Changes in humoral immune response after SARS-CoV-2 infection in liver transplant recipients compared to immunocompetent patients

The protective capacity and duration of humoral immunity after SARS-CoV-2 infection are not yet understood in solid organ transplant recipients. A prospective multicenter study was performed to evaluate the persistence of anti-nucleocapsid IgG antibodies in liver transplant recipients 6 months after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) resolution. A total of 71 liver transplant recipients were matched with 71 immunocompetent controls by a propensity score including variables with a well-known prognostic impact in COVID-19. Paired case-control serological data were also available in 62 liver transplant patients and 62 controls at month 3 after COVID-19. Liver transplant recipients showed a lower incidence of anti-nucleocapsid IgG antibodies at 3 months (77.4% vs. 100%, p <.001) and at 6 months (63.4% vs. 90.1%, p <.001). Lower levels of antibodies were also observed in liver transplant patients at 3 (p =.001) and 6 months (p <.001) after COVID-19. In transplant patients, female gender (OR = 13.49, 95% CI: 2.17-83.8), a longer interval since transplantation (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.03-1.36), and therapy with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (OR = 7.11, 95% CI: 1.47-34.50) were independently associated with persistence of antibodies beyond 6 months after COVID-19. Therefore, as compared with immunocompetent patients, liver transplant recipients show a lower prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and more pronounced antibody levels decline

Time to Switch to Second-line Antiretroviral Therapy in Children With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Europe and Thailand.

Background: Data on durability of first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) in children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are limited. We assessed time to switch to second-line therapy in 16 European countries and Thailand. Methods: Children aged <18 years initiating combination ART (≥2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors [NRTIs] plus nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor [NNRTI] or boosted protease inhibitor [PI]) were included. Switch to second-line was defined as (i) change across drug class (PI to NNRTI or vice versa) or within PI class plus change of ≥1 NRTI; (ii) change from single to dual PI; or (iii) addition of a new drug class. Cumulative incidence of switch was calculated with death and loss to follow-up as competing risks. Results: Of 3668 children included, median age at ART initiation was 6.1 (interquartile range (IQR), 1.7-10.5) years. Initial regimens were 32% PI based, 34% nevirapine (NVP) based, and 33% efavirenz based. Median duration of follow-up was 5.4 (IQR, 2.9-8.3) years. Cumulative incidence of switch at 5 years was 21% (95% confidence interval, 20%-23%), with significant regional variations. Median time to switch was 30 (IQR, 16-58) months; two-thirds of switches were related to treatment failure. In multivariable analysis, older age, severe immunosuppression and higher viral load (VL) at ART start, and NVP-based initial regimens were associated with increased risk of switch. Conclusions: One in 5 children switched to a second-line regimen by 5 years of ART, with two-thirds failure related. Advanced HIV, older age, and NVP-based regimens were associated with increased risk of switch

Rosemary Extracts Improved the Antioxidant Status of Low-Fat Yoghurt Sauces Enriched with Inulin

Yoghurt sauces are considered fatty products which are quite susceptible to oxidation and must be stabilised using antioxidants. Novel formulations for yoghurt sauces often involve replacement of fat with dietary fibres and use of natural preservatives. The aim of the present research was to design healthier formulations for yoghurt sauces based on the replacement of sunflower oil (SO) with chicory inulin (IN) and the use of rosemary extracts (RE) as natural antioxidants. Different sauces were developed by adding IN at 2 and 5% w: w and/or 300 mg/kg lipo- and/or water-soluble rosemary extracts (RLE and/or RWE) containing 120 and 146 mg polyphenols per g extract, respectively. Nutritional value (proximate composition and caloric contribution), some physical properties (pH and CIELab colour) and antioxidant status (deoxyribose, DPPH radical scavenging, Rancimat, lipid peroxidation and linoleic acid assays) were assessed in the sauces. Replacement of SO with IN (5%) reduced fat content by 30%, roughly 15% low calories, thereby obtaining healthier sauces. As expected, the RLE was more effective than the RWE in improving antioxidant activity in lipidic environment. Using RLE enhanced the antioxidant capacity of lipid peroxidation by 44%. In the Rancimat test, this increased the oxidative protection of the sauce made with and without IN (5%) by around 20% or 45%, respectively. Similarly, using RLE doubled protection against linoleic acid oxidation. Application of IN in yoghurt sauce has nutritional (replacement of lipids with dietary fibre) and technological interest (foaming agent) and can be combined with RE of high polyphenol content as a potential functional ingredient capable of stabilising the sauces against oxidation

Los alimentos como captadores de radicales libres / Magdalena Martínez Tomé ; bajo la dirección de Mª Antonia Murcia Tomás y Ana Mª Vera Manzanares

Tesis-Universidad de Murcia.Consulte la tesis en: BCA. GENERAL. DEPOSITO. T.M-2178.CRAI CIENCIAS. DEPOSITO. TESIS VETER MURCIA 138

Optimization of the DPPH method to evaluate antioxidant activity of coffee brew

El café es una de las bebidas más consumidas en el mundo siendo apreciado por sus características organolépticas y más recientemente por su potencial efecto beneficioso en la salud humana. Se han descrito compuestos en el café que le confieren propiedades antioxidantes. La actividad antioxidante puede ser medida con diferentes test y el método de captura del radical DPPH es un método utilizado por numerosos autores que han ido realizando adaptaciones del mismo para evaluar diversos alimentos (frutas, zumos, café, verduras). El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar la capacidad antioxidante del café mediante una optimización del ensayo DPPH en condiciones normales de consumo, empleando tres tipos de cafetera (filtro, expreso e italiana), comparado con cafés de distintos orígenes (Colombia, Kenia y Etiopía) y café descafeinado. Los resultados de la optimización del ensayo muestran valores de absorbancias inferiores (0,709) cuando la muestra es sometida a la etapa de centrifugación (modificación de Delgado-Andrade, 2005) respecto a aquellas que son sometidas solo a agitación (1,609). Los datos de actividad antioxidante obtenidos muestran una elevada capacidad antioxidante con porcentajes de inhibición superior a 50 % destacando el café Colombia, Etiopía y Kenia elaborados con cafetera de filtro con valores de 70,56%, 73,52% y 73,65% respectivamente. En conclusión, según los resultados obtenidos, vemos la necesidad de adaptar los métodos establecidos de captura de radicales a las características del alimento o producto evaluado para asegurar al 100% la actividad antioxidante del alimento. La actividad antioxidante de la bebida de café no varía en función de la procedencia del café ni del contenido de cafeína que presenta. Por otro lado, en nuestro estudio, sólo observamos diferencias de actividad antioxidante del café referidas al tipo de cafetera, donde el café elaborado mediante la cafetera tipo expreso presenta menor actividad antioxidante (p<0,05) que los otros dos procedimientos. Sería por ello interesante recomendar el uso de cafeteras (filtro e italiana) para la obtención de café y conseguir un buen aporte de antioxidantes dietéticos.ABSTRACT Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, being appreciated for its organoleptic characteristics and more recently for its potential beneficial effects on human health. Coffee is also known to be a rich source of compounds with potent antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity can be measured with different test and method of capture radical DPPH, is a method used by many authors that have been carried out to assess adaptation in various foods (fruits, juices, coffee, vegetables). This study aim to evaluate the antioxidant capacity, by the DPPH assay, of coffee brew prepared in three commonly used ways (filter, espresso, italian) from different countries of origin (Colombia, Kenya and Ethiopia) and decaffeinated coffee. The optimization results of the test show lower values of absorbance (0.709) when the sample is subjected to centrifugation step (modification to Delgado-Andrade, 2005) with respect to only those that are subjected to agitation (1.609). The antioxidant activity data obtained show a high antioxidant capacity with inhibition percentages above 50%, with the coffee Colombia, Ethiopia and Kenya coffee filter made with values 70.56%, 73.52% and 73.65% respectively. In conclusion, according to the results, we see the need to adapt the methods set out radical capture the characteristics of the food or product evaluated to ensure 100% food antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of coffee drinking from different origins is similar and does not vary depending on the presence or absence of caffeine. Moreover, we observed only differences antioxidant activity relating to the type procedure, where coffee type “espresso” has less antioxidant activity (p<0.05) than the other two procedures. It would be interesting therefore recommend the use of the procedures (filter and Italian) for the obtaining of coffee and get a good intake of dietary antioxidants

Revalorisation of Sage (<i>Salvia lavandulifolia</i> Vahl) By-Product Extracts as a Source of Polyphenol Antioxidants for Novel Jelly Candies

Sage (Salvia lavandulifolia Vahl) aqueous extracts (SE) obtained from distillation by-products were assessed as antioxidants for nutritionally enhanced jelly candies. Two experimental SEs with a different content of phenolic acids and flavonoids were tested: (i) SE38 (37.6 mg/g) and (ii) SE70 (69.8 mg/g), with salvianic and rosmarinic acids as main polyphenols, respectively. Flavour alteration, stability of sage polyphenols, physical quality traits and antioxidant capacity (AC) were studied in strawberry candies formulated without sugars and enriched with SEs at 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75 g/kg. Despite their different quantitative composition, SE38 and SE70 provided similar antioxidant properties, which were dose dependent. Salvianic and rosmarinic acids were stable without degrading to candy processing (up to 80 °C), keeping their antioxidant potential. There were no relevant differences in flavour or physical traits (pH, °Brix and CIELab colour) between untreated and SE-enriched strawberry candies. The addition of 0.75 g SE/kg resulted in relevant increases of candy AC: (i) from 30 to 38 mg GAE/100 g (total phenolics); (ii) from 10 to 17 mg TE/100 g (DPPH• radical scavenging assay); (iii) from 5 to 13 mg TE/100 g (ABTS·+ radical scavenging assay); (iv) from 84 to 163 µmol Fe2+/100 g (FRAP capacity) and (v) from to 75 to 83% (inhibition of deoxyribose damage). Sage distillation by-products can be revalorised as a source of natural antioxidants to produce healthier candies

Rosemary Extracts Improved the Antioxidant Status of Low-Fat Yoghurt Sauces Enriched with Inulin

Yoghurt sauces are considered fatty products which are quite susceptible to oxidation and must be stabilised using antioxidants. Novel formulations for yoghurt sauces often involve replacement of fat with dietary fibres and use of natural preservatives. The aim of the present research was to design healthier formulations for yoghurt sauces based on the replacement of sunflower oil (SO) with chicory inulin (IN) and the use of rosemary extracts (RE) as natural antioxidants. Different sauces were developed by adding IN at 2 and 5% w: w and/or 300 mg/kg lipo- and/or water-soluble rosemary extracts (RLE and/or RWE) containing 120 and 146 mg polyphenols per g extract, respectively. Nutritional value (proximate composition and caloric contribution), some physical properties (pH and CIELab colour) and antioxidant status (deoxyribose, DPPH radical scavenging, Rancimat, lipid peroxidation and linoleic acid assays) were assessed in the sauces. Replacement of SO with IN (5%) reduced fat content by 30%, roughly 15% low calories, thereby obtaining healthier sauces. As expected, the RLE was more effective than the RWE in improving antioxidant activity in lipidic environment. Using RLE enhanced the antioxidant capacity of lipid peroxidation by 44%. In the Rancimat test, this increased the oxidative protection of the sauce made with and without IN (5%) by around 20% or 45%, respectively. Similarly, using RLE doubled protection against linoleic acid oxidation. Application of IN in yoghurt sauce has nutritional (replacement of lipids with dietary fibre) and technological interest (foaming agent) and can be combined with RE of high polyphenol content as a potential functional ingredient capable of stabilising the sauces against oxidation

Assessment of a Diterpene-Rich Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) Extract as a Natural Antioxidant for Salmon P&acirc;t&eacute; Formulated with Linseed

The use of natural plant extracts with standardised antioxidant properties is a growing strategy to stabilise food products. The use of a rosemary lipophilic extract (RLE), obtained from the by-product of high-yield selected plants and rich in polyphenols (334 mg/g, with diterpenes such as carnosic acid and carnosol as main compounds), is here proposed. Four RLE doses (0, 0.21, 0.42 and 0.63 g/kg) were tested in a salmon p&acirc;t&eacute; formulated with sunflower oil and linseed, which was pasteurised (70 &deg;C for 30 min) and subjected to storage at 4 &deg;C and 600 lux for 42 days. Rosemary diterpenes resisted pasteurisation without degrading and showed antioxidant activities during the shelf-life of pasteurised p&acirc;t&eacute;. RLE addition led to increased peroxide value (from 3.9 to 5.4 meq O2/kg), but inhibited formation of secondary oxidised lipids such as malondialdehyde (from 1.55 to 0.89 mg/g) and cholesterol oxidation products (from 286 to 102 &micro;g/100 g) and avoided discolouration (slight brownness) in the refrigerated p&acirc;t&eacute;. However, this did not entail relevant changes in fatty acid content or in the abundance of volatile organic compounds from oxidised lipids. Increasing the RLE dose only improved its antioxidant efficacy for some oxidation indexes. Thus, the oxidative deterioration of these types of fish emulsion can be naturally controlled with rosemary extracts rich in diterpenes