Tag Archives: italy

Study unveils potential of re-activating tumor fighting proteins within cell

According to the researchers, the human nuclear export protein chromosomal region maintenance/exportin 1/Xpo1 (CRM1) is the sole exportin mediating transport of many multiple tumor suppressor proteins out of the nucleus. Their study aimed to verify the hypothesis that CRM1 inhibition could be beneficial for the treatment of prostate cancer metastases, which was achieved by testing the effects of the orally available, potent and selective, clinical stage SINE compound KPT 330. "Although the class of compounds used in our studies — SINEs or Selective Inhibitors of Nuclear Export — have just recently entered early clinical testing, our results suggest that these agents could be active in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer," commented study’s lead author Dr. …

Coffee consumption reduces risk of liver cancer, analysis suggests

"Our research confirms past claims that coffee is good for your health, and particularly the liver," said Carlo La Vecchia, MD, study author from the department of epidemiology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri," and department of clinical sciences and community health, Università degli Studi di Milan, Italy. "The favorable effect of coffee on liver cancer might be mediated by coffee’s proven prevention of diabetes, a known risk factor for the disease, or for its beneficial effects on cirrhosis and liver enzymes." Researchers performed a meta-analysis of articles published from 1996 through September 2012, ultimately studying 16 high-quality studies and a total of 3,153 cases. This research fills an important gap as the last meta-analysis was published in 2007, and since then there has been data published on more than 900 cases of HCC…

Large study reveals increased cancer risks associated with family history of the disease

The research, published in the leading cancer journal Annals of Oncology today (Thursday), provides a comprehensive picture of the risk of developing various different types of cancer in families where there is a history of the disease, and is one of the few large studies of this kind that takes into account other important factors, such as individual characteristics and lifestyles, that could affect the degree of risk as well. Results from the study supported known associations, such as the increased risk of developing the same cancer as a close relative, and the 1.5-fold increased risk of breast cancer in women with a history of colorectal cancer in the family. However, the study also found a 3.3-fold increased risk of developing oral and pharyngeal cancer among people who had a first-degree relative with cancer of the larynx, and a four-fold increased risk of cancer of the gullet (esophageal cancer) where a first-degree relative had oral or pharyngeal cancer. If a first-degree relative had breast cancer, female family members had a 2.3-fold increased risk of ovarian cancer…

How safe is Splenda? Group urges caution for artificial sweetener

The artificial sweetener sucralose (sold under the brand name Splenda) could potentially pose health risks, so it needs to be better understood before the sweetener should be assumed to be safe, one advocacy organization says. The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit watchdog group, said today that it was downgrading its safety rating of sucralose from “safe” to “caution,” meaning that the additive “may pose a risk and needs to be better tested.” The change was spurred by a recent study from researchers in Italy that found that sucralose caused leukemia in mice, according to the CSPI. This study has not been published, and needs to be reviewed by other scientists to determine whether the findings are credible. While sucralose may turn out to be safer than other artificial sweeteners, “the forthcoming Italian study warrants careful scrutiny before we can be confident that the sweetener is safe for use in food, said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. The CSPI recommends people avoid the artificial sweeteners saccharin (Sweet N Low), aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal), and acesulfame potassium (Sunett and Sweet One). The issue of whether artificial sweeteners pose health risks is controversial. Many of the studies showing risks, including the new Italian study, have been done in animals, and it's not known whether the same effects would be seen in humans. In addition, rodents, like humans, may develop cancer as a result of old age, and not exposure to chemical additives. This issue has caused some to question the results of studies showing that aspartame-fed rats are at increased risk for cancer over their lifetimes. Even the CSPI says that it considers drinking diet soda, which often contains artificial sweeteners, to be safer than drinking regular soda. Regular soda “poses the greater and demonstrable risks of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, gout, tooth decay, and other health problems,” the CSPI said in a statement. To avoid both the risks of sugar and artificial sweeteners, the CSPI recommends drinking water, seltzer water, flavored unsweetened waters, seltzer mixed with some fruit juice or unsweetened iced tea. It's worth noting that the CSPI also gives caffeine a safety rating of “caution.” Caffeine “keeps many people from sleeping, causes jitteriness, and affects calcium metabolism,” the CSPI says. Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/12/how-safe-is-splenda-group-urges-caution-for-artificial-sweetener/

Chef Lidia Bastianich on why eating lunch is so important

Most people know that following the Mediterranean diet is one of the best ways to gain health benefits, because of the lean proteins, vegetables and olive oil it contains. But there’s another tradition we should be taking from that region: eating a proper lunch. Lidia Bastianich, executive chef and co-owner of the marketplace Eataly in New York City, spoke with Dr. Manny Alvarez about the importance of the afternoon meal. “I think that lunch is one of the most enjoyable and important things in the day,” Bastianich said. “But you need to create the space and the time to do just that.  And in Italy we do that.” Bastianich said it’s important to treat breakfast like a “king,” lunch like a “prince,” and dinner like a “pauper,” meaning portion sizes for each meal should decrease throughout the day.   For Italians, lunch time servings are often filled with different types of pasta. “I think that's a great time to eat pasta,” Bastianich said. “You know if…at night, you have a big bowl of pasta, then a steak…that doesn't work because that's not in balance.” She also said it’s important to savor the foods you eat during lunch and take the time to focus on the meal. “If we don't focus on when we eat – like let’s say we watch television or something – you eat much more.  If you focus on the food – you smell it, you cook it – you're enjoying it already.” In order to bring the feel of an Italian lunch to Americans, Bastianich has opened a new restaurant called Pranzo, which is located inside Eataly in New York.  It offers a quick, wholesome meal for lunchtime. “Every month the menu reflects one of the regions of Italy, so all of the recipes are of that region,” Bastianich said. “ And they are made with that kind of Italian flavor and the portions are just right for lunch -- and the price is right too.” For more go to EatalyNY.comsource : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/03/chef-lidia-bastianich-on-why-eating-lunch-is-so-important/

Deadly MERS virus spreads to Italy

Three people were being treated Saturday for a new respiratory virus that is alarming global health officials, in the first cases in Italy, says the country's health ministry. A 45-year-old man who had recently returned from a 40-day visit to Jordan was hospitalized in Tuscany with a high fever, cough and respiratory problems, says the ministry. Tuscan regional officials say that a young child who is related to the man and a work colleague also have the virus, the ministry said. All three patients were reported to be in good condition and were being treated in isolation. The virus is related to SARS, which killed about 800 people in a global epidemic in 2003. The U.N. health agency said earlier Saturday that it had been informed of 51 confirmed cases of the new virus since September. Thirty of those cases were fatal, including that of a Frenchman who died earlier in the week. Cases in Britain and Germany also have been reported. Most of those infected had traveled to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan or Pakistan.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/03/deadly-mers-virus-spreads-to-italy/