A starch edible surface coating delays banana fruit ripening

A rice starch edible coating blended with sucrose esters was developed for controlling the postharvest physiological activity of Cavendish banana to extend postharvest quality during ripening at 20 ± 2 °C. Coating effectiveness was assessed against changes in fruit physiochemical parameters such as weight loss, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, flesh fruit firmness, ion leakage, colour change, respiration, ethylene production, chlorophyll degradation and starch conversion were determined. The topography of coating material on the fruit surface was evaluated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Surface morphology studies highlighted the binding compatibility of the coating matrix with the fruit peel character and formed a continuous uniform layer over the fruit surface. The results showed that the coating was effective in delaying ethylene biosynthesis and reducing respiration rate. Other factors impacting included delayed chlorophyll degradation, reduced weight loss and retention of fruit firmness for the first six days, all of which improved the commercial value of the fruit. The shelf life of coated fruit was prolonged for 12 days in comparison with the untreated control which ripened within seven days and lost marketability after Day 6. The pilot study demonstrates the effectiveness of a starch-based edible coating formulation for improving the ambient storage capacity of banana fruit

Effect of starch physiology, gelatinization, and retrogradation on the attributes of rice starch-ι-carrageenan film

Edible films and coatings have been applied as the potential substitutes for conventional plastics in food packaging. However, their physical and mechanical properties still have limitations and thus require further improvement. In this study, we compared the physico–chemical properties of starches extracted from eight rice varieties and attempted to predict their promising effects on the physical (thickness and solubility), mechanical (tensile strength and elongation break), barrier (water vapor permeability), and optical properties (color and transparency) of rice starch-ι-carrageenan films. The results showed that starch amylose content and amylose–amylopectin associations during retrogradation play a significant role in determining various properties of the films. The film containing starch from “Reiziq” variety showed minimum thickness (0.08 mm), water vapor permeability (WVP) (2.7 gs−1 m−1 Pa−1), solubility (43.12%) opacity (0.44%), and better mechanical properties, demonstrating the importance of selection of the source of the starch. The results also indicated that rice starch had compatibility with ι-carrageenan, and the blend of these two polysaccharides can be potentially used for coating fruit and vegetables

Amylose-lipid complex as a measure of variations in physical, mechanical and barrier attributes of rice starch- ι -carrageenan biodegradable edible film

Improvements in the hygroscopic properties of starch based films are important to strengthen their mechanical properties. The effects of different hydrophobic components-butyric acid (BA, C4:0), lauric acid (LA, C12:0), palmitic acid (PA, C16:0), oleic acid (OA, C18:1), stearic acid (SA, C18:0) and sucrose fatty acid ester (FAEs) on the rice starch (RS)-ι-carrageenan (ι-car) composite films were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in combination with amylose-lipid complexing index (CI) were used to characterise the changes in structure and properties of edible films. The SEM results showed that the surface of films became smoother after the incorporation of fatty acids. Carbon-chain length was a major determinant of CI formation which further influenced the attributes of RS-ι-car films. The addition of FAEs to RS-ι-car improved film thickness, permeability, transparency, tensile properties (TS) and could be used to tailor biodegradable edible films with enhanced properties and future fruit coating applications

CCR5AS lncRNA variation differentially regulates CCR5, influencing HIV disease outcome.

Multiple genome-wide studies have identified associations between outcome of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and polymorphisms in and around the gene encoding the HIV co-receptor CCR5, but the functional basis for the strongest of these associations, rs1015164A/G, is unknown. We found that rs1015164 marks variation in an activating transcription factor 1 binding site that controls expression of the antisense long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) CCR5AS. Knockdown or enhancement of CCR5AS expression resulted in a corresponding change in CCR5 expression on CD4+ T cells. CCR5AS interfered with interactions between the RNA-binding protein Raly and the CCR5 3' untranslated region, protecting CCR5 messenger RNA from Raly-mediated degradation. Reduction in CCR5 expression through inhibition of CCR5AS diminished infection of CD4+ T cells with CCR5-tropic HIV in vitro. These data represent a rare determination of the functional importance of a genome-wide disease association where expression of a lncRNA affects HIV infection and disease progression

Introduction of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying wAlbB Wolbachia sharply decreases dengue incidence in disease hotspots

Partial replacement of resident Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with introduced mosquitoes carrying certain strains of inherited Wolbachia symbionts can result in transmission blocking of dengue and other viruses of public health importance. Wolbachia strain wAlbB is an effective transmission blocker and stable at high temperatures, making it particularly suitable for hot tropical climates. Following trial field releases in Malaysia, releases using wAlbB Ae. aegypti have become operationalized by the Malaysian health authorities. We report here on an average reduction in dengue fever of 62.4% (confidence intervals 50-71%) in 20 releases sites when compared to 76 control sites in high rise residential areas. Importantly the level of dengue reduction increased with Wolbachia frequency, with 75.8% reduction (61-87%) estimated at 100% Wolbachia frequency. These findings indicate large impacts of wAlbB Wolbachia invasions on dengue fever incidence in an operational setting, with incidence expected to further decrease as wider areas are invaded

A study on periodontal disease and systemic disease relationship a hospital based study in Bangalore

Background: Periodontal deterioration has been reported to be associated with various systemic conditions like Cardiovascular disease, Diabetes, Respiratory disease, Liver cirrhosis, Bacterial Pneumonia, Nutritional deficiencies and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Aim: To assess the periodontal disease among patients with systemic disease/conditions. Materials and Method: A total of 500 patients with systemic disease/conditions (Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, Respiratory disease and Renal disease) and 500-age and gender matched controls without systemic disease/conditions were selected from the Government Hospitals in Bangalore City. The medical conditions were recorded and the periodontal status of the study population was assessed using the CPITN index. Results: The prevalence of CPITN Code 4 was found to be more among the patients with systemic disease/conditions (46.2%). The mean number of sextants with CPITN code 3 and 4 were more among the patients with systemic disease/conditions. The prevalence of CPITN code was found to be more among the patients with Respiratory disease whereas the mean number of sextants was found to be more among the patients with Diabetes, Cardiovascular and Renal disease. Conclusion: It may be concluded that the systemic diseases/conditions are associated with higher severity of periodontal disease