Increasing the Astrophysical Reach of the Advanced Virgo Detector via the Application of Squeezed Vacuum States of Light.

Current interferometric gravitational-wave detectors are limited by quantum noise over a wide range of their measurement bandwidth. One method to overcome the quantum limit is the injection of squeezed vacuum states of light into the interferometer's dark port. Here, we report on the successful application of this quantum technology to improve the shot noise limited sensitivity of the Advanced Virgo gravitational-wave detector. A sensitivity enhancement of up to 3.2±0.1 dB beyond the shot noise limit is achieved. This nonclassical improvement corresponds to a 5%-8% increase of the binary neutron star horizon. The squeezing injection was fully automated and over the first 5 months of the third joint LIGO-Virgo observation run O3 squeezing was applied for more than 99% of the science time. During this period several gravitational-wave candidates have been recorded.

Are the dietary habits of treated individuals with celiac disease adherent to a Mediterranean diet?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The only treatment for celiac disease (CD) is strict, lifelong adherence to a gluten-free (GF) diet. To date, there are contrasting data concerning the nutritional adequacy of GF products and diet. There have been no studies that have assessed the adherence of individuals with CD to a Mediterranean diet (MD), a protective dietary regimen against major non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Therefore, we examined the adherence to an MD of a group of Italian individuals with CD and compared it with that of a healthy control group. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a cross-sectional study, a sample of individuals with CD and a group of healthy subjects were included. The dietary habits of all participants were recorded using a validated food frequency questionnaire, and the adherence to an MD was determined using the Italian Mediterranean Index. Typical Mediterranean food consumption was not significantly different between individuals with CD and the healthy participants, except for fruits (P = 0.017). However, individuals with CD consumed significantly higher amounts of potatoes (P = 0.003) and red and processed meat (P = 0.005) than healthy participants. The resulting mean Italian Mediterranean Index was significantly higher in healthy participants than in individuals with CD (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results raise questions concerning the food choices of individuals with CD, suggesting the need of encouraging them to make better food choices more in line with an MD, which would improve their nutritional status and better protect them from NCDs at long term. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (ID NCT01975155) on November 4 2013.

The ß-cell burden index of food: A proposal.

The quantity and quality of dietary fat and/or carbohydrate may alter one or more of the basic components of the insulin-glucose system, which in turn affect the pathways leading to alterations in glucose homeostasis and, possibly, to cardiovascular disease. This viewpoint article, reviewing some of the currently available tools aiming at quantifying the impact of dietary carbohydrates on the glucose-insulin homeostatic loop, highlights the unmet need of a more thorough assessment of the complex interaction between dietary factors and the glucose-insulin system. A novel index, the "ß-cell burden index", may turn out to be a valuable tool to quantify the role played by the diet in shaping the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other metabolic and degenerative disorders, ideally orienting their prevention with strategies based on dietary modifications.

Glycemic index and glycemic load of commercial Italian foods.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) are useful parameters in the nutritional classification of carbohydrate foods. Diets characterized by a low GI and/or a low GL have been repeatedly and independently associated with decreased risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases. The aim of this study is to report the GI and GL value of carbohydrate-rich foods available on the Italian market and mostly consumed in Italy. METHODS AND RESULTS: GI values were determined according to FAO/WHO (1997) and ISO (2010). Overall, the 141 commercial foods that were analyzed represent food categories that are the source of >80% carbohydrate intake in Italy. The food items chosen were based mainly on the market share of the brand within each food category and grouped into 13 food categories: 1) beverages: fermented milk drink, juice, smoothie, soft drink; 2) biscuits; 3) breads; 4) bread substitutes; 5) breakfast cereals; 6) cakes and snacks; 7) candy and confectionery; 8) cereals; 9) desserts and ice-creams; 10) marmalade and jam; 11) pasta; 12) pizza; 13) sugar and sweetener. CONCLUSION: This database of commercial Italian foods partly overcomes the lack of information on GI and GL of local foods, contributing to a better understanding of the association between GI/GL and health and providing a more informed choice to Italian consumers and health practitioners.

The use of new technologies for nutritional education in primary schools: a pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was evaluating if the presence of a humanoid robot could improve the efficacy of a game-based, nutritional education intervention. STUDY DESIGN: This was a controlled, school-based pilot intervention carried out on fourth-grade school children (8-10 years old). A total of 112 children underwent a game-based nutritional educational lesson on the importance of carbohydrates. For one group (n = 58), the lesson was carried out by a nutritional educator, the Master of Taste (MT), whereas for another group, (n = 54) the Master of Taste was supported by a humanoid robot (MT + NAO). A third group of children (n = 33) served as control not receiving any lesson. METHODS: The intervention efficacy was evaluated by questionnaires administered at the beginning and at the end of each intervention. The nutritional knowledge level was evaluated by the cultural-nutritional awareness factor (AF) score. RESULTS: A total of 290 questionnaires were analyzed. Both MT and MT + NAO interventions significantly increased nutritional knowledge. At the end of the study, children in the MT and MT + NAO group showed similar AF scores, and the AF scores of both intervention groups were significantly higher than the AF score of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed a significant increase in the nutritional knowledge of children involved in a game-based, single-lesson, educational intervention performed by a figure that has a background in food science. However, the presence of a humanoid robot to support this figure's teaching activity did not result in any significant learning improvement.

Dietary glycemic index and glycemic load and risk of colorectal cancer: results from the EPIC-Italy study.

A carbohydrate-rich diet, resulting in high blood glucose and insulin, has been hypothesized as involved in colorectal cancer etiology. We investigated dietary glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL), in relation to colorectal cancer, in the prospectively recruited EPIC-Italy cohort. After a median 11.7 years, 421 colorectal cancers were diagnosed among 47,749 recruited adults. GI and GL were estimated from validated food frequency questionnaires. Multivariable Cox modeling estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for associations between colorectal cancer and intakes of total, high GI and low GI carbohydrate and GI and GL. The adjusted HR of colorectal cancer for highest versus lowest GI quartile was 1.35; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-1.78; p trend 0.031. Increasing high GI carbohydrate intake was also significantly associated with increasing colorectal cancer risk (HR 1.45; 95% CI 1.04-2.03; p trend 0.034), whereas increasing low GI carbohydrate was associated with reducing risk (HR 0.73; 95% CI 0.54-0.98; p trend 0.033). High dietary GI and high GI carbohydrate were associated with increased risks of cancer at all colon sites (HR 1.37; 95% CI 1.00-1.88, HR 1.80; 95% CI 1.22-2.65, respectively), whereas high GI carbohydrate and high GL were associated with increased risk of proximal colon cancer (HR 1.94; 95% CI 1.18-3.16, HR 2.01; 95% CI 1.08-3.74, respectively). After stratification for waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), cancer was significantly associated with GI, and high GI carbohydrate, in those with high WHR. These findings suggest that high dietary GI and high carbohydrate intake from high GI foods are associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer.

Glycemic index, glycemic load and glycemic response: An International Scientific Consensus Summit from the International Carbohydrate Quality Consortium (ICQC).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The positive and negative health effects of dietary carbohydrates are of interest to both researchers and consumers. METHODS: International experts on carbohydrate research held a scientific summit in Stresa, Italy, in June 2013 to discuss controversies surrounding the utility of the glycemic index (GI), glycemic load (GL) and glycemic response (GR). RESULTS: The outcome was a scientific consensus statement which recognized the importance of postprandial glycemia in overall health, and the GI as a valid and reproducible method of classifying carbohydrate foods for this purpose. There was consensus that diets low in GI and GL were relevant to the prevention and management of diabetes and coronary heart disease, and probably obesity. Moderate to weak associations were observed for selected cancers. The group affirmed that diets low in GI and GL should always be considered in the context of diets otherwise understood as healthy, complementing additional ways of characterizing carbohydrate foods, such as fiber and whole grain content. Diets of low GI and GL were considered particularly important in individuals with insulin resistance. CONCLUSIONS: Given the high prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes worldwide and the consistency of the scientific evidence reviewed, the expert panel confirmed an urgent need to communicate information on GI and GL to the general public and health professionals, through channels such as national dietary guidelines, food composition tables and food labels.

Bioaccumulation of resveratrol metabolites in myocardial tissue is dose-time dependent and related to cardiac hemodynamics in diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Trans-resveratrol (RSV) is a natural compound occurring in different foods and plants, which in vivo is rapidly conjugated with glucuronic acid and sulfate. Despite its demonstrated cardioprotective activity, the bioaccumulation of RSV or its metabolites in cardiac tissue is still unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: Diabetic rats were randomized to 1, 3 or 6 weeks of RSV treatment at two different doses (1 or 5 mg/kg/day). A dose and time-dependent accumulation was observed, with no detectable levels of RSV metabolites found in heart tissues after 1 week and significant concentrations of RSV-3-sulfate and RSV-3-glucuronide after 6 weeks of treatment (0.05 nmol/g of tissue and 0.01 nmol/g of tissue, respectively). Tissue accumulation of RSV metabolites was accompanied by an improvement of cardiac function in long-term diabetes, when myocardial morpho-functional damage is more evident, with an almost complete recovery of all hemodynamic parameters, at the highest RSV dose. CONCLUSION: Even if a higher concentration of RSV in tissues cannot be ruled out after constant oral administration, an accumulation coherent with what is usually evaluated in cell based mechanistic studies is largely unattainable and the RSV unconjugated form would not be present in this paradigm. The current investigation provides data on myocardial tissue concentrations of RSV metabolites, after short/medium term RSV treatment. This knowledge constitutes a basic requirement for future studies aimed at reliably defining the molecular pathways underlying RSV-mediated cardioprotective effects and opens up new perspectives for research focused on testing phenolic compounds as adjuvants in degenerative heart diseases.

Systematic screening of plant extracts from the Brazilian Pantanal with antimicrobial activity against bacteria with cariogenic relevance.

This study proposes a bioprospection methodology regarding the antimicrobial potential of plant extracts against bacteria with cariogenic relevance. Sixty extracts were obtained from ten plants--(1) Jatropha weddelliana, (2) Attalea phalerata, (3) Buchenavia tomentosa, (4) Croton doctoris, (5) Mouriri elliptica, (6) Mascagnia benthamiana, (7) Senna aculeata, (8) Unonopsis guatterioides, (9) Allagoptera leucocalyx and (10) Bactris glaucescens--using different extraction methods - (A) 70° ethanol 72 h/25°C, (B) water 5 min/100°C, (C) water 1 h/55°C, (D) water 72 h/25°C, (E) hexane 72 h/25°C and (F) 90° ethanol 72 h/25°C. The plants were screened for antibacterial activity at 50 mg/ml using the agar well diffusion test against Actinomyces naeslundii ATCC 19039, Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356, Streptococcus gordonii ATCC 10558, Streptococcus mutans ATCC 35688, Streptococcus sanguinis ATCC 10556, Streptococcus sobrinus ATCC 33478 and Streptococcus mitis ATCC 9811. The active extracts were tested to determine their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), cytotoxicity and chemical characterization. Forty-seven extracts (78%) were active against at least one microorganism. Extract 4A demonstrated the lowest MIC and MBC for all microorganisms except S. gordonii and the extract at MIC concentration was non-cytotoxic. The concentrated extracts were slightly cytotoxic. Electrospray ionization with tandem mass spectrometry analyses demonstrated that the extract constituents coincided with the mass of the terpenoids and phenolics. Overall, the best results were obtained for extraction methods A, B and C. The present work proved the antimicrobial activity of several plants. Particularly, extracts from C. doctoris were the most active against bacteria involved in dental caries disease.

Anti-estrogenic activity of a human resveratrol metabolite.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Resveratrol, the most investigated dietary compound in studies aimed at linking wine consumption to human health, is an extremely minor component of this beverage and it is generally studied in vitro as the unconjugated aglycone at concentrations largely exceeding those found in the human circulatory system after dietary intake. Moreover, following intestinal absorption, trans-resveratrol and its glucoside, which are naturally present in wine and other food sources, are converted to sulphate and glucuronide metabolites. An estrogenic activity has previously been documented for resveratrol, yet nothing is known about the activity of its blood-circulating metabolic derivatives. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using a yeast two-hybrid detection system relying on the interaction between the ligand-binding domain of the human oestrogen receptors α and ß and the human coactivator Tif2, we have systematically examined the oestrogen agonist and antagonist activities of the two main resveratrol forms present in planta (trans-resveratrol and trans-resveratrol-3-O-glucoside) and of the three main metabolites found in human plasma (trans-resveratrol-3-O-sulphate, trans-resveratrol-3-O-glucuronide and trans-resveratrol-4'-O-glucuronide). Only resveratrol-3-O-sulphate was found to display a fairly strong and oestrogen receptor α-preferential antagonistic activity, which was confirmed in a human breast adenocarcinoma cell line containing a luciferase reporter gene under the control of an oestrogen-responsive promoter. CONCLUSIONS: We show, for the first time, that resveratrol-3-O-sulphate, but neither of its metabolites, is endowed with anti-estrogenic activity and how human metabolism of phenolic substances plays a pivotal role in modulating their biological effect.

High glycemic diet and breast cancer occurrence in the Italian EPIC cohort.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There are theoretical reasons for suspecting that a high glycemic index (GI) or glycemic load (GL) diet may increase breast cancer risk, perhaps via an effect on the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis. However observational studies have produced inconsistent findings and it is controversial whether breast cancer risk is influenced by the carbohydrate characteristics of the diet. We prospectively investigated the association between dietary GI and GL and breast cancer in the Italian section of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). METHODS AND RESULTS: Women were recruited from 1993 to 1998 at five centers: Varese and Turin (north Italy), Florence (central Italy), and Ragusa and Naples (south Italy). Participants completed validated food frequency questionnaires from which GI and GL were estimated. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models quantified the association between breast cancer risk and total carbohydrate intake, GI, and GL. During 11 years of follow-up, 879 breast cancer (797 invasive and 82 in situ) cases were indentified. High dietary GL was associated with increased breast cancer risk (RR 1.45, 95% CI = 1.06-1.99; highest vs. lowest quintile; p-trend 0.029), whereas dietary GI and total carbohydrate had no influence. The association was not modified by menopausal status or body mass index. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that, in a Mediterranean population characterized by traditionally high and varied carbohydrate intake, a diet high in GL plays a role in the development of breast cancer.

Oral microbial colonization in patients with systemic lupus erythematous: correlation with treatment and disease activity.

Treating patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with steroids and immunosuppressive drugs may interfere in the presence of potentially opportunistic microorganisms in the oral cavity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of Candida spp., Staphylococcus spp., Enterobacteria and Pseudomonas spp. in the oral cavity of SLE patients, compared with healthy controls. A group of 40 patients who had received therapy for at least 60 days was selected (19-53 years). For the control group, 40 healthy individuals matched for age, gender and use of partial prosthesis were selected. Oral rinse samples were collected and plated on specific culture media. After incubation, the number of colony forming units (CFU) was obtained and the isolates were identified at species level. Microbial counts were compared between SLE and control by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Mann-Whitney (p < 0.05 significant). Microorganism counts in patients with and without immunosuppressive drugs, as well with active and inactive disease (according to SLEDAI score) were also compared. No significant differences in CFU/mL between SLE and control patients were observed (yeasts, p = 0.55; Staphylococci, p = 0.24; Enterobacteria/Pseudomonas spp., p = 0.26). No differences in microbial counts were observed regarding clinical parameters tested. The most frequent species isolated in the SLE group were Candida albicans, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Klebsiella oxytoca. In conclusion, no differences in frequency and microorganism levels were found between SLE patients and healthy individuals.

Macrophage polarization: the answer to the diet/inflammation conundrum?

Macrophages, a heterogeneous and ubiquitous cell population representing up to 15% of the cellular content of different types of tissue, are the principal cell mediators in response to pathogens, inflammation process, tissue homeostasis and repair and play a pivotal role in atherosclerosis and insulin resistance because of their capacity to be the major source of inflammatory cytokines, which can function through paracrine and endocrine mechanisms. Recently, differently activated macrophage populations have been described, depending on a large variety of microenvironmental signals, and it is now recognized that their activation plays a crucial role in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. There is good evidence of the ability of conjugated linoleic acids and polyphenolic compounds to modulate inflammation in experimental models involving macrophages. This observation leaves room to the intriguing hypothesis that macrophage polarization could represent one of the unifying mechanisms through which specific food components can exert anti-inflammatory effects in humans, contributing to the prevention of chronic diseases strongly linked to inflammation, such as atherosclerosis. Future studies should be addressed to substantiate this hypothesis, investigating whether or not physiological concentrations of food-derived metabolites can perturb macrophage activation in vitro. On the in vivo side, the evaluation of macrophage populations in tissues, however complex, should be included among the analyses performed in observational and intervention studies, in order to understand if macrophage activation is involved in the anti-inflammatory activity of a specific dietary regimen.

Food selection based on high total antioxidant capacity improves endothelial function in a low cardiovascular risk population.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Oxidative stress has been advocated as a major cause for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and low plasma antioxidant concentrations are associated with endothelial dysfunction, the first step towards atherosclerosis. However, although the antioxidant content in fruits and vegetables may explain at least in part their protective effect against CVD, supplementation with antioxidant vitamins fails to improve endothelial function and reduce CVD risk. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a diet rich in antioxidants on endothelial function measured by flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) in volunteers at low cardiovascular risk. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a crossover trial, 24 subjects (13 women, mean age 61 ± 3 years), received, in a randomised order, a 14-day high (HT) and a 14-day low (LT) antioxidant diets, with a 2-week wash-out (WO) in between. Both diets were comparable in daily portions of fruits and vegetables, and in alcohol, fibre and macronutrient intake, but differed in their total antioxidant capacity. Before and after each diet, anthropometrics, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile, hepatic enzymes, circulating antioxidant concentrations, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and FMD were assessed. FMD increased significantly during the HT diet compared to the LT (p < 0.000). FMD values were 2.3% higher after HT compared with LT (p < 0.001) after adjustment for age, gender and diet order. α-tocopherol increased significantly (p < 0.05) and hs-CRP and of γ-glutamyltranspeptidase decreased significantly (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively) during the HT diet, compared with the LT diet. CONCLUSIONS: A short-term HT diet improves endothelial function in volunteers at low cardiovascular risk, which may further reduce their risk of CVD.

Glycaemic index and body fat distribution in children: the results of the ARCA project.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Various dietary factors may play a critical role in body weight regulation. Among them, the role of glycaemic index (GI) remains a subject of debate. The present study aimed at evaluating the association between dietary GI, body mass index (BMI) and body fat distribution in school children. METHODS AND RESULTS: 3734 Italian children (M/F = 1883/1851; age range 6-11 years) were cross-sectionally screened for anthropometry (BMI, waist circumference), lifestyle and clinical history (questionnaire) and dietary habits (1-year food frequency questionnaire). Energy and macronutrients intake, dietary GI and glycaemic load (GL) were calculated. GI was directly associated with age, waist and BMI z-scores, energy, fibre and carbohydrate intake (r: from 0.080 to 0.238, P < 0.001), and negatively with fat intake (r: -0.060, P < 0.0001). BMI, waist circumference, energy intake, carbohydrate, protein and fibre intake and GL significantly increased, whilst fat intake decreased, going up across quartiles of residuals of dietary GI. At linear regression analysis, GI was associated with BMI and waist z-scores independently of age, sex, parental overweight/obesity, parental education, and energy intake, protein, fat, carbohydrate, fibre and GL residuals. In particular, GI was the sole nutritional factor among those under investigation, significantly associated with waist circumference. Controlling for covariates, the risk of overweight/obesity or of central fat distribution was almost two-folds higher in the upper quartile in comparison to the lowest quartile of dietary GI. CONCLUSION: Dietary GI is an independent determinant of body fat distribution in children as well as of total adiposity.

The effect of breakfasts varying in glycemic index and glycemic load on dietary induced thermogenesis and respiratory quotient.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Glycemic index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) are parameters of carbohydrate bioavailability able to influence risk of chronic diseases. GL can be lowered either by reducing carbohydrate intake or by reducing the GI of the carbohydrate moiety of a mixed meal. These two approaches might have a different impact on Dietary-Induced Thermogenesis (DIT) and preferential substrate oxidation in the postprandial period, which are variables known to be involved in the regulation of body weight and body composition. This dietary, crossover intervention trial was designed to evaluate the effect on DIT and Respiratory Quotient (RQ) of three isocaloric breakfasts different in GI and/or GL (high GI and high GL [HGI-HGL] vs. low GI and low GL [LGI-LGL]; vs. high GI and low GL [HGI-LGL]) followed by a standard meal. METHODS AND RESULTS: RQ and DIT were measured in 16 lean young males by indirect calorimetry for 8h. DIT resulted significantly higher after the LGI-LGL compared to the HGI-HGL breakfast (p<0.05). Postprandial changes in RQ differed among all breakfasts (p<0.001). RQ increased from baseline after the two breakfasts with highest carbohydrate content and significantly more after the HGI-HGL than after the LGI-LGL (p<0.02), whereas it decreased after the HGI-LGL breakfast, which contained a higher amount of fat. CONCLUSIONS: Reducing the GL of a meal by reducing GI seems an effective strategy to increase energy expenditure while maintaining a good rate of lipid oxidation. This might be related to different profiles of postprandial hormones affecting substrate oxidation.

Intake of the plant lignans matairesinol, secoisolariciresinol, pinoresinol, and lariciresinol in relation to vascular inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in middle age-elderly men and post-menopausal women living in Northern Italy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: It has been suggested that lignan intake may decrease the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) by modifying traditional risk factors as well as aortic stiffness. However, the role of dietary lignans on the vascular system is largely unknown. The objective was to investigate whether dietary intake of plant lignans in a free-living population was associated with markers of vascular inflammation and function. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a cross-sectional study in 242 (151 males) men and post-menopausal women. Anthropometric characteristics and lignan intake were evaluated. Soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), insulin, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerols were measured in fasting blood samples. Brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) measurements were available for 101 subjects (56 males). Median (interquartile range) daily intake of matairesinol (MAT), secoisolariciresinol (SECO), pinoresinol (PINO), lariciresinol (LARI), and total lignans was 20.9 microg (17.4), 335.3 microg (289.1), 96.7 microg (91.1), 175.7 microg (135.8), and 665.5 microg (413.7), respectively, as assessed by 3-day weighed food record. Plasma concentrations of sICAM-1 (whole sample) significantly decreased (mean (95%CI) = 358 microg/L (320-401), 276 microg/L (252-303), 298 microg/L (271-326), and 269 microg/L (239-303), P per trend 0.013) and FMD values (FMD sub-group) significantly increased (4.1% (2.2-6.0), 5.7% (4.3-7.2), 6.4% (4.9-7.8), and 8.1% (6.3-10.0), P per trend 0.016) across quartiles of energy-adjusted MAT intake, even after adjustment for relevant clinical and dietary variables. Intake of SECO was also inversely related to plasma sICAM-1 (P per trend 0.018), but not to FMD values. No relationship between intake of PINO, LARI or total lignans and either sICAM-1 or FMD values was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Higher MAT intakes in the context of a typical Northern Italian diet are associated to lower vascular inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, which could have some implications in CVD prevention.

Effects of the regular consumption of wholemeal wheat foods on cardiovascular risk factors in healthy people.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The intake of wholemeal foods is consistently associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in epidemiological studies, although the mechanisms of this association are unclear. Here we aim to compare in healthy subjects the metabolic effects of a diet rich in wholemeal wheat foods versus one based on the same products in refined form. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifteen healthy individuals (12 M/3 F), mean age 54.5+/-7.6 years, BMI 27.4+/-3.0 kg/m(2) (mean+/-SD), participated in a randomized sequential crossover study. After 2 weeks run-in, participants were randomly assigned to two isoenergetic diets with similar macronutrient composition, one rich in wholemeal wheat foods and the other with the same foods but in refined form (cereal fibre 23.1 vs. 9.8 g/day). After the two treatment periods (each lasting 3 weeks) plasma glucose and lipid metabolism, antioxidant activity, acetic acid, magnesium, adipokines, incretins and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured at fasting and for 4h after a standard test meal (kcal 1103, protein 12%, CHO 53%, fat 35%) based on wholemeal or refined wheat foods, respectively. After the two diets there were no differences in fasting nor in postprandial plasma parameter responses; only glucose was slightly but significantly lower at 240 min after the refined wheat food meal compared to the wholemeal wheat food meal. Conversely, after the wholemeal diet both total (-4.3%; p<0.03) and LDL (-4.9%; p<0.04) cholesterol levels were lower than after the refined wheat diet at fasting. CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of wholemeal wheat foods for 3 weeks reduces significantly fasting plasma cholesterol as well as LDL cholesterol levels in healthy individuals without major effects on glucose and insulin metabolism, antioxidant status and sub-clinical inflammation markers.

Effect of Psidium cattleianum leaf extract on Streptococcus mutans viability, protein expression and acid production.

Plants naturally produce secondary metabolites that can be used as antimicrobials. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of Psidium cattleianum leaf extract on Streptococcus mutans. The extract (100%) was obtained by decoction of 100 g of leaves in 600 ml of deionized water. To assess killing, S. mutans biofilms were treated with water (negative control) or various extract dilutions [100, 50, 25% (v/v) in water] for 5 or 60 min. To evaluate the effect on protein expression, biofilms were exposed to water or 1.6% (v/v) extract for 120 min, proteins were extracted and submitted to 2-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis. Differentially expressed proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. The effect of 1.6% (v/v) extract on acid production was determined by pH measurements and compared to a water control. Viability was similar after 5 min of treatment with the 100% extract or 60 min with the 50% extract (about 0.03% survival). There were no differences in viability between the biofilms exposed to the 25 or 50% extract after 60 min of treatment (about 0.02% survival). Treatment with the 1.6% extract significantly changed protein expression. The abundance of 24 spots was decreased compared to water (p < 0.05). The extract significantly inhibited acid production (p < 0.05). It is concluded that P. cattleianum leaf extract kills S. mutans grown in biofilms when applied at high concentrations. At low concentrations it inhibits S. mutans acid production and reduces the expression of proteins involved in general metabolism, glycolysis and lactic acid production.

The total antioxidant capacity of the diet is an independent predictor of plasma beta-carotene.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the contribution of the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of the diet to plasma concentrations of beta-carotene. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Department of Public Health and Department of Internal Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Parma. SUBJECTS: A total of 247 apparently healthy adult men (n=140) and women (n=107). METHODS: A medical history, a physical exam including height, weight, waist circumference and blood pressure measurements, a fasting blood draw, an oral glucose tolerance test and a 3-day food record. RESULTS: We observe a negative trend across quartiles of plasma beta-carotene for most biological variables clustering in the insulin resistance syndrome, as well as for traditional and new risk factors for type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD), including C-reactive protein and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (P<0.05). Regarding dietary characteristics, energy-adjusted intake of fat, fiber, fruits, vegetables, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E and dietary TAC significantly increased with increasing plasma beta-carotene (P<0.05), whereas alcohol intake decreased (P=0.013). Adjusted geometric means (95% confidence interval) of plasma beta-carotene significantly increased across quartiles of dietary TAC, even when single dietary antioxidants were considered in the model (QI=0.087 mg/dl (0.073-0.102); QII=0.087 mg/dl (0.075-0.103); QIII=0.114 mg/dl (0.098-0.132) and QIV=0.110 mg/dl (0.093-0.130); P for linear trend=0.026). When the population was divided on the basis of alcohol consumption, this trend was also observed in subjects drinking <20 g alcohol/day (P=0.034), but not in those with higher alcohol intake (P=0.448). CONCLUSIONS: Dietary TAC is an independent predictor of plasma beta-carotene, especially in moderate alcohol drinkers. This may explain, at least in part, the inverse relationship observed between plasma beta-carotene and risk of chronic diseases associated to high levels of oxidative stress (i.e., diabetes and CVD), as well as the failure of beta-carotene supplements alone in reducing such risk.