Last Stage Of Maturation Research Articles

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Literature Review With a Focus on Diagnosis, Pathophysiology, and Management.

In females with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), the most prevalent endocrine conditionis chronic anovulation and hyperandrogenism. This illness influences females from conception to death, posing several risks to the health of a female, thus reducing the quality of life. It also increases the rates of mortality and morbidity. The first years of puberty are when PCOS symptoms first show. Menstrual irregularities, anovulation,and acne are features of both PCOS and typical puberty in females. There are many various phenotypes that fall under the same illness, so it is necessary to examine each one independently because they may need different treatments and result in different outcomes. Depending on the diagnostic criteria, approximately 6%-20% of females in the reproductive age group are believed to be affected by PCOS.As long as PCOS is still a syndrome, no single diagnostic indicator, such as hyperandrogenism or polycystic ovary (PCO), can be used to make a clinical diagnosis. The management of females with PCOS depends on the symptoms. These could include menstruation problems, androgen-related symptoms, or infertility caused by ovulatory disruption. In females with PCOS, anovulation is linked to low follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels and a halt in antral follicle growth during the last stages of maturation. The condition may be treated surgically with laparoscopic ovarian drilling or medically with medications such as aromatase inhibitors, metformin, glucocorticoids, clomiphenecitrate (CC), tamoxifen, or gonadotropins. Patients will experience different androgenic symptoms, such as hirsutism, acne, and/or baldness. Patients who appear with these troubling symptoms need to receive appropriate care. The review emphasizes the role it plays in the management of various conditions.

Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia and Ascites: A Case Report

BackgroundWaldenstrom’s disease is characterized by the presence of pathological changes in the B lymphocytes that are in the last stages of maturation. One characteristic of WM is the production of an abnormal high amount of IgM and hyper viscosity syndrome. The MW gets worse, symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss, night sweats, fever, recurrent infections and swollen lymph nodes develop in patients who have a known history of MGUS. In this clinical case, our patient without history of MGUS, presents for the first time for medical observation only for ascites and the presence of an interportocaval lymph node package. An atypical presentation of the disease that makes us reflect on the difficulty of making a diagnosis in the elderly patient and on pathogenetic hypotheses of ascites not yet explored.Case PresentationSeventy-three-year-old patient, hospitalized for the onset of ascites with sloping edema, diffuse left pulmonary opacification. At the ultrasound check, cava and portal vessels patent and of regular caliber, however with inversion of flow in correspondence with the right branch and of the door to the hilum, with a subdiaphragmatic retrocaval focus with a maximum diameter of about 3 cm, which cannot be better viewed. CT scan of the abdomen with confirmation of the presence of an interportocaval lymph node package. After evidence of the electrophoretic protein picture of a double component, probably monoclonal with positive urinary immunofixation for free K chains. IgM dosage equal to 2190 mg. Serum immunofixation practice that confirms the diagnosis of type B lymphoproliferative syndrome as per Waldenstrom’s disease, confirmed by bone marrow aspiration with morphological and flow cytometric study. Immediately begin chemotherapy with Bendamustine 120 mg. After 4 weeks of therapy with the reduction of IgM values, the patient no longer presented ascites.ConclusionThis case has an unusual presentation of this disease and we could shed a new light on the possible pathogenesis of portal hypertension in Waldenstrom’disease.

Metabolic Changes on the Acquisition of Desiccation Tolerance in Seeds of the Brazilian Native Tree Erythrina speciosa.

Erythrina speciosa Andrews (Fabaceae) is a native tree of Atlantic forest from Southern and Southeastern Brazil. Although this species is found in flooded areas, it produces highly desiccation tolerant seeds. Here, we investigated the physiological and metabolic events occurring during seed maturation of E. speciosa aiming to better understand of its desiccation tolerance acquisition. Seeds were separated into six stages of maturation by the pigmentation of the seed coat. Water potential (WP) and water content (WC) decreased gradually from the first stage to the last stage of maturation (VI), in which seeds reached the highest accumulation of dry mass and seed coat acquired water impermeability. At stage III (71% WC), although seeds were intolerant to desiccation, they were able to germinate (about 15%). Desiccation tolerance was first observed at stage IV (67% WC), in which 40% of seeds were tolerant. At stage V (24% WC), all seeds were tolerant to desiccation and at stage VI all seeds germinated. Increased deposition of the arabinose-containing polysaccharides, which are known as cell wall plasticizers polymers, was observed up to stage IV of seed maturation. Raffinose and stachyose gradually increased in axes and cotyledons with greater increment in the fourth stage. Metabolic profile analysis showed that levels of sugars, organic, and amino acids decrease drastically in embryonic axes, in agreement with lower respiratory rates during maturation. Moreover, a non-aqueous fractionation revealed a change on the proportions of sugar accumulation among cytosol, plastid, and vacuoles between the active metabolism (stage I) and the dormant seeds (stage VI). The results indicate that the physiological maturity of the seeds of E. speciosa is reached at stage V and that the accumulation of raffinose can be a result of the change in the use of carbon, reducing metabolic activity during maturation. This work confirms that raffinose is involved in desiccation tolerance in seeds of E. speciosa, especially considering the different subcellular compartments and suggests even that the acquisition of desiccation tolerance in this species occurs in stages prior to the major changes in WC.

The effect of harvest times on bioactive properties and fatty acid compositions of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-barbarica A. Berger) fruits

In the study, the impact of harvest time on total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and phenolic compounds of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-barbarica A. Berger) fruit pulp and the oil content and fatty acids profile of the seed were investigated. The highest total phenolic content was determined as 156.77 mg/100 g in July 1 harvest, while the maximum antioxidant activity and total oil content were found as 9.81% and 6.80% at the last stage of maturation (15 August), respectively. The highest oleic (28.51%), palmitic (22.61%) and stearic acid contents (9.20%) in seed oil were observed in June 15 harvest. The highest value for linoleic acid (57.50%) was detected in August 15 harvest. Prickly pear is a vital source of bioactive constituents such as phenolic and antioxidant substances in terms of being useful for human health and the optimum harvesting time to retain high quantities of most phenolic compounds is 1st July.

Paraproteins. A review

Hematological neoplasms are tumors of cells in different states of maturation and differentiation. Since monoclonal gammopathies (MG) refer to B mature lymphocyte neoplasms, lymphogenesis should be well known. We must keep in mind that the last stage of maturation of these lymphocytes is the plasma cell. This is how a MG could appear in the context of a plasma cell neoplasm, such as multiple myeloma or amyloidosis, but also in relation to a lymphoma. A monoclonal peak is produced by mature B lymphocytes or plasma cells that secrete a monoclonal protein (Immunoglobulin), and represents a MG. But it must be emphasized that, in the correct clinical context, a hypogammaglobulinemia can represent a MG as well. Another important point is the understanding and interpretation of requested tests, such as protein electrophoresis (PEP), immunofixation (IFx) or serum free light chains (sFLC). The current MG screening panel includes these three studies (PEF, IFx, sFLC), although a simpler panel measuring PEF and sFLC has also been proposed, but not yet formally validated. Therefore, screening done only with PEP is insufficient.

CD43 and CD49d from the B-Cell Chronic Lymphoproliferative Disorders Diagnostic Panel Are Useful to Detect Erythroid Dysplasia.

Despite bone marrow (BM) immunophenotyping by flow cytometry has progressively been recognized as an important tool for the diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), the sparse knowledge about normal erythroid maturation and the lack of markers for erythroid characterization is a major shortcoming. Here, we analyzed the expression of CD43 and CD49d, two markers included in the diagnostic panel for B-cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorders (B-CLPD), in the CD34+ compartment of normal BM and along the normal and dysplastic erythroid maturation. For this, 13 normal BM aspirates and 18 BM aspirates from MDS patients were studied by flow cytometry. Normal BM presented a higher expression of CD43 and CD49d among CD34+ erythroid precursors, compared to CD34+ cells committed to the remaining hematopoietic cell lineages. CD43 expression progressively decreased along the normal erythroid maturation, whereas CD49d levels increased from Stage I to Stage II, were maintained in Stages II and III, and then decreased until the last stage of maturation. In MDS, the expression of CD43 and CD49d followed a similar pattern, but with decreased expression levels for both markers, observed in all erythroid maturation stages (P < 0.05). Our results point to the usefulness of CD43 and CD49d, two markers commonly present in B-CLPD diagnosis panels, in the identification of dysplastic phenotypic features in the erythroid lineage. This allows a feasible and inexpensive way to identify patients who would benefit from a more extensive study to evaluate the presence of MDS, during the processing of suspected B-CLPD samples. © 2019 International Clinical Cytometry Society.

Fungal colonizers and seed loss in lodgepole pine orchards of British Columbia

Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelm. ex S. Watson) is an important lumber species in Canada, and seed orchards are expected to meet the increased demand for seed. However, seed production has been consistently low in the Okanagan region orchards of British Columbia, Canada. To determine whether the fungal microbiome contributes to seed loss, histological and molecular approaches were used. Seed production was studied at seven Okanagan orchards, all outside the natural range of lodgepole pine, and at one near Prince George, within its natural range. Seed losses were highest in the Okanagan, compared with Prince George. The role of fungal colonizers in consuming seed during the last stages of maturation is described. Fungal hyphae were frequently observed at all locations in developing seed, particularly once storage substances accumulated. Fungi identified from host tissues using molecular and morphological techniques included Alternaria, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Sydowia. The opportunistic foliar pathogen Sydowia polyspora, which is known to have a variable biotrophic status, was detected at most orchards within different host tissues (seeds, needles, and conelets), in association with pollen, and in the air column. Reduced seed viability observed in Okanagan orchards is most likely due to a combination of factors, including composition of the fungal microbiome.

The role of arginine metabolic pathway during embryogenesis and germination in maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.).

Vegetative propagation through somatic embryogenesis is critical in conifer biotechnology towards multivarietal forestry that uses elite varieties to cope with environmental and socio-economic issues. An important and still sub-optimal process during in vitro maturation of somatic embryos (SE) is the biosynthesis and deposition of storage proteins, which are rich in amino acids with high nitrogen (N) content, such as arginine. Mobilization of these N-rich proteins is essential for the germination and production of vigorous somatic seedlings. Somatic embryos accumulate lower levels of N reserves than zygotic embryos (ZE) at a similar stage of development. To understand the molecular basis for this difference, the arginine metabolic pathway has been characterized in maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.). The genes involved in arginine metabolism have been identified and GFP-fusion constructs were used to locate the enzymes in different cellular compartments and clarify their metabolic roles during embryogenesis and germination. Analysis of gene expression during somatic embryo maturation revealed high levels of transcripts for genes involved in the biosynthesis and metabolic utilization of arginine. By contrast, enhanced expression levels were only observed during the last stages of maturation and germination of ZE, consistent with the adequate accumulation and mobilization of protein reserves. These results suggest that arginine metabolism is unbalanced in SE (simultaneous biosynthesis and degradation of arginine) and could explain the lower accumulation of storage proteins observed during the late stages of somatic embryogenesis.

Maturation-related changes in phytochemicals and biological activities of the Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) fruits

Changes in fatty acid profile, lipid quality, essential oil composition, total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, radical scavenging, antibacterial and insecticidal activities were studied during the maturation of Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi fruits. Total lipids showed their maximum at the earlier and intermediate stage (green and half-red) of maturation, whereas, the highest levels of the main components linoleic and oleic acids were found at the late stage (red). Mature fruits were also distinguished by their high lipid quality as revealed by the lower values of n-3/n-6 ratio, calculated oxidizability (Cox), oxidative susceptibility (OS), atherogenic index (AI) and thromobogenic index (TI). The contents of monoterpenes decreased while those of sesquiterpenes increased during maturation. With the exception of α-pinene which dropped remarkably from immature to mature fruits, the content of the other main components (α-phellandrene, β-phellandrene and limonene) showed irregular variations. The TPC in intact and hydrodistilled fruits was higher at the last stage of maturation, while the maximum of TFC was recorded in the intermediate stage. Concomitantly, extract from residual hydrodistilled fruits was found as the most potent radical scavengers, whereas, the oils were found as the least scavengers. Nevertheless, they showed an appreciable antibacterial activity against Enterococcus feacium and Streptococcus agalactiae and exert a strong insecticidal activity against Spodoptera littoralis and Phthorimaea operculella. Collectively, these results suggest that the fruits of S. terebinthifolius could be considered as consolidated source of lipid and essential fatty acids, which may provide some health benefits to consumers. They also showed that the essential oils of S. terebinthifolius fruits can potentially be used in S. littoralis and P. operculella control in association with integrated pest management practices. Moreover, the use of extracts from intact or hydrodistilled residual fruits for the development of functional ingredients and the production of bio-based preservatives is encouraged.

Fruit Characteristics and Detachment Parameters of Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus L. cv. ‘Kütahya’) as Affected by Various Maturity Stages

The variability in fruit maturity and quality has difficulties in determining the optimal harvesting maturity. Therefore, maturity stage in harvest is crucial for both fruit quality and minimizing the fruit detachment force. This study investigates the fruit characteristics and detachment parameters of sour cherry (cv. ‘Kutahya’) in terms of different maturity stages. Sour cherries were grouped into five different maturity stages by observation according to their color and dimensions. The fruit mass and dimension increased as a function of maturity stage; however, the fruit mass remained almost same after the 4th stage. The highest values of total soluble solids and titrable acid contents of sour cherry were gained in the last stage of maturity. The value of chroma of fruit outer color was higher 50 % than that of fruit inner color in the 1st maturity stage. However, it was almost same in the 5th stage of maturity. Increasing fruit maturity caused a decrease in the values of fruit detachment force ranging from 4.25 to 1.78 N, giving the coefficient of determination of 0.947. Similarly, the ratio of fruit detachment force to fruit mass, detachment stress, and specific energy decreased as the fruit maturity increased. The harvest of sour cherry is done only once in the optimum time to decrease the harvest cost. Minimizing the variability in fruit maturity throughout the tree is essential for gaining the maximum profit and lower fruit detachment force in this convenient time. Results of this study indicated that 3rd−5th maturity stages were critical for harvest. In order to attain the maximum poundage per tree and color for the market the most of the fruits should be in these stages. Therefore, appropriate management strategies that could homogenize the maturity throughout the tree should be applied.

Biological characterization of the reproductive cycle of the sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) in the western central region of Portugal (Peniche)

Biological characterization of the reproductive cycle of the sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) in the western central region of Portugal (Peniche)

Ultrastructure of the optic gland of the squid &lt;i&gt;Sepiotheutis sepioidea&lt;/i&gt; (Cephalopoda: Loliginidae)

Se examinó la ultraestructura fina de la glándula óptica (GO) en varios estadios de desarrollo sexual del calamar tropical Sepiotheutis sepioidea, proveniente de las costas de la Bahía de Mochima, Venezuela ( lO" 20' 22 "- 10" 24' N; 64° 19' - 64° 22' W). Los parámetros morfométricos y de los órganos reproductivos (hembras n = 101; machos n = 105), presentaron diferencias significativas entre los estados de maduración sexual (ANOVA, p &lt; 0.001), el índice gonadal promedio en las hembras osciló entre 0.1 - 2.95 %, y en los machos entre 0.22 - 1.38 %. La GO son un par de órganos ovales ubicados en el borde posterior del tracto óptico en el cerebro de los cefalópodos, ésta posee los mismos tipos de células descritos en otros cefalópodos con algunas leves diferencias. La célula principal en el estadio de maduración juvenil posee un perfil dendrítico con delgados procesos del citoplasma, abundantes ribosomas, mitocondrias circulares con crestas tubulares, y un núcleo prominente eucromatínico; en el estadio de adulto las células principales presentan las cisternas del retículo endoplasmático rugoso dilatadas concéntricamente en la célula, el aparato de Golgi es activo con abundantes gránulos electron densos de secreción, las mitocondrias son escasas, y el gránulo de lipofucsina es de mayor tamaño. La dimensión del núcleo de la célula principal y la abundancia de organelos, presentaron oscilaciones en las etapas del ciclo de vida.

Novelty versus environment: two viewpoints on the same phenomenon?

In his reaction to our paper ‘Environment not ‘native-ness’ dictates reproductive trait shifts in Ponto-Cas-pian gobies’ (Konecna et al. 2014), Kovac(‘The fishitself, not only environment, should be considered instudying invasion success’; in press) disagree withwhat he considers a misinterpretation of his theory of‘alternative ontogenies and invasive potential’ (hereinAOIP; Kovac 2010). In doing so, he questions thereliability of our results by criticising our methodol-ogy. We would like to take this opportunity to reactto both these points.Kovac (in press) accuses us of using ‘tests basedon improper methods’. Every method includes somedegree of bias, including those used in our paper, andin every case, their use can and should be questioned.However, while we agree with Kovac that ‘hypothe-ses derived from a theory should always be testedwith proper methods’, we are also convinced that noone can claim the right to state which methods are‘proper’ or ‘improper’ without broad consensus andproper discussion. We refute Kovac’s criticism as wechose our methods carefully to minimise any possiblebias and with due reference to the levels of precisionnormally required in fish reproduction studies. Forexample, as we were unconvinced that the gravimet-ric method was a credible means for determininggobiid fecundity (due to the relatively small mass tobe weighed), we decided to measure every egg in theovary instead as it is more reliable, despite beingmore time-consuming. Further, where we wereunconvinced that a parameter could be measured/determined precisely enough (e.g. size of oocytes inthe last stage of maturation), we omitted it, despitebeing aware that the value of our results might besomewhat decreased thereby (see Kovac in press).Kovac (in press) criticises our method for deter-mining goby fecundity, that is absolute fecundity (F

Nucleic acids in the last stages of maturation of two varieties

Using the MAK column chromatography method the process of wheat grain maturation was found to be closely correlated with nucleic acid metabolism. The amount of nucleic acids in the embryos increased until the end of the maturation of the grain. This increase was the result of an intensive synthesis mainly of rRNA fractions and to some extent also of sRNA. The quantitative proportion of various fractions of nucleic acids also changed in the last stages of grain maturation. In the period of wax maturity in wheat embryos a higher content of 4S and 5S RNA was found which partly explains a higher viability of these seeds.

Effects of an inoculant containing a Lactobacillus buchneri that produces ferulate-esterase on fermentation products, aerobic stability, and fibre digestibility of maize silage harvested at different stages of maturity

The aim of this research was to study the effects of a commercial inoculant containing Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus buchneri that produces ferulate esterase enzymes on fermentation products, aerobic stability, microbial status, dry matter (DM) losses, and digestibility of neutral detergent fibre (aNDF-D) of maize silages ensiled at four stages of maturity. The kernel milk line (ML) was used to time the forage harvest, and 1/6 ML, 2/5 ML, 3/4 ML and black layer (BL) were observed, for harvest stages I, II, III and IV, respectively. Chopped whole plant maize was untreated or treated with L. casei LC32909 and L. buchneri LN40177, which were applied to achieve a final application rate of 1×104cfu/g and 1.0×105cfu/g of fresh forage, respectively. The maize was ensiled in laboratory silos for 260 days before opening. The DM content, starch and ether extract concentrations and mould count increased, whereas water activity, nitrate, ash, water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and crude protein (CP) contents progressively decreased with increasing maturity at harvest. The 24-h and 48-h aNDF-D were similar for harvest stages I, II and III, whereas they were the lowest in harvest stage IV. The effect of inoculation decreased with increasing DM content at ensiling, and the inoculum was ineffective at the last stage of maturity, probably due to the high epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) count, low water activity and low sugar content that could have negatively influenced the inoculation outcome. The inoculation lowered the lactic acid, yeast and mould counts and increased acetic acid, 1,2-propanediol, pH, DM losses and aerobic stability in the first three harvest stages, whereas no differences were observed between the treated and untreated silages harvested at the last stage of maturity. Regardless of the treatment, the yeast count fell under the detection limit and the aerobic stability of the silage increased to over 200h when the acetic acid content exceeded 25g/kg DM. Furthermore, the DM losses were closely correlated to the acetic acid production and increased to 80g/kg of DM in the treated silages harvested at the earliest stage of maturity. The potential milk production, estimated with MILK2006 model (Shaver et al., 2006, http://www.uwex.edu/ces/dairynutrition/spreadsheets.cfm), showed that the greater aNDF-D of the treated silage, which was observed in harvest stages I and III, did not counterbalance the higher DM losses attributable to the L. buchneri activity during ensiling, in terms of milk per Mg of original ensiled DM.

Influence of Maturity Stage on Nutritional and Therapeutic Potentialities of Solanum anguivi Lam Berries (Gnagnan) Cultivated in Côte D’Ivoire

Solanum anguivi Lam, collectively called Gnagnan in Cote d'Ivoire is an eggplant with nutritional and therapeutic potentialities. The present study was undertaken to analyze the chemical composition of berries at different stages of maturity. Data showed that at the first stage of maturity, green berries are rich in ascorbic acid (34.5 ± 1.7 mg / 100 g DM), phenolic compounds (956.7 ± 71.1 mg / 100 g DM), iron (467.7 ± 1.8 mg / 100 g DM), magnesium (404.6 ± 16.3 mg / 100 g DM) and potassium (2059.7 ± 22.3 mg/100 g DM). However at the last stage of maturity, red berries are rich in proteins, cellulose, total sugars, fat and potassium with values of 22.53 ± 2 g/100 g DM, 19.12 ± 0.4 g/100 g DM, 3.7 ± 0.2 g/100 g DM, 2.7 ± 0.2 g/100 g DM and 2290.8 ± 22.2 mg / 100 g DM respectively. Thin layer chromatography revealed the presence of glucose, ribose, xylose, arabinose and fructose at all maturity stages. Excepted alkaloids and gallic tannins, the phytochemical sorting revealed that Gnagnan contain several pharmacological components. According to the maturity stages, orange and red berries showed a higher content in sterols and polyterpens, flavonoids and saponins. The green berries contain most of polyphenols, catechin tannins and quinons. As to yellow berries, they are rich in polyphenols and catechin tannins. Data of our study may enhance clinical research on the nutritional and pharmacological properties of S. anguivi Lam.

Total lipid content, fatty acids and 4-desmethylsterols accumulation in developing fruit of Pistacia lentiscus L. growing wild in Tunisia

This research has determined oil, fatty acid and sterol contents of the Tunisian Pistacialentiscus (Lentisc) fruits during maturation. Low oil accumulation was observed during the first 35days after the fruiting (DAF) date (from 1.83% to 2.57%). After that, two phases were distinguished (35th until the 60th and 105th to the 145th DAF), where the rate of oil accumulation increased significantly. At the last stage of maturation, the lentisc fruits had the highest percentage of lipid content, 42.54%. The changing profile of fatty acids during maturation had been marked mainly by an increase in oleic acid content (from 19.49% to 50.72%) paralleling a decrease in linoleic acid content (from 42.5% to 21.75%). At the 15th DAF, the alpha-linolenic acid was found with a maximum of 13.81%. At full maturity, the main fatty acids were oleic acid, followed by palmitic and linoleic acid. Other fatty acids were present in trace proportions, such as palmitoleic, stearic, linolenic, gadoleic and arachidic acid. In all stages of ripening only four sterols were identified and quantified. β-Sitosterol was the major 4-desmethylsterol in samples tested, followed by campesterol. Cholesterol and stigmasterol were detected in trace amounts. During the first stage of ripening, the amount of total sterols was about 5.19/100g of oil. It decreased to 0.43/100g in the last stage. Sitosterol and campesterol showed nearly the same profile during the ripening of P. lentiscus fruit which could be linked to the relation between these compounds during their biosynthesis.

Changes in tannins, ascorbic acid and sugar content in astringent persimmons during on-tree growth and ripening and in response to different postharvest treatments

Changes in tannins, ascorbic acid and sugars in astringent persimmons ‘Rojo Brillante’ and ‘Kaki Tipo’ were investigated during fruit maturation and after postharvest treatments. Soluble tannins exhibited a significant initial increment, followed by a marked constant decrease that led to values between 0.2 and 0.3 g/100 g fresh weight (FW) in the last stage of maturity studied. During the entire period monitored, insoluble tannins represented the minor component of the total tannic fraction, accounting for 9–27% (Rojo Brillante) and 17–32% (Kaki Tipo) of total tannins; levels of insoluble tannins were comparable to or higher than the soluble tannins in softer fruits. Total vitamin C decreased from 0.18–0.20 to about 0.08 g/100 g FW during fruit development owing to fruit growth rather than to degradation processes. Total sugars increased from about 4 g/100 g FW at the early stage of fruit development to 17 g/100 g FW after reaching the commercial stage of maturity. Glucose and fructose increased during the entire period monitored, while sucrose reached a maximum and then gradually decreased, probably owing to a strong invertase activity. Antiradical activities were significantly related to the corresponding tannic fraction. In both ‘Rojo Brillante’ and ‘Kaki Tipo’, postharvest treatment with CO 2 was more effective than with ethylene in reducing soluble tannin concentration (0.031–0.067 and 0.220–0.262 g/100 g FW, respectively).

Phenolic Composition, Sugar Contents and Antioxidant Activity of Tunisian Sweet Olive Cultivar with Regard to Fruit Ripening

Dhokar olive cultivar growing in the south of Tunisia is an unusual olive tree which is characterized by the sweet taste of its fruit. We were particularly interested in the phenolic compounds of this cultivar in comparison to Chemlali cv. During the different maturation stages of olive fruits, the phenolic composition, sugar content, antioxidant activity and enzymatic change were examined. The phenolic composition was studied by using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography followed by LC-MS and GC-MS analysis. Oleuropein, the major olive fruit biophenolic compound, decreased significantly during all the ripeness stages, and its level decreased from 3.29 g/kg fresh olive (July) to 0.16 g/kg (October) in Dhokar cv. and from 5.7 g/kg (July) to 3.75 g/kg (October) in Chemlali cv. This decrease inversely correlated with hydroxytyrosol concentrations until September. DPPH and ABTS assays show that the more important antioxidant capacity of olive extracts was found at the last stage of maturation. beta-Glucosidase and esterase activities were evaluated during the ripening stage. The data obtained during the ripening indicate that polyphenol content and composition, in particular the oleuropein concentration, were in correlation with the measured enzymatic activities. Glucosidase and esterase showed their maximum values in September reaching 179.75 and 39.03 U/g of olive pulp, respectively. In addition, sugar content was quantified using colorimetric and chromatographic methods and was compared to its concentration in Chemlali olive fruit cultivar. Glucose and mannitol were the main sugars; they reached their highest level at the last stage of ripening: 8.3 and 79.8 g/kg respectively.

Immunologic immaturity, but high IL-4 productivity, of murine neonatal thymic CD4 single-positive T cells in the last stage of maturation.

To determine the levels of maturation and differentiation of murine CD4 single-positive (SP) T cells, we compared the secondary responses of staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA)-induced neonatal thymic, adult thymic and adult splenic CD4 SP T cell blasts prepared from whole or heat-stable antigen(low) CD4 SP T cells. Proliferative responses upon re-stimulation with SEA were strong in adult splenic CD4 SP T cell blasts, but quite weak in neonatal thymic and adult thymic CD4 SP T cell blasts. SEA-induced IL-2 production was weaker in neonatal thymic blasts than in the adult splenic CD4 SP T cell blasts. In contrast, SEA-induced IL-4 production was high in neonatal thymic CD4 SP T cell blasts, and low in adult splenic and thymic CD4 SP T cell blasts. Expression of GATA-3, that directs production of IL-4 in T cells, examined at protein and mRNA levels, was higher in neonatal thymic cells than in adult thymic and splenic cells. These results suggest that neonatal and adult thymic CD4 SP T cells in the final stage of maturation are relatively immature compared with adult splenic CD4 SP T cells. The cytokine production profile of neonatal thymic CD4 SP T cells suggests that they are inclined towards a T(h)2 response.