Ursolic acid and its esters: occurrence in cranberries and other Vaccinium fruit and effects on matrix metalloproteinase activity in DU145 prostate tumor cells
BACKGROUND: Ursolic acid and its cis- and trans-3-O-p-hydroxycinnamoyl esters have been identified as constituents of American cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon); which inhibit tumor cell proliferation. Since the compounds may contribute to berry anticancer properties; their content in cranberries; selected cranberry products; and three other Vaccinium species (V. oxycoccus; V. vitis-idaea and V. angustifolium) was determined by […]
Crossover study of diets enriched with virgin olive oil; walnuts or almonds. Effects on lipids and other cardiovascular risk markers.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Virgin olive oil (VOO) and nuts are basic components of the Mediterranean diet; a heart-healthy dietary pattern. Nuts have well known cholesterol lowering effects; while evidence is unclear for VOO. We designed a study in hypercholesterolemic patients to assess the effects on serum lipids and other intermediate markers of cardiovascular risk of […]
Efficacy and safety of high-dose peanut oral immunotherapy with factors predicting outcome.
Background: Peanut allergy is severe and rarely resolves. Objective: To test the efficacy and safety of a new oral immunotherapy (OIT) protocol for peanut allergy. Method Twenty-two peanut-allergic children underwent oral challenge. OIT was administered by gradual updosing with 2-weekly increments (8-38 weeks) to 800 mg of protein (5 peanuts/day) followed by 30-week maintenance. Oral […]
Skin prick testing and peanut-specific IgE can predict peanut challenge outcomes in preschoolchildren with peanut sensitization.
BACKGROUND: The rise in peanut allergy is a source of considerable burden in the community. A growing number of pre-schoolchildren have been identified as peanut sensitized in the course of investigation of other allergic conditions. Although many have never knowingly ingested peanuts and their clinical reactivity is not known; it has been common practice to […]
Natural Inhibitors of Pancreatic Lipase as New Players in Obesity Treatment.
Abstract: Obesity is a multifactorial disease characterized by an excessive weight for height due to an enlarged fat deposition such as adipose tissue; which is attributed to a higher calorie intake than the energy expenditure. The key strategy to combat obesity is to prevent chronic positive impairments in the energy equation. However; it is often […]
A randomized controlled study of peanut oral immunotherapy: Clinical desensitization and modulation of the allergic response
Abstract BACKGROUND: Open-label oral immunotherapy (OIT) protocols have been used to treat small numbers of patients with peanut allergy. Peanut OIT has not been evaluated in double-blind; placebo-controlled trials. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety and effectiveness of OIT for peanut allergy in a double-blind; placebo-controlled study. METHODS: In this multicenter study; children ages 1 to […]
Animal studies of the functional consequences of suboptimal polyunsaturated fatty acid status during pregnancy; lactation and early post-natal life
Abstract: Scores of animal studies demonstrate that seed oils replete with linoleic acid and very low in linolenic acid fed as the exclusive source of fat through pregnancy and lactation result in visual; cognitive; and behavioural deficits in the offspring. Commodity peanut; sunflower; and safflower oils fed to mother rats; guinea pigs; rhesus monkeys; and […]
Chemoprevention in experimental animals
Arial
Acute and second-meal effects of almond form in impaired glucose tolerant adults: a randomized crossover trial.
BACKGROUND: Nut consumption may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The aim of the current study was to measure the acute and second-meal effects of morning almond consumption and determine the contribution of different nut fractions. METHODS: Fourteen impaired glucose tolerant (IGT) adults participated in a randomized; 5-arm; crossover design study where whole […]
Production of fungicidal oil and activated carbon from pistachio shell.
ABSTRACT: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of pistachio shell as a biomass feedstock for the production of fungicidal oil and a precursor for production of activated carbon by physical activation. For this purpose; pistachio shell was pyrolyzed in a fixed bed reactor at the different temperatures (300-600 °C). The […]