Open field study of some Zea mays hybrids, lipid compounds and fumonisins accumulation

Lipid molecules are increasingly recognized as signals exchanged by organisms interacting in pathogenic and/or symbiotic ways. Some classes of lipids actively determine the fate of the interactions. Host cuticle/cell wall/membrane components such as sphingolipids and oxylipins may contribute to determining the fate of host–pathogen interactions. In the present field study, we considered the relationship between specific sphingolipids and oxylipins of different hybrids of Zea mays and fumonisin by F. verticillioides, sampling ears at different growth stages from early dough to fully ripe. The amount of total and free fumonisin differed significantly between hybrids and increased significantly with maize ripening. Oxylipins and phytoceramides changed significantly within the hybrids and decreased with kernel maturation, starting from physiological maturity. Although the correlation between fumonisin accumulation and plant lipid profile is certain, the data collected so far cannot define a cause-effect relationship but open up new perspectives. Therefore, the question—“Does fumonisin alter plant lipidome or does plant lipidome modulate fumonisin accumulation?”—is still open

Role of vasopressin in the treatment of anaphylactic shock in a child undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>The incidence of anaphylactic reactions during anesthesia is between 1:5000 and 1:25000 and it is one of the few causes of mortality directly related to general anesthesia. The most important requirements in the treatment of this clinical condition are early diagnosis and maintenance of vital organ perfusion. Epinephrine administration is generally considered as the first line treatment of anaphylactic reactions. However, recently, new pharmacological approaches have been described in the treatment of different forms of vasoplegic shock.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We describe the case of a child who was undergoing surgery for ventricular septal defect, with an anaphylactic reaction to heparin that was refractory to epinephrine infusion and was effectively treated by low dose vasopressin infusion.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In case of anaphylactic shock, continuous infusion of low-dose vasopressin might be considered after inadequate response to epinephrine, fluid resuscitation and corticosteroid administration.</p

Mycotoxin mixtures in food and feed: holistic, innovative, flexible risk assessment modelling approach: MYCHIF

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds mainly produced by fungi of the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium. They are present, often as mixtures, in many feed and food commodities including cereals, fruits and vegetables. Their ubiquitous presence represents a major challenge to the health and well being of humans and animals. Hundreds of compounds are listed as possible mycotoxins occurring in raw and processed materials destined for human food and animal feed. In this study, mycotoxins of major toxicological relevance to humans and target animal species were investigated in a range of crops of interest (and their derived products). Extensive Literature Searches (ELSs) were undertaken for data collection on: (i) ecology and interaction with host plants of mycotoxin producing fungi, mycotoxin production, recent developments in mitigation actions of mycotoxins in crop chains (maize, small grains, rice, sorghum, grapes, spices and nuts), (ii) analytical methods for native, modified and co-occurring mycotoxins (iii) toxicity, toxicokinetics, toxicodynamics and biomarkers relevant to humans and animals (poultry, suidae (pig, wild boar), bovidae (sheep, goat, cow, buffalo), rodents (rats, mice) and others (horses, dogs), (iv) modelling approaches and key reference values for exposure, hazard and risk modelling. Comprehensive databases were created using EFSA templates and were stored in the MYCHIF platform. A range of approaches were implemented to explore the modelling of external and internal exposure as well as dose-response of mycotoxins in chicken and pigs. In vitro toxicokinetic and in vivo toxicity databases were exploited, both for single compounds and mixtures. However, large data gaps were identified particularly with regards to absence of common statistical and study designs within the literature and constitute an obstacle for the harmonisation of internal exposure and dose-response modelling. Finally, risk characterisation was also performed for humans as well as for two animal species (i.e. pigs and chicken) using available tools for the modelling of internal dose and a component-based approach for selected mycotoxins mixtures

Analysis of the expression of genes related to oxylipin biosynthesis in fusarium verticillioides and maize kernels during their interaction

SFX unipr(opens in a new window)|Order document(opens in a new window)|View at Publisher| Export | Download | More... Journal of Plant Pathology Volume 97, Issue 1, 2015, Pages 193-197 Analysis of the expression of genes related to oxylipin biosynthesis in fusarium verticillioides and maize kernels during their interaction (Article) Scala, V.a , Beccaccioli, M.a, Dall’Asta, C.b, Giorni, P.c, Fanelli, C.a a Department of Environmental Biology, University of Rome Sapienza, Rome, Italy b Department of Organic and Industrial Chemistry, Food Chemistry and Natural Substances Unit, University of Parma, Italy c Istitute of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Catholic University Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy View additional affiliations View references (27) Abstract Fusarium verticillioides is a pathogen that can cause ear and stalk rot in maize. Under suitable environmental conditions, this fungus produces large amount of fumonisins, a potential carcinogenic to humans and animals classified as IARC2B. Recent studies have shown that pathogen and host exchange an oxylipin-based cross talk during their interaction. This study was aimed at investigating whether environmental conditions, namely water activity (aw) at 0.90 and 20°C, which are the thresholds for F. verticillioides development, affect the maize/fungal oxylipin gene expression profile. Fungal Fvlds1-3, Fvlox, Zmlox3 and the maize defense-related ZmPR1 genes significantly changed their expression after infection at 0.90 aw and 20°C. Moreover, the expression of maize genes peaked after that of fungal genes, indicating that, under these experimental conditions, plant and pathogen coordinate the oxylipin gene expression reciprocally. This kind of modulation of fungal and plant gene expression is suggestive of the “zig zag model” proposed for other plant-pathogen interaction systems

Co-Occurrence of Moniliformin and Regulated Fusarium Toxins in Maize and Wheat Grown in Italy

The co-occurrence of moniliformin (MON), fumonisins (FBs), and deoxynivalenol (DON) was evaluated in maize, durum, and common wheat grown in different experimental fields located in several Italian regions. MON was quantified using a LC-MS/MS method adding lanthanum ions in the mobile phase. In maize, MON contamination was widespread and considerable; the toxin was detected in almost all the samples (95.1%) and exceeded 500 and 1000 &micro;g kg&minus;1 in 42.0% and in 18.5% of samples, respectively. Significant positive correlation was found between MON and FB contamination levels. When there were not droughty climate conditions, a positive significant correlation was found between growing degree days (GDD) and MON values. In wheat, MON contamination was not widespread like in maize and it was lower in common wheat than in durum wheat. In durum wheat, MON was detected in 45.0% of the samples with only 6 samples (7.5%) exceeding 500 &micro;g kg&minus;1, while in common wheat the toxin was detected above the LOD in 18.7% of samples exceeding 100 &micro;g kg&minus;1 in only two samples (2.5%). No correlation was found with DON contamination. Climate conditions influenced both MON and DON occurrence

Starch and thermal treatment, important factors in changing detectable fumonisins in maize post-harvest

The drying process is commonly applied to maize grain to guarantee a safe storage. Two different conditions were tested (70°C×24h and 95°C×9h) on 6 maize hybrids collected in 2010 in Italy. Maize samples were analysed for fungal incidence, kernel chemical composition (proteins, fat, starch) and free and hidden forms of fumonisins (FBs) pre- and post-drying treatments. Drying treatments reduced fungal incidence; in particular, both temperature×time combinations were able to reduce more than 85% Fusarium spp. incidence. In general, both free and total FBs increased after drying, especially at 70°C for 24h exposure. Regarding chemical composition, proteins and starch resulted unvaried, while fat content had a mean decrement of 26% and 14% after treatment at 70°C×24h and 95°C×9h, respectively. A possible retrogradation of starch, and in particular amylose, after heating has been proposed in this study; these changes seemed to be strongly related to the modifications in detectable fumonisin. This study confirms the variation in detectable FBs occurring after the drying treatment. Therefore, the quantification of fumonisin after the post-harvest treatments is strongly suggested to avoid maize contaminated above the legal limit to enter the food/feed chain

Analysis of the expression of genes related to oxylipin biosynthesis in Fusarium verticillioides and maize kernels during their interaction

Fusarium verticillioides is a pathogen that can cause ear and stalk rot in maize. Under suitable environmental conditions, this fungus produces large amount of fumonisins, a potential carcinogenic to humans and animals classified as IARC2B. Recent studies have shown that pathogen and host exchange an oxylipin-based cross talk during their interaction. This study was aimed at investigating whether environmental conditions, namely water activity (a(w)) at 0.90 and 20 degrees C, which are the thresholds for F. verticillioides development, affect the maize/fungal oxylipin gene expression profile. Fungal Fvlds1-3, Fvlox, Zmlox3 and the maize defense-related ZmPR1 genes significantly changed their expression after infection at 0.90 a(w) and 20 degrees C. Moreover, the expression of maize genes peaked after that of fungal genes, indicating that, under these experimental conditions, plant and pathogen coordinate the oxylipin gene expression reciprocally. This kind of modulation of fungal and plant gene expression is suggestive of the "zig zag model" proposed for other plant-pathogen interaction systems

Open field study of some zea mays hybrids, lipid compounds and fumonisins accumulation

Lipid molecules are increasingly recognized as signals exchanged by organisms interacting in pathogenic and/or symbiotic ways. Some classes of lipids actively determine the fate of the interactions. Host cuticle/cell wall/membrane components such as sphingolipids and oxylipins may contribute to determining the fate of host–pathogen interactions. In the present field study, we considered the relationship between specific sphingolipids and oxylipins of different hybrids of Zea mays and fumonisin by F. verticillioides, sampling ears at different growth stages from early dough to fully ripe. The amount of total and free fumonisin differed significantly between hybrids and increased significantly with maize ripening. Oxylipins and phytoceramides changed significantly within the hybrids and decreased with kernel maturation, starting from physiological maturity. Although the correlation between fumonisin accumulation and plant lipid profile is certain, the data collected so far cannot define a cause-effect relationship but open up new perspectives. Therefore, the question—“Does fumonisin alter plant lipidome or does plant lipidome modulate fumonisin accumulation?”—is still open