Echocardiographic assessment of left atrial appendage morphology and function-an expert proposal by the German Working Group of Cardiovascular Ultrasound.

The left atrial appendage is a blind ending cardiac structure prone to blood stasis due to its morphology. This structure is a preferred region of thrombogenesis in relation to reduced myocardial contractility of the atrial wall. Blood stasis occurs primarily in low flow conditions.

Echocardiographic assessment of atrial, ventricular, and valvular function in patients with atrial fibrillation-an expert proposal by the german working group of cardiovascular ultrasound.

Echocardiography in patients with atrial fibrillation is challenging due to the varying heart rate. Thus, the topic of this expert proposal focuses on an obvious gap in the current recommendations about diagnosis and treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF)-the peculiarities and difficulties of echocardiographic imaging. The assessment of systolic and diastolic function-especially in combination with valvular heart diseases-by echocardiography can basically be done by averaging the results of echocardiographic measurements of the respective parameters or by the index beat approach, which uses a representative cardiac cycle for measurement.

Antioxidant Capacity of Free and Peptide Tryptophan Residues Determined by the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) Assay Is Modulated by Radical-Radical Reactions and Oxidation Products.

The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) assay is commonly employed for determining the antioxidant capacity of bioactive peptides. To gain insights into the meaning of this index for peptides containing a single Trp, we studied the consumption of this residue and fluorescein (FLH, the probe of ORAC method), induced by radicals generated by AAPH (2,2'-Azo-bis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride) thermolysis. ORAC values were rationalized from kinetics and computational calculations of bond dissociation energies (BDE) of the N-H bond (indole ring of Trp).

Diagnostic value of papillary muscle hypertrophy and mitral valve thickness to discriminate cardiac amyloidosis and Fabry disease.

Background: Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) and Fabry disease (FD) cause myocardial damage but may also affect the valvular and subvalvular apparatus. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of new echocardiographic indices including mitral valve thickness and papillary muscle (PM) hypertrophy to differentiate CA and FD.

Methods: In patients with confirmed CA and FD, a detailed assessment of valvular function, mitral valve leaflet thickness and PM area as well as PM left ventricular area ratio (PM/LV-ratio) was performed in offline analyses.

Breaking barriers in cardiac donation after circulatory death.

Background: Heart transplant (HT) from controlled donation after circulatory death (cDCD) is an emerging strategy that is rapidly expanding and may help increase the heart donor pool.

Materials And Methods: The use of thoracoabdominal normothermic regional perfusion with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device has allowed to perform HT after cDCD in our country. We present a successful case of heart transplantation using a graft from cDCD with 201 min cold ischemia time.

Azocompounds as generators of defined radical species: Contributions and challenges for free radical research.

Peroxyl radicals participate in multiple processes involved in critical changes to cells, tissues, pharmacueticals and foods. Some of these reactions explain their association with degenerative pathologies, including cardiovascular and neurological diseases, as well as cancer development. Azocompounds, and particularly AAPH (2,2'-Azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride), a cationic water-soluble derivative, have been employed extensively as sources of model peroxyl radicals.

Potential Nutrition and Health Claims in Deastringed Persimmon Fruits ( L.), Variety 'Rojo Brillante', PDO 'Ribera del Xúquer'.

In Europe, nutrition and health claims made on food must be based on scientific evidence, which means a comprehensive evaluation by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) prior to authorisation. Processed foods are subject to numerous claims derived from the presence of bioactive compounds; however, natural food products, often the original sources of those compounds, are not habitually the subject of these claims. Although the consumption of persimmon fruit has important health benefits, up to date no specific health claims are authorised for this fruit.

Oxidation of myofibrillar proteins induced by peroxyl radicals: Role of oxidizable amino acids.

During storage and processing of foods, myofibrillar proteins (MP), the most abundant proteins of meats, are exposed to peroxyl radicals (ROO). The present work shows that ROO induce oxidation of MP leading to a widespread of MP aggregation. In spite of the extent of such process, only partial consumption of the more oxidizable amino acids was determined.

Immobilization of Andean berry (Vaccinium meridionale) polyphenols on nanocellulose isolated from banana residues: A natural food additive with antioxidant properties.

Nanocellulose obtained from banana rachis (NCBR) was loaded (through simple impregnation) with a polyphenolic-rich extract (PRE) of Andean berries (Vaccinium meridionale). The adsorption/desorption of polyphenols onto NCBR and the thermal stability and antioxidant activity of the polyphenolic-NCBR nanocomplex (NCX) was studied. Thermodynamic properties (ΔH°, ΔS° and ΔG°) showed that polyphenols interact with NCBR by physisorption through a spontaneous and exothermic process.

Quantification of carbonate radical formation by the bicarbonate-dependent peroxidase activity of superoxide dismutase 1 using pyrogallol red bleaching.

Carbonate radicals (CO) are generated by the bicarbonate-dependent peroxidase activity of cytosolic superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD, SOD-1). The present work explored the use of bleaching of pyrogallol red (PGR) dye to quantify the rate of CO formation from bovine and human SOD-1 (bSOD-1 and hSOD-1, respectively). This approach was compared to previously reported methods using electron paramagnetic resonance spin trapping with DMPO, and the oxidation of ABTS (2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid).

α- and β-casein aggregation induced by riboflavin-sensitized photo-oxidation occurs via di-tyrosine cross-links and is oxygen concentration dependent.

Type I photo-oxidation generates Trp-(TrpN) and Tyr-derived (TyrO) radicals in proteins which can dimerize producing cross-links, or alternatively react with O. It was therefore hypothesized that the O concentration may have a significant effect on dye-photosensitized reactions. We studied photo-oxidation of α- and β-caseins induced by riboflavin (RF), a photosensitizing vitamin present in milk, under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

Cytoprotective Mechanisms Mediated by Polyphenols from Chilean Native Berries against Free Radical-Induced Damage on AGS Cells.

The prevalence of cytoprotective mechanisms induced by polyphenols such as activation of intracellular antioxidant responses (ICM) and direct free radical scavenging was investigated in native Chilean species of strawberries, raspberries, and currants. Human gastric epithelial cells were co- and preincubated with polyphenolic-enriched extracts (PEEs) from Chilean raspberries (), strawberries ( ssp. f), and currants () and challenged with peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals.

Controversial alkoxyl and peroxyl radical scavenging activity of the tryptophan metabolite 3-hydroxy-anthranilic acid.

3-Hydroxy-anthranilic acid (3-OHAA), a tryptophan metabolite produced in the kynurenine pathway, is an efficient antioxidant towards peroxyl radicals (ROO) derived from the AAPH (2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride) thermolysis. However, self-reactions of ROO can give rise to alkoxyl radicals (RO), which could strongly affect the fate of scavenging reactions. In the present work, we studied the influence of RO in the scavenging activity of 3-OHAA in three different systems: i) Monitoring of the direct reaction between 3-OHAA and AAPH-derived free radicals (kinetic studies); ii) Evaluation of the protective effect of 3-OHAA on the AAPH-induced consumption of fluorescein; and, iii) Inhibition, given by 3-OHAA, of the AAPH-initiated lipid peroxidation of both, rat brain synaptosomes and homogenate preparations (assessed by chemiluminescence).

Reaction of tetracycline with biologically relevant chloramines.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection triggers inflammatory processes with the consequent production of hypochlorous acid (HOCl), monochloramine (NHCl), and protein-derived chloramines. As the therapy for eradicating H.

Use of Banana (Musa acuminata Colla AAA) Peel Extract as an Antioxidant Source in Orange Juices.

Using banana peel extract as an antioxidant in freshly squeezed orange juices and juices from concentrate was evaluated. Free radical scavenging capacity increased by adding banana peel extracts to both types of orange juice. In addition, remarkable increases in antioxidant capacity using 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical were observed when equal or greater than 5 mg of banana peel extract per ml of freshly squeezed juice was added.

Antifungal activity of mango peel and seed extracts against clinically pathogenic and food spoilage yeasts.

The antioxidant and antifungal (antiyeast) properties of mango (Mangifera indica) peel and seed by-products were investigated. Nine extracts were obtained using three cultivars and two extraction methods. Significant differences between cultivars and extraction methods were detected in their bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity.

Role of alkoxyl radicals on the fluorescein-based ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) assay.

During the last decades the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) assay has been widely employed to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant capacity of polyphenol-rich fruits, vegetables and beverages. The method employs fluorescein (FLH) as target molecule and AAPH (2,2'-azo-bis(2-amidinopropane)dihydrochloride) as the source of peroxyl radicals (ROO•). The protection of FLH, afforded by antioxidants (XH), is often characterized by kinetic profiles with clear lag times (LT), which are directly associated with the stoichiometry (n) of the XH-ROO• reaction.

Improving the efficiency of antioxidant extraction from mango peel by using microwave-assisted extraction.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the extraction efficiency of antioxidants from mango peel by comparing two techniques: microwave-assisted (MAE) and traditional solvent (TE) extraction. The number of extraction steps, water content in the extractant, peel weight-to-solvent volume ratio in extractions and extraction time all had an influence on obtaining extracts with high antioxidant capacity, but the extraction technique and the water content in the extractant were the factors with the greatest effect. Using three steps, a water content of 50 % in the ethanol:water extractant, an extraction time of 60 min and a weight-to-volume ratio of 1:10 or 1:50 (w/v) led to the highest antioxidant activity and phytochemicals content in extracts.

Reutilization of mango byproducts: study of the effect of extraction solvent and temperature on their antioxidant properties.

Unlabelled: Mango biowastes, obtained after processing, contain large amounts of compounds with antioxidant activity that can be reused to reduce their environmental impact. The present study evaluates the effect of solvent (methanol, ethanol, acetone, water, methanol:water [1:1], ethanol:water [1:1], and acetone:water [1:1]), and temperature (25, 50, and 75 °C) on the efficiency of the extraction of antioxidants from mango peel and seed. Among the factors optimized, extraction solvent was the most important.

Carijodienone from the octocoral Carijoa multiflora. A spiropregnane-based steroid.

Two new steroids (1 and 2) and the known pregna-1,4,20-trien-3-one (3) have been isolated from the Pacific octocoral Carijoa multiflora. Compound 1 possesses a novel spiropregnane-based steroidal skeleton. The photochemical transformation of 3 into 1 allowed the assignment of the absolute configuration at C-10 of 1.

[Incidence of nosocomial infections at a neonatal intensive care unit: a six-year surveillance study].

Introduction: Nosocomial infection is a frequent complication in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) attending patients who require lengthy hospitalization and frequent invasive techniques.

Patients And Methods: This study is part of a prospective surveillance program for nosocomial infection in Spain. All patients admitted to NICUs between June 1999 and March 2005 were observed.

Carijenone, a novel class of bicyclic prostanoid from the eastern Pacific octocoral Carijoa multiflora.

[structure: see text] An unprecedented biogenetically interesting bicyclic prostanoid 1, carijenone, has been isolated from the eastern Pacific octocoral Carijoa multiflora. The C-12 oxygenated function, characteristic of the coral cyclopentanone fatty acid derivatives, is involved in the formation of a five-membered oxane ring fused to the cyclopentane network. Its structure and stereochemistry were determined on the basis of spectral studies and molecular mechanics calculations.

New terpenoids from the brown alga Stypopodium zonale.

Three new terpenoids, 1a-3a, and the known metabolites atomaric acid, stypoquinonic acid, and 5'a-desmethyl-5'-acetylatomaric acid have been isolated from the tropical brown alga Stypopodium zonale. The structures and relative stereochemistry of the methyl ester of 1a-3a were determined by spectral methods. The methyl ester of 3a exhibits in vitro cytotoxic activity against human lung and colon carcinoma.

Geometry and halogen regiochemistry determination of vicinal vinyl dihalides by 1H and 13C NMR. Application to the structure elucidation of prefuroplocamioid, an unusual marine monoterpene.

Empirical rules based on 13C and 1H NMR spectroscopy to determine the regiochemistry and geometry of the 1,2-bromochloro vinyl portion of naturally occurring or synthetic compounds containing this functionality are proposed. The key feature of the method comes from the comparison of the spectral data of the new monoterpene metabolite, prefuroplocamioid, isolated from Plocamium cartilagineum, with those of other marine monoterpenes, as well as with some model compounds found in the literature.

New prenylated bromoquinols from the green alga Cymopolia barbata.

Six new prenylated bromohydroquinones, 3'-methoxy-7-hydroxycymopol (1), 3-hydroxycymopolone (2), 3,7-dihydroxycymopolone (3), 7-hydroxycymopochromanone (4), 7-hydroxycymopochromenol (5), and a related 6-hydroxy derivative of cymopochromenol (6), have been isolated from the green marine alga Cymopolia barbata. The structures of these cymopol-related metabolites were determined by spectral methods.