Nach Hause? : Rückkehrprozesse von Pflegekindern in ihre Herkunftsfamilie

Der Rückkehrprozess von Pflegekindern in ihre Herkunftsfamilien beschreibt einen besonders komplexen Vorgang, der auch die Zeit vor und nach einer Rückkehr umfasst. Ein Rückkehrprozess löst große Veränderungen aus: in der Pflegefamilie und in der Herkunftsfamilie. Er stellt Kinder und Erwachsene vor erhebliche Herausforderungen. Der vorliegende Abschlussbericht fasst die Ergebnisse aus dem Praxisforschungsprojekt "Rückkehrprozesse von Pflegekindern in ihre Herkunftsfamilie" zusammen

Charakterisierung von lager- und reifebedingten Zellwandveränderungen pflanzlicher Lebensmittel mittels spektroskopischer und chromatographischer Methoden

Die Zusammensetzung von pflanzlichen Zellwänden kann sich durch pflanzenphysiologische Prozesse vor bzw. nach der Ernte stark verändern. Dies hat sowohl Einfluss auf die sensorische Qualität als auch auf die ernährungsphysiologischen Eigenschaften pflanzlicher Lebensmittel. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurden daher lager- und reifebedingte Zellwandveränderungen verschiedener Gemüsesorten mittels unterschiedlicher chromatographischer und spektroskopischer Methoden charakterisiert

Mechanical properties and compositional characteristics of beet (Beta vulgaris L.) varieties and their response to nitrogen application

Mechanical properties of sugar beet are important during harvesting and processing. To potentially correlate mechanical properties with structural features of cell wall polymers, four different Beta varieties (Beta vulgaris L.) were characterized for their mechanical properties and cell wall composition. In addition, the influence of nitrogen fertilization was analyzed. Additional nitrogen fertilization only slightly influenced mechanical properties and cell wall composition. Hardly any structural differences of cell wall polysaccharides were observed for all Beta varieties. Slight differences in alcohol insoluble residue and protein contents, in amino acid profiles of proteins, and in esterification degree of pectins were found. The Beta varieties differed in their contents of cell wall bound phenolic components, and particularly in their dry matter contents. Analyses of mechanical properties of the Beta varieties demonstrated differences in tissue firmness and compressive strength. However, no evidence was found that the observed differences of cell wall composition are responsible for the divergent mechanical properties, with the exception of water contents that were higher in samples with less compressive strength

Absorption and metabolism of modified mycotoxins of alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether, and zearalenone in Caco-2 cells

Background and objectives Various cereals, fruits, and vegetables are commonly contaminated with mycotoxins such as zearalenone (ZEN), alternariol (AOH), and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME). More recently, their glucosidic metabolites formed in the plant have gained increasing attention. Experimental data on the contribution of modified mycotoxins to total toxicity are either controversy or lacking. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the absorption and metabolism of ZEN‐, AOH‐, and AME‐glucosides using the Caco‐2 cell system. Findings No quantifiable amounts of ZEN‐14‐glucoside, ZEN‐16‐glucoside, free ZEN, and ZEN metabolites were found in Caco‐2 cells and in the basolateral compartment. In contrast, glucosides of AOH and AME were absorbed and released their parental toxins, which were further metabolized to form glucuronides and sulfates to a variable extent. Metabolites were found on the basolateral site, too. There is also evidence that AOH‐9‐diglucoside is hydrolyzed to AOH‐9‐glucoside. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that modified ZEN is less absorbed whereas modified Alternaria toxins are taken up to a higher extent by Caco‐2 cells, followed by deglucosylation, metabolization, and transport to the basolateral site, suggesting a potential contribution to overall toxicity of these modified mycotoxins. Significance and novelty For the first time, absorption studies using modified Alternaria toxins in the Caco‐2 cell system were carried out

Modification of Apple Pomace by Extrusion Processing: Studies on the Composition, Polymer Structures, and Functional Properties

By-products of fruit and vegetable processing are an inexpensive and sustainable source of dietary fiber, potentially offering valuable functional properties such as water binding and thickening. Due to these favorable properties, they can be utilized to reformulate widely-consumed foods, e.g., bakery products or beverages. In this study, apple pomace was used as a model system to study whether extrusion technology affects food by-product functionality and thus has the potential to broaden the application of by-products in foods. The effect of the process parameters and the extent of thermo-mechanical treatment on the structural and functional properties of apple pomace were analyzed after extrusion trials using various screw speeds, water contents, and barrel temperatures. Compared to the raw material, apple pomace extruded at T-barrel = 100 degrees C, n = 700 min(-1) and m(H2O) = 17% showed an increased water solubility up to 33%. The water absorption increased from 5 to 19 Pa center dot s and the paste viscosity from 5 to 339 Pa center dot s by extrusion processing. Analyses of dietary fiber contents and fiber polysaccharide structures revealed that thermo-mechanical stress (n = 700 min(-1), m(H2O) = 22%) increased the content of soluble dietary fiber from 12.5 to 16.7 g/100 g dry matter, and that the harshest conditions even enabled the formation of low-molecular-weight dietary fiber. Arabinans (as neutral rhamnogalacturonan I side chains) appeared to be most sensitive to thermo-mechanical stress, whereas xylans (i.e., a group of minor polysaccharides) were an example of a more stable fiber polysaccharide. Also, the degree of methylation of the pectic polysaccharides was strongly reduced from 50% to 15% when thermo-mechanical stress was applied. Imaging and pore size analysis showed that extrusion processing could disrupt the rigid cell wall macromolecular structure

Soziale Eingebundenheit

Trotz des schnellen Wachstums des Anteils der Bevölkerung in einem Alter ab 80 Jahren an der Gesamtbevölkerung (Statistisches Bundesamt, 2019) ist das Wissen über diese Bevölkerungs-gruppe bislang gering. Zwar gibt es thematisch, methodisch und regional spezifische Studien, jedoch keine repräsentative Erfassung der Lebenssituation und Lebensqualität dieser Altersgruppe für den gesamtdeutschen Raum. Eine gute Datenlage ist jedoch notwendig: Zum einen, um den besonderen Unterstützungsbedarfen im hohen Alter zukünftig besser gerecht werden zu können. Zum anderen, um Lösungsansätze für sozialpolitische Herausforderungen wie der sozialen Sicherung im Alter so-wie im Hinblick auf eine Generationengerechtigkeit entwickeln zu können. "Hohes Alter in Deutschland" (D80+) ist eine bundesweit repräsentative Querschnittsbefragung der hochaltrigen Menschen in Privathaushalten und in Heimen. Die Studie baut auf dem im Hochaltrigenpanel NRW80+ (Wagner et al., 2018) entwickelten Studienprotokoll und dem interdisziplinär entwickelten Rahmenmodell zur Erklärung von Lebensqualität im hohen Alter (Neise et al., 2019) auf. Die Studie D80+ "Hohes Alter in Deutschland" wird vom Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (BMFSFJ) für drei Jahre gefördert und gemeinsam vom Cologne Center for Ethics, Rights, Economics, and Social Sciences of Health (ceres) und dem Deutschen Zentrum für Altersfragen (DZA) durchgeführt. Die Studie vereint Perspektiven der an den beteiligten Institutionen verorteten Disziplinen wie Soziologie, Psychologie, Versorgungswissenschaften, Gerontologie und Medizin. Aufgrund der Coronapandemie konnte eine persönliche Befragung nicht umgesetzt werden. Stattdessen wurde zunächst eine schriftliche Befragung, und darauf aufsetzend eine telefonische Befragung realisiert. Dabei wurden auch Fragen zu Erfahrungen im Zusammenhang mit der Coronapandemie gestellt. Im Rahmen der schriftlichen Befragung beteiligten sich insgesamt 10.372 Personen und damit mehr als jede vierte angesprochene hochaltrige Person an der Studie. Umfang und Anlage der Studie erlauben erstmals einen differenzierten Blick auf die Lebenssituation von Männern und Frauen sowie von verschiedenen Gruppen sehr alter Menschen (80-84 Jahre, 85-89 Jahre, 90 Jahre und älter) in Deutschland. Die gewichteten Daten berücksichtigen die unterschiedlichen Auswahl- und Teilnahmewahrscheinlichkeiten in Subgruppen und sind mit Blick auf wesentliche demographische Daten wie Alters- und Geschlechtsstruktur, Familienstand, Haushalts-größe, Institutionalisierung, Gemeindegröße und Bundesland für die Ab-80-Jährigen in Deutschland repräsentativ. Aussagen zu überzufälligen Merkmalsunterschieden oder Merkmalszusammenhängen sind mit einem konventionellen Fehlerniveau (α=0.05) abgesichert und berücksichtigen die komplexe Stichprobenstruktur (Gemeinden als Untersuchungscluster) mit. Die Ergebnisse dieses Berichtes basieren auf folgenden Fallzahlen für die dargestellten Subgruppen hochaltriger Menschen in Deutschland: Männer (n=3.932, 37,9%), Frauen (n=6.440, 62,1%); 80-84 Jahre (n=6.123, 59,0%), 85-89 Jahre (n=2.793, 26,9%), 90 Jahre und älter (n=1.456, 14,1%); Bildung hoch (n=1.682, 16,8%), mittel (n=5.935, 59,2%), niedrig (n=2.402, 24,0%); Privathaushalt (n=9.324, 89,9%), Heim (n=1.048, 10,1%); West (n=8.095, 78,0%), Ost (n=2.277, 22,0%). Weitere Informationen zur Studie D80+ „Hohes Alter in Deutschland“ finden sich unter: https://ceres.uni-koeln.de/forschung/d80

Thymus zygis subsp. zygis an endemic portuguese plant: phytochemical profiling, antioxidant, anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory activities

Thymus zygis subsp. zygis is an endemic Portuguese plant belonging to the Thymus zygis species. Although T. zygis is commonly used as a condiment and as a medicinal herb, a detailed description of the polyphenol composition of hydroethanolic (HE) and aqueous decoction (AD) extracts is not available. In this work, we describe for the first time a detailed phenolic composition of Thymus zygis subsp. zygis HE and AD extracts, together with their antioxidant, anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory activities. Unlike other Thymus species, T. zygis subsp. zygis extracts contain higher amounts of luteolin-(?)-O-hexoside. However, the major phenolic compound is rosmarinic acid, and high amounts of salvianolic acids K and I were also detected. T. zygis subsp. zygis extracts exhibited significant scavenging activity of ABTS+, hydroxyl (•OH), and nitric oxide (NO) radicals. Regarding the anti-proliferative/cytotoxic effect, tested against Caco-2 and HepG2 cells, the AD extract only slightly reduced cell viability at higher concentrations (IC50 > 600 µg/mL, 48 h exposure), denoting very low toxicity, while the HE extract showed a high anti-proliferative effect, especially at 48 h exposure (IC50 of 85.01 ± 15.10 μg/mL and 82.19 ± 2.46 μg/mL, for Caco-2 and HepG2, respectively). At non-cytotoxic concentrations, both extracts reduced the nitric oxide (NO) release by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells (at 50 μg/mL, HE and AD extracts inhibited NO release in ~89% and 48%, respectively). In conclusion, the results highlight the non-toxic effect of aqueous extracts, both resembling the consumption of antioxidants in foodstuff or in functional food. Furthermore, the HE extract of T. zygis subsp. zygis is a source of promising molecules with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities, highlighting its potential as a source of bioactive ingredients for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.This work was supported by the INTERACT project–“Integrative Research in Environment, Agro-Chains and Technology”, no. NORTE-01-0145- FEDER-000017, in its line of research entitled ISAC, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through NORTE 2020 (North Regional Operational Program 2014/2020). By funds from the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation, Ministry of Science and Education (FCT/MEC) through national funds, under the projects UIDB/04033/2020 (CITAB), UIDB/00616/2020 (CQ-VR) and UIDB/04469/2020 (CEB). FCT is also acknowledged for the grant to C.M.G. (SFRH/BD/145855/2019).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Living with an imperfect cell wall: compensation of femAB inactivation in Staphylococcus aureus

Background: Synthesis of the Staphylococcus aureus peptidoglycan pentaglycine interpeptide bridge is catalyzed by the nonribosomal peptidyl transferases FemX, FemA and FemB. Inactivation of the femAB operon reduces the interpeptide to a monoglycine, leading to a poorly crosslinked peptidoglycan. femAB mutants show a reduced growth rate and are hypersusceptible to virtually all antibiotics, including methicillin, making FemAB a potential target to restore β-lactam susceptibility in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Cis-complementation with wild type femAB only restores synthesis of the pentaglycine interpeptide and methicillin resistance, but the growth rate remains low. This study characterizes the adaptations that ensured survival of the cells after femAB inactivation. Results: In addition to slow growth, the cis-complemented femAB mutant showed temperature sensitivity and a higher methicillin resistance than the wild type. Transcriptional profiling paired with reporter metabolite analysis revealed multiple changes in the global transcriptome. A number of transporters for sugars, glycerol, and glycine betaine, some of which could serve as osmoprotectants, were upregulated. Striking differences were found in the transcription of several genes involved in nitrogen metabolism and the arginine-deiminase pathway, an alternative for ATP production. In addition, microarray data indicated enhanced expression of virulence factors that correlated with premature expression of the global regulators sae, sarA, and agr. Conclusion: Survival under conditions preventing normal cell wall formation triggered complex adaptations that incurred a fitness cost, showing the remarkable flexibility of S. aureus to circumvent cell wall damage. Potential FemAB inhibitors would have to be used in combination with other antibiotics to prevent selection of resistant survivors