Seaweeds polysaccharides in active food packaging: A review of recent progress

Background Due to its short lifetime, food packaging leads to a rapid accumulation of plastic in our surroundings and thereby also has a huge impact on environmental pollution. To reduce these effects and create a more sustainable approach towards food packaging, biodegradable and biobased polymers have been developed and are emerging on the market. Scope and approach This review provides the current state of research regarding active packaging and the incorporation of seaweed into food packaging. Further, it summarises the resulting consequences of the seaweed incorporation on mechanical, physical, thermal, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and chemical properties, as well as the release of active compounds to show the advantages of the polysaccharides as well as possible shortcomings in current research. Key findings and conclusions To improve these polymers regarding their mechanical, thermal, and antimicrobial properties etc. a variety of polysaccharides such as seaweeds can be used. They not only lead to an increase in hydrophilicity and improved mechanical properties such as tensile strength and elongation at break but also create the possibility of using it as active packaging. This can be achieved due to the naturally occurring antioxidant properties in seaweed, which can minimize lipid oxidation and thereby increase the shelf life and nutritional value of food as well as reduce free radicals which might have a carcinogenic, mutagenic, or cytotoxic effect. Some seaweeds such as H. elongate have also proven to inhibit the growth of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, meaning that they could possibly be used as antimicrobial packaging

Erwerbsformen: Längerfristige Trends und Arbeitsmarkteffekte

Die Arbeitsmarktentwicklung ist durch ständige Niveau- und Strukturveränderungen gekennzeichnet. Die zentralen Größen Erwerbstätigkeit und Arbeitslosigkeit sind ihrerseits das Resultat von Zu- und Abgängen, z.B. von begonnenen und beendeten Beschäftigungsverhältnissen. Die permanente Dynamik am Arbeitsmarkt beeinflusst nicht zuletzt auch die Struktur der Erwerbstätigkeit. So kommt es zu vielfältigen Veränderungen ihrer Zusammensetzung, z.B. nach Geschlecht, Alter, formaler Qualifikation oder sektoraler Zugehörigkeit. Strukturelle Veränderungen zeigen sich zudem bei den Erwerbsformen, also der Art der Beschäftigung. Bestimmte Erwerbsformen wie Teilzeitbeschäftigung, Minijobs, befristete Beschäftigung, Leiharbeit und Ein-Personen-Selbstständigkeit wachsen nicht nur hierzulande, sondern auch in vielen anderen Ländern stärker als die Erwerbstätigkeit insgesamt. Der Beitrag diskutiert die längerfristige Entwicklung der Erwerbsformen und fragt danach, ob sich in den Veränderungen der letzten beiden Dekaden ein Trend und eine Beschleunigung des Wandels erkennen lassen. Darüber hinaus verändert die Entwicklung der Erwerbsformen aber auch den Arbeitsmarkt, beispielsweise in Form von Makro- und Personeneffekten. Diesbezügliche Befunde werden in Form eines Literaturüberblicks herangezogen, um Chancen und Risiken des offenkundigen Wandels näher zu betrachten. Desweiteren werden die längerfristige Entwicklung der Erwerbsformen insgesamt und differenziert nach wichtigen Strukturmerkmalen untersucht und schließlich die Arbeitsmarkteffekte des Erwerbsformenwandels auf Grundlage theoretisch-konzeptionellen Überlegungen sowie Befunden aus Sekundärquellen beleuchtet

Impact of Heterogeneity and Lattice Bond Strength on DNA Triangle Crystal Growth

One key goal of DNA nanotechnology is the bottom-up construction of macroscopic crystalline materials. Beyond applications in fields such as photonics or plasmonics, DNA-based crystal matrices could possibly facilitate the diffraction-based structural analysis of guest molecules. Seeman and co-workers reported in 2009 the first designed crystal matrices based on a 38 kDa DNA triangle that was composed of seven chains. The crystal lattice was stabilized, unprecedentedly, by Watson–Crick base pairing. However, 3D crystallization of larger designed DNA objects that include more chains such as DNA origami remains an unsolved problem. Larger objects would offer more degrees of freedom and design options with respect to tailoring lattice geometry and for positioning other objects within a crystal lattice. The greater rigidity of multilayer DNA origami could also positively influence the diffractive properties of crystals composed of such particles. Here, we rationally explore the role of heterogeneity and Watson–Crick interaction strengths in crystal growth using 40 variants of the original DNA triangle as model multichain objects. Crystal growth of the triangle was remarkably robust despite massive chemical, geometrical, and thermodynamical sample heterogeneity that we introduced, but the crystal growth sensitively depended on the sequences of base pairs next to the Watson–Crick sticky ends of the triangle. Our results point to weak lattice interactions and high concentrations as decisive factors for achieving productive crystallization, while sample heterogeneity and impurities played a minor role

Influence of genetic adaption of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fed with alternative protein sources based on Arthrospira platensis and Hermetia illucens on intestinal health and animal welfare

Genetic adaptation to new environmental conditions, such as changing diets, has always played a key role in the evolution of animals. Fish, in particular, have a great genetic potential for adaptability to regional environmental demands. Feeding diets devoid of marine resources to carnivorous fish species is paramount to enable fully sustainable aquaculture and independence of capture fisheries. Therefore, novel sources of protein substituting fishmeal in fish feed are of increasing interest in aquaculture. However, the use of plant-based protein sources in the diet of carnivorous fish is in controversial discussion because of their association with several issues related to food conversion, growth rate, fish health and welfare effects. The current study aims at making use of the genetic variability of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in order to gain new insights into their adaptability to innovative raw materials with a particular focus on the question of how the replacement of fishmeal by Arthospira platensis and Hermetia illucens in fish feed affects the intestinal health. Therefore, 20% fishmeal of the total composition was completely replaced in each case with Arthrospira platensis or Hermetia illucens. The results showed that the stress response, investigated by analysing the concentration of heat shock protein 70 in liver samples, proved to be at very low values for all investigated groups. A chronic stress exposure due to the supplementation could thus be excluded. Regarding growth, the genetic background played a decisive role. Despite morphological and histological changes in the anterior intestine of experimental feeding groups, no negative influence on growth could be detected. A significantly higher expression of occludin in the posterior intestine of the Arthrospira groups with respect to the epithelial barrier was noted. Altogether, no signs of cell infiltration were detected in the intestines of the animals despite the Arthrospira fed groups and one Hermetia fed group showing partially significantly higher gene expressions according to IL1β, TNFα and singular antimicrobial peptides than fish from other feedings. Therefore, the current study reveals that supplementing the fishmeal portion of rainbow trout diets with Arthrospira platensis or Hermetia illucens does not negatively affect fish health and animal welfare

Global patterns in conservation capacity development

Conservation is an interdisciplinary and applied field with a range of careers requiring different skills and abilities. Recent studies have identified ‘miss-matches’ between training available to early-career conservationists with the expectations and demands of the sector (Andrade et al., 2014; Lucas et al., 2017). Given the complexity of contemporary conservation challenges, and trends towards new ways of doing conservation that are more integrative, interactive and inclusive, the necessary ‘capacity’ now extends beyond knowledge of conservation science into a range of other skills and competencies. A diversity of capacity development initiatives are required to ensure that early-career conservationists around the world can seek out the necessary skills and experiences for their desired conservation career. However, at present we lack a global picture of conservation capacity provision and global priorities for capacity development in the conservation sector are unclear. Based on a review of relevant literature we focus on five focal areas of importance to contemporary conservation: policy, practice, collaboration, leadership and interdisciplinarity. Our study compiles and analyses an extensive database of 650 postgraduate-level conservation capacity development initiatives from 54 countries. We find the five focal areas to be highly correlated and postulate that this reflects requirements for foundational skills in communication, interpersonal interaction and boundary crossing. This study reveals substantial regional gaps in the provision of leadership capacity in Oceania, South and Central America, the Caribbean and all Asian regions. It also highlights a general need to strengthen policy-related capacity within conservation initiatives with other foci. These findings could help capacity development institutions, organisations and funders to improve the design and delivery of a comprehensive suite of initiatives to suit the changing needs of contemporary conservation

Loss of soluble guanylyl cyclase in platelets contributes to atherosclerotic plaque formation and vascular inflammation

AbstractVariants in genes encoding the soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) in platelets are associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) risk. Here, by using histology, flow cytometry and intravital microscopy, we show that functional loss of sGC in platelets of atherosclerosis-prone Ldlr−/− mice contributes to atherosclerotic plaque formation, particularly via increasing in vivo leukocyte adhesion to atherosclerotic lesions. In vitro experiments revealed that supernatant from activated platelets lacking sGC promotes leukocyte adhesion to endothelial cells (ECs) by activating ECs. Profiling of platelet-released cytokines indicated that reduced platelet angiopoietin-1 release by sGC-depleted platelets, which was validated in isolated human platelets from carriers of GUCY1A1 risk alleles, enhances leukocyte adhesion to ECs. Importantly, pharmacological sGC stimulation increased platelet angiopoietin-1 release in vitro and reduced leukocyte recruitment and atherosclerotic plaque formation in atherosclerosis-prone Ldlr−/− mice. Therefore, pharmacological sGC stimulation might represent a potential therapeutic strategy to prevent and treat CAD.</jats:p

Relação entre índice de massa corporal e habilidade motora grossa em crianças de quatro a seis anos Relationship between body mass index and gross motor skill in four to six year-old children

Este estudo teve por objetivo verificar a relação entre o desempenho em tarefas de habilidade motora grossa com o índice de massa corporal (IMC) em meninos e meninas de quatro a seis anos de idade. Para tanto, foram analisadas 27 crianças, sendo 16 meninos e 11 meninas, com idade média de 5,64 &plusmn; 0,67 anos. As crianças foram submetidas ao Test of Gross Motor Development - Second Edition (TGMD-2), proposto por Ulrich (2000) e ao Körperkoordinations-test für Kinder (KTK), proposto por Kiphard e Schilling (1974). A pontuação obtida nos dois testes foi reduzida a uma escala comum a ambos. Foi verificada a correlação entre essa escala e o IMC das crianças por meio do teste de correlação de Spearman, com P < 0,05. Não houve interação significativa entre as variáveis quando analisados meninos e meninas ou quando a análise foi conduzida com distinção de gêneros. Inclusive, não houve interação do IMC com tarefas que exigiam maior demanda de capacidades físicas, o que deve ser verificado em futuros estudos. A partir dos resultados, concluímos que o desempenho das crianças de quatro a seis anos em tarefas que envolviam habilidade motora grossa não se relacionou com o IMC.<br>This study had to aim to verify the relationship between performance in gross motor skill tasks and body mass index (BMI) in four to six year-old boys and girls. 27 children were analyzed, 16 boys and 11 girls, mean age of 5.64 &plusmn; 0.67 years. The children were submitted to the Test of Gross Motor Development-Second Edition (TGMD-2), proposed by Ulrich (2000) and to the Körperkoordinations-test für Kinder (KTK), proposed by Kiphard and Schilling (1974). The punctuation obtained in the two tests was reduced to a scale common to both. The correlation between this scale and the BMI of the children was verified through the Spearman correlation test, with P < 0.05. No significant interaction was observed among variables when boys and girls were analyzed or when the analysis was conducted with gender distinction. Moreover, no interaction between the BMI and tasks which required higher demand of physical capacities was observed, which should be verified in further studies. It was possible to conclude from our results, that the performance of four to six year-old children in tasks which involved gross motor skill did not relate with BMI

Cell Death in the Developing Brain after Hypoxia-Ischemia

Perinatal insults such as hypoxia–ischemia induces secondary brain injury. In order to develop the next generation of neuroprotective therapies, we urgently need to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms leading to cell death. The cell death mechanisms have been shown to be quite different in the developing brain compared to that in the adult. The aim of this review is update on what cell death mechanisms that are operating particularly in the setting of the developing CNS. In response to mild stress stimuli a number of compensatory mechanisms will be activated, most often leading to cell survival. Moderate-to-severe insults trigger regulated cell death. Depending on several factors such as the metabolic situation, cell type, nature of the stress stimulus, and which intracellular organelle(s) are affected, the cell undergoes apoptosis (caspase activation) triggered by BAX dependent mitochondrial permeabilzation, necroptosis (mixed lineage kinase domain-like activation), necrosis (via opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore), autophagic cell death (autophagy/Na+, K+-ATPase), or parthanatos (poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1, apoptosis-inducing factor). Severe insults cause accidental cell death that cannot be modulated genetically or by pharmacologic means. However, accidental cell death leads to the release of factors (damage-associated molecular patterns) that initiate systemic effects, as well as inflammation and (regulated) secondary brain injury in neighboring tissue. Furthermore, if one mode of cell death is inhibited, another route may step in at least in a scenario when upstream damaging factors predominate over protective responses. The provision of alternative routes through which the cell undergoes death has to be taken into account in the hunt for novel brain protective strategies