Immunoreactivity of gluten-sensitized sera toward wheat, rice, corn, and Amaranth flour proteins treated with microbial transglutaminase

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of microbial transglutaminase (mTG) on the immunoreactivity of wheat and gluten-free cereals flours to the sera of patients with celiac disease (CD) and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). Both doughs and sourdoughs, the latter prepared by a two-step fermentation with Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis and Candida milleri, were studied. In order to evaluate the IgG-binding capacity toward the proteins of the studied flours, total protein as well as protein fractions enriched in albumins/globulins, prolamins and glutelins, were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results showed that while mTG modified both gluten and gluten-free flour by increasing the amount of cross-linked proteins, it did not affect the serum's immune-recognition. In fact, no significant differences were observed in the immunoreactivity of sera from CD and NCGS patients toward wheat and gluten-free protein extracts after enzyme treatment, nor did this biotechnological treatment affect the immunoreactivity of control samples or the sera of healthy patients. These results suggest that mTG may be used as a tool to create innovative gluten and gluten-free products with improved structural properties, without increasing the immune-reactivity toward proteins present either in doughs or in sourdoughs

Cumulative asbestos exposure and mortality from asbestos related diseases in a pooled analysis of 21 asbestos cement cohorts in Italy

Background: Despite the available information on cancer risk, asbestos is used in large areas in the world, mostly in the production of asbestos cement. Moreover, questions are raised regarding the shape of the dose response relation, the relation with time since exposure and the association with neoplasms in various organs. We conducted a study on the relationship between cumulative asbestos exposure and mortality from asbestos related diseases in a large Italian pool of 21 cohorts of asbestos-cement workers with protracted exposure to both chrysotile and amphibole asbestos. Methods: The cohort included 13,076 workers, 81.9% men and 18.1% women, working in 21 Italian asbestos-cement factories, with over 40 years of observation. Exposure was estimated by plant and period, and weighted for the type of asbestos used. Data were analysed with consideration of cause of death, cumulative exposure and time since first exposure (TSFE), and by gender. SMRs were computed using reference rates by region, gender and calendar time. Poisson regression models including cubic splines were used to analyse the effect of cumulative exposure to asbestos and TSFE on mortality for asbestos-related diseases. 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were computed according to the Poisson distribution. Results: Mortality was significantly increased for ‘All Causes’ and ‘All Malignant Neoplasm (MN)’, in both genders. Considering asbestos related diseases (ARDs), statistically significant excesses were observed for MN of peritoneum (SMR: men 14.19; women 15.14), pleura (SMR: 22.35 and 48.10), lung (SMR: 1.67 and 1.67), ovary (in the highest exposure class SMR 2.45), and asbestosis (SMR: 507 and 1023). Mortality for ARDs, in particular pleural and peritoneal malignancies, lung cancer, ovarian cancer and asbestosis increased monotonically with cumulative exposure. Pleural MN mortality increased progressively in the first 40 years of TSFE, then reached a plateau, while peritoneal MN showed a continuous increase. The trend of lung cancer SMRs also showed a flattening after 40 years of TSFE. Attributable proportions for pleural, peritoneal, and lung MN were respectively 96, 93 and 40%. Conclusions: Mortality for ARDs was associated with cumulative exposure to asbestos. Risk of death from pleural MN did not increase indefinitely with TSFE but eventually reached a plateau, consistently with reports from other recent studie

Italian pool of asbestos workers cohorts: asbestos related mortality by industrial sector and cumulative exposure

Objective. Italy has been a large user of asbestos and asbestos containing materials until the 1992 ban. We present a pooled cohort study on long-term mortality in exposed workers. Methods. Pool of 43 Italian asbestos cohorts (asbestos cement, rolling stock, shipbuilding, glasswork, harbors, insulation and other industries). SMRs were computed by industrial sector for the 1970-2010 period, for the major causes, using reference rates by age, sex, region and calendar period. Results. The study included 51 801 subjects (5741 women): 55.9% alive, 42.6% died (cause known for 95%) and 1.5% lost to follow-up. Asbestos exposure was estimated at the plant and period levels. Asbestos related mortality was significantly increased. All industrial sectors showed increased mortality from pleural malignancies, and most als

Biotechnological treatment for bakery to increase dough structure, shelf\u2013life and sensory properties.

Gluten is the major factor involved in the structural properties of bakery products. Thanks to its ability to create aggregates, it gives dough viscosity, elasticity and cohesion, all features responsible for the baking performance. Gluten is composed of extensible, viscous gliadins and rigid, elastic glutenins. Moreover, the gliadin protein fraction is the main factor responsible for the development of celiac disease (CD) and other non-celiac gluten sensitivities. Nowadays, the development of new technologies in the food industry aims to both improve products already marketed, and to develop new gluten-free products. The purpose of our work was to set up a biotechnological process based on the combined use of cross-linking enzymes and selected microbial consortia to produce new gluten free bakery products with improved shelf-life, and sensory properties. Cross-linking enzymes, able to organize and create protein networks, are suitable for the food industry as protein modifiers. Among those enzymes, Transglutaminase (TGase) is surely a potentially interesting tool for its capacity to enhance the cohesiveness and elasticity of the dough, solving the problem of lack of consistency of gluten-free flours. Our research showed that the microbial TGase (from Streptoverticillium mobaraense) has the capacity to modify wheat flour proteins and determine protein network formation responsible for a major molecular structural stability of the product. The TGase effect on flour mainly involved gluten and globulin fraction modification. The results showed that the enzyme activity in the presence of a selected microbial consortium of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts (Lactobacillus sanfrancisciencis and Candida milleri) caused synergic effects on the sensory, rheological and shelf-life features of the products. These features resulted significantly affected also by formulation and process variables. Based on our results, we are evaluating the gluten-free flours of corn, rice, amaranth and lentil, to develop a new bakery product for people with gluten sensitivities

Gluten free flour doughs improvement of texture by protein cross-links occurring via microbial transglutaminase from Streptoverticillum mobaraense.

Gluten is the major factor involved in the structural properties of bakery products. Thanks to its ability to create aggregates, it gives dough viscosity, elasticity and cohesion, all features responsible for the baking performance. Gluten is composed of extensible, viscous gliadins and rigid, elastic glutenins. Moreover, the gliadin protein fraction is the main factor responsible for the development of celiac disease (CD) and other non-celiac gluten sensitivities. The only treatment for these people is lifelong adherence to a strict gluten-free diet. Nowadays, the development of new technologies in the food industry aims to both improve products already marketed, and to develop new gluten-free products. Cross-linking enzymes, able to organize and create protein networks, are suitable for the food industry as protein modifiers. Among those enzymes, Transglutaminase (TGase) due to its ability to improve the firmness, viscosity, elasticity and water-binding capacity of food products could be the key factor for manipulation in order to achieve higher food quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of addition of microbial transglutaminase from Streptoverticillium mobaraense, on protein aggregation in gluten free flours as well as in baked products. In our research we assessed five gluten free flours deriving from different plant sources such as cereals, pseudo-cereals and legumes, in particular corn, rice, amaranth, quinoa and lentil flours have been analyzed. By biochemical tests, flours\u2019 total extracted proteins capacity to act as TGase substrate was evaluated. Since all tested flours showed considerable transamidase activity in microplate colorimetric assay, the possible formation of crosslinked products were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. For this purpose, micro-doughs prepared by adding the water, in 1:2 ratio (w/v), to different flours were treated with different amount of TGase enzyme (0.5; 0.75; 1; 2 Units). To clarify which protein fraction of the flours was the best substrate for the TGase, differential extractions were performed. Therefore, three sequential fractions, corresponding to albumins/globulins, prolamins and glutelins, were analyzed in relation to different enzyme amounts. Results showed that the microbial TGase has capacity to modify gluten free flour proteins and determine protein network formation. In particular, lowest enzyme concentration (0.5 U) was able to cause differences in protein bands between treated samples and their non-treated controls. These preliminary results give a perspective in the gluten-free research and suggest their possible use to create innovative products with improved texture

Mobile phone technologies and advanced data analysis towards the enhancement of diabetes self-management

Advances in the area of mobile and wireless communication for healthcare (m-Health) along with the improvements in information science allow the design and development of new patient-centric models for the provision of personalised healthcare services, increase of patient independence and improvement of patient's self-control and self-management capabilities. This paper comprises a brief overview of the m-Health applications towards the self-management of individuals with diabetes mellitus and the enhancement of their quality of life. Furthermore, the design and development of a mobile phone application for Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) self-management is presented. The technical evaluation of the application, which permits the management of blood glucose measurements, blood pressure measurements, insulin dosage, food/drink intake and physical activity, has shown that the use of the mobile phone technologies along with data analysis methods might improve the self-management of T1DM

The relationship between ambient particulate matter and respiratory mortality: a multi-city study in Italy

The association of air pollutants with natural and respiratory mortality has been consistently reported. However, several aspects of the relationship between particulate matter with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of 10 mu m (PM10) and respiratory mortality require further investigation. The aim of the present study was to assess the PM10-respiratory mortality association in Italy and examine potentially susceptible groups. All deaths from natural (n=276,205) and respiratory (n=19,629) causes among subjects aged >= 35 yrs in 10 northern, central and southern Italian cities in 2001-2005 were included in the study. Pollution data for PM10, nitrogen dioxide and ozone were also obtained. A time-stratified case-crossover analysis was carried out. Different cumulative lags were selected to analyse immediate, delayed, prolonged and best-time effects of air pollution. The shape of the exposure-response curve was analysed. Age, sex, chronic conditions and death site were investigated as potential effect modifiers. We found a 2.29% (95% CI 1.03-3.58%) increase in respiratory mortality at 0-3 days lag. The increase in respiratory mortality was higher in summer (7.57%). The exposure-response curve had a linear shape without any threshold. Sex and chronic diseases modified the relationship between particular matter (PM) and respiratory mortality. The effect of PM on respiratory mortality was stronger and more persistent than that on natural mortality. Females and chronic disease sufferers were more likely to die of a respiratory disease caused by air pollution than males and healthy people