Simultaneous Determination Of B-group Vitamins In Enriched Brazilian Dairy Products

In addition to serving as good natural sources of vitamin B2, milk and milk products are currently being enriched with the vitamins B1, B2, B6, and nicotinamide in Brazil. The objective of this research was to evaluate the levels of enrichment of these products according to their availability in supermarkets in the Campinas (SP, Brazil) region. The separation of the vitamins was carried out on a C 18 column with gradient elution with acetonitrile and aqueous phase. Detection of vitamins was effected in the ultraviolet region and quantification by an external standard. The levels of vitamin B2 determined in powdered whole milk, skimmed milk powder, and one brand of flavored lactic beverage, were practically double those stated on the packages. The same occurred with vitamins B6 and PP (nicotinic acid + nicotinamide), when determined in the same lactic beverage and with vitamin B6, determined in acidified milk. The high levels of vitamin B2, naturally present in whole milk, and the predominance of the free form, allowed for the determination of this vitamin in non-enriched milk. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.475435439Agostini, T.S., Godoy, H.T., Simultaneous determination of nicotinamide, nicotinic acid, riboflavin, thiamin, and pyridoxine in enriched Brazilian foods by HPLC (1997) J. High Resol. Chromatogr, 20, pp. 245-248Albala-Hurtado, S., Stability of vitamins during the storage of liquid infant milks (2000) J. Dairy Res, 67 (2), pp. 225-231Arella, F., Liquid chromatographic determination of vitamins B-1 and B-2 in foods. A collaborative study (1996) Food Chem, 56 (1), pp. 81-86Boisvert, W.A., Prevalence of riboflavin deficiency among Guatemalan eldery people and its relationship to milk intake (1993) Am. J. Clin. Nutr, 58, pp. 85-90Carver, J.D., Advances in nutritional modifications of infant formulas (2003) Am. J. Clin. Nutr, 77, pp. 1550-1554Chase, G.W., Liquid chromatography determination of thiamine, riboflavin, and pyridoxine in infant formula (1992) J. AOAC Int, 75, pp. 561-565Darnton-Hill, I., Nalubola, R., Fortification strategies to meet micronutrient needs: Successes and failures (2002) P. Nutr. Soc, 61 (2), pp. 231-241Prias, J., Vidal-Valverde, C., Stability of thiamine and vitamins E and A during storage of enteral feeding formula (2001) J. Agr. Food. Chem, 5, pp. 2313-2317Lavigne, C., High performance liquid chromatographic-diode array determination of ascorbic acid, thiamine and riboflavin in goats'milk (1987) J. Chrom, 410, pp. 201-205Muñoz, A., Determination by HPLC of changes in riboflavin levels in milk and non dairy imitation milk during refrigerated storage (1994) Food Chem, 49, pp. 203-206Oamen, E.E., Effect of ultra high temperature steam injection processing and aseptic storage on labile water-soluble vitamins in milk (1989) J. Dairy Sci, 72, p. 614Ollilainen, V., Certification of B-Group vitamins (B-1, B-2, B-6, and B-12) in four food reference materials (2001) J. Agr. Food. Chem, 49 (1), pp. 315-321Premaratne, R.J., Cousin, M.A., Changes in the chemical composition during ultrafiltration of skim milk (1991) J. Deary Sci, 74, pp. 788-795Russel, L.F., Vanderslice, J.T., Non-degradative extraction and simultaneous qualitation of riboflavin, flavin mononucleotide and flavinadenina dinucleotide in foods by HPLC (1992) Food Chem, 43, p. 151Sgarbieri, V.C., Nutrição e tecnologia de alimentes (1986) Bol. SBCTA, 20, pp. 115-139Sharma, R., Lal, D., Influence of various heat processing treatments on some B-vitamins in buffalo and cow's milks (1998) J. Food, Sci. Tech. Mys, 35 (6), pp. 524-526Sierra, I., Vidai-Valverde, C., Vitamin B-1 and B-6 retention in milk after continuous-flow microwave and conventional heating at high temperatures (2001) J. Food Protect, 64 (6), pp. 890-894Tanner, J.T., Survey of vitamin content of fortified milk (1988) J. AOAC Int, 71, pp. 607-610Vinas, P., Liquid chromatographic analysis of riboflavin vitamers in foods using fluorescence detection (2004) J. Agr. Food. Chem, 52 (7), pp. 1789-1794Woollard, D.C., Indyk, H.E., Rapid determination of thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, and niacinamide in infant formulas by liquid chromatography (2002) J. AOAC Int, 85 (4), pp. 945-95

Supplementary Material for: Expression of Angiogenic and Inflammatory Factors in Choroidal Neovascularisation-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium

<p><b><i>Purpose:</i></b> Anti-angiogenic treatment is well established in the management of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD), but not sufficient in all patients. The characterisation of factors driving this chronic disease could serve to identify additional treatment options. The purpose of this study was to assess gene expression patterns and distinct changes in cells derived from surgically extracted choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) membranes. <b><i>Materials and Methods:</i></b> The expression of >11,000 genes was analysed by means of a microarray in cells cultured from 2 late-stage CNV membranes compared to primary human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and ARPE-19 cells. A pathway analysis was performed to identify gene expression patterns associated with exudative AMD. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The analysis revealed significant alterations in gene sets associated with inflammatory processes in CNV-derived cells, involving the upregulation of pro-inflammatory factors IL6, C3, and C5, and downregulation of anti-inflammatory complement factor B and complement factor I. Factors associated with angiogenesis, such as VEGFA or ANGPT2, were not significantly regulated in the 2 RPE-derived cell lines. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> In late-stage CNV membrane-derived RPE, gene expression was shifted towards a pro-inflammatory state. Angiogenesis-associated factors were regulated differently in the 2 CNV-derived RPE membranes. While inflammation seems to be continuously stimulated by RPE associated with late exudative AMD, this appears not to be the case with regard to angioregulatory mechanisms.</p

Rapamycin reduces VEGF expression in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and inhibits RPE-induced sprouting angiogenesis in vitro.

Anti-VEGF treatment has become accepted first-line treatment for choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) in age-related macular degeneration. However, VEGF-inhibition does not always lead to sustained CNV-reduction. In this study, the effect of rapamycin was superior to VEGF-inhibition in a co-culture assay of endothelial cells (ECs) and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Rapamycin reduced EC sprouting in groups that did not respond to anti-VEGF treatment. Rapamycin did not induce EC apoptosis, but reduced both VEGF-production in RPE and the responsiveness of ECs to stimulation. Rapamycin might therefore be a therapeutic option for CNV patients that do not respond sufficiently to the established anti-VEGF treatments

Characterization and performance of germanium detectors with sub-keV sensitivities for neutrino and dark matter experiments

Germanium ionization detectors with sensitivities as low as 100 eVee (electron-equivalent energy) open new windows for studies on neutrino and dark matter physics. The relevant physics subjects are summarized. The detectors have to measure physics signals whose amplitude is comparable to that of pedestal electronic noise. To fully exploit this new detector technique, various experimental issues including quenching factors, energy reconstruction and calibration, signal triggering and selection as well as evaluation of their associated efficiencies have to be attended. The efforts and results of a research program to address these challenges are presented.Comment: 18 pages, 18 figures, 3 table; v3 -- Published Versio