The diagnosis of cancer from body fluids. A comparison of cytology, DNA measurement, tissue culture, scanning and transmission microscopy

A consecutive series of 70 exudates from 45 patients with clinically suspected malignancy was examined by cytology, cytophotometric measurement of DNA, short-term cell culture, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. In seven patients (21 fluids), the presence of malignant disease was verified. Malignant and benign cases were correctly diagnosed by combination of cytology and DNA analyses. An abnormal DNA profile defined by greater than 10 per cent cells with greater than 2c DNA or single cells with greater than 8c DNA was only seen in malignant exudates. Short-term cell culture with scanning electron microscopy could distinguish between lymphoid cells, histiocytes, fibroblasts, mesothelial cells and cancer cells. Only cancer cells had prominent microvilli on their surface. A future larger series will explore whether a combination of cytology and cytophotometric DNA estimation alone will improve the diagnostic accuracy to the same substantial degree as this pilot study would suggest.     

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...     

Uncertainties in the determination of pyrrolizidine alkaloid levels in naturally contaminated honeys and comparison of results obtained by different analytical approaches

The contamination of honey with hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) is a well-known hazard for food safety. While management strategies and controls of the honey industry aim to reduce the PA levels, uncertainties remain with regard to the safety of regionally produced and marketed honey. In addition, a previous study showed large differences of results obtained after various periods of storage and apparent differences between the analytical results of different laboratories. Therefore, this study aimed at examining these uncertainties by monitoring the impact of storage on the PA and PA N-oxide (PANO) content of two freshly harvested honeys and on possible demixing effects caused by pollen settling. Additionally, three analytical approaches – target analysis with matrix-matched calibration or standard addition and a sum parameter method – were applied for a comparative analysis of 20 honeys harvested in summer 2016. All samples originated from Schleswig-Holstein in Northern Germany where the PA plant Jacobaea vulgaris is currently observed on a massive scale. The results of the time series analyses showed that PANO levels markedly decreased within a few weeks and practically reached the LOD 16 weeks after harvest. Tertiary PAs, by contrast, remained stable and did not increase as a consequence of PANO decrease. The experiments on a putative demixing, which may result in a heterogeneous distribution of PAs/PANOs, revealed that there was no such effect during storage of up to 12 weeks. A comparison of the PA/PANO levels obtained by different analytical approaches showed that in some cases the sum parameter method yielded much higher levels than the target approaches, whereas in other cases, the target analysis with standard addition found higher levels than the other two methods. In summary, the results of this study highlight uncertainties regarding the validity and comparability of analytical results and consequently regarding health risk assessment.     

Influence of Lauter Turbidity on Wort Composition,Fermentation Performance and Beer Quality in Large‐Scale Trials

Different lauter turbidities (standard 43 EBC vs. turbid 82 EBC on average) were obtained by variation of the lauter procedure, particularly deep raking, in this study. The resulting worts were used for repitching the respective yeast into six subsequent fermentation cycles. The resulting beers were investigated in terms of flavour quality, flavour stability, non‐biological stability and foam stability. Worts gained from turbid lautering showed very similar analytical data compared to the controls (except for a slight but significant increase in linoleic acid). There was an improvement in fermentation performance in terms of a pH decrease and a decrease in extract. The resulting beers were quite similar, and the staling indicators increased slightly, but not significantly, due to turbid lautering. Both types of beer were evaluated on tasting as being of a high flavour quality and neither a professional panel nor a non‐professional (customer) panel was able to distinguish the difference, between standard and turbid lautering, in terms of fresh and forced aged beers. Due to turbid lautering the non‐biological stability appeared to be slightly, but not significantly, decreased while on the other hand the foam stability was significantly improved due to turbid lautering. In conclusion, fermentation performance may be improved by more turbid lautering, and the negative consequences often reported for the resulting beers appear to be overestimated, since the quality parameters of the final beers had not deteriorated significantly.     

Role of vitamin A elimination or supplementation diets during postnatal development on the allergic sensitisation in mice

Vitamin A (VA) and its derivatives, the retinoids, are important factors for the development of the immune system. It has been shown in adult animals that proliferation of lymphocyte populations and antibody secretion are retinoid dependent, while little is known about the effects of retinoids during postnatal development. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of VA on allergic sensitisation during lactation and after weaning using an in vivo system for postnatal allergic sensitisation in mice. Different VA diets (basal/VA elimination/VA (as retinyl palmitate) supplemented) were fed to the dams throughout lactation and directly to the pups after weaning. Allergic sensitisation was induced with a single peritoneal ovalbumin (OVA) injection at day 28 after weaning. The phenotype of lymphocytes was analysed by flow cytometry and functional data were obtained by analysis of (IL-4/IFN-gamma) cytokine production and antibody production (OVA-specific IgG1 and IgE) in the offspring. VA/retinyl palmitate supplementation during lactation and after weaning decreased CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and B220+ populations in splenic lymphocytes but also significantly enhanced IL-4 production and OVA-specific IgE after sensitisation. In contrast, mice fed VA-elimination diet displayed no significant alteration of lymphocyte numbers and a slightly increased IL-4 production. Our results showed that a single allergen injection during postnatal development induces allergic sensitisation whose degree is modified by the VA content of the maternal diet during lactation and the diet of the pups after weaning, indicating an important role of VA on the severity of the allergic sensitisation.     

Short communication: A comparison between purebred Holstein and Brown Swiss × Holstein cows for milk production, somatic cell score, milking speed, and udder measurements in the first 3 lactations

Brown Swiss × Holstein (BS × HO) crossbred cows (n = 55) and purebred Holstein (HO) cows (n = 50) were compared for milk yield, fat and protein production, somatic cell score, milking speed, and udder measurements for the first 3 lactations. Cows from a designed experiment were housed in a freestall barn at the experimental station of the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, and calved from July 2005 to August 2008. Best prediction was used to determine actual production for 305-d lactations from test-day observations. For the first 3 lactations, BS × HO cows and HO cows were not significantly different for milk yield, fat and protein production, or SCS. Average milking time was significantly longer for BS × HO cows than for HO cows for first, second, and third lactations by 35, 51, and 30 s, respectively. Average milking speed expressed as average yield per minute was significantly lower for BS × HO cows than for HO cows for the first 3 lactations by 0.19, 0.35, and 0.19 kg/min, respectively. Front and rear teats were significantly longer for BS × HO cows than for HO cows. Furthermore, front and rear udder clearance was significantly lower for BS × HO cows compared with HO cows in first and second lactations.     

Influence of proton-donors on the reduction mechanism of diacetyl on dme

The effect of the phosphoric and acetic acids concentration on the reduction mechanism of diacetyl on a mercury electrode is studied. Reaction orders with respect to these proton donors at potentials corresponding to the foot of the polarographic wave indicate that the acid species are liable to protonate the free radical resulting from the first electron transfer.     

Oregano: chemical analysis and evaluation of its antimalarial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities

Abstract: GC‐FID and GC‐MS analysis of essential oil from oregano leaves (Origanum compactum) resulted in the identification of 46 compounds, representing more than 98% of the total composition. Carvacrol was the predominant compound (36.46%), followed by thymol (29.74%) and p‐cymene (24.31%). Serial extractions with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and water were performed on aerials parts of Origanum compactum. In these extracts, different chemical families were characterized: polyphenols (gallic acid equivalent 21.2 to 858.3 g/kg), tannins (catechin equivalent 12.4 to 510.3 g/kg), anthocyanins (cyanidin equivalent 0.38 to 5.63 mg/kg), and flavonoids (quercetin equivalent 14.5 to 54.7 g/kg). The samples (essential oil and extracts) were subjected to a screening for antioxidant (DPPH and ABTS assays) and antimalarial activities and against human breast cancer cells. The essential oil showed a higher antioxidant activity with an IC₅₀= 2 ± 0.1 mg/L. Among the extracts, the aqueous extract had the highest antioxidant activity with an IC₅₀= 4.8 ± 0.2 mg/L (DPPH assay). Concerning antimalarial activity, Origanum compactum essential oil and ethyl acetate extract showed the best results with an IC₅₀ of 34 and 33 mg/mL, respectively. In addition, ethyl acetate extract (30 mg/L) and ethanol extract (56 mg/L) showed activity against human breast cancer cells (MCF7). The oregano essential oil was considered to be nontoxic.     

Identification and characterization of a glucan-producing enzyme from Lactobacillus hilgardii TMW 1.828 involved in granule formation of water kefir

Water kefir is a home made fermented beverage based on a sucrose solution with fruit extracts. The inoculum of such fermentations consists of macroscopic granula containing lactic and acetic acid bacteria, and yeasts, which are embedded in an exopolysaccharide (EPS) matrix. In this work, a strain of Lactobacillus hilgardii producing large amounts of the granule-forming dextran could be isolated. The glycosyltransferans (Gtf) commonly called glucansucrase responsible for the production of this dextran was purified from L. hilgardii. Characteristic enzyme kinetic data were obtained. Optimum activity was observed between pH 4.3 and 4.6 and temperatures between 40 °C and 45 °C. A Michaelis–Menten kinetic could be fit to the experimental data and a K_M of 0.0385 M was calculated. The corresponding gtf gene was identified and characterized. It encodes a 1448 amino acid protein with higher homologies to Gtfs of Lactobacillus parabuchneri, Lactobacillus sakei and Lactobacillus fermentum followed by lower homologies to Lactobacillus reuteri Gtfs. By knockout experiments the role of this gene in granule dextran production was demonstrated.