Oxidation processes of Longissimus dorsi from pigs supplemented with linseed oil and antioxidants

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of pig fodder supplementation on lipid oxidation of Longissimus dorsi (L. dorsi ) after frozen storage at -20 °C ± 1 °C for nine months. Fodder additives included 3% linseed oil (L1) or 3% linseed oil and antioxidants containing 100 mg vitamin E/kg and 1 mg organic selenium/kg (L2). The oxidation processes were evaluated by measuring thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and analyses of a profile of volatile organic compounds (VOC). The VOC were determined using an electronic nose based on ultra-fast gas chromatography. The level of TBARS for diets was 1.88 ± 0.52 to 2.30 ± 1.10 mg malondialdehyde/kg of meat. The results indicated that the diet of pigs from L1 and L2 groups had no impact on the TBARS value of L. dorsi pork frozen for nine months. On the other hand, aldehydes, which are regarded as compounds characteristic of oxidation processes, were identified in all samples. Volatile aldehydes contributed approximately 10%, 12%, and 15% of total detected volatiles for L2, L1, and the control group, respectively. Moreover, the data showed that propanal and benzeneacetaldehyde were at the same level, regardless of the animal’s diet, which is in accordance with the TBARS level. These volatile aldehydes resulted from the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and may be considered indicators of lipid oxidation for meat enriched with PUFAs. The results show that supplementation of the pigs’ diet with linseed oil (L1 group), which is a source of PUFAs, is recommended for meat intended for long-term freezing storage. However, supplementation with antioxidants is unnecessary, because it has no effect on lipid oxidation of L. dorsi pork after long-term freezing storage.Keywords: Animal’s diet, frozen storage, lipid oxidation, volatile organic compound

Determinants of compliance with the World Health Organisation recommendations for pregnant women in an urban health centre in The Gambia

In 2001 the World Health Organization drew up recommendations for pregnant women in order to reduce maternal mortality: the first visit to the antenatal clinic to be in the first trimester, at least four visits in total and delivery with a trained birth attendant. This study reports the extent to which pregnant women attending a health centre in The Gambia complied with the recommendations. A cohort of 1611 consecutive pregnant women was recruited. Only 384 (23.9%) women first attended in the first trimester and 568 (41.6%) attended at least four times. Only 15.8% of the women complied with all recommendations. Following multivariate analysis the educational level of the partner was the sole factor associated with both recommendations regarding attendance. This level of compliance reflects widespread ignorance of the value of early antenatal care and frequent visits. Public health programmes require a basic level of education to be effective. (Afr J Reprod Health 2020; 24[3]: 24-32). Keywords: Maternal health, antenatal, first trimester, education, male partner, The Gambia   En 2001, l'Organisation mondiale de la santé a formulé des recommandations pour les femmes enceintes afin de réduire la mortalité maternelle: la première visite à la clinique prénatale doit avoir lieu au premier trimestre, au moins quatre visites au total et l'accouchement avec une accoucheuse qualifiée. Cette étude rapporte dans quelle mesure les femmes enceintes fréquentant un centre de santé en Gambie se sont conformées aux recommandations. Une cohorte de 1611 femmes enceintes consécutives a été recrutée. Seules 384 (23,9%) femmes y ont participé pour la première fois au cours du premier trimestre et 568 (41,6%) y ont assisté au moins quatre fois. Seulement 15,8% des femmes se sont conformées à toutes les recommandations. Suite à une analyse multivariée, le niveau d'éducation du partenaire était le seul facteur associé aux deux recommandations concernant la fréquentation. Ce niveau de conformité reflète l'ignorance généralisée de la valeur des soins prénatals précoces et des visites fréquentes. Les programmes de santé publique nécessitent un niveau d'éducation de base pour être efficaces. Mots-clés: Santé maternelle, prénatale, premier trimestre, éducation, partenaire masculin, Gambi

Lipid Thermotropic Transitions in Human Stratum Corneum

The techniques of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal perturbation infrared (IR) spectrometry were used to investigate thermal transitions in intact, fractionated, and lipid-extracted human stratum corneum. The DSC results show 3 major and one minor thermal transition in the range of 30-120°C. Of particular interest to this study are 2 transitions seen near 65° and 75°C in intact stratum corneum and a stratum corneum membrane preparation, but absent from lipid-extracted samples. Results of IR spectrometry show that thermally induced spectral changes related to enhanced motion of the lipid acyl chains also occur in the region of about 60-80°C. The combined DSC and IR results show that the thermal transitions near 65° and 75°C depend on water concentration in a manner identical to that seen for a variety of lipid-water systems. Taken together, these results suggest that thermal transitions occurring near 65° and 85°C involve increased acyl chain motion of stratum corneum lipids

Nonheme Iron–Thiolate Complexes as Structural Models of Sulfoxide Synthase Active Sites

Two mononuclear iron(II)–thiolate complexes have been prepared that represent structural models of the nonheme iron enzymes EgtB and OvoA, which catalyze the O2-dependent formation of carbon–sulfur bonds in the biosynthesis of thiohistidine compounds. The series of Fe(II) complexes reported here feature tripodal N4 chelates (LA and LB) that contain both pyridyl and imidazolyl donors (LA = (1H-imidazol-4-yl)-N,N-bis((pyridin-2-yl)methyl)methanamine; LB = N,N-bis((1-methylimidazol-2-yl)methyl)-2-pyridylmethylamine). Further coordination with monodentate aromatic or aliphatic thiolate ligands yielded the five-coordinate, high-spin Fe(II) complexes [FeII(LA)(SMes)]BPh4 (1) and [FeII(LB)(SCy)]BPh4 (2), where SMes = 2,4,6-trimethylthiophenolate and SCy = cyclohexanethiolate. X-ray crystal structures revealed that 1 and 2 possess trigonal bipyramidal geometries formed by the N4S ligand set. In each case, the thiolate ligand is positioned cis to an imidazole donor, replicating the arrangement of Cys- and His-based substrates in the active site of EgtB. The geometric and electronic structures of 1 and 2 were analyzed with UV-vis absorption and Mössbauer spectroscopies in tandem with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Exposure of 1 and 2 to nitric oxide (NO) yielded six-coordinate FeNO adducts that were characterized with infrared and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies, confirming that these complexes are capable of binding diatomic molecules. Reaction of 1 and 2 with O2 causes oxidation of the thiolate ligands to disulfide products. The implications of these results for the development of functional models of EgtB and OvoA are discussed

Heart rate variability (HRV) and muscular system activity (EMG) in cases of crash threat during simulated driving of a passenger car

Objectives: The aim of the study was to verify whether simultaneous responses from the muscular and circulatory system occur in the driver's body under simulated conditions of a crash threat. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in a passenger car driving simulator. The crash was included in the driving test scenario developed in an urban setting. In the group of 22 young male subjects, two physiological signals - ECG and EMG were continuously recorded. The length of the RR interval in the ECG signal was assessed. A HRV analysis was performed in the time and frequency domains for 1-minute record segments at rest (seated position), during undisturbed driving as well as during and several minutes after the crash. For the left and right side muscles: m. trapezius (TR) and m. flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS), the EMG signal amplitude was determined. The percentage of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) was compared during driving and during the crash. Results: As for the ECG signal, it was found that in most of the drivers changes occurred in the parameter values reflecting HRV in the time domain. Significant changes were noted in the mean length of RR intervals (mRR). As for the EMG signal, the changes in the amplitude concerned the signal recorded from the FDS muscle. The changes in ECG and EMG were simultaneous in half of the cases. Conclusion: Such parameters as mRR (ECG signal) and FDS-L amplitude (EMG signal) were the responses to accident risk. Under simulated conditions, responses from the circulatory and musculoskeletal systems are not always simultaneous. The results indicate that a more complete driver's response to a crash in road traffic is obtained based on parallel recording of two physiological signals (ECG and EMG)

Dissemination of extensively drug-resistant NDM-producing Providencia stuartii in Europe linked to patients transferred from Ukraine, March 2022 to March 2023

BackgroundThe war in Ukraine led to migration of Ukrainian people. Early 2022, several European national surveillance systems detected multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria related to Ukrainian patients.AimTo investigate the genomic epidemiology of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)-producing Providencia stuartii from Ukrainian patients among European countries.MethodsWhole-genome sequencing of 66 isolates sampled in 2022-2023 in 10 European countries enabled whole-genome multilocus sequence typing (wgMLST), identification of resistance genes, replicons, and plasmid reconstructions. Five blaNDM-1-carrying-P. stuartii isolates underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Transferability to Escherichia coli of a blaNDM-1-carrying plasmid from a patient strain was assessed. Epidemiological characteristics of patients with NDM-producing P. stuartii were gathered by questionnaire.ResultswgMLST of the 66 isolates revealed two genetic clusters unrelated to Ukraine and three linked to Ukrainian patients. Of these three, two comprised blaNDM-1-carrying-P. stuartii and the third blaNDM-5-carrying-P. stuartii. The blaNDM-1 clusters (PstCluster-001, n = 22 isolates; PstCluster-002, n = 8 isolates) comprised strains from seven and four countries, respectively. The blaNDM-5 cluster (PstCluster-003) included 13 isolates from six countries. PstCluster-001 and PstCluster-002 isolates carried an MDR plasmid harbouring blaNDM-1,blaOXA-10, blaCMY-16, rmtC and armA, which was transferrable in vitro and, for some Ukrainian patients, shared by other Enterobacterales. AST revealed PstCluster-001 isolates to be extensively drug-resistant (XDR), but susceptible to cefiderocol and aztreonam-avibactam. Patients with data on age (n = 41) were 19-74 years old; of 49 with information on sex, 38 were male.ConclusionXDR P. stuartii were introduced into European countries, requiring increased awareness and precautions when treating patients from conflict-affected areas.</p

Dissemination of extensively drug-resistant NDM-producing Providencia stuartii in Europe linked to patients transferred from Ukraine, March 2022 to March 2023

BackgroundThe war in Ukraine led to migration of Ukrainian people. Early 2022, several European national surveillance systems detected multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria related to Ukrainian patients.AimTo investigate the genomic epidemiology of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)-producing Providencia stuartii from Ukrainian patients among European countries.MethodsWhole-genome sequencing of 66 isolates sampled in 2022-2023 in 10 European countries enabled whole-genome multilocus sequence typing (wgMLST), identification of resistance genes, replicons, and plasmid reconstructions. Five blaNDM-1-carrying-P. stuartii isolates underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Transferability to Escherichia coli of a blaNDM-1-carrying plasmid from a patient strain was assessed. Epidemiological characteristics of patients with NDM-producing P. stuartii were gathered by questionnaire.ResultswgMLST of the 66 isolates revealed two genetic clusters unrelated to Ukraine and three linked to Ukrainian patients. Of these three, two comprised blaNDM-1-carrying-P. stuartii and the third blaNDM-5-carrying-P. stuartii. The blaNDM-1 clusters (PstCluster-001, n = 22 isolates; PstCluster-002, n = 8 isolates) comprised strains from seven and four countries, respectively. The blaNDM-5 cluster (PstCluster-003) included 13 isolates from six countries. PstCluster-001 and PstCluster-002 isolates carried an MDR plasmid harbouring blaNDM-1,blaOXA-10, blaCMY-16, rmtC and armA, which was transferrable in vitro and, for some Ukrainian patients, shared by other Enterobacterales. AST revealed PstCluster-001 isolates to be extensively drug-resistant (XDR), but susceptible to cefiderocol and aztreonam-avibactam. Patients with data on age (n = 41) were 19-74 years old; of 49 with information on sex, 38 were male.ConclusionXDR P. stuartii were introduced into European countries, requiring increased awareness and precautions when treating patients from conflict-affected areas.</p