Characterization of environmental estrogens in river water using a three pronged approach: active and passive water sampling and the analysis of accumulated estrogens in the bile of caged fish

Estrogenicity of river water is highly variable and it is difficult to obtain an average measure of the estrogenicity. Consequently it is difficult to tie the estrogenic effects observed in fish to their level of exposure to estrogens. To get a better handle on average estrogenic exposure we tested a recently developed passive sampling system (polar organic chemical integrative sampler, POCIS). In addition, we investigated the bioaccumulation of estrogens in caged brown trout and measured plasma vitellogenin in males as a bioindicator of estrogenic effects. We developed a mini-caging method to suit the hydrological conditions in small rivers and to improve upon the often poor survival of salmonids in caging trials. POCISs were positioned upstream and downstream of 5 sewage treatment works' discharges and left on site for 3 weeks (as were the caged fish), during which period 3 water grab samples were taken at each site. Concentrations of estrogens were determined using a yeast-based reporter gene assay and chemical analysis. Results from grab sampling, passive sampling, and bioaccumulation were correlated; however, plasma vitellogenin concentrations were elevated at only 1 of 5 sites. POCISs provide an integrated and biologically meaningful measure of estrogenicity in thatthey accumulate estrogens in a pattern similar to that of brown trout. Mini-caging appears a significant methodological advance; no fish were lost, moreover, all fish survived in excellent health.     

Effect of steam cooking on distribution of paralytic shellfish toxins in different tissue compartments of scallops Patinopecten yessoensis

This study investigated the effect of steam cooking on distribution of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins (PSP-toxins) in scallops Patinopecten yessoensis. Toxins analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography showed that most of the PSP-toxins (>70%) were accumulated in viscera and adductor muscle of the raw scallops. Steam cooking induced significant loss (p < 0.05) of PSP-toxins from viscera (16%), adductor muscle (24%), gill and mantle (11%) while 32% of the toxins were retained inside viscera and adductor muscle. Overall, 51% of PSP-toxins leaked out from scallop tissues during steam cooking. However, there was no significant loss (p > 0.05) of PSP-toxins from gonad. Consumption of viscera was the most significant risk factor for causing PSP, while gonad and scallop soup were the second most significant. A rapid PSP test further verified detectable levels of PSP-toxins in all samples. However, possible interfering substance(s) in adductor muscles and gonads might potentially affect the results from this test.     

冷冻面团发酵技术在中式食品中的应用II．冰结构蛋白对鲜酵母及包子类冷冻面团流变发酵特性的影响

应用F3 流变发酵仪和动态流变仪研究冰结构蛋白(ISP)对冻藏0、1、2、3、4 周鲜酵母发酵特性和冷冻面团动态流变学特性的影响。结果表明：随着冻藏时间延长,所有酵母样品发酵过程中气体释放曲线最大高度H′m、产生CO2 气体总体积V总及面团最大膨胀高度Hm 均逐渐降低,冷冻面团的弹性模量(G′)和黏性模量(G 〞)逐渐下降,冷冻面团包子比容显著减小。引入冰结构蛋白(ISP)后,冻藏时间相同时,酵母发酵过程中的H′m、V 总及Hm 均有所增大,G′和G 〞下降趋势减缓,冷冻面团包子比容明显大于空白组,说明ISP 能够抑制冻藏过程中冰晶的形成和重结晶,减弱冰晶对酵母及面筋蛋白质网络结构的破坏,同时也说明ISP 能够增强面筋蛋白质网络结构的强度,提高面筋蛋白质对冰晶破坏的抵抗力。     

The spinning-top aerosol generator—Improving the performance

Of the volume of liquid fed to a standard spinning-top spray only a small fraction is recovered when the main drops are about 18 μm in diameter. The reasons for this loss have been studied. For liquids of low surface-tension the radius of the stop-distance ring may be less than the radius of the spray. The standard spray was therefore modified by reducing its radius by 0.7 cm which ensured that drops of most liquids form a stop-distance ring outside the spray cap. Many main drops are also lost by the inflow of room air which is induced by the high velocity beneath the cap of the spent compressed air. The inflow contracts from a velocity of about 1 m/sec near the stop-distance ring to 15 m/sec in the gap G. It can therefore pick up main drops from the vicinity of the stop-distance ring and sweep them inwards to be discharged with the satellites. This loss is avoided by two procedures. The inflow can be adjusted by altering the height of the cap and drops can be lifted rapidly out of the stop-distance ring by an ambient wind velocity of at least 2 m/sec. Correctly adjusted and generating drops of DEHS 18 μm in diameter, the modified spray had a yield five times greater than that of the standard spray.     

Probabilistic models for the prediction of target growth interfaces of Listeria monocytogenes on ham and turkey breast products

Abstract: This study developed growth/no growth models for predicting growth boundaries of Listeria monocytogenes on ready‐to‐eat cured ham and uncured turkey breast slices as a function of lactic acid concentration (0% to 4%), dipping time (0 to 4 min), and storage temperature (4 to 10 °C). A 10‐strain composite of L. monocytogenes was inoculated (2 to 3 log CFU/cm²) on slices, followed by dipping into lactic acid and storage in vacuum packages for up to 30 d. Total bacterial (tryptic soy agar plus 0.6% yeast extract) and L. monocytogenes (PALCAM agar) populations were determined on day 0 and at the endpoint of storage. The combinations of parameters that allowed increases in cell counts of L. monocytogenes of at least l log CFU/cm² were assigned the value of 1, while those limiting growth to <1 log CFU/cm² were given the value of 0. The binary data were used in logistic regression analysis for development of models to predict boundaries between growth and no growth of the pathogen at desired probabilities. Indices of model performance and validation with limited available data indicated that the models developed had acceptable goodness of fit. Thus, the described procedures using bacterial growth data from studies with food products may be appropriate in developing growth/no growth models to predict growth and to select lactic acid concentrations and dipping times for control of L. monocytogenes. Practical Application: The models developed in this study may be useful in selecting lactic acid concentrations and dipping times to control growth of Listeria monocytogenes on cured ham and uncured turkey breast during product storage, and in determining probabilities of growth under selected conditions. The modeling procedures followed may also be used for application in model development for other products, conditions, or pathogens.     

Technological characterization and survival of the exopolysaccharide-producing strain Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis 193 and its bile-resistant derivative 193+ in simulated gastric and intestinal juices

The capacity of lactic acid bacteria to produce exopolysaccharides (EPS) conferring microorganisms a ropy phenotype could be an interesting feature from a technological point of view. Progressive adaptation to bile salts might render some lactobacilli able to overcome physiological gut barriers but could also modify functional properties of the strain, including the production of EPS. In this work some technological properties and the survival ability in simulated gastrointestinal conditions of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis 193, and Lb. delbrueckii subsp. lactis 193+, a strain with stable bile-resistant phenotype derived thereof, were characterized in milk in order to know whether the acquisition of resistance to bile could modify some characteristics of the microorganism. Both strains were able to grow and acidify milk similarly; however the production of ethanol increased at the expense of the aroma compound acetaldehyde in milk fermented by the strain 193+, with respect to milk fermented by the strain 193. Both microorganisms produced a heteropolysaccharide composed of glucose and galactose, and were able to increase the viscosity of fermented milks. In spite of the higher production yield of EPS by the bile-resistant strain 193+, it displayed a lower ability to increase viscosity than Lb. delbrueckii subsp. lactis 193. Milk increased survival in simulated gastric juice; the presence of bile improved adhesion to the intestinal cell line HT29-MTX in both strains. However, the acquisition of a stable resistance phenotype did not improve survival in simulated gastric and intestinal conditions or the adhesion to the intestinal cell line HT29-MTX. Thus, Lb. delbrueckii subsp. lactis 193 presents suitable technological properties for the manufacture of fermented dairy products; the acquisition of a stable bile-resistant phenotype modified some properties of the microorganism. This suggests that the possible use of bile-resistant derivative strains should be carefully evaluated in each specific application considering the influence that the acquisition of a stable bile-resistant phenotype could have in survival ability in gastric and intestinal conditions and in technological properties.     

Impact of postharvest methyl jasmonate treatment on the volatile composition and flavonol content of strawberries

BACKGROUND: Although strawberry aroma is very complex, certain compounds have been described as main contributors, i.e. furanones, aldehydes, alcohols, sulfur compounds and particularly methyl and ethyl esters. In addition, strawberries possess potent antioxidant activity because of their high content of phenolic compounds. Among them, flavonols are highlighted as important antioxidant compounds in strawberry. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of methyl jasmonate (MJ) on the composition of the major contributors to aroma and on the content of certain flavonols in strawberry fruits. RESULTS: The levels of all studied volatile compounds were significantly affected by MJ treatment, though the individual effect differed according to the specific compound considered. Most of them increased significantly (P < 0.05), except methyl butanoate, which always showed higher levels in untreated strawberries. In contrast to aroma compounds, the change in the concentration of flavonols (i.e. myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol) was not significant in MJ‐treated strawberries. Considering the health‐promoting activity of these compounds, further investigations on the experimental conditions related to the treatment are required to control flavonol bioformation by means of MJ. CONCLUSION: The exogenous application of MJ vapour to strawberry enhances, in general, the production of the most relevant aroma‐active compounds. On the contrary, MJ treatment does not appear to influence the levels of myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol. Thus postharvest MJ treatment is proposed as an approach to obtain improved strawberry fruits in terms of sensory quality and health‐promoting properties. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Boys don't write romance: the construcion of knowledge and social gender identities in english classrooms

Teachers have been under pressure in the United Kingdom to devise pedagogic strategies to raise boys' achievement. This article reviews the emergence of the concept of a 'setting' from within the sociocultural literature as the basis for considering the interaction between gender and learning. The second section reports findings from an empirical study of two teachers in one school who taught the same creative writing activity to their classes. The strategies in each classroom to improve boys' achievement in English varied, and involved mixed, gendered seating and single sex grouping. The strategies had unintended effects in terms of how subject knowledge was realised, and therefore what was available to learn and by whom. To demonstrate and explain these effects we illustrate how hegemonic representations of gender were reconstructed in each setting and present individual cases to illustrate students' experience of the settings. How settings mediate the interrelation between gender and learning at the interpersonal plane of analysis are discussed, and the reconstruction of knowledge and social gender identities at the personal plane.     

Antioxidant capacity and phenolic compounds in commercially grown native Australian herbs and spices

The antioxidant capacities and phenolic composition in six native, commercially grown, Australian herbs and spices were investigated. Tasmannia pepper leaf, followed by anise myrtle and lemon myrtle contained the highest levels of total phenolics (TP; 102.1; 55.9 and 31.4 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry weight (DW), respectively). Tasmannia pepper leaf exhibited the highest oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC assay) followed by lemon myrtle and anise myrtle. Anise myrtle exhibited the highest total reducing capacity [TRC; Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay], followed by Tasmannia pepper leaf and lemon myrtle. Australian bush tomato, with TP content of 12.4 ± 0.9 mg GAE/gDW and TRC of 206.2 μMol Fe⁺²/gDW, resembled the Chinese Barbary Wolfberry fruit. The TP content of Tasmannia pepper berry (16.86 mg GAE/gDW) was similar to that of black pepper, but it’s TRC was 25% lower. Cinnamic acids and flavonoids, tentatively identified by mass spectrometry, were identified as the main sources of antioxidant activities.     

Anthocyanin profile of red fruits and black carrot juices,purees and concentrates by HPLC‐DAD‐ESI/MS‐QTOF

A fast and reliable method for anthocyanin extraction and identification by HPLC‐DAD‐ESI/MS‐QTOF was used to analyse the anthocyanin composition of commercial red fruit juices (blackberry, redcurrant and pomegranate), purees (strawberry, cherry and raspberry) and concentrates (elderberry, blueberry and red grape). The anthocyanin profile of black carrot juice is also reported. The extraction and analysis method allowed us to detect and quantify a wide range of individual anthocyanins in a simple and rapid way. Pelargonidin‐3‐glucoside was detected in redcurrant for the first time and petunidin‐3‐galactoside quantified for the first time in blueberries. Considering the health benefits that have been associated with anthocyanin consumption, all these fruit and vegetables processed products could appear as a good source of this group of phytochemical compounds for their direct consumption or their use as ingredients for the design of new food product or food supplements.