Characterization of Crocetin Isomers in Serum Samples via UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS and NMR after Saffron Extract (Safr'Inside™) Consumption.

The therapeutic effects of saffron have been reported and described in relation to its major derivatives. Among them, in terms of saffron's properties, crocin and crocetin absorption and bioavailability have been the most studied. Nevertheless, the metabolism of these major compounds of saffron has not yet been entirely elucidated.

Cynomolgus macaques as a translational model of human immune responses to yellow fever 17D vaccination.

The non-human primate (NHP) model (specifically rhesus and cynomolgus macaques) has facilitated our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of yellow fever (YF) disease and allowed the evaluation of the safety and efficacy of YF-17D vaccines. However, the accuracy of this model in mimicking vaccine-induced immunity in humans remains to be fully determined. We used a systems biology approach to compare hematological, biochemical, transcriptomic, and innate and antibody-mediated immune responses in cynomolgus macaques and human participants following YF-17D vaccination.

Reduced Production of Pro-Inflammatory and Pro-Catabolic Factors by Human Serum Metabolites Derived from a Patented Saffron Extract Intake.

Safe and anti-inflammatory plant-based natural products present an increasing focus in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases such as osteoarthritis or inflammatory bowel diseases. Among them, saffron, a spice derived from the stigma of could have anti-inflammatory properties and would be therefore a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of such conditions. However, the anti-inflammatory molecular mechanisms of saffron in humans are still understudied and unclear.

Reactions in the Photocatalytic Conversion of Tertiary Alcohols on Rutile TiO (110).

According to textbooks, tertiary alcohols are inert towards oxidation. The photocatalysis of tertiary alcohols under highly defined vacuum conditions on a titania single crystal reveals unexpected and new reactions, which can be described as disproportionation into an alkane and the respective ketone. In contrast to primary and secondary alcohols, in tertiary alcohols the absence of an α-H leads to a C-C-bond cleavage instead of the common abstraction of hydrogen.

ASG2 is a farnesylated DWD protein that acts as ABA negative regulator in Arabidopsis.

The tagging-via-substrate approach designed for the capture of mammal prenylated proteins was adapted to Arabidopsis cell culture. In this way, proteins are in vivo tagged with an azide-modified farnesyl moiety and captured thanks to biotin alkyne Click-iT® chemistry with further streptavidin-affinity chromatography. Mass spectrometry analyses identified four small GTPases and ASG2 (ALTERED SEED GERMINATION 2), a protein previously associated to the seed germination gene network.

Amino acid conservation in animal glucokinases. Identification of residues implicated in the interaction with the regulatory protein.

To delineate the regions of liver glucokinase that are involved in the binding of its regulatory protein and have therefore been conserved throughout evolution, we have cloned the cDNA of the Xenopus laevis enzyme. It contains an open reading frame of 1374 nucleotides and encodes a protein of 458 amino acids, which displays 78 and 79% overall identity to rat and human liver glucokinases, respectively. The conserved regions are predicted to be present mainly in the small domain and the hinge region of glueokinase, and the nonconserved regions in the large domain of the enzyme.