Lactose digestion from flavored and frozen yogurts, ice milk, and ice cream by lactase-deficient persons

Lactose digestion from and tolerance to flavored and frozen yogurts, ice cream, and ice milk were evaluated (20 g lactose/meal) in lactase-deficient subjects by use of breath hydrogen techniques. Unflavored yogurt caused significantly less hydrogen production than milk (37 vs 185 delta ppm X h, n = 9). Flavored yogurt was intermediate (77 delta ppm X h). Subjects were free of symptoms after consuming flavored and unflavored yogurts. Of seven commercial yogurts tested, all contained significant levels of microbial beta-galactosidase (beta-gal). In addition, eight subjects were fed meals of milk, ice milk, ice cream, and frozen yogurts with and without cultures containing high levels of beta-gal. Peak hydrogen excretion after consumption of frozen yogurt with high beta-gal was less than one-half of that observed after the other five test meals and intolerance symptoms were absent. Tolerance to frozen yogurt, produced under usual commercial procedures, was found to be similar to that of ice milk and ice cream.

Lactose digestion by yogurt beta-galactosidase: influence of pH and microbial cell integrity

Lactase-deficient subjects more effectively digest lactose in yogurt than lactose in other dairy products, apparently due to yogurt microbial beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) which is active in the GI tract. We evaluated the effects of buffering capacity of yogurt, gastric pH, and microbial cell disruption on beta-gal activity and lactose digestion. Three times more acid was required to acidify yogurt than to acidify milk. Yogurt beta-gal was stable at pH 4.0 but inactivated at lower pH. When yogurt was sonicated to disrupt microbial cell structure, only 20% activity remained after incubation at pH 4.0 for 60 min. In vivo gastric pH remained greater than 2.7 for 3 h after ingestion of yogurt. Acidified milk alone or with disrupted yogurt microorganisms caused twice as much lactose malabsorption as did acidified milk containing intact yogurt microorganisms. The results provide a possible explanation for the survival of beta-gal activity from yogurt in the GI tract.

Oestrogen identification and dosage in filatov human placenta extracts by high performance liquid chromatography

Synopsis Using high performance liquid chromatography the presence of natural oestrogen traces in aqueous placenta extracts of human origin has been demonstrated. This study, corroborated by results obtained by colorimetric dosage and by gaseous phase chromatography, reveals the preponderance of oestriol, which represents 80% of all the oestrogens. In all the extracts studied, oestriol concentration was not more than 100 degrees per litre of extract. This quantity of oestrogen contained in human placenta extracts of the Filatov type, even in wide cutaneous applications, cannot influence the subject's hormonal balance.

Effect of placental extracts on the growth of fibroblasts in vitro

Synopsis Monolayer cultures of human fibroblasts were used both to confirm clinical experiments in which it was found that placental extracts increased the rate of healing and to demonstrate the action on cellular regeneration. The cytotoxic dose of lyophilized extracts from human placentae was first determined and the extracts were then added to culture media at concentrations of 100 to 400 mug/ml. A variable amount of newborn calf serum was used in order to obtain media lacking nutrient substances. The tests were carried out on cells from both young and elderly donors and growth was evaluated by counting cell numbers and by microassay of DNA. A stimulatory action of the placental extracts was only observed on young cells cultivated in deficient culture media and no stimulation could be demonstrated on cells aged in vivo or in vitro. Effets des extraits placentaires sur la croissance des fibroblastes in vitro.

Influence du butyrylhydroxyproline sur le developpement des fibroblastes en culture

Synopsis The action of butyrylhydroxyproline on the growth rate of fibroblasts in culture as well as their capacity to biosynthesize proteins has been demonstrated. The cellular cultures were carried out on a 'HAM'medium to which was added 10%, 5% or 2% of newborn calf serum. Cellular growth was estimated by numerical counting. The strains used came from human skin (fetus, child, adult) and were put in cell culture in cellular monolayer and used at similar states of subculture. Protein biosynthesis was studied through the incorporation of tritiated L-Proline or tritiated L-Leucine (5 muCi/ml of culture medium), either three days or eight days after reaching confluence. The examined products were: - Butyrylhydroxyproline in solution at 48%; - N-acetylhydroxyproline was used as reference product. After typing the cytotoxicity, the quantities incorporated were as follows: - 10 to 100 pg of pure product for each ml of culture medium for the butmlhydroxyproline; - 17.4 to 500 pg/ml for the N-acetylhydroxyproline. Whatever the applied conditions and the concentrations used, N-acetylhydroxyproline and butyrylhydroxyproline have no significant action on cellular growth. On the other hand, the authors showed an action of the above two products on the total protein bicp synthesis. Three to five days after reaching confluence, the lipacide and the N-acetyl- hydroxyproline provoked an increase (up to 120%) of the protein biosynthesis compared to the control. This action appeared when small doses were involved (10 to 20 pghol) and increased with concentration.

Effects of heat treatment on the mechanical properties of hair

Synopsis A previous study having shown that there was no modification in superficial or deeper hair structure at temperatures below 100 degrees C, the influence of hair-drying conditions on mechanical properties has been examined. The hair speed and hair temperature given by different types of hair-drying equipment were considered and a novel method used each hair as its own control. Stress/strain curves were followed using an electrodynamometer and a range of hair types was considered: normal, grey, denatured, and bleached, the definitions being given by both appearance and the stress/strain curve. In comparison with ultimate structure, mechanical properties were modified at a lower temperature. The stiffness of the hair starts to increase markedly already at 40 degrees C for a drying time of 2 to 3 minutes and this appears.

Isolated osteoclasts and their presumed progenitor cells, the monocyte, in culture

Osteoclasts were isolated from the endosteal surface of day 19 embryonic chick tibias by mild trypsinization. Osteoclast enrichment was achieved by passing cell suspensions through Nitex screening of selective sizes, including the eventual selective retention of osteoclasts on 12 micrometers polycarbonate filters or by sequential sieving through Nitex screens and fractionation on Percoll gradients. The enrichment procedures produced osteoclast populations of 50-75% based on morphological criteria with the latter isolation method providing populations with less matrix debris. The results of light microscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopic observations indicate that osteoclasts can be maintained in culture for up to 10 days with retention of osteoclast morphology. This morphology includes a specialized ruffled plasma membrane, large numbers of mitochondria, lysosomes, as well as a multinucleated cytoplasm. Furthermore, acid phosphatase and butyrate esterase histochemical measurements support these morphological observations. In addition, chick hatchling circulating monocytes were isolated and purified by Ficoll-hypaque gradient centrifugation with subsequent adhesion to glass petri dishes. With time in culture, these cells form multinucleated cells, but lack the ultrastructural complexity of the isolated osteoclasts. This report describes a unique culture system to study osteoclast function and illustrates the similarities and differences of this system to the monocyte-to-giant cell culture system.

Adhesion of osteoclasts and monocytes to developing bone

Osteoclast resorption of bone matrix during bone development is preceded by cell attachment to bone. An in vitro assay is described that measures adhesion of isolated osteoclasts and their presumed progenitor cell, the monocyte, to embryonic chick bone. Osteoclasts were isolated from day 19 chick tibia and enriched. Circulating chick hatchling monocytes were purified by Ficoll-hypaque sedimentation and attachment to plastic. Isolated cells were labeled with (32P)-KH2PO4 to quantitate cell attachment. In one series of experiments, labeled cells were inoculated into vessels containing day 19 tibias with either endosteal or periosteal bone surface exposed. Labeled cells were also inoculated into chambers containing day 6 (cartilage cores), day 12 (bone and cartilage cores), or day 19 embryonic tibias (bone). Cultures of stage 24 chick limb mesenchyme and embryonic chick skin fibroblasts served as controls. Results demonstrate that twice as many osteoclasts and monocytes adhere to bone as compared to fibroblasts and stage 24 limb mesenchymal cells. Furthermore, there does not appear to be selective adhesion to the endosteal as compared to periosteal bone surfaces. When the data is calculated on the basis of cell attachment per area of each substrate, the day 12 cores had slightly higher number of osteoclasts and monocytes attached compared to day 19 bones; day 6 cartilage cores bound few cells. These observations suggest that osteoclasts and monocytes have a high affinity to bone which seems to be influenced by the developmental age and composition of the substrate.