Obstructive Sleep Apnea Is Associated with Liver Damage and Atherosclerosis in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

We assessed whether obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and nocturnal hypoxemia are associated with severity of liver fibrosis and carotid atherosclerosis in patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and low prevalence of morbid obesity. Secondary aim was to explore the association of OSA and hypoxemia with NASH and severity of liver pathological changes

Bioactive compounds in tomatoes: effect of organic vs conventional management in Parma in 2006

External and internal factors such as variety, season, location, ripening, growing conditions, technological and domestic processes could affect the content of bioactive compounds in food. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different agronomical practices (organic vs conventional) on the nutritional quality of tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes (cv. Perfectpeel), cultivated under organic and conventional practices were analysed for vitamin C, lycopene, -carotene, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, naringenin, rutin, quercetin, Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) and Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP). CaCO2 monolayer cell cultures were used for testing membrane damage by Trans Epithelial Electrical Resistance(TEER). Results showed that for lycopene, naringenin and rutin no significant differences were observed. For -carotene and coumaric acid significantly higher values were found in organic samples. Values of vitamin C, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin and TAC were significantly higher in conventional tomato, but the FRAP values were significantly higher in organic tomato. The observed TEER values were not significant different between organic and conventional tomato

Root carbon inputs to the rhizosphere stimulate extracellular enzyme activity and increase nitrogen availability in temperate forest soils

The exudation of carbon (C) by tree roots stimulates microbial activity and the production of extracellular enzymes in the rhizosphere. Here, we investigated whether the strength of rhizosphere processes differed between temperate forest trees that vary in soil organic matter (SOM) chemistry and associate with either ectomycorrhizal (ECM) or arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. We measured rates of root exudation, microbial and extracellular enzyme activity, and nitrogen (N) availability in samples of rhizosphere and bulk soil influenced by four temperate forest tree species (i.e., to estimate a rhizosphere effect). Although not significantly different between species, root exudation ranged from 0.36 to 1.10 g C m−2 day−1, representing a small but important transfer of C to rhizosphere microbes. The magnitude of the rhizosphere effects could not be easily characterized by mycorrhizal associations or SOM chemistry. Ash had the lowest rhizosphere effects and beech had the highest rhizosphere effects, representing one AM and one ECM species, respectively. Hemlock and sugar maple had equivalent rhizosphere effects on enzyme activity. However, the form of N produced in the rhizosphere varied with mycorrhizal association. Enhanced enzyme activity primarily increased amino acid availability in ECM rhizospheres and increased inorganic N availability in AM rhizospheres. These results show that the exudation of C by roots can enhance extracellular enzyme activity and soil-N cycling. This work suggests that global changes that alter belowground C allocation have the potential to impact the form and amount of N to support primary production in ECM and AM stands