Observation of Injured E. coli Population Resulting from the Application of High‐Pressure Throttling Treatments

This study used flow cytometry (FC), epifluorescent microscopy (EM), and conventional culture media (PC) to evaluate the potential for high‐pressure throttling (HPT) to produce injury in E. coli. E. coli cells suspended at a concentration of approximately 8 log (CFU/mL) in Butterfield's phosphate buffer and UHT skimmed milk, were treated with HPT at pressures ranging from 35 to 283 MPa. Cells were stained with SYTO 9 and propidium iodide (Live/Dead Baclight kit) to assess their membrane integrity. MacConkey and Tryptone Soy agars and a modification of the thin agar layer method were used to determine injured and non‐injured cells. PC results indicated a reduction in E. coli counts as pressure increased but no significant injured population was detected in either matrix. However, FC and EM observations indicated that the membrane integrity of a portion of the bacterial population was affected by HPT, producing different degrees of cell injury that could be sublethal. The percentage of this heterogeneous population increased with applied pressure. These results reassert the importance of understanding the potential of new processing treatments to produce sublethally‐injured bacteria, and developing appropriate detection techniques.     

Morphology study of progesterone polymorphs prepared by polymer‐induced heteronucleation (PIHn)

In this article, morphology of progesterone polymorphs prepared by polymer‐induced heteronucleation (PIHn) technique was studied. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose(HPMC), such as dextran T‐500 and gelatin G‐9382, polyisoprene (PI), and acrylonitrile/butadiene copolymer (NBR) were used as substrates. The crystallizations were performed by solvent evaporation at room temperature from 0.5, 10, and 40 mg/ml solutions in chloroform and acetone. Progesterone polymorphs were identified by X‐ray diffraction. Differential scanning calorimetry and total attenuated reflectance infrared spectroscopy were used as complementary techniques in the identification. Depending on the polymeric matrix and the concentration used, form 1, form 2, or mixture of both polymorphs were obtained. Scanning electron microscopy pictures evidenced difference in morphology and in homogeneity of the two progesterone polymorphs. These polymorphs prepared by PIHn, did not present a distinctive morphology that allows identifying polymorph by its crystal habit. Hence, polymeric matrix induced the crystallization, affecting polymorphism and morphology. SCANNING 35:213‐221, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Influence of processing on the levels of amines and proline and on the physico-chemical characteristics of concentrated orange juice

The influence of processing on the levels of bioactive amines and proline as well as on some physico-chemical characteristics of concentrated orange juice was investigated. Samples were collected at seven points of a production line on three non-consecutive days, and analysed for the levels of 12 bioactive amines, proline, and reducing and non-reducing sugars, and for some physico-chemical characteristics. Among the amines analysed, only putrescine, spermidine and synephrine were found in the samples at all processing stages. Significant differences were observed for spermidine and total amine levels throughout processing. Synephrine and putrescine were resistant to processing. Proline levels changed significantly throughout processing, as did levels of reducing and non-reducing sugars. The pH varied from 3.59 to 3.72, acidity from 0.873 to 0.918 g citric acid/100 mL, and density from 1.0378 to 1.0970 g/mL. Among these parameters, pH, acidity and density were significantly affected by processing.     

Effect of phosphate binders on oxidative stress and inflammation markers in hemodialysis patients

It has been suggested that phosphate binders may reduce the inflammatory state of hemodialysis (HD) patients. However, it is not clear whether it has any effect on oxidative stress. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sevelamer hydrochloride (SH) and calcium acetate (CA) on oxidative stress and inflammation markers in HD patients. Hemodialysis patients were randomly assigned to therapy with SH (n=17) or CA (n=14) for 1 year. Before the initiation of therapy (baseline) and at 12 months, we measured in vitro reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by stimulated and unstimulated polymorphonuclear neutrophils and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-10, C-reactive protein, and albumin. There was a significant reduction of spontaneous ROS production in both groups after 12 months of therapy. There was a significant decrease of Staphylococcus aureus stimulated ROS production in the SH group. There was a significant increase in albumin serum levels only in the SH group. In the SH group, there was also a decrease in the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α and C-reactive protein. Our results suggest that compared with CA treatment, SH may lead to a reduction in oxidative stress and inflammation. Therefore, it is possible that phosphate binders exert pleiotropic effects on oxidative stress and inflammation, which could contribute toward decreasing endothelial injury in patients in HD.     

A Novel Function of the Triterpene Squalene in a Tritrophic System

Changes in apple leaf chemistry after infestation by leafminers and their effect on both host location and host habitat location of the generalist parasitoid Pholetesor bicolor were investigated. Chemical analysis of leaf solvent extracts from healthy and leafminer-damaged leaves revealed that herbivory increased the amount of the triterpene squalene (C₃₀H₅₀), whereas quantities of all other identified compounds were similar in both plant treatments. To assess the response of parasitoids to host location cues, contact bioassays were conducted with naïve females. Results showed that parasitoids performed a characteristic ovipositional probing more often on the mine-damaged than on the healthy leaf. This behavior was triggered by a hexane extract of the mine-damaged leaf, but not by a healthy leaf extract. A synthetic mixture of the compounds identified in the extract triggered a similar response. A mixture devoid of squalene was not active, whereas squalene alone elicited the probing behavior. To assess the use of the identified compounds in habitat location, Y-tube olfactometer experiments were conducted with naïve and experienced females. Results showed that squalene is not involved in habitat location and has no priming effect on P. bicolor. While other triterpenes are known to mediate habitat location of parasitoids, this is the first report in which a plant triterpene is shown to mediate host location of a parasitoid. The biological and ecological functions of squalene on all three trophic levels are discussed.     

Comparison of electromyographic pattern of sensory experts and untrained subjects during chewing of Mahon cheese

Use of electromyography (EMG) to monitor mastication is a relatively new concept in assessing food physical and sensory properties. Although expert assessment of cheese characteristics is widely used, the effect of training in sensory analysis on mastication patterns, as assessed using EMG is not well known. Nine samples of the same Mahon cheese (60 days ripening) were given to 24 subjects (8 experts, 16 untrained) and EMG recorded for each chewing sequence. Three samples were tested in a single session by each subject, and three sessions carried out on different days. EMG was recorded from four masticatory muscles for each subject. From EMG records the following was extracted: number of chews, chewing time, mean and maximum voltage of EMG bursts (i.e. chews) across chewing sequence, chewing work and chewing rate. No gender bias was found for the EMG parameters considered, therefore, as regards gender, each group was considered to be homogeneous. Variability within-subjects across samples was greater for experts than untrained subjects. Significant differences in chewing time, chewing work and chewing rate were found between the expert and untrained groups. Data analysis of the three sessions showed an influence of cognitive constructs, mediating states, on the chewing process. The experts were found to be goal driven as to their mastication process. Experts showed no significant differences between sessions, untrained subjects were found to vary their EMG output in successive sessions for number of chews, chewing time, mean voltage, and chewing work.     

Imbalance diets in preschool children: study in a day-care center in the Province of Buenos Aires,Argentina

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of low fat diets in children aged 2 to 5. Eighty two children (40 females and 42 males) attending a school cafeteria (Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina), in a cross sectional study, were evaluated. Body weight (W), height (H) and body composition (BC) by bioimpedance were recorded. The anthropometric raw data were processed as Z-score of the weight-for-age (WEZ) and of the height-for-age (HAZ). Serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and Zinc/haemoglobin ratio (Zn/Hb) were also measured. Results showed that 73.2% of the children were adequate (A) according WEZ, 13.4% were lean (L) and 13.4% overweight (O). 8.5% presented simultaneously impairment in WEZ and HAZ. Body fat percentage and energy metabolism were higher in O than in L and A (p < 0.05). Serum IGF-1's children--aged 4 to 5 years--with HAZ deficit were low than adequate HAZ ones. No statistical differences in Zn/Hb ratio between A, L and O were found. This cross sectional study suggests metabolic disorders in young children attending school cafeterias. These conclusions will allow to design balanced diets in order to optimize the resources, promote optimal growth and development and prevent adult diseases through dietary practices in childhood.     

Determination of binding constants of cyclodextrins in room-temperature ionic liquids by near-infrared spectrometry

Near-infrared spectrometry has been successfully used to determine association binding constants between phenol and alpha-, beta- and gamma-cyclodextrin (CD) in [butylmethylimidazolium][chloride] room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL). It was found that adding CD into the RTIL solution of phenol resulted in an enhancement in the absorption coefficient of the stretching overtone of the aromatic C-H groups. However, the enhancement induced by CDs in RTIL is much lower (order of magnitude) than those corresponding in D20. The binding constants in RTIL are also much lower than those in D2O ((11 +/- 2), (16 +/- 2), and (40 +/- 6) M(-1) for phenol and alpha-, beta- and gamma-CD, respectively, as compared to 87 and 214 M(-1) for a- and beta-CD in D2O). The results obtained seem to suggest that in ionic liquid, the main interaction between phenol and CDs may not be inclusion complex formation but rather external adsorption. A variety of reasons may be responsible for relatively weaker interactions and lower binding constants in the ionic liquid, including differences in the polarity and viscosity of RTIL and D20. However, the main reason may be due to the possibility that the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium cation of the ionic liquid may form inclusion complexes with CDs either through its imidazolium moiety or its butyl group. Such complex formation would prevent phenol from being included in the cavity of the CDs.