Assessment of Toxicity of Myristicin and 1’-Hydroxymyristicin in HepG2 Cell Line

Background and Objective: Myristicin belongs to a class of potentially toxic chemicals (alkoxy substituted allylbenzenes) and despite the structural analogy with safrole, data on this compound are very controversial and unclear. In this study assessed the cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of myristicin and 1\u2019-hydroxy-myristicin after 24 h of exposure in HepG2 cells. Methodology: The compounds were tested up to 600 \u3bcM concentration, for 24 h. The genotoxicity was assessed with alkaline and neutral comet assay and micronucleus assay. The data were analysed by one-way ANOVA. Results: It is to be emphasized that only the synthetic Phase 1 metabolite (1\u2019-hydroxymyristicin) showed a genotoxic effect starting from the concentration of 150 \u3bcM both in comet and micronucleus tests. However, it is important to point out that the same concentration cause a statistically significant (p<0.001) apoptotic process. Conclusion: The consumption of a traditional diet determines very low levels of exposure to the parent myristicin. This fact implies as the primary metabolic pathway the O-demethylation (5-allyl-2,3-dihidroxyanisole) and not to Phase I metabolism, which leads to the conclusion that this substance could not present a significant risk to humans

Oxidative stress as a biomarker for monitoring treated celiac disease article

Introduction: High levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and impaired antioxidant defense systems lead to oxidative stress (OxS) and tissue injury in different intestinal and extra intestinal conditions, including celiac disease (CD). The aim of the present study was to investigate the role and potential use of ROS and other biomarkers of OxS in the clinical management of CD. Methods: We collected duodenal specimens and blood samples from na\uefve patients (N-CD), patients on a gluten free diet (GFD) including responders (CD-GFD) and non-responders (NRCD). We measured plasmatic ROS production (electron paramagnetic resonance, EPR), lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, TBARS), protein oxidation (protein carbonyl, PC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), nitric oxides and glutathione (GSH) in erythrocytes. Results: Fifty-four patients affected by CD were enrolled (17 N-CD, 18 CD-GFD and 19 NRCD; 44 F; age 44 \ub1 13 years). A significant increase of plasmatic OxS biomarkers (ROS, peroxidated lipids, oxidized proteins, and nitrate concentrations) and decrease of antioxidant species (TAC and GSH levels) were found in NRCD and N-CD compared to CD-GFD. Comparably, a significant direct relationship between the severity of duodenal atrophy, ROS production rates and TBARS was found; conversely, TAC and GSH presented an inverse correlation. Discussion: OxS is involved in CD tissue damage and correlates with the degree of duodenal atrophy. These findings suggest the possible role of OxS biomarkers as indicators of CD activity during the clinical follow-up

Mechanisms of light energy harvesting in dendrimers and hyperbranched polymers

Since their earliest synthesis, much interest has arisen in the use of dendritic and structurally allied forms of polymer for light energy harvesting, especially as organic adjuncts for solar energy devices. With the facility to accommodate a proliferation of antenna chromophores, such materials can capture and channel light energy with a high degree of efficiency, each polymer unit potentially delivering the energy of one photon-or more, when optical nonlinearity is involved. To ensure the highest efficiency of operation, it is essential to understand the processes responsible for photon capture and channelling of the resulting electronic excitation. Highlighting the latest theoretical advances, this paper reviews the principal mechanisms, which prove to involve a complex interplay of structural, spectroscopic and electrodynamic properties. Designing materials with the capacity to capture and control light energy facilitates applications that now extend from solar energy to medical photonics. © 2011 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Management of celiac disease in daily clinical practice

Celiac disease (CD) is the most common autoimmune enteropathy worldwide. In CD, dietary gluten triggers a T cell driven small intestinal inflammation in a subset of genetically predisposed subjects, expressing the HLA DQ2 and/or DQ8 genes on their antigen presenting cells. HLA DQ2/DQ8 can bind gluten peptides after their prior modification by the CD autoantigen, tissue transglutaminase (TG2). This process leads to the activation of gluten reactive T cells, small bowel villous atrophy, crypt hyperplasia and intraepithelial lymphocytosis, the histological hallmarks of CD. The clinical picture of CD is extremely heterogeneous including intestinal (especially diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating) and extraintestinal (especially associated autoimmune diseases, anemia, osteoporosis) manifestations. The prevalence of CD in most parts of the world is estimated at 1:100\u20131:150 and its diagnosis is based on the presence of circulating autoantibodies (anti-TG2) and the histological detection of villous atrophy. Treatment is a lifelong gluten free diet but adjunctive therapies are in development. Although CD is a well-characterized disease, it is grossly underdiagnosed, despite the severe consequences of long-term gluten ingestion in CD, such as enhanced autoimmunity, refractory CD and intestinal T cell lymphoma. The aim of the presented review is to provide a clinical guide and to summarize the most recent clinical progress in CD research

Vibrational overtones quenching of near infrared emission in Er3+ complexes

Erbium organic complexes are receiving increasing attention in view of their application in polymeric telecommunication devices, but their use is limited by small emission quantum yield. Non-radiative deactivation of near IR (NIR) transition in Er3+ organic complexes is discussed on the basis of the electronic–vibrational energy transfer. Relevant transition matrix elements necessary to predict quenching effects exerted by various bonds located in the Er3+ coordination sphere are evaluated on the basis of an anharmonic Morse oscillator model and expressed as analytical functions of the fundamental vibrational intensities. The latter are calculated on the basis of various ab initio quantum chemical methods, which yield intensity values close to the experimental measurements. Quenching effects in complexes containing a number of common ligands are evaluated and discussed, and a strategy to design highly efficient NIR emitters is proposed

SKIN LESIONS INDUCED FROM THE RADIOSURGICAL UNIT AND VOLTAIC ARC DERMOABRASION: A RABBIT MODEL

The aim of this study was a histological evaluation of skin lesions induced from the radiosurgical unit and voltaic arc dermoabrasion: a rabbit model. Materials and methods: eight New Zealand male rabbits with a weight average 3.9 Kg, participated in this study. Dorsal part of each rabbit was shaven and divided in two equal parts of 5 cm. Voltaic arc dermoabrasion ( Plexer, GMV s.r.l. Grottaferrata, Italy) in one side and radiosurgical unit (Laser elettronica Milano 1,75 MH) on the other were used to remove the keratinized layer. In each area were performed 10 sites of abrasion for a total of 20 sites per rabbit. The animals were sacrificed in groups of two at days: 0, 7, 14 and 21 with a Tanax overdose. The treated skin was removed using a scalpel and a block section containing the subcutaneous layer was effectuated. There were obtained 20 biopsies from each block section, 10 performed with el- bras and 10 with radiosurgical unit for a total of 40 biopsies per study time. Results: the present results demonstrated the possibility on containing the thermal damage of the lesions adjacent tissues using dermoabrasion. There were no observations of thermal damage on the underlying dermal tissue. Absent necrotic layer on the healing process was shown but an inflammatory infiltrate was present. The reduced thermal damage on the subcutaneous tissue is probably due to the current passage absence on the tissues. This is necessary to close the electric circuit between the active electrode and the neutral one in which the patient is part when using the radiosurgical unit. The arc voltaic dermoabrasion technique in comparison with the electroscalpel demonstrated the capability to contain the damage within the parenchym

A miRNA-Based Blood and Mucosal Approach for Detecting and Monitoring Celiac Disease

Background: The role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in celiac disease (CD) is unclear. Aims: We evaluated inflammation-related miRNA-146a, miRNA-155, miRNA-21, and miRNA-125b expression in peripheral blood and intestinal mucosa of CD adults. Methods: Thirty patients with CD were included: patients with active CD on a gluten-containing diet (CD-active, n = 10), patients on a gluten-free diet (for at least 1&nbsp;year), and patients with negative blood antibodies (CD-inactivePE, n = 10). In addition, ten healthy volunteers formed the comparison/control group. MiRNA expression was measured in duodenal biopsies from patients (CD-inactiveMU, n = 10) after in vitro exposure to PT gliadin and 33-mer peptide. MiRNAs expression was measured in plasma and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and monocytes, before and after in vitro exposure to native gliadin (gliadinN). Results: Expression levels of miRNA-146a, miRNA-155, and miRNA-21 in PBMCs, miRNA-155 in monocytes and miRNA-155, miRNA-21, and miRNA-125b in plasma were elevated in both groups of celiac patients. After in vitro exposure with gliadinN, miRNA-146a and miRNA-155 expression markedly increased in PBMCs and monocytes, while miRNA-155 and miRNA-21 increased in the CD-active group. MiRNAs expression in intestinal mucosa did not change. MiRNA-146a and miRNA-155 expression showed high sensitivity and specificity for the presence of CD, irrespective of the current dietary treatment. Conclusions: Selected inflammation-related miRNAs expression is elevated in the peripheral blood of celiac. This suggests their participation in the immune processes underlying the pathology. Their similar response in active and inactive CD suggests that they should be further evaluated, as potential diagnostic biomarkers for CD