Fotodinamička inaktivacija patogene bakterije Listeria monocytogenes u hrani

The aim of this study is to examine the possibility to inactivate food pathogen Listeria monocytogenes by nonthermal antimicrobial treatment – photosensitization. L. monocytogenes was incubated with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) (7.5 mM) for 0–2 h to produce endogenous photosensitizers and then illuminated with visible light. The LED-based light source used for the illumination of L. monocytogenes emitted light at λ=400 nm with energy density of 20 mW/cm2. The illumination time varied from 0 to 20 min, and a total energy dose reached 0–24 J/cm2. The obtained results reveal that L. monocytogenes can effectively produce endogenous porphyrins after incubation with 7.5 mM ALA. Subsequent illumination of cells with visible light significantly decreased their viability in vitro (4 log). After adhesion of Listeria to the surface of packaging material and following photosensitization, the surface-attached bacterial population was inactivated by 3.7 log. In addition, most resistant Listeria biofilms are susceptible to this treatment. Their inactivation reached 3.1 log under certain experimental conditions. The cells and biofilms of Gram-positive bacteria L. monocytogenes ATCL3C 7644 could be effectively inactivated by ALA-based photosensitization in the solution as well as adhered onto the surface of packaging material in a nonthermal way.Svrha je ovoga rada bila istražiti mogućnost inaktivacije patogene bakterije Listeria monocytogenes u hrani fotosenzitivnom, tj. netermičkom antimikrobnom metodom. Nakon inkubacije sa 7,5 mM 5-aminolevulinske kiseline (ALA), tijekom 0-2 h, bakterija L. monocytogenes je proizvela endogene fotoaktivne tvari, nakon čega je osvijetljena vidljivom svjetlošću. Za to je upotrijebljena LED svjetiljka koja emitira svjetlost valne duljine λ=400 nm, s gustoćom energije od 20 mW/cm2. Vrijeme je osvjetljenja variralo od 0 do 20 min, a ukupna je doza svjetla bila 0–24 J/cm2. Dobiveni su rezultati pokazali da L. monocytogenes nakon inkubacije sa 7,5 mM ALA učinkovito proizvodi endogene porfirine. Osvjetljavanjem stanica bakterija vidljivom svjetlošću bitno se smanjila njihova sposobnost preživljavanja in vitro za 4 log. Nakon fotosensitizacije stanica bakterija pričvršćenih na površinu materijala za pakiranje, njihova je populacija smanjena za 3,7 log. Obradom je čak smanjen i broj stanica otpornog biofilma za 3,1 log. Utvrđeno je da se stanice i biofilmovi Gram-pozitivne bakterije L. monocytogenes ATCL3C 7644, u otopini ili pričvršćene na površinu materijala za pakiranje, mogu uspješno inaktivirati fotosensitizacijom pomoću ALA

How ethnic and linguistic heterogeneity influence the prospects for civil society: A comparative study of citizenship behavior

While the positive consequences of social capital and civil society are widely accepted and appreciated, the question of how they originate and can be sustained has received relatively little attention from scholars. In this study, we approach this question from a cross-national and individual-level perspective by examining how population heterogeneity in the form of ethnic and linguistic diversity affects citizenship behavior, measured by cognitive and interpersonal engagement about politics, membership in voluntary associations, and interpersonal trust. Based on data collected in 44 countries, our analyses show that heterogeneity does affect the quality of civil society in a country. However, indicators of population heterogeneity do not have uniformly positive or negative effects on individual-level measures of civil society - while they reduce some, they shore up others. © 2006 Southern Political Science Association

Innovative Nonthermal Technologies: Chlorophyllin and Visible Light Significantly Reduce Microbial Load on Basil

Bosiljak je jedna od najpopularnijih začinskih biljaka zbog velikog udjela biološki aktivnih spojeva. Međutim, u svijetu je zabilježeno nekoliko epidemija uzrokovanih konzumacijom bosiljka kontaminiranog raznim patogenim bakterijama. Svrha je ovoga rada bila primijeniti netermički i ekološki prihvatljiv postupak fotosenzibilizacije za mikrobiološku kontrolu bosiljka, prirodno kontaminiranog mezofilnim bakterijama te inokuliranog termorezistentom patogenom bakterijom Listeria monocytogenes 56Ly. Dobiveni rezultati pokazuju da je nakon uranjanja bosiljka u otopinu klorofilina koncentracije od 1,5·10^(-4) M tijekom 15 min i izlaganja vidljivoj svjetlosti valne duljine od 405 nm tijekom 15 min bitno smanjen broj ukuphih aerobnih mikrooganizama, i to za 1,3 log CFU/g, te termorezistentne L. monocytogenes 56Ly, i to sa 6,1 log CFU/g u kontrolnom uzorku na 4,5 log CFU/g u tretiranim uzorcima. Bitno je naglasiti da ovaj postupak nije utjecao na aktivnosti polifenol oksidaze i pektin esteraze. Dobiveni rezultati potkrijepljuju ideju da bi se u budućnosti fotosenzibilizacija, zbog svoje velike selektivnosti, antimikrobnog učinka i netermičkog djelovanja, mogla upotrijebiti za razvoj sigurnog, netermičkog i ekološki prihvatljivog postupka konzerviranja različitih vrsta voća i povrća.Due to the high amount of biologically active compounds, basil is one of the most popular herbs. However, several outbreaks have been reported in the world due to the consumption of basil contaminated with different food pathogens. The aim of this study is to apply nonthermal and ecologically friendly approach based on photosensitization for microbial control of basil which was naturally contaminated with mesophils and inoculated with thermoresistant food pathogen Listeria monocytogenes 56Ly. The obtained data indicate that soaking the basil in 1.5·10^(-4) M chlorophyllin (Chl) for 15 min and illumination with light for 15 min at 405 nm significantly reduced total aerobic microorganisms on basil by 1.3 log CFU/g, and thermoresistant L. monocytogenes 56Ly from 6.1 log CFU/g in control to 4.5 log CFU/g in the treated samples. It is important to note that this treatment had no impact on enzymatic activity of polyphenol oxidase and pectinesterase. Results obtained in this study support the idea that photosensitization technique with its high selectivity, antimicrobial efficiency and nonthermal nature can serve in the future for the development of safe nonthermal and environmentally friendly preservation technology for different fruits and vegetables

The sensory quality of meat, game, poultry, seafood and meat products as affected by intense light pulses: A systematic review

The effect of intense light pulses (ILP) on sensory quality of 16 different varieties of meat, meat products, game, poultry and seafood are reviewed. Changes induced by ILP are animal species, type of meat product and fluences applied dependent. ILP significantly deteriorates sensory quality of cooked meat products. It causes less change in the sensory properties of dry cured than cooked meat products while fermented sausage is least affected. The higher fluence applied significantly changes the instrumental color values of meat, poultry, game and meat products. The use of ILP on seafood regarding its influence on sensory quality is promising

In the eye of the beholder? The foundations of subjective human rights conditions in East-Central Europe

Using cross-national survey data and information on government practices concerning human rights collected in 17 post-Communist states in Central and Eastern Europe, the authors examine the determinants of people's attitudes about their country's human rights situation. They find that not all people in countries that systematically violate human rights develop more negative opinions about their country's human rights situation. However, results show high levels of disregard for human rights strongly affect evaluations of human rights practices among individuals with higher levels of education. Thus better educated respondents were significantly more likely to say there was respect for human rights in their country if they lived in a country with fewer violations of the integrity of the person or that protected political and civil rights; conversely, they were less likely to say so if they lived in a more repressive country or a country where political and civil rights were frequently violated. © 2005 Sage Publications

SENTIREC - The sentinel node mapping in women with cervical cancer study:Patient-reported early lymphedema and its impact on quality of life

Objective:  To evaluate patient-reported incidence and severity of early lymphedema and its impact on quality of life (QoL) after sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping only and after SLN and pelvic lymphadenectomy (PL) in women undergoing surgery for early-stage cervical cancer. Methods:  In a national prospective multicenter study, we included women with early-stage cervical cancer from March 2017-January 2021 to undergo radical surgery including SLN mapping. Women with tumors >20 mm underwent completion PL. The incidence and severity of early lymphedema and its influence on QoL were evaluated using validated patient-reported outcome measures before surgery and three months postoperative. We investigated changes over time using linear regression. Results:  Two hundred of 245 (81.6%) included women completed questionnaires at baseline and three months postoperatively. The incidence of early lymphedema was 5.6% (95% CI 2.1-11.8%) and 32.3% (95% CI 22.9-42.7%) in women who underwent SLN mapping only and SLN + PL, respectively. Lymphedema symptoms in the legs, genitals, and groins increased in both groups postoperatively but three times more in women who underwent PL. Lymphedema symptoms after SLN + PL significantly impaired physical performance (p = 0.001) and appearance (p = 0.007). Reporting lymphedema was significantly associated with impaired body image, physical-, role-, and social functioning, and a high level of fatigue. Conclusions:  SLN mapping alone carries a low risk of lymphedema in women undergoing surgery for early-stage cervical cancer. In contrast, completion PL is associated with a high incidence of early lymphedema. Reporting lymphedema is associated with significant impairment of several physical, psychological, and social aspects of QoL

Psychometric validation of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer–Quality of Life Questionnaire Sexual Health (EORTC QLQ-SH22)

BACKGROUND: The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Group developed a questionnaire to assess sexual health in patients with cancer and cancer survivors. This study evaluates the psychometric properties of the questionnaire. METHODS: The 22-item EORTC sexual health questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-SH22) was administered with the EORTC QLQ-C30 to 444 patients with cancer. The hypothesised scale structure, reliability and validity were evaluated through standardised psychometric procedures. RESULTS: The cross-cultural field study showed that the majority of patients (94.7%) were able to complete the QLQ-SH22 in less than 20 min; 89% of the study participants did not need any help to fill in the questionnaire. Multi-item multi-trait scaling analysis confirmed the hypothesised scale structure with two multi-item scales (sexual satisfaction, sexual pain) and 11 single items (including five conditional items and four gender-specific items). The internal consistency yielded acceptable Cronbach's alpha coefficients (.90 for the sexual satisfaction scale, .80 for the sexual pain scale). The test-retest correlations (Pearson's r) ranged from .70 to .93 except for the scale communication with professionals (.67) and male body image (.69). The QLQ-SH22 discriminates well between subgroups of patients differing in terms of their performance and treatment status. CONCLUSION: The study supports the reliability, the content and construct validity of the QLQ-SH22. The newly developed questionnaire is clinically applicable to assess sexual health of patients with cancer at different treatment stages and during survivorship for clinical trials and for clinical practice

Systemic virus infection results in CD8 T cell recruitment to the retina in the absence of local virus infection

During recent years, evidence has emerged that immune privileged sites such as the CNS and the retina may be more integrated in the systemic response to infection than was previously believed. In line with this, it was recently shown that a systemic acute virus infection leads to infiltration of CD8 T cells in the brains of immunocompetent mice. In this study, we extend these findings to the neurological tissue of the eye, namely the retina. We show that an acute systemic virus infection in mice leads to a transient CD8 T cell infiltration in the retina that is not directed by virus infection inside the retina. CD8 T cells were found throughout the retinal tissue, and had a high expression of CXCR6 and CXCR3, as also reported for tissue residing CD8 T cells in the lung and liver. We also show that the pigment epithelium lining the retina expresses CXCL16 (the ligand for CXCR6) similar to epithelial cells of the lung. Thus, our results suggest that the retina undergoes immune surveillance during a systemic infection, and that this surveillance appears to be directed by mechanisms similar to those described for non-privileged tissues

Phase II trial of tamoxifen and goserelin in recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer

Endocrine therapy is a recognised option in the treatment of chemo-resistant ovarian cancer. We conducted a nonrandomised phase II evaluation of combination endocrine therapy with tamoxifen and goserelin in patients with advanced ovarian cancer that had recurred following chemotherapy. In total, 26 patients entered the study, of which 17 had platinum-resistant disease. The median age was 63 years and enrolled patients had received a median of three chemotherapy regimens prior to trial entry. Patients were given oral tamoxifen 20 mg twice daily on a continuous basis and subcutaneous goserelin 3.6 mg once a month until disease progression. Using the definition of endocrine response that included patients with stable disease (SD) of 6 months or greater, the overall response rate (clinical benefit rate) was 50%. This included one complete response (CR) (3.8%), two partial responses (PR) (7.7%) and 10 patients with SD (38.5%). The median progression-free interval (PFI) was 4 months (95% CI 2.4–9.6) while the median overall survival (OS) was 13.6 months (95% CI 5.5–30.6). Four patients received treatment for more than 2 years (range 1–31) and one of them is still on treatment. In none of the four patients was there any evidence of recurrent or cumulative treatment related toxicity. Treatment-limiting toxicity was not seen in any of the study population. Endocrine data demonstrated a marked suppression of luteinising hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to less than 4% of baseline values. No consistent correlation could be established between LH/FSH suppression and tumour response. Likewise no relationship was observed between Inhibin A/B and pro-alpha C levels and tumour response. Inhibin is unlikely to be a useful surrogate marker for response in locally advanced or metastatic ovarian cancer. Combination endocrine therapy with tamoxifen and goserelin is an active regimen in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer patients. Hormonal therapy is advantageous in its relative lack of toxicity, ease of administration and tolerability, thus making it suitable for patients with heavily pretreated disease, compromised bone marrow function and other comorbid conditions that contraindicate cytotoxic therapy as well as in patients with indolent disease