Rapid and simple method for the quantification of flavan-3-ols in wine

A rapid and simple reverse-phase liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection is proposed for the rapid simultaneous analysis of three monomeric flavanols and six procyanidins (i.e., five dimers and one trimer) in wine. Good resolution and low detection limits were obtained for (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, (−)-epicatechin 3-O-gallate, dimers B1, B2, B3, B4 and B2-gallate and trimer C1. The method has been validated for linearity, precision and accuracy. Good performances in terms of selectivity and sensitivity have been also achieved. Moreover, new fluorimetric method has been developed in order to achieve the quantification of (−)-epicatechin 3-O-gallate and procyanidin B2-gallate by fluorescence detection.     

Instrumental and clinical studies of the facial skin tone and pigmentation of Shanghaiese women. Changes induced by age and a cosmetic whitening product

The pigmentation patterns of facial skin of 354 healthy Chinese women aged 18–80 years were investigated clinically and instrumentally. Chromasphere^® was used to acquire pictures from the cheeks of subjects. Facial skin tone was described by L* parameter from the L,a,b system as well as Individual Typology Angle (ITA). Results show that skin tone becomes significantly darker along the life span. Both size of hyper‐pigmented spots and their contrast with surrounding skin were found increased with age. As additional study, 40 women from these 354 subjects were asked to apply daily a whitening cosmetic product for a 2‐month period. Such application led to a significantly lighter skin tone, although this study was not vehicle controlled and we cannot exclude that the increase in L* observed was in some part because of cumulative effects of previously used whitening products, there was an association with lighter skin tone as assessed through both instrumental measurements and self‐perception by most subjects.     

Phenolics from purple grape, apple, purple grape juice and apple juice prevent early atherosclerosis induced by an atherogenic diet in hamsters

Knowledge of the effects of processing on the antioxidant properties of fruits is limited. We investigated the processing of apple (A) and purple grape (PG) and their juices (AJ and PGJ) in hypercholesterolemic hamsters. Five groups of eight hamsters each were fed an atherogenic diet for 12 wk. They received daily by gavage either 7.14 mL/(kg x day) of mashed A or PG, or the same volume of AJ or PGJ, or water as control. Plasma cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, liver superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were efficiently reduced by the fruits and their juices compared with controls, whereas plasma antioxidant capacity was increased and aortic fatty streak area was decreased from 48 to 93%. For each of these parameters, the efficacy was PGJ > PG > AJ > A. The results show for the first time that long-term consumption of antioxidants supplied by apple and purple grape, especially phenolic compounds, prevents the development of atherosclerosis in hamsters, and that processing can have a major impact on the potential health benefits of a product. The underlying mechanism is related mainly to increased antioxidant status and improved serum lipid profile.     

Resveratrol,human health and winemaking perspectives

Resveratrol, (3, 5, 4′-trihydroxystilbene) is a non-flavonoid polyphenol stilbene synthesized by plants when damaged by infectious diseases or ionizing radiation. Although present in more than seventy plant species, grapes and wine are the major dietary contributors of resveratrol, responsible for 98% of the daily intake. In 1992, Renaud and De Lorgeril first linked wine polyphenols, including resveratrol, to the potential health benefits ascribed to regular and moderate wine consumption (the so called “French Paradox”). Since then, resveratrol has received increasing scientific interest, leading to research on its biological actions, and to a large number of published papers, which have been collected and discussed in this review. The relatively low amounts of resveratrol measured in wine following moderate consumption, however, may be insufficient to mitigate biological damage, such as that due to oxidative stress. On this basis, the authors also highlight the importance of viticulture and the winemaking process to enhance resveratrol concentrations in wine in order to bolster potential health benefits.     

The effects of volume and speed of injection in peribulbar anaesthesia

Therapy of detrusor hyperactivity with anticholinergic agents often is followed by adverse drug reactions. Intravesical application may be an interesting alternative. A randomised, single-blind, placebo-controlled, mono-centre clinical trial was carried out in 84 patients with urgency or urge incontinence. Due to intravesical administration of oxybutynin (CAS 5633-20-5) (n = 21) and trospium chloride (CAS 10405-02-4) (n = 21), respectively, a significant increase in maximum bladder capacity and decrease of detrusor pressure accompanied by an increase of residual urine were found in comparison to placebo in urodynamical investigations. Improvement of uninhibited bladder contractions occurred leading to higher filling volume. Under verapamil (CAS 152-11-4) (n = 21) no marked changes in the efficacy variables were found compared with placebo. All patients completed the study and were assessed with regard to efficacy and safety. No adverse events or marked changes in the vital signs were reported. The immediate onset of effect and the lack of adverse drug reactions suggest that treatment with topical oxybutynin or trospium chloride is an effective alternative in patients with intolerable side effects when orally treated. In addition, intravesical administration may be indicated in patients with bladder spasms due to indwelling catheter or in order to increase bladder capacity before percutaneous cystostomy.     

Oral contraceptives alter circadian rhythm parameters of cortisol, melatonin, blood pressure, heart rate, skin blood flow, transepidermal water loss, and skin amino acids of healthy young women

This study investigated the usage consumption pattern and chemical composition of fermented foods consumed in 191 rural households (1030 individuals) in Emene. The result showed that fermented foods were widely used and consumed by most age groups (under 2 years to adults) because of poor socioeconomic status. Fermentation period varied with type of food and was mostly carried out as a means of detoxifying certain foods. Generally, fermented foods contributed substantially to the daily caloric (46.3 to 79.9% for males and 57.5 to 78% for females); calcium (33.8 to 63.5% for males and 48.3 to 55.4% for females); iron (34.4 to 58.6% for males and 47.4 to 74.6% for females); and thiamin (23 to 58.5% for males and 37.5 to 60% for females) intakes. The contributions of fermented foods to protein (10 to 40.7%) and ascorbic acid (1.9 to 18.7%) intakes were however, low. When compared with the FAO recommendations, the daily intakes of protein, calcium, riboflavin, niacin and ascorbic acid by the subjects were low due to large consumption of starchy root crops. Poor financial status was the most limiting factor to adequate nutrient intake. Such results point out the need for nutrition education related to improved methods of preparation and food selection.     

A relative localisation system of a mobile robot

This paper describes a localisation system applied to vehicle displacements on irregular grounds and at moderate speed (about 1 m/s). It is composed of a gyrometer and a Doppler sensor, which give, by integration, the attitude and position of the vehicle supporting them, without contact with the ground. The precision of the obtained localisation is about 2% for ranges of about a hundred meters.     

Measurement of stimulated transverse mode mixing in a free electron laser

We report the first measurement of the off-diagonal terms in the transverse gain matrix in a free electron laser. We show that the higher order transverse modes stimulated in the FEL interaction diminish in amplitude as the electron beam size is increased, that the far field and the near field effects of the excited modes are not equivalent, and that in this low divergence case, the mode mixing is insensitive to the resonance parameter. Remarkably close agreement is demonstrated with the theory [1]. The effects of a multiple mode input beam are also observed, and the theoretical expression is derived.