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Prof. Santo Di Nuovo
Department of Education, Università degli Studi di Catania, 2, 95124 Catania, Italy

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Journal article
Published: 24 June 2021 in Sustainability
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Italy was the first European country to be affected by the 2019 coronavirus epidemic (COVID-19). Several studies have shown the risk of developing depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder in medical and paramedical staff. Causes included the high contagiousness of the virus, the fear of contracting it, the lack of adequate personal protective equipment, and physical and psychological fatigue. In this context, resilience represents a protective factor against adversity and stress burden. The aim of this research was to investigate if and how the resilience and personality profile is able to influence the response to stress and anxiety on a sample of Italian healthcare workers, during the COVID-19 outbreak. The sample consisted of 152 frontline healthcare workers, physicians, and paramedical professionals. Participants completed the online questionnaire measuring the Resilience Scale for Adults, the Big Five Inventory-10 Item, the State Anxiety Inventory, and the Perceived Stress Scale. Analyses of data aimed to show differences in the stress of healthcare workers due to gender and professional role, and at finding, by means of multidimensional scaling, the relations among anxiety, stress, resilience, and traits of personality. The findings gave some suggestions for implementing strategies useful to increase the resilience in healthcare workers and support them to cope with stressful events, typical of the pandemic emergency.

ACS Style

Marinella Coco; Claudia Guerrera; Giuseppe Santisi; Febronia Riggio; Roberta Grasso; Donatella Di Corrado; Santo Di Nuovo; Tiziana Ramaci. Psychosocial Impact and Role of Resilience on Healthcare Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic. Sustainability 2021, 13, 7096 .

AMA Style

Marinella Coco, Claudia Guerrera, Giuseppe Santisi, Febronia Riggio, Roberta Grasso, Donatella Di Corrado, Santo Di Nuovo, Tiziana Ramaci. Psychosocial Impact and Role of Resilience on Healthcare Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (13):7096.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marinella Coco; Claudia Guerrera; Giuseppe Santisi; Febronia Riggio; Roberta Grasso; Donatella Di Corrado; Santo Di Nuovo; Tiziana Ramaci. 2021. "Psychosocial Impact and Role of Resilience on Healthcare Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic." Sustainability 13, no. 13: 7096.

Journal article
Published: 29 April 2021 in Antioxidants
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Background: Life expectancy is increasing along with the rising prevalence of cognitive disorders. Among the factors that may contribute to their prevalence, modifiable risk factors such as diet may be of primary importance. Unarguably, plant-based diets rich in bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, showed their potential in decreasing risk of neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate whether exposure to components of plant-based diets, namely phenolic acids, may affect cognitive status in older Italian adults. Methods: The demographic, lifestyle and dietary habits of a sample of individuals living in southern Italy were analyzed. Dietary intake was assessed through food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). Data on the phenolic acids content in foods were estimated using the Phenol-Explorer database. Cognitive status was evaluated using The Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess the associations. Results: The mean intake of phenolic acids was 346.6 mg/d. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, individuals in the highest quartile of total phenolic acid intake were less likely to have impaired cognitive status (OR = 0.36 (95% CI: 0.14, 0.92)); similarly, the analysis for subclasses of phenolic acids showed the beneficial effect toward cognitive status of greater intake of hydroxycinnamic acids (OR = 0.35 (95% CI: 0.13, 0.91)). Among individual compounds, only higher intake of caffeic acid was inversely associated with impaired cognitive status (OR = 0.32 (95% CI: 0.11, 0.93)); notably, the association with ferulic acid intake was significant only when adjusting for background characteristics, and not for adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Conclusions: This study revealed that greater intakes of dietary phenolic acids were significantly inversely associated with impaired cognition, emphasizing the possible role of phenolic acids in the prevention of cognitive disorders.

ACS Style

Justyna Godos; Filippo Caraci; Agnieszka Micek; Sabrina Castellano; Emanuele D’Amico; Nadia Paladino; Raffaele Ferri; Fabio Galvano; Giuseppe Grosso. Dietary Phenolic Acids and Their Major Food Sources Are Associated with Cognitive Status in Older Italian Adults. Antioxidants 2021, 10, 700 .

AMA Style

Justyna Godos, Filippo Caraci, Agnieszka Micek, Sabrina Castellano, Emanuele D’Amico, Nadia Paladino, Raffaele Ferri, Fabio Galvano, Giuseppe Grosso. Dietary Phenolic Acids and Their Major Food Sources Are Associated with Cognitive Status in Older Italian Adults. Antioxidants. 2021; 10 (5):700.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Justyna Godos; Filippo Caraci; Agnieszka Micek; Sabrina Castellano; Emanuele D’Amico; Nadia Paladino; Raffaele Ferri; Fabio Galvano; Giuseppe Grosso. 2021. "Dietary Phenolic Acids and Their Major Food Sources Are Associated with Cognitive Status in Older Italian Adults." Antioxidants 10, no. 5: 700.

Journal article
Published: 26 April 2021 in Biomedicines
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Carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine) is a naturally occurring endogenous peptide widely distributed in excitable tissues such as the brain. This dipeptide has well-known antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aggregation activities, and it may be useful for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In this disease, peripheral infiltrating macrophages play a substantial role in the clearance of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides from the brain. Correspondingly, in patients suffering from AD, defects in the capacity of peripheral macrophages to engulf Aβ have been reported. The effects of carnosine on macrophages and oxidative stress associated with AD are consequently of substantial interest for drug discovery in this field. In the present work, a model of stress induced by Aβ1-42 oligomers was investigated using a combination of methods including trypan blue exclusion, microchip electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence, flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, and high-throughput quantitative real-time PCR. These assays were used to assess the ability of carnosine to protect macrophage cells, modulate oxidative stress, and profile the expression of genes related to inflammation and pro- and antioxidant systems. We found that pre-treatment of RAW 264.7 macrophages with carnosine counteracted cell death and apoptosis induced by Aβ1-42 oligomers by decreasing oxidative stress as measured by levels of intracellular nitric oxide (NO)/reactive oxygen species (ROS) and production of peroxynitrite. This protective activity of carnosine was not mediated by modulation of the canonical inflammatory pathway but instead can be explained by the well-known antioxidant and free-radical scavenging activities of carnosine, enhanced macrophage phagocytic activity, and the rescue of fractalkine receptor CX3CR1. These new findings obtained with macrophages challenged with Aβ1-42 oligomers, along with the well-known multimodal mechanism of action of carnosine in vitro and in vivo, substantiate the therapeutic potential of this dipeptide in the context of AD pathology.

ACS Style

Giuseppe Caruso; Cristina Benatti; Nicolò Musso; Claudia Fresta; Annamaria Fidilio; Giorgia Spampinato; Nicoletta Brunello; Claudio Bucolo; Filippo Drago; Susan Lunte; Blake Peterson; Fabio Tascedda; Filippo Caraci. Carnosine Protects Macrophages against the Toxicity of Aβ1-42 Oligomers by Decreasing Oxidative Stress. Biomedicines 2021, 9, 477 .

AMA Style

Giuseppe Caruso, Cristina Benatti, Nicolò Musso, Claudia Fresta, Annamaria Fidilio, Giorgia Spampinato, Nicoletta Brunello, Claudio Bucolo, Filippo Drago, Susan Lunte, Blake Peterson, Fabio Tascedda, Filippo Caraci. Carnosine Protects Macrophages against the Toxicity of Aβ1-42 Oligomers by Decreasing Oxidative Stress. Biomedicines. 2021; 9 (5):477.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Giuseppe Caruso; Cristina Benatti; Nicolò Musso; Claudia Fresta; Annamaria Fidilio; Giorgia Spampinato; Nicoletta Brunello; Claudio Bucolo; Filippo Drago; Susan Lunte; Blake Peterson; Fabio Tascedda; Filippo Caraci. 2021. "Carnosine Protects Macrophages against the Toxicity of Aβ1-42 Oligomers by Decreasing Oxidative Stress." Biomedicines 9, no. 5: 477.

Journal article
Published: 25 April 2021 in Psychiatry Investigation
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Objective Current nosology redefined agoraphobia as an autonomous diagnosis distinct from panic disorder. We investigated the lifetime prevalence of agoraphobia, its association with other mental disorders, and its impact on the health-related quality of life (HR-QoL).Methods Community survey in 2,338 randomly selected adult subjects. Participants were interviewed with the Advanced Neuropsychiatric Tools and Assessment Schedule (ANTAS), administered by clinicians. The diagnoses were based on the ICD-10 criteria. The Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) was used to quantify HR-QoL.Results In the sample, 35 subjects met the criteria for agoraphobia (1.5%), with greater prevalence among women (2.0%) than men (0.9%): odds ratio (OR) 2.23; 95% CI: 1.0-5–2. Agoraphobia was more often seen among those with (n=26; 1.1%) than without (n=9; 0.4%) panic disorder: OR=8.3; 2.9–24.4. Co-morbidity with other mental disorders was substantial. The mean score of SF-12 in people with agoraphobia was 35.2±7.8, with similar levels of HR-QoL in people with (35.3±7.9) or without (34.8±7.3) panic disorder: ANOVA: F(1;33)=0.0; p=1.00.Conclusion One out of seventy people may suffer from agoraphobia in their lifetime. The attributable burden in terms of HR-QoL is substantial and comparable to the one observed for chronic mental disorders such as major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

ACS Style

Antonio Preti; Martina Piras; Giulia Cossu; Elisa Pintus; Mirra Pintus; Goce Kalcev; Federico Cabras; Maria Francesca Moro; Ferdinando Romano; Matteo Balestrieri; Filippo Caraci; Liliana Dell’Osso; Guido Di Sciascio; Filippo Drago; Maria Carolina Hardoy; Rita Roncone; Carlo Faravelli; Mario Musu; Gabriele Finco; Antonio Egidio Nardi; Mauro Giovanni Carta. The Burden of Agoraphobia in Worsening Quality of Life in a Community Survey in Italy. Psychiatry Investigation 2021, 18, 277 -283.

AMA Style

Antonio Preti, Martina Piras, Giulia Cossu, Elisa Pintus, Mirra Pintus, Goce Kalcev, Federico Cabras, Maria Francesca Moro, Ferdinando Romano, Matteo Balestrieri, Filippo Caraci, Liliana Dell’Osso, Guido Di Sciascio, Filippo Drago, Maria Carolina Hardoy, Rita Roncone, Carlo Faravelli, Mario Musu, Gabriele Finco, Antonio Egidio Nardi, Mauro Giovanni Carta. The Burden of Agoraphobia in Worsening Quality of Life in a Community Survey in Italy. Psychiatry Investigation. 2021; 18 (4):277-283.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Antonio Preti; Martina Piras; Giulia Cossu; Elisa Pintus; Mirra Pintus; Goce Kalcev; Federico Cabras; Maria Francesca Moro; Ferdinando Romano; Matteo Balestrieri; Filippo Caraci; Liliana Dell’Osso; Guido Di Sciascio; Filippo Drago; Maria Carolina Hardoy; Rita Roncone; Carlo Faravelli; Mario Musu; Gabriele Finco; Antonio Egidio Nardi; Mauro Giovanni Carta. 2021. "The Burden of Agoraphobia in Worsening Quality of Life in a Community Survey in Italy." Psychiatry Investigation 18, no. 4: 277-283.

Original article
Published: 01 April 2021 in MicrobiologyOpen
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The ability of S. aureus to infect bone and osteoblasts is correlated with its incredible virulence armamentarium that can mediate the invasion/internalization process, cytotoxicity, membrane damage, and intracellular persistence. We comparatively analyzed the interaction, persistence, and modulation of expression of selected genes and cell viability in an ex vivo model using human MG‐63 osteoblasts of two previously studied and well‐characterized S. aureus clinical strains belonging to the ST239‐SCCmecIII‐t037 and ST228‐SCCmecI‐t041 clones at 3 h and 24 h post‐infection (p.i). S. aureus ATCC12598 ST30‐t076 was used as a control strain. Using imaging flow cytometry (IFC), we found that these strains invaded and persisted in MG‐63 osteoblasts to different extents. The invasion was evaluated at 3 h p.i and persistence at 24 h p.i., in particular: ATCC12598 internalized in 70% and persisted in 50% of MG‐63 cells; ST239‐SCCmecIII internalized in 50% and persisted in 45% of MG‐63 cells; and ST228‐SCCmecI internalized in 30% and persisted in 20% of MG‐63 cells. During the infection period, ST239‐III exerted significant cytotoxic activity resulting from overexpression of hla and psmA and increased expression of the genes involved in adhesion, probably due to the release and re‐entry of bacteria inside MG‐63 cells at 24 h p.i. The lower invasiveness of ST228‐I was also associated with non‐cytotoxic activity inside osteoblasts. This clone was unable to activate sufficient cellular reaction and succumbed inside MG‐63 cells. Our findings support the idea of considering new strategies, based on a translational approach—eukaryotic host–pathogen interaction (EHPI)—and to be applied on a large scale, to predict S. aureus /osteoblast interaction and treat bone infections. Such strategies rely on the study of the genetic and biochemical basis of both pathogen and host.

ACS Style

Dafne Bongiorno; Nicolò Musso; Giuseppe Caruso; Lorenzo Mattia Lazzaro; Filippo Caraci; Stefania Stefani; Floriana Campanile. Staphylococcus aureus ST228 and ST239 as models for expression studies of diverse markers during osteoblast infection and persistence. MicrobiologyOpen 2021, 10, e1178 .

AMA Style

Dafne Bongiorno, Nicolò Musso, Giuseppe Caruso, Lorenzo Mattia Lazzaro, Filippo Caraci, Stefania Stefani, Floriana Campanile. Staphylococcus aureus ST228 and ST239 as models for expression studies of diverse markers during osteoblast infection and persistence. MicrobiologyOpen. 2021; 10 (2):e1178.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dafne Bongiorno; Nicolò Musso; Giuseppe Caruso; Lorenzo Mattia Lazzaro; Filippo Caraci; Stefania Stefani; Floriana Campanile. 2021. "Staphylococcus aureus ST228 and ST239 as models for expression studies of diverse markers during osteoblast infection and persistence." MicrobiologyOpen 10, no. 2: e1178.

Journal article
Published: 07 March 2021 in International Journal of Molecular Sciences
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Carbon-based nanomaterials are nowadays attracting lots of attention, in particular in the biomedical field, where they find a wide spectrum of applications, including, just to name a few, the drug delivery to specific tumor cells and the improvement of non-invasive imaging methods. Nanoparticles inhaled during breathing accumulate in the lung alveoli, where they interact and are covered with lung surfactants. We recently demonstrated that an apparently non-toxic concentration of engineered carbon nanodiamonds (ECNs) is able to induce oxidative/nitrosative stress, imbalance of energy metabolism, and mitochondrial dysfunction in microglial and alveolar basal epithelial cells. Therefore, the complete understanding of their “real” biosafety, along with their possible combination with other molecules mimicking the in vivo milieu, possibly allowing the modulation of their side effects becomes of utmost importance. Based on the above, the focus of the present work was to investigate whether the cellular alterations induced by an apparently non-toxic concentration of ECNs could be counteracted by their incorporation into a synthetic lung surfactant (DPPC:POPG in 7:3 molar ratio). By using two different cell lines (alveolar (A549) and microglial (BV-2)), we were able to show that the presence of lung surfactant decreased the production of ECNs-induced nitric oxide, total reactive oxygen species, and malondialdehyde, as well as counteracted reduced glutathione depletion (A549 cells only), ameliorated cell energy status (ATP and total pool of nicotinic coenzymes), and improved mitochondrial phosphorylating capacity. Overall, our results on alveolar basal epithelial and microglial cell lines clearly depict the benefits coming from the incorporation of carbon nanoparticles into a lung surfactant (mimicking its in vivo lipid composition), creating the basis for the investigation of this combination in vivo.

ACS Style

Giuseppe Caruso; Claudia Fresta; Angelita Costantino; Giacomo Lazzarino; Angela Amorini; Giuseppe Lazzarino; Barbara Tavazzi; Susan Lunte; Prajnaparamita Dhar; Massimo Gulisano; Filippo Caraci. Lung Surfactant Decreases Biochemical Alterations and Oxidative Stress Induced by a Sub-Toxic Concentration of Carbon Nanoparticles in Alveolar Epithelial and Microglial Cells. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2021, 22, 2694 .

AMA Style

Giuseppe Caruso, Claudia Fresta, Angelita Costantino, Giacomo Lazzarino, Angela Amorini, Giuseppe Lazzarino, Barbara Tavazzi, Susan Lunte, Prajnaparamita Dhar, Massimo Gulisano, Filippo Caraci. Lung Surfactant Decreases Biochemical Alterations and Oxidative Stress Induced by a Sub-Toxic Concentration of Carbon Nanoparticles in Alveolar Epithelial and Microglial Cells. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021; 22 (5):2694.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Giuseppe Caruso; Claudia Fresta; Angelita Costantino; Giacomo Lazzarino; Angela Amorini; Giuseppe Lazzarino; Barbara Tavazzi; Susan Lunte; Prajnaparamita Dhar; Massimo Gulisano; Filippo Caraci. 2021. "Lung Surfactant Decreases Biochemical Alterations and Oxidative Stress Induced by a Sub-Toxic Concentration of Carbon Nanoparticles in Alveolar Epithelial and Microglial Cells." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22, no. 5: 2694.

Journal article
Published: 04 March 2021 in Biomedicines
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Carnosine is a natural occurring endogenous dipeptide that was proposed as an anti-aging agent more than 20 years ago. Carnosine can be found at low millimolar concentrations at brain level and different preclinical studies have demonstrated its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aggregation activity with neuroprotective effects in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A selective deficit of carnosine has also been linked to cognitive decline in AD. Different clinical studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of carnosine supplementation against cognitive decline in elderly and AD subjects. We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines coupled to the PICOS approach, to investigate the therapeutic potential of carnosine against cognitive decline and depressive symptoms in elderly subjects. We found five studies matching the selection criteria. Carnosine/anserine was administered for 12 weeks at a dose of 1 g/day and improved global cognitive function, whereas no effects were detected on depressive symptoms. These data suggest a preliminary evidence of clinical efficacy of carnosine against cognitive decline both in elderly subjects and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, although larger and long-term clinical studies are needed in MCI patients (with or without depression) to confirm the therapeutic potential of carnosine.

ACS Style

Giuseppe Caruso; Justyna Godos; Sabrina Castellano; Agnieszka Micek; Paolo Murabito; Fabio Galvano; Raffaele Ferri; Giuseppe Grosso; Filippo Caraci. The Therapeutic Potential of Carnosine/Anserine Supplementation against Cognitive Decline: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. Biomedicines 2021, 9, 253 .

AMA Style

Giuseppe Caruso, Justyna Godos, Sabrina Castellano, Agnieszka Micek, Paolo Murabito, Fabio Galvano, Raffaele Ferri, Giuseppe Grosso, Filippo Caraci. The Therapeutic Potential of Carnosine/Anserine Supplementation against Cognitive Decline: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. Biomedicines. 2021; 9 (3):253.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Giuseppe Caruso; Justyna Godos; Sabrina Castellano; Agnieszka Micek; Paolo Murabito; Fabio Galvano; Raffaele Ferri; Giuseppe Grosso; Filippo Caraci. 2021. "The Therapeutic Potential of Carnosine/Anserine Supplementation against Cognitive Decline: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis." Biomedicines 9, no. 3: 253.

Journal article
Published: 24 February 2021 in Pharmaceuticals
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The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in China has become an urgent health and economic challenge. There is a current race for developing strategies to treat and/or prevent COVID-19 worldwide. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the efficacy of the combined complex (nano-conjugates) of two FDA-approved drugs, sitagliptin (SIT) and glatiramer acetate (GA), against a human isolate of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. SIT-GA nano-conjugates were prepared according to a full three-factor bilevel (23) factorial design. The SIT concentration (mM, X1), GA concentration (mM, X2), and pH (X3) were selected as the factors. The particle size (nm, Y1) and zeta potential (mV, Y2) were assessed as responses. Characterization of the optimized formula for the Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was carried out. In addition, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) in Vero-E6 epithelial cells previously infected with the virus was investigated. The results revealed that the optimized formula of the prepared complex was a 1:1 SIT:GA molar ratio at a pH of 10, which met the required criteria with a desirability value of 0.878 and had a particle size and zeta potential at values of 77.42 nm and 27.67 V, respectively. The SIT-GA nano-complex showed antiviral potential against an isolate of SARS-CoV-2 with IC50 values of 16.14, 14.09, and 8.52 µM for SIT, GA, and SIT-GA nano-conjugates, respectively. Molecular docking has shown that the formula’s components have a high binding affinity to the COVID 3CL protease, essential for coronavirus replication, paralleled by 3CL protease inhibition (IC50 = 2.87 µM). An optimized formulation of SIT-GA could guarantee both enhanced deliveries to target cells and improved cellular uptake. Further clinical studies are being carried out to validate the clinical efficacy of the optimized formulation against SARS-CoV-2.

ACS Style

Nabil Alhakamy; Osama Ahmed; Tarek Ibrahim; Hibah Aldawsari; Khalid Eljaaly; Usama Fahmy; Ahmed Alaofi; Filippo Caraci; Giuseppe Caruso. Evaluation of the Antiviral Activity of Sitagliptin-Glatiramer Acetate Nano-Conjugates against SARS-CoV-2 Virus. Pharmaceuticals 2021, 14, 178 .

AMA Style

Nabil Alhakamy, Osama Ahmed, Tarek Ibrahim, Hibah Aldawsari, Khalid Eljaaly, Usama Fahmy, Ahmed Alaofi, Filippo Caraci, Giuseppe Caruso. Evaluation of the Antiviral Activity of Sitagliptin-Glatiramer Acetate Nano-Conjugates against SARS-CoV-2 Virus. Pharmaceuticals. 2021; 14 (3):178.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nabil Alhakamy; Osama Ahmed; Tarek Ibrahim; Hibah Aldawsari; Khalid Eljaaly; Usama Fahmy; Ahmed Alaofi; Filippo Caraci; Giuseppe Caruso. 2021. "Evaluation of the Antiviral Activity of Sitagliptin-Glatiramer Acetate Nano-Conjugates against SARS-CoV-2 Virus." Pharmaceuticals 14, no. 3: 178.

Journal article
Published: 04 February 2021 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
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The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a broader use of masks by both professionals and the general population. This resulted in a severe worldwide shortage of devices and the need to increase import and activate production of safe and effective surgical masks at the national level. In order to support the demand for testing surgical masks in the Italian context, Universities provided their contribution by setting up laboratories for testing mask performance before releasing products into the national market. This paper reports the effort of seven Italian university laboratories who set up facilities for testing face masks during the emergency period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Measurement set-ups were built, adapting the methods specified in the EN 14683:2019+AC. Data on differential pressure (DP) and bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE) of 120 masks, including different materials and designs, were collected over three months. More than 60% of the masks satisfied requirements for DP and BFE set by the standard. Masks made of nonwoven polypropylene with at least three layers (spunbonded–meltblown–spunbonded) showed the best results, ensuring both good breathability and high filtration efficiency. The majority of the masks created with alternative materials and designs did not comply with both standard requirements, resulting in suitability only as community masks. The effective partnering between universities and industries to meet a public need in an emergency context represented a fruitful example of the so-called university “third-mission”.

ACS Style

Francesco Tessarolo; Giandomenico Nollo; Devid Maniglio; Marta Rigoni; Luca Benedetti; Fabrizia Helfer; Ivan Corradi; Luigi Rovati; Alberto Ferrari; Mattia Piccini; Luca Accorsi; Elena Veronesi; Aurora Cuoghi; Salvo Baglio; Nunzio Tuccitto; Stefania Stefani; Stefano Stracquadanio; Filippo Caraci; Antonio Terrasi; Alessia Tricomi; Mario Musumeci; Andrea Miraglia; Giacomo Cuttone; Sofia Cosentino; Carlo Muscas; Luca Vitali; Dezemona Petrelli; Leopoldo Angrisani; Roberta Colicchio; Andrea D’Anna; Ivo Iavicoli; Gianluigi De Falco; Francesco Di Natale; Ernesto Di Maio; Paola Salvatore; Fabiana Quaglia; Marina Mingoia; Paolo Castellini; Paolo Chiariotti; Serena Simoni; Luigi Montalto; Alessia Baleani; Nicola Paone. Testing Surgical Face Masks in an Emergency Context: The Experience of Italian Laboratories during the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, 18, 1462 .

AMA Style

Francesco Tessarolo, Giandomenico Nollo, Devid Maniglio, Marta Rigoni, Luca Benedetti, Fabrizia Helfer, Ivan Corradi, Luigi Rovati, Alberto Ferrari, Mattia Piccini, Luca Accorsi, Elena Veronesi, Aurora Cuoghi, Salvo Baglio, Nunzio Tuccitto, Stefania Stefani, Stefano Stracquadanio, Filippo Caraci, Antonio Terrasi, Alessia Tricomi, Mario Musumeci, Andrea Miraglia, Giacomo Cuttone, Sofia Cosentino, Carlo Muscas, Luca Vitali, Dezemona Petrelli, Leopoldo Angrisani, Roberta Colicchio, Andrea D’Anna, Ivo Iavicoli, Gianluigi De Falco, Francesco Di Natale, Ernesto Di Maio, Paola Salvatore, Fabiana Quaglia, Marina Mingoia, Paolo Castellini, Paolo Chiariotti, Serena Simoni, Luigi Montalto, Alessia Baleani, Nicola Paone. Testing Surgical Face Masks in an Emergency Context: The Experience of Italian Laboratories during the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18 (4):1462.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francesco Tessarolo; Giandomenico Nollo; Devid Maniglio; Marta Rigoni; Luca Benedetti; Fabrizia Helfer; Ivan Corradi; Luigi Rovati; Alberto Ferrari; Mattia Piccini; Luca Accorsi; Elena Veronesi; Aurora Cuoghi; Salvo Baglio; Nunzio Tuccitto; Stefania Stefani; Stefano Stracquadanio; Filippo Caraci; Antonio Terrasi; Alessia Tricomi; Mario Musumeci; Andrea Miraglia; Giacomo Cuttone; Sofia Cosentino; Carlo Muscas; Luca Vitali; Dezemona Petrelli; Leopoldo Angrisani; Roberta Colicchio; Andrea D’Anna; Ivo Iavicoli; Gianluigi De Falco; Francesco Di Natale; Ernesto Di Maio; Paola Salvatore; Fabiana Quaglia; Marina Mingoia; Paolo Castellini; Paolo Chiariotti; Serena Simoni; Luigi Montalto; Alessia Baleani; Nicola Paone. 2021. "Testing Surgical Face Masks in an Emergency Context: The Experience of Italian Laboratories during the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 4: 1462.

Review
Published: 16 January 2021 in Sleep Medicine Reviews
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Dietary habits are considered a leading behavioral risk factor for human health. There is growing scientific evidence suggesting that diet and sleep may be related. The aim of this study was to review the evidence of association between diet and sleep quality. A systematic search in electronic databases PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was conducted from their inception to November 2019. Studies investigating parameters of diet quality (including dietary patterns or individual healthy/unhealthy foods) and sleep quality (assessed through self-reported or objective methods) were included. The NIH Quality Assessment Tools were used to evaluate the study quality. Twenty-nine studies were reviewed: in summary, consumption of healthy foods was associated with better sleep quality, while higher intake of processed and free-sugar rich foods was associated with worse sleep features. Despite a certain consistency between studies have been observed, the overall poor-to-fair quality of study design (mostly represented by cross-sectional investigations) does not allow to conclude a causal relation. However, diet-related variables are associated with sleep quality, but further studies are needed to corroborate this finding.

ACS Style

Justyna Godos; Giuseppe Grosso; Sabrina Castellano; Fabio Galvano; Filippo Caraci; Raffaele Ferri. Association between diet and sleep quality: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews 2021, 57, 101430 .

AMA Style

Justyna Godos, Giuseppe Grosso, Sabrina Castellano, Fabio Galvano, Filippo Caraci, Raffaele Ferri. Association between diet and sleep quality: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2021; 57 ():101430.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Justyna Godos; Giuseppe Grosso; Sabrina Castellano; Fabio Galvano; Filippo Caraci; Raffaele Ferri. 2021. "Association between diet and sleep quality: A systematic review." Sleep Medicine Reviews 57, no. : 101430.

Journal article
Published: 09 January 2021 in Nutrients
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Background: Due to the increased life expectancy, the prevalence of aging-related health conditions, such as cognitive impairment, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease is increasing. Among the modifiable risk factors, dietary factors have proved to be of primary importance in preserving and improving mental health and cognitive status in older adults, possibly through the modulation of adult neurogenesis, neuronal plasticity and brain signaling. Feeding/fasting timing manipulation has emerged as an innovative strategy to counteract and treat cognitive decline. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the timing of the feeding period and cognitive status in a cross-sectional cohort of adults living in the Mediterranean area. Methods: Demographic and dietary characteristics of 883 adults living in Southern Italy (Sicily) were analyzed. Food frequency questionnaires were used to calculate the time window between the first and the last meal of an average day. Participants with an eating time window duration of more than 10 h were then identified, as well as those with eating time restricted to less than 10 h (TRF). Results: After adjusting for potential confounding factors, individuals adherent to TRF were less likely to have cognitive impairment, compared to those with no eating time restrictions [odds ratio (OR) = 0.28; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.07–0.90)]; a similar association was found for individuals having breakfast (OR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.16–0.89), but not for those having dinner. Conclusions: The results of this study reveal that time restricted eating may be positively associated with cognitive status, and thus exert plausible effects on brain health.

ACS Style

Walter Currenti; Justyna Godos; Sabrina Castellano; Giuseppe Caruso; Raffaele Ferri; Filippo Caraci; Giuseppe Grosso; Fabio Galvano. Association between Time Restricted Feeding and Cognitive Status in Older Italian Adults. Nutrients 2021, 13, 191 .

AMA Style

Walter Currenti, Justyna Godos, Sabrina Castellano, Giuseppe Caruso, Raffaele Ferri, Filippo Caraci, Giuseppe Grosso, Fabio Galvano. Association between Time Restricted Feeding and Cognitive Status in Older Italian Adults. Nutrients. 2021; 13 (1):191.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Walter Currenti; Justyna Godos; Sabrina Castellano; Giuseppe Caruso; Raffaele Ferri; Filippo Caraci; Giuseppe Grosso; Fabio Galvano. 2021. "Association between Time Restricted Feeding and Cognitive Status in Older Italian Adults." Nutrients 13, no. 1: 191.

Journal article
Published: 07 January 2021 in Biomolecules
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Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium responsible for a variety of mild to life-threatening infections including bone infections such as osteomyelitis. This bacterium is able to invade and persist within non-professional phagocytic cells such as osteoblasts. In the present study, four different S. aureus strains, namely, 2SA-ST239-III (ST239), 5SA-ST5-II (ST5), 10SA-ST228-I (ST228), and 14SA-ST22-IVh (ST22), were tested for their ability to modulate cell viability in MG-63 osteoblast-like cells following successful invasion and persistence. Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) ATCC-12598-ST30 (ST30) was used as control strain. Despite being proven that ST30, ST239, and ST22 have a similar ability to internalize and persist in MG-63 osteoblast-like cells under our experimental conditions, we demonstrated that the observed decrease in cell viability was due to the different behavior of the considered strains, rather than the number of intracellular bacteria. We focused our attention on different biochemical cell functions related to inflammation, cell metabolism, and oxidative stress during osteoblast infections. We were able to show the following: (1) ST30 and ST239 were the only two clones able to persist and maintain their number in the hostile environment of the cell during the entire period of infection; (2) ST239 was the only clone able to significantly increase gene expression (3 and 24 h post-infection (p.i.)) and protein secretion (24 h p.i.) of both interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in MG-63 osteoblast-like cells; (3) the same clone determined a significant up-regulation of the transforming growth factorbeta 1 (TGF-β1) and of the metabolic marker glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) mRNAs at 24 h p.i.; and (4) neither the MSSA nor the four methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains induced oxidative stress phenomena in MG-63 cells, although a high degree of variability was observed for the different clones with regard to the expression pattern of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream gene heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) activation. Our results may pave the way for an approach to S. aureus-induced damage, moving towards individualized therapeutic strategies that take into account the differences between MSSA and MRSA as well as the distinctive features of the different clones. This approach is based on a change of paradigm in antibiotic therapy involving a case-based use of molecules able to counteract pro-inflammatory cytokines activity such as selective cytokine signaling inhibitors (IL-6, TNF-α).

ACS Style

Nicolò Musso; Giuseppe Caruso; Dafne Bongiorno; Margherita Grasso; Dalida Bivona; Floriana Campanile; Filippo Caraci; Stefania Stefani. Different Modulatory Effects of Four Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clones on MG-63 Osteoblast-Like Cells. Biomolecules 2021, 11, 72 .

AMA Style

Nicolò Musso, Giuseppe Caruso, Dafne Bongiorno, Margherita Grasso, Dalida Bivona, Floriana Campanile, Filippo Caraci, Stefania Stefani. Different Modulatory Effects of Four Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clones on MG-63 Osteoblast-Like Cells. Biomolecules. 2021; 11 (1):72.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nicolò Musso; Giuseppe Caruso; Dafne Bongiorno; Margherita Grasso; Dalida Bivona; Floriana Campanile; Filippo Caraci; Stefania Stefani. 2021. "Different Modulatory Effects of Four Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clones on MG-63 Osteoblast-Like Cells." Biomolecules 11, no. 1: 72.

Review
Published: 12 December 2020 in Pharmaceuticals
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Recent studies suggest a primary role of oxidative stress in an early phase of the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and a strong neurobiological link has been found between dopaminergic system dysfunction, microglia overactivation, and oxidative stress. Different risk factors for schizophrenia increase oxidative stress phenomena raising the risk of developing psychosis. Oxidative stress induced by first-generation antipsychotics such as haloperidol significantly contributes to the development of extrapyramidal side effects. Haloperidol also exerts neurotoxic effects by decreasing antioxidant enzyme levels then worsening pro-oxidant events. Opposite to haloperidol, second-generation antipsychotics (or atypical antipsychotics) such as risperidone, clozapine, and olanzapine exert a strong antioxidant activity in experimental models of schizophrenia by rescuing the antioxidant system, with an increase in superoxide dismutase and glutathione (GSH) serum levels. Second-generation antipsychotics also improve the antioxidant status and reduce lipid peroxidation in schizophrenic patients. Interestingly, second-generation antipsychotics, such as risperidone, paliperidone, and in particular clozapine, reduce oxidative stress induced by microglia overactivation, decreasing the production of microglia-derived free radicals, finally protecting neurons against microglia-induced oxidative stress. Further, long-term clinical studies are needed to better understand the link between oxidative stress and the clinical response to antipsychotic drugs and the therapeutic potential of antioxidants to increase the response to antipsychotics.

ACS Style

Giuseppe Caruso; Margherita Grasso; Annamaria Fidilio; Fabio Tascedda; Filippo Drago; Filippo Caraci. Antioxidant Properties of Second-Generation Antipsychotics: Focus on Microglia. Pharmaceuticals 2020, 13, 457 .

AMA Style

Giuseppe Caruso, Margherita Grasso, Annamaria Fidilio, Fabio Tascedda, Filippo Drago, Filippo Caraci. Antioxidant Properties of Second-Generation Antipsychotics: Focus on Microglia. Pharmaceuticals. 2020; 13 (12):457.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Giuseppe Caruso; Margherita Grasso; Annamaria Fidilio; Fabio Tascedda; Filippo Drago; Filippo Caraci. 2020. "Antioxidant Properties of Second-Generation Antipsychotics: Focus on Microglia." Pharmaceuticals 13, no. 12: 457.

Journal article
Published: 06 December 2020 in International Journal of Molecular Sciences
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Activation of P2X7 signaling, due to high glucose levels, leads to blood retinal barrier (BRB) breakdown, which is a hallmark of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Furthermore, several studies report that high glucose (HG) conditions and the related activation of the P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) lead to the over-expression of pro-inflammatory markers. In order to identify novel P2X7R antagonists, we carried out virtual screening on a focused compound dataset, including indole derivatives and natural compounds such as caffeic acid phenethyl ester derivatives, flavonoids, and diterpenoids. Molecular Mechanics/Generalized Born Surface Area (MM/GBSA) rescoring and structural fingerprint clustering of docking poses from virtual screening highlighted that the diterpenoid dihydrotanshinone (DHTS) clustered with the well-known P2X7R antagonist JNJ47965567. A human-based in vitro BRB model made of retinal pericytes, astrocytes, and endothelial cells was used to assess the potential protective effect of DHTS against HG and 2′(3′)-O-(4-Benzoylbenzoyl)adenosine-5′-triphosphate (BzATP), a P2X7R agonist, insult. We found that HG/BzATP exposure generated BRB breakdown by enhancing barrier permeability (trans-endothelial electrical resistance (TEER)) and reducing the levels of ZO-1 and VE-cadherin junction proteins as well as of the Cx-43 mRNA expression levels. Furthermore, HG levels and P2X7R agonist treatment led to increased expression of pro-inflammatory mediators (TLR-4, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-8) and other molecular markers (P2X7R, VEGF-A, and ICAM-1), along with enhanced production of reactive oxygen species. Treatment with DHTS preserved the BRB integrity from HG/BzATP damage. The protective effects of DHTS were also compared to the validated P2X7R antagonist, JNJ47965567. In conclusion, we provided new findings pointing out the therapeutic potential of DHTS, which is an inhibitor of P2X7R, in terms of preventing and/or counteracting the BRB dysfunctions elicited by HG conditions.

ACS Style

Claudia Giuseppina Fresta; Giuseppe Caruso; Annamaria Fidilio; Chiara Bianca Maria Platania; Nicolò Musso; Filippo Caraci; Filippo Drago; Claudio Bucolo. Dihydrotanshinone, a Natural Diterpenoid, Preserves Blood-Retinal Barrier Integrity via P2X7 Receptor. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2020, 21, 9305 .

AMA Style

Claudia Giuseppina Fresta, Giuseppe Caruso, Annamaria Fidilio, Chiara Bianca Maria Platania, Nicolò Musso, Filippo Caraci, Filippo Drago, Claudio Bucolo. Dihydrotanshinone, a Natural Diterpenoid, Preserves Blood-Retinal Barrier Integrity via P2X7 Receptor. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2020; 21 (23):9305.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Claudia Giuseppina Fresta; Giuseppe Caruso; Annamaria Fidilio; Chiara Bianca Maria Platania; Nicolò Musso; Filippo Caraci; Filippo Drago; Claudio Bucolo. 2020. "Dihydrotanshinone, a Natural Diterpenoid, Preserves Blood-Retinal Barrier Integrity via P2X7 Receptor." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21, no. 23: 9305.

Preprint
Published: 10 November 2020
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Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium causing a range of mild to life-threatening infections including bone infections such as osteomyelitis. S. aureus is able to invade and persist within non-professional phagocytic cells such as osteoblasts. In the present study four different S. aureus strains, 2SA-ST239-III, 5SA-ST5-II, 10SA-ST228-I, and 14SA-ST22-IVh were tested for their ability to modulate cell viability in MG-63 osteoblast-like cells following a successful invasion and persistence. Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) ATCC-12598-ST30 was used as control. Despite the demonstrated similar abilities of internalization and persistence of ATCC-12598-ST30, 2SA-ST239-III, and 14SA-ST22-IVh strains in MG-63 osteoblast-like cells under our experimental conditions, we demonstrated that the decrease in cell viability was due to the different behavior of the considered strains, with the number of intracellular bacteria playing a limited role. We focused our attention on different cellular biochemical functions related to inflammation, cell metabolism, and oxidative stress during osteoblast infections. We were able to show that: 1) ATCC-12598-ST30 and 2SA-ST239-III were the only two clones able to persist and maintain their number into the cellular hostile environment during the entire period of infection; 2) 2SA-ST239-III was the only clone able to significantly increase the gene expression (3 and 24 h) and protein secretion (24 h) of both interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in MG-63 osteoblast-like cells; 3) the same clone determined a significant up-regulation of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and the metabolic marker glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) mRNAs at 24 h post infection; 3) neither the MSSA nor the four MRSA strains induced oxidative stress phenomena in MG-63 cells, although a very different expression pattern towards nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream gene heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) activation was observed among the different clones. Our results can open a new way of considering therapies, going in the direction of an individualized therapeutic strategy that should take into account the difference existing between MSSA and MRSA as well as the distinctive features of the different clones. Not only, therefore, a different antibiotic approach but also a starting point for considering different host factors, i.e. the modulation of specific cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-α, and TGF-β1.

ACS Style

Nicolò Musso; Giuseppe Caruso; Dafne Bongiorno; Margherita Grasso; Dalida A. Bivona; Floriana Campanile; Filippo Caraci; Stefania Stefani. Different Modulatory Effects of Four Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clones on MG-63 Osteoblast-Like Cells. 2020, 1 .

AMA Style

Nicolò Musso, Giuseppe Caruso, Dafne Bongiorno, Margherita Grasso, Dalida A. Bivona, Floriana Campanile, Filippo Caraci, Stefania Stefani. Different Modulatory Effects of Four Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clones on MG-63 Osteoblast-Like Cells. . 2020; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nicolò Musso; Giuseppe Caruso; Dafne Bongiorno; Margherita Grasso; Dalida A. Bivona; Floriana Campanile; Filippo Caraci; Stefania Stefani. 2020. "Different Modulatory Effects of Four Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clones on MG-63 Osteoblast-Like Cells." , no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 15 October 2020 in International Journal of Molecular Sciences
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Alzheimer’s disease (AD) diagnosis is actually based on clinical evaluation and brain-imaging tests, and it can often be confirmed only post-mortem. Therefore, new non-invasive molecular biomarkers are necessary to improve AD diagnosis. As circulating microRNA biomarkers have been proposed for many diseases, including AD, we aimed to identify new diagnostic non-small RNAs in AD. Whole transcriptome analysis was performed on plasma samples of five AD and five unaffected individuals (CTRL) using the Clariom D Pico Assay, followed by validation in real-time PCR on 37 AD patients and 37 CTRL. Six differentially expressed (DE) transcripts were identified: GS1-304P7.3 (upregulated), NONHSAT090268, TC0100011037, TC0400008478, TC1400008125, and UBE2V1 (downregulated). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) may influence the expression of circulating RNAs and their analysis has been proposed to improve AD clinical management. Accordingly, DE transcript expression was also evaluated in PBMCs, showing no difference between AD and CTRL. ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of each DE transcript and a signature including all of them. A correlation between cognitive impairment and GS1-304P7.3, NONHSAT090268, TC0100011037, and TC0400008478 was detected, suggesting a potential association between their extracellular abundance and AD clinical phenotype. Finally, this study identified six transcripts showing altered expression in the plasma of AD patients. Given the need for new, accurate blood biomarkers for AD diagnosis, these transcripts may be considered for further analyses in larger cohorts, also in combination with other biomarkers, aiming to identify specific RNA-based biomarkers to be eventually applied to clinical practice.

ACS Style

Cristina Barbagallo; Maria Teresa Di Martino; Margherita Grasso; Maria Grazia Salluzzo; Francesca Scionti; Filomena Irene Ilaria Cosentino; Giuseppe Caruso; Davide Barbagallo; Cinzia Di Pietro; Raffaele Ferri; Filippo Caraci; Michele Purrello; Marco Ragusa. Uncharacterized RNAs in Plasma of Alzheimer’s Patients Are Associated with Cognitive Impairment and Show a Potential Diagnostic Power. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2020, 21, 7644 .

AMA Style

Cristina Barbagallo, Maria Teresa Di Martino, Margherita Grasso, Maria Grazia Salluzzo, Francesca Scionti, Filomena Irene Ilaria Cosentino, Giuseppe Caruso, Davide Barbagallo, Cinzia Di Pietro, Raffaele Ferri, Filippo Caraci, Michele Purrello, Marco Ragusa. Uncharacterized RNAs in Plasma of Alzheimer’s Patients Are Associated with Cognitive Impairment and Show a Potential Diagnostic Power. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2020; 21 (20):7644.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cristina Barbagallo; Maria Teresa Di Martino; Margherita Grasso; Maria Grazia Salluzzo; Francesca Scionti; Filomena Irene Ilaria Cosentino; Giuseppe Caruso; Davide Barbagallo; Cinzia Di Pietro; Raffaele Ferri; Filippo Caraci; Michele Purrello; Marco Ragusa. 2020. "Uncharacterized RNAs in Plasma of Alzheimer’s Patients Are Associated with Cognitive Impairment and Show a Potential Diagnostic Power." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21, no. 20: 7644.

Journal article
Published: 11 October 2020 in Pharmaceutics
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Febuxostat (FBX) is a drug able to inhibit xanthine oxidase and reduce uric acid production commonly used for the treatment of hyperuricemia in subjects suffering from gout. Several studies have also been directed at its use as anti-cancer drug during the last years, opening a window for its off-label use. In the present study, an optimized formulation in terms of vesicle size and drug release, obtained by encapsulation of FBX into the emulsomes (FBX-EMLs), was evaluated for its cytotoxic potential in human colorectal carcinoma (HCT 116) cells. The optimized FBX-EMLs formula had an improved half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50), about 4-fold lower, compared to the free drug. The cell cycle analysis showed a significant inhibition of the HCT 116 cells proliferation following FBX-EMLs treatment compared to all the other conditions, with a higher number of cells accumulating on G2/M and pre-G1 phases, paralleled by a significant reduction of cells in G0/G1 and S phases. The optimized formula was also able to significantly increase the percentage of cell population in both early and late stages of apoptosis, characterized by a higher intracellular caspase-3 concentration, as well as percentage of necrotic cells. Lastly, the FBX ability to decrease the mitochondrial membrane potential was enhanced when the drug was delivered into the EMLs. In conclusion, the new formulation of FBX into EMLs improved all the parameters related to the anti-proliferative activity and the toxic potential of the drug towards colorectal cancer cells.

ACS Style

Usama Fahmy; Hibah Aldawsari; Shaimaa Badr-Eldin; Osama Ahmed; Nabil Alhakamy; Helal Alsulimani; Filippo Caraci; Giuseppe Caruso. The Encapsulation of Febuxostat into Emulsomes Strongly Enhances the Cytotoxic Potential of the Drug on HCT 116 Colon Cancer Cells. Pharmaceutics 2020, 12, 956 .

AMA Style

Usama Fahmy, Hibah Aldawsari, Shaimaa Badr-Eldin, Osama Ahmed, Nabil Alhakamy, Helal Alsulimani, Filippo Caraci, Giuseppe Caruso. The Encapsulation of Febuxostat into Emulsomes Strongly Enhances the Cytotoxic Potential of the Drug on HCT 116 Colon Cancer Cells. Pharmaceutics. 2020; 12 (10):956.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Usama Fahmy; Hibah Aldawsari; Shaimaa Badr-Eldin; Osama Ahmed; Nabil Alhakamy; Helal Alsulimani; Filippo Caraci; Giuseppe Caruso. 2020. "The Encapsulation of Febuxostat into Emulsomes Strongly Enhances the Cytotoxic Potential of the Drug on HCT 116 Colon Cancer Cells." Pharmaceutics 12, no. 10: 956.

Journal article
Published: 09 September 2020 in Biomolecules
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Background: Diet is one of the leading factors contributing to the prevalence of non-communicable diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders. Dietary polyphenols, antioxidant components and anti-inflammatory agents of plant-based foods rich diets have been shown to modulate neuro-inflammation, adult neurogenesis and brain signaling, all of which are linked to cognitive function. As epidemiological evidence is limited and the results are contradictory, the aim of this study is to explore the association between dietary flavonoid intake and cognitive health among the adult population living in the Mediterranean area. Methods: The demographic and dietary habits of 808 adults living in southern Italy were analyzed. Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) were used to assess dietary intake. Data on the polyphenol content in foods were estimated using the Phenol-Explorer database. The Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire was used as a screening tool for cognitive status. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess the associations. Results: A significant inverse association between higher dietary intake of total flavonoids (Q4 vs. Q1: OR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.15, 1.00) and impaired cognitive status was found. Among individual subclasses of flavonoids, flavan-3-ols (Q3 vs. Q1: OR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.76), catechins (Q4 vs. Q1: OR = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.72), anthocyanins (Q4 vs. Q1: OR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.14, 1.00) and flavonols (Q3 vs. Q1: OR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.76) were associated with cognitive health. Among individual polyphenols, only quercetin was associated with cognitive health (Q4 vs. Q1: OR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.10, 0.91). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that higher dietary intake of flavonoids may be associated with better cognitive health among adult individuals.

ACS Style

Justyna Godos; Filippo Caraci; Sabrina Castellano; Walter Currenti; Fabio Galvano; Raffaele Ferri; Giuseppe Grosso. Association Between Dietary Flavonoids Intake and Cognitive Function in an Italian Cohort. Biomolecules 2020, 10, 1300 .

AMA Style

Justyna Godos, Filippo Caraci, Sabrina Castellano, Walter Currenti, Fabio Galvano, Raffaele Ferri, Giuseppe Grosso. Association Between Dietary Flavonoids Intake and Cognitive Function in an Italian Cohort. Biomolecules. 2020; 10 (9):1300.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Justyna Godos; Filippo Caraci; Sabrina Castellano; Walter Currenti; Fabio Galvano; Raffaele Ferri; Giuseppe Grosso. 2020. "Association Between Dietary Flavonoids Intake and Cognitive Function in an Italian Cohort." Biomolecules 10, no. 9: 1300.

Journal article
Published: 09 July 2020 in Pharmaceutics
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This study aimed at improving the targeting and cytotoxic effect of ellagic acid (EA) on colon cancer cells. EA was encapsulated in chitosan (CHIT) polymers then coated by eudragit S100 (ES100) microparticles. The release of EA double-coated microparticles (MPs) was tested at simulative pH values. Maximum release was observed at 24 h and pH 7.4. The cytotoxicity of EA MPs on HCT 116 colon cancer cells was synergistically improved as compared with raw EA. Cell-cycle analysis by flow cytometry suggested enhanced G2-M phase colon cancer cell accumulation. In addition, a significantly higher cell fraction was observed in the pre-G phase, which highlighted the enhancement of the proapoptotic activity of EA formulated in the double-coat mixture. Annexin-V staining was used for substantiation of the observed cell-death-inducing activity. Cell fractions were significantly increased in early, late, and total cell death. This was backed by high elevation in cellular content of caspase 3. Effectiveness of the double-coated EA to target colonic tissues was confirmed using real-time iohexol dye X-ray radiography. In conclusion, CHIT loaded with EA and coated with ES100 formula exhibits improved colon targeting as well as enhanced cytotoxic and proapoptotic activity against HCT 116 colon cancer when compared with the administration of raw EA.

ACS Style

Nabil Alhakamy; Osama Ahmed; Mallesh Kurakula; Giuseppe Caruso; Filippo Caraci; Hani Asfour; Anas Alfarsi; Basma Eid; Amir Mohamed; Nabil Alruwaili; Wesam Abdulaal; Usama Fahmy; Hani Alhadrami; Basmah Eldakhakhny; Ashraf Abdel-Naim. Chitosan-Based Microparticles Enhance Ellagic Acid’s Colon Targeting and Proapoptotic Activity. Pharmaceutics 2020, 12, 652 .

AMA Style

Nabil Alhakamy, Osama Ahmed, Mallesh Kurakula, Giuseppe Caruso, Filippo Caraci, Hani Asfour, Anas Alfarsi, Basma Eid, Amir Mohamed, Nabil Alruwaili, Wesam Abdulaal, Usama Fahmy, Hani Alhadrami, Basmah Eldakhakhny, Ashraf Abdel-Naim. Chitosan-Based Microparticles Enhance Ellagic Acid’s Colon Targeting and Proapoptotic Activity. Pharmaceutics. 2020; 12 (7):652.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nabil Alhakamy; Osama Ahmed; Mallesh Kurakula; Giuseppe Caruso; Filippo Caraci; Hani Asfour; Anas Alfarsi; Basma Eid; Amir Mohamed; Nabil Alruwaili; Wesam Abdulaal; Usama Fahmy; Hani Alhadrami; Basmah Eldakhakhny; Ashraf Abdel-Naim. 2020. "Chitosan-Based Microparticles Enhance Ellagic Acid’s Colon Targeting and Proapoptotic Activity." Pharmaceutics 12, no. 7: 652.

Review
Published: 08 July 2020 in F1000Research
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Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia are symptoms of disturbed perception, mood, behavior, and thought content that occurred frequently. These symptoms, which include apathy, depression, anxiety, psychosis, agitation, and aggression, can serve as predictors of and early clinical diagnostic markers for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and are common precipitants of institutional care. Agitation and psychosis are associated with accelerated disease progression and increased tau phosphorylation in patients with AD. Current guidelines recommend the use of second-generation antipsychotics for the treatment of agitation and psychosis in AD, but only after first-line non-pharmacological interventions and for no longer than 12 weeks because long-term use of these drugs is associated with an increased risk of mortality and an increased frequency of cerebrovascular events. Therefore, new antipsychotic drugs with improved efficacy and safety are needed as an alternative to current antipsychotic drugs. In this report, we discuss some of the most relevant advances in the field of agitation and psychosis in AD and focus on the recent positive clinical evidence observed with two new antipsychotics drugs: brexpiprazole and pimavanserin. Brexpiprazole is a receptor partial agonist (D2, D3, 5-HT1A), receptor antagonist (5-HT2A/B, α1B/α2C) according to the neuroscience-based nomenclature. Two recent phase III clinical trials have shown that brexpiprazole 2 mg/day is effective for the treatment of agitation in patients with AD and has an improved tolerability and safety profile compared with currently available second-generation antipsychotics. Pimavanserin is a receptor antagonist (5-HT2A, 5-HT2C) that has been given market authorization for psychosis occurring in Parkinson’s disease. Recent phase II studies suggest that this drug is effective in AD patients with more severe psychosis, although further long-term studies are needed to better define the efficacy and long-term safety profile of pimavanserin for the treatment of psychosis in AD.

ACS Style

Filippo Caraci; Mario Santagati; Giuseppe Caruso; Dario Cannavò; Gian Marco Leggio; Salvatore Salomone; Filippo Drago. New antipsychotic drugs for the treatment of agitation and psychosis in Alzheimer’s disease: focus on brexpiprazole and pimavanserin. F1000Research 2020, 9, 686 .

AMA Style

Filippo Caraci, Mario Santagati, Giuseppe Caruso, Dario Cannavò, Gian Marco Leggio, Salvatore Salomone, Filippo Drago. New antipsychotic drugs for the treatment of agitation and psychosis in Alzheimer’s disease: focus on brexpiprazole and pimavanserin. F1000Research. 2020; 9 ():686.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Filippo Caraci; Mario Santagati; Giuseppe Caruso; Dario Cannavò; Gian Marco Leggio; Salvatore Salomone; Filippo Drago. 2020. "New antipsychotic drugs for the treatment of agitation and psychosis in Alzheimer’s disease: focus on brexpiprazole and pimavanserin." F1000Research 9, no. : 686.