Women's Self-Management of Dyspareunia Associated With Endometriosis: A Qualitative Study.

Given the limitations of medical treatment for endometriosis, self-management is a critical component of symptom management, and providing patients with information and education is a necessary complement to medical interventions. Though 50 to 70% of people with endometriosis experience dyspareunia (painful sex), there is limited knowledge of self-management specific to painful sex. A comprehensive understanding of the self-management strategies used is foundational to developing supportive care interventions that help ease pain and related psychosocial sequelae. The objective was to describe people's experiences of navigating endometriosis-associated painful sex and developing self-management strategies. We analyzed interview data from 20 women using constant comparative and thematic analysis techniques, guided by qualitative interpretive description methodology. Participants (age range 18-44 years) all identified as women and were predominately Caucasian (90%) and heterosexual (80%). Throughout their lives, the women appeared to gradually develop self-management strategies while navigating painful sexual experiences. This complex journey encompassed four phases: 1) viewing painful sex as normal, 2) experiencing evolving thoughts and emotions, 3) coming to understand painful sex and seeking help, and 4) learning strategies to navigate painful sex, these include preparing mentally and physically for sex and communicating with intimate partner(s). Women in this study developed self-management strategies over time through engagement with others who understood their challenges. Future research is warranted regarding initiatives to counter the normalization of painful sex, develop and disseminate patient-facing information, provide education specific to dyspareunia, improve access to multidisciplinary care, facilitate social connections and support, and enhance communication with intimate partners. PERSPECTIVE: In this paper, we report on the experiences of women with endometriosis-associated painful sex and their self-management strategies. Clinicians may be interested in a qualitative exploration of endometriosis-associated painful sex as they seek to further understand their patient's experiences and what strategies can be implemented to alleviate dyspareunia. DATA AVAILABILITY: The data sets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available as participants did not consent to making their data publicly available but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Development and cross-validation of simple HPLC-fluorescence and UPLC-MS-UV methods for rapid determination of oleuropein in olive leaves.

INTRODUCTION: Olive leaves, abundant by-products of the olive oil industry, are a rich source of oleuropein, an important polyphenol in olive leaves. So far, no published methods have been validated using matrix standards for oleuropein quantification in olive leaves. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to develop an HPLC method for oleuropein determination in olive leaves using spiked matrix standards prepared from a blank olive leaf matrix, to validate the method with respect to aqueous standards, and cross-validate the HPLC method with UPLC-MS and UPLC-UV techniques. METHODOLOGY: Oleuropein was extracted into methanol and analysed by HPLC with fluorescence detection (FLD; excitation and emission wavelengths 281 and 316 nm, respectively) and by UPLC-MS-UV. For validation, calibration curves of spiked matrix standards (0.4 to 4.8 mg/g) were analysed by the three methods over several days. Oleuropein was then analysed in French olive varieties. RESULTS: For the HPLC-FLD method, repeatability and intermediate precision were less than 5% RSD and linearity was demonstrated by the Fischer test. Differences in results of the spiked placebos by the three methods were non-significant, as confirmed by ANOVA. Extraction recovery was >90%, and there was a strong linear relationship between authentic and spiked matrix standards. The determination of oleuropein in French olive varieties is reported, including analysis in "Olivière" cultivar for the first time, leaves of which contained twice the amount of oleuropein compared with "Picholine". CONCLUSION: Accurate quantification of oleuropein is possible using aqueous standards. Cross-validation indicates that selective analysis can equally be carried out by HPLC or by UPLC-MS techniques.

Neo-traditionalist, egalitarian and progressive masculinities in men's heterosexual intimate partner relationships.

Shifts in gender roles, identities and relations since the 1980s are continuing to influence masculinities within intimate partner relationships. Forefront in men's contemporary heterosexual relationships have been calls for gender equality and gender equity as a means to promoting the mental health and well-being of partners and their families. Most previous research has focused on a pathologized role of men in relationships (e.g., intimate partner violence). Little is known about how men perceive intimate partner relationships using a strength-based perspective. The current photovoice study addressed the research question, 'What are the connections between masculinities and men's heterosexual intimate partner relationships?' to highlight young men's (19-43 years-old) experiences of, and perspectives about their intimate partner relationships. Drawing from individual Zoom interviews with 92 heterosexual, cisgender men from 14 countries, we abductively derived three masculine typologies: 1) neo-traditionalist, 2) egalitarian and 3) progressive. Twenty-two (24%) participants embodied neo-traditionalist masculinities characterized by reliance's on traditional masculine norms that assign domesticities as feminine and prize masculine breadwinner and protector roles. Half of the participants (50%, n = 46) purposefully distanced themselves from traditional masculine norms to engage egalitarian masculinities. These men idealized equal (50-50) contributions and reciprocity wherein counts were often used to evaluate each partner's relative efforts and contributions to the relationship. Progressive masculinities were evident in 26% (n = 24) of participants who focused on fairness and social justice, checking their own privilege to justly operate within the relationship, and more broadly in society. The three typologies are grounded in men's heterosexual intimate partner gender relations, and advance masculinity frameworks to guide future health-research, policy and practice. In addition, there are opportunities for men's mental health promotion by prompting readers' reflexivity to thoughtfully consider what they idealize, and where they map in relation to the masculine typologies featured in the current article.

Working with men in the context of distressed and disrupted intimate partner relationships: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe key considerations for working with men experiencing distressed and disrupted intimate partner relationships. METHODS: Individual Zoom interviews were conducted with help-seeking men (n = 25) who had experienced an intimate partnership break-up, and health service providers (n = 30) working with men in the relationships space. Interpretive Description methodology was used to generate considerations for working with men in distressed and disrupted relationships. RESULTS: Three thematic findings were inductively derived; 1) A whole life approach for deconstructing relationships, wherein men engaged in discussions about their broader experiences and circumstances within the context of intimate partnerships; 2) Affirming men's relationship emotions and vulnerabilities as normative and changeable, comprising coaching for embodying transformative masculinities; and 3) Tangible 'to do's' in and after a relationship, outlining men's present and prospective self-work with action-oriented strategies. CONCLUSION: Strategies tailored to men's receptivity and needs can increase connection with professional services and providers to bolster the mental health of men in and after disrupted intimate partner relationships. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: With men increasingly accessing professional mental health services, the present study offers key considerations and recommendations regarding assessment, communication, and treatment for health service providers working with men in the relationships space.

Masculinities and men's emotions in and after intimate partner relationships.

Men's emotions in intimate partner relationships have received little research attention. The current interpretive descriptive study included 30 Canadian-based men to address the research question: What are the connections between masculinities and men's emotions in and after intimate partner relationships? Three inductively derived themes included emergent distressing emotions wherein participants' predominance for holding in abeyance their concerns about the relationship manifested varying levels of emotional stoicism. Within this context most men denied or downplayed and did not express their emotions. When the relationship broke, men were overwhelmed by mixed and weighty break-up emotions comprising diverse and often-times discordant emotions, including sadness, shame, anger, regret and guilt, calling into question men's rationality for deciphering and expressing what was concurrently but inexplicably felt. Shame and anger were prominent emotions demanding the participant's attention to all that happened in and at the end of the relationship. In the third theme, understanding and transitioning after-burn emotions, participant's grief levered their efforts, including soliciting professional help for deconstructing, reframing and expressing their emotions in the aftermath of the partnership ending. The findings contextualise and in some instances counter claims about the utility of men's emotional stoicism by mapping participants' feelings in and after intimate partner relationships.

Men, relationships and partner-initiated break-ups: A narrative analysis.

For men, significant risks associated with partner-initiated break-ups include domestic violence, mental health challenges and difficultly with life transition. This narrative analysis study shares three storylines drawn from interviews with 25 men who experienced a partner-initiated break-up. Ill equipped to stay or to initiate leaving narratives positioned participants as conflict averse, lacking agency and withdrawing emotionally from the partnership and its demise. Victims of circumstance narratives included men who engaged in cyclic arguments and ongoing power struggles with partners, a pattern that often amplified conflict after the break-up. Transitioning these two impasse narratives were some participants whose Accountability and growth storylines highlighted their introspective self-work, aided by resources including professional help to deconstruct, understand, and adjust their behaviours. Making connections to masculinities theory, these findings suggest that tailored interventions, including narrative therapy, might usefully interrupt impasse narratives to aid men's development and healthful transitions through partner-initiated break-ups.

Occupational and Financial Setbacks in Caregivers of People with Colorectal Cancer: Considerations for Caregiver-Reported Outcomes.

Family caregivers of patients with cancer provide substantial physical, emotional, and functional care throughout the cancer trajectory. While caregiving can create employment and financial challenges, there is insufficient evidence to inform the development of caregiver-reported outcomes (CROs) that assess these experiences. The study purpose was to describe the occupational and financial consequences that were important to family caregivers of a patient with colorectal cancer (CRC) in the context of public health care, which represent potential considerations for CROs. In this qualitative Interpretive Description study, we analyzed interview data from 78 participants (25 caregivers, 37 patients, and 16 healthcare providers). Our findings point to temporary and long-term occupational and financial setbacks in the context of CRC. Caregiving for a person with CRC involved managing occupational implications, including (1) revamping employment arrangements, and (2) juggling work, family, and household demands. Caregiver financial struggles included (1) responding to financial demands at various stages of life, and (2) facing the spectre of lifelong expenses. Study findings offer novel insight into the cancer-related occupational and financial challenges facing caregivers, despite government-funded universal health care. Further research is warranted to develop CRO measures that assess the multifaceted nature of these challenges.

Mapping Men's Mental Health Help-Seeking After an Intimate Partner Relationship Break-Up.

Deleterious effects of separation and divorce on men's mental health are well-documented; however, little is known about their help-seeking when adjusting to these all-too-common life transitions. Employing interpretive descriptive methods, interviews with 47 men exploring their mental health help-seeking after a relationship break-up were analyzed in deriving three themes: (1) Solitary work and tapping established connections, (2) Reaching out to make new connections, and (3) Engaging professional mental health care. Men relying on solitary work and established connections accessed relationship-focused self-help books, online resources, and confided in friends and/or family. Some participants supplemented solitary work by reaching out to make new connections including peer-based men's groups and education and social activities. Comprising first-time, returning, and continuing users, many men responded to relationship break-up crises by engaging professional mental health care. The findings challenge longstanding commentaries that men actively avoid mental health promotion by illuminating wide-ranging help resources.

To share or not to share: communication of caregiver-reported outcomes when a patient has colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The importance of patient-centered measurement in cancer care has led to recognition of the potential for caregiver-reported outcomes to improve caregiver, patient and healthcare system outcomes. Yet, there is limited evidence to inform caregiver-reported outcome implementation. Our purpose was to generate evidence to inform the meaningful and constructive integration of caregiver-reported outcomes into cancer care to benefit caregivers, including exploration of the question of the extent to which these assessments should be shared with patients. We focused on caregivers of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) because CRC is common, and associated caregiving can be complex. RESULTS: From our Interpretive Description analysis of qualitative interview data from 78 participants (25 caregivers, 37 patients, and 16 healthcare providers [HCPs]), we identified contrasting perspectives about the sharing of caregiver-reported outcome assessments with patients with CRC. Those who preferred open communication with both the patient and caregiver present considered this essential for supporting the caregiver. The participants who preferred private communication without the patient, cited concern about caregiver- and patient-burden and guilt. Recognizing these perspectives, HCPs described strategies used to navigate sensitivities inherent in preferences for open versus private communication. CONCLUSIONS: The integration of caregiver-reported outcomes into cancer care will require careful consideration of caregiver and patient preferences regarding the communication of caregiver assessments to prevent additional burden.

Men building better relationships: A scoping review.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Health outcomes linked to men's relationships have the potential to both promote and risk the well-being of males and their families. The current scoping review provides a synthesis of men's relationship programs (excluding criminal court mandated services) in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom to distil predominant program designs, access points, delivery modes and evaluative strategies. METHODS: Databases CINAHL, Medline, PsycInfo and Web of Science were searched for eligible articles published January 2010 and June 2020. The inclusion criteria consisted of empirical studies focussed on relationship programs for men. RESULTS: The review identified 21 articles comprising eight focussed on Fathering Identities as the Catalyst for Relationship Building and 13 targeting Men's Behaviour Change in Partner Relationships. Findings highlight the prevalence of group-based, in-person programs which men accessed via third party or self-referrals. Fathering programs highlighted the impact of men's violence on their children in appealing to attendees to strategise behavioural adjustments. Men's partner relationship programs emphasised self-control amid building strategies for proactively dealing with distress and conflict. Program evaluations consistently reported attendee feedback to gauge the acceptability and usefulness of services. CONCLUSIONS: That most men attending fathering and partner relationship programs were referred as a result of domestic violence and/or intimate partner violence underscores men's reticence for proactively seeking help as well as the absence of upstream relationship programs. There are likely enormous gains to be made by norming boys and men's relationship programs to prevent rather than correct violent and/or abusive behaviours.

Potential of Olive Oil Mill Wastewater as a Source of Polyphenols for the Treatment of Skin Disorders: A Review.

Current trends toward naturally occurring compounds of therapeutic interest have contributed to an increasing number of studies on olive oil phenolics in the treatment of diseases with oxidative and inflammatory origins. Recent focus has been on olive oil wastewater, which is richer in phenolic compounds than olive oil itself. In this review, we present findings demonstrating the potential use of olive mill wastewater in dermatology. Particular attention is given to compounds with proven benefits in topical pharmacology: caffeic and ferulic acids, tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol, verbascoside, and oleuropein. The review is divided into different sections: inflammatory skin diseases, microbial effects, wound healing in addition to the antimelanoma properties of olive mill waste phenolics, and their potential in sun protection agents. There is strong evidence to support further studies into the valorization of this abundant and sustainable source of phenolic compounds for use in dermatology and dermo-cosmetic preparations.

Screening Older Adult Men for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: A Scoping Review.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a potentially fatal condition predominantly affecting older adult men (60 years or over). Based on evidence, preventative health-care guidelines recommend screening older males for AAA using ultrasound. In attempts to reduce AAA mortality among men, screening has been utilized for early detection in some Western countries including the UK and Sweden. The current scoping review includes 19 empirical studies focusing on AAA screening in men. The findings from these studies highlight benefits and potential harms of male AAA screening. The benefits of AAA screening for men include decreased incidence of AAA rupture, decreased AAA mortality, increased effectiveness of elective AAA repair surgery, and cost-effectiveness. The potential harms of AAA screening included lack of AAA mortality reduction, negative impacts on quality of life, and inconsistent screening eligibility criteria being applied by primary care practitioners. The current scoping review findings are discussed to suggest changes to AAA screening guidelines and improve policy and practice.

Segmenting or Summing the Parts? A Scoping Review of Male Suicide Research in Canada.

OBJECTIVE: Suicide in Canadian men is high and rising. Research consistently indicates increased suicide risk in male subgroups including sexual minority, Indigenous, middle-aged, and military men. The current scoping review addresses the research question: Among male subgroups featured in Canadian suicide research, what are the key findings to inform suicide prevention efforts?. METHOD: A scoping review was undertaken in accord with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Structured searches were conducted in CIHAHL, Medline, PsychInfo, and Web of Science to identify studies reporting suicidality (suicidal ideation, plans and/or attempts) and suicide among men in Canada. Inclusion criteria comprised primary empirical studies featuring Canadian male subgroups published in English from 2009 to 2020 inclusive. RESULTS: Sixty-eight articles met the inclusion criteria, highlighting significant rates of male suicidality and/or suicide in 3 categories: (1) health inequities (n = 29); (2) age-specific (n = 30); and (3) occupation (n = 9). The health inequities category included sexual minority men, Indigenous, and other marginalized males (i.e., homeless, immigrant men, and men who use opiates). Age-specific men focused on adolescents and youth, and middle-aged and older males. Active military, veterans, and first responders featured in the occupation category. Studies compared at risk male subgroups to females, general male populations, and/or other marginalized groups in emphasizing mental health disparities and increased suicide risk. Some men's suboptimal connections to existing mental health care services were also highlighted. CONCLUSION: While male subgroups who are vulnerable to suicidality and suicide were consistently described, these insights have not translated to tailored upstream suicide prevention services for Canadian boys and men. There may be some important gains through integrating social and mental health care services for marginalized men, implementing school-based masculinity programs for adolescent males, orientating clinicians to the potential for men's mid-life suicide risks (i.e., separation, bereavement, retirement) and lobbying employers to norm help-seeking among activate military, veterans, and first responder males.

The Effect of a Complementary Therapy Education Seminar on Support Persons of Individuals with Cancer.

Objectives: Complementary therapy (CT) use is prevalent among individuals living with cancer, who often consult family and friends (i.e., support persons) in making decisions about CT. This study examines the effect of an education seminar for adult cancer patients and support persons on the support persons' use, knowledge, and decision-making processes related to CT. Design: A patient education seminar that included support persons was developed and evaluated as part of a CT decision support research program. Survey data were collected before and after the education seminar to examine its impact on support persons' knowledge and use of CT, as well as their engagement in the CT decision-making process. Setting: The study was conducted in Western Canada. Subjects: 62 adult support persons. Interventions: Participants attended a 4-h CT education seminar at one in four provincial cancer centers. The seminar provided recommendations regarding how to make informed decisions about CT, where to find credible information, and key issues to consider to avoid potential risks of CT use. The evidence related to popular CT was also reviewed. Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was support persons' CT knowledge. Secondary outcomes included CT use, information-seeking behavior, decision self-efficacy, decision conflict, and distress. Results: A significant increase in support persons' CT knowledge was observed, as well as improved confidence in CT decision making. There was no significant difference in participants' CT use following the education seminar. Most indicated they would continue to locate information about CT using the Internet. A significant decrease in support persons' decisional conflict was reported; however, there were no significant change in distress related to CT decision making. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the importance of including support persons in patient education related to CT and the positive impact on their knowledge and treatment decision-making processes. No significant change in CT use, information seeking behavior and distress related to CT decisions, however, was observed in the study.

Facing the unknown: uncertain fertility in young adult survivors of childhood cancer.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to describe the challenges young adult childhood cancer survivors (ACCS) experience of living with an unknown fertility status. METHODS: In this qualitative study, we analyzed data from in-depth interviews with 25 ACCS (15 females, 10 males) using content-driven inductive thematic analysis and constant comparative techniques. RESULTS: Three themes provide insight into ACCS' experiences of living with an uncertain fertility status. (1) The marked psychological burden, which included fear, worry, anxiety, and sadness, was ubiquitous. (2) Romantic relationships were negatively affected and entailed fear of disappointing one's partner, the difficulty of discussing fertility issues, and shying away from romantic relationships. (3) Communication challenges with healthcare providers were apparent across the cancer trajectory, made worse by provider knowledge gaps and dismissal of fertility concerns. (4) Well-known gender stereotypes about pregnancy and childrearing were replicated, while the emotional and life impacts that uncertain fertility could exert on males were minimized. CONCLUSION: This study provides beginning insights into the experiences of young ACCS as they navigate an unknown fertility status and highlights existing gaps in fertility-related healthcare services. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Uncertain fertility has implications for survivors' wellbeing that remain poorly addressed by the existing structure of cancer survivor and fertility services. Assessing and addressing the fertility-related needs of ACCS will continue to be a vital component of patient-centered care in the future, and research to develop comprehensive support, resources, and processes of care are vital to meet this priority need.

HPV Vaccine and College-Age Men: A Scoping Review.

The human papillomavirus (HPV) potentially affects every sexually active man in the United States and Canada. In 2017, the vaccine became publicly funded in Canada for males ages 9-26, and was integrated into school vaccination programs. In 2019, HPV vaccination was recommended as routine for all U.S.-based males and females ages 9 through 26, and a shared decision for adults >26 years; however, since the approval of the vaccine in 2006 for females only, the age and dosing recommendations for males have followed a complicated and changing trajectory. Current adherence rates are low among college and university age males (18-26 years); therefore, understanding and addressing the barriers and facilitators for men's HPV vaccination is critically important. The purpose of the current scoping review is to provide a synthesis of recent literature pertaining to HPV in college and university age men, as a means to guiding health-care providers (HCPs). Drawing from 15 published articles, three thematic findings were inductively derived. Theme one, lack of awareness, was underpinned by men's knowledge deficits about their eligibility for, and the availability of HPV vaccines. Theme two, underestimating and embodying risk, included men's engagement in sexual activities while misinformed or denying the risk for contracting HPV. The third theme, strategies for increasing men's awareness, summarizes messaging strategies used to lobby young men to vaccinate. The review findings indicate gender-sensitive interventions targeting college-age men, including early, frequent, and consistent messaging on HPV are key.

Male Perpetration of Adolescent Dating Violence: A Scoping Review.

Male violence against females most often occurs within intimate relationships, and when that occurs during youth, it is termed adolescent dating violence (ADV). A scoping review focused on male perpetration of ADV was conducted to synthesize existing evidence and offer insights about what influences male adolescents to perpetrate ADV. The current scoping review explored the findings drawn from 16 research studies conducted in the United States, Spain, South Africa, and Italy, to distil modifiable factors related to male perpetration of ADV. Three themes were extrapolated from the 16 studies: (a) entitlement; (b) adverse childhood experiences (ACE); and (c) ineffective conflict management. Entitlement as a theme was characterized by attitudes and beliefs aligning to violence, hierarchical and marginalizing masculine norms, traditional gender roles, and male superiority, which in various configurations influenced the perpetration of ADV. ACE as a theme highlighted how male adolescents who had experienced, observed, and/or initiated abuse were at increased risk of perpetrating ADV. Male adolescents with ineffective conflict management (theme 3), including alcohol use and/or emotional dysregulation, were also at higher risk of perpetrating ADV. Tailored prevention efforts are often delinked from issues of male entitlement, ACE, and ineffective conflict management; therefore, we make suggestions for trauma-informed care to guide primary care providers (PCPs) in the assessment and management of ADV.

Help-seeking prior to male suicide: Bereaved men perspectives.

Male suicide is a significant issue globally, and implicated are men's challenges around help-seeking and engagement with peer or professional mental health care. While men's reticence for help-seeking predominates as an explanatory gendered dimension for male suicide, there are significant caveats and complexities to fully understanding those practices in the context of men's mental illness and suicidality. The current photo-voice study offers considerable insight into such issues - through the eyes of the bereaved - retrospectively exploring accounts of the deceased's mental health help-seeking prior to the death. Using an interpretive design, and based on semi-structured individual photo-elicitation interviews with 20 men who had lost a male friend, family member or partner to suicide, three key dimensions were identified: 1) Entrapped by secrecy and concealing the need for help, in which the deceased hid their suicide risk and need for peer or professional mental health care; 2) Overwhelming illness that couldn't be helped, wherein the deceased had previously connected with an array of social supports and medical services but was estranged from peer and professional help ahead of the suicide, and 3) Services and systems providing ineffectual help, whereby the deceased was connected with mental health care shortly before the suicide. These themes reveal complex relations to help, and help-seeking in men lost to suicide, as well as bereaved men's reliance on normative masculinities as an explanatory framing of these practices. Discussed within a critical masculinities framework, the current study highlights the need to destigmatize men's mental illness and help-seeking as well as address significant health inequities to aid the efficiencies of men's suicide prevention programs.

Bridging Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening in Transgender Men: A Scoping Review.

Estimates of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and susceptibility to HPV-related cancer in transgender men (TM) are comparable to prevalence rates found in cisgender women. Regular and thorough screening for cervical cancer is equally as crucial for TM as for cisgender women; however, despite continued risk for cervical cancer in TM and associated recommendations for screening, studies indicate disparities in rates of cervical cancer screening (CCS) in TM compared to cisgender women. The current scoping review explores TM's knowledge and experiences of CCS and barriers to screening uptake in this population. A range of barriers were identified including the need for health-care services to provide care for TM within the context of a nonbinary approach to gender identity and health. Findings synthesized from relevant research studies (n = 15; published 2008-2019) are presented, and recommendations are drawn from these findings to inform primary health-care providers' clinical practice and care of TM.

Varietal Effect on the Concentration and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Hydroxytyrosol in French Olive Oils.

Numerous studies have been carried out on the bioactive properties of hydroxytyrosol (HT) in olive oils (OOs), although there are few reports comparing anti-inflammatory activity among different olive varieties or regions of production. The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vitro inflammatory action of HT in extracts of four OO varieties in the Languedoc region of the French Mediterranean. Factors other than cultivar were eliminated, which enabled unambiguous varietal differences to be identified. Purified extracts of OO were obtained using an optimized solid-phase extraction procedure by which only polar compounds were recovered. High performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection-tandem mass spectrometry was used to identify and quantify HT and oleacein in the extracts. The total polyphenol concentration ranged from 93.00 mg gallic acid equivalent/kg OO for Picholine to 27 mg gallic acid equivalent for Verdale OOs. The concentrations of HT in Picholine, Olivère, and Lucques varieties were 25.3, 18.8 and 12.1 mg/kg, respectively, whereas the concentration of HT in Verdale OOs was less, 1 mg/kg. The in vitro anti-inflammatory response of purified OO extracts, evaluated by the inhibition of nitric oxide release in lipopolysaccharide-induced interferon-γ activated J774.A1 macrophages, strongly correlated with total polyphenol content (R2 > 0.995). The effect increased asymptotically between the equivalent of 2 and 37 mg of OO, reaching, at the maximum tested concentration, 90%, 75%, 62%, and 30% activity for Picholine, Olivière, Lucques, and Verdale, respectively. The results presented here clearly show that, by comparison with authentic standards, the activity of HT in OO extracts was enhanced in a concentration-dependent manner, varying from 3-fold at the highest extract concentration to over 6.5-fold at the lowest extract concentration. Therefore, the anti-inflammatory activity of OOs should be rationalized on the basis of whole extracts rather than solely on the concentration of HT or other bioactive compounds in OO.