Introduction to the Toxins special issue on dietary and non-dietary phytochemicals and cancer

The role of many phytochemicals in the modulation of the carcinogenesis process has been well documented by combining in vitro and animal studies, as well as epidemiological evidence. When acting in synergy, phytochemicals exert potential anti-cancer properties, and much progress has been made in defining their many biological activities at the molecular level. However, an interesting feature in the field of phytochemicals and cancer is the role of some phytochemicals in promoting cancer development. This Special Issue of Toxins aims to provide a comprehensive look at the contribution of dietary and non-dietary phytochemicals to cancer development and at the molecular mechanisms by which phytochemicals inhibit or promote cancer.[...]

A Planar Electronically Reconfigurable Wi-Fi Band Antenna Based on a Parasitic Microstrip Structure

This report presents the result of the synthesis of an horizontally polarized reconfigurable microstrip antenna

Interplays between the cell wall and phytohormones in interaction between plants and necrotrophic pathogens

AbstractThe plant cell wall surrounds every cell in plants. During microbial infection, the cell wall provides a dynamic interface for interaction with necrotrophic phytopathogens as a rich source of carbohydrates for the growth of pathogens, as a physical barrier restricting the progression of the pathogens, and as an integrity sensory system that can activate intracellular signaling cascades and ultimately lead to a multitude of inducible host defense responses. Studies over the last decade have provided evidence of interplays between the cell wall and phytohormone signaling. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge about the cell wall-phytohormone interplays, with the focus on auxin, cytokinin, brassinosteroids, and abscisic acid, and discuss how they impact the outcome of plant–necrotrophic pathogen interaction

Overview of the Anticancer Potential of the "King of Spices" Piper nigrum and Its Main Constituent Piperine

The main limits of current anticancer therapy are relapses, chemoresistance, and toxic effects resulting from its poor selectivity towards cancer cells that severely impair a patient's quality of life. Therefore, the discovery of new anticancer drugs remains an urgent challenge. Natural products represent an excellent opportunity due to their ability to target heterogenous populations of cancer cells and regulate several key pathways involved in cancer development, and their favorable toxicological profile. Piper nigrum is one of the most popular spices in the world, with growing fame as a source of bioactive molecules with pharmacological properties. The present review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the anticancer potential of Piper nigrum and its major active constituents-not limited to the well-known piperine-whose undeniable anticancer properties have been reported for different cancer cell lines and animal models. Moreover, the chemosensitizing effects of Piper nigrum in association with traditional anticancer drugs are depicted and its toxicological profile is outlined. Despite the promising results, human studies are missing, which are crucial for supporting the efficacy and safety of Piper nigrum and its single components in cancer patients

Antitumor Potential of Marine and Freshwater Lectins

Often, even the most effective antineoplastic drugs currently used in clinic do not efficiently allow complete healing due to the related toxicity. The reason for the toxicity lies in the lack of selectivity for cancer cells of the vast majority of anticancer agents. Thus, the need for new potent anticancer compounds characterized by a better toxicological profile is compelling. Lectins belong to a particular class of non-immunogenic glycoproteins and have the characteristics to selectively bind specific sugar sequences on the surface of cells. This property is exploited to exclusively bind cancer cells and exert antitumor activity through the induction of different forms of regulated cell death and the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. Thanks to the extraordinary biodiversity, marine environments represent a unique source of active natural compounds with anticancer potential. Several marine and freshwater organisms, ranging from the simplest alga to the most complex vertebrate, are amazingly enriched in these proteins. Remarkably, all studies gathered in this review show the impressive anticancer effect of each studied marine lectin combined with irrelevant toxicity in vitro and in vivo and pave the way to design clinical trials to assess the real antineoplastic potential of these promising proteins. It provides a concise and precise description of the experimental results, their interpretation as well as the experimental conclusions that can be drawn

Marine anthraquinones: Pharmacological and toxicological issues

The marine ecosystem, populated by a myriad of animals, plants, and microorganisms, is an inexhaustible reservoir of pharmacologically active molecules. Among the multiple secondary metabolites produced by marine sources, there are anthraquinones and their derivatives. Besides being mainly known to be produced by terrestrial species, even marine organisms and the uncount-able kingdom of marine microorganisms biosynthesize anthraquinones. Anthraquinones possess many different biological activities, including a remarkable antitumor activity. However, due to their peculiar chemical structures, anthraquinones are often associated with toxicological issues, even relevant, such as genotoxicity and mutagenicity. The aim of this review is to critically describe the an-ticancer potential of anthraquinones derived from marine sources and their genotoxic and mutagenic potential. Marine-derived anthraquinones show a promising anticancer potential, although clinical studies are missing. Additionally, an in-depth investigation of their toxicological profile is needed before advocating anthraquinones as a therapeutic armamentarium in the oncological area

Postpartum and menopause depressive personality disorder

openLa seguente ricerca, di stampo bibliografico, ha come oggetto di studio il disturbo della personalità depressiva nel post parto e in menopausa. La depressione è definita come un’alterazione del tono dell’umore, accompagnata da una sintomatologia specifica con un esordio di almeno due settimane. Riguardo la depressione post parto (PND), ho analizzato i quadri clinici, il ruolo svolto dai fattori di rischio e di protezione nella genesi del disturbo, le dinamiche psicologiche coinvolte, la valutazione clinica tramite l’utilizzo del test di Edimburgo (EPDS) e le interviste cliniche fondamentali per arrivare ad una diagnosi. In merito al disturbo depressivo in menopausa, ho esaminato invece il pregiudizio culturale che per secoli ha riguardato il corpo femminile, i contributi forniti dalla psicoanalista Helene Deutsch e dalla filosofa Simone De Beauvoir sul climaterio. Sono poi giunta al cuore dell’argomento descrivendo la depressione in menopausa, il tabù della morte e l’arresto del flusso mestruale. In ultima analisi, ho descritto gli strumenti come il counseling all’interno dei Consultori familiari e le campagne di educazione alla salute. L’intero lavoro si conclude con la descrizione dei trattamenti psicologici sia individuali che di gruppo impiegati nella depressione post parto e in menopausa.The following bibliographic research has as object of study the depressive personality disorder in the postpartum and in menopause. Depression is defined as an alteration in mood, accompanied by specific symptoms with an onset of at least two weeks. Regarding postpartum depression (PND), I analyzed the clinical pictures, the role played by risk and protective factors in the genesis of the disorder, the psychological dynamics involved, the clinical evaluation using the Edinburgh test (EPDS) and essential clinical interviews to arrive at a diagnosis. With regard to depressive disorder in menopause, I instead examined the cultural prejudice that for centuries has concerned the female body, the contributions provided by the psychoanalyst Helene Deutsch and the philosopher Simone De Beauvoir on the climacteric. I then got to the heart of the matter describing depression in menopause, the taboo of death and the stoppage of menstrual flow. Ultimately, I described tools such as counseling within family counseling centers and health education campaigns. The entire work concludes with the description of both individual and group psychological treatments used in postpartum and menopausal depression

The effects of knee bracing on reactive agility performance among healthy soccer players – a pilot study

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. The increase in the sport’s popularity is paralleled with an increased prevalence of knee injuries. Knee braces are commonly worn in athletic populations to prevent knee injuries. The biomechanics of wearing knee bracing have been well documented, with studies showing reduced vertical ground reaction forces. One concern with wearing knee braces, however, has been the possible effect on sports performance, the research examining this topic has been confounding. Some studies have shown that agility time has improved during an agility T-test, while others have shown no change in agility time. To date, no studies have examined the effects of knee bracing on reactive agility performance. The measurement of neuromuscular activity is known as electromyography. Electromyography is also another area of interest with regards to sport performance. To date, there is limited research on the effect of the application of a knee brace on the electromyography of various lower extremity muscles during cutting maneuvers. More specifically, no studies have explored the effect that knee braces may have on the peak muscular activation on the gluteus medius during an agility task. Therefore, the purpose of this pilot study was to examine differences between braced and non-braced soccer players on measures of reactive agility time (s), and EMG activity (% MVC) of the GM, BF, and VL during the acceleration and change of direction phases of the Y-shaped reactive agility test. [...

Plasmoid Thruster for High Specific-Impulse Propulsion

A report discusses a new multi-turn, multi-lead design for the first generation PT-1 (Plasmoid Thruster) that produces thrust by expelling plasmas with embedded magnetic fields (plasmoids) at high velocities. This thruster is completely electrodeless, capable of using in-situ resources, and offers efficiencies as high as 70 percent at a specific impulse, I(sub sp), of up to 8,000 s. This unit consists of drive and bias coils wound around a ceramic form, and the capacitor bank and switches are an integral part of the assembly. Multiple thrusters may be gauged to inductively recapture unused energy to boost efficiency and to increase the repetition rate, which, in turn increases the average thrust of the system. The thruster assembly can use storable propellants such as H2O, ammonia, and NO, among others. Any available propellant gases can be used to produce an I(sub sp) in the range of 2,000 to 8,000 s with a single-stage thruster. These capabilities will allow the transport of greater payloads to outer planets, especially in the case of an I(sub sp) greater than 6,000 s