Search

Background/Objectives: One of the main culprits of the obesity epidemic is the obesogenic food environment, which promotes the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) that are highly palatable, have low nutritional quality and a high caloric impact and are economical and ready to use. This monocentric retrospective study explored the association between UPFs, obesity and adiposity measurements among adults living with obesity in Southern Italy. Methods: According to their Body Mass Index (BMI) values, 175 participants (63M) were recruited and stratified into three groups. To evaluate their usual eating habits, PREDIMED and the Nova Food Frequency Questionnaire (NFFQ) were administered to investigate Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence and UPF consumption. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements, body composition, as well as visceral obesity indices were collected. Results: The data showed an increase in UPF consumption as the BMI increased, with a concomitant decrease in MD adherence. Soft drinks were the most representative UPF in all groups, and we observed a significant increase in such consumption as the BMI increased. In addition, in the highest tertile of UPF consumption, there was an increase in adiposity indices. Conclusions: Our data suggest that high UPF consumption correlates with an increased BMI and visceral adiposity, and it is a predictive risk factor for the occurrence of non-communicable diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the regulation "Decreto del Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri" (DPCM) of September 29, 2015, n.178, the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) system is included among the coding systems adopted in the Italian Electronic Health Record (EHR). As part of the Digital Health Solutions in Community Medicine (DHEAL-COM) project, one key goal is to categorize parameters using international classification systems. This enables the identification of appropriate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions tailored to support people's health needs. Our objective is to incorporate LOINC codes for parameter categorization, thus anticipating the future use of EHR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of nitric oxide (NO) in the occurrence of intracellular [Ca.sup.2+] concentration ([[[Ca.sup.2+]].sub.i]) oscillations in pituitary [GH.sub.3] cells was evaluated by studying the effect of increasing or decreasing endogenous NO synthesis with L-arginine and nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), respectively. When NO synthesis was blocked with L-NAME (1 mM) [[[Ca.sup.2+]].sub.i], oscillations disappeared in 68% of spontaneously active cells, whereas 41% of the quiescent cells showed [[[Ca.sup.2+]].sub.i] oscillations in response to the NO synthase (NOS) substrate L-arginine (10 mM). This effect was reproduced by the NO donors NOC-18 and S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP). NOC-18 was ineffective in the presence of the L-type voltage-dependent [Ca.sup.2+] channels (VDCC) blocker nimodipine (1 [micro]M) or in [Ca.sup.2+]-free medium. Conversely, its effect was preserved when [Ca.sup.2+] release from intracellular [Ca.sup.2+] stores was inhibited either with the ryanodine-receptor blocker ryanodine (500 [micro]M) or with the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor blocker xestospongin C (3 [micro]M). These results suggest that NO induces the appearance of [[[Ca.sup.2+]].sub.i] oscillations by determining [Ca.sup.2+] influx. Patch-clamp experiments excluded that NO acted directly on VDCC but suggested that NO determined membrane depolarization because of the inhibition of voltage-gated [K.sup.+] channels. NOC-18 and SNAP caused a decrease in the amplitude of slow-inactivating ([I.sub.DR]) and ether-a-go-go-related gene (ERG) hyperpolarization-evoked, deactivating [K.sup.+] currents. Similar results were obtained when [GH.sub.3] cells were treated with L-arginine. The present study suggests that in [GH.sub.3] cells, endogenous NO plays a permissive role for the occurrence of spontaneous [[[Ca.sup.2+]].sub.i] oscillations through an inhibitory effect on [I.sub.DR] and on [I.sub.ERG]. voltage-gated potassium channels; ether-a-go-go-related gene potassium channels; slow-inactivating outward currents; fast-inactivating outward currents

Immunodeficiency and hyperinflammation are responsible for the most frequent and life‐threatening forms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Therefore, cytokine‐based treatments targeting immuno‐inflammatory mechanisms are currently undergoing clinical scrutiny in COVID‐19‐affected patients. In addition, COVID‐19 patients also exhibit a wide range of neurological manifestations (neuro‐COVID), which may also benefit from cytokine‐based treatments. In fact, such drugs have shown some clinical efficacy also in neuroinflammatory diseases. On the other hand, anti‐cytokine drugs are endowed with significant neurological risks, mainly attributable to their immunodepressant effects. Therefore, the aim of the present manuscript is to briefly describe the role of specific cytokines in neuroinflammation, to summarize the efficacy in preclinical models of neuroinflammatory diseases of drugs targeting these cytokines and to review the clinical data regarding the neurological effects of these drugs currently being investigated against COVID‐19, in order to raise awareness about their potentially beneficial and/or detrimental neurological consequences. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed issue on The second wave: are we any closer to efficacious pharmacotherapy for COVID 19? (BJP 75th Anniversary). To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v179.10/issuetoc [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]