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Ruggieri S, Drago G, Panunzi S, Rizzo G, Tavormina EE, Maltese S, Cibella F. The Influence of Sociodemographic Factors, Lifestyle, and Risk Perception on Dietary Patterns in Pregnant Women Living in Highly Contaminated Areas: Data from the NEHO Birth Cohort. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14173489. [PMID: 36079747 PMCID: PMC9458243 DOI: 10.3390/nu14173489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
During pregnancy, maternal nutrition and lifestyle play a critical role in influencing fetal development and newborn health outcomes. The aim of this study is to investigate the factors influencing the adherence to dietary patterns in pregnant women living in highly contaminated areas, and whether women with higher environmental risk perception manifest different nutritional behaviors during pregnancy. Food consumption data on 816 pregnant women from the Neonatal Environment and Health Outcomes (NEHO) residential birth cohort were analyzed. Dietary patterns were computed by principal component analysis. A multinomial logistic regression was also applied to identify sociodemographic, lifestyle, and pregnancy-related determinants of adherence to dietary patterns during pregnancy. Three patterns of food consumption—explaining 24.9% of the total variance—were identified as “prudent”, “high energy”, and “vegetarian” patterns. Results suggest that food choices during pregnancy follow a social gradient and align with other health behaviors during pregnancy: older, better educated, and physically active women with higher risk perception are more likely to follow healthier dietary patterns. Knowledge about what is eaten can contribute to dietary choices. Interventions to improve the prenatal nutrition knowledge of pregnant women are needed, especially concerning younger mothers and those with lower educational levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Ruggieri
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy, 90146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Gaspare Drago
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy, 90146 Palermo, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Simona Panunzi
- Institute for System Analysis and Computer Science—BioMatLab, National Research Council of Italy, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Rizzo
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy, 90146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Elisa Eleonora Tavormina
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy, 90146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Sabina Maltese
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy, 90146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Fabio Cibella
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy, 90146 Palermo, Italy
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Pan M, Cheng ZW, Huang CG, Ye ZQ, Sun LJ, Chen H, Fu BB, Zhou K, Fang ZR, Wang ZJ, Xiao QZ, Liu XS, Zhu FQ, Gao S. Long-term exposure to copper induces mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in mouse hearts. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 234:113329. [PMID: 35255253 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Copper is a trace element necessary for the normal functioning of organisms, but excessive copper contents may be toxic to the heart. The goal of this study was to investigate the role of excessive copper accumulation in mitochondrial damage and cell apoptosis inhibition. In vivo, the heart copper concentration and cardiac troponin I (c-TnI) and N-terminal forebrain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) levels increased in the copper-laden model group compared to those of the control group. Histopathological and ultrastructural observations revealed that the myocardial collagen volume fraction (CVF), perivascular collagen area (PVCA) and cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area (CSA) were markedly elevated in the copper-laden model group compared with the control group. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the mitochondrial double-layer membrane was incomplete in the copper-laden model groups. Furthermore, cytochrome C (Cyt-C) expression was downregulated in mitochondria but upregulated in the cytoplasm in response to copper accumulation. In addition, Bcl-2 expression decreased, while Bax and cleaved caspase-3 levels increased. These results indicate that copper accumulation in cardiomyocyte mitochondria induces mitochondrial injury, and Cyt-C exposure and induces apoptosis, further resulting in heart damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Pan
- Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Department of Pharmaceutics, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210002, China
| | - Zi-Wei Cheng
- Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Chen-Guang Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Zhu-Qing Ye
- Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Li-Jun Sun
- Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Hua Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Bei-Bei Fu
- Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Kai Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Zhi-Rui Fang
- Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Zi-Jian Wang
- Clinic Medical School of Medicine, Anhui Medical University, 230031, China
| | - Qing-Zhong Xiao
- Centre for Clinical Pharmacology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Xue-Sheng Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 230022, China
| | - Feng-Qin Zhu
- Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Science, Hefei 230032, China.
| | - Shan Gao
- Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China.
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Ruggieri S, Maltese S, Drago G, Panunzi S, Cibella F, Bianchi F, Minichilli F, Cori L. Measuring Risk Perception in Pregnant Women in Heavily Polluted Areas: A New Methodological Approach from the NEHO Birth Cohort. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:10616. [PMID: 34682362 PMCID: PMC8536087 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182010616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Risk perception (RP) evaluation during pregnancy and its relationship with lifestyles are considered useful tools for understanding communities living in high-risk areas and preventing dangerous exposure. It is well known that exposure to pollutants and less-healthy lifestyles may result in increased disease occurrence during life. Our work investigated environmental RP through ad hoc questionnaires administered to 611 mothers within the NEHO birth cohort, recruited in three heavily contaminated areas of Southern Italy. Four different RP indices, an exploratory factorial analysis (EFA), and a latent class analysis were evaluated from questionnaires. The highest values of risk perception index were observed in the Milazzo site (0.64 ± 0.16) and the lowest in the Crotone site (0.5 ± 0.18). EFA revealed four latent factors, including different items describing environmental pollution, and subjects were classified into four latent classes with different RP indices. Significant RP profiles were different among the sites (p < 0.001). Our results did not demonstrate any association between RP and lifestyles during pregnancy. Improving healthy lifestyle behaviours, particularly in polluted areas, would generate co-benefits by preventing further risk factors. As remediation interventions can take a long time, it needs to improve healthy lifestyles in residents until remediation is completed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Ruggieri
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (S.R.); (S.M.); (F.C.); (F.B.)
| | - Sabina Maltese
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (S.R.); (S.M.); (F.C.); (F.B.)
| | - Gaspare Drago
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (S.R.); (S.M.); (F.C.); (F.B.)
| | - Simona Panunzi
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute for System Analysis and Computer Science—BioMatLab, 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | - Fabio Cibella
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (S.R.); (S.M.); (F.C.); (F.B.)
| | - Fabrizio Bianchi
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (S.R.); (S.M.); (F.C.); (F.B.)
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Clinical Physiology, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.M.); (L.C.)
| | - Fabrizio Minichilli
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Clinical Physiology, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.M.); (L.C.)
| | - Liliana Cori
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Clinical Physiology, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.M.); (L.C.)
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Guzzolino E, Milella MS, Forini F, Borsò M, Rutigliano G, Gorini F, Zucchi R, Saba A, Bianchi F, Iervasi G, Pitto L. Thyroid disrupting effects of low-dose dibenzothiophene and cadmium in single or concurrent exposure: New evidence from a translational zebrafish model. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 769:144703. [PMID: 33486188 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Thyroid hormones (THs) are major regulators of biological processes essential for correct development and energy homeostasis. Although thyroid disruptors can deeply affect human health, the impact of exogenous chemicals and in particular mixture of chemicals on different aspects of thyroid development and metabolism is not yet fully understood. In this study we have used the highly versatile zebrafish model to assess the thyroid axis disrupting effects of cadmium (Cd) and dibenzothiophene (DBT), two environmental endocrine disruptors found to be significantly correlated in epidemiological co-exposure studies. Zebrafish embryos (5hpf) were exposed to low concentrations of Cd (from 0.05 to 2 μM) and DBT (from 0.05 to 1 μM) and to mixtures of them. A multilevel assessment of the pollutant effects has been obtained by combining in vivo morphological analyses allowed by the use of transgenic fluorescent lines with liquid chromatography mass spectrometry determination of TH levels and quantification of the expression levels of key genes involved in the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid Axis (HPTA) and TH metabolism. Our results underscore for the first time an important synergistic toxic effect of these pollutants on embryonic development and thyroid morphology highlighting differences in the mechanisms through which they can adversely impact on multiple physiological processes of the HPTA and TH disposal influencing also heart geometry and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Guzzolino
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - M S Milella
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - F Forini
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - M Borsò
- Department of Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - G Rutigliano
- Department of Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - F Gorini
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - R Zucchi
- Department of Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - A Saba
- Department of Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - F Bianchi
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - G Iervasi
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - L Pitto
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy.
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Ruggieri S, Maltese S, Drago G, Cibella F, Panunzi S. The Neonatal Environment and Health Outcomes (NEHO) Birth Cohort Study: Behavioral and Socioeconomic Characteristics and Drop-Out Rate from a Longitudinal Birth Cohort in Three Industrially Contaminated Sites in Southern Italy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18031252. [PMID: 33573257 PMCID: PMC7908468 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18031252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Pregnant women living in industrially contaminated sites (ICSs) are exposed to environmental contaminants through different pathways, and thus children’s health may be affected by pollutants. We created the Neonatal Environment and Health Outcomes (NEHO) longitudinal birth cohort in three ICSs in the Mediterranean area of southern Italy, collecting comprehensive information on personal data and lifestyles by questionnaire. Through multiple correspondence analysis, we identified possible clusters of enrolled women, and a neural network classifier analysis (NNCA) was performed to identify variables capable of predicting the attrition rate of the study. NEHO recruited 845 mother–child pairs over two years. The mothers’ mean age was 31.1 ± 5.2 SD years. We found significant differences in socioeconomic status (SES) among the three evaluated ICS, and an overall 11.1% prevalence of mothers who actively smoked during pregnancy. Active smoking during pregnancy was strongly associated with the lowest socioeconomic level (p < 0.0001). By means of the NNCA, we found that smoking during pregnancy and the lowest education level characterized the cluster with the highest attrition rate (p < 0.001). Our results demonstrate that reason for public health concern still exists regarding smoking during pregnancy and that SES influences both lifestyles, producing negative pregnancy outcomes and a higher survey attrition rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Ruggieri
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (S.R.); (S.M.); (G.D.)
| | - Sabina Maltese
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (S.R.); (S.M.); (G.D.)
| | - Gaspare Drago
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (S.R.); (S.M.); (G.D.)
| | - Fabio Cibella
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council of Italy, 90146 Palermo, Italy; (S.R.); (S.M.); (G.D.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Simona Panunzi
- Institute for System Analysis and Computer Science—BioMatLab, National Research Council of Italy, 00168 Rome, Italy;
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