Ex Vivo Antioxidant Capacities of Fruit and Vegetable Juices. Potential In Vivo Extrapolation.

Background: In support of claims that their products have antioxidant properties, the food industry and dietary supplement manufacturers rely solely on the in vitro determination of the ORAC (oxygen radical antioxidant capacity) value, despite its acknowledged lack of any in vivo relevance. It thus appears necessary to use tests exploiting biological materials (blood, white blood cells) capable of producing physiological free radicals, in order to evaluate more adequately the antioxidant capacities of foods such as fruit and vegetable juices.

Materials: Two approaches to assessing the antioxidant capacities of 21 commercial fruit and vegetable juices were compared: the ORAC assay and the "PMA-whole blood assay," which uses whole blood stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate to produce the superoxide anion.

Compared Phenolic Compound Contents of 22 Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Juices: Relationship to ex-vivo Vascular Reactivity and Potential in vivo Projection.

The real impact of polyphenol-rich vegetable and fruit juice intake on cardiovascular health remains a matter of controversy. In the present study, rat aorta segments immersed in an organ bath (OB) were used to explore whether the total polyphenol content and/or individual phenolic compound contents of 22 commercial vegetable ( = 3) and fruit juices [(citrus ( = 5), berries ( = 10), apple ( = 2), pineapple ( = 2)] might be associated with vascular tone. Red juices (particularly blackcurrant) and lemon juice caused the most marked vasorelaxation, its amplitude being endothelium dependent or not according to the volume ratio of juice to initial OB solution V/V).

PAOT-Liquid Technology: An Easy Electrochemical Method for Evaluating Antioxidant Capacity of Wines.

Polyphenol compounds present in high quantity in wines are well-known to have potent cardio-protective properties through several biological mechanisms including antioxidant activity [1]. A large number of methods have been developed for evaluating the antioxidant capacity of food matrices. Most of them have, however, the disadvantage of being time consuming and require specific analytical protocols and devices.

Validation of a food frequency questionnaire assessing dietary polyphenol exposure using the method of triads.

When conducting research on polyphenols and their effects on health, it is of primary importance to use standardised and validated dietary assessment tools. This paper aims at assessing the validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for quantifying dietary polyphenol exposure among healthy adults using the method of triads. Fifty-three healthy adults, aged 20-60, were included in the study.

The potency of commercial blackcurrant juices to induce relaxation in porcine coronary artery rings is not correlated to their antioxidant capacity but to their anthocyanin content.

Objective: Polyphenol-rich products such as fruit juices have been found to have strong antioxidant capacities and to induce potent endothelium-dependent relaxation. We evaluated whether the commercial blackcurrant juices induced endothelium-dependent relaxation of isolated coronary arteries can be related to their antioxidant capacity and/or phenolic content.

Methods: Six different commercial blackcurrant juices were selected.

Effect of pollen extract supplementation on the varroatosis tolerance of honey bee (Apis mellifera) larvae reared in vitro.

As the main source of lipids and proteins in honey bees, pollen is a major nutrient provider involved in development and health and has been studied for tolerance stimulation against pathogens and parasites. In the case of Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Acari, Mesostigmata: Varroidae) parasitization, the lack of a complete laboratory system to rear both the bee larva and the acarian parasite limited the studies concerning larval nutrition effects on the bee tolerance and resistance against varroatosis. Due to the development of this complete rearing protocol, we managed to feed young honey bee larvae with pollen supplemented solutions and to study the effect on their later development under parasitism conditions.

Impact of the Phoretic Phase on Reproduction and Damage Caused by Varroa destructor (Anderson and Trueman) to Its Host, the European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.).

Varroa destructor is a parasitic mite of the honeybee that causes thousands of colony losses worldwide. The parasite cycle is composed of a phoretic and a reproductive phase. During the former, mites stay on adult bees, mostly on nurses, to feed on hemolymph.

Assessment of immunogenicity and protective efficacy of Microsporum canis secreted components coupled to monophosphoryl lipid-A adjuvant in a vaccine study using guinea pigs.

Microsporum canis is the most common dermatophyte in pets and is of zoonotic importance but currently there is no effective vaccine available to prevent dermatophytosis. The aim of this work was to assess the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of secreted components (SC) from M. canis adjuvanted with the monophosphoryl lipid-A (MPLA), in a vaccine study using the guinea pig as an experimental model.

Antioxidant potential of different plum cultivars during storage.

Plums, the most commonly consumed fruits from Romania, are fruits rich in bioactive compounds, such as antioxidants. This research work was carried out to investigate the antioxidant potential of twelve plum cultivars, fresh and stored during 10days at 4°C by using different methods (DPPH, ORAC and erythrocyte resistance to haemolysis). The contents of total phenolic compounds and total anthocyanins were also determined by specific spectrometric methods.

Lethal and sub-lethal effects of thymol on honeybee (Apis mellifera) larvae reared in vitro.

Background: Thymol offers an attractive alternative to synthetic chemicals to keep Varroa under control. However, thymol accumulates in bee products and is suspected of having adverse effects on colonies and especially on larvae. In this study, we investigated the effects of acute and chronic exposure to thymol on larvae reared in vitro with contaminated food and compared results to the theoretical larval exposure based on the amount of pollen and honey consumed by larvae during their development.

Artificial feeding of Varroa destructor through a chitosan membrane: a tool for studying the host-microparasite relationship.

Rearing pests or parasites of very small size in the absence of their living host is a challenge for behavioural, physiological and pathological studies. For feeding Varroa destructor, an ectoparasitic mite of Apis mellifera, a confinement space with a membrane separating the nutritive solution and the space was designed. The mite measures less than 2 mm and bears a perforating apparatus with a length of 15 μm.

Feline polymorphonuclear neutrophils produce pro-inflammatory cytokines following exposure to Microsporum canis.

The mechanisms involved in the establishment of the specific immune response against dermatophytes remain unknown. Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) are recruited early during the infection process and participate in the elimination of dermatophytes. They could therefore be involved in the induction of the immune response during dermatophytoses by producing specific cytokines.

Inhibition of the keratinolytic subtilisin protease Sub3 from Microsporum canis by its propeptide (proSub3) and evaluation of the capacity of proSub3 to inhibit fungal adherence to feline epidermis.

Microsporum canis is a pathogenic fungus that causes a superficial cutaneous infection called dermatophytosis, mainly in cats, dogs and humans. Proteolytic enzymes have been postulated to be key factors involved in the invasion of the stratum corneum and keratinized epidermal structures. Among these proteases, the secreted subtilisin protease Sub3 was found to be required for adherence of M.

Cultivars, culture conditions, and harvest time influence phenolic and ascorbic acid contents and antioxidant capacity of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa).

Unlabelled: Strawberries are a good source of micronutrients, especially antioxidant phenolics. More information is needed to better exploit the health-promoting effect of such fruits. Several studies focused on the effects of genotype, cultural practices, and seasonal variation on the antioxidant potential of strawberries, but often yielding contradictory results and/or focusing on only 1 source of variability.

Ascorbic acid, phenolic acid, flavonoid, and carotenoid profiles of selected extracts from Ribes nigrum.

Small fruits such as berries have low energy contents, but high contents of vitamins, micronutrients, and dietary fibers and constitute a good source of natural antioxidant compounds that are important constituents of the human diet. This study identified a large number of compounds in an extract of black currant showing high antioxidant activity and compared their profile in various parts of the plants (leaves, buds, and berries). If it was known that berries contained very high levels of natural phenolic compounds, this study showed that leaves and buds could also be considered good sources of natural antioxidants.

Fungalysin and dipeptidyl-peptidase gene transcription in Microsporum canis strains isolated from symptomatic and asymptomatic cats.

Microsporum canis is the main pathogenic fungus that causes a superficial cutaneous infection called dermatophytosis in domestic carnivores. In cats, M. canis causes symptomatic or asymptomatic infection.

Secreted subtilisin Sub3 from Microsporum canis is required for adherence to but not for invasion of the epidermis.

Background: Microsporum canis is a pathogenic dermatophyte that causes a superficial cutaneous mycosis, mainly in cats and humans. Proteolytic enzymes, including subtilisins, have been postulated to be key factors involved in adherence and invasion of the stratum corneum and keratinized epidermal structures.

Objectives: To evaluate the importance of Sub3 as a M.

Secreted dipeptidyl peptidases as potential virulence factors for Microsporum canis.

Dermatophytoses caused by Microsporum canis are frequently encountered in cats and dogs; they are highly contagious and readily transmissible to humans. In this study, two single genes, respectively coding for dipeptidyl peptidases IV and V (DppIV and DppV), were isolated and characterized. Both proteins share homology with serine proteases of the S9 family, some of which display properties compatible with implication in pathogenic processes.

Secreted subtilisins of Microsporum canis are involved in adherence of arthroconidia to feline corneocytes.

Microsporum canis is a pathogenic fungus that causes a superficial cutaneous infection called dermatophytosis, mainly in cats and humans. The mechanisms involved in adherence of M. canis to epidermis have never been investigated.

Pathogenesis of dermatophytosis.

Despite the superficial localization of most dermatophytosis, host-fungus relationship in these infections is complex and still poorly elucidated. Though many efforts have been accomplished to characterize secreted dermatophytic proteases at the molecular level, only punctual insights have been afforded into other aspects of the pathogenesis of dermatophytosis, such as fungal adhesion, regulation of gene expression during the infection process, and immunomodulation by fungal factors. However, new genetic tools were recently developed, allowing a more rapid and high-throughput functional investigation of dermatophyte genes and the identification of new putative virulence factors.

Reconstructed interfollicular feline epidermis as a model for the screening of antifungal drugs against Microsporum canis.

A fully differentiated reconstructed interfollicular feline epidermis (RFE) was recently developed in vitro. It was shown to be relevant for the study of Microsporum canis-epidermal interactions. In this study, RFE was evaluated as a potential model for the in vitro screening of drugs against M.

Immunization and dermatophytes.

Purpose Of Review: Despite the availability of effective vaccines for certain animal species, vaccination against dermatophytosis requires improvement and further development in both animals and humans. This review provides an update on the current situation and focuses on recent advances in host-dermatophyte relationships that could have implications for future vaccination against the most prevalent of the fungal diseases.

Recent Findings: Numerous dermatophytic virulence factors have recently been isolated and characterized at the molecular level, notably secreted proteases involved in the invasion of the keratin network.

RNA silencing in the dermatophyte Microsporum canis.

Dermatomycoses caused by Microsporum canis are frequent in domestic animals and easily transmissible to humans. Several proteases secreted by this fungus were identified as potential virulence factors, but the construction of deficient strains is required to investigate their role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Using target genes encoding two of these proteases, a first evaluation of the utility of RNA-mediated silencing as a reverse genetic tool in dermatophytes was carried out.