Oxidation processes of Longissimus dorsi from pigs supplemented with linseed oil and antioxidants

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of pig fodder supplementation on lipid oxidation of Longissimus dorsi (L. dorsi ) after frozen storage at -20 °C ± 1 °C for nine months. Fodder additives included 3% linseed oil (L1) or 3% linseed oil and antioxidants containing 100 mg vitamin E/kg and 1 mg organic selenium/kg (L2). The oxidation processes were evaluated by measuring thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and analyses of a profile of volatile organic compounds (VOC). The VOC were determined using an electronic nose based on ultra-fast gas chromatography. The level of TBARS for diets was 1.88 ± 0.52 to 2.30 ± 1.10 mg malondialdehyde/kg of meat. The results indicated that the diet of pigs from L1 and L2 groups had no impact on the TBARS value of L. dorsi pork frozen for nine months. On the other hand, aldehydes, which are regarded as compounds characteristic of oxidation processes, were identified in all samples. Volatile aldehydes contributed approximately 10%, 12%, and 15% of total detected volatiles for L2, L1, and the control group, respectively. Moreover, the data showed that propanal and benzeneacetaldehyde were at the same level, regardless of the animal’s diet, which is in accordance with the TBARS level. These volatile aldehydes resulted from the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and may be considered indicators of lipid oxidation for meat enriched with PUFAs. The results show that supplementation of the pigs’ diet with linseed oil (L1 group), which is a source of PUFAs, is recommended for meat intended for long-term freezing storage. However, supplementation with antioxidants is unnecessary, because it has no effect on lipid oxidation of L. dorsi pork after long-term freezing storage.Keywords: Animal’s diet, frozen storage, lipid oxidation, volatile organic compound

Nonheme Iron–Thiolate Complexes as Structural Models of Sulfoxide Synthase Active Sites

Two mononuclear iron(II)–thiolate complexes have been prepared that represent structural models of the nonheme iron enzymes EgtB and OvoA, which catalyze the O2-dependent formation of carbon–sulfur bonds in the biosynthesis of thiohistidine compounds. The series of Fe(II) complexes reported here feature tripodal N4 chelates (LA and LB) that contain both pyridyl and imidazolyl donors (LA = (1H-imidazol-4-yl)-N,N-bis((pyridin-2-yl)methyl)methanamine; LB = N,N-bis((1-methylimidazol-2-yl)methyl)-2-pyridylmethylamine). Further coordination with monodentate aromatic or aliphatic thiolate ligands yielded the five-coordinate, high-spin Fe(II) complexes [FeII(LA)(SMes)]BPh4 (1) and [FeII(LB)(SCy)]BPh4 (2), where SMes = 2,4,6-trimethylthiophenolate and SCy = cyclohexanethiolate. X-ray crystal structures revealed that 1 and 2 possess trigonal bipyramidal geometries formed by the N4S ligand set. In each case, the thiolate ligand is positioned cis to an imidazole donor, replicating the arrangement of Cys- and His-based substrates in the active site of EgtB. The geometric and electronic structures of 1 and 2 were analyzed with UV-vis absorption and Mössbauer spectroscopies in tandem with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Exposure of 1 and 2 to nitric oxide (NO) yielded six-coordinate FeNO adducts that were characterized with infrared and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies, confirming that these complexes are capable of binding diatomic molecules. Reaction of 1 and 2 with O2 causes oxidation of the thiolate ligands to disulfide products. The implications of these results for the development of functional models of EgtB and OvoA are discussed

How could different obesity scenarios alter the burden of type 2 diabetes and liver disease in Saudi Arabia?

Introduction Obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and liver disease, and obesity-attributable liver disease is a common indication for liver transplant. Obesity prevalence in Saudi Arabia (SA) has increased in recent decades. SA has committed to the WHO ‘halt obesity’ target to shift prevalence to 2010 levels by 2025. We estimated the future benefits of reducing obesity in SA on incidence and costs of T2DM and liver disease under two policy scenarios: 1) SA meets the ‘halt obesity’ target; 2) population body mass index (BMI) is reduced by 1% annually from 2020 to 2040. Methods We developed a dynamic microsimulation of working-age people (20-59 years) in SA between 2010 and 2040. Model inputs included population demographic, disease and healthcare cost data, and relative risks of diseases associated with obesity. In our two policy scenarios, we manipulated population BMI and compared predicted disease incidence and associated healthcare costs to a baseline ‘no change’ scenario. Results Adults 1.15 million combined cases of T2DM, liver disease and liver cancer could be avoided by 2040. Healthcare cost savings for the ‘halt obesity’ and 1% reduction scenarios are 46.7 and 32.8 billion USD, respectively. Discussion/Conclusion SA’s younger working-age population is set to meet the ‘halt obesity’ target, but those aged 35-59 are off-track. Even a modest annual 1% BMI reduction could result in substantial future health and economic benefits. Our findings strongly support universal initiatives to reduce population-level obesity, with targeted initiatives for working-age people ≥35 years of age

Neutronic Design and Measured Performance of the Low Energy Neutron Source (LENS) Target Moderator Reflector Assembly

The Low Energy Neutron Source (LENS) is an accelerator-based pulsed cold neutron facility under construction at the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility (IUCF). The idea behind LENS is to produce pulsed cold neutron beams starting with ~MeV neutrons from (p,n) reactions in Be which are moderated to meV energies and extracted from a small solid angle for use in neutron instruments which can operate efficiently with relatively broad (~1 msec) neutron pulse widths. Although the combination of the features and operating parameters of this source is unique at present, the neutronic design possesses several features similar to those envisioned for future neutron facilities such as long-pulsed spallation sources (LPSS) and very cold neutron (VCN) sources. We describe the underlying ideas and design details of the target/moderator/reflector system (TMR) and compare measurements of its brightness, energy spectrum, and emission time distribution under different moderator configurations with MCNP simulations. Brightness measurements using an ambient temperature water moderator agree with MCNP simulations within the 20% accuracy of the measurement. The measured neutron emission time distribution from a solid methane moderator is in agreement with simulation and the cold neutron flux is sufficient for neutron scattering studies of materials. We describe some possible modifications to the existing design which would increase the cold neutron brightness with negligible effect on the emission time distribution.Comment: This is a preprint version of an article which has been published in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A 587 (2008) 324-341. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2007.12.04

Dissemination of extensively drug-resistant NDM-producing Providencia stuartii in Europe linked to patients transferred from Ukraine, March 2022 to March 2023

BackgroundThe war in Ukraine led to migration of Ukrainian people. Early 2022, several European national surveillance systems detected multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria related to Ukrainian patients.AimTo investigate the genomic epidemiology of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)-producing Providencia stuartii from Ukrainian patients among European countries.MethodsWhole-genome sequencing of 66 isolates sampled in 2022-2023 in 10 European countries enabled whole-genome multilocus sequence typing (wgMLST), identification of resistance genes, replicons, and plasmid reconstructions. Five blaNDM-1-carrying-P. stuartii isolates underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Transferability to Escherichia coli of a blaNDM-1-carrying plasmid from a patient strain was assessed. Epidemiological characteristics of patients with NDM-producing P. stuartii were gathered by questionnaire.ResultswgMLST of the 66 isolates revealed two genetic clusters unrelated to Ukraine and three linked to Ukrainian patients. Of these three, two comprised blaNDM-1-carrying-P. stuartii and the third blaNDM-5-carrying-P. stuartii. The blaNDM-1 clusters (PstCluster-001, n = 22 isolates; PstCluster-002, n = 8 isolates) comprised strains from seven and four countries, respectively. The blaNDM-5 cluster (PstCluster-003) included 13 isolates from six countries. PstCluster-001 and PstCluster-002 isolates carried an MDR plasmid harbouring blaNDM-1,blaOXA-10, blaCMY-16, rmtC and armA, which was transferrable in vitro and, for some Ukrainian patients, shared by other Enterobacterales. AST revealed PstCluster-001 isolates to be extensively drug-resistant (XDR), but susceptible to cefiderocol and aztreonam-avibactam. Patients with data on age (n = 41) were 19-74 years old; of 49 with information on sex, 38 were male.ConclusionXDR P. stuartii were introduced into European countries, requiring increased awareness and precautions when treating patients from conflict-affected areas.</p

Dissemination of extensively drug-resistant NDM-producing Providencia stuartii in Europe linked to patients transferred from Ukraine, March 2022 to March 2023

BackgroundThe war in Ukraine led to migration of Ukrainian people. Early 2022, several European national surveillance systems detected multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria related to Ukrainian patients.AimTo investigate the genomic epidemiology of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)-producing Providencia stuartii from Ukrainian patients among European countries.MethodsWhole-genome sequencing of 66 isolates sampled in 2022-2023 in 10 European countries enabled whole-genome multilocus sequence typing (wgMLST), identification of resistance genes, replicons, and plasmid reconstructions. Five blaNDM-1-carrying-P. stuartii isolates underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Transferability to Escherichia coli of a blaNDM-1-carrying plasmid from a patient strain was assessed. Epidemiological characteristics of patients with NDM-producing P. stuartii were gathered by questionnaire.ResultswgMLST of the 66 isolates revealed two genetic clusters unrelated to Ukraine and three linked to Ukrainian patients. Of these three, two comprised blaNDM-1-carrying-P. stuartii and the third blaNDM-5-carrying-P. stuartii. The blaNDM-1 clusters (PstCluster-001, n = 22 isolates; PstCluster-002, n = 8 isolates) comprised strains from seven and four countries, respectively. The blaNDM-5 cluster (PstCluster-003) included 13 isolates from six countries. PstCluster-001 and PstCluster-002 isolates carried an MDR plasmid harbouring blaNDM-1,blaOXA-10, blaCMY-16, rmtC and armA, which was transferrable in vitro and, for some Ukrainian patients, shared by other Enterobacterales. AST revealed PstCluster-001 isolates to be extensively drug-resistant (XDR), but susceptible to cefiderocol and aztreonam-avibactam. Patients with data on age (n = 41) were 19-74 years old; of 49 with information on sex, 38 were male.ConclusionXDR P. stuartii were introduced into European countries, requiring increased awareness and precautions when treating patients from conflict-affected areas.</p

Heart rate variability (HRV) and muscular system activity (EMG) in cases of crash threat during simulated driving of a passenger car

Objectives: The aim of the study was to verify whether simultaneous responses from the muscular and circulatory system occur in the driver's body under simulated conditions of a crash threat. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in a passenger car driving simulator. The crash was included in the driving test scenario developed in an urban setting. In the group of 22 young male subjects, two physiological signals - ECG and EMG were continuously recorded. The length of the RR interval in the ECG signal was assessed. A HRV analysis was performed in the time and frequency domains for 1-minute record segments at rest (seated position), during undisturbed driving as well as during and several minutes after the crash. For the left and right side muscles: m. trapezius (TR) and m. flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS), the EMG signal amplitude was determined. The percentage of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) was compared during driving and during the crash. Results: As for the ECG signal, it was found that in most of the drivers changes occurred in the parameter values reflecting HRV in the time domain. Significant changes were noted in the mean length of RR intervals (mRR). As for the EMG signal, the changes in the amplitude concerned the signal recorded from the FDS muscle. The changes in ECG and EMG were simultaneous in half of the cases. Conclusion: Such parameters as mRR (ECG signal) and FDS-L amplitude (EMG signal) were the responses to accident risk. Under simulated conditions, responses from the circulatory and musculoskeletal systems are not always simultaneous. The results indicate that a more complete driver's response to a crash in road traffic is obtained based on parallel recording of two physiological signals (ECG and EMG)

The influence of thermo-modernization on the low-stack emission reduction - a case study of a single-family house

In the article, technical and ecological analyses of thermo-modernization of a single-family house located in Kraków and the adaptation of the building to the current regulations were made. The parameters of the energy performance of the building before and after thermo-modernization were presented. For calculating the U-factor of building partitions and the heat demand for the building, the Sankom Audytor HL (OZC) software was employed. The Sankom Audytor ECO 1.0 software was utilized to calculate ecological assessment. In the case of existing buildings subject to thermo-modernization, it is practically challenging to provide a building with a level considered to be energy efficient without introducing additional system solutions in the building’s internal installations as well as using highly efficient renewable energy sources. Due to the constantly growing requirements of the Technical Conditions in the area of limiting the consumption of heat carriers and reducing the U coefficient, thermo-modernization is one of the most important stages of decreasing the building’s demand for primary energy

The implementation of the low-stack emission reducion program in the municipality of Nowy Sącz

The article analyzed the results of air quality measurements in the city of Nowy Sącz and assessed the activities of the local government to reduce low-stack emission. Nowy Sącz is among the top European cities with the most polluted air. According to the annual mean PM10 particles levels within the Małopolska Province, Nowy Sącz belongs to the group of cities and poviats where the highest levels of this pollutant are recorded. In the case of PM2.5 particles, Nowy Sącz is the second city after Krakow in the Małopolska Province, where there is a significant exceedance, including the margin of tolerance, of the limit value of the pollutants. The background and inflow of pollutants from outside the city reaches the level of about 17 µg•m-3, i.e. 85% of the limit value and 50% of the total level of the pollutant in the city. The local government undertakes investments aimed at improving air quality, inter alia: thermo-modernization of buildings, Renewable Energy Sources installation (solar installations) in buildings, elimination of coal boilers and replacing them with gas boilers or new generation boilers