In vitro inhibitory effect of tetrahydrocurcuminoids on Fusarium proliferatum growth and fumonisin B₁ biosynthesis

Many plant pathogens produce toxic metabolites when growing on food and feed. Some antioxidative components seem to prevent fungal growth and mycotoxin formation. Recently, we synthesized a new class of powerful antioxidative compounds, i.e. tetrahydrocurcuminoids, and its structure/antioxidant activity relationships have been established. The South West of France produces large amounts of corn, which can be infected by Fusarium species, particularly F. proliferatum. In this context, the efficiency of tetrahydrocurcuminoids, which can be obtained from natural curcuminoids, was investigated to control in vitro the growth of F. proliferatum and the production of its associated mycotoxin, fumonisin B?. The relation between structure and antifungal activity was studied. Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC1), with two guaiacyl phenolic subunits, showed the highest inhibitory activity (measured as radial growth on agar medium) against the F. proliferatum development (67% inhibition at a concentration of 13.6 μmol ml?1). The efficiencies of THC2 (36% at a concentration of 11.5 μmol ml?1), which contains syringyl phenolic units, and THC3 (30% at a concentration of 13.6 μmol ml?1), which does not have any substituent on the aromatic rings, were relatively close. These results indicate that the simultaneous presence of guaiacyl phenols and the enolic function of the β-diketone moiety play an important role in the inhibition mechanisms. The importance of this combination was confirmed using n-propylguaiacol and acetylacetone as molecular models. Under the same conditions, ferulic acid and eugenol, other natural phenolic antioxidants, were less efficient in inhibiting fungal growth. THC1 also reduced fumonisin B? production in liquid medium by approximately 35, 50 and 75% at concentrations of 0.8, 1.3, and 1.9 μmol ml?1, respectively. These very low inhibitory concentrations show that tetrahydrocurcuminoids could be one of the most promising biobased molecules for the control of mycotoxinogen fungal strains.     

Phenotypic and PCR-based characterization of the microflora in Norvegia cheese during ripening

Microbiological sampling of Norvegia cheese from three cheese factories was done during ripening. The evolution of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, lactococci, lactobacilli, enterococci, presumptive leuconostoc and pediococci was investigated after 30, 90, 180 and 270 days of ripening. Isolates (135) of non-starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) from nine Norvegia cheeses after 90, 180 and 270 days of ripening were examined. The isolates were tested by physiological and biochemical assays, species-specific PCR and 16S rDNA sequencing. After 90 days of ripening Leuconostoc spp., most probably from the starter, and the NSLAB specie Lactobacillus paracasei dominated among the isolates, however, after longer ripening Lb. paracasei dominated. The development and evolution of the microflora in Norvegia varied according to dairy and ripening time.     

Acrylamide in potato crisp—the effect of raw material and processing

Reducing sugars and free amino acids were analysed in slices from three potato cultivars before and after blanching (0-3 min). The potato crisps were deep fried at 185 °C for different times (3-8.5 min), and analysed for the concentration of acrylamide (AA) and moisture. Potato cultivar and the temperature during processing were important parameters for AA formation in potato crisps. The amount increased with an increase in the processing time. Blanching before deep-frying reduced the concentration of free asparagine and reducing sugar in the raw material. We found no effect of blanching as pretreatment on the concentration of AA in the potato crisps. Any relationship was not detected between the levels of asparagine in the different cultivars, before and after blanching, and the formation of AA in the crisp products. However, it was shown that the content of reducing sugars determined the level of AA after frying.     

A Drug Screening Pipeline Using 2D and 3D Patient-Derived In Vitro Models for Pre-Clinical Analysis of Therapy Response in Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma is one of the most common and lethal types of primary brain tumor. Despite aggressive treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, tumor recurrence within 6–9 months is common. To overcome this, more effective therapies targeting cancer cell stemness, invasion, metabolism, cell death resistance and the interactions of tumor cells with their surrounding microenvironment are required. In this study, we performed a systematic review of the molecular mechanisms that drive glioblastoma progression, which led to the identification of 65 drugs/inhibitors that we screened for their efficacy to kill patient-derived glioma stem cells in two dimensional (2D) cultures and patient-derived three dimensional (3D) glioblastoma explant organoids (GBOs). From the screening, we found a group of drugs that presented different selectivity on different patient-derived in vitro models. Moreover, we found that Costunolide, a TERT inhibitor, was effective in reducing the cell viability in vitro of both primary tumor models as well as tumor models pre-treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. These results present a novel workflow for screening a relatively large groups of drugs, whose results could lead to the identification of more personalized and effective treatment for recurrent glioblastoma.     

The ecology of scum causing actinomycetes in sewage treatment plants

Activated sludge scumming, a severe separation problem in sewage treatment plants, is caused in most cases by a high biomass of nocardioform actinomycetes. The aeration tank as a biotope is characterized by low average nutrient concentrations with nutrient-enriched microzones. Possible mechanisms for enrichment are discussed. Actinomycetes need high nutrient concentrations and therefore have to compete for the enriched microzones. The strategies used thereby are discussed. They encompass the ability to live saprophytically on dead cells, to use refractory organic compounds adsorbed to the sludge floc which are only slowly degraded by other organisms and the adherence to air—water and oil—water interfaces caused by the hydrophobicity of their cell wall. Adherence of air bubbles in the hyphae net causes buoyancy by which the sludge scums. Actinomycetes as former soil inhabitants are better adapted than their competitors to the conditions of dryness and ultraviolet radiation prevailing in this scum fraction.     

The effect of packaging materials and oxygen on the colour stability of sliced bologna

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of packaging materials with different oxygen permeability, residual oxygen concentration in the package and light upon discoloration of the surface of sliced bologna. The packaging material caused significant differences in the discolouration of vacuum-packed, sliced bologna. The surface colour of sliced bologna packed in films with an oxygen transmission rate lower than 10cm³/m²/24h/atm was not affected by illuminated storage. Packages of sliced bologna with 0% oxygen in the head space showed good colour stability after 28 days of illuminated storage at 4 C. The discolouration of bologna was almost directly proportional to oxygen concentration in the package. Bologna stored in a high oxygen concentration developed more off-odour; 1% and 2% oxygen in the packages caused higher worst spot colour, discolouration and off-odour scores after 3 days of storage.     

Factors influencing flow of object focussed collaboration in collaborative virtual environments

Creativity is believed to be helped by an uncluttered state of mind known as flow and as the trend grows towards less immersive displays to produce an uncluttered workplace, we ask the question “Does immersion matter to the flow of distributed group work?”. The aim of this work is to study the impact of level of immersion on workflow and presence during object focussed distributed group work, and to discuss the relevance of these and other factors to supporting flow and creativity. This is approached through a comprehensive literature survey and significant new results. The study attempts to introduce a breadth of factors and relationships as opposed to proving a hypothesis and thus takes a wide qualitative rather than deep quantitative approach to testing and analysis.     

Depression and self-medication with nicotine: The modifying influence of the dopamine D4 receptor gene.

This study evaluated whether there are genetic subgroups of depressed individuals who are more or less predisposed to engage in self-medication smoking practices. Smokers (N?=?231) completed self-report questionnaires of depression and smoking practices and were genotyped for the dopamine D4 (DRD4) gene. A significant interaction (DRD4 Genotype?×?Depression) was found for stimulation smoking and negative-affect reduction smoking. Specifically, these smoking practices were significantly heightened in depressed smokers homozygous for the short alleles of DRD4 but not in those heterozygous or homozygous for the long alleles of DRD4. These preliminary results suggest that the rewarding effects of smoking and the beneficial effects of nicotine replacement therapy for depressed smokers may depend, in part, on genetic factors involved in dopamine transmission. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Lesbian couples: The implications of sex differences in separation–individuation.

Addresses the relational dynamic of merging in lesbian couples from an object relations perspective. It is contended that merging in lesbian couples does exist, that it is a function of the fact that 2 women are relating to each other, and that preoedipal gender differences in the intrapsychic process of separation–individuation account for this pattern. It is suggested that gay male couples manifest the opposite pattern—emotional distancing—and that the determining factor is gender not homosexuality. Different patterns in lesbian and gay male couples illustrate crucial gender issues for both homosexuals and heterosexuals, and sex differences in separation–individuation and adult love relationships are discussed. It is concluded that the general nature of each sex's ego development affects the overall pattern of that sex's relational style. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)