Preliminary results for an adaptive family treatment for drug abuse in Hispanic youth.

A small randomized trial investigated a new family-based intervention for Hispanic adolescents who met DSM–IV criteria for substance abuse disorder. The Culturally Informed and Flexible Family-Based Treatment for Adolescents (CIFFTA) is a tailored/adaptive intervention that includes a flexible treatment manual and multiple treatment components. The study used an “add on” design to isolate the effects on substance abuse, behavior problems, and parenting practices attributable to the newly developed components. Twenty-eight Hispanic adolescents and their families were randomized either to the experimental treatment or to traditional family therapy (TFT) and were assessed at baseline and 8-month follow-up. Despite the small sample, results revealed statistically significant time × treatment effects on both self-reported drug use (marijuana + cocaine), F(1, 22) = 10.59, p     

How selection forces dictate the variant surface antigens used by malaria parasites

Red blood cells infected by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum express variant surface antigens (VSAs) that evade host immunity and allow the parasites to persist in the human population. There exist many different VSAs and the differential expression of these VSAs is associated with the virulence (damage to the host) of the parasites. The aim of this study is to unravel the differences in the effect key selection forces have on parasites expressing different VSAs such that we can better understand how VSAs enable the parasites to adapt to changes in their environment (like control measures) and how this may impact the virulence of the circulating parasites. To this end, we have built an individual-based model that captures the main selective forces on malaria parasites, namely parasite competition, host immunity, host death and mosquito abundance at both the within- and between-host levels. VSAs are defined by the net growth rates they infer to the parasites and the model keeps track of the expression of, and antibody build-up against, each VSA in all hosts. Our results show an ordered acquisition of VSA-specific antibodies with host age, which causes a dichotomy between the more virulent VSAs that reach high parasitaemias but are restricted to young relatively non-immune hosts, and less virulent VSAs that do not reach such high parasitaemias but can infect a wider range of hosts. The outcome of a change in the parasite''s environment in terms of parasite virulence depends on the exact balance between the selection forces, which sets the limiting factor for parasite survival. Parasites will evolve towards expressing more virulent VSAs when the limiting factor for parasite survival is the within-host parasite growth and the parasites are able to minimize this limitation by expressing more virulent VSAs.     

Study of the release of limonene present in chitosan films enriched with bergamot oil in food simulants

Chitosan films containing different concentrations of bergamot oil (BO) were obtained and the migration of limonene, the major oil component, to five liquid food simulants (aqueous solutions with 0%, 10%, 50% and 95% of ethanol and isooctane) was studied at 20 °C. The losses of BO and limonene during the film drying were also quantified. The release kinetics of limonene from chitosan matrix was described using an empirical model which relates the reduced concentration loss of limonene and the square root of time. The results show that kinetic constants for all films increased exponentially when the ethanol concentration increased in the aqueous system and were slightly greater when the film thickness was lower. Composite films remain intact in isooctane CH-BO and no release of limonene was observed. Hydration of the film to promote molecular mobility was essential to ensure the compound release.     

Surveillance of Enteric Viruses and Microbial Indicators in the Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and Harvest Waters along Louisiana Gulf Coast

Noroviruses are the most common causative agent of viral gastroenteritis in humans, and are responsible for major foodborne illnesses in the United States. Filter‐feeding molluscan shellfish exposed to sewage‐contaminated waters bioaccumulate viruses, and if consumed raw, transmit the viruses to humans and cause illness. We investigated the occurrence of norovirus GI and GII and microbial indicators of fecal contamination in the eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and water from commercial harvesting areas along the Louisiana Gulf Coast (January to November of 2013). Microbial indicators (aerobic plate count, enterococci, fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, male‐specific coliphages, and somatic coliphages) were detected at the densities lower than public health concerns. Only one oyster sample was positive for norovirus GII at 3.5 ± 0.2 log₁₀ genomic equivalent copies/g digestive tissues. A stool specimen obtained from an infected individual associated with a norovirus outbreak and the suspected oysters (Cameron Parish, La., area 30, January 2013) were also analyzed. The norovirus strain in the stool belonged to GII.4 Sydney; however, the oysters were negative and could not be linked. In general, no temporal trend was observed in the microbial indicators. Low correlation among bacterial indicators was observed in oysters. Strongest correlations among microbial indicators were observed between enterococci and fecal coliforms (r = 0.63) and between enterococci and E. coli (r = 0.64) in water (P < 0.05); however, weak correlations were found in oysters (r < 0.45) and between oysters and harvest water (r ≤ 0.36, P > 0.05). Our results emphasize the need for regular monitoring of pathogenic viruses in commercial oyster harvesting areas to reduce the risks of viral gastroenteritis incidences.     

An evaluation of activation and radiation damage effects for the European Spallation Source Target

The details concerning the generation and accumulation of radionuclides produced by spallation reactions within the neutron generation target to be installed at the European Spallation Source are described. The resulting radiation damage for the target tungsten blocks constituents as well as the target encasing is evaluated and explicit results are given for the effects of knock-on atoms as well as those resulting from the accumulation of light and volatile hydrogen and helium isotopes resulting from spallation reactions. Their effects on the mechanical properties are discussed on the light of available experimental data and, on this basis, an estimation of the target lifetime is given.     

Physical and antioxidant properties of chitosan and methylcellulose based films containing resveratrol

New trends in edible films focus on the improvement of their functionality through the incorporation of active compounds, such as antimicrobial or antioxidant agents. Resveratrol is a natural antioxidant found in a variety of plant species, such as grapes, and could be used for minimizing or preventing lipid oxidation in food products, retarding the formation of oxidation products, maintaining nutritional quality and prolonging the food shelf life. The aim of this work was to develop and characterize two different polymeric composite films (made with chitosan (CH) and methylcellulose (MC)) containing different amounts of resveratrol. This compound could be incorporated efficiently into both films, but provoke structural changes in the matrices, which became less stretchable (65–70% reduction of deformation at break at the greatest resveratrol content) and resistant to fracture (26 and 54% reduction of tensile at break for MC and CH, respectively, at the greatest resveratrol content) more opaque (significant reduction of the internal transmittance) and less glossy (about 60–65% reduction of gloss at the greatest resveratrol content). Film barrier properties were hardly improved by the presence of resveratrol; water vapour and oxygen permeability tend to slightly decrease when resveratrol was incorporated into both polymers. Composite films showed antioxidant activity, which was proportional to the resveratrol concentration in the film. None of the films showed antimicrobial activity against Penicillium italicum and Botrytis cinerea. Thus, these films could be applied to food products which are sensitive to oxidative processes to prolong their shelf life.     

Transformation of Glucose into Sorbitol on Raney Nickel Catalysts in the Absence of Molecular Hydrogen: Sugar Disproportionation vs Catalytic Hydrogen Transfer

Topics in Catalysis - Raney nickel catalysts have been tested in the transformation of glucose into sorbitol through a hydrogen transfer pathway in the presence of short chain alcohols. Comparison...     

Effect of fermentation temperature and culture media on the yeast lipid composition and wine volatile compounds

The temperature of a wine fermentation strongly affects lipid metabolism and thus, aromatic profiles. Most of the metabolic studies are done in well-controlled laboratory conditions, yet wine is produced in less-reproducible industrial conditions. The aim of this study is to analyse the effect of fermentation temperature (13 degrees C and 25 degrees C) and culture media (synthetic media and grape must) on yeast lipid composition and volatile compounds in wine. Our results show that yeast viability was better at 13 degrees C than at 25 degrees C whichever growth medium is used, but that the complexity of the grape must enabled cells to reach higher viable population size. Viability was also related to the incorporation of linoleic acid and beta-sitosterol, which were present in the grape must. A lower temperature modified the cellular lipid composition of yeast, increasing the degree of unsaturation at the beginning of fermentation and decreasing the chain length as fermentation progressed. We also found that medium-chain fatty acids, mainly dodecanoic acid, were present in the cell phospholipids. Wines produced from grape must were more aromatic and had a lower volatile acidity content than those derived from a synthetic medium. Fermentations that were performed at the lower temperature also emphasized this feature.     

Metabolism and toxicology of heterocyclic aromatic amines when consumed in diet: Influence of the genetic susceptibility to develop human cancer. A review

There is not sufficient scientific evidence to support the hypothesis that human cancer risk is specifically due to the intake of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) in diet. Epidemiological evidence appears to imply two main factors in the HAAs carcinogenicity. These factors are the very high frequency of consumption of red meats, and very darkly browned meats from cooking, which are HAAs-containing foods. The present review focuses on the fact that the cancer risk is notably enhanced when certain genotypes related to HAAs metabolism are present. Thus, genetic predisposition seems to be the main factor in cancer development related to HAAs, and possibly the co-presence of other mutagenic compounds in diet.