Fotodinamička inaktivacija patogene bakterije Listeria monocytogenes u hrani

The aim of this study is to examine the possibility to inactivate food pathogen Listeria monocytogenes by nonthermal antimicrobial treatment – photosensitization. L. monocytogenes was incubated with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) (7.5 mM) for 0–2 h to produce endogenous photosensitizers and then illuminated with visible light. The LED-based light source used for the illumination of L. monocytogenes emitted light at λ=400 nm with energy density of 20 mW/cm2. The illumination time varied from 0 to 20 min, and a total energy dose reached 0–24 J/cm2. The obtained results reveal that L. monocytogenes can effectively produce endogenous porphyrins after incubation with 7.5 mM ALA. Subsequent illumination of cells with visible light significantly decreased their viability in vitro (4 log). After adhesion of Listeria to the surface of packaging material and following photosensitization, the surface-attached bacterial population was inactivated by 3.7 log. In addition, most resistant Listeria biofilms are susceptible to this treatment. Their inactivation reached 3.1 log under certain experimental conditions. The cells and biofilms of Gram-positive bacteria L. monocytogenes ATCL3C 7644 could be effectively inactivated by ALA-based photosensitization in the solution as well as adhered onto the surface of packaging material in a nonthermal way.Svrha je ovoga rada bila istražiti mogućnost inaktivacije patogene bakterije Listeria monocytogenes u hrani fotosenzitivnom, tj. netermičkom antimikrobnom metodom. Nakon inkubacije sa 7,5 mM 5-aminolevulinske kiseline (ALA), tijekom 0-2 h, bakterija L. monocytogenes je proizvela endogene fotoaktivne tvari, nakon čega je osvijetljena vidljivom svjetlošću. Za to je upotrijebljena LED svjetiljka koja emitira svjetlost valne duljine λ=400 nm, s gustoćom energije od 20 mW/cm2. Vrijeme je osvjetljenja variralo od 0 do 20 min, a ukupna je doza svjetla bila 0–24 J/cm2. Dobiveni su rezultati pokazali da L. monocytogenes nakon inkubacije sa 7,5 mM ALA učinkovito proizvodi endogene porfirine. Osvjetljavanjem stanica bakterija vidljivom svjetlošću bitno se smanjila njihova sposobnost preživljavanja in vitro za 4 log. Nakon fotosensitizacije stanica bakterija pričvršćenih na površinu materijala za pakiranje, njihova je populacija smanjena za 3,7 log. Obradom je čak smanjen i broj stanica otpornog biofilma za 3,1 log. Utvrđeno je da se stanice i biofilmovi Gram-pozitivne bakterije L. monocytogenes ATCL3C 7644, u otopini ili pričvršćene na površinu materijala za pakiranje, mogu uspješno inaktivirati fotosensitizacijom pomoću ALA

Anthropometric trends and the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in a Lithuanian urban population aged 45-64 years

To estimate trends in anthropometric indexes from 1992 to 2008 and to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in relation to anthropometric indexes (body mass index, waist circumference, waist:hip ratio, waist:height ratio)

Prognostic Implications of Physical Activity on Mortality from Ischaemic Heart Disease: Longitudinal Cohort Study Data

Background: The prevalence of physical inactivity has been rising in many countries in recent years, adding to the burden of non-communicable diseases and affecting overall health worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the comprehensive assessment of the prognostic value of physical activity in leisure time on mortality from ischemic heart disease (IHD) by gender separately for those respondents who were diagnosed with IHD and for those who were not diagnosed with IHD in their baseline health survey. Methods: In the baseline survey (2006–2008), 7100 men and women ages 45–72 were examined within the framework of the international study Health, Alcohol, and Psychosocial Factors in Eastern Europe (HAPIEE). A total of 6770 participants were available for statistical analysis (after excluding 330 respondents due to missing information on study variables). Physical activity was determined by leisure-time physical activities (hours/week). All participants in the baseline survey were followed up for IHD mortality events until 31 December 2018. Results: Using multivariate Cox regression analysis, it was found that moderate and higher levels of physical activity significantly reduced the risk of IHD mortality (HR = 0.54, p = 0.016 and HR = 0.60, p = 0.031, respectively) in men who were not diagnosed with IHD at baseline compared with physically inactive subjects. It was found that among men and women who were diagnosed with IHD at baseline, physical activity reduced the risk of mortality from IHD compared with those who were physically inactive (HR = 0.54, p = 0.021 and HR = 0.41, p = 0.025, respectively). Using mediation analysis, it was found that physical activity directly predicted statistically lower IHD mortality (p < 0.05) in men and women. Conclusion: High physical activity was a significant factor that directly predicted statistically lower IHD mortality in men, regardless of whether subjects had IHD at baseline or not. However, only moderate physical activity was a significant factor that directly predicted statistically lower IHD mortality in the women group with IHD at baseline

Link between healthy lifestyle and psychological well-being in Lithuanian adults aged 45-72: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: This study uses a cross-sectional study design to analyse the connection between psychological well-being (PWB) and components of a healthy lifestyle in the Lithuanian population aged 45–72. The purpose of our study is to establish the links between PWB and lifestyle factors such as physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption and dietary patterns in people above the age of 44. PARTICIPANTS: A stratified sample of 10 940 urban citizens aged 45–72 years were randomly selected from the National Population Register. The response rate was 65%. METHODS: PWB was evaluated by using a Control Autonomy Self-realization and Pleasure (CASP-12) questionnaire. The standard questionnaire included questions regarding the respondent's sociodemographic, socioeconomic and social status. The lifestyle questionnaire evaluated behavioural factors as smoking status, alcohol consumption, nutrition habits and physical activity. Objective measurements of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors were taken. RESULTS: Adjusted for sociodemographic, socioeconomic, social and biological CVD risk factors, the probability of higher PWB increased for physically active men and women and male former smokers. Higher PWB was directly associated with consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits. Responders who consumed potatoes, meat, boiled vegetables and eggs less frequently than average were more likely to have higher PWB. A direct association was ascertained between PWB and consumption of chicken and fish, as well as an inverse association between PWB and consumption of sweets in women. CONCLUSIONS: Healthy lifestyle education efforts should focus on increasing physical activity, controlling smoking and improving diversity in healthy food consumption including the consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits, particularly among older adults with lower PWB

Lowered cognitive function and the risk of the first events of cardiovascular diseases: findings from a cohort study in Lithuania

Background: The purpose of this prospective cohort study was to examine whether the level of cognitive function at the baseline expressed as a cognitive function composite score and score of specific domains predict the risk of first cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in middle-aged and older populations. Methods: Seven thousand eighty-seven participants, men and women aged 45–72 years, were assessed in the baseline survey of the Health Alcohol Psychosocial Factors in Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) study in 2006–2008 in the city of Kaunas, Lithuania. During 10 years of follow-up, the risk of first non-fatal events of CVD and death from CVD (excluding those participants with a documented history of CVD and/or ischemic heart disease (IHD) diagnosed at the baseline survey) was evaluated. Cox proportional hazards regression models were applied to examine how cognitive function predicts the first events of CVD. Results: During the follow-up, there were 156 deaths from CVD (49 women and 107 men) and 464 first non-fatal CVD events (195 women and 269 men) registered. The total number of first CVD events was 620 (11.5%). After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, biological and lifestyle risk factors and illnesses, a decrease per 1 standard deviation in different cognitive function scores significantly increased the risk of a first event of CVD (immediate verbal recall score - by 17% in men and 32% in women; delayed verbal recall score – by 17% in men and 24% in women; and a composite score of cognitive function – by 15% in men and 29% in women). Kaplan-Meier survival curves for the probability of a first cardiovascular event according to the categories of a composite score of cognitive function, revealed that a lowered cognitive function predicts a higher probability of the events compared to normal cognitive function (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The findings of this follow-up study suggest that men and women with lower cognitive functions have an increased risk for a first event of CVD compared to participants with a higher level of cognitive functions

Novel Approach to Control Microbial Contamination of Germinated Wheat Sprouts: Photoactivatedchlorophillin-Chitosan Complex

High resistance of bacteria and fungi to antimicrobial treatments has led to the development of innovative and alternative antimicrobial technologies. It is well-known that chitosan itself is an antimicrobial agent, and chlorophyllin is water-soluble food additive (E140) and food component which in the presence of light exerts antimicrobial properties. Complex of these two antimicrobials can be background for the development of edible active biodegradable coating.The aim of this study was to evaluate antimicrobial efficiency of photoactivated chlorophyllin-chitosan complex against food pathogens and fungi on the surface of germinated wheat seeds. Obtained data indicate that chlorophyllin-chitosan complex in the presence of visible light (400nm) exhibits strong antimicrobial activity which can be used for decontamination of sprouts

Predictive importance of the visceral adiposity index and atherogenic index of plasma of all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in middle-aged and elderly Lithuanian population

BACKGROUND: Two indices: visceral adiposity index (VAI) and atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) during several recent years were implemented into epidemiological studies for predicting of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and mortality risk. Our study aimed to evaluate the association of VAI and AIP with the risk of all-cause and CVD mortality among the Lithuanian urban population aged 45–72 years. METHODS: In the baseline survey (2006–2008), 7,115 men and women 45–72 years of age were examined within the framework of the international study Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial Factors in Eastern Europe (HAPIEE). Six thousand six hundred and seventy-one participants (3,663 women and 3,008 men) were available for statistical analysis (after excluding 429 respondents with the missed information on study variables) and for them, VAI and AIP were calculated. The questionnaire evaluated lifestyle behaviors, including smoking and physical activity. All participants in the baseline survey were followed up for all-cause and CVD mortality events until December 31st, 2020. Multivariable Cox regression models were applied for statistical data analysis. RESULTS: After accounting for several potential confounders, higher levels of VAI (compared 5th quintile to 1st quintile) were associated with significantly higher CVD mortality in men [Hazards ratio (HR) = 1.38] and all-cause mortality in women (HR = 1.54) after 10-year follow-up. CVD mortality significantly increased in men with 0 the highest AIP quintile compared with that for the lowest quintile (HR = 1.40). In women, all-cause mortality was significantly higher for the 4th quintile of AIP as compared with the 1st quintile (HR = 1.36). CONCLUSIONS: High-risk VAI levels were statistically significantly associated with all-cause mortality risk in men and women groups. The higher AIP level (5th quintile vs. 1st quintile—in men and 4th quintile vs. 1st quintile—in women) was significantly associated with increased mortality from CVD in the men group and increased all-cause mortality in the women group

Innovative Nonthermal Technologies: Chlorophyllin and Visible Light Significantly Reduce Microbial Load on Basil

Bosiljak je jedna od najpopularnijih začinskih biljaka zbog velikog udjela biološki aktivnih spojeva. Međutim, u svijetu je zabilježeno nekoliko epidemija uzrokovanih konzumacijom bosiljka kontaminiranog raznim patogenim bakterijama. Svrha je ovoga rada bila primijeniti netermički i ekološki prihvatljiv postupak fotosenzibilizacije za mikrobiološku kontrolu bosiljka, prirodno kontaminiranog mezofilnim bakterijama te inokuliranog termorezistentom patogenom bakterijom Listeria monocytogenes 56Ly. Dobiveni rezultati pokazuju da je nakon uranjanja bosiljka u otopinu klorofilina koncentracije od 1,5·10^(-4) M tijekom 15 min i izlaganja vidljivoj svjetlosti valne duljine od 405 nm tijekom 15 min bitno smanjen broj ukuphih aerobnih mikrooganizama, i to za 1,3 log CFU/g, te termorezistentne L. monocytogenes 56Ly, i to sa 6,1 log CFU/g u kontrolnom uzorku na 4,5 log CFU/g u tretiranim uzorcima. Bitno je naglasiti da ovaj postupak nije utjecao na aktivnosti polifenol oksidaze i pektin esteraze. Dobiveni rezultati potkrijepljuju ideju da bi se u budućnosti fotosenzibilizacija, zbog svoje velike selektivnosti, antimikrobnog učinka i netermičkog djelovanja, mogla upotrijebiti za razvoj sigurnog, netermičkog i ekološki prihvatljivog postupka konzerviranja različitih vrsta voća i povrća.Due to the high amount of biologically active compounds, basil is one of the most popular herbs. However, several outbreaks have been reported in the world due to the consumption of basil contaminated with different food pathogens. The aim of this study is to apply nonthermal and ecologically friendly approach based on photosensitization for microbial control of basil which was naturally contaminated with mesophils and inoculated with thermoresistant food pathogen Listeria monocytogenes 56Ly. The obtained data indicate that soaking the basil in 1.5·10^(-4) M chlorophyllin (Chl) for 15 min and illumination with light for 15 min at 405 nm significantly reduced total aerobic microorganisms on basil by 1.3 log CFU/g, and thermoresistant L. monocytogenes 56Ly from 6.1 log CFU/g in control to 4.5 log CFU/g in the treated samples. It is important to note that this treatment had no impact on enzymatic activity of polyphenol oxidase and pectinesterase. Results obtained in this study support the idea that photosensitization technique with its high selectivity, antimicrobial efficiency and nonthermal nature can serve in the future for the development of safe nonthermal and environmentally friendly preservation technology for different fruits and vegetables