Enhancement of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus antibiotic susceptibility using sesquiterpenoids

The present work examines the potential of sesquiterpenoids to sensitize Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and modulate their susceptibility to the standard antibiotics ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, gentamicin and vancomycin. It was tested samples of three sesquiterpenoids: guaiazulene, nerolidol (racemic mixture of the cis and trans isomers) and germacrene D enriched natural extract. Experiments were conducted aiming to assess the antimicrobial effects of the antibiotic-sesquiterpenoid combination on bacterial growth inhibition, by the disc diffusion assay and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assessment, the bactericidal effects, the post-antibiotic effect (PAE) and the effect on membrane permeability. The data related with the antimicrobial activity evidenced, through the disc diffusion assay, an antibiotic S. aureus antimicrobial activity enhancement by sesquiterpenoids presence. The MIC value for E. coli decreased significantly by sesquiterpenoids combination with ciprofloxacin, erythromycin and gentamicin, and for S. aureus, with all four selected antibiotics. This combination also increased the PAE, with the exception of guaiazulene, which seemed to quench antibiotic antimicrobial action. A moderate correlation between antimicrobial action and impairment of cell membrane function was detected for germacrene D enriched extract, and nerolidol, as single treatments and in combination with antibiotic, while a poor correlation was obtained for guaiazulene. This study provides basis for the evaluation of sesquiterpenoids as alternative or possible synergistic compounds for current antimicrobial chemotherapeutics, showing the practical utility of natural derived products to increase the susceptibility of E. coli and S. aureus.The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (Project CHEMBIO-POCI/BIO/61872/2004, CIENCIA2007 - Manuel Simoes

Comprehensive Insight into the Elderflowers and Elderberries (Sambucus nigra L.) Mono and Sesquiterpenic Metabolites: Factors that Modulate Their Composition

Plant secondary metabolites are synthesized for their protection and regulation purposes. Quite often, due to their properties, these metabolites have relevant organoleptic and biological properties and can play important roles in human health and general well-being. A relevant case study in this context is berries and flowers from Sambucus nigra L., which have been used for generations in folk medicine. Although those effects are mainly linked to phenolic compounds, mono and sesquiterpenic secondary metabolites may also play a key role. Despite their potential, S. nigra mono and sesquiterpenic compounds are yet largely unexplored. Complex and dynamic external and internal plant-related phenomena deeply affect terpenes profile, as metabolism, abiotic and biotic stresses, and understanding these phenomena is the first step for S. nigra berries and flowers’ valuation. This chapter will cover aspects linked to elder plant uses, mono and sesquiterpenic composition, and the influence of preharvest and postharvest effects over these metabolites. This knowledge is crucial for scientists and industries to understand and improve the quality of S. nigra-based products

Unraveling the Potential Usefulness in Clinical Practice Using Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis

Project No. 007491 Project No. 029114 LA/P/0140/2020 Centro-01-0145-FEDER-000019-C4The human Six-Transmembrane Epithelial Antigen of the Prostate (STEAP) family com-prises STEAP1-4. Several studies have pointed out STEAP proteins as putative biomarkers, as well as therapeutic targets in several types of human cancers, particularly in prostate cancer. However, the relationships and significance of the expression pattern of STEAP1-4 in cancer cases are barely known. Herein, the Oncomine database and cBioPortal platform were selected to predict the differential expression levels of STEAP members and clinical prognosis. The most common expression pattern observed was the combination of the over-and underexpression of distinct STEAP genes, but cervical and gastric cancer and lymphoma showed overexpression of all STEAP genes. It was also found that STEAP genes’ expression levels were already deregulated in benign lesions. Regarding the prognostic value, it was found that STEAP1 (prostate), STEAP2 (brain and central nervous system), STEAP3 (kidney, leukemia and testicular) and STEAP4 (bladder, cervical, gastric) overexpression correlate with lower patient survival rate. However, in prostate cancer, overexpression of the STEAP4 gene was correlated with a higher survival rate. Overall, this study first showed that the expression levels of STEAP genes are highly variable in human cancers, which may be related to different patients’ outcomes.publishersversionpublishe

Food design contribution to democracy through infantile education: organoleptic sensations evaluation as a complement to nutritional monitoring

Este estudo exploratório, enquadrado numa investigação em food design, tem por objectivo aferir o acervo organoléptico em cidadãos infantis (entre os 3 e os 5 anos de idade), provenientes de diferentes estratos sociais. A investigação baseia-se na avaliação estatística de inquérito submetido, estruturado pelo círculo gustativo da cultura atlântico-mediterrânica de onde provém a amostra (duas escolas na área metropolitana do Porto, Portugal). Da submissão olfactiva a 20 produtos, distribuídos por 12 tipos gustativos, conclui-seuma diferença significativa de 54% no grupo socioeconómico mais favorecido contra os 38% ao grupo mais deprimido, assim se evidenciando uma clara assimetria entre os grupos analisados.Inferindo-se causalidade entre o acervo organoléptico adquirido até aos 5 anos de vida e a posterior capacidade para adquirir novos comportamentos alimentares, reconhece-se que a alimentação infantil deve ser avaliada não só na perspectiva nutricional mas, e complementarmente, na perspectiva cultural, assim dotando os indivíduos de maior flexibilidade à inovação e adaptação ao futuro. Consequentemente, identificamos que o Estado Democrático, na sua responsabilidade de promoção igualitária de desenvolvimento social, deverá, a par da educação nutricional já implementada, acrescentar o novo domínio das competências organolépticas, promovendo cidadãos mais aptos ao progresso social, económico e sanitário.This exploratory study, framed by an investigation on food design, has as its goal to assess the organoleptic acquis on infant citizens (aged 3 - 5), from different socio-economic groups. The investigation is based on the statistical evaluation of a questionnaire survey, structured by the taxonomic circle of Atlantic-Mediterranean taste where the sample comes from (two schools from the metropolitan area of Porto, Portugal).Concerning the olfactory submission to 20 products, distributed in 12 types, it was concludedthattherewasa54%significantdifferenceonthemostfavouredsocio-economicgroup, comparing the 38% of the most depressed group, therefore highlighting a clear asymmetry between the analysed groups.Inferring a nexus of causality between the organoleptic archive acquired until the age of 5 years, and the subsequent ability to acquire new nutritional habits, it is recognised that infant nutrition must be evaluated not only concerning the nutrition perspective but, and comple-mentarily, the cultural perspective, thereby providing individuals with a greater flexibility to innovation and adjustment to the future. Consequently, we identify that the Democratic State, regarding its accountability of promoting social development, should, alongside with the nutritional education already implemented, add the new domain of organoleptic skills, promoting more suitable citizens to social, economic and sanitary progress.publishe

Relationship with inflammatory and clinical phenotypes and prognostic implications

Bronchial asthma is a chronic disease that affects individuals of all ages. It has a high prevalence and is associated with high morbidity and considerable levels of mortality. However, asthma is not a single disease, and multiple subtypes or phenotypes (clinical, inflammatory or combinations thereof) can be detected, namely in aggregated clusters. Most studies have characterised asthma phenotypes and clusters of phenotypes using mainly clinical and inflammatory parameters. These studies are important because they may have clinical and prognostic implications and may also help to tailor personalised treatment approaches. In addition, various metabolomics studies have helped to further define the metabolic features of asthma, using electronic noses or targeted and untargeted approaches. Besides discriminating between asthma and a healthy state, metabolomics can detect the metabolic signatures associated with some asthma subtypes, namely eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic phenotypes or the obese asthma phenotype, and this may prove very useful in point-of-care application. Furthermore, metabolomics also discriminates between asthma and other “phenotypes” of chronic obstructive airway diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or Asthma–COPD Overlap (ACO). However, there are still various aspects that need to be more thoroughly investigated in the context of asthma phenotypes in adequately designed, homogeneous, multicentre studies, using adequate tools and integrating metabolomics into a multiple-level approach.publishersversionpublishe

A comprehensive look into the volatile exometabolome of enteroxic and non-enterotoxic Staphylococcus aureus strains

Staphylococcal food poisoning is a disease that originates significant health and economic losses and is caused by Staphylococcus aureus strains able to produce enterotoxins. The aim of this work is to go further on the study of the volatile exometabolome of S. aureus using an advanced gas chromatographic technique. Enterotoxic and non-enterotoxic strains were assessed. The volatile exometabolome profile comprised 240 volatiles belonging to ten chemical families. This volatiles were mainly by-products of branched-chain amino acids and methionine degradation, pyruvate metabolism, diacetyl pathway, oxidative stress and carotenoid cleavage. Metabolites released by the first two pathways were produced in higher contents by the enterotoxic strains. This study add further insights to S. aureus volatile exometabolome, and also shows that by applying it, it is possible to distinguish strains of S. aureus by the number of produced enterotoxins, which is especially important from the food safety point of view.publishe

Antioxidant and anti-browning activity of different bioactive compounds

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sorbent coatings for solid-phase microextraction targeted towards the analysis of death-related polar analytes coupled to comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography: comparison of zwitterionic polymeric ionic liquids versus commercial coatings

Decomposition of bodies generates several types of polar volatile organic compounds (VOCs), whose types, patterns and ratios change during the various stages of decomposition and, therefore, their determination has huge potential to provide useful information to disclose events related to the time of death, or body surrounding environment. As sample preparation is a mandatory key-point in a method development, this research aims to develop a simple, accurate and rapid approach to study death-related polar VOCs based on headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-ToFMS) analysis. The performance of zwitterionic PIL-based fibers (containing a [VIm+C9COO−] monomer and a [(VIm)2C122+]-2Br− crosslinker), tailored for polar compounds, was evaluated for a set of 19 analytes associated with the unique odour created by decomposing bodies, and it was compared to the commercially-available fibers: divinylbenzene/carboxen/poly(dimethylsiloxane) – DVB/CAR/PDMS, poly(dimethylsiloxane)/divinylbenzene – PDMS/DVB and polyacrylate (PA). Fibers with absorptive-type mechanism, such as PA and PIL, showed the best results in the balance of the parameters studied, being able to detect analytes at ng level and providing a profile representative of the headspace composition, thus they may represent a useful tool to respond to current challenges in forensic taphonomy. The reproducibility (with relative standard deviation lower than 18%, depending on the analyte) and relative recoveries (higher than 99.1%) were similar and acceptable for both fibers. The zwitterionic PIL, with ca. 4 times smaller film thickness than PA, still has potential to have the best performance, supported by the efforts to obtain thicker sorbent coatings.publishe

ReStoragePear: development of strategies to the prevention of superficial scald and internal browning in the Rocha pear and quality assurance in long-term storage

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Antioxidant and anti-browning activity of different bioactive compounds

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio