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Abstract
In the confectionery industry large quantities of palm fat in the fillings of chocolate products are used. Based on today's nutritional science results, it is desirable to replace palm oil with healthier fats. Oleogels can provide a kind of solution for this replacement. In our work the rheological, textural and thermal properties of oleogels containing high oleic sunflower oil, beeswax and monoglycerides were determined. In the samples we examined, the gelator concentrations were: 20% beeswax, 15% beeswax and 5% monoglyceride, 10% beeswax and 10% monoglyceride, 5% beeswax and 15% monoglyceride, and 20% monoglyceride. Based on our results, the oleogel containing 15% beeswax and 5% monoglyceride seems an eutectic crystal of beeswaxes and monoglyceride. It has relative high hardness, high storage modulus and high viscosity therefore it can replace the Chocofill filling fat, which contains mainly palm fat, used in large quantities in sweets.
Abstract
Introduction
Allergic contact dermatitis of the feet is a significant problem that affects the quality of life and requires attention from the medical community due to the number of studied and still unidentified allergens. The purpose of this review article is to summarize the available scientific data regarding the most common allergens that cause ACD of the feet.
Methods
Nickel sulphate, neomycin sulphate, thiuram mix and colophony occupy a significant place in the prevalence of allergies. The prevalence of sensitization to rubber and leather products can vary depending on the ethno-demographic characteristics of the country, as well as the specifics of a person's professional activity, such as the use of protective waterproof shoes, increased humidity of the microclimate, and atopy in anamnesis.
Results
Patch testing has been shown to be an important method for identifying allergens, however, not all footwear components are tested during patch testing with standard allergen series, requiring the use of patches made from patient shoe samples.
Conclusions
Expanding the scope of patch testing to include other possible allergens is important for the accurate diagnosis of ACD of the feet and a more detailed study of those allergens that were previously considered rare.
Abstract
Background
The rising prevalence of fungal infections and challenges such as adverse effects and resistance against existing antifungal agents have driven the exploration of new antifungal substances.
Methods
We specifically investigated naphthoquinones, known for their broad biological activities and promising antifungal capabilities. It specifically examined the effects of a particular naphthoquinone on the cellular components of Candida albicans ATCC 60193. The study also assessed cytotoxicity in MRC-5 cells, Artemia salina, and the seeds of tomatoes and arugula.
Results
Among four tested naphthoquinones, 2,3-DBNQ (2,3-dibromonaphthalene-1,4-dione) was identified as highly effective, showing potent antifungal activity at concentrations between 1.56 and 6.25 μg mL−1. However, its cytotoxicity in MRC-5 cells (IC50 = 15.44 µM), complete mortality in A. salina at 50 μg mL−1, and significant seed germination inhibition suggest limitations for its clinical use.
Conclusions
The findings indicate that primary antifungal mechanism of 2,3-DBNQ might involve disrupting fungal membrane permeability, which leads to increased nucleotide leakage. This insight underscores the need for further research to enhance the selectivity and safety of naphthoquinones for potential therapeutic applications.
Abstract
Tigecycline-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (TRAB) is increasing in Thailand, complicating antibiotic treatment due to limited antibiotic options. The specific resistance mechanism behind tigecycline resistance is still unclear, necessitating further investigation. We investigated the presence of OXA-type carbapenemases, the antimicrobial susceptibility profile, the inhibitory effect of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) on tigecycline susceptibility, the expression levels of RND-type efflux pumps and amino acid substitutions within a two-component regulatory system on 30 Thai clinical isolates. Our investigation revealed that most of (73.3%) TRAB isolates expressed at least one member of the Ade efflux pumps. The ade B was most frequently expressed (63.3%), followed by ade R (50%), ade S (43.3%), ade J (30%) and ade G (10%). Overexpression of the AdeABC was associated with increased tigecycline minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and amino acid substitutions within the AdeRS. Notably, isolates harbouring simultaneous mutations in these genes exhibited an increase in the transcription level of the ade B. Our findings highlight the significant role of the AdeABC system in tigecycline resistance among Thai clinical TRAB isolates. This is supported by point mutations within the AdeRS and upregulated expression of the ade B. These results provide valuable insights for understanding resistance mechanisms and developing novel therapeutic strategies.
Abstract
The present work aimed to study the yeast communities of whole crop corn silages (CS) that were previously contaminated with aflatoxin-producing Aspergillus flavus (CSCA). In addition, the effect of lactic acid bacterium (LAB) inoculation on the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) content, genotoxicity, yeast load, and diversity of yeast communities were also investigated. In A. flavus contaminated silages, after two months, the AFB1 content was 40% lower with LAB inoculation, also a lower level of genotoxicity was determined. The number of yeasts cultured from the initial mixture of chopped whole crop corn was 4.8 × 107 CFU g−1 wet mass, while only 2.4 × 106 CFU g−1 from the CSCA and 7.1 × 105 CFU g−1 from the LAB-inoculated CSCA could be cultured. Based on 144 randomly isolated strains, the yeast community of the initial mixture consisted of 8 species. In contrast, the yeast community of CSCA consisted only of 4 species determined by 132 randomly selected isolates. LAB-inoculated CSCA consisted also of 4 species based on 158 randomly isolated strains. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia kudriavzevii proved to be predominant in the CSCA, while S. cerevisiae and Meyerozyma guilliermondii were the most abundant in the LAB-inoculated CSCA. The species richness was also confirmed by alpha diversity values (1.827, 1.188, and 1.123 as Shannon's indices for CS, CSCA, and LAB-inoculated CSCA, respectively). In response to LAB inoculation, the species diversity decreased considerably.
Abstract
This study aims to predict drought periods affecting the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region and the application of this in crop protection. The Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region is the only closed wine region in Hungary with a specific mesoclimate and a corresponding wine grape variety composition, in which climate change strongly threatens cultivation. The probability that a randomly selected day in the vegetation period will fall into a drought period in the future was estimated using the daily precipitation amount and daily maximum temperature data from the Hungarian Meteorological Service for the period 2002–2020. The Markov model, a relatively new mathematical method for the statistical investigation of weather phenomena, was used for this. Markov chains can, therefore, be a valuable tool for organizing integrated pest management. This can be used to plan irrigation, control fungal pathogens infecting the vines, and plan the success of a given vintage.
Abstract
Dengue is a serious epidemic for Bangladesh affecting thousands of lives. This study aimed to identify and determine the prevalence of the circulating variants of dengue virus (DENV) and their association with demographics and clinical manifestations among the dengue-infected patients. A total of 711 participants with NS1 antigen positivity were enrolled, followed by viral RNA extraction from the collected blood samples and a multiplex real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay to determine the dengue virus serotypes. Of 711 dengue-infected patients, 503 (70.7%) were male. Among different age groups, most of the patients were 21–30 years old (n = 255, 35.9%). The DENV2 (n = 483, 67.9%) serotype was more prevalent than the DENV3 (n = 144, 20.3%) and DENV1 (n = 84, 11.8%). The duration of fever was highest in the DENV-1 patients (4.79 ± 1.84 days) in contrast to DENV-3 (4.48 ± 1.68 days) and DENV-2 (4.33 ± 1.45 days) (P = 0.039). Importantly, five highly populated areas were identified as dengue hotspots in Chittagong metropolitan city. Our results provide crucial insights into the patterns of dengue virus transmission and severity among southern Bangladeshi population, thereby aiding in the development of targeted public health interventions and management strategies to combat future outbreaks.
Abstract
Food manufacturing and processing are part of the nation's critical infrastructure. Due to the recent global spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the potential contamination of the food chain and the resulting public health implications are of high consequence to society. The current primary food manufacturing and processing facilities already have various mechanisms such as hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system in place. However, the widespread microbial infections in these facilities raise concerns that they will not only threaten the welfare of food processing workers, but also have a potentially greater consequence on the public if the food is contaminated with an infectious agent.
Despite the increasingly recognised role of the environment in the spread of microbes, the effect of air properties remains poorly understood. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in meat processing facilities not only provide a means of transport for viruses and bacteria but may also deposit them on surfaces where they can survive for days. To maintain a stable and safe food chain supply during the pandemic, the challenges to ensure safe food supply and protect the workers' health must be quickly addressed through sustainable, safe and economic approaches. With these two imminent challenges in mind, the overall goal of this review article is to provide a comprehensive overview of the role of the environment in the impaction and resuspension of bioaerosols, focusing on airborne bacteria and viruses. The review includes the latest results of modeling the spread of microbial aerosols in the airflow and the development of preventive measures to mitigate virus contamination in the unique environment of meat processing operations. By understanding how the environmental factors and seasonality affect the infectivity and spread of airborne pathogens, mitigation measures can be designed to minimise future infections within and beyond these facilities.
Abstract
The utilization of sea buckthorn pomace (SBP) is attracting growing attention since it is valuable industrial waste. This pomace can find usage as a functional ingredient of food because it contains bioactive, health-promoting components, but to our knowledge, few scientists have so far studied utilization of the antimicrobial activity of fruit pomace. The study aims are to broaden our knowledge of antioxidant and antimicrobial status of SBP by utilizing pomace as a functional apple juice ingredient and by monitoring the antioxidant capacity, the total polyphenol content and microbial changes that occur during the storage of juice samples. Our results of this study highlight that the importance of the utilization of SBP because the results reported here provide further evidence that SBP can contribute to increasing the content of valuable components in apple juice samples and inhibiting the growth of microorganisms during storage.
