Cooking does not decrease hydrophilic antioxidant capacity of wild blueberries.

The present study examined the effects of domestic cooking methods on the hydrophilic antioxidant activity (HAA) of wild blueberries. Baked, microwaved, simmered, and pan-fried frozen wild blueberries, and a thawed uncooked control, were analyzed for HAA using an ABTS/H(2)O(2)/HRP decoloration method. All cooking treatments were derived from recipes using wild blueberries, and were performed in triplicate.

Gap junctional channels regulate acid secretion in the mammalian gastric gland.

Gap junction channels are regarded as a primary pathway for intercellular message transfer, including calcium wave propagation. Our study identified two gap junctional proteins, connexin26 and connexin32, in rat gastric glands by RT-PCR, Western blot analysis, and immunofluorescence. We demonstrated a potential physiological role of the gap junctional channels in the acid secretory process using the calcium indicator fluo-3, and microinjection of Lucifer Yellow.

The stomach divalent ion-sensing receptor scar is a modulator of gastric acid secretion.

Divalent cation receptors have recently been identified in a wide variety of tissues and organs, yet their exact function remains controversial. We have previously identified a member of this receptor family in the stomach and have demonstrated that it is localized to the parietal cell, the acid secretory cell of the gastric gland. The activation of acid secretion has been classically defined as being regulated by two pathways: a neuronal pathway (mediated by acetylcholine) and an endocrine pathway (mediated by gastrin and histamine).

Structure of the gene for the human 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type IV.

The 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type IV (17beta-HSD IV) is a multifunctional enzyme that is localized in the peroxisomes. The N-terminal part has dehydrogenase activity, the central part has hydratase activity, and the carboxy-terminal part is responsible for sterol transport. Recent observations of mutations in the human 17beta-HSD IV cDNA leading to a severe peroxisomal disorder motivated us to define the genomic organization of this gene mapped to Chromosome (Chr) 5q2.