Olive leaf, as an important by-product of olive farming, is generated from the pruning and harvesting of olive trees and represents >10 % of the total olive weight. The present study was conducted to ...evaluate the composition, functional and structural characterizations, as well as the in vitro digestibility of olive leaf proteins isolated from ultrasonic-assisted extraction, comparing to classical and industrial techniques. The ultrasound-assisted extraction of olive leaf protein was optimized by the simultaneous maximization of the yield and purity of protein using a Box-Behnken design (BBD) of response surface methodology (RSM). The results indicated that the optimal extraction conditions were as follows: pH of 10.99, temperature of 40.48 °C, sonication time of 47.25 min, and solvent/solid ratio of 24.08 mL/g. Under these conditions, the extraction yield and protein content were 11.67 and 51.2 %, respectively, which were significantly higher than those obtained by the conventional techniques. Regarding the functionality of protein, extraction technique had significant impacts on the structural and functional properties of proteins. In general, ultrasound assisted extraction had higher solubility, and better foaming and thermal properties and in vitro digestibility but lower emulsifying stability and fluid binding capacity compared to conventional ones. Ultrasound-assisted alkaline extraction has great potential to produce edible olive leaf protein with modified functional properties that can be used for various aims in the food applications.
An ultrasound-assisted method was used for the extraction of phenolics from defatted black cumin seeds (Nigella sativa L.), and the effects of several extraction factors on the total phenolic content ...and DPPH radical scavenging activity were investigated. To improve the extraction efficiency of phenolics from black cumin seed by ultrasonic-assisted extraction, the optimal extraction conditions were determined as follows: ethanol concentration of 59.1%, extraction temperature of 44.6 °C and extraction time of 32.5 min. Under these conditions, the total phenolic content and DPPH radical scavenging activity increased by about 70% and 38%, respectively, compared with conventional extraction. Furthermore, a complementary quantitative analysis of individual phenolic compounds was carried out using the HPLC-UV technique. The phenolic composition revealed high amounts of epicatechin (1.88–2.37 mg/g) and rutin (0.96–1.21 mg/g) in the black cumin seed extracts. Ultrasonic-assisted extraction can be a useful extraction method for the recovery of polyphenols from defatted black cumin seeds.
Plant-based proteins are gaining in attraction compared with animal-based proteins due to their superior ethical profiles, growing concerns on the part of various organizations about animal health ...and welfare, and increased global greenhouse-gas emissions in meat production. In this study, the response surface methodology (RSM) using a Box-Behnken design (BBD) was applied to optimize the ultrasound-assisted alkaline extraction of cherimoya-seed proteins as valuable by-products. The effects of three pH, temperature, and time factors on the protein-extraction yield and protein content were investigated. The pH at 10.5 and temperature of 41.8 °C for 26.1 min were considered the optimal ultrasound-assisted alkaline-extraction conditions since they provided the maximum extraction yield (17.3%) and protein content (65.6%). An established extraction technique was employed to enhance the cherimoya-seed protein yield, purity, and functional properties. A thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the samples showed that the ultrasound-assisted alkaline extraction improved the thermal stability of the protein concentrate.
The perception of quality of life about health status is subjective; assessment of the impact includes well-being while eating, speaking, smiling, interacting with others, and feeling good about the ...esthetic appearance of teeth and mouth. The objective of the present study was to cross-culturally adapt and determine the validity and reliability of the Mexican version of the Iowa Fluoride Study Oral Health for adolescents.
A cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 240 Mexican adolescents aged 15 to 19 years. The questionnaire was translated, back-translated, and administered through the Google Forms platform. The cultural adaptation consisted of the evaluation of the grammatical, conceptual, and linguistic equivalences. The evaluation of the utility and acceptability was carried out through an analysis of semantic equivalence. The utility of the questionnaire was also evaluated by analyzing its grammatical readability. Reliability tests, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO), factor analysis, and Pearson's correlation were performed.
The mean age of all participants was 16.4±1.4; 65.3% (n=158) were female. Face validity was considered adequate. The wording of the objective and instructions of the questionnaire were improved. The confidentiality assurances were highlighted. The questions were clear, understandable, and pertinent, and they showed adequate syntax. The INFLESZ index corresponds to a "fairly easy" level of readability. In the quantitative validation, the correlation of items was greater than 0.4. The KMO was 0.930 (p=0.001), and Bartlett sphericity was 2466.5 (p=0.001). Through the exploratory factorial analysis, we evaluated the emotional well-being (12 items), social welfare (five items), and oral symptoms (OS) (three items) dimensions. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach's α=0.942).
The culturally translated and adapted questionnaire is valid and reliable for use in research on Mexican adolescents.
Prospective drug-induced liver injury (DILI) registries are important sources of information on idiosyncratic DILI. We aimed to present a comprehensive analysis of 843 patients with DILI enrolled ...into the Spanish DILI Registry over a 20-year time period.
Cases were identified, diagnosed and followed prospectively. Clinical features, drug information and outcome data were collected.
A total of 843 patients, with a mean age of 54 years (48% females), were enrolled up to 2018. Hepatocellular injury was associated with younger age (adjusted odds ratio aOR per year 0.983; 95% CI 0.974–0.991) and lower platelet count (aOR per unit 0.996; 95% CI 0.994–0.998). Anti-infectives were the most common causative drug class (40%). Liver-related mortality was more frequent in patients with hepatocellular damage aged ≥65 years (p = 0.0083) and in patients with underlying liver disease (p = 0.0221). Independent predictors of liver-related death/transplantation included nR-based hepatocellular injury, female sex, higher onset aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and bilirubin values. nR-based hepatocellular injury was not associated with 6-month overall mortality, for which comorbidity burden played a more important role. The prognostic capacity of Hy’s law varied between causative agents. Empirical therapy (corticosteroids, ursodeoxycholic acid and MARS) was prescribed to 20% of patients. Drug-induced autoimmune hepatitis patients (26 cases) were mainly females (62%) with hepatocellular damage (92%), who more frequently received immunosuppressive therapy (58%).
AST elevation at onset is a strong predictor of poor outcome and should be routinely assessed in DILI evaluation. Mortality is higher in older patients with hepatocellular damage and patients with underlying hepatic conditions. The Spanish DILI Registry is a valuable tool in the identification of causative drugs, clinical signatures and prognostic risk factors in DILI and can aid physicians in DILI characterisation and management.
Clinical information on drug-induced liver injury (DILI) collected from enrolled patients in the Spanish DILI Registry can guide physicians in the decision-making process. We have found that older patients with hepatocellular type liver injury and patients with additional liver conditions are at a higher risk of mortality. The type of liver injury, patient sex and analytical values of aspartate aminotransferase and total bilirubin can also help predict clinical outcomes.
Display omitted
•Clinical parameters can help predict DILI phenotype and outcome.•Older patients with cytolitic DILI and those with liver disease have worse outcome.•Serum AST at DILI onset should be assessed as it strongly predicts poor outcome.•Prognostic potential of Hy’s law in DILI varies between causative agents.
Familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) is an extremely rare lipoprotein disorder caused by mutations in at least 5 genes of the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) complex.
This work shows the molecular ...analysis of patients diagnosed with FCS, who attended the Spanish Arteriosclerosis Society lipid units and were included in the National Dyslipidemia Registry.
Among the 238 patients registered with severe hypertriglyceridemia (fasting triglycerides >1000 mg/dL), 26 were diagnosed with FCS as they had confirmed postheparin plasma LPL activity deficiency and/or homozygosity for loss-of-function mutations in LPL, GPIHBP1, APOC2, LMF1, or Apolipoprotein A5 (APOA5).
Among the 26 FCS cases, 23 had mutations in the homozygous state: 19 in LPL and 4 in the GPIHBP1 gene. The molecular analysis revealed 3 novel mutations: 2 in LPL, in 2 unrelated patients (c.312delA; p.Asp105Thrfs*66 and c.629A>G; p.His210Arg), and 1 in GPHIBP1 in a third patient (c.502delC; p.Leu168Serfs*83). These 3 patients had confirmed lack of LPL activity. Three additional patients with confirmed LPL activity deficiency were heterozygous carriers of mutations in the genes analyzed. Among these, we found 2 novel mutations in APOA5 (c.50-1G>A and c.326_327insC; p.Tyr110Leufs*158).
We have identified 5 novel pathogenic mutations: 2 in LPL, 1 in GPIHBP1, and 2 in the APOA5 gene. The genetic defaults accounting for the LPL activity deficiency of 23 of them have been clearly identified and 3 patients, who harbored mutations in heterozygosity, were diagnosed based on LPL activity deficiency, which raises the question of the involvement of new genes in the manifestation of FCS.
•We studied data from the Spanish Atherosclerosis Society Dyslipidemia Registry.•We diagnosed 26 patients with familial chylomicronemia syndrome.•We identified 5 novel mutations in LPL (2), GPIHBP1 (1), and APOA5 (2).•Twenty-three patients were homozygous for mutations in LPL (19) and GPIHBP1 (4).•Three patients heterozygous for mutations in LPL or APOA5 had LPL activity deficiency.
Phytoplankton size structure is key for the ecology and biogeochemistry of pelagic ecosystems, but the relationship between cell size and maximum growth rate (μmax) is not yet well understood. We ...used cultures of 22 species of marine phytoplankton from five phyla, ranging from 0.1 to 106 μm3 in cell volume (Vcell), to determine experimentally the size dependence of growth, metabolic rate, elemental stoichiometry and nutrient uptake. We show that both μmax and carbon‐specific photosynthesis peak at intermediate cell sizes. Maximum nitrogen uptake rate (VmaxN) scales isometrically with Vcell, whereas nitrogen minimum quota scales as Vcell0.84. Large cells thus possess high ability to take up nitrogen, relative to their requirements, and large storage capacity, but their growth is limited by the conversion of nutrients into biomass. Small species show similar volume‐specific VmaxN compared to their larger counterparts, but have higher nitrogen requirements. We suggest that the unimodal size scaling of phytoplankton growth arises from taxon‐independent, size‐related constraints in nutrient uptake, requirement and assimilation.
Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is the enzyme responsible for the inactivation of the endocannabinoid 2‐arachidonoylglycerol (2‐AG). MAGL inhibitors show analgesic and tissue‐protecting effects in ...several disease models. However, the few efficient and selective MAGL inhibitors described to date block the enzyme irreversibly, and this can lead to pharmacological tolerance. Hence, additional classes of MAGL inhibitors are needed to validate this enzyme as a therapeutic target. Here we report a potent, selective, and reversible MAGL inhibitor (IC50=0.18 μM) which is active in vivo and ameliorates the clinical progression of a multiple sclerosis (MS) mouse model without inducing undesirable CB1‐mediated side effects. These results support the interest in MAGL as a target for the treatment of MS.
Reversibility is the key: The development of a potent, reversible, selective and in vivo active inhibitor of monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), the enzyme responsible for the inactivation of the endocannabinoid 2‐arachidonoylglycerol (2‐AG), validates, for the first time, the therapeutic potential of MAGL for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis is based on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or neuroimaging biomarkers. Currently, non-invasive and inexpensive blood-based ...biomarkers are being investigated, such as neuronal-derived plasma exosomes (NPEs). Neuroinflammation and early vascular changes have been described in AD pathogenesis and can be traced in plasma and NPEs. However, they have not been studied in early onset MCI (EOMCI).
To describe the rationale, design, and baseline characteristics of the participants from the BIOFACE cohort, a two-year observational study on EOMCI conducted at Fundació ACE. The study goal is to characterize the different phenotypes from a clinical, neuropsychological, and biomarker point of view and to investigate the CSF and plasma proteomics as well as the role of NPEs as early biomarkers of AD.
Participants underwent extended neurological and neuropsychological batteries, multimodal biomarkers including brain MRI, blood, saliva, CSF, anthropometric, and neuro-ophthalmological examinations.
Ninety-seven patients with EOMCI were recruited. 59.8%were women. Mean age at symptom onset was 57 years; mean MMSE was 28. First degree and presenile family history of dementia was present in 60.8%and 15.5%, respectively. Depressive and anxiety disorders along with vascular risk factors were the most frequent comorbidities. 29%of participants were APOE ɛ4 carriers, and 67%showed a CSF normal ATN profile.
BIOFACE is a two-year study of clinical, cognition, and biomarkers that will shed light on the physiopathology and the potential utility of plasma and NPEs as non-invasive early diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in people younger than 65 years.
PDF
