Phytochemical Characterization of Citrus-Based Products Supporting Their Antioxidant Effect and Sensory Quality

The increasing attention on the impact of food on human and environmental health has led to a greater awareness about nutrition, food processing, and food waste. In this perspective, the present work deals with the investigation of the chemical non-volatile and volatile profiles of two Citrus-based products, produced through a conscious process, using Citrus peels as natural gelling agents. Moreover, the total polyphenol content (TPC) and the antioxidant properties were evaluated, as well as their sensorial properties. Chemical and antioxidant results were compared with those of Citrus fresh fruits (C. reticulata, C. sinensis, and C. limon). Concerning the non-volatile fingerprint, the two samples showed a very similar composition, characterized by flavanones (naringenin, hesperetin, and eriodyctiol O-glycosides), flavones (diosmetin and apigenin C-glucosides), and limonoids (limonin, nomilinic acid, and its glucoside). The amount of both flavonoids and limonoids was higher in the Lemon product than in the Mixed Citrus one, as well as the TPC and the antioxidant activity. The aroma composition of the two samples was characterized by monoterpene hydrocarbons as the main chemical class, mainly represented by limonene. The sensorial analysis, finally, evidenced a good quality of both the products. These results showed that the most representative components of Citrus fruits persist even after the transformation process, and the aroma and sensorial properties endow an added value to Citrus preparations

Molecular analysis of a sunflower gene encoding an homologous of the B subunit of a CAAT binding factor

A genomic DNA fragment containing the complete LEAFY COTYLEDON1-LIKE (HaL1L) gene was retrieved by chromosome walking. Its sequence was confirmed and elongated by screening a sunflower genomic DNA BAC Library. HaL1L, whose cDNA had already been sequenced and characterized, encodes a NF-YB subunit of a CCAAT box-binding factor (NF-Y) involved in the early stages of zygotic and somatic embryogenesis in the Helianthus genus. In the HaL1L 50-flanking region, elements specific to a putative TATA-box promoter and two ‘‘CG isles’’ were identified. An investigation of the methylation status of these CG rich DNA regions showed that differentially methylated cytosines were recognizable in the DNA of embryos on the fifth day after pollination in comparison to leaf DNA suggesting that during plant development epigenetic regulation of HaL1L transcription was achieved by methylating cytosine residues. We also searched the HaL1L nucleotide sequence for cis-regulatory elements able to interact with other transcription factors (TFs) involved in the HaL1L regulation. Of the elements identified, one of the most intriguing is WUSATA, the target sequence for the WUSCHEL (WUS) TF, which may be part of a complex regulation network controlling embryo development. In this article, we show that the WUSATA target site, located in the intron of HaL1L, is able to bind the TF WUS. Interestingly, we found auxin and abscisic acid responsive motifs in the HaL1L promoter region suggesting that this gene may additionally by under hormonal control. Finally, the presence of a cytoplasmic polyadenylation signal downstream to the coding region indicates that this gene may also be controlled at the translation level by a temporarily making the pre-synthesized HaL1L mRNA unavailable for protein synthesis

Stocks, Flows and Valuation Effects of Foreign Assets and Liabilities: Do they Matter?

During the last few years, large holdings of foreign assets and liabilities along with an increasing relevance of the valuation effects—capital gains or losses—have characterized global financial integration. This paper presents an empirical assessment of the implications of stocks, flows and valuation adjustments in external crises, sovereign credit ratings and the long-run dynamics of real exchange rates (RER), in both industrial and developing economies. We find that foreign assets and liabilities are rather distinctive external holdings with different implications in the occurrence of an external crisis. Valuation adjustments have an impact on crises, although quantitatively not very large. Portfolio liabilities (particularly equity) increase the probability of current account reversals, while the likelihood of sudden stops increases with foreign direct investment assets. In the case of sovereign credit ratings, we find a noteworthy effect of the stock and flows of FDI liabilities on improvin sovereign ratings. Finally, as for the RER, gross assets and liabilities appear equally important, but components of external holdings have considerably different effects. While the cumulative current account is associated with real depreciation, the valuation effect is strongly linked with real currency appreciations in developing economies.

Repeatability of the ISAAC video questionnaire and its accuracy against a clinical diagnosis of asthma

AbstractThe objective of the study was to evaluate the performance of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) video questionnaire in terms of repeatability and accuracy against a clinical diagnosis of asthma achieved according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) algorithm.Two hundred and forty-one subjects, aged 13–14 years from two secondary schools in Rome, Italy, were enrolled. Video and written ISAAC questionnaires were completed twice, 3 months apart, by 194 and 190 adolescents, respectively. Two months later, 106 subjects were visited by two physicians blinded to the results of questionnaires.Sixteen subjects were classified as having clinical asthma (CA) at the clinical visit, and eight of them as having clinical active asthma (CAA) on the basis of at least one positive outcome of the NHLBI algorithm. The repeatability of video questionnaire was similar to that of the written questionnaire for items on exercise wheeze and nocturnal cough and, to a lesser degree, for items concerning any wheeze in the past. The video questionnaire showed a worse performance than the written questionnaire for items on asthma attack: K-value (95% CL)=0·59 (0·37–0·80) for video scene no. 5 and K-value (95% CL)=0·86 (0·74–0·98) for written question no. 6. The overall accuracy of the video questionnaire, estimated as a positive answer to any video scene, was lower in terms of sensitivity than that of any written question when CA was used as a gold standard (0·50 vs. 0·81, P=0·025) and increased with respect to CAA (0·75vs. 0·87, P=0·317). The specificity of any video scene was better than that of any written question, independently from the gold standard used.In conclusion, the video questionnaire showed a fairly good accuracy, although slightly lower than that of the written questionnaire and provided sufficiently reliable results. However, samples of subjects from different geographic areas and cultures should be studied in order to conclusively define the performance of the ISAAC video questionnaire

Ozone-elicited secondary metabolites in shoot cultures of Melissa officinalis L.

The effects of ozone treatment (200 ppb, 3 h) on the accumulation of main secondary metabolites have been investigated in Melissa officinalis (lemon balm) aseptic shoot cultures in order to evaluate the biotechnological application of this gas for improving the yield of secondary metabolites of medicinal plants. During the treatment, we found (i) an activation of enzymes involved in phenolic metabolism [as confirmed by the increase of shikimate dehydrogenase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase activities (about twofold higher than controls)], (ii) a development of cellular barriers with a higher degree of polymerization of monolignols [as indicated by the increase of lignin (+23% compared to controls)], (iii) an accumulation of phenolic compounds, in particular rosmarinic acid (about fourfold compared to control plants cultivated in filtered air) and (iv) an increase of antioxidant capacity [as documented by the improved 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging activity]. The effect of ozone as elicitor of the production of secondary metabolites in lemon balm shoot cultures was dependent on the specific regime, the time of exposure and the concentration of the stressor. After the end of the treatment, we found cell death and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) deposition concomitant with a prolonged superoxide anion-generation suggesting that a transient oxidative burst had occurre

Mmp-9 and il-1\u3b2 as targets for diatoxanthin and related microalgal pigments: Potential chemopreventive and photoprotective agents

Photochemoprevention can be a valuable approach to counteract the damaging effects of environmental stressors (e.g., UV radiations) on the skin. Pigments are bioactive molecules, greatly attractive for biotechnological purposes, and with promising applications for human health. In this context, marine microalgae are a valuable alternative and eco-sustainable source of pigments that still need to be taken advantage of. In this study, a comparative in vitro photochemopreventive effects of twenty marine pigments on carcinogenic melanoma model cell B16F0 from UV-induced injury was setup. Pigment modulation of the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration and extracellular release of nitric oxide (NO) was investigated. At the cell signaling level, interleukin 1-\u3b2 (IL-1\u3b2) and matrix metallopeptidase 9 protein (MMP-9) protein expression was examined. These processes are known to be involved in the signaling pathway, from UV stress to cancer induction. Diatoxanthin resulted the best performing pigment in lowering MMP-9 levels and was able to strongly lower IL-1\u3b2. This study highlights the pronounced bioactivity of the exclusively aquatic carotenoid diatoxanthin, among the others. It is suggested increasing research efforts on this molecule, emphasizing that a deeper integration of plant ecophysiological studies into a biotechnological context could improve the exploration and exploitation of bioactive natural products

Clinical characteristics and management of cancer-associated acute venous thromboembolism: findings from the MASTER Registry.

Background: Clinical characteristics and management of acute deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism (PE) have been reported to be different in patients with and without cancer. The aim of this paper was to provide information on clinical characteristics and management of acute venous thromboembolism in patients with cancer by means of a large prospective registry. Design and Methods: MASTER is a multicenter registry of consecutively recruited patients with symptomatic, objectively confirmed, acute venous thromboembolism. Information about clinical characteristics and management was collected by an electronic data network at the time of the index event. Results: A total of 2119 patients were enrolled, of whom 424 (20%) had cancer. The incidence of bilateral lower limb deep vein thrombosis was significantly higher in patients with cancer than in patients without cancer (8.5% versus 4.6%; p<0.01), as were the rates of iliocaval thombosis (22.6% versus 14%; p<0.001), and upper limb deep vein thrombosis (9.9% versus 4.8%; p<0.001). Major bleeding (3.3% versus 1.1%; p=0.001), in-hospital treatment (73.3% versus 66.6%; p=0.02) and inferior vena cava filter implantation (7.3% versus 4.1%; p=0.005) were significantly more frequent in patients with cancer, in whom oral anticoagulants were less often used (64.2% versus 82%; p<0.0001). Conclusions: The clinical presentation of acute venous thromboembolism is different and often more extensive in cancer patients than in patients free from malignancy. Moreover, the management of the acute phase of venous thromboembolism is more problematic in cancer patients, especially because of a higher rate of major bleeding and the need for implantation of inferior vena cava filters