Bacterial contamination of cucumber fruit through adhesion

In this study, the adhesion of bacteria to fresh cucumber surfaces in aqueous suspension was shown to be dependent on time of incubation, inoculum species and concentration, and temperature. The adhesion of bacteria to the fruit in wash water was less extensive at lower temperatures and shorter exposure times. Various species of bacteria were adsorbed to cucumber surfaces in the following relative order: Salmonella Typhimurium > Staphylococcus aureus > Lactobacillus plantarum > Listeria monocytogenes. Cells were adsorbed at all temperatures tested (5, 15, 25, and 35 degrees C) at levels that depended on incubation time, but the numbers of cells adsorbed were larger at higher incubation temperatures. Levels of adhesion of bacteria to dewaxed fruit were higher for L. monocytogenes and lower for Salmonella Typhimurium, L. plantarum, and S. aureus than were levels of adhesion to waxed fruit.     

Nudging hair shedding by antidandruff shampoos. A comparison of 1% ketoconazole, 1% piroctone olamine and 1% zinc pyrithione formulations

Hair shedding and hair thinning have been reported to be affected by dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis. The present study was conducted in 150 men presenting with telogen effluvium related to androgenic alopecia associated with dandruff. They were randomly allocated to three groups receiving each one of the three shampoos in the market containing either 1% ketoconazole (KTZ), 1% piroctone olamine (PTO) or 1% zinc pyrithione (ZPT). Shampoos had to be used 2-3 times a week for 6 months. Hair shedding during shampoo was evaluated semiquantitatively. Hair density on the vertex was evaluated on photographs using a Dermaphot. Trichograms were used for determining the anagen hair percentage and the mean proximal hair shaft diameter using computerized image analysis. The sebum excretion rate (SER, mug cm(-2) h(-1)) was also measured using a Sebumeter. The three treatments cleared pruritus and dandruff rapidly. At end point, hair density was unchanged, although hair shedding was decreased (KTZ: -17.3%, PTO: -16.5%, ZPT: -10.1%) and the anagen hair percentage was increased (KTZ: 4.9%, PTO: 7.9%, ZPT: 6.8%). The effect on the mean hair shaft diameter was contrasted between the three groups of volunteers (KTZ: 5.4%, PTO: 7.7%, ZPT: -2.2%). In conclusion, telogen effluvium was controlled by KTZ, PTO and ZPT shampoos at 1% concentration. In addition, KTZ and PTO increased the mean hair shaft thickness while discretely decreasing the sebum output at the skin surface.     

Bioaccumulation of perfluorochemicals in sediments by the aquatic oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus

Bioaccumulation of perfluoroalkyl sulfonates, perfluorocarboxylates, and 2-(N-ethylperfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetic acid (N-EtFOSAA) from laboratory-spiked and contaminated field sediments was assessed using the freshwater oligochaete, Lumbriculus variegatus. Semistatic batch experiments were conducted to monitor the biological uptake of these perfluorochemicals (PFCs) over 56 days. The elimination of PFCs was measured as the loss of PFCs in L. variegatus exposed to PFC-spiked sediment for 28 days and then transferred to clean sediment. The resultant data suggest that PFCs in sediments are readily bioavailable and that bioaccumulation from sediments does not continually increase with increasing perfluorocarbon chain length. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorononanoate were the most bioaccumulative PFCs, as measured by laboratory-based estimated steady-state biota sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) and BSAFs measured using contaminated field sediments. Elimination rate constants for perfluoroalkyl sulfonates and perfluorocaroboxylates were generally smaller than those previously measured for other organic contaminants. Last, a PFOS precursor, N-EtFOSAA, accumulated in the worm tissues and appeared to undergo biotransformation to PFOS and other PFOS precursors. This suggests that N-EtFOSAA, which has been detected in sediments and sludge often at levels exceeding PFOS, may contribute to the bioaccumulation of PFOS in aquatic organisms.     

Decontamination of aflatoxin B1‐contaminated corn by ammonium persulphate during fermentation

The decontamination of aflatoxin B₁(AFB₁)‐contaminated corn, which is required if the corn is to be suitable for alternative use, by an ammoniation–fermentation integrated process was studied. This process could be used for the production of fuel ethanol from aflatoxin‐containing corn. Different concentrations (0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 1.5 and 2.0% w/w) of ammonium persulphate were tested in the detoxification of AFB₁‐contaminated corn during fermentation. In order to increase the decontamination of corn, 0.5 and 1.0% (w/w) azodicarbonamide, benzoyl peroxide and hydrogen peroxide were tested. Peroxides were added at three different stages of the fermentation process: liquefaction, saccharification and fermentation. Levels of AFB₁ and ethanol were determined after each fermentation process. Treated corn was tested for mutagenic potential using the Ames test with TA100 tester strain and pure AFB₁ as positive control. Addition of 2.0% (w/w) ammonium persulphate caused the highest level of decontamination without affecting ethanol production. Addition of peroxides did not significantly (P < 0.05) increase ethanol production or significantly (P < 0.05) improve the decontamination process. The best processes for decontamination of corn and for ethanol production included the addition of 2.0% (w/w) ammonium persulphate for both and of 1.0 and 0.5% (w/w) benzoyl peroxide respectively. All treated corn samples showed no mutagenic potential. Possible industrial use of these processes is discussed. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Addition of synthetic and natural antioxidants to α-tocopheryl acetate supplemented beef patties: effects of antioxidants and packaging on lipid oxidation

Friesian steers (n=5), aged 26–27 months, were fed a diet containing 2000 (supplemented) IU α-tocopheryl acetate/head/day for approximately 50 days prior to slaughter. Muscularis semimembranosus muscles from supplemented cattle were held in frozen storage (−20°C×12 weeks) following which they were minced and divided into five batches. The batches contained: (1) control, containing only vitamin E supplemented beef (C); (2) vitamin E supplemented beef with 4% soya oil (S); (3) vitamin E supplemented beef mixed with 0.2% Duralox NMC dissolved in 4% soya oil (R1); (4) vitamin E supplemented beef mixed with 0.25% Herbalox type 25 (containing 25 natural antioxidant extracts of rosemary) dissolved in 4% soya oil (R2); and (5) vitamin E supplemented beef mixed with a 1:1 mixture of 0.01% (w/w) BHA and 0.01% (w/w) BHT dissolved in 4% soya oil (B). The meat was then aerobically packaged (A) or packaged under the following modified atmospheres (MAP); 30:70 (M₁); 70:30 (M₂) or 80:20 (M₃) (O₂:CO₂). Oxidative stability (TBARS) and Hunter ‘a’ values (redness) were determined in all beef patties over 8 days of refrigerated (4°C) storage. Under MAP or aerobic packaging conditions, elevated oxygen levels brought about increased (P<0.05) TBARS numbers during refrigerated storage. However, the addition of rosemary extracts or BHA/BHT significantly (P<0.05) improved the oxidative stability of dietary α-tocopheryl acetate supplemented beef. Rosemary extracts were as effective in reducing TBARS as the combination of synthetic antioxidants, BHA/BHT.     

How dietary intake has been assessed in African countries? A systematic review

Background: Dietary patterns are often considered as one of the main causes of non-communicable diseases worldwide. It is of utmost importance to study dietary habits in developing countries since this work is scarce.

Objective: To summarize the most recent research conducted in this field in African countries, namely the most used methodologies and tools.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted on MEDLINE®/PubMed, aiming to identify scientific publications focused on studies of dietary intake of different African populations, in a ten-year period. Papers not written in English/Portuguese/Spanish, studies developed among African people but not developed in African countries, studies aiming to assess a particular nutrient/specific food/food toxin and studies that assessed dietary intake among children were excluded.

Findings: Out of 99 included studies, the 24-hour recall and the food-frequency questionnaire were the most used dietary intake assessment tools, used to assess diet at an individual level. It was also observed that often country-unspecific food composition databases are used, and the methodologies employed are poorly validated and standardized.

Conclusions: There is an emergent need to improve the existing food databases by updating food data and to develop suitable country-specific databases for those that do not have their own food composition table.     

Studies of cyclic and linear poly(dimethyl siloxanes): 12. Observation of diffusion behaviour by quasielastic neutron scattering

High resolution neutron scattering experiments have been used to observe the diffusive motion of low molecular weight linear and cyclic poly(dimethyl siloxane) molecules in dilute solution in deuterated benzene. Diffusion coefficients (D) and hydrodynamic radii (R_H) have been compared with values obtained by light scattering for higher molecular weight samples and with radii of gyration (R_g) obtained by small-angle neutron scattering. While the ratio $\text{D}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>ring</mtext>}}\text{D}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>chain</mtext>}}$ is close to the predicted value of 0.85, the ratio $\text{R}{}_{\mathrm{g}}\text{R}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>H</mtext>}}$ falls below the theoretical value for both ring and chain molecules. The scattering curves show effects arising from both centre of mass diffusion and internal molecular motion, and the observed inverse correlation times are compared with calculated behaviour as a function of scattering vector, Q.     

EVALUATION OF BARLEY AND MALT QUALITY USING NEAR-INFRARED REFLECTANCE TECHNIQUES

A scanning near-infrared reflectance spectrophotometer was calibrated for the prediction of barley aleurone colour and malt moisture. The malt moisture was predicted on malt ground for the determination of malt extract (coarse grind) making the method suitable for moisture correction in malt extract estimation. Calibrations for the prediction of malt extract and endosperm modification from barley and malt were also attempted. A correlation (r= 0.851 n = 135) was found between malt hot water extract and the percentage of the endosperm estimated as being modified by microscopy following staining with Calcofluor. Probably because of this influence of modification on malt extract, the use of near-infrared reflectance to predict malt extract was most successful at predicting the malt extract values obtained following micro-malting in the absence of the additives, gibberellic acid and potassium bromate.     

Impact of pre-treatment (soaking or germination) on nutrient and anti-nutrient contents,cooking time and acceptability of cooked red dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) grown in Ethiopia

Pulses are processed in diverse ways prior to consumption. Soaking and germination are among the most common traditional, household-level food processing strategies. This study was carried out to determine the effects of soaking, germination, cooking and their combinations on the contents of selected nutrients and anti-nutrients of red dry bean and chickpea. In addition, the effects of pre-treatment on cooking time and the acceptability of dishes prepared from red dry bean and chickpea were determined. The nutrient compositions (zinc, iron and calcium) of most soaked-cooked and germinated-cooked red dry bean and chickpea samples were not significantly different than those of respective controls. However, soaking and germination pre-treatments significantly lowered the phytate and tannin contents of the red dry bean and chickpea samples, with a few exceptions, and overall, polyphenol contents were lower after soaking-cooking than after germination-cooking. Most scores for sensory attributes of bean-based and chickpea-based dishes prepared from soaked or germinated samples were not significantly different than those of the controls. For most red dry bean and chickpea samples, longer germination times yielded superior results in terms of reductions in cooking time, tannin content, and phytate:zinc and phytate:iron molar ratio.     

Molecular regulators of resolution of inflammation: potential therapeutic targets in the reproductive system

Inflammatory processes are central to reproductive events including ovulation, menstruation, implantation and labour, while inflammatory dysregulation is a feature of numerous reproductive pathologies. In recent years, there has been much research into the endogenous mechanisms by which inflammatory reactions are terminated and tissue homoeostasis is restored, a process termed resolution. The identification and characterisation of naturally occurring pro-resolution mediators including lipoxins and annexin A1 has prompted a shift in the field of anti-inflammation whereby resolution is now observed as an active process, triggered as part of a normal inflammatory response. This review will address the process of resolution, discuss available evidence for expression of pro-resolution factors in the reproductive tract and explore possible roles for resolution in physiological reproductive processes and associated pathologies.