Antioxidants in Hops: Bioavailability, Health Effects and Perspectives for New Products.

Hop plant (Humulus lupulus L.) has been used by humans for ages, presumably first as a herbal remedy, then in the manufacturing of different products, from which beer is the most largely consumed. Female hops cones have different useful chemical compounds, an important class being antioxidants, mainly polyphenols. This narrative review describes the main antioxidants in hops, their bioavailability and biological effects, and the results obtained by now in the primary and secondary prevention of several non-communicable diseases, such as the metabolic syndrome related diseases and oncology. This article presents in vitro and in vivo data in order to better understand what was accomplished in terms of knowledge and practice, and what needs to be clarified by additional studies, mainly regarding xantohumol and its derivates, as well as regarding the bitter acids of hops. The multiple protective effects found by different studies are hindered up to now by the low bioavailability of some of the main antioxidants in hops. However, there are new promising products with important health effects and perspectives of use as food supplements, in a market where consumers increasingly search for products originating directly from plants.

Challenges in Diagnosing Occupational Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Occupational chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (oCOPD) represents 15-20% of the global burden of this disease. Even if industrial bronchitis has long been known, new occupational hazards continue to emerge and enlarge the number of people exposed to risk. This review discusses the challenges related to the early detection of oCOPD, in the context of new exposures and of limited usage of methods for an efficient disease occupational screening. It underlines that a better translation into clinical practice of the new methods for lung function impairment measurements, imaging techniques, or the use of serum or exhaled breath inflammation biomarkers could add significant value in the early detection of oCOPD. Such an approach would increase the chance to stop exposure at an earlier moment and to prevent or at least slow down the further deterioration of the lung function as a result of exposure to occupational (inhaled) hazards.

Dark Chocolate: To Eat or Not to Eat? A Review.

Dark chocolate is not the most popular chocolate; the higher concentration in antioxidants pays tribute to the increment in bitterness. The caloric density of dark chocolate is potentially lower but has a large variability according to recipes and ingredients. Nevertheless, in the last decade, the interest in dark chocolate as a potential functional food has constantly increased. In this review, we present the nutritional composition, factors influencing the bioavailability, and health outcomes of dark chocolate intake. We have extracted pro- and counter-arguments to illustrate these effects from both experimental and clinical studies in an attempt to solve the dilemma. The antioxidative and anti-inflammatory abilities, the cardiovascular and metabolic effects, and influences on central neural functions were selected to substantiate the main positive consequences. Beside the caloric density, we have included reports placing responsibility on chocolate as a migraine trigger or as an inducer of the gastroesophagial reflux in the negative effects section. Despite an extensive literature review, there are not large enough studies specifically dedicated to dark chocolate that took into consideration possible confounders on the health-related effects. Therefore, a definite answer on our initial question is, currently, not available.

The Adipokine Profile and the Cardiometabolic Risk in Non-Obese Young Adults

Background: Young, non-obese adults are considered at low risk for cardiometabolic diseases, although markers of an unhealthy metabolic state are not uncommon findings in this population. Adipose tissue dysfunction, evaluated by the adipokine profile, significantly influences lipid and glucose metabolism and low-grade systemic inflammation. Aims: To determine the relation between adipose tissue dysfunction and the already confirmed cardiometabolic risk indicators, including the atherogenic index of plasma, lipid accumulation product, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, and the low-grade inflammation markers, namely, interleukin 6 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: We recruited 93 non-obese, healthy young adults. Anthropometric, lipid profile, inflammatory markers, and adipokines were measured. An abnormal adipokine profile (high leptin-to-adiponectin ratio) was considered as a marker of a dysfunctional adipose tissue. The correlation between the leptin-to-adiponectin ratio and the anthropometric measurements, atherogenic index of plasma, lipid accumulation product, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, interleukin 6, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein was determined. Results: We found a direct correlation between the abnormal adipokine profile and the cardiometabolic risk indicators mentioned above, except for the low-grade inflammatory markers. In the regression model derived from our data, the leptin-to-adiponectin ratio was best correlated with the unfavorable plasma lipid profile, as estimated by the atherogenic index of plasma (r=0.097, confidence interval=0.015-0.180, p=0.021). A significantly higher leptin-to-adiponectin ratio was found in the insulin-resistant group (p=0.012) and in the highest lipid accumulation product quartile (p=0.032). Conclusion: In a non-obese young population, the high rate of leptin-adiponectin may be a good predictor of cardiovascular and metabolic risk assessment.

Occupational exposure to urinary bladder carcinogens - risk factors, molecular mechanisms and biomarkers.

Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most frequent forms of cancer, particularly in Caucasian population. Many environmental factors are recognized as carcinogenic in humans for this form of neoplasia and some of them are related to occupation. In order to illustrate these effects, we have selected several relevant cases with smoking and occupational exposure to carcinogens and their histopathological findings. We reviewed the most important research published in the field of environmental-genomic interaction in relation with the oncogenesis of BC. Three main directions have been identified and described in the article: the environmental factors involved in BC pathogenesis and evolution, the molecular mechanisms involved in cell mitosis control and xenobiotic metabolism related to the qualitative and quantitative exposure and, finally, the possible biomarkers of the tumor evolution. From the genomic and proteomic research, new biomarkers emerged that are in the validation process. Immunohistochemical methods open also new perspectives to the diagnostic algorithms and could serve as prognosis biomarkers.

Distinction between mesothelioma and lung adenocarcinoma based on immunohistochemistry in a patient with asbestos bodies in bronchoalveolar fluid - case report.

Asbestos is a mineral-mined form the rocks, consisting in amosite (brown asbestos), crocidolite (blue asbestos) and÷or chrysotile (white asbestos) used in many industries. Researches about the exposure to asbestos dust and asbestosis related diseases started almost a century ago. The first case report of fatal asbestosis disease was published in 1906, in England, by Dr. Hubert Montague Murray. A decade after, asbestos "curious bodies" were firstly described in the lung tissue by Cooke (1926) and McDonald (1927). Occupational exposure to asbestos is now regulated in Romania, but past exposure is still a cause of asbestosis-related diseases (ARDs), including lung cancer. A peculiar association between a lung adenocarcinoma, a previously healed pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) disease, is reported in a 61-year-old nonsmoker white man, a former factory worker with 29 years of occupational exposure history to cement and asbestos fibers. The positive diagnosis of asbestos exposure was facilitated by asbestos bodies determined in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The main purpose of this case report is to describe the development of a right pleural effusion which was not revelatory for a mesothelioma but for an adenocarcinoma of the lung. An accurate morphologic and immunohistochemistry assessment of a pleural biopsy sample excluded mesothelioma and was crucial in the positive diagnosis of adenocarcinoma. In conclusion, unilateral paraneoplastic pleural effusion in a nonsmoker male with occupational exposure to asbestosis fibers was suggestive for adenocarcinoma related asbestosis of the lung. Lung cancer and malignant pleural exudate developed after a long latency cumulative retention time of asbestos fibers.

Diagnostic and therapeutic aspects in malignant sinonasal lymphoma.

Among head and neck malignancies, lymphoma is the second most frequent cause. They can develop in the head and neck lymph nodes or as extranodal determinations. The onset of malignant lymphoma outside of lymph node registers increasingly frequent, currently over 30% of malignant lymphoma are diagnosed as taking place outside the lymph nodes. The aim of this paper is bringing in discussion and the presentation of current elements on the diagnosis and treatment in case of malignant sinonasal lymphoma, a pathological entity with a growing incidence. This study is a retrospective one, from January 2008 through December 2013, and included 31 patients admitted to "Prof. Dr. Dorin Hociota" Institute of Phonoaudiology and Functional ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) Surgery, Bucharest, Romania, and diagnosed with malignant sinonasal lymphoma. Despite progress in terms of immunological techniques, cytogenetic and molecular histological outlining of malignant lymphomas, correct diagnosis and appropriate therapy of malignant sinonasal lymphoma is still a problem for the clinician and pathologist, as multidisciplinary collaboration of ENT-Hematology-Pathology-Radiotherapy being essential in this regard.