Curcumin and its reduced derivative tetrahydrocurcumin have been shown to exhibit chemopreventive activity. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibition in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- or Porphyromonas gingivalis fimbria-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells was investigated using Northern blot analysis. The fimbria-stimulated expression of the COX-2 gene was inhibited by curcumin but not by tetrahydrocurcumin. LPS-s...

Phytophenols such as para-substituted 2-methoxyphenols exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, however, their biological activities are concentration-dependent, possibly due to their dual property of being both antioxidant and prooxidant. Eugenol (2-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) and isoeugenol (4-propenyl-2-methoxyphenol) did not reveal cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-inhibiting activity in mac...

The development of novel in vitro methods to assess risks of allergic sensitization are essential in reducing animal testing whilst maintaining consumer safety. The main research objectives of this study were to identify novel biomarkers to assess the sensitization predictability of chemicals. Phenotypic and cytokine responses of moDCs and MUTZ-3 cells were investigated following application of...

The contents of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and phenolic substances in mini-salamis were investigated depending on cold smoking conditions (smouldering smoke). Three different smoke densities (light, medium, and intensive smoke) and ventilator velocities (750, 1500, and 3000 rpm) as well as wood chips of four different moisture contents (12%, 19%, 24%, and 30%) were tested in a total...

Attempts to improve formulation of topical products are a continuing process and the development of microandnanovesicular systems as well as polymeric microparticles has led to marketing of topical drugs and cosmetics usingthese technologies. Encapsulation of some well-known contact allergens in ethanolic liposomes have been reportedto enhance allergenicity compared with the all...

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are one of the major families of detoxifying enzymes that detoxifies different chemical compounds including insecticides in different insect species. Among the GST subclasses, sigma GSTs are found to be the most abundant and conserved among different insect orders. These GSTs are found to play an important role in lipid peroxidation as well as detoxification. C...

Prohaptens are chemicals, which may cause skin sensitization after being converted into electrophilic molecules by skin enzymes. Aroclor-induced rat liver S9 fractions represent the metabolic activation system most commonly used in in vitro toxicology. This system contains much higher enzyme activities compared with those reported in skin, but it may still serve as a surrogate system to study t...

—Market-sized 2-year-old striped bass Morone saxatilis (average weight, 645 g) were evaluated in three different concentrations of Aqui-S at one of three different temperatures. Time to stage 4 of anesthesia, recovery time, and plasma cortisol level as an indicator of acute stress response, were determined. We found a significant difference in the time to stage 4 between 25 mg/L and 35 or 45 mg...