Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activities of Skins and Seeds of Foreign and Iranian Grapes

Grape skins and seeds are sources of phenolic compounds that contribute to the sensory characteristics and beneficial bioactivity of wines and other processed foods. Grape seed and skin extracts from foreign, wild and Iranian cultivars were assayed for their antioxidant properties and phenolic compositions. Finally, the results were compared with those of Vitis vinifera cv. Muscat of Alexandria and V.labrusca. Among the skins of grape cultivars analyzed, those of Lalsiyah contained the highest amount of total phenolics (1067.5 mg 100g-1 gallic acid equivalent of fresh weight) and antiradical activities (0.79 m mol g-1 trolox equivalent of fresh weight). In contrast, Dedeskiramfi contained highest amount of seed total phenolics (2277.3 mg 100 g-1 GAE of fresh weight). The phenolic content of different grapes depends mainly on the grape skin color. The total phenolic content of W8 and W11 with white skins was significantly different from grapes with dark skins. Lalsiyah skin contained the highest amount of total flavonoid, total anthocyanins content, total procyanidin monomers and antiradical activity. Since, total phenolic content is an index of potent antioxidant capability; Lalsiyah will be good resource of antioxidant in food and pharmaceutical industries

Study of Pediculus capitis prevalence in primary school children and its preventive behaviors determinants based on Health Belief Model in Their Mothers in Hashtgerd, 2012

Introduction: Head lice infection is a global health problem with a long history that led to physical, psychological and social complications which is most common between the ages of 6-11years. Regarding lack of studies in the area this study was performed to determine the prevalence of Pediculus capitis in primary school children and its preventive behaviors determinants based on Health Belief Model in Their Mothers in Hashtgerd, 2012. Methods: The analytical cross-sectional study carried out on 372 primary school students and their mothers in Hashtgerd. Data was collected by examining the student's heads and a questionnaire which was completed by their mothers and was analyzed by SPSS-18, using Indices of central tendency and dispersion, independent t-test, Pearson correlation ratio, linear regression, and ANOVA. Results: The prevalence of Pediculus capitis was 6.4 percent. Prevalence of head lice was significantly higher in girl students (8.6%) versus boys (0.5%) (P<0.001). There was a positive significant correlation between preventive behaviors and perceived severity, perceived benefits, and self-efficacy (P<0.05). Among preventive behaviors, cooperation of mothers with health care providers to prevent lice had the lowest frequency. Based on regression analysis, HBM constructs predicted 10.7% of variance&nbsp; in preventive behaviors and self-efficacy was the only statistically significant predictor of behavior (&beta;=0.048).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conclusion: Regarding meaningful prevalence of Pediculus capitis &nbsp;especially among female students, HBM-based educational programs is recommended&nbsp; to enhance preventive behaviors of head lice in students, parents, and school staff with an emphasize on mothers self- efficacy and also necessity of mothers cooperation with health care providers to prevent lice

Comparison of LV.GS.GpLuc.v1- and LV.GS.GpLuc.v6-based cell fusion assay systems.

<p>(<b>A</b>): GpLuc production by proliferating or differentiating co-cultures of myoblasts^GS.GLuc or myoblasts^GS.GLuc+ with myoblasts-FLPe^NLS+ at different times after culture initiation. Cells were seeded in different ratios (<i>i.e.</i> 100∶0%, 90∶10% and 75∶25%). At 72 h after cell seeding the culture fluid was replaced by fresh culture medium with (growth conditions, no differentiation) or without (differentiation conditions) serum. Ninety-six h and 120 h later culture medium collected for luciferase activity measurement. Bars represent mean ± standard error of the mean (n = 3). (<b>B</b>): Fold change in luciferase activity calculated on the basis of the data presented in (A). For each experimental condition the average light production under growth conditions was the denominator and the mean of the RLUs produced under differentiation conditions was the numerator. RLUs, relative light units; G1, LV.GS.GpLuc.v1-based cell fusion assay; G6, LV.GS.GpLuc.v6-based cell fusion assay; MBs^GS.GLuc(+), myoblasts^GS.GLuc or myoblasts^GS.GLuc+; MBs-FLPe^NLS+, myoblasts-FLPe^NLS+.</p

Comparison of LV.GS.GpLuc.v1- and LV.GS.PpLuc-based cell fusion assay systems.

<p>(<b>A</b>): GpLuc and PpLuc production by proliferating or differentiating co-cultures of myoblasts^GS.GLuc or myoblasts^GS.PLuc with myoblasts-FLPe^NLS+ at different times after culture initiation. Cells were seeded in different ratios (<i>i.e.</i> 100∶0%, 90∶10%, 75∶25% and 50∶50%). At 72 h after cell seeding the culture fluid was replaced by fresh culture medium with (growth conditions, no differentiation) or without (differentiation conditions) serum. Ninety-six h and 120 h later samples (culture fluid for cultures containing myoblasts^GS.GLuc and cell lysates for cultures containing myoblasts^GS.PLuc) were harvested for luciferase activity measurements. Bars represent mean ± standard error of the mean (n = 3). (<b>B</b>): Fold change in luciferase activity calculated on the basis of the data presented in (A). For each experimental condition the average light production under growth conditions was the denominator and the mean of the RLUs produced under differentiation conditions was the numerator. RLUs, relative light units; G, LV.GS.GpLuc.v1-based cell fusion assay; P, LV.GS.PpLuc-based cell fusion assay; MBs^GS.Luc, myoblasts^GS.GLuc or myoblasts^GS.PLuc; MBs-FLPe^NLS+, myoblasts-FLPe^NLS+.</p

Analysis of FLPe^NLS+/− level, intracellular localization and enzymatic activity.

<p>(<b>A</b>): Western blotting analysis of whole protein lysates, nuclear cell fractions and cytosolic cell fractions of myoblasts-FLPe^NLS+ (+) and of myoblasts-FLPe^NLS− (−) maintained in growth medium (no differentiation) or exposed to differentiation conditions for 96 h (differentiation). (<b>B</b>): Luciferase activity measurements in culture media of myoblasts^GS.GLuc transduced with LV.FLPe^NLS+.PurR, LV.FLPe^NLS−.PurR or LV.PurR (negative control vector) representing different intervals (<i>i.e.</i> 0–24 h and 24–48 h) post transduction. Bars show mean ± standard error of the mean (n = 3). (<b>C</b>): Fold change in luciferase activity calculated on the basis of the data presented in (B). The average light production by samples of LV.PurR-transduced myoblasts^GS.GLuc was the denominator and the mean of the RLUs produced by LV.FLPe^NLS+.PurR-transduced myoblasts^GS.GLuc (NLS⁺) or by LV.FLPe^NLS−.PurR-transduced myoblasts^GS.GLuc (NLS⁻) was the numerator. NLS, nuclear localization signal; FLPe, molecularly evolved flippase; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase; RLUs, relative light units.</p

Performance of FLPe^NLS+ and FLPe^NLS− at different acceptor-to-donor cell ratios and time points.

<p>(<b>A</b>): GpLuc release by proliferating or differentiating co-cultures of myoblasts^GS.GLuc and myoblasts-FLPe^NLS+ (+) or myoblasts-FLPe^NLS− (−) at different time intervals after culture initiation. Myoblasts^GS.GLuc and myoblasts-FLPe were seeded in different ratios (<i>i.e.</i> 95∶5%, 75∶25%, 25∶75% and 5∶95%). At 72 h after cell seeding, the culture fluid was replaced by fresh culture medium with (growth conditions, no differentiation) or without (differentiation conditions) serum. Fourthy-eight h later the culture medium was refreshed once again. Twenty-four h later the culture fluid was harvested for luciferase activity measurement and replaced by the same volume of fresh culture medium. This procedure was repeated every 24 h until 120 h after the first medium change. Bars represent mean ± standard error of the mean (n = 3). (<b>B</b>): Fold change in luciferase activity calculated on the basis of the data presented in (A). For each experimental condition the average light production under growth conditions was the denominator and the mean of the RLUs produced under differentiation conditions was the numerator. RLUs, relative light units; MBs^GS.GLuc, myoblasts^GS.GLuc; MBs-FLPe, myoblasts-FLPe; NLS, nuclear localization signal.</p

Validation of the LV.FLPe^NLS+/−.PurR/LV.GS.GpLuc.v1-based cell fusion assay system.

<p>(<b>A</b>): Luminometric analysis of culture medium of myoblasts^GS.GLuc co-cultured with myoblasts-FLPe^NLS+ (+) or with myoblasts-FLPe^NLS− (−) at the indicated ratios. At 72 h after cell seeding, the culture fluid in each well was replaced by fresh culture medium with (growth conditions, no differentiation) or without (differentiation conditions) serum. Nighty-six h later the culture media were collected and subjected to luciferase activity measurements. Bars represent mean ± standard error of the mean (n = 3). (<b>B</b>): Fold change in luciferase activity calculated on the basis of the data presented in (A). For each culture composition the average light production under growth conditions was the denominator and the mean of the RLUs produced under differentiation conditions was the numerator. RLUs, relative light units; MBs^GS.GLuc, myoblasts^GS.GLuc; MBs-FLPe, myoblasts-FLPe; NLS, nuclear localization signal.</p

Alignment of the nucleotide sequences immediately upstream of the <i>Luc</i> ORFs in pLV.GS.GpLuc.v1, pLV.GS.PpLuc and pLV.GS.GpLuc.v6.

<p>Blue box, 3′ end of the mMT1 pA; underlined sequences, out-of-frame ORFs preceding <i>Luc</i> ORFs; boxed TAA sequences, in-frame stop codons preceding <i>Luc</i> ORFs; red letters, in-frame ORFs preceding <i>Luc</i> ORFs; green letters, 5′ in-frame extension of the <i>GpLuc</i> ORF in pLV.GS.GpLuc.v1; black box, minimal FRT sequence; boxed ATG sequences, <i>Luc</i> initiation codons; light yellow box, 5′ end <i>GpLuc</i> ORF; dark yellow box, 5′ end <i>PpLuc</i> ORF.</p

Improved design of the <i>GpLuc</i> gene switch cassette.

<p>(<b>A–C</b>): Detailed structure of the areas upstream of the <i>Luc</i> ORFs in pLV.GS.GpLuc.v1 (A), pLV.GS.GpLuc.v6 (B) and pLV.GS.PpLuc (C) starting at the HIV1 3′ LTR. U5, HIV1 LTR unique 5′ region; R, HIV1 LTR repeat region; ΔU3, enhancer- and promoterless HIV1 LTR unique 3′ region; blue arrow, mouse <i>metallothionein 1</i> gene polyadenylation signal (mMT1 pA); small black triangle, AATAAA motif in mMT1 pA; red diamonds, stop codons in frame with <i>Luc</i> ORFs; large black triangle, minimal FRT sequence; light yellow arrow, <i>GpLuc</i> ORF; green box, 5′ in-frame extension of the <i>GpLuc</i> ORF; white arrows, out-of-frame ORFs preceding <i>Luc</i> ORFs; red arrows, in-frame ORFs preceding <i>Luc</i> ORFs; dark yellow arrow, <i>PpLuc</i> ORF.</p

Microscopic analysis of cell fusion kinetics in 1∶1 co-cultures of myoblasts-FLPe^NLS⁻ and myoblasts^GS.GLuc after maintenance for 72 h in growth medium and subsequent exposure to differentiation medium.

<p>At 24, 48, 72, 96 or 120 h after initiation of differentiation the cells were fixed and immunostained for skTnI (red fluorescence). The blue fluorescence corresponds to nuclei labeled with the karyophilic dye Hoechst 33342. The upper and lower row of pictures show phase-contrast images and fluoromicrographs, respectively. The first syncytia appeared at ±48 h after serum removal. The cell cultures displayed a time-dependent increase in frequency and size of myotubes/sacs until the cells started to detach from the surface of the culture plates. In parallel cultures of myoblasts kept in normal growth medium the cells remained firmly attached to their support and only few small syncytia were observed at late times after culture initiation (data no shown).</p