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Background and objective: Screening for bladder cancer (BCa) could reduce mortality via early detection of early-stage high-grade (Ta/T1 N0 M0 grade 2–3) disease. Noninvasive biomarkers could aid in screening, but current markers lack the specificity required. The urinary free glycosaminoglycan profile (GAGome) is a promising biomarker for early detection of BCa metabolism. Methods: In a prospective case-control development study, we included patients with BCa or no evidence of disease (NED) and measured the urinary GAGome. We then developed a score to predict the probability of BCa using GAGome features that correlated with BCa versus NED according to Bayesian regression. Next, in a retrospective, population-based, case-control study, we included adults from the Lifelines Cohort Study who were presumed healthy at baseline. All cases with BCa confirmed in the cancer registry by the 2-yr or 6-yr study visit were matched to randomly selected control subjects. We developed a reference logistic regression model using age and sex to predict BCa at 7 yr after baseline. We then added the GAGome score to the model and assessed model improvement using the likelihood ratio test. We dichotomized outputs for the reference model and saturated model (reference + GAGome score) into high-risk versus low-risk categories using a 99% specificity cutoff and estimated the sensitivity for association with BCa at 7 yr. Key findings and limitations: We prospectively included 51 individuals with BCa and 38 with NED and observed alterations in three GAGome features compatible with BCa. We developed a score that discriminated BCa with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.77 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67–0.87). We retrospectively selected a cohort of 1088 presumed healthy adults (median age 48 yr, 56% females), of whom 48 had developed BCa by 7 yr after baseline (median time to diagnosis 1.4 yr). The GAGome score was an independent predictor of BCa at 7 yr when added to the reference model (p

Background: No liquid biomarkers are approved in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), making early detection of recurrence in surgically treated nonmetastatic (M0) patients dependent on radiological imaging. Urine- and plasma free glycosaminoglycan profiles—or free GAGomes—are promising biomarkers reflective of RCC metabolism. Objective: To explore whether free GAGomes could detect M0 RCC recurrence noninvasively. Design, setting, and participants: Between June 2016 and February 2021, we enrolled a prospective consecutive series of patients elected for (1) partial or radical nephrectomy for clinical M0 RCC (cohort 1) or (2) first-line therapy following RCC metachronous metastatic recurrence (cohort 2) at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden. The study population included M0 RCC patients with recurrent disease (RD) versus no evidence of disease (NED) in at least one follow-up visit. Plasma and urine free GAGomes—consisting of 40 chondroitin sulfate (CS), heparan sulfate, and hyaluronic acid (HA) features—were measured in a blinded central laboratory preoperatively and at each postoperative follow-up visit until recurrence or end of follow-up in cohort 1, or before treatment start in cohort 2. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: We used Bayesian logistic regression to correlate GAGome features with RD versus NED and with various histopathological variables. We developed three recurrence scores (plasma, urine, and combined) proportional to the predicted probability of RD. We internally validated the area under the curve (AUC) using bootstrap resampling. We performed a decision curve analysis to select a cutoff and report the corresponding net benefit, sensitivity, and specificity of each score. We used univariable analyses to correlate each preoperative score with recurrence-free survival (RFS). Results and limitations: Of 127 enrolled patients in total, 62 M0 RCC patients were in the study population (median age: 63 year, 35% female, and 82% clear cell). The median follow-up time was 3 months, totaling 72 postoperative visits —17 RD and 55 NED cases. RD was compatible with alterations in 14 (52%) of the detectable GAGome features, mostly free CS. Eleven (79%) of these correlated with at least one histopathological variable. We developed a plasma, a urine, and a combined free CS RCC recurrence score to diagnose RD versus NED with AUCs 0.91, 0.93, and 0.94, respectively. At a cutoff equivalent to ≥30% predicted probability of RD, the sensitivity and specificity were, respectively, 69% and 84% in plasma, 81% and 80% in urine, and 80% and 82% when combined, and the net benefit was equivalent to finding an extra ten, 13, and 12 cases of RD per hundred patients without any unnecessary imaging for plasma, urine, and combined, respectively. The combined score was prognostic of RFS in univariable analysis (hazard ratio = 1.90, p = 0.02). Limitations include a lack of external validation. Conclusions: Free CS scores detected postsurgical recurrence noninvasively in M0 RCC with substantial net benefit. External validity is required before wider clinical implementation. Patient summary: In this study, we examined a new noninvasive blood and urine test to detect whether renal cell carcinoma recurred after surgery.

Pistacia lentiscus L. (PL) is an evergreen shrub from which it is derived a precious aromatic resin called mastic gum or mastic. This extract possesses numerous proprieties, such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, etc. The aim of this study was to investigate the biological activities of a patented PL Chios mastic extract in a human small intestine mucosa model, the Caco-2 cells. PL Chios mastic extract showed no toxic effect in Caco-2 cells treated with lower concentrations (

Anise hyssop, Agastache foeniculum, is a widely used medicinal herb with known antioxidant properties. We studied how dietary supplementation with dried A. foeniculum leaf powder affected physiological and metabolic traits as well as activities of antioxidant enzymes and markers of oxidative stress in Drosophila melanogaster. Dietary hyssop extended the lifespan in a sex and genotype independent manner over a broad range of concentrations up to 30 mg/ml. Dietary supplementation with the herb significantly increased fecundity, resistance to oxidative stress and starvation. Higher transcript levels of Drosophila insulin-like peptide (dilp2) and decreased dilp3 and dilp6 transcripts together with increased levels of glycogen and triacylglycerols support an alteration of insulin signaling by the plant extract. Increased enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase and aconitase as well as elevated protein and low molecular mass thiols also supported an alteration of free radical process in flies treated with dietary A. foeniculum leaf powder. Thus, physiological and metabolic traits as well as free radical processed may be affected by active compounds detected in extracts of anise hyssop leaves and contribute to the increased lifespan and reproductive (egg-laying) activity observed.

We conduct an artefactual field experiment to compare the individual preferences and propensity to cooperate of three pools of subjects: Undergraduate students, temporary workers and permanent workers. We find that students are more selfish and contribute less than workers. Temporary and permanent contract workers have similar other-regarding preferences and display analogous contribution patterns in an anonymous Public Good Game.

Different products from a unique propolis extract obtained by using various solvents such as hydroalcoholic, glycolic (98% propylene glycol), and glyceric solutions, and oil, as well as in powder form, named ESIT12, were prepared. The molecular composition of the different preparations was evaluated and their antioxidant activity determined. All the preparations showed a quite similar polyphenol composition and comparable percentage even if ESIT12 was found to be richer in phenolic acids (caffeic, coumaric, ferulic, and isoferulic). Overall, flavones and flavonols ranged from ~20% up to ~36% in the glyceric extract, while flavanones and diidroflavonols were between ~28% and ~41%. Besides their quite similar composition, glycolic and hydroalcoholic extracts were found to be richer in the total polyphenols content. When the antioxidant properties were determined for the four preparations, the activity was similar among them, thus revealing that it is strictly related to the polyphenols content for propolis products whose composition is quite comparable. To date, very few data are available on propolis composition in glyceric and glycolic extracts and information has never been published on propolis in oil. This study could be of interest to the food and nutraceutical industries to choose suitable solvents and conditions to produce propolis preparations useful for active finished products.