Metal levels of canned fish sold in Türkiye: health risk assessment

This study analyzed 34 canned fish products, including 28 tuna specimens, 3 salmon specimens, 1 mackerel specimen, and 1 anchovy specimen, from 13 different brands purchased in Türkiye. The study aimed to determine metal/metalloid levels in canned fish and potential health risks for both children and adult consumers. The metal/metalloid levels in the samples were determined using an Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometer (ICP–MS), with the range of levels found as follows (mg/kg, ww): Fe (12.12–101.4), Cu (2.19–11.68), Zn (4.06–33.56), Se (0.24–10.74), Al (1.41–14.45), Cr (0.06–4.08), Pb (0.10–0.43), Cd (0.001–0.110), and As (0.01–0.13). Estimated weekly intake (EWI) levels were found that the consumption of canned fish products did not pose any risk based on the EWI levels and provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) limits. However, three tuna samples had target hazard quotient (THQ) levels above the threshold (>1). Arsenic levels were found to increase the carcinogenic risk for child consumers if they heavily consumed 18 canned fish products, including 15 tuna, 2 salmon, and 1 mackerel. The maximum allowable consumption rates (CRmm) for each canned fish product were calculated monthly. Consequently, the consumption of canned fish by children can pose health risks

Effects of starter culture and storage on volatile profiles and sensory characteristics of yogurt or cream butter

U ovom istraživanju ispitivan je utjecaj starter kulture na hlapive sastojke i senzorska svojstva maslaca proizvedenog od vrhnja, odnosno od jogurta tijekom 60 dana hladnog skladištenja. Kao starter kulture korišteni su sojevi Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris te njihova kombinacija. Utvrđeno je formiranje ukupno 10 estera, 6 aldehida, 11 ketona, 16 alkohola, 6 kiselina, 2 sulfida, 3 terpena i 3 atipična sastojka. U pravilu je maslac od vrhnja sadržavao više hlapivih sastojaka nego maslac od jogurta. Prisutnost S-metil tioacetata utvrđena je samo u maslacu od jogurta, dok su u maslacu od vrhnja bili prirodno prisutni heksanal, etanol, 2-nonanon, 2-pentanon, 2-heptanon, acetat, maslačna i kapronska kiselina. Iako se maslac od jogurta inače proizvodi bez startera, dobiveni rezultati su pokazali kako bi korištenje starter kultura u proizvodnji ovog tipa maslaca pozitivno utjecalo na stvaranje hlapivih sastojaka te na njegova senzorska svojstva. Maslac proizveden korištenjem kombinirane starter kulture dobio je najviše ocjene za prihvatljivost.In this study volatile compounds and sensory properties of butter produced from cream or yogurt using Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis or Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris as well as a mixture of these two bacteria were investigated over 60 days. A total of 10 esters, 6 aldehydes, 11 ketones, 16 alcohols, 6 acids, 2 sulphides, 3 terpenes, and 3 miscellaneous compounds were detected. There were more volatile compounds in cream butter than in yogurt butter. While S-methyl thioacetate was only found in yogurt butter samples, hexanal, ethanol, 2-nonanone, 2-pentanone, 2-heptanone, acetic, butanoic (butyric) and hexanoic acid were the most abundant volatiles in both cream and yogurt butter. The results showed that the use of starter in the manufacturing of yogurt butter, which is traditionally produced without starters, affected the volatile compounds and sensory properties. The highest general acceptability scores were given to the butter samples containing mixed cultures at the end of storage

Adsorption Of Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solution with Sulfuric Acid Activated Corn Cobs: Equilibrium, Kinetics, and Thermodynamics Assessment

Three adsorbents with different characteristics were produced in this study by activation of sulfuric acid with different concentrations, from corn Zea mays L. cobs, which is an agricultural waste by-product resulting from harvesting. After characterization by the parameters such as Boehm titration, determination of pH-pHpzc, and methylene blue – iodine number, and IR analysis, their methylene blue adsorption potentials from aqueous medium were investigated based on equilibrium, kinetics, and thermodynamics evaluations. This study aims to examine the effects of relatively dilute and concentrated acids on the activation process and to gain an economic value to waste materials through the production of a new adsorbent. It was observed that the initial solution pH did not have a significant effect on the adsorption efficiency. The adsorption process reached the equilibrium at the end of the first 120 minutes, and the kinetic data fit the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Langmuir adsorption capacity 295.5 mg/g of the adsorbent produced by activating with 50% sulfuric acid was found higher than those produced with 75% and 98% acids. An increase in ambient temperature effected the adsorption positively. As a result, in this study, very low-cost adsorbents were produced from the waste by-product corn cobs, and a new approach was proposed for cleaning wastewater containing dyestuffs

Plasma total anti-oxidant capacity correlates inversely with the extent of acute appendicitis: a case control study

BACKGROUND: The role of free oxygen radicals in inflammatory conditions is well known. Free radicals cause lipid peroxidation of cellular membranes resulting in cell death. The purpose of this study was to investigate the levels of total anti-oxidant status (TAS), as a marker of anti-oxidant defense system and malondialdehyde (MDA), as a marker of oxidative stress, in the plasma of patients with acute appendicitis. METHODS: Fifty-one adult patients with a median age of 31 years who underwent operations with a preoperative diagnosis of acute appendicitis were included in this prospective study. Blood samples for C-reactive protein (CRP), MDA and TAS were collected preoperatively. Groups were compared by using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: There were 27 patients with acute phlagmenous appendicitis and 19 patients with advanced appendicitis (10 gangrenous and 9 perforated appendicitis), while 5 negative explorations were documented. No significant differences in WBC counts and MDA levels between groups were encountered. Plasma CRP was significantly higher in patients with perforated appendicitis, but not in the other groups. In advanced appendicitis group, TAS level was significantly lower than the other groups. On the other hand, plasma TAS level in acute phlagmenous appendicitis group was significantly higher. CONCLUSION: A decrease in plasma total anti-oxidant capacity might be a predictor of the progression of inflammation to the perforation in acute appendicitis

Metal levels of canned fish sold in Türkiye: health risk assessment

This study analyzed 34 canned fish products, including 28 tuna specimens, 3 salmon specimens, 1 mackerel specimen, and 1 anchovy specimen, from 13 different brands purchased in Türkiye. The study aimed to determine metal/metalloid levels in canned fish and potential health risks for both children and adult consumers. The metal/metalloid levels in the samples were determined using an Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometer (ICP–MS), with the range of levels found as follows (mg/kg, ww): Fe (12.12–101.4), Cu (2.19–11.68), Zn (4.06–33.56), Se (0.24–10.74), Al (1.41–14.45), Cr (0.06–4.08), Pb (0.10–0.43), Cd (0.001–0.110), and As (0.01–0.13). Estimated weekly intake (EWI) levels were found that the consumption of canned fish products did not pose any risk based on the EWI levels and provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) limits. However, three tuna samples had target hazard quotient (THQ) levels above the threshold (>1). Arsenic levels were found to increase the carcinogenic risk for child consumers if they heavily consumed 18 canned fish products, including 15 tuna, 2 salmon, and 1 mackerel. The maximum allowable consumption rates (CRmm) for each canned fish product were calculated monthly. Consequently, the consumption of canned fish by children can pose health risks

Berberis Plants—Drifting from Farm to Food Applications, Phytotherapy, and Phytopharmacology

The genus Berberis includes about 500 different species and commonly grown in Europe, the United States, South Asia, and some northern areas of Iran and Pakistan. Leaves and fruits can be prepared as food flavorings, juices, and teas. Phytochemical analysis of these species has reported alkaloids, tannins, phenolic compounds and oleanolic acid, among others. Moreover, p-cymene, limonene and ocimene as major compounds in essential oils were found by gas chromatography. Berberis is an important group of the plants having enormous potential in the food and pharmaceutical industry, since they possess several properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer activities. Here we would like to review the biological properties of the phytoconstituents of this genus. We emphasize the cultivation control in order to obtain the main bioactive compounds, the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties in order to apply them for food preservation and for treating several diseases, such as cancer, diabetes or Alzheimer. However, further study is needed to confirm the biological efficacy as well as, the toxicity

Sub-genic intolerance, ClinVar, and the epilepsies: A whole-exome sequencing study of 29,165 individuals

Both mild and severe epilepsies are influenced by variants in the same genes, yet an explanation for the resulting phenotypic variation is unknown. As part of the ongoing Epi25 Collaboration, we performed a whole-exome sequencing analysis of 13,487 epilepsy-affected individuals and 15,678 control individuals. While prior Epi25 studies focused on gene-based collapsing analyses, we asked how the pattern of variation within genes differs by epilepsy type. Specifically, we compared the genetic architectures of severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) and two generally less severe epilepsies, genetic generalized epilepsy and non-acquired focal epilepsy (NAFE). Our gene-based rare variant collapsing analysis used geographic ancestry-based clustering that included broader ancestries than previously possible and revealed novel associations. Using the missense intolerance ratio (MTR), we found that variants in DEE-affected individuals are in significantly more intolerant genic sub-regions than those in NAFE-affected individuals. Only previously reported pathogenic variants absent in available genomic datasets showed a significant burden in epilepsy-affected individuals compared with control individuals, and the ultra-rare pathogenic variants associated with DEE were located in more intolerant genic sub-regions than variants associated with non-DEE epilepsies. MTR filtering improved the yield of ultra-rare pathogenic variants in affected individuals compared with control individuals. Finally, analysis of variants in genes without a disease association revealed a significant burden of loss-of-function variants in the genes most intolerant to such variation, indicating additional epilepsy-risk genes yet to be discovered. Taken together, our study suggests that genic and sub-genic intolerance are critical characteristics for interpreting the effects of variation in genes that influence epilepsy

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

A review of current techniques for the evaluation of powder mixing

Blending a mixture of powders to a homogeneous system is a crucial step in many manufacturing processes. To achieve a high quality of the end product, powder mixtures should be made with high content uniformity. For instance, producing uniform tablets depends on the homogeneous dispersion of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), often in low level quantities, into excipients. To control the uniformity of a powder mixture, the first required step is to estimate the powder content information during blending. There are several powder homogeneity evaluation techniques which differ in accuracy, fundamental basis, cost and operating conditions. In this article, emerging techniques for the analysis of powder content and powder blend uniformity, are explained and compared. The advantages and drawbacks of all the techniques are reviewed to help the readers to select the appropriate equipment for the powder mixing evaluation. In addition, the paper highlights the recent innovative on-line measurement techniques used for the non-invasive evaluation of the mixing performance

Genome-wide identification and phenotypic characterization of seizure-associated copy number variations in 741,075 individuals

Copy number variants (CNV) are established risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders with seizures or epilepsy. With the hypothesis that seizure disorders share genetic risk factors, we pooled CNV data from 10,590 individuals with seizure disorders, 16,109 individuals with clinically validated epilepsy, and 492,324 population controls and identified 25 genome-wide significant loci, 22 of which are novel for seizure disorders, such as deletions at 1p36.33, 1q44, 2p21-p16.3, 3q29, 8p23.3-p23.2, 9p24.3, 10q26.3, 15q11.2, 15q12-q13.1, 16p12.2, 17q21.31, duplications at 2q13, 9q34.3, 16p13.3, 17q12, 19p13.3, 20q13.33, and reciprocal CNVs at 16p11.2, and 22q11.21. Using genetic data from additional 248,751 individuals with 23 neuropsychiatric phenotypes, we explored the pleiotropy of these 25 loci. Finally, in a subset of individuals with epilepsy and detailed clinical data available, we performed phenome-wide association analyses between individual CNVs and clinical annotations categorized through the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO). For six CNVs, we identified 19 significant associations with specific HPO terms and generated, for all CNVs, phenotype signatures across 17 clinical categories relevant for epileptologists. This is the most comprehensive investigation of CNVs in epilepsy and related seizure disorders, with potential implications for clinical practice