The financial situation of non-financial corporations

As entities where the production process takes place, non financial corporations deserve full attention in the analysis of the real and financial accounts. However, the examination of the financial behaviour of non financial corporations is traditionally confined to their financing : thus, the Bank’s annual report generally only considers their liabilities. Yet the formation of financial assets by non financial corporations is a significant item of information, in both statistical and economic terms. The total financial assets held by non financial corporations in Belgium are considerable, as they far exceed the total financial assets of households. A study recently revealed the historically high level of financial asset formation by non financial corporations in the main industrialised countries, a factor which could help to explain the relatively low level of long-term interest rates. In recent years, Belgian non financial corporations have formed substantially more financial assets than their counterparts in the euro area. In 2005, the financial assets held by Belgian companies were – partly for that reason – almost double the financial assets, expressed in percentages of GDP, of non financial corporations in the euro area. However, this situation certainly does not indicate any risk aversion on the part of Belgian non financial corporations. In fact the liabilities side of their balance sheets also records growth of new financial liabilities in excess of the figure for non financial corporations in the euro area, so that – in terms of liabilities, too – the outstanding total in Belgium is comparatively much higher than the outstanding total in the euro area. This paradoxical situation of Belgian non financial corporations – the fact that they hold much more substantial assets while at the same time contracting significantly greater liabilities – is due to the fact that the Belgian non financial corporations sector includes coordination centres and non financial holding companies, i.e. undertakings acting, as it were, as financial intermediaries. If the coordination centres and non financial holding companies are excluded, the overall outstanding total gross assets and liabilities of Belgian non financial corporations reverts to a level very close to the figure for the euro area. Finally, in 2005 Belgian non financial institutions recorded an outstanding total of net liabilities amounting to around 100 p.c. of GDP, i.e. slightly more than the outstanding total for non financial corporations in the euro area. It is also apparent that the exclusion of the coordination centres and non financial holding companies has hardly any effect on Belgium’s net debtor position, confirming that these two types of institutions perform an intermediary function. Although it is not possible to isolate the coordination centres and non financial holding companies in the case of new transactions (flows), there is no reason to think that the effect would be any different : there would be a significant decline in the gross flows of new assets and liabilities, but that would have a negligible influence on the financial balance. That balance is very similar to the one for the euro area.flow of funds, corporate finance

Physicochemical characterization and genotoxicity assessment of nanomaterials using new approach methodologies

Nanotechnology applications are widely incorporated into the food sector. Due to their smaller size and increased volume-specific surface area, nanoparticles may possess unique properties compared to their bulk counterparts, making them useful for applications such as food coloring and plant protection products. Manufacturers bringing food-based nanotechnology applications to the European market must comply with the European Union&#8217;s regulatory framework, including a nanospecific risk assessment&nbsp;[1,2]. Currently, hazard and risk assessment still heavily relies on conventional animal testing. &nbsp;Use of new approach methodologies (NAMs) can fill certain data gaps and complement the available safety studies, thereby avoiding the need for conducting additional in vivo studies. Although many NAMs are available, experience in using them to support risk assessment is scarce and the majority of the NAMs have not yet been validated. The integration of NAMs for the physicochemical characterization and genotoxicity assessment of inorganic nanomaterials and materials containing a fraction of nanoparticles, applied in the food chain, is particularly promising as illustrated in case studies examining iron (hydr)oxides applied as food additive, and copper oxides applied as plant protection product and feed additive&nbsp;[3]. A detailed physicochemical characterization of the test materials is an essential first step in the risk assessment. It includes measuring the particle size distribution, surface charge, specific surface area, shape, solubility and dissolution rate, agglomeration state, chemical composition and crystal structure. Data obtained by electron microscopy based methods on the physicochemical characterization of iron (hydr)oxide and copper oxide NMs applied in the food chain will be&nbsp;presented. Moreover, an overview will be provided of the NAMs that will be used to investigate the genotoxic potential of the characterized iron (hydr)oxides and copper oxides. These cover both the in vitro genotoxicity tests that are currently recommended by EFSA which are adapted for nanomaterials and materials containing a fraction of nanoparticles&nbsp;[4], as well as new innovative NAMs such as the transcriptomics-based biomarker, called GENOMARK. This NAM uses prediction models to classify analyzed materials as genotoxic or non-genotoxic based on gene expression data. In addition, a high-content method to simultaneously assess several genotoxicity parameters (e.g. ɣH2AX, PH3,…) with the Cytek-Amnis ImageStream technique will be&nbsp;developed. This research is performed under the NAMS4NANO action via funding from the European Union through a grant of the European Food Safety Authority (agreement GP/EFSA/MESE/2022/01). This communication reflects only the author’s view and EFSA is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it&nbsp;contains. References [1]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; EFSA Scientific Committee et al., Guidance on technical requirements for regulated food and feed product applications to establish the presence of small particles including nanoparticles, EFS2 19,&nbsp;(2021). [2]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; EFSA Scientific Committee et al., Guidance on risk assessment of nanomaterials to be applied in the food and feed chain: human and animal health, EFS2 19,&nbsp;(2021). [3]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; REGULATION&nbsp; (EU)&nbsp; 2015/&nbsp; 2283&nbsp; OF&nbsp; THE&nbsp; EUROPEAN&nbsp; PARLIAMENT&nbsp; AND&nbsp; OF&nbsp; THE&nbsp; COUNCIL&nbsp; -&nbsp; of&nbsp; 25&nbsp; November&nbsp; 2015&nbsp; -&nbsp; on&nbsp; novel&nbsp; foods,&nbsp; amending&nbsp; Regulation&nbsp; (EU)&nbsp; No&nbsp; 1169/&nbsp; 2011&nbsp; of&nbsp; the&nbsp; European&nbsp; Parliament&nbsp; and&nbsp; of&nbsp; the&nbsp; Council&nbsp; and&nbsp; repealing&nbsp; Regulation&nbsp; (EC)&nbsp; No&nbsp; 258/&nbsp; 97&nbsp; of&nbsp; the&nbsp; European&nbsp; Parliament&nbsp; and&nbsp; of&nbsp; the&nbsp; Council&nbsp; and&nbsp; Commission&nbsp; Regulation&nbsp; (EC)&nbsp; No&nbsp; 1852/&nbsp; 2001, (n.d.).[4]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; EFSA Scientific Committee, Scientific opinion on genotoxicity testing strategies applicable to food and feed safety assessment, EFS2 9,&nbsp;(2011). [4]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; EFSA Scientific Committee, Scientific opinion on genotoxicity testing strategies applicable to food and feed safety assessment, EFS2 9,&nbsp;(2011).</p

1,4-diarylpiperazines and analogs as anti-tubercular agents: synthesis and biological evaluation36446

&lt;p&gt;Despite progress in modern chemotherapy to combat tuberculosis, the causative pathogen&lt;/p&gt;</p

Biological evaluation of bisbenzaldehydes against four Mycobacterium species.

&lt;p&gt;A series of bisbenzaldehydes and structurally related analogs, conveniently synthesized via microwave-assisted reactions, were evaluated in vitro against drug susceptible and multi-drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis, against virulent Mycobacterium bovis, against Mycobacterium ulcerans and against two Mycobacterium avium subspecies. Among the 33 substances that were tested, compound 12, i.e. 4,4&#039;-[1,12-dodecanediyl(oxy)]bisbenzaldehyde, emerged as the most promising hit. Its activity was further confirmed in an intracellular growth inhibition assay of M. tb in murine J774 A.1 macrophages. None of the compounds showed significant cytotoxicity on human C3A hepatocytes in a neutral red dye uptake assay and no genotoxicity or mutagenicity was observed as demonstrated by a VITOTOX™ test and confirmed with a comet assay.&lt;/p&gt;</p

Biological evaluation of diazene derivatives as anti-tubercular compounds.

&lt;p&gt;Despite efforts made in chemotherapeutic research in the past and present, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb), the etiological agent of tuberculosis, still causes more than a million deadly casualties each year, second only to HIV. The rapid generation and spread of drug resistant strains, a problem exacerbated by co-infection with HIV demands further efforts in the investigation of novel classes of anti-tubercular compounds. A library of eight substituted diazenecarboxamides, three carbamoyldiazenecarboxylates and four diazene-1,2-dicarboxamides was synthesized in a straightforward manner followed by a biological evaluation of the compounds. We observed minimal inhibitory concentrations below 10 μg/mL against the H37Rv lab strain of M.tb. Three compounds that showed a potency of 90% growth inhibition of M.tb at a concentration lower than 10 μg/mL were further evaluated and showed potency against other clinically relevant mycobacterial species such as Mycobacterium bovis, Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium ulcerans. The selected compounds were examined for acute cell toxicity on a murine macrophage like monocyte cell line J774 A.1 in which the cell viability was reduced by 50% at concentrations ranging from 7.4 μg/mL to 20.7 μg/mL. Neither of the three compounds showed signs of genotoxicity by VITOTOX or by Comet assay. The study was complemented by demonstration of the inhibition of intracellular replication of M.tb H37Rv inside J774 A.1 cells at 2 μg/mL concentration and the susceptibility of a MDR LAM-1 strain at concentrations between 5 and 1 μg/mL of the most active compound.&lt;/p&gt;</p