Deregulation of Secreted Frizzled-Related Protein 5 in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Associated with Obesity

Secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (SFRP5), an antagonist of the noncanonical WNT pathway, has a controversial role in liver disease. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of SFRP5 and the noncanonical WNT pathway in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Plasma SFRP5 levels were determined by ELISA in women with normal weight (NW; n = 20) and morbid obesity (MO; n = 69). Women with MO were subclassified according to hepatic histology into normal liver (NL; n = 28), NAFLD (n = 41) (simple steatosis (SS; n = 24), and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH; n = 17)). We used RT-qPCR to evaluate the hepatic mRNA expression of SFRP5, WNT5A, and JNK in women with MO. SFRP5 levels were lower in NW than in MO patients who underwent a very low-calorie diet before surgery. Hepatic SFRP5 mRNA expression was higher in SS than in NL or NASH; additionally, patients with hepatic inflammation or ballooning presented lower SFRP5 abundance. WNT5A and JNK expression was enhanced in NAFLD compared with NL. In conclusion, circulating SFRP5 levels depend on the diet, and hepatic SFRP5 seems to have a protective role in the first steps of NAFLD; however, SFRP5 could be deregulated in an advanced stage while WNT5A and JNK are activated, promoting liver damage.     

LC–ESI–MS/MS Identification of Polar Lipids of Two Thermophilic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anoxybacillus</Emphasis> Bacteria Containing a Unique Lipid Pattern

Phospholipids and glycolipids from two recently described species belonging to the thermophilic genus Anoxybacillus were analyzed by liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS). Analysis of total lipids from the facultatively anaerobic A. bogrovensis on a HILIC (Hydrophilic Interaction LIquid Chromatography) column succeeded in separating diacyl- and plasmalogen phospholipids. The LC/ESI-MS/MS analysis of the strict aerobe A. rupiensis revealed the presence of different unique polar lipids, predominantly alanyl-, lysyl-, and glucosyl-phosphatidylglycerols and cardiolipins. Each of the classes of polar lipids was then analyzed by means of the ESI-MS/MS and more than 140 molecular species of six lipid classes from A. bogrovensis and nearly 200 molecular species of nine classes of polar lipids from A. rupiensis were identified. Five classes of unidentified polar lipids were detected in both strains. Plasmalogens were thus determined for the first time in a facultatively anaerobic bacterium, i.e. A. bogrovensis.     

The Opuntia streptacantha OpsHSP18 Gene Confers Salt and Osmotic Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana

Abiotic stress limits seed germination, plant growth, flowering and fruit quality, causing economic decrease. Small Heat Shock Proteins (sHSPs) are chaperons with roles in stress tolerance. Herein, we report the functional characterization of a cytosolic class CI sHSP (OpsHSP18) from Opuntia streptacantha during seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana transgenic lines subjected to different stress and hormone treatments. The over-expression of the OpsHSP18 gene in A. thaliana increased the seed germination rate under salt (NaCl) and osmotic (glucose and mannitol) stress, and in ABA treatments, compared with WT. On the other hand, the over-expression of the OpsHSP18 gene enhanced tolerance to salt (150 mM NaCl) and osmotic (274 mM mannitol) stress in Arabidopsis seedlings treated during 14 and 21 days, respectively. These plants showed increased survival rates (52.00 and 73.33%, respectively) with respect to the WT (18.75 and 53.75%, respectively). Thus, our results show that OpsHSP18 gene might have an important role in abiotic stress tolerance, in particular in seed germination and survival rate of Arabidopsis plants under unfavorable conditions.     

Glutamine synthetase in legumes: recent advances in enzyme structure and functional genomics

Glutamine synthetase (GS) is the key enzyme involved in the assimilation of ammonia derived either from nitrate reduction, N(2) fixation, photorespiration or asparagine breakdown. A small gene family is encoding for different cytosolic (GS1) or plastidic (GS2) isoforms in legumes. We summarize here the recent advances carried out concerning the quaternary structure of GS, as well as the functional relationship existing between GS2 and processes such as nodulation, photorespiration and water stress, in this latter case by means of proline production. Functional genomic analysis using GS2-minus mutant reveals the key role of GS2 in the metabolic control of the plants and, more particularly, in carbon metabolism.     

A narrative approach to ethnic identity in emerging adulthood: Bringing life to the identity status model.

This study used a narrative approach to understand how emerging adults experience ethnicity in their everyday lives and to link ethnic identity processes with the content of how ethnic identity is experienced. Participants were 191 ethnically diverse emerging adults who completed the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) and provided a written narrative about a time at which they became aware of their ethnicity. Participants' narratives differed significantly by ethnic group and by ethnic identity status membership, as indexed by the MEIM. The results underscore the value of adopting a narrative approach to understanding the content of ethnic identity and the links between content and ethnic identity development processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rapid quantitative detection of, Listeria monocytogenes in salmon products: evaluation of pre-real-time PCR strategies

The spread and persistence of Listeria monocytogenes in smoked fish products and seafood processing factories are big concerns. Thus, the corresponding quality assurance programs must include adequate microbiological control measures. We evaluated eight different pre-PCR sample processing strategies to be coupled with a previously developed real-time PCR assay for the quantitative detection of L. monocytogenes in salmon products. The optimal pre-PCR procedure involved filtration and DNA purification with the use of a commercial kit. This strategy could detect 10 CFU of L. monocytogenes per g of smoked salmon and could quantify 1,000 CFU/g with excellent accuracy compared with the standard plate count method. Thus, this method could be a promising alternative for the quantitative detection of L. monocytogenes in smoked fish products and processing factories. This method could also detect the bacterium in raw salmon.     

New Electrochemistry-Based Approaches to Brandy Quality Evaluation Using Antioxidant Parameters

The electrochemical approaches based on coulometric titration, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and chronoamperometry have been tested for applicability to evaluation of brandy quality. The antioxidant properties of samples have been considered as markers of adulteration. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), ferric reducing power (FRP), as well as ellagic acid equivalent antioxidant capacity (EAE AOC) have been evaluated for ten samples five of which have been recognized as adulteration by gas chromatography. Electrochemical data for adulterations and brandies are significantly different. TAC and FRP values for all adulterated samples are approximately the same (10?±?3 and 6?±?2 C/100 mL for TAC and FRP, respectively) while brandies show TAC in the range of 24–108 and FRP of 20–88 C/100 mL depending on denomination and origin. DPV profile of adulterations is strongly different in comparison with brandy (the required peaks are absent and irrelevant peaks are appeared), allowing sample discrimination. Addition of vanillin-containing flavoring agents has been confirmed. The corresponding EAE AOC of brandies is 8–15-fold higher (depending on denomination) than that for adulterations. Two adulterations did not show EAE AOC, reflecting the absence of aging step during beverage production. Chronoamperometric EAE AOC equals to zero for four investigated adulterations. Standard antioxidant parameters antioxidant activity and total phenolic content can be applied for the preliminary screening only. These parameters are ineffective for adulteration of the beverage age using oak extracts. Electrochemical methods developed are characterized by simplicity, cost-efficiency, and reliability of results and can be successfully applied for the brandy quality control.     

Hake natural actomyosin interaction with free fatty acids during frozen storage

The interaction of hake muscle actomyosin with free fatty acids in 0.6 M KCl pH 7 during frozen storage has been studied up to 280 days. ATPase activity, protein solubility and relative viscosity measurements were performed. Oleic and myristic acid had a detrimental effect on these properties during frozen storage. Oleic acid was bound to the protein from the beginning, mainly to the insoluble fraction. The diminishment of functionality following addition of oleic acid is not due to aggregation caused by covalent-type bonds, since it occurs well before the electrophoretic change is appreciable.     

Influence of recovery conditions on apparent heat resistance of Bacillus stearothermophilus spores

The effects of post-treatment environmental factors on the heat resistance of Bacillus stearothermophilus spores (ATCC 12980, 7953, 15951 and 15952) were investigated. Nutrient Agar (NA), Antibiotic Assay Medium (AAM), Dextrose Tryptone Agar (DTA) and Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA) with Ca^{2+ added to a final concentration of 100 p.p.m. were used as recovery media. No significant differences were seen between D-values obtained except in the case of strain 12980 when comparing TSA with the other media and for strain 7953 comparing AAM and DTA. The optimum incubation temperature was slightly lower for heated than for unheated spores of} each strain, although, in general, 50 °C was adequate. Higher D-values were obtained at 50–55 °C. The effects of the pH of the medium in the range 5.0–7.0 and the addition of starch and phosphate on heat resistance have also been investigated. Maximum colony counts of heated spores were obtained at pH 7.0 and decreased as pH fell. D-values were significantly lower at pH ≤ 5.5. Increasing the concentration of phosphate in the recovery medium from 0 to 0.2% resulted in a progressive decrease in spore recovery and D-values. The addition of starch improved recoverability. The z-values obtained for the four strains studied under the different recovery conditions were similar with a mean value of 7.58 °C ± 0.28.