M Oddone

Bio: M Oddone is an academic researcher from Thermo Fisher Scientific. The author has contributed to research in topics: Genotoxicity & Comet assay. The author has an hindex of 6, co-authored 10 publications receiving 283 citations. Previous affiliations of M Oddone include University of Eastern Piedmont.

Authentication and traceability study of hazelnuts from piedmont, Italy.

Abstract: Hazelnut is one of the most important items in high-quality food products from Piedmont, Italy. The 'Tonda Gentile delle Langhe' (TGL) variety is acknowledged all over the world as the best one, and it is particularly appreciated when used to provide flavor in chocolate products. Authentication and/or traceability studies must therefore be developed to safeguard this variety against fraud, which can occur when the product is partially or totally substituted with hazelnuts of lower quality. In this work, a classification of hazelnuts from different countries is presented, showing the possibility to discriminate the TGL from other productions on the basis of the distribution of trace elements as determined by means of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), with particular reference to lanthanides. Accuracy of the sample treatment procedure was tested by analysis of biological certified materials. Data from elemental analysis were chemometrically treated with an unsupervised method, such as principal component analysis (PCA), allowing for a good discrimination among groups.

DNA damage in A549 cells exposed to different extracts of PM2.5 from industrial, urban and highway sites.

Abstract: The aim of this research is to investigate the role played by the chemical fraction of PM(2.5) in the DNA damage induction in human lung cells (A549): in particular the effects of samples collected in urban, industrial and highway sites were compared. Organic and water-soluble extracts of PM(2.5) were analysed to quantify PAHs (by GC-MS technique) and metals (by ICP-MS technique) and tested on A549 cells to evaluate, by the Comet assay (without and with Fpg enzyme), genotoxic and oxidative damage. The chemical analysis showed a variability of PAH composition in PM organic extracts of the three different sites and pointed out the presence of 14 metals (being Fe, Cu, Zn, Sb and Ba the most abundant) in all the PM water extracts. Regarding the biological effect, all the PM(2.5) organic extracts caused a significant dose-dependent increase of the A549 DNA damage. The genotoxic effect was related to the PM(2.5) PAH content and the highest effect was observed for the highway site sample. The DNA oxidative damages were observed for the PM(2.5) water extracts of the samples collected in industrial and highway sites. The extent of the oxidative damage seems to be related to the kind and concentration of the metals present. The results of this study emphasize the importance of PM chemical composition on the biological effects and highlight the need, when evaluating the effects on health and exposure management, to always consider, beside size and concentration of PM, also their qualitative composition.

Fingerprinting food: current technologies for the detection of food adulteration and contamination

Abstract: Major food adulteration and contamination events seem to occur with some regularity, such as the widely publicised adulteration of milk products with melamine and the recent microbial contamination of vegetables across Europe for example. With globalisation and rapid distribution systems, these can have international impacts with far-reaching and sometimes lethal consequences. These events, though potentially global in the modern era, are in fact far from contemporary, and deliberate adulteration of food products is probably as old as the food processing and production systems themselves. This review first introduces some background into these practices, both historically and contemporary, before introducing a range of the technologies currently available for the detection of food adulteration and contamination. These methods include the vibrational spectroscopies: near-infrared, mid-infrared, Raman; NMR spectroscopy, as well as a range of mass spectrometry (MS) techniques, amongst others. This subject area is particularly relevant at this time, as it not only concerns the continuous engagement with food adulterers, but also more recent issues such as food security, bioterrorism and climate change. It is hoped that this introductory overview acts as a springboard for researchers in science, technology, engineering, and industry, in this era of systems-level thinking and interdisciplinary approaches to new and contemporary problems.

Oxidative stress and inflammation generated DNA damage by exposure to air pollution particles

Abstract: Generation of oxidatively damaged DNA by particulate matter (PM) is hypothesized to occur via production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammation. We investigated this hypothesis by comparing ROS production, inflammation and oxidatively damaged DNA in different experimental systems investigating air pollution particles. There is substantial evidence indicating that exposure to air pollution particles was associated with elevated levels of oxidatively damaged nucleobases in circulating blood cells and urine from humans, which is supported by observations of elevated levels of genotoxicity in cultured cells exposed to similar PM. Inflammation is most pronounced in cultured cells and animal models, whereas an elevated level of oxidatively damaged DNA is more pronounced than inflammation in humans. There is non-congruent data showing corresponding variability in effect related to PM sampled at different locations (spatial variability), times (temporal variability) or particle size fraction across different experimental systems of acellular conditions, cultured cells, animals and humans. Nevertheless, there is substantial variation in the genotoxic, inflammation and oxidative stress potential of PM sampled at different locations or times. Small air pollution particles did not appear more hazardous than larger particles, which is consistent with the notion that constituents such as metals and organic compounds also are important determinants for PM-generated oxidative stress and inflammation. In addition, the results indicate that PM-mediated ROS production is involved in the generation of inflammation and activated inflammatory cells can increase their ROS production. The observations indicate that air pollution particles generate oxidatively damaged DNA by promoting a milieu of oxidative stress and inflammation.

Cannabis Pharmacology: The Usual Suspects and a Few Promising Leads

Abstract: The golden age of cannabis pharmacology began in the 1960s as Raphael Mechoulam and his colleagues in Israel isolated and synthesized cannabidiol, tetrahydrocannabinol, and other phytocannabinoids. Initially, THC garnered most research interest with sporadic attention to cannabidiol, which has only rekindled in the last 15 years through a demonstration of its remarkably versatile pharmacology and synergy with THC. Gradually a cognizance of the potential of other phytocannabinoids has developed. Contemporaneous assessment of cannabis pharmacology must be even far more inclusive. Medical and recreational consumers alike have long believed in unique attributes of certain cannabis chemovars despite their similarity in cannabinoid profiles. This has focused additional research on the pharmacological contributions of mono- and sesquiterpenoids to the effects of cannabis flower preparations. Investigation reveals these aromatic compounds to contribute modulatory and therapeutic roles in the cannabis entourage far beyond expectations considering their modest concentrations in the plant. Synergistic relationships of the terpenoids to cannabinoids will be highlighted and include many complementary roles to boost therapeutic efficacy in treatment of pain, psychiatric disorders, cancer, and numerous other areas. Additional parts of the cannabis plant provide a wide and distinct variety of other compounds of pharmacological interest, including the triterpenoid friedelin from the roots, canniprene from the fan leaves, cannabisin from seed coats, and cannflavin A from seed sprouts. This chapter will explore the unique attributes of these agents and demonstrate how cannabis may yet fulfil its potential as Mechoulam's professed "pharmacological treasure trove."