Biological potential of an ethanolic extract from “Mela Rosa Marchigiana” pulp callus culture

The biological effects of the ethanolic extract from Mela Rosa Marchigiana pulp callus were investigated. In terms of the antioxidant activity, the extract exhibited free radical scavenging activity of 67% and 39% using the DPPH assay and ABTS assay respectively. Furthermore, it reduced the ROS production in the keratinocyte cell model of H2O2 induced oxidative stress. The genoprotective effect was evaluated using the DNA nicking assay, which revealed significant protection up to 70%. The anti-inflammatory response was detected at 0.5 mg/ml through the release of nitric oxide using bacterial LPS and RAW 264.7 cells. Finally, preliminary studies on keratinocytes suggested a possible positive effect of the extract on mitochondrial biogenesis and wound healing. The obtained results encourage further studies to deep the biological effects of this callus with the future objective to propose a product for nutraceutical, cosmetic and food-tech industries, as well as an alternative to normal ways of chemical synthesis

Evaluation of Marine Algae Wakame (Undaria pinnatifida) and Kombu (Laminaria digitata japonica) as Food Supplements

Crude proteins and their amino acid composition, -carotene, vitamins B1, B2, B6, niacin and minerals were determined in two edible brown marine algae (Phaeophyceae), Wakame (Undaria pinnatifida) and Kombu (Laminaria digitata japonica). The amino acid scores for five key essential amino acids, frequently deficient in mixed human diet, and essential amino acid index were calculated. The results have shown the presence of all essential amino acids. The values of essential amino acid ratios of analysed algae exceed the ratios of reference proteins suggested by FAO/WHO/UNU, except for tryptophan, the first limiting amino acid in both analysed algae. Iodine, the most important component of sea vegetables is present in high amounts as well as the vitamins B1, B2, B6, niacin and β-carotene. The content of minerals was found high, while the presence of heavy metals was negligible

Effect of storage on biochemical and microbiological parametersof edible truffle species

The effects of different storage treatments on the most common edible truffle species, such as Tuber magnatum and Tuber borchii (white truffles), Tuber melanosporum and Tuber aestivum (black truffles), were analysed. Biochemical and microbiological profiles were monitored, in order to evaluate possible alterations during truffle preservation. After harvesting, some fresh samples were kept at 4 C for 30 days, other samples were frozen at 20 C for one month, thawed and preserved at 4 C; the remainder were autoclaved. The biochemical parameters studied were sugar and protein content, the activity of some enzymes involved in the central metabolism of the fungi and the electrophoretic pattern of soluble proteins. Total mesophilic bacteria were also counted. The results obtained showed that the storage at 4 C is the treatment that best preserves the biochemical and microbiological characteristics of fresh truffles. Black truffles were more resistant to biochemical spoilage than the white ones, while T. magnatum was the most resistant to microbial spoilage

Effects of a 300 mT static magnetic field on human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

none8This study describes the effects of a static magnetic field (SMF) on cell growth and DNA integrity of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Fast halo assay was used to investigate nuclear damage; quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR), standard PCR, and real-time PCR were used to evaluate mitochondrial DNA integrity, content, and gene expression. HUVECs were continually exposed to a 300mT SMF for 4, 24, 48, and 72 h. Compared to control samples (unexposed cultures) the SMF-exposed cells did not show a statistically significant change in their viability. Conversely, the static field was shown to be significant after 4 h of exposure, inducing damage on both the nuclear and mitochondrial levels, reducing mitochondrial content and increasing reactive oxygen species. Twentyfour hours of exposure increased mitochondrial DNA content as well as expression of one of the main genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis. No significant differences between exposed and sham cultures were found after 48 and 72 h of exposure. The results suggest that a 300mT SMF does not cause permanent DNA damage in HUVECs and stimulates a transient mitochondrial biogenesis. BioelectromagneticsopenPOTENZA L; MARTINELLI C; POLIDORI E; DONATI ZEPPA, S; CALCABRINI C; STOCCHI L; SESTILI P; STOCCHI V;Potenza, LUCIA ANNA MARIA; Martinelli, Chiara; Polidori, Emanuela; DONATI ZEPPA, Sabrina; Calcabrini, Cinzia; Stocchi, L; Sestili, Piero; Stocchi, Vilbert

Gut Microbiota Status in COVID-19: An Unrecognized Player?

Infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus causes cardiopulmonary and vascular complications, ranging in severity. Understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of the novel SARS-CoV2 infection and progression can provide potential novel targets for its prevention and/or treatment. Virus microbiota reciprocal interactions have been studied in a variety of viral infections. For example, the integrity of Coronavirus particles can be disrupted by surfactin, a bacterial surface molecule that targets other viruses, including that of influenza A. In this light, intestinal microbiota likely influences COVID-19 virulence, while from its side SARS-CoV-2 may affect the intestinal microbiome promoting dysbiosis and other deleterious consequences. Hence, the microbiota pre-existing health status and its alterations in the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection, are likely to play an important, still underscored role in determining individual susceptibility and resilience to COVID-19. Indeed, the vast majority of COVID-19 worst clinical conditions and fatalities develop in subjects with specific risk factors such as aging and the presence of one or more comorbidities, which are intriguingly characterized also by unhealthy microbiome status. Moreover, these comorbidities require complex pharmacological regimens known as "polypharmacy" that may further affect microbiota integrity and worsen the resilience to viral infections. This complex situation may represent a further and underestimated risk with regard to COVID-19 clinical burden for the elderly and comorbid people. Here, we discuss the possible biological, physiopathological, and clinical implications of gut microbiota in COVID-19 and the strategies to improve/maintain its healthy status as a simple and adjunctive strategy to reduce COVID-19 virulence and socio-sanitary burden

Tools for the evaluation of low back pain impairment: a critical review.

Low back pain is a common musculoskeletal disorder which affects the lumbar segment of the spine. It can be either acute, subacute or chronic in its clinical presentation. Typically, the symptoms of low back pain do show significant improvement within two to three months from its onset. In a significant number of individuals, low back pain tends to be recurrent in nature with a waxing and waning quality to it. In a small proportion of sufferers this condition can become chronic. Population studies show that back pain affects most adults at some stage in their life and accounts for more sick leave and disability than any other single medical condition. This book presents new leading-edge research on this topic. The Chapt VI “Tools for the Evaluation of Low Back Pain Impairment: A Critical Review” put on light different LBP questionnaires and the different aspects of LBP they can report. In particular here is examined the role of Visual Analogic Scale (VAS) compared with the Owestry Questionnaire and the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire. Many works and researchers in scientific literature considered these test and their different data are here analysed to better point our attention in the tools to be considered to evaluate LBP

Molecular and functional characterization of a Rho GDP dissociation inhibitor in the filamentous fungus Tuber borchii

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Small GTPases of the Rho family function as tightly regulated molecular switches that govern important cellular functions in eukaryotes. Several families of regulatory proteins control their activation cycle and subcellular localization. Members of the guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor (GDI) family sequester Rho GTPases from the plasma membrane and keep them in an inactive form.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We report on the characterization the RhoGDI homolog of <it>Tuber borchii </it>Vittad., an ascomycetous ectomycorrhizal fungus. The Tb<it>gdi </it>gene is present in two copies in the <it>T. borchii </it>genome. The predicted amino acid sequence shows high similarity to other known RhoGDIs. Real time PCR analyses revealed an increased expression of Tb<it>gdi </it>during the phase preparative to the symbiosis instauration, in particular after stimulation with root exudates extracts, that correlates with expression of Tb<it>cdc42</it>. In a translocation assay TbRhoGDI was able to solubilize TbCdc42 from membranes. Surprisingly, TbRhoGDI appeared not to interact with <it>S. cerevisiae </it>Cdc42, precluding the use of yeast as a surrogate model for functional studies. To study the role of TbRhoGDI we performed complementation experiments using a RhoGDI null strain of <it>Dictyostelium discoideum</it>, a model organism where the roles of Rho signaling pathways are well established. For comparison, complementation with mammalian RhoGDI1 and LyGDI was also studied in the null strain. Although interacting with Rac1 isoforms, TbRhoGDI was not able to revert the defects of the <it>D. discoideum </it>RhoGDI null strain, but displayed an additional negative effect on the cAMP-stimulated actin polymerization response.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>T. borchii expresses a functional RhoGDI homolog that appears as an important modulator of cytoskeleton reorganization during polarized apical growth that antecedes symbiosis instauration. The specificity of TbRhoGDI actions was underscored by its inability to elicit a growth defect in <it>S. cerevisiae </it>or to compensate the loss of a <it>D. discoideum </it>RhoGDI. Knowledge of the cell signaling at the basis of cytoskeleton reorganization of ectomycorrhizal fungi is essential for improvements in the production of mycorrhized plant seedlings used in timberland extension programs and fruit body production.</p

Shape based kinetic outlier detection in real-time PCR

Background: Real-time PCR has recently become the technique of choice for absolute and relative nucleic acid quantification. The gold standard quantification method in real-time PCR assumes that the compared samples have similar PCR efficiency. However, many factors present in biological samples affect PCR kinetic, confounding quantification analysis. In this work we propose a new strategy to detect outlier samples, called SOD. Results: Richards function was fitted on fluorescence readings to parameterize the amplification curves. There was not a significant correlation between calculated amplification parameters (plateau, slope and y-coordinate of the inflection point) and the Log of input DNA demonstrating that this approach can be used to achieve a "fingerprint" for each amplification curve. To identify the outlier runs, the calculated parameters of each unknown sample were compared to those of the standard samples. When a significant underestimation of starting DNA molecules was found, due to the presence of biological inhibitors such as tannic acid, IgG or quercitin, SOD efficiently marked these amplification profiles as outliers. SOD was subsequently compared with KOD, the current approach based on PCR efficiency estimation. The data obtained showed that SOD was more sensitive than KOD, whereas SOD and KOD were equally specific. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated, for the first time, that outlier detection can be based on amplification shape instead of PCR efficiency. SOD represents an improvement in real-time PCR analysis because it decreases the variance of data thus increasing the reliability of quantification

Antioxidant Activity of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Extracts in Cell-free and Cell culture Systems

Punica granatum L. (Punicaceae) fruits have been widely used in folk medicine; a number of therapeutic properties of pomegranate preparations has been reported (Duke and Ayensu, 1985), including vermifugal, taenicidal, astringent, antispasmodic, antihysteric, diuretic, carminative, emmenagogue and antiinflammatory. More recently, De Nigris et al. (2005) reported that pomegranate juice may exert a preventive role in atherosclerotic disease. These actions have been ascribed to the presence of anthocyanins, cyanidin, ellagitannins, punicalagin and vitamin C. It has been reported (Gil et al., 2000) that industrial pomegranate juice (obtained from both arils and rinds) displays antioxidant activity against reactive oxygen species; this activity has been found to be higher than that of red wine and green tea; arils-only juice seems to be less active than whole fruit juice. Further studies, including one from our group (Ricci et al., in press), dealt with the antioxidant activity of whole, arils or rinds pomegranate juices/extracts: however, these research works have been carried out exclusively in cell-free systems

Nutraceuticals and Physical Activity as Antidepressants: The Central Role of the Gut Microbiota

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common mental illness. Evidence suggests that the gut microbiota play an essential role in regulating brain functions and the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric diseases, including MDD. There are numerous mechanisms through which the gut microbiota and brain can exchange information in a continuous, bidirectional communication. Current research emphasizes the interexchange of signals influenced by the gut microbiota that are detected and transduced in information from the gut to the nervous system involving neural, endocrine, and inflammatory mechanisms, suggesting a relationship between oxidative stress and the pathophysiology of MDD via the hyperactivation of inflammatory responses. Potential sources of inflammation in the plasma and hippocampus of depressed individuals could stem from increases in intestinal permeability. Some nutraceuticals, such as specific probiotics, namely psychobiotics, polyphenols, carotenoids, butyrate, and prebiotics, have been demonstrated to exert an antidepressant activity, but most of them need to be metabolized and activated by gut microorganisms. By inducing changes in the gut microbiota composition, physical exercise might also exert a role in alleviating depression-like symptoms. The mutual relationships among nutraceuticals, exercise, and depression will be discussed, and the potential role of the gut microbiota as a therapeutic target to treat depression will be explored