Food Loss and Food Waste as Global Issues

The entire world is facing significant challenges in the coming decades. It has been demonstrated that many countries must prepare themselves to face a considerable rise in food consumption and corresponding food waste. There must be a cooperation of consumers, retailers, producers and government to solve this complex issue. Their efforts to decrease food waste would offer a significant sustainable alternative to scale up food manufacturing that leading to a stabling food security internally and internationally. Governments and businesses should develop food loss and food waste prevention throughout the entire supply chain. There should be a higher effort on decreasing post-harvest losses in early stages in the food value chain in the developing countries. Meanwhile, in the developed countries, the government should have policies to reduce food waste at consumer level which could minimize food being unnecessarily thrown away. Governments should also support the establishment of independent organizations which could facilitate and assess efforts to decrease food waste, such as the WRAP in the UK in grocery and hospitality supply chain. Keywords: food loss, food waste, food value chain, reuse, cycl

Food Loss and Food Waste as Global Issues

ABSTRACTThe entire world is facing significant challenges in the coming decades. It has been demonstrated that many countries must prepare themselves to face a considerable rise in food consumption and corresponding food waste. There must be a cooperation of consumers, retailers, producers and government to solve this complex issue. Their efforts to decrease food waste would offer a significant sustainable alternative to scale up food manufacturing that leading to a stabling food security internally and internationally. Governments and businesses should develop food loss and food waste prevention throughout the entire supply chain. There should be a higher effort on decreasing post-harvest losses in early stages in the food value chain in the developing countries. Meanwhile, in the developed countries, the government should have policies to reduce food waste at consumer level which could minimize food being unnecessarily thrown away. Governments should also support the establishment of independent organizations which could facilitate and assess efforts to decrease food waste, such as the WRAP in the UK in grocery and hospitality supply chain.Keywords: food loss, food waste, food value chain, reuse, cycl

Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine on functional outcome after acute stroke (AFFINITY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Trials of fluoxetine for recovery after stroke report conflicting results. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) trial aimed to show if daily oral fluoxetine for 6 months after stroke improves functional outcome in an ethnically diverse population. Methods AFFINITY was a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (four), and Vietnam (ten). Eligible patients were adults (aged ≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2–15 days, brain imaging consistent with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, and a persisting neurological deficit that produced a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 or more. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm to once daily, oral fluoxetine 20 mg capsules or matching placebo for 6 months. Patients, carers, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was functional status, measured by the mRS, at 6 months. The primary analysis was an ordinal logistic regression of the mRS at 6 months, adjusted for minimisation variables. Primary and safety analyses were done according to the patient's treatment allocation. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921. Findings Between Jan 11, 2013, and June 30, 2019, 1280 patients were recruited in Australia (n=532), New Zealand (n=42), and Vietnam (n=706), of whom 642 were randomly assigned to fluoxetine and 638 were randomly assigned to placebo. Mean duration of trial treatment was 167 days (SD 48·1). At 6 months, mRS data were available in 624 (97%) patients in the fluoxetine group and 632 (99%) in the placebo group. The distribution of mRS categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·76–1·15; p=0·53). Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the fluoxetine group had more falls (20 [3%] vs seven [1%]; p=0·018), bone fractures (19 [3%] vs six [1%]; p=0·014), and epileptic seizures (ten [2%] vs two [<1%]; p=0·038) at 6 months. Interpretation Oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and epileptic seizures. These results do not support the use of fluoxetine to improve functional outcome after stroke

Gelatin-stabilized composites of silver nanoparticles and curcumin: characterization, antibacterial and antioxidant study

This is a preliminary study of a material comprising gelatin (Gel), silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and curcumin (Cur) aimed for wound-healing treatment. Gelatin was used to stabilize AgNPs and encapsulate curcumin to form a therapeutic composite (GelCurAg) for their strong bactericidal and antioxidant properties. GelCurAg formulations with different gelatin concentrations were characterized to attain information about their physiochemical properties and the loading efficiency of therapeutic agents. In vitro assessment of GelCurAg focused on antibacterial, antioxidant and cytotoxic aspects. The results suggested that Gel1CurAg (synthesized from 1% gelatin solution) could be utilized as potential therapeutic agents in treating infectious wound owing to its bactericidal and antioxidant effects and low toxicity for clinical uses

Purification Process of Mangiferin from Mangifera indica L. Leaves and Evaluation of Its Bioactivities

Mangiferin (C19H18O11) is a C-glucoside xanthone that is mainly found in the leaves of mango (Mangifera indica L). The compound has been recognized for several pharmacological values, including antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Therefore, the present study aims to utilize the old leaves of mango as a potential source for mangiferin extraction and purification, and evaluate its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. In the present study, mangiferin was extracted from a local variety of mango leaves using ultrasonic-assisted extraction methods and ethanol as the extraction solvent. The crude ethanolic extract of mangiferin was then purified by the liquid–liquid fractionation method with dichloromethane and ethyl acetate, then further separated by HPLC. The crude extract, ethyl acetate fractions and purified mangiferin were investigated for anti-microorganism activity against Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Aspergillus flavus by using the paper disc diffusion assay. The results have shown that the extraction efficiency was 14.17%. The obtained mangiferin was 1.97 g of content and 94.2% of purity. The oxidation resistance of purified mangiferin was 1.77 times higher than the crude extract and 1.05 times higher than the standard mangiferin (IC50 = 13.841 μg/mL). However, the purified mangiferin has shown no inhibitory action against the experimental strains of microorganisms. The findings from the present study suggest an effective scheme of extraction and purification to obtain mangiferin from the local variety of mango with high purity and antioxidant potential

Effects of the EM CYP2C19 type and MDR1 3435CC gene on Helicobacter pylori eradication rate in patients with duodenal ulcer by the four-drug regimen of rabeprazole, bismuth, tetracycline, and tinidazole

Background: The MDR1 genotype and the CYP2C19 phenotype determine how much PPI is absorbed from the gut and how much is processed in the liver. Objective: To assess the impact of CYP2C19 and MDR1 C3435T gene polymorphisms on the efficiency of H. pylori eradication treatment with a 4-drug regimen of rabeprazole, bismuth, tetracycline, and tinidazole (RBTT) in patients with duodenal ulcers. Methods: The study was conducted at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy. Gene polymorphisms for CYP2C19 and MDR1 C3435T were detected through a blood test. The RBTT 4-drug regimen was used to eradicate H. pylori. Results: The success rate of the RBTT regimen for eradicating H. pylori in female patients with the CYP2C19 EM phenotype + MDR1 3435CC genotype was 20.0% lower than the rate of 91.7% for the group without both phenotype and genotype (p = 0.01, OR = 0.02, 95%CI: 0.00–0.45). Conclusion: Compared to the group lacking both phenotypes and genotypes, female patients with the CYP2C19 EM phenotype + MDR1 3435CC genotype had a lower rate of H. pylori eradication by RBTT regimen

Effects of the EM CYP2C19 type and MDR1 3435CC gene on Helicobacter pylori eradication rate in patients with duodenal ulcer by the four-drug regimen of rabeprazole, bismuth, tetracycline, and tinidazole

Background: The MDR1 genotype and the CYP2C19 phenotype determine how much PPI is absorbed from the gut and how much is processed in the liver. Objective: To assess the impact of CYP2C19 and MDR1 C3435T gene polymorphisms on the efficiency of H. pylori eradication treatment with a 4-drug regimen of rabeprazole, bismuth, tetracycline, and tinidazole (RBTT) in patients with duodenal ulcers. Methods: The study was conducted at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy. Gene polymorphisms for CYP2C19 and MDR1 C3435T were detected through a blood test. The RBTT 4-drug regimen was used to eradicate H. pylori. Results: The success rate of the RBTT regimen for eradicating H. pylori in female patients with the CYP2C19 EM phenotype + MDR1 3435CC genotype was 20.0% lower than the rate of 91.7% for the group without both phenotype and genotype (p = 0.01, OR = 0.02, 95%CI: 0.00–0.45). Conclusion: Compared to the group lacking both phenotypes and genotypes, female patients with the CYP2C19 EM phenotype + MDR1 3435CC genotype had a lower rate of H. pylori eradication by RBTT regimen

Efficacy of Helicobacter pylori Eradication Based on Rabeprazole&ndash;Bismuth&ndash;Tetracycline&ndash;Tinidazole Regimen in Vietnamese Patients with Duodenal Ulcers

(1) Background: In Vietnam, H. pylori bacteria has a resistance rate of 63% to the antibiotic clarithromycin. The initial therapy of H. pylori eradication with a standard three-drug regimen has low efficacy. Objective: Assess the efficacy of H. pylori eradication therapy which uses a four-drug regimen of rabeprazole&ndash;bismuth&ndash;tetracycline&ndash;tinidazole in patients with duodenal ulcers. (2) Methods: We performed gastrointestinal endoscopy on patients with a diagnosis of duodenal ulcers, gastric mucosa biopsy for a rapid urease test, and histopathology to diagnose H. pylori bacteria before and after treatment. Treatment for eradication of H. pylori bacteria using a rabeprazole&ndash;bismuth&ndash;tetracycline&ndash;tinidazole regimen was prescribed for 14 days. (3) Results: The rate of successful H. pylori eradication treatment according to per protocol (PP) and intention to treat (ITT) was 91.3% (95%CI: 84.8&ndash;96.7) and 82.4% (95%CI: 74.5&ndash;89.2) respectively. The success rate of H. pylori eradication therapy in males was 96.0% (95%CI: 92&ndash;100), higher than in females, which was 70.6% (95%CI: 47.1&ndash;88.2), p &lt; 0.01. (4) Conclusions: Treatment of H. pylori with rabeprazole&ndash;bismuth&ndash;tetracycline&ndash;tinidazole regimen is highly effective. Men had higher H. pylori eradication results than women

In Vivo Study of the Antibacterial Chitosan/Polyvinyl Alcohol Loaded with Silver Nanoparticle Hydrogel for Wound Healing Applications

Silver nanoparticles have attracted great interests widely in medicine due to its great characteristics of antibacterial activity. In this research, the antibacterial activity and biocompatibility of a topical gel synthesized from polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan, and silver nanoparticles were studied. Hydrogels with different concentrations of silver nanoparticles (15 ppm, 30 ppm, and 60 ppm) were evaluated to compare their antibacterial activity, nanoparticles’ sizes, and in vivo behaviors. The resulted silver nanoparticles in the hydrogel were characterized by TEM showing the nanoparticles’ sizes less than 22 nm. The in vitro results prove that the antibacterial effects of all of the samples are satisfied. However, the in vivo results demonstrate the significant difference among different hydrogels in wound healing, where hydrogel with 30 ppm shows the best healing rate

Proteomic analysis of ceftazidime and meropenem-exposed Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027

Abstract Background Pseudomonas aeruginosa is well known for its intrinsic ability to resist a wide range of antibiotics, thus complicates treatment. Thus, understanding the response of the pathogen to antibiotics is important for developing new therapies. In this study, proteomic response of P. aeruginosa to the commonly used anti-pseudomonas antibiotics, ceftazidime (Caz) and meropenem (Mem) was investigated. Methods P. aeruginosa ATCC 9027, an antibiotic-susceptible strain, was exposed to sub-MIC values of antibiotics either Caz or Mem for 14 days to obtain E1 strains and then cultured in antibiotic-free environments for 10 days to obtain E2 strains. Proteomes of the initial and E1, E2 strains were identified and comparatively analyzed using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) in cooperation with nano LC–MS/MS. Noted up and down-regulated proteins were confirmed with quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR). Results Overall, 1039 and 1041 proteins were identified in Caz and Mem-exposed strains, respectively. Upon antibiotic exposure, there were 7–10% up-regulated (Caz: 71, Mem: 85) and down-regulated (Caz: 106, Mem: 69) proteins (1.5-fold change cut-off). For both Caz and Mem, the DEPs were primarily the ones involved in metabolic process, membrane, virulence, protein synthesis, and antibiotic resistance in which proteins involved in antibiotics resistance tended to be up-regulated while proteins involved in protein synthesis and metabolic process were down-regulated. Noted proteins included beta-lactamase AmpC which was up-regulated and OprD which was down-regulated in both the antibiotic-exposed strains. Besides, biofilm formation related proteins TssC1 and Hcp1 in Caz- exposed strains and the membrane/ periplasmic proteins Azu and PagL in Mem-exposed strains were found significantly down-regulated. qRT-PCR results confirmed the expression change of AmpC, Hcp1 and OprD proteins. Conclusion Exposure of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to sub-MIC values of Caz and Mem resulted in around 10% change in its proteome. Not only proteins with confirmed roles in antibiotic resistance mechanisms changed their expression but also virulence- associated proteins. Both Caz and Mem response involved up-regulation of AmpC and down-regulation of OprD. While TssC1 and Hcp1 were responsible for Caz response, Azu and PagL were more likely involved in Mem response