Diamine oxidase supplementation improves symptoms in patients with histamine intolerance

Food Science and Biotechnology - Histamine intolerance (HIT) is thought to be caused by a disproportionate amount of histamine in the body. The enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO) is considered for the...     

The use and nature of present-focused interventions in cognitive and behavioral therapies for depression.

To improve cognitive and behavioral therapies (CBT) for depression, several approaches recommend an increased focus on the occurrence of problems as they occur in the therapeutic relationship or in relation to the live therapy process, referred to as present-focused. A lingering question has been the degree to which CBT therapists already engage in present-focused work. This study utilized sessions from recent trials of CBT for depression and, in Phase I, raters identified present-focused interventions on a turn-by-turn basis. Phase II raters used a qualitative analysis to determine categories of present-focused interventions. Results indicated that therapists rarely focused on the therapeutic relationship; when they did, it was often transient and lacking in the elaborations suggested by newer approaches. Therapists more often performed therapy process and emotion focused interventions, but these also tended to lack elaboration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The development of corporate social responsibility in the Australian construction industry

In the Australian construction industry, large companies develop corporate social responsibility (CSR) in order to maintain an image of being a good corporate citizen. CSR relevant to the construction industry is defined including the following activities: moral obligation to be a good citizen; sustainability; reputation; relationship with employees and unions; relationship with suppliers and community representatives; and commitment to reporting on CSR. CSR is then examined through 85 interviews conducted with members of boards of directors, suppliers, employees, customers and community representatives of 17 large corporations. In order to be recognized as a socially responsible business, the corporations should: apply a corporate governance structure that takes into consideration working environment concerns; improve their sustainability, occupational health and safety measures, relationships with suppliers and commitment to local community protection and engagement.     

Relevance of the acid–base approach in prediction of adhesion properties in two‐component injection moulding

We demonstrate the use of innovative wetting method in prediction of the adhesion properties of biobased polymers for two‐component injection moulding, taking into account the acid–base surface properties of joined materials. The measurements were carried out in accordance with modified Berger method by calculation of the difference in shortened acidity parameter ΔD_short between hard and soft component. Correlation factors up to 0.99 were observed between ΔD_short and peel force. In comparison to results obtained by conventional wetting methods, high potential for the selection of components with high interface adhesion and for prediction of the functionality by the acid–base approach was demonstrated. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43048.     

Zafirlukast Induces VHL- and HIF-2α-Dependent Oxidative Cell Death in 786-O Clear Cell Renal Carcinoma Cells

Mutations in the Von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) gene are the driving force in many forms of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and promote hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-dependent tumor proliferation, metastasis and angiogenesis. Despite the progress that has already been made, ccRCC generally remain resistant to conventional therapies and ccRCC patients suffer from metastasis and acquired resistance, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic options. Cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLTR1) antagonists, like zafirlukast, are administered in bronchial asthma to control eicosanoid signaling. Intriguingly, long-term use of zafirlukast decreases cancer risk and leukotriene receptor antagonists inhibit tumor growth, but the mechanisms still remain unexplored. Therefore, we aim to understand the mechanisms of zafirlukast-mediated cell death in ccRCC cells. We show that zafirlukast induces VHL-dependent and TNFα-independent non-apoptotic and non-necroptotic cell death in ccRCC cells. Cell death triggered by zafirlukast could be rescued with antioxidants and the PARP-1 inhibitor Olaparib, and additionally relies on HIF-2α. Finally, MG-132-mediated proteasome inhibition sensitized VHL wild-type cells to zafirlukast-induced cell death and inhibition of HIF-2α rescued zafirlukast- and MG-132-triggered cell death. Together, these results highlight the importance of VHL, HIF and proteasomal degradation in zafirlukast-induced oxidative cell death with potentially novel therapeutic implications for ccRCC.     

Determination of Glyphosate and Its Metabolite AMPA (Aminomethylphosphonic Acid) in Cereals After Derivatization by Isotope Dilution and UPLC-MS/MS”

A straightforward analytical method has been developed for the determination of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), its major metabolite in cereals. This method entails a rapid extraction and derivatization with 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate followed by separation with a conventional reversed-phase rapid chromatography used in daily routine analysis and detection by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. To overcome matrix effects and compensate for any analyte losses during sample treatment, an isotopic dilution approach was used. Since 2010, the monitoring of cereals for the widely used herbicide glyphosate is obligatory to all European Union (EU)-member states, laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1213/2008. Hence, there is definitively a need for a reliable and easy-to-handle analytical method for monitoring of this compound. The proposed method can be run without having to make time-consuming changes on the equipment used for daily routine analysis. The analytical performance of the method was evaluated according to SANCO/10684/2009 criteria and demonstrated that this method is rugged and cost-effective, therefore suitable for monitoring purposes as well as legislative enforcements within the EU. The apparent recoveries of both analytes were between 97% and 113% with relative standard deviations less than 20%. The limits of quantification of glyphosate and AMPA were 0.02 mg/kg in cereal matrices. Finally, the accuracy of the method was assessed by analyzing a proficiency test material which was available from a previous round (EUPT-C4).