Xanthan gum as an alternative to replace fat for coating and flavoring the extruded snacks

Food industries adapt their products and processes to the needs and desires of consumers. Extruded snacks include 10–20% fat sprinkled to fix flavors, seasonings, and salt. Considering the need to flavor snacks and simultaneously reduce the intake of calories, a polysaccharide is proposed in this study as a fat replacer. Impact of aqueous xanthan gum (Xg) solutions (0.25, 0.5, 1.0%) under two pH conditions (3.5 and 7.0) on structural and sensory characteristics of extruded snacks was analyzed. Rheological features of the coating solutions, as flow behaviour and viscoelastic profile (storage and loss moduli), were assessed. Texture analysis, to evaluate the snacks firmness and moisture content, water activity, retraction, and agglomeration index of the coated snacks, were also evaluated. Results for the aqueous Xg coatings were very encouraging showing good coating properties, not damaging the texture of the extrudates or causing agglomeration. Sensory analysis reflected a good overall acceptability of these snacks, as compared to oil-coated snacks. Therefore, xanthan gum should be used by the industry, to replace fat, on extruded snacks flavor coating solutionsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

PCB pollution continues to impact populations of orcas and other dolphins in European waters

Organochlorine (OC) pesticides and the more persistent polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have well-established dose-dependent toxicities to birds, fish and mammals in experimental studies, but the actual impact of OC pollutants on European marine top predators remains unknown. Here we show that several cetacean species have very high mean blubber PCB concentrations likely to cause population declines and suppress population recovery. In a large pan-European meta-analysis of stranded (n = 929) or biopsied (n = 152) cetaceans, three out of four species:- striped dolphins (SDs), bottlenose dolphins (BNDs) and killer whales (KWs) had mean PCB levels that markedly exceeded all known marine mammal PCB toxicity thresholds. Some locations (e.g. western Mediterranean Sea, south-west Iberian Peninsula) are global PCB "hotspots" for marine mammals. Blubber PCB concentrations initially declined following a mid-1980s EU ban, but have since stabilised in UK harbour porpoises and SDs in the western Mediterranean Sea. Some small or declining populations of BNDs and KWs in the NE Atlantic were associated with low recruitment, consistent with PCB-induced reproductive toxicity. Despite regulations and mitigation measures to reduce PCB pollution, their biomagnification in marine food webs continues to cause severe impacts among cetacean top predators in European seas

Identifying strategies to maximise recruitment and retention of practices and patients in a multicentre randomised controlled trial of an intervention to optimise secondary prevention for coronary heart disease in primary care

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recruitment and retention of patients and healthcare providers in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) is important in order to determine the effectiveness of interventions. However, failure to achieve recruitment targets is common and reasons why a particular recruitment strategy works for one study and not another remain unclear. We sought to describe a strategy used in a multicentre RCT in primary care, to report researchers' and participants' experiences of its implementation and to inform future strategies to maximise recruitment and retention.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In total 48 general practices and 903 patients were recruited from three different areas of Ireland to a RCT of an intervention designed to optimise secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. The recruitment process involved telephoning practices, posting information, visiting practices, identifying potential participants, posting invitations and obtaining consent. Retention involved patients attending reviews and responding to questionnaires and practices facilitating data collection.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We achieved high retention rates for practices (100%) and for patients (85%) over an 18-month intervention period. Pilot work, knowledge of the setting, awareness of change in staff and organisation amongst participant sites, rapid responses to queries and acknowledgement of practitioners' contributions were identified as being important. Minor variations in protocol and research support helped to meet varied, complex and changing individual needs of practitioners and patients and encouraged retention in the trial. A collaborative relationship between researcher and practice staff which required time to develop was perceived as vital for both recruitment and retention.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Recruiting and retaining the numbers of practices and patients estimated as required to provide findings with adequate power contributes to increased confidence in the validity and generalisability of RCT results. A continuous dynamic process of monitoring progress within trials and tailoring strategies to particular circumstances, whilst not compromising trial protocols, should allow maximal recruitment and retention.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ISRCTN24081411</p

The Effect of Feeding Bt MON810 Maize to Pigs for 110 Days on Intestinal Microbiota

Objective: To assess the effects of feeding Bt MON810 maize to pigs for 110 days on the intestinal microbiota. Methodology/Principal Findings: Forty male pigs (,40 days old) were blocked by weight and litter ancestry and assigned to one of four treatments; 1) Isogenic maize-based diet for 110 days (Isogenic); 2) Bt maize-based diet (MON810) for 110 days (Bt); 3) Isogenic maize-based diet for 30 days followed by a Bt maize-based diet for 80 days (Isogenic/Bt); 4) Bt maizebased diet for 30 days followed by an isogenic maize-based diet for 80 days (Bt/Isogenic). Enterobacteriaceae, Lactobacillus and total anaerobes were enumerated in the feces using culture-based methods on days 0, 30, 60 and 100 of the study and in ileal and cecal digesta on day 110. No differences were found between treatments for any of these counts at any time point. The relative abundance of cecal bacteria was also determined using high-throughput 16 S rRNA gene sequencing. No differences were observed in any bacterial taxa between treatments, with the exception of the genus Holdemania which was more abundant in the cecum of pigs fed the isogenic/Bt treatment compared to pigs fed the Bt treatment (0.012 vs 0.003%; P#0.05). Conclusions/Significance: Feeding pigs a Bt maize-based diet for 110 days did not affect counts of any of the culturable bacteria enumerated in the feces, ileum or cecum. Neither did it influence the composition of the cecal microbiota, with the exception of a minor increase in the genus Holdemania. As the role of Holdemania in the intestine is still under investigatio

Genome Mining for Radical SAM Protein Determinants Reveals Multiple Sactibiotic-Like Gene Clusters

Thuricin CD is a two-component bacteriocin produced by Bacillus thuringiensis that kills a wide range of clinically significant Clostridium difficile. This bacteriocin has recently been characterized and consists of two distinct peptides, Trnβ and Trnα, which both possess 3 intrapeptide sulphur to α-carbon bridges and act synergistically. Indeed, thuricin CD and subtilosin A are the only antimicrobials known to possess these unusual structures and are known as the sactibiotics (sulplur to alpha carbon-containing antibiotics). Analysis of the thuricin CD-associated gene cluster revealed the presence of genes encoding two highly unusual SAM proteins (TrnC and TrnD) which are proposed to be responsible for these unusual post-translational modifications. On the basis of the frequently high conservation among enzymes responsible for the post-translational modification of specific antimicrobials, we performed an in silico screen for novel thuricin CD–like gene clusters using the TrnC and TrnD radical SAM proteins as driver sequences to perform an initial homology search against the complete non-redundant database. Fifteen novel thuricin CD–like gene clusters were identified, based on the presence of TrnC and TrnD homologues in the context of neighbouring genes encoding potential bacteriocin structural peptides. Moreover, metagenomic analysis revealed that TrnC or TrnD homologs are present in a variety of metagenomic environments, suggesting a widespread distribution of thuricin-like operons in a variety of environments. In-silico analysis of radical SAM proteins is sufficient to identify novel putative sactibiotic clusters

Stereo-Selectivity of Human Serum Albumin to Enantiomeric and Isoelectronic Pollutants Dissected by Spectroscopy, Calorimetry and Bioinformatics

1–naphthol (1N), 2–naphthol (2N) and 8–quinolinol (8H) are general water pollutants. 1N and 2N are the configurational enantiomers and 8H is isoelectronic to 1N and 2N. These pollutants when ingested are transported in the blood by proteins like human serum albumin (HSA). Binding of these pollutants to HSA has been explored to elucidate the specific selectivity of molecular recognition by this multiligand binding protein. The association constants (Kb) of these pollutants to HSA were moderate (104–105 M−1). The proximity of the ligands to HSA is also revealed by their average binding distance, r, which is estimated to be in the range of 4.39–5.37 nm. The binding free energy (ΔG) in each case remains effectively the same for each site because of enthalpy–entropy compensation (EEC). The difference observed between ΔCpexp and ΔCpcalc are suggested to be caused by binding–induced flexibility changes in the HSA. Efforts are also made to elaborate the differences observed in binding isotherms obtained through multiple approaches of calorimetry, spectroscopy and bioinformatics. We suggest that difference in dissociation constants of pollutants by calorimetry, spectroscopic and computational approaches could correspond to occurrence of different set of populations of pollutants having different molecular characteristics in ground state and excited state. Furthermore, our observation of enhanced binding of pollutants (2N and 8H) in the presence of hemin signifies that ligands like hemin may enhance the storage period of these pollutants in blood that may even facilitate the ill effects of these pollutants

Using death to one's advantage: HIV modulation of apoptosis

Infection by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with an early immune dysfunction and progressive destruction of CD4+ T lymphocytes. This progressive disappearance of T cells leads to a lack of immune control of HIV replication and to the development of immune deficiency resulting in the increased occurrence of opportunistic infections associated with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The HIV-induced, premature destruction of lymphocytes is associated with the continuous production of HIV viral proteins that modulate apoptotic pathways. The viral proteins, such as Tat, Env, and Nef, are associated with chronic immune activation and the continuous induction of apoptotic factors. Viral protein expression predisposes lymphocytes, particularly CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and antigen-presenting cells, to evolve into effectors of apoptosis and as a result, to lead to the destruction of healthy, non-infected T cells. Tat and Nef, along with Vpu, can also protect HIV-infected cells from apoptosis by increasing anti-apoptotic proteins and down- regulating cell surface receptors recognized by immune system cells. This review will discuss the validity of the apoptosis hypothesis in HIV disease and the potential mechanism(s) that HIV proteins perform in the progressive T cell depletion observed in AIDS pathogenesis. Originally published Leukemia, Vol. 15, No. 3, Mar 200

Neurogenic bladder: etiology and assessment

A review of the various causes of neurologic impairment to the lower urinary tract in children was the aim of this presentation. The emphasis was on diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment that strive to maintain as normal a function as possible in order to achieve eventual urinary continence and health of the upper urinary tract. The latest principles based on the most up to date evidence are promulgated but with an eye towards historical prospective. The reader should gain an adequate understanding of various disorders that comprise this condition and feel comfortable with proposing options for management when faced with the responsibility of caring for an affected child

The Role of Canine Distemper Virus and Persistent Organic Pollutants in Mortality Patterns of Caspian Seals (Pusa caspica)

Persistent organic pollutants are a concern for species occupying high trophic levels since they can cause immunosuppression and impair reproduction. Mass mortalities due to canine distemper virus (CDV) occurred in Caspian seals (Pusa caspica), in spring of 1997, 2000 and 2001, but the potential role of organochlorine exposure in these epizootics remains undetermined. Here we integrate Caspian seal mortality data spanning 1971-2008, with data on age, body condition, pathology and blubber organochlorine concentration for carcases stranded between 1997 and 2002. We test the hypothesis that summed PCB and DDT concentrations contributed to CDV associated mortality during epizootics. We show that age is the primary factor explaining variation in blubber organochlorine concentrations, and that organochlorine burden, age, sex, and body condition do not account for CDV infection status (positive/negative) of animals dying in epizootics. Most animals (57%, n = 67) had PCB concentrations below proposed thresholds for toxic effects in marine mammals (17 μg/g lipid weight), and only 3 of 67 animals had predicted TEQ values exceeding levels seen to be associated with immune suppression in harbour seals (200 pg/g lipid weight). Mean organonchlorine levels were higher in CDV-negative animals indicating that organochlorines did not contribute significantly to CDV mortality in epizootics. Mortality monitoring in Azerbaijan 1971-2008 revealed bi-annual stranding peaks in late spring, following the annual moult and during autumn migrations northwards. Mortality peaks comparable to epizootic years were also recorded in the 1970s-1980s, consistent with previous undocumented CDV outbreaks. Gompertz growth curves show that Caspian seals achieve an asymptotic standard body length of 126-129 cm (n = 111). Males may continue to grow slowly throughout life. Mortality during epizootics may exceed the potential biological removal level (PBR) for the population, but the low frequency of epizootics suggest they are of secondary importance compared to anthropogenic sources of mortality such as fishing by-catch

ZNF280BY and ZNF280AY: autosome derived Y-chromosome gene families in Bovidae

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recent progress in exploring the Y-chromosome gene content in humans, mice and cats have suggested that "autosome-to-Y" transposition of the male fertility genes is a recurrent theme during the mammalian Y-chromosome evolution. These transpositions are lineage-dependent. The purpose of this study is to investigate the lineage-specific Y-chromosome genes in bovid.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We took a direct testis cDNA selection strategy and discovered two novel gene families, <it>ZNF280BY </it>and <it>ZNF280AY</it>, on the bovine (<it>Bos taurus</it>) Y-chromosome (BTAY), which originated from the transposition of a gene block on the bovine chromosome 17 (BTA17) and subsequently amplified. Approximately 130 active <it>ZNF280BY </it>loci (and ~240 pseudogenes) and ~130 pseudogenized <it>ZNF280AY </it>copies are present over the majority of the male-specific region (MSY). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that both gene families fit with the "birth-and-death" model of evolution. The active <it>ZNF280BY </it>loci share high sequence similarity and comprise three major genomic structures, resulted from insertions/deletions (indels). Assembly of a 1.2 Mb BTAY sequence in the MSY ampliconic region demonstrated that <it>ZNF280BY </it>and <it>ZNF280AY</it>, together with <it>HSFY </it>and <it>TSPY </it>families, constitute the major elements within the repeat units. The <it>ZNF280BY </it>gene family was found to express in different developmental stages of testis with sense RNA detected in all cell types of the seminiferous tubules while the antisense RNA detected only in the spermatids. Deep sequencing of the selected cDNAs revealed that different loci of <it>ZNF280BY </it>were differentially expressed up to 60-fold. Interestingly, different copies of the <it>ZNF280AY </it>pseudogenes were also found to differentially express up to 10-fold. However, expression level of the <it>ZNF280AY </it>pseudogenes was almost 6-fold lower than that of the <it>ZNF280BY </it>genes. <it>ZNF280BY </it>and <it>ZNF280AY </it>gene families are present in bovid, but absent in other mammalian lineages.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>ZNF280BY </it>and <it>ZNF280AY </it>are lineage-specific, multi-copy Y-gene families specific to <it>Bovidae</it>, and are derived from the transposition of an autosomal gene block. The temporal and spatial expression patterns of <it>ZNF280BY</it>s in testis suggest a role in spermatogenesis. This study offers insights into the genomic organization of the bovine MSY and gene regulation in spermatogenesis, and provides a model for studying evolution of multi-copy gene families in mammals.</p