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During recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the evaluation of the food-processing side streams, due to their potentially valuable phytochemical content. Olive mill waste water (OMWW), the main by-product of the olive oil extraction process, is rich in polyphenolic compounds, widely known for their health-promoting benefits. However, different parameters--such as the distinct olive cultivar, ripeness of the fruit, processing techniques, climate, and storage conditions--play an important role in determining the specific quali-quantitative polyphenolic composition of OMWW. In this study we have characterized and compared the polyphenolic profile of two different OMWW from the same Nocellara etnea cultivar, however, they underwent different processing technologies.

The management of advanced stage ovarian carcinomas is presently based on initial surgical debulking, multiple drug chemotherapy including cisplatinum, second-look laparotomy. Such an aggressive approach has improved objective response rates and expected survival time, but no dramatic change has been demonstrated as for definitive cure percentages. Many Authors have attempted to turn an optimal objective response to chemotherapy (no residual or minimal residual disease at second-look) into a definitive cure with irradiation. Some reports show satisfactory results, but a high incidence of bowel obstructive complications has been demonstrated, probably due to multiple surgical manipulations before radiotherapy. A reliable diagnostic tool, that could help to avoid the second-look laparotomy (whose inherent role in improving survival is not assessed) should be therefore useful. The possible role of serum tumor markers determinations, for this purpose, is here discussed on the ground of a series of 20 patients affected by stage III ovarian carcinoma. Following this experience, a valuable role seems attributable to CA 125 in monitoring tumor response. Patients achieving values under 35 U/ml before second-look laparotomy showed tumor residuals in the range O-microscopic- < 1cm., that is, neoplastic localizations reliable for consolidation radiation therapy.

Purpose: Cyclopentolate Hydrochloride (CYP) is widely used as mydriatic and cycloplegic agent. The product is marketed in the racemic form, an equimolar mixture of the two enantiomers (+) and (-) Cyclopentolate. The aim of our study was the development of an enantio-separation methodology, the preparation of two ophthalmic formulation based on (+) CYP (MDV-D) and (-) CYP (MDV-L) as well as the evaluation of their mydriatic activity in rabbits.

Immobilised lipase B from Candida antarctica catalyzes the enantioselective esterification of rac-fenoprofen, (±)-1. The use of orthoformates as alcohol donors permitted to synthesize the ester in irreversible manner, therefore improving the performance of the enantioselective esterification. This convenient procedure permitted to prepare (S)-fenoprofen in good yield and in high optical purity.

Lipases from Candida antarctica and Mucor miehei catalyse efficiently the enantioselective esterification of rac-1-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)propan-2-ol. This alcohol obtained in enantiopure form is suitable to prepare both the enantiomers of fenfluramine.

Immobilised lipase from Candida antarctica catalyses the enantioselective esterification of (±)-ketoprofen. The reaction conditions of the kinetic resolution have been investigated. The use of methanol in dichloropropane allowes to realise a large scale separation, giving the desired enantiopure S-ketoprofen as unreacted enantioform. The R-enantiomer, recovered as ester, easily undergoes chemical racemisation and can be recycled and reused in the process.

The present study points out that the CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE (CRF) represents a situation of decreased adrenal function: at least for delta 5 Steroids which are markedly reduced when compared with normal subjects. Peripheral plasma levels of Pregnenolone (delta 5 P) ranged in CRF between 190 and 860 pg/ml; Dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHA-S) 0.1-2.2 ng/ml and Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) 200-3100 pg/ml. Cortisol was in the normal range or slightly elevated (70-175 ng/ml). A significant correlation between basal concentration and the time of dialysis was observed. It is interesting to notice how the phase levels of delta 5 P, DHA-S and DHA are reduced ad from the beginning of the haemodialysis treatment and that during such a treatment a further progressive decrease occurs reaching concentrations with are similar to those found in pre-puberty. This phenomenon appears to be the evidence of a progressive metabolic involution of the adrenal gland due to the exhaustion of enzymatic activities and of receptorial structures. Furthermore, these results suggest speculation on interrelationship between adrenal and gonadal activity in these patients.