Mass media campaigns within reach: effective efforts with limited resources in Russia's capital city

Mass media campaigns, while often expensive, are proven, cost-effective interventions and should not be considered out-of-reach, especially where governments have some sway over media markets, where large media discounts are possible or where other novel strategies can be employed.     

Using the Essential Oil of Aloysia triphylla (L'Her.) Britton to Sedate Silver Catfish (Rhamdia quelen) during Transport Improved the Chemical and Sensory Qualities of the Fish during Storage in Ice

Exposure of silver catfish to 40 μL/L of the essential oil of Aloysia triphylla (AT) during in vivo transport delayed the onset and resolution of rigor mortis as well as the degradation of IMP into HxR compared to the control. The fish that were treated with 30 or 40 μL/L of AT received lower sensory demerit scores after 10 d of storage in ice compared to the control, and the fish that were treated with 40 μL/L of AT had a longer sensory shelf life than did the control. These results indicated that using AT as a sedative in the water in which the silver catfish were transported extended their freshness and increased their shelf life during refrigerated storage.     

Cellulase-assisted release of secoisolariciresinol from extracts of flax (Linum usitatissimum) hulls and whole seeds

Extraction of secoisolariciresinol from seed hulls and whole seeds of flax was improved using an enzymatic step with cellulase R10 from Trichoderma reesei that allowed better yield as compared to β-glucosidase. The cellulase assisted extraction process was further optimised for different parameters such as duration and concentration of hydromethanolic extraction, duration of alkaline hydrolysis, pH, duration and incubation temperature as well as enzyme concentration. Best results were obtained using a method including the following successive steps: 16 h of 70% hydromethanolic extraction, 6 h of 0.1 M sodium hydroxide hydrolysis followed by a 6 h incubation with 1 unit ml⁻¹ of cellulase R10 in 0.1 M citrate–phosphate buffer pH 2.8 at 40 °C. Under these conditions, all forms of the main flax lignan were recovered as the aglycone form, i.e. secoisolariciresinol. Highest yields in secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) equivalent reached 7.72% of flaxseed hull (cv. Baladin) dry weight and 2.88% of whole seed (cv. Barbara) weight, thus allowing a significant improvement in comparison with published methods.     

Impaired Mitophagy in Neurons and Glial Cells during Aging and Age-Related Disorders

Aging is associated with a decline in cognitive function, which can partly be explained by the accumulation of damage to the brain cells over time. Neurons and glia undergo morphological and ultrastructure changes during aging. Over the past several years, it has become evident that at the cellular level, various hallmarks of an aging brain are closely related to mitophagy. The importance of mitochondria quality and quantity control through mitophagy is highlighted by the contribution that defects in mitochondria–autophagy crosstalk make to aging and age-related diseases. In this review, we analyze some of the more recent findings regarding the study of brain aging and neurodegeneration in the context of mitophagy. We discuss the data on the dynamics of selective autophagy in neurons and glial cells during aging and in the course of neurodegeneration, focusing on three mechanisms of mitophagy: non-receptor-mediated mitophagy, receptor-mediated mitophagy, and transcellular mitophagy. We review the role of mitophagy in neuronal/glial homeostasis and in the molecular pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and other disorders. Common mechanisms of aging and neurodegeneration that are related to different mitophagy pathways provide a number of promising targets for potential therapeutic agents.