Quantitative determination of ochratoxin A in wine after the clarification and filtration

Through the use of the analytical method known as HPLC-FD and previously used the method for extraction of ochratoxin A by immunoaffinity columns, we have analyzed the possible effect of the clarification and filtration process on 54 samples of 2013 newly fermented wine, which have finished alcoholic fermentation process and racking, without knowing in advance whether there and how is the amount of OTA in wine. The racking of the wine before clarification and filtration followed by adequate clarification and filtration process during winemaking seems to be crucial in the reduction or complete elimination of the analyzed mycotoxin (OTA).The results of all analyzed samples have been below the limit allowed by the EU for ochratoxin A i.e. 2 ng/ml, and as such does not represent a risk to human health

Lactate released by inflammatory bone marrow neutrophils induces their mobilization via endothelial GPR81 signaling.

Neutrophils provide first line of host defense against bacterial infections utilizing glycolysis for their effector functions. How glycolysis and its major byproduct lactate are triggered in bone marrow (BM) neutrophils and their contribution to neutrophil mobilization in acute inflammation is not clear. Here we report that bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) or Salmonella Typhimurium triggers lactate release by increasing glycolysis, NADPH-oxidase-mediated reactive oxygen species and HIF-1α levels in BM neutrophils. Increased release of BM lactate preferentially promotes neutrophil mobilization by reducing endothelial VE-Cadherin expression, increasing BM vascular permeability via endothelial lactate-receptor GPR81 signaling. GPR81-/- mice mobilize reduced levels of neutrophils in response to LPS, unless rescued by VE-Cadherin disrupting antibodies. Lactate administration also induces release of the BM neutrophil mobilizers G-CSF, CXCL1 and CXCL2, indicating that this metabolite drives neutrophil mobilization via multiple pathways. Our study reveals a metabolic crosstalk between lactate-producing neutrophils and BM endothelium, which controls neutrophil mobilization under bacterial infection

Gene differentiation at the ABO, MN and Rhesus loci among Albanians and their relation with other Balkanic populations

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Evolution in European and Israeli school curricula : a comparative analysis

Abstract: The contribution of school curricula to public understanding and acceptance of evolution is still mostly unknown, due to the scarcity of studies that compare the learning goals present in different curricula. To overcome this lack of data we analysed 19 school curricula (18 European and one from Israel) to study the differences regarding the inclusion of learning goals targeting evolution understanding. We performed a quantitative content analysis using the Framework for the Assessment of school Curricula on the presence of Evolutionary concepts (FACE). For each country/region we analysed what this educational system considered the minimum evolution education a citizen should get. Our results reveal that: (i) the curricula include less than half of the learning goals considered important for scientific literacy in evolution; (ii) the most frequent learning goals address basic knowledge of evolution; (iii) learning goals related with the processes that drive evolution are often not included or rarely mentioned; (iv) evolution is most often not linked to its applications in everyday life. These results highlight the need to rethink evolution education across Europe