Assessing allergenicity of different tomato ecotypes by using pooled sera of allergic subjects: identification of the main allergens

An evaluation of the potential allergenicity of different tomato ecotypes is reported. Twelve tomato ecotypes were assessed through a proteomic approach, using pools of sera of allergic patients from two different regions (Emilia Romagna in Northern Italy and Campania in Southern Italy), in order to identify the major allergens and evaluate differences in IgE binding properties of the tomato cultivars. Pooled sera of allergic people from Emilia Romagna showed as the main allergen a suberization-associated anionic peroxidase, whereas pooled sera of allergic patients from Campania were mostly reactive to profilin. The two proteins were identified through a proteomic approach based on the use of high-resolution mass spectrometric techniques. Quite interestingly, in some cases, several ecotypes showed a less reactivity toward patients?? sera than other, potentially indicating the possibility to identify ipoallergenic varieties. Anyway, the allergenic pattern response to tomatoes was serum-specific, indicating that the allergenic properties of different tomato ecotypes are defined by the specific proteins to which the patient is sensitized, a strong indication that ipoallergenicity of the different ecotypes is possible, but mostly related to the individual susceptibility.     

Sensory characteristics of meat cooked for prolonged times at low temperature

The present study evaluated the sensory characteristics of low temperature long time (LTLT) treated Semitendinosus from pork and beef and Pectoralis profundus from chicken. Semitendinosus and Pectoralis profundus muscles were heat treated at 53°C and 58°C for T_c + 6 h, T_c + 17 h, and T_c + 30 h (only Semitendinosus from pork and beef). T_c was the time for the samples to equalize with the temperature in the water bath. Tenderness increased with increasing heating temperature and time in pork and beef, but not in chicken. Juiciness decreased with increasing heating temperature and time in all species, and cooking loss increased with increasing temperature. A done appearance was developed with increasing heating time at 58 °C in pork and beef, while in chicken the done appearance was only affected by temperature. Flavor attributes were less affected by the LTLT treatment for all species.     

5‐Benzylidenethiazolidin‐4‐ones as Multitarget Inhibitors of Bacterial Mur Ligases

Mur ligases participate in the intracellular path of bacterial peptidoglycan biosynthesis and constitute attractive, although so far underexploited, targets for antibacterial drug discovery. A series of hydroxy‐substituted 5‐benzylidenethiazolidin‐4‐ones were synthesized and tested as inhibitors of Mur ligases. The most potent compound 5 a was active against MurD–F with IC₅₀ values between 2 and 6 μm, making it a promising multitarget inhibitor of Mur ligases. Antibacterial activity against different strains, inhibitory activity against protein kinases, mutagenicity and genotoxicity of 5 a were also investigated, and kinetic and NMR studies were conducted.     

Health versus environmental benefits: Does additional information influence consumer acceptance of pulse-based spreads?

Despite the known health benefits and the potential for substituting less environmentally sustainable consumed foods such as meat, the current intake of pulses in developed countries remains less than recommended. Barriers are related to sensory characteristics and lack of knowledge about preparation, while drivers of environmental benefits are intangible. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of additional information about health or environmental benefits of pulses on the acceptance of novel pulse-based products from chickpeas, black beans, and faba beans. Perceptions of these pulse-based spreads in a blind and informed stage were assessed with 202 consumers in urban and suburban areas of Denmark. In general, the familiar chickpea spread followed by the relatively most unfamiliar black bean spread was liked the most. Only for these two products, additional information increased hedonic perception, regardless of the context (health or environmental benefits). If consumers did not like the spread, as found for the faba bean spread, providing additional information did not significantly alter this perception. Participants’ preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) in a discrete choice experiment corresponded to hedonic scores, whereas providing additional information increased the WTP. These findings suggest that extrinsic cues such as health or environmental benefits may only be useful in products with an acceptable baseline taste profile. Moreover, black beans might be investigated as a promising source for further product development due to their acceptance by consumers besides being the comparably most unfamiliar pulse type.     

Accuracy of near infrared spectroscopy for prediction of chemical composition, salt content and free amino acids in dry-cured ham

The capability of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was examined for the purposes of quality control of the traditional Slovenian dry-cured ham “Kraški pršut.” Predictive models were developed for moisture, salt, protein, non-protein nitrogen, intramuscular fat and free amino acids in biceps femoris muscle (n = 135). The models' quality was assessed using statistical parameters: coefficient of determination (R²) and standard error (se) of cross-validation (CV) and external validation (EV). Residual predictive deviation (RPD) was also assessed. Best results were obtained for salt content and salt percentage in moisture/dry matter (R_CV² > 0.90, RPD > 3.0), it was satisfactory for moisture, non-protein nitrogen, intramuscular fat and total free amino acids (R_CV² = 0.75–0.90, RPD = 2.0–3.0), while not so for protein content and proteolysis index (R_CV² = 0.65–0.75, RPD < 2.0). Calibrations for individual free amino acids yielded R_CV² from 0.40 to 0.90 and RPD from 1.3 to 2.9. Additional external validation of models on independent samples yielded comparable results. Based on the results, NIR spectroscopy can replace chemical methods in quality control of dry-cured ham.     

Filtration of nanosized particles with different shape on oil coated fibres

In our previous work it has been shown that perfectly spherical polystyrene latex (PSL) particles have higher filtration efficiency compared to cubic magnesium oxide (MgO) particles of the same electrical mobility as PSL particles. This disparity was ascribed to the different nature of motion of the spherical and cubic particles along the fibre surface, following the initial collision. After touching the fibre surface and before coming to rest, the spherical particles could either slide or roll compared to the cubic ones, which could slide or tumble. During tumbling, the area of contact between the particle and the fibre changes significantly, thus affecting the bounce probability, whilst for the spheres, the area of contact remains the same for any point of particle trajectory. In this project, the polypropylene filter was coated with a thin layer of mineral oil that was used to absorb the energy and, respectively, to minimize particle motion along the fibre after collision. The filtration efficiency of spherical PSL, and cubic MgO particles was measured in the size range of 50–300 nm, for filtration velocity of 10 and 20 cm/s. It was found that, regardless of shape, both particle types have very similar filtration efficiency. The theoretical predictions are in good agreement with our experimental results. Therefore, the conclusion can be drawn that the oil coating minimizes the amount of particle motion along the fibre after initial collision, making results for all particle shapes similar.     

Feeding interruptions, diurnal mass changes and daily routines of behaviour in the zebra finch

We investigated daily changes in body mass, fat reserves and crop contents, and diurnal organization of behaviour, in the zebra finch, Taeniopygia guttata, in relation to experimental manipulations of food availability. Diurnal mass change and the organization of foraging behaviour during the day were in general agreement with recent theoretical predictions. Foraging intensity, and hence rate of mass gain, was most rapid immediately after dawn and before dusk. The experimental birds did not alter either mean body mass or their diurnal mass trajectory after a period of 2 weeks when food was made unavailable for 2 h a day at unpredictable times. Instead, they changed their allocation of time to different activities during the day, decreasing the mean amount of time spent locomoting and increasing the mean amount of time spent inactive over the day. Thus, contrary to a number of recent studies on different species, zebra finches appear to respond to unpredictable interruptions in food supply by reducing energetically expensive activities rather than adjusting their levels of energy reserves. Copyright 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour Copyright 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.     

Increased traffic accident rates associated with shale gas drilling in Pennsylvania

Objectives

We examined the association between shale gas drilling and motor vehicle accident rates in Pennsylvania.

Methods

Using publicly available data on all reported vehicle crashes in Pennsylvania, we compared accident rates in counties with and without shale gas drilling, in periods with and without intermittent drilling (using data from 2005 to 2012). Counties with drilling were matched to non-drilling counties with similar population and traffic in the pre-drilling period.

Results

Heavily drilled counties in the north experienced 15–23% higher vehicle crash rates in 2010–2012 and 61–65% higher heavy truck crash rates in 2011–2012 than control counties. We estimated 5–23% increases in crash rates when comparing months with drilling and months without, but did not find significant effects on fatalities and major injury crashes. Heavily drilled counties in the southwest showed 45–47% higher rates of fatal and major injury crashes in 2012 than control counties, but monthly comparisons of drilling activity showed no significant differences associated with drilling.

Conclusions

Vehicle accidents have measurably increased in conjunction with shale gas drilling.     

Foreign labor and regional labor markets: aggregate and disaggregate impact on growth and wages in Danish regions

Foreign labor has become a central issue in Western Europe. This paper tests whether (1) inflows of foreign labor affect regional growth, and thereby whether employment opportunities for Danish workers are affected; (2) inflows of foreign labor lower real wage growth. We find that foreign labor has non-negative effects on the job opportunities for Danish workers in regional labor markets, whereas the evidence of a regional wage growth effect is mixed. We also present disaggregated results focusing on regional heterogeneity of business structures, skill levels and backgrounds of foreign labor. The results are interpreted within a specific Danish labor market context and the associated regional outcomes. This adds to previous findings and emphasizes the importance of labor market institutions for the effect of foreign labor on regional employment growth.     

Complex CD44 splicing combinations in synovial fibroblasts from arthritic joints

CD44 is a broadly expressed cell surface glycoprotein which is the major cell surface receptor for the glycosaminoglycan, hyaluronan. In humans, alternative splicing of up to 9 variant exons (v2-v10) into CD44 mRNA, together with post-translational modification via glycosylation and chondroitin sulfate attachment has the potential of generating a large number of CD44 isoforms. Insertion of these various exons has the potential to change the functional capacities of the molecule and has implications in disease. We have analyzed CD44 splice variant expression in cultured VCAM-1-positive synovial fibroblasts isolated from patients with osteo- or rheumatoid arthritis and from normal synovium. Rheumatoid and osteoarthritic tissue express CD44 splice variants at the cell surface level. At the mRNA level exons v3, v6, v7, v8, v9 and v10 were detected in different splicing combinations. Rheumatoid tissue showed high expression, osteoarthritic tissues showed great variation. In contrast, non-inflamed tissue showed no splicing events. Our results indicate that the nature of CD44 splice variant expression may be linked to the inflammatory state of the synovial joint.