Rapid evaluation of ergosterol to detect yeast contamination in fruit juices

Foods and beverages are nutrient-rich systems prone to a rapid development of microorganisms that hamper their long-period storage. Particularly, yeasts are strong fermenters of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables; hence, they are often accountable for their spoilage and production of off-flavor. This work provides a quick and easy tool to recognize and count the spoilage of juices with ergosterol as distinctive biomarker of molds and yeasts. Melon juice was reconstituted at natural physical–chemical parameters according to legislation, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was selected as yeast to contaminate the juice. Chemical and enzyme tests were performed on the fresh juice to ensure its authentic properties. Ergosterol was then evaluated using a spectrophotometric method that was proven against the official plate count test. The study showed linear and consistent results and, therefore, the ergosterol molecule may be indicated for testing molds and yeasts in contaminated beverages, replacing the common and time-consuming analysis

Are hematopoietic stem cells involved in hepatocarcinogenesis?

THE LIVER HAS THREE CELL LINEAGES ABLE TO PROLIFERATE AFTER A HEPATIC INJURY: the mature hepatocyte, the ductular "bipolar" progenitor cell termed "oval cell" and the putative periductular stem cell. Hepatocytes can only produce other hepatocytes whereas ductular progenitor cells are considerate bipolar since they can give rise to biliary cells or hepatocytes. Periductular stem cells are rare in the liver, have a very long proliferation potential and may be multipotent, being this aspect still under investigation. They originate in the bone marrow since their progeny express genetic markers of donor hematopoietic cells after bone marrow transplantation. Since the liver is the hematopoietic organ of the fetus, it is possible that hematopoietic stem cells may reside in the liver of the adult. This assumption is proved by the finding that oval cells express hematopoietic markers like CD34, CD45, CD 109, Thy-1, c-kit, and others, which are also expressed by bone marrow-derived hematopoietic stem cells (BMSCs). Few and discordant studies have evaluated the role of BMSC in hepatocarcinogenesis so far and further studies in vitro and in vivo are warranted in order to definitively clarify such an issue

Association between work related stress and health related quality of life: the impact of socio-demographic variables. A cross sectional study in a region of central Italy

The aim of this work is investigate relationship between health-related quality of life and work-related stress and the impact of gender, education level, and age on this relationship. A cross-sectional study was conducted among workers of various setting in Rome and Frosinone. Work-related stress was measured with a demand-control questionnaire and health-related functioning by SF (short form)-12 health survey. There were 611 participants. Men reported high mental composite summary (MCS) and physical composite summary (PCS). In multivariate analysis age, gender (p < 0.001) and job demand (0.045) predicted low PCS. Low MCS predicted poor PCS. Job demand and educational level resulted negatively associated with MCS. In an analysis stratified for age, gender, and educational level, gender and age resulted effect modifier for MCS, gender and education level for PCS. In women increase of decision latitude predict (p = 0.001) an increase in MCS; a low job demand predict high MCS in male (p ≤ 0.001). In younger workers, a lower level of job demand predicted high MCS (<0.001). For PCS, gender and education level resulted effect modifier. In women, high decision latitude predicted higher PCS (p = 0.001) and lower level of job demand results in higher PCS (p ≤ 0.001). Higher educational level resulted predictor of low PCS. Management of risk about work-related stress should consider socio-demographic factors

Endoparasite infections of the european hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) in central Italy

The European hedgehog is a synanthropic mammal, widely distributed in Europe. This species usually inhabits the edges of deciduous or mixed woods, but it is also very common in private gardens and public parks. Despite its popularity and frequency of contacts both with humans and with wild and domestic animals, few studies have examined the endoparasitic fauna of the hedgehog in Italy. In the present study, endoparasites of naturally deceased hedgehogs (n = 40) from central Italy (Latium and Tuscany regions) were investigated, along with concurrent gross and histopathological lesions. The most prevalent identified endoparasites were Crenosoma striatum (45%), Capillaria erinacei (42.5%) and Brachylaemus erinacei (22.5%), in accordance with previous reports from hedgehogs in southern Italy. In few subjects, Physaloptera clausa, Acanthocephalans and Cystoisospora rastegaeivae coccidia were also identified. The infection by the lungworm C. striatum was found to be significantly associated (p &lt; 0.01) with bronchial hyperplasia and peribronchiolitis upon histopathological examination. Awareness of the most common parasitic infections in the hedgehog and of their effects on the health of these animals is extremely important, especially in wildlife rescue centers, where European hedgehog represents the most frequently hospitalized mammal species

Sequence Analysis, Kinetic Constants, and Anion Inhibition Profile of the Nacrein-Like Protein (CgiNAP2X1) from the Pacific Oyster Magallana gigas (Ex-Crassostrea gigas)

The carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) superfamily of metalloenzymes catalyzes the hydration of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate and protons. The catalytically active form of these enzymes incorporates a metal hydroxide derivative, the formation of which is the rate-determining step of catalytic reaction, being affected by the transfer of a proton from a metal-coordinated water molecule to the environment. Here, we report the cloning, expression, and purification of a particular CA, i.e., nacrein-like protein encoded in the genome of the Pacific oyster Magallana gigas (previously known as Crassostrea gigas). Furthermore, the amino acid sequence, kinetic constants, and anion inhibition profile of the recombinant enzyme were investigated for the first time. The new protein, CgiNAP2X1, is highly effective as catalyst for the CO₂ hydration reaction, based on the measured kinetic parameters, i.e., kcat = 1.0 × 10⁶ s(-1) and kcat/KM = 1.2 × 10⁸ M(-1)·s(-1). CgiNAP2X1 has a putative signal peptide, which probably allows an extracellular localization of the protein. The inhibition data demonstrated that the best anion inhibitors of CgiNAP2X1 were diethyldithiocarbamate, sulfamide, sulfamate, phenylboronic acid and phenylarsonic acid, which showed a micromolar affinity for this enzyme, with KIs in the range of 76-87 μM. These studies may add new information on the physiological role of the molluskan CAs in the biocalcification processes

Portable CdTe detection system for mammographic X-ray spectroscopy

This paper describes a portable apparatus to be utilized in mammographic X-ray spectroscopy under clinical conditions. The system, based on a CdTe solid-state detector, is able to directly measure mammographic X-ray tube spectra. Good system response to monoenergetic photons was measured using X-ray and γ-ray calibration sources (109Cd and 241Am). The measured molybdenum X-ray spectra, in agreement with simulated spectra, show the good spectral capability of the system also at high photon fluence rates, as typical of clinical mammography. Low tailing, no secondary X-ray escape and low pile-up distortions in the measured spectra indicate that this portable system is suitable for mammographic X-ray spectroscopy

Probing Liquid-Ordered and Disordered Phases in Lipid Model Membranes: A Combined Theoretical and Spectroscopic Study of a Fluorescent Molecular Rotor

An integrated theoretical/experimental strategy has been applied to the study of environmental effects on the spectroscopic parameters of 4-(diphenylamino)phtalonitrile (DPAP), a fluorescent molecular rotor. The computational part starts from the development of an effective force field for the first excited electronic state of DPAP and proceeds through molecular dynamics simulations in solvents of different polarities toward the evaluation of Stokes shifts by quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) approaches. The trends of the computed results closely parallel the available experimental results thus giving confidence to the interpretation of new experimental studies of the photophysics of DPAP in lipid bilayers. In this context, results show unambiguously that both flexible dihedral angles and global rotations are significantly retarded in a cholesterol/DPPC lipid matrix with respect to the DOPC matrix, thus confirming the sensitivity of DPAP to probe different environments and, therefore, its applicability as a probe for detecting different structures and levels of plasma membrane organization

Cloning, expression and purification of the α-carbonic anhydrase from the mantle of the Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis

We cloned, expressed, purified, and determined the kinetic constants of the recombinant α-carbonic anhydrase (rec-MgaCA) identified in the mantle tissue of the bivalve Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis. In metazoans, the α-CA family is largely represented and plays a pivotal role in the deposition of calcium carbonate biominerals. Our results demonstrated that rec-MgaCA was a monomer with an apparent molecular weight of about 32 kDa. Moreover, the determined kinetic parameters for the CO2 hydration reaction were kcat =  4.2 × 105 s−1 and kcat/Km of 3.5 × 107 M−1 ×s−1. Curiously, the rec-MgaCA showed a very similar kinetic and acetazolamide inhibition features when compared to those of the native enzyme (MgaCA), which has a molecular weight of 50 kDa. Analysing the SDS-PAGE, the protonography, and the kinetic analysis performed on the native and recombinant enzyme, we hypothesised that probably the native MgaCA is a multidomain protein with a single CA domain at the N-terminus of the protein. This hypothesis is corroborated by the existence in mollusks of multidomain proteins with a hydratase activity. Among these proteins, nacrein is an example of α-CA multidomain proteins characterised by a single CA domain at the N-terminus part of the entire protein

Erectile and sexual dysfunction in male and female patients with celiac disease: A cross-sectional observational study

Introduction: Sexual function is often impaired in patients with chronic illnesses. Several patients with chronic gastrointestinal and liver disorders have been shown to suffer from sexual dysfunction, and celiac disease is a highly prevalent gastroenterological disorder. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the sexual function incidence and the risk factors for sexual dysfunction in both male and female celiac disease patients. Methods: Two hundred and eighty-four patients (170 females, 114 males) participated in this cross-sectional observational study in an anonymous manner. Female sexual function was assessed through the Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire. Male sexual function was assessed through the International Index of Erectile Function-5 questionnaire. Clinical-demographic variables were recorded. We investigated differences in the patient-reported outcomes among the different subgroups and whether there were clinical-demographic predictors of sexual dysfunction in our setting. Main outcome measures: Prevalence and assessment of sexual dysfunction in celiac disease patients. Results: In the female group, 85 subjects (50%) had a total score compatible with sexual dysfunction: 43 (61.42%) showed low desire, 79 (46.47%) showed arousal disorder, 66 (38.82%) lubrication disorder, and 84 (49.41%) inability of obtaining an orgasm. Also, a large proportion of our female patients, 161 (94.70%), showed sexual discomfort during intercourse. In the male group, 79 patients (62.2%) showed scores compatible with normal erectile function, eight (7.01%) had mild erectile dysfunction, 24 (21.05%) mild to moderate erectile dysfunction, and three (2.63%) presented severe erectile dysfunction. Altered body mass index was significantly associated with sexual dysfunction both in male and female patients. Early age at diagnosis was a significant predictor of sexual dysfunction in male celiac disease patients. Conclusions: A significant proportion of celiac disease patients present sexual dysfunction. Early age at diagnosis and high body mass index seem to predict sexual dysfunction in this clinical setting. Assessment of sexual function should be part of the initial evaluation of celiac disease patients in order to establish a prompt diagnosis and early treatment