Immunohistochemical characteristics of porcine intrahepatic nerves under physiological conditions and after bisphenol A administration

Background: The neurochemistry of hepatic nerve fibres was investigated in large animal models after dietary exposure to the endocrine disrupting compound known as bisphenol A (BPA).   Materials and methods: Antibodies against neuronal peptides were used to study changes in hepatic nerve fibres after exposure to BPA at varying concentrations using standard immunofluorescence techniques. The neuropeptides investigated were substance P (SP), galanin (GAL), pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP), calcitonin gene regulated peptide (CGRP) and cocaine and amphetamine regulated transcript (CART). Immunoreactive nerve fibres were counted in multiple sections of the liver and among multiple animals at varying exposure levels. The data was pooled and presented as mean ± standard error of the mean.   Results: It was found that all of the nerve fibres investigated showed upregulation of these neural markers after BPA exposure, even at exposure levels currently considered to be safe. These results show very dramatic increases in nerve fibres containing the above-mentioned neuropeptides and the altered neurochemical levels may be causing a range of pathophysiological states if the trend of over-expression is extrapolated to developing humans.   Conclusions: This may have serious implications for children and young adults who are exposed to this very common plastic polymer, if the same trends are occurring in humans

Less is more: possibility and necessity as centres of gravity in a usage-based classification of core modals in Polish

In this paper we present the results of an empirical study into the cognitive reality of existing classifications of modality using Polish data. We analyzed random samples of 250 independent observations for the 7 most frequent modal words (móc, można, musieć, należy, powinien, trzeba, wolno), extracted from the Polish national corpus. Observations were annotated for modal type according to a number of classifications, including van der Auwera and Plungian (1998), as well as for morphological, syntactic and semantic properties using the Behavioral Profiling approach (Divjak and Gries 2006). Multiple correspondence analysis and (polytomous) regression models were used to determine how well modal type and usage align. These corpus-based findings were validated experimentally. In a forced choice task, naive native speakers were exposed to definitions and prototypical examples of modal types or functions, then labeled a number of authentic corpus sentences accordingly. In the sorting task, naive native speakers sorted authentic corpus sentences into semantically coherent groups. We discuss the results of our empirical study as well as the issues involved in building usage-based accounts on traditional linguistic classifications

Influenza vaccination for immunocompromised patients: systematic review and meta-analysis from a public health policy perspective.

Immunocompromised patients are vulnerable to severe or complicated influenza infection. Vaccination is widely recommended for this group. This systematic review and meta-analysis assesses influenza vaccination for immunocompromised patients in terms of preventing influenza-like illness and laboratory confirmed influenza, serological response and adverse events

Wpływ dojrzałości ziemniaka na zmiany zawartości polisacharydów nieskrobiowych i ligniny w bulwach

Materiał do badań stanowiły próby bulw sześciu polskich odmian ziemniaka: Aster, Orlik, Mila, Irga, Bryza, Arkadia. Doświadczenie polowe założono w latach 1998-2000. Ziemniaki do badań laboratoryjnych pobierano z poletek w trzech terminach, w ilości po około 20 kg z każdego terminu sprzętu. Zaraz po zbiorze ziemniaków z pola oznaczono w nich zawartość suchej masy i skrobi. Pozostałe ziemniaki zliofilizowano. Suchy surowiec stanowił materiał do oznaczeń zawartości polisacharydów nieskrobiowych i ligniny, w tym pektyn ogółem, celulozy, hemiceluloz i ligniny. Na podstawie przeprowadzonych badań stwierdzono, że badane odmiany ziemniaków różniły się między sobą istotnie zawartością suchej masy i skrobi oraz ilością substancji pektynowych i celulozy. W miarę dojrzewania bulw (trzy terminy zbioru) wzrastała w nich zawartość zarówno skrobi jak i polisacharydów nieskrobiowych. W ramach NSP i ligniny największe zmiany stwierdzono w zawartości frakcji pektyn, celulozy i ligniny. W badanych ziemniakach największy udział w sumie polisacharydów nieskrobiowych i ligniny stanowiła frakcja hemiceluloz (29%), następnie celulozy (24%) i protopektyn (24%). Znacznie mniej było ligniny (14%) i pektyn rozpuszczalnych (7%).The raw material for the research were tubers of six potato cultivars: Aster, Orlik, Irga, Mila, Arkadia, Bryza. Field experiment was carried out in the years 1998-2000. Potatoes for laboratory research were collected from fields at three times, in the amount of about 20 kg each time. Immediately after collecting potatoes from the field, dry substance and starch content in tubers were determined. The remaining potatoes were freeze dried. Non-starch polysaccharides and lignin contents, including pectins in general, cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin were determined in the dry raw material. It was stated that investigated potato cultivars significantly differed from each other in respect of dry substance and starch contents as well as the amount of pectin substance and cellulose. Along with the maturing process of tubers (three harvesting periods) both starch content and non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) contents increased. In the NSP group and lignin the greatest differences were observed in pectin cellulose and lignin contents. In the investigated potatoes the highest participation in total non-starch polysaccharides and lignin had the hemicelluloses fraction (29%), then cellulose (26%) and protopectins (24%). The contents of lignin (14%) and soluble pectins (7%) were significantly lower

Wpływ dojrzałości ziemniaka jadalnego na jego konsystencję po ugotowaniu

Celem pracy było określenie wpływu dojrzałości bulw kilku odmian ziemniaka na ich konsystencję po ugotowaniu. Do badań użyto ziemniaki sześciu jadalnych odmian: bardzo wczesnych - Aster i Orlik, średnio wczesnych - Mila i Irga i średnio późnych - Bryza i Arkadia. Materiał do badań pochodził z trzech sezonów wegetacyjnych 1998-2000 r. W ziemniakach oznaczono zawartość suchej masy i skrobi oraz konsystencje po ugotowaniu. Stwierdzono, że badane odmiany ziemniaków różniły się teksturą bulw po ugotowaniu. Zwięzłą (twardą) konsystencją charakteryzowały się ziemniaki odmian Orlik i Mila a najbardziej miękką (delikatną) odmian Aster i Arkadia. W zależności od terminu sprzętu ziemniaków z pola zmieniała się zwięzłość miąższu bulw po ugotowaniu. Największe różnice w twardości bulw ugotowanych stwierdzono między I a II terminem zbioru, w ziemniakach odmian bardzo wczesnych Aster i Orlik oraz w odmianie średnio wczesnej Mila. Nie stwierdzono różnic w twardości ugotowanych ziemniaków odmian średnio późnych Arkadia i Bryza oraz odmiany średnio wczesnej Irga w zależności od stopnia dojrzałości.The purpose of the study was to determine the influence of maturity of several potato cultivars on the texture of cooked potato products. The material taken for the study consisted of 6 edible potato cultivars: very early - Aster and Orlik, medium early - Mila and Irga and medium late - Bryza and Arkadia. The material was collected in three growing seasons: 1998, 1999 and 2000. Dry matter and starch content and the texture of potato tubers were measured after cooking. The texture of cooked potatoes depend on the cultivar. Compact (hard) texture was characteristic for Orlik and Mila cultivars, while the softest (most delicate) were Aster and Arkadia cultivars. The compactness of flesh of cooked potato tubers showed variations connected with harvest time. The greatest differences in hardness were observed between potatoes from harvest-time I and II, i.e. very early cultivars (Aster and Orlik) and medium early (Mila). No differences in hardness of cooked potatoes in relation to potato tuber maturity were observed with middle late Arkadia and Bryza cultivar and middle early Irga cultivar

Changes in the content of vitamin C in potato tubers during the cooking and processing to fried and dried products

Celem podjętych badań było określenie wielkości zmian zawartości witaminy C w ziemniakach po ugotowaniu oraz na poszczególnych etapach technologicznych przerobu ziemniaka na frytki, czipsy i kostkę ziemniaczaną. Na podstawie przeprowadzonych badań stwierdzono, że początkowe etapy przerobu ziemniaków, jak obieranie i rozdrabnianie, spowodowały 6–15% straty witaminy C w porównaniu z jej zawartością w surowcu. Wielkość strat tej witaminy podczas krojenia ziemniaków i płukania w zimnej wodzie zależała od stopnia ich rozdrobnienia i wynosiła w ziemniakach pokrojonych na frytki 9%, a na kostkę i czipsy 15%. Po procesie blanszowania większe straty witaminy C odnotowano w bulwach rozdrobnionych na plasterki i kostkę (33%) w porównaniu z ziemniakami pokrojonymi na słupki (27%). Najmniejsze straty witaminy C w stosunku do jej zawartości w surowcu, stwierdzono podczas przygotowania ziemniaków gotowanych (46%) i frytek po I stopniu smażenia (55%). Straty witaminy C podczas produkcji czipsów wynosiły 83%, frytek po II stopniu smażenia 85% i kostki 93%.The objective of the research undertaken was to determine the magnitude level of changes in the content of vitamin C in potato tubers after cooking and in individual technological stages of processing them to French fries, chips, and potato dices. On the basis of the research performed, it was found that the initial stages of processing potatoes, such as peeling and grinding down, caused the content of vitamin C to decrease (get lost) by 6 to 15% if compared to its content in the raw material. The magnitude level of this loss of vitamin C during the stage of cutting potatoes and rinsing them in cold water depended on their grinding degree and amounted to: 9% - in the potatoes cut to form French fries; 15% - in the potatoes cut as dices and chips. After the blanching process accomplished, higher losses of vitamin C were noted in tubers ground down to form slices and dices (33%) compared to the potatoes cut as matchsticks (27%). Comparing with the content of vitamin C in raw material, its lowest loss level was found during the stage of processing the cooked potatoes (46%) and during the stage I of frying them to make French fries (55%). The loss levels of vitamin C content were as follows: 83% during the production of chips; 85% during the stage II of making French fries; 93% during the stage of making potato dices

Effect of pre-drying temperature on content of glycoalcaloids and nitrates (V) during laboratory production of dehydrated cooked potatoes

Celem pracy było określenie wpływu różnych temperatur podsuszania, stosowanych podczas laboratoryjnej produkcji suszu z ziemniaków gotowanych, na zawartość glikoalkaloidów (α-chakoniny i α-solaniny) i azotanów(V) w próbach pobranych z poszczególnych etapów doświadczenia technologicznego. Materiałem badawczym były ziemniaki pobierane bezpośrednio z przechowalni zakładu produkcyjnego. Z ziemniaków otrzymywano susz metodą laboratoryjną. Z każdego etapu produkcyjnego pobierano próby do oznaczeń laboratoryjnych, czyli: ziemniaki nieobrane, po obraniu, po blanszowaniu i schłodzeniu, po parowaniu oraz po wysuszeniu. Próby, oprócz ziemniaków wysuszonych, liofilizowano przy użyciu liofilizatora firmy Edwards. W ziemniakach, półproduktach, w produktach finalnych oraz w liofilizatach oznaczono suchą masę metodą suszarkową w temperaturze 102 ºC. W gotowych i zliofilizowanych produktach oznaczono zawartość azotanów(V) metodą kolorymetryczną, a zawartość α-solaniny i α-chakoniny metodą chromatografii cieczowej HPLC. Stwierdzono, że proces laboratoryjnej produkcji suszu z ziemniaka gotowanego miał wpływ na zawartość glikoalkaloidów i azotanów(V) w ziemniakach. Najwięcej glikoalkaloidów i azotanów ubyło po procesie obierania, blanszowania i suszenia. Ubytki glikoalkaloidów po procesie obierania ręcznego wynosiły 49 %, po blanszowaniu 7 %, a po wysuszeniu 10 %. Natomiast zawartość azotanów(V) po obraniu zmniejszyła się o 28 %, po blanszowaniu o 16 %, a po wysuszeniu o 17 %. Podsuszanie ziemniaków w różnych temperaturach wpłynęło na zmiany zawartości glikoalkaloidów w próbach. Najwięcej tych związków ubyło w temperaturze 160 ºC. Różnice pod względem zawartości α-chakoniny wynosiły 19 % (między produktem podsuszanym w temp. 130 i 160 ºC), a α-solaniny 23 %, natomiast temperatury podsuszania nie wpłynęły na zawartość azotanów. W gotowych produktach pozostało około 22 % początkowej zawartości α-chakoniny, 25 % α-solaniny i 28 % azotanów.The objective of this research study was to determine the effect of different pre-drying temperatures, applied during the laboratory production of dehydrated cooked potatoes, on the content of glycoalkaloids (α-chaconine and α-solanine) and nitrates(V) in the samples taken from individual phases of the technological experiment. The research material included potatoes taken directly in the production plant’s storage facility. Dried potatoes were produced using a laboratory method. Potato samples for assays in the laboratory were taken from every individual production phase, i.e.: unpeeled potatoes and potatoes after peeling, blanching, and cooling, as well as after steaming and drying. Except for the dried potatoes, the potato samples were lyophilized with the use of a liophilizator made by an Edwards Company. The content of dry matter was determined in the potatoes, semi-finished products, ready-to-eat products, and lyophilized products using a drying method at a temperature of 102 ºC. The content of nitrates(V) in the ready and lyophilized products was determined using a colorimetric method, and the content of α-solanine and α-chaconine therein by a liquid chromatography method (HPLC). It was found that the process of laboratory production of dehydrated cooked potato impacted the content of glycoalkaloids and nitrates(V) in the potatoes. After the peeling, blanching, and drying processes, the decrease in the content of glycoalkaloids and nitrates (V) was the highest. After the manual peeling process, the decrease in the content of glycoalkaloids was 49 %, after blanching: 7 %, and after drying: 10 %. However, the content of nitrates(V) after blanching decreased by 28 %, after blanching by 16 %, and after drying by 17 %. The pre-drying of the potatoes at different temperatures impacted the changes in the content of glycoalkaloids in the samples. The highest decrease in the content of those compounds took place at a temperature of 160 ºC. The differences as regards the content of α-chaconine were 19 % (between the product dried at a temperature of 130 ºC and 160 ºC), and as regards the content of α-solanine, those differences amounted to 23 %; yet, the temperatures did not impact the content of nitrates(V). In the ready-to-eat products, the content of α-chaconine remaining after the processes performed was ca. 22 % of its initial content, the content of α-solanine was 25 %, and of nitrates(V) was 28 %