, punctuality, and comfort, respectively. All areas obtained a SI-approved rate ≥ 8.0 Conclusions: The implementation of the RAMSI system proved to be doable according to the large amount of feedback items collected in a high-volume clinical department. The application of the LSS methodology led to specific corrective actions such as modification of the call-in-clinic system during operations planning. In order to provide healthcare optimization, a multicentric and multispecialty network should be defined in order to set up a benchmar

Olive Leaf Extract, from Olea europaea L., Reduces Palmitate-Induced Inflammation via Regulation of Murine Macrophages Polarization

Olive tree (Olea europaea L.) leaves are an abundant source of bioactive compounds with several beneficial effects for human health. Recently, the effect of olive leaf extract in obesity has been studied. However, the molecular mechanism in preventing obesity-related inflammation has not been elucidated. Obesity is a state of chronic low-grade inflammation and is associated with an increase of pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages infiltration in the adipose tissue. In the current study, we explored Olea europaea L. leaf extract (OLE) anti-inflammatory activity using an in vitro model of obesity-induced inflammation obtained by stimulating murine macrophages RAW 264.7 with high dose of the free fatty acid palmitate. We found that OLE significantly suppressed the induction of pro-inflammatory mediators, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), while it enhanced the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10. Moreover, we demonstrated that OLE reduced the oxidative stress induced by palmitate in macrophages by regulating the NF-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2)−Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1) pathway. Finally, we showed that OLE promoted the shift of M1 macrophage toward less inflammatory M2-cells via the modulation of the associated NF-κB and proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) signaling pathways. Thereby, our findings shed light on the potential therapeutic feature of OLE in recovering obesity-associated inflammation via regulating M1/M2 status

Fermentation of Foods and Beverages as a Tool for Increasing Availability of Bioactive Compounds. Focus on Short-Chain Fatty Acids

Emerging evidence suggests that fermentation, historically used for the preservation of perishable foods, may be considered as a useful tool for increasing the nutritional value of fermented products, in terms of increases in bioactive compound content, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), as bacteria end-products, whose beneficial effects on human health are well-established. The purpose of the present manuscript is to summarize studies in this field, providing evidence about this novel potential of fermentation. A limited number of studies directly investigated the increased SCFA levels in fermented foods. All studies, however, agree in confirming that levels of SCFAs in fermented products are higher than in unfermented products, recognizing the key role played by the microorganisms in metabolizing food matrices, producing and releasing bioactive substances. According to the available literature, fermentation might be taken into account by the food industry as a natural strategy with no environmental impacts to produce functional foods and beverages with a higher nutritional value and health-promoting compounds

Efficacy of an eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) intervention for a head and neck cancer patient with intolerable anxiety undergoing radiotherapy

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Grape Polyphenols Ameliorate Muscle Decline Reducing Oxidative Stress and Oxidative Damage in Aged Rats

A large number of studies have demonstrated the implication of oxidative stress (OxS) in the pathogenesis of ageing-related muscle decline and atrophy. The key mechanism is related to the OxS-induced production of free radicals, with the consequent increase in oxidative damage, resulting in affected muscle quality and strength. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a grape polyphenol-based nutraceutical formulation (Taurisolo®) in reducing the OxS in muscle of aged rats. A group of 16 aged (20 months) rats were orally administered with Taurisolo® (n = 8; 100 mg/kg Taurisolo®) or placebo (n = 8; 50 mg/kg maltodextrin); an additional group of eight young (three months) rats were also treated with placebo. All the treatments were orally administered for 30 days. The activities of antioxidant enzymes, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitrotyrosine (N-Tyr) and the expression of OxS- and inflammation-related genes were evaluated on the gastrocnemius muscle. In muscle samples of the treated-group, increased activity of antioxidant enzymes, reduced MDA and N-Tyr levels and increased expression of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory genes were observed in respect to the placebo. Data herein presented suggest that the chronic treatment with Taurisolo® significantly reduces oxidative damage and improves muscle performance in aged rats

Management of Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (MRONJ) Using Leukocyte- and Platelet-Rich Fibrin (L-PRF) and Photobiomodulation: A Retrospective Study

Background. The aim of this study was to compare retrospectively the effect of three different treatment protocols on the healing outcome in patients with established medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). Methods. A total of 34 MRONJ patients were recruited from the Department database and were divided according to the treatment protocols in a study group (G1) and two control groups (G2 and G3). G1 was treated with antibiotic therapy, surgery, leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF), and photobiomodulation; G2 was treated with antibiotic therapy and surgery; G3 was treated with antibiotic therapy and photobiomodulation. Various clinical variables and treatment protocols were analyzed to determine their correlation with the healing outcome at three and six months of follow-up. Results. There was a significant association between the different treatment protocols and the outcomes at both three and six months follow-up (p = 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). No significant association was observed between the outcomes and MRONJ localization, MRONJ stage, duration of drug treatment, gender, diabetes, corticosteroid therapy, smoking habits, underlying disease, and history of chemotherapy at both three and six months follow-up. Conclusions. Our results show that the combination of antibiotic therapy, surgery, L-PRF, and photobiomodulation may effectively contribute to MRONJ management

TP0077 Pantelleria: il porto turistico

La pubblicazione riguarda il progetto del porto turistico di Pantelleria. L'architettura del nuovo porto si costruisce attraverso la riproposizione di tipologie e tecniche costruttive tipiche dell'isola. Il nuovo quartiere di attrezzature propone una architettura dove sono rintracciabili i temi portanti di costruzione della città e dell'architettura del Mediterraneo

Pantelleria: il porto turistico

Il progetto è stato elaborato nell'ambito della 10° Mostra Internazionale di Architettura di Venezia per la Sezione Città di Pietra Progetto Sud. Pantelleria è stata una delle quattro aree di Water-front oggetto di studio. L'architettura di pietra, la luce e l'ombra dell'architettura mediterranea, le tecniche costruttive del luogo sono i temi e i materiali del progetto

KR0078 Crotone. Il fronte a mare

La pubblicazione riguarda il progetto del porto di Crotone. Il rapporto tra la città di Crotone ed il mare viene riconquistato attraverso il progetto di una piazza inclinata tra i due porti, piazza che ha la misura del castello che sovrasta la città. La quota ipogea della piazza è progettata riprendendo il disegno degli antichi arsenali