The retention and bioavailability of phytochemicals in the manufacturing of baked snacks.

There is a growing body of evidence supporting the role that phytochemicals play in reducing the risk of various chronic diseases. Although there has been a rise in health products marketed as being "supergrains," "superfood," or advertising their abundance in antioxidants, these food items are often limited to powdered blends, dried fruit, nuts, or seeds, rarely intercepting the market of baked snacks. This is in part due to the still limited understanding of the impact that different industrial processes have on phytochemicals in a complex food matrix and their corresponding bioavailability. This review brings together the current data on how various industrial dehydration processes influence the retention and bioaccessibility of phytochemicals in baked snacks. It considers the interplay of molecules in an intricate snack matrix, limitations of conventional technologies, and constraints with consumer acceptance preventing wider utilization of novel technologies. Furthermore, the review takes a holistic approach, encompassing each stage of production-discussing the potential for inclusion of by-products to promote a circular economy and the proposal for a shift in agriculture toward biofortification or tailored growing of crops for their nutritional and post-harvest attributes.

Manipulation of the Phytochemical Profile of Tenderstem® Broccoli Florets by Short Duration, Pre-Harvest LED Lighting.

Light quality has been reported to influence the phytochemical profile of broccoli sprouts/microgreens; however, few studies have researched the influence on mature broccoli. This is the first study to investigate how exposing a mature glasshouse grown vegetable brassica, Tenderstem® broccoli, to different light wavelengths before harvest influences the phytochemical content. Sixty broccoli plants were grown in a controlled environment glasshouse under ambient light until axial meristems reached >1 cm diameter, whereupon a third were placed under either green/red/far-red LED, blue LED, or remained in the original compartment. Primary and secondary spears were harvested after one and three weeks, respectively. Plant morphology, glucosinolate, carotenoid, tocopherol, and total polyphenol content were determined for each sample. Exposure to green/red/far-red light increased the total polyphenol content by up to 13% and maintained a comparable total glucosinolate content to the control. Blue light increased three of the four indole glucosinolates studied. The effect of light treatments on carotenoid and tocopherol content was inconclusive due to inconsistencies between trials, indicating that they are more sensitive to other environmental factors. These results have shown that by carefully selecting the wavelength, the nutritional content of mature broccoli prior to harvest could be manipulated according to demand.

Prevalence of TB/HIV coinfection in antiretroviral-naïve patients at the Fann Ambulatory Treatment Center in Dakar.

To determine the prevalence of tuberculosis and describe its epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical, and therapeutic characteristics and its outcome in patients with HIV. This retrospective, descriptive, and analytical study examined the records of patients with HIV at our outpatient treatment center and selected those who were antiretroviral-naive and presented tuberculosis between January 2008 and December 2012. Among a total of 757 HIV-positive patients, 76 had tuberculosis, for a prevalence of 10 %. The sex ratio of 1.23 favored men. The average age was 42.5 years (range: 25 to 69 years. Nearly all these patients (71 cases) had HIV-1. A history of tuberculosis was reported by 39.5 %. Seventeen patients were malnourished. Management included chemoprophylaxis with cotrimoxazole for 64 patients. The pulmonary form predominated (72.4 %). Among these forms, there were 34 cases of negative microscopy tuberculosis and 21 cases of positive microscopy tuberculosis. The extrapulmonary forms (21 cases) were dominated by tuberculosis in the lymph nodes (11 cases), the pleura (7), pericardium (2), and peritoneum (1). Anemia was found in 44 patients. Severe immunosuppression was noted in 90 %, with CD4+ cell counts <350/mm3. Lethality was 7.9 %. TB/HIV coinfection is a major public health problem in Africa. Better coordination of activities in support of programs for tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS are needed.

Identification of all HIV type 1 group M subtypes in Senegal, a country with low and stable seroprevalence.

A total of 343 HIV-1-positive samples obtained between June 1996 and March 1999 was genetically characterized in the envelope region by HMA and/or sequencing. The env subtype distribution was as follows: 290 (84.6%) A, 22 (6.5%) B, 16 (4.7%) C, 8 (2.5%) D, 1 (0.03%) E, 1 (0.03%) F1, 4 (1.2%) G, and 1 (0.03%) H. For 77 samples the p24 region from the gag gene was also sequenced, and for 9 (11.6%) the subtypes between env and gag were different. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed the predominance of AG-IBNG-like viruses among gag and env subtype A sequences. HMA is relatively simple and requires less sophisticated technical facilities compared with sequencing, and in Senegal 323 (94.2%) of the 343 samples could be identified by this technique. However, in the actual configuration of the assay, discrimination between the recombinant AG-IBNG-like recombinant viruses, which are predominant in Senegal, and the nonrecombinant subtype A viruses is not possible.

Full-length genome sequencing of HIV type 1 group O viruses isolated from a heterosexual transmission cluster in Senegal.

In a polygamous marriage in Senegal, the husband and his two spouses were infected with HIV-1 group O. This study provides new full-length genome sequences for the two spouses (99SE-MP1299 and 99SE-MP1300) and the 3'-end LTR-tat fragment (6084 bp) for the husband (98SE-42HALD). Phylogenetic tree and diversity plot analysis revealed that the new viruses belong to HIV-1 group O and that they are closely related to each other in a cluster around ANT-70. The intrafamilial transmission occurred at most 6 years ago. The interpatient variability was highest in the envelope region, and in some regions of the envelope the strains from the two spouses do not cluster together anymore. The source of infection was in Cameroon and confirms a slow but continuous spread of HIV-1 group O viruses.

Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and human papillomavirus infection among Senegalese women seropositive for HIV-1 or HIV-2 or seronegative for HIV.

Studies in various regions of the world have shown that women infected with HIV-1 are at increased risk for cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infection as well as for cervical cancer precursor lesions. HIV infection and cervical cancer are both widespread in West Africa, but little is known about the relationship between HPV and HIV-2, which is the predominant type of HIV in the general population of many West African countries. To address this issue, we collected cervical samples for cytology and HPV analysis from 93 women presenting to the University of Dakar Infectious Disease Service (18 women with HIV-1 infection, 17 with HIV-2 infection, and 58 HIV seronegative controls). Compared to those without HIV infection, HIV seropositive women were 13.1 (95% CI = 2.4, 128) and 11.0 (95% CI = 3.5, 35.8) times more likely to have HPV detected using Southern transfer hybridization (STH) and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) respectively. Detection of high and intermediate risk HPV types were significantly associated with HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection. Among HPV positive women, those with, as compared to those without HIV infection were more likely to harbour high risk HPV types (OR = 9.2, 95% CI = 0.97, 433). HIV-1 and HIV-2 seropositive women were 23.3 (95% CI = 2.9, 209) and 9.3 (95% CI = 1.1, 79) times more likely to have cytological diagnosis of dysplasia, respectively, than were HIV seronegative women. Biopsy-proven CIN 3 was found in one woman with HIV-1 and invasive cancer was found in one woman with HIV-2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PIP: Studies in various regions of the world have shown that women infected with HIV-1 are at increased risk for cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infection as well as for cervical cancer precursor lesions. HIV infection and cervical cancer are both widespread in West Africa, but little is known about the relationship between HPV and HIV-2, the predominant type of HIV in the general population of many West African countries. The authors report findings from their collection of cervical samples for cytology and HPV analysis from 93 women presenting to the University of Dakar Infectious Disease Service; 18 women infected with HIV-1, 17 with HIV-2, and 58 HIV seronegative controls. Compared to those without HIV infection, HIV seropositive women were 13.1 and 11.0 times more likely to have HPV detected using Southern transfer hybridization and the polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The detection of high and intermediate risk HPV types was significantly associated with HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection. Among HPV-positive women, those infected with HIV were more likely to harbor high-risk HPV types. HIV-1 and HIV-2 seropositive women were 23.3 and 9.3 times more likely to have a cytological diagnosis of dysplasia, respectively, than were HIV-seronegative women. Biopsy-proven cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 3 was found in one woman with HIV-1 and invasive cancer was found in one woman with HIV-2. It remains unclear, however, whether HIV-1 and HIV-2 confer similar risks of developing CIN 2-3 and the potential of invasive cervical cancer.

[Clinical, bacteriological and therapeutic aspects of meningococcal meningitis in Dakar in 1999]. / Aspects cliniques, bacteriologiques et therapeutiques des meningites cerebro-spinales a Dakar en 1999.

Two major outbreaks of meningitis due Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A occurred in Senegal in 1998 and 1999. The purpose of this report is to describe clinical, bacteriological and therapeutic findings in 70 patients admitted for cerebrospinal meningitis to the Infectious Disease Clinic at the Fann University Teaching Hospital in Dakar in 1999. Diagnosis was based on direct microscopic examination after Gram staining in 71% of the cases, culture in 76%, and detection of soluble antigens in cerebrospinal fluid in 24%. Median patient age was 20 years. The highest incidence, i.e. 66% of cases, was recorded during February, March and April. Meningitic syndrome and fever were observed with 86% of the cases. The average duration of antibiotic therapy was 8 days. Chloramphenicol was the most commonly used drug (84% of cases). All strains identified in cultures were sensitive to chloramphenicol, ceftriaxone and cefotaxime but resistant to cotrimoxazole. Outcome was favorable in 93% of the cases. Three patients (4%) died and two (3%) developed hearing loss. Despite the low death rate in this series of patients treated in a hospital setting, mass vaccination is still the most effective mean of controlling meningococcal meningitis.

[Fluconazole in oro-pharyngeal candidiasis in retroviral infection (experience in Dakar)]. / Le fluconazole dans les candidoses bucco-pharyngées au cours de l'infection rétrovirale (expérience dakaroise).

Oral candidiasis is a frequent opportunistic infection in AIDS patients. High risk of dissemination and frequent relapses are common. The autors in Dakar at the Infectious Diseases Department Fann Hospital conduct an open non randomized trial with Fluconazole for the treatment of oral candidiasis in HIV seropositive patients. They find a clinical efficacy of 84.14% a biological efficacy of 63.3% and a good excellent tolerance (100%). But, the high price of this product limits its utilisation in developing countries.

[Tetanus osteoarticular complications in Dakar]. / Les complications ostéo-articulaires du tétanos à Dakar.

To assess the epidemiological and clinical features of osteoarticular symptoms during tetanus infection, we carried out a retrospective study in infectious Diseases Ward of the University Teaching Hospital in Dakar (Senegal). Over a period of 7 years (1990-1996), 1, 199 cases of tetanus of more than 1 month of age were diagnosed. Among those who survived (n = 948), 18 cases of osteo-articular manifestations were observed (1.8%): 15 presented with vertebral fracture located within the thoracical part T4-T8 (83.3%) while 3 patients had para-articular osteoma in the elbows (16.7%). These complications occurred on stage II (89%) and stage III (11%) of Mollaret's classification of tetanus infection. Males were more represented than females (sex-ratio = 5) and the median age was 13 years (range = 6-45 years). The mean hospitalisation duration was significantly higher for patients with para-articular osteoma (6 weeks) than for those with vertebral fracture (3 weeks). No major functional impairment was noticed during hospitalisation and patients required only physiotherapy and clinical and radiological surveillance. Although not frequent and of some little functional consequence, osteoarticular complications of tetanus, should invite to improve the antitetanic immunization strategies in developing countries.