Radioprotection and Radiomitigation: From the Bench to Clinical Practice.

The development of protective agents against harmful radiations has been a subject of investigation for decades. However, effective (ideal) radioprotectors and radiomitigators remain an unsolved problem. Because ionizing radiation-induced cellular damage is primarily attributed to free radicals, radical scavengers are promising as potential radioprotectors. Early development of such agents focused on thiol synthetic compounds, e.g., amifostine (2-(3-aminopropylamino) ethylsulfanylphosphonic acid), approved as a radioprotector by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA, USA) but for limited clinical indications and not for nonclinical uses. To date, no new chemical entity has been approved by …

Psychological and sociological aspects in feeding of the sports

Con el presente artículo queremos describir mediante una revisión bibliográfica los aspectos que caracterizan los hábitos alimentarios en los deportistas y su relación con la optimización del rendimiento y el mantenimiento del estado de salud del deportista. Los factores que influyen en la educación alimentaria del deportista son varios: hábitos alimentarios de la infancia y adolescencia, suplementación en el deporte, trastornos del comportamiento alimentario y deportistas de alto rendimiento deportivo. Se valora principalmente la ingesta de nutrientes y alimentaria de estos, pero se necesitan conocer sus prácticas alimentarias durante entrenamiento-competición. Cobra importancia las recome…

Evaluation by HPLC-UV of Polar Pesticides in Rice Fields

Occurrence of Aflatoxins in Tigernuts and Their Beverages Commercialized in Spain

A method based on matrix solid phase dispersion extraction was applied to determine aflatoxins B(1), B(2), G(1), and G(2) from tigernuts and tigernut beverages. Recoveries of each aflatoxin from tigernut (spiked at 10 microg/kg level) and from tigernut beverages (spiked at 10 microg/L level) ranged from 72.3 to 82.1% and from 74.0 to 86.3%, respectively. The limits of quantification ranged from 0.21 to 1.49 microg/kg (for tigernuts) and from 0.13 to 0.57 microg/L (for tigernut beverages) studied using liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The proposed extraction method followed by liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection determination was applied to 37 and 25 samples of tig…

Perfiles de personalidad y resiliencia en dolor crónico: utilidad del CDRISC-10 para discriminar los tipos resiliente y vulnerable

espanolRESUMEN Introduccion: Uno de los aspectos psicologicos asociados a la vivencia del dolor cronico han sido los perfiles de personalidad y, relacionado con ellos, la resiliencia. En el dolor cronico la resiliencia se refiere tanto a la capacidad de volver atras tras el dano inicial como tambien a la de continuar con su funcionamiento habitual pese a la repeticion de los problemas. En este campo, sin embargo, no hay referencias sobre si la resiliencia se relaciona con los perfiles de personalidad. En trabajos previos se ha abordado la cuestion de los perfiles de personalidad relacionados con el dolor cronico. El objetivo de este trabajo es replicar los perfiles encontrados previamente, …

COVID Obesity: A One-Year Narrative Review

On 11 March 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). This study focuses on a narrative review about the illness during the first year of the pandemic in relation to obesity. Databases were used to search studies published up to 8 December 2020. In total, 4430 articles and other scientific literature were found, and 24 articles were included in this one-year narrative review. The mean BMI value of severe COVID-19 patients ranged from 24.5 to 33.4 kg/m2, versus 2 for non-severe patients. Articles using the terms obesity or overweight without indicating the BMI value in these patients were common, but this is not useful, as the a…

Effectiveness of a physiotherapy and nutrition program in patients with coronary artery disease: randomized controlled trial

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction. Dietary and exercise interventions are effective strategies for improving physical and nutritional status of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, few studies have applied a combined exercise protocol based on high intensity interval training (HIIT) and dietary education in patients with CAD with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Purpose This study researches the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary program based in HIIT with dietary education (DEHIIT) in comparison with only HIIT, on adherence to Mediterranean diet in CAD patients with PCI. Methods. A prospective, assessor-blinded, parall…

Rapid whole protein quantification of staphylococcal enterotoxin B by liquid chromatography

Abstract Food poisoning caused by Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important foodborne diseases in the world. The ability of these bacteria to produce one or more enterotoxins in milk and dairy products is linked to staphylococcal food poisoning. Enterotoxin B (SEB) is an exotoxin produced by S. aureus and is one of the compounds most frequently involved in staphylococcal food poisoning worldwide. In this work, 20 samples of milk collected from restaurants have been studied for the presence of S. aureus enterotoxigenic strains. All the isolates from milk samples have been analysed by liquid chromatography-coupled with diode array detector for the rapid identification and quantificat…

Anthropometric Assessment of Nepali Children Institutionalized in Orphanages

Nepal is among the world&rsquo

Analysis of carbamate pesticides and their metabolites in water by solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography: A review

Carbamates are an important, broad class of pesticides that are used extensively as insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides. Sensitive, economical, fast, and environmental friendly procedures are constantly developed to investigate their residues in water samples. The state of the art in methods based on solid phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatographic determination are examined here. SPE is presently the most extended method for preconcentration of carbamate pesticide residues and their transformation products from water samples. Advantages and limitations of alkyl bonded-silica, and polymeric sorbents, carbon, and mixed-phases in off-line and on-line procedures are discussed. Beca…

Incidence of enterotoxigenic staphylococci and their toxins in foods

Of 504 food samples collected from cafeterias, 19 (3.8%) yielded strains of enterotoxigenic staphylococci, and 10 (52.6%), 4 (21.1%), 3 (15.8%), and 2 (10.5%) of these strains produced enterotoxins C (SEC), D (SED), B (SEB), and A (SEA), respectively. Moreover, SEA, SEB, and SEC were isolated from three hamburger samples. Of 181 food samples collected from four restaurants before the implementation of the hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system, 7 (3.9%) were found to contain enterotoxigenic strains, and SED, SEC, and SEA were produced by 4 (57.1%), 2 (28.6%), and 1 (14.3%) of these strains, respectively. One meatball sample with SEC was detected in a restaurant. After the…

Incidence of microbial flora in lettuce, meat and Spanish potato omelette from restaurants

A total of 370 samples including lettuce, meats (beef, pork and chicken) and Spanish potato omelette from restaurants were studied to evaluate the incidence of Escherichia coli, E. coli O157:H7,Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp.,Yersinia enterocolitica, enterococci and some micro-organisms that can cause spoilage orcan be usedas indicators for food safety. Escherichia coliand enterococci were harboured with the highest incidence in lettuce, whereas incidence of Staphylococcus aureus was higherin meat than in the other foods studied. Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella pneumoniaewere isolated from the three food groups. Chryseomonas luteola, Enterobacter sakazakii, Klebsiella ozaenae, Mo…

Body Mass Index (BMI) and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Living Systematic Review

On March 11, 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). This review focuses on where the body mass index (BMI) value can be used as a tool to evaluate the risk of development and/or aggravation of this disease. Databases were used to search studies published up to April 18, 2020. In total, 4285 articles and other scientific literature were found, and twelve articles were included in this systematic review. The mean BMI value of severe COVID-19 patients ranged from 24.5 to 33.4 kg/m2, versus 22.0 to 24.3 kg/m2 for non-severe patients Articles using the terms obesity or overweight, without indicating the BMI value, in these patien…

Prevalence of Sarcopenia in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Valencia, Spain.

This study is an observational and cross-sectional study on the prevalence of sarcopenic disease in 202 autonomous older adults

Assessment of the microbiological quality and wash treatments of lettuce served in University restaurants

Abstract One hundred and forty-four samples of lettuce from 16 University restaurants were analyzed. The mesophilic aerobic counts of all samples ranged from 3.01 to 7.81 log 10 CFU g −1 . Results of total coliforms ranged from 3.38 log 10 most probable number (MPN) g −1 . Of the lettuce samples, 25.7% harbored Escherichia coli , 22.9% Staphylococcus aureus and 84% group D streptococci. Similarly, 10.4% of the samples harbored Aeromonas hydrophila , 2.8% Pseudomonas aeruginosa , and coliforms such as 14.6% Citrobacter freundii , 8.3% Klebsiella pneumoniae , 4.2% Enterobacter cloacae and 1.4% Providencia spp. Salmonella , Shigella and E. coli O157:H7 were not detected. When sodium hypochlori…

Intermittent Fasting and the Possible Benefits in Obesity, Diabetes, and Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials

Intermittent fasting has become popular in recent years and is controversially presented as a possible therapeutic adjunct. A bibliographic review of the literature on intermittent fasting and obesity, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis was carried out. The scientific quality of the methodology and the results obtained were evaluated in pairs. Intermittent fasting has beneficial effects on the lipid profile, and it is associated with weight loss and a modification of the distribution of abdominal fat in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes as well as an improvement in the control of glycemic levels. In patients with multiple sclerosis, the data available are too scarce to draw any firm con…

Prevalence of Listeria spp. and characterization of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from food products in Tetouan, Morocco

A total of 1096 food samples were purchased in Tetouan, North-Western of Morocco, to examine the presence of Listeria spp. Eighty (7.3%) of the tested samples were found positive for the presence of Listeria spp., while L. monocytogenes was detected in 16 (1.5%) samples. L. monocytogenes isolates belonged to clonal complexes CC2 (PCR serogroup IVb) and CC199 (PCR serogroup Ila) and to 8 different combined AscI/Apal pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles. Core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) allowed to distinguish 12 different cgMLST types and revealed the presence of 3 clusters of closely-related isolates from different samples, suggesting the existence of common sources of co…

In vitro cytogenetic and genotoxic effects of curcumin on human peripheral blood lymphocytes

International audience; Curcumin has shown a wide range of properties such as anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties. Many of these effects, mainly the anti-carcinogenic effect, could be linked to its anti-oxidant effects. Nevertheless, some studies suggest that this natural compound possesses both pro- and anti-oxidative effects and that curcumin could be a genotoxic agent for some cell lines. We evaluated the genetic damage induced by curcumin to human lymphocytes exposed to increasing concentrations (0-50 μg/ml) of curcumin. Biomarkers such as chromosome aberrations (CAs) and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) were analyzed. In addition to the cytogenetic analysis, the effect of…

Presence of Fusarium emerging mycotoxins in tiger-nuts commercialized in Spain

Abstract Tiger-nuts are tubers from the plant Cyperus esculentus which are commercialized in some regions of West and Central Africa, USA and Spain. These tubers have a high microbial charge such as bacteria, moulds and yeasts which could remain until the finished product. In this study we examined 47 samples of tiger-nut tubers purchased from Spanish supermarkets for contamination with the emerging Fusarium mycotoxins: Enniatins ENs (EN A, EN A1, EN B and EN B1), beauvericin (BEA) and fusaproliferin (FUS). The extraction of the samples was carried out with methanol using an Ultraturrax homogenizer. Mycotoxins were analyzed with a liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to a diode array detector…

Monitoring serologic response to single in ovo vaccination with an immune complex vaccine against infectious bursal disease in broilers

Este artículo se encuentra disponible en la siguiente URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003257912100033X The infectious bursal disease (IBD) virus is one of the most resistant and prevalent virus worldwide in the poultry industry, being vaccination the main tool to control the disease. For this reason, consistent and uniform immunization of broiler flocks against IBD is necessary to avoid the disease spreading. The aim of this study was to apply and assess an epidemiologic mapping tool focused on the immunization by in ovo single broiler vaccination using an immune complex IBD vaccine. With this regard, 7,576 serum samples were collected from 603 broiler flocks raised …

Estudio del estado nutricional de estudiantes de educación primaria y secundaria de la provincia de Valencia y su relación con la adherencia a la Dieta Mediterránea

Introducción: La obesidad infantil está alcanzando cifras muy elevadas entre la población infantil española favoreciendo la obesidad en la edad adulta. El objetivo del presente estudio es conocer el estado nutricional de estudiantes de seis colegios de la provincia de Valencia y su grado de adhesión a la Dieta Mediterránea (DM).Material y métodos: Estudio transversal en el que participaron 777 estudiantes, 49,9% eran chicos y 50,1% chicas con edades comprendidas entre 8 y 16 años. Se determinó el peso y la altura de cada participante y se calculó el Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC). A partir del IMC se calculó el Z-score. Para determinar el grado de adhesión a la DM se utilizó el test KidMed.R…

Determination of aflatoxins in peanuts by matrix solid-phase dispersion and liquid chromatography

A new method based on matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) extraction was studied to determine aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2 from peanuts. Optimization of different parameters, such as type of solid supports for matrix dispersion and elution solvents were carried out. The method used 2 g of peanut sample, 2 g of C18 bonded silica as MSPD sorbent and acetonitrile as eluting solvent. Recoveries of each aflatoxin spiked to peanut samples at 2.5 ng/g (5 ng/g for aflatoxin G2) level were between 78 and 86% with relative standard deviations ranging from 4 to 7%. The limits of quantification ranged from 0.125 to 2.5 ng/g for the four studied aflatoxins using liquid chromatography (LC) with fluoresce…

The importance of a registered dietitian in restaurants: a pilot study in Valencia (Spain)

University students have the option to purchase their meals at university restaurants; in general, food eaten away from home has high contents of saturated fat and energy. The aim of this work was to perform a pilot study of the nutritional adequacy of meals served at two university restaurants from Valencia. Energy, macronutrient and micronutrient contents were calculated and compared against the Spanish Recommended Dietary Intake (SRDI). Daily menus provided a high amount of energy; lunch from restaurant 1 provides 60 and 78% of the energetic SRDI for male and female, respectively. In restaurant 2 these values are 49.5 and 64.6%, respectively. Menus from one university restaurant are plan…

Antibacterial effects of enniatins J1 and J3 on pathogenic and lactic acid bacteria

Abstract Enniatins (ENs) are N -methylated cyclohexadepsipeptides, secondary metabolites produced by various species of the genus Fusarium . They are known to act as antifungal, antiyeast and antibacterial and to possess antiinsecticidal and phytotoxic properties. In this study we evaluated for the first time the antibiotic effect of pure fractions of EN J 1 and J 3 on several pathogenic strains and lactic acid bacteria. The ENs J 1 and J 3 were purified from the fermentation extract of Fusarium solani growth on solid medium of wheat kamut, using the technique of the low pressure liquid chromatography (LPLC) followed by a semipreparative liquid chromatography (LC). The purity and the struct…

Redox Status, Dose and Antioxidant Intake in Healthcare Workers Occupationally Exposed to Ionizing Radiation

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between blood redox status, dose and antioxidant dietary intake of different hospital staff groups exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation (LDIR) (Interventional Radiology and Cardiology, Radiation Oncology, and Nuclear Medicine) and non-exposed. Personal dose equivalent (from last year and cumulative), plasma antioxidant markers (total antioxidant capacity, extracellular superoxide dismutase activity, and glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratio), oxidative stress markers (nitrites and nitrates, and lipid peroxidation) and dietary intake (antioxidant capacity using ORAC values) were collected and analyzed from 28 non-exposed healt…

APPLICATION OF REAL-TIME POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION FOR RAPID DETERMINATION OFSALMONELLAIN RESTAURANT FOODS

Several foods have been identified as frequently or occasionally contaminated with Salmonella, such as eggs, raw milk and all raw foods of animal origin that may carry salmonella and other bacteria. Salmonellosis is the most common food-borne illness, but it is usually preventable according to the implementation of a food safety system that includes Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point. In this study, 96 food samples of the University restaurant of Valencia (Spain) were divided into four groups: first course; main course; accompaniment; and dessert, and were analyzed simultaneously with classical and fluorogenic polymerase chain reaction microbiological analysis. Neither of the proced…

Incidence of ochratoxin A in rice and dried fruits from Rabat and Salé area, Morocco.

One hundred samples of dried fruits (20 dried raisins, 20 walnuts, 20 peanuts, 20 dried figs and 20 pistachios) and 20 samples of rice purchased from retail shops in the Rabat and Salé area in Morocco were analysed for ochratoxin A (OTA) by immunoaffinity clean-up (IAC) and liquid chromatography (LC) with fluorescence detection. The limit of quantification (LOQ) (S/N = 10:1) of OTA was 0.02 ng g(-1) in rice, 0.03 ng g(-1) in pistachio, peanut and walnut, and 0.03 ng g(-1) in dried raisins and dried figs. The incidences of occurrence of OTA in dried raisins, walnuts, peanuts, dried figs and rice were 30, 35, 25, 65 and 90%, respectively. Analytical results showed that pistachio samples conta…

Survey of microbial quality of plant-based foods served in restaurants

This study was carried out to evaluate the microbiological quality of plant-based foods obtained from foodservice establishments. The samples included cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables. According to the European Commission Regulation (No. 2073/2005 and No. 1441/2007) and Spanish microbiological criteria (No. 3484/2000), vegetables were the plant-based dishes where more samples exceed the adopted limits of mesophilic aerobic counts and Enterobacteriaceae. Furthermore, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were also found in several vegetable dishes. E. coli and Salmonella spp. were detected in 6.6% and 0.7% of lettuce samples, respectively. However, all the samples were negative f…

Microbial evaluation of Spanish potato omelette and cooked meat samples in University restaurants.

The focus of this study was to evaluate the microbial quality of Spanish potato omelette and cooked meat samples including pork loin, chicken croquettes, long pork sausage, chicken breast, and meatballs from University restaurants. Microbiological analyses of Spanish potato omelette and cooked meat samples resulted in aerobic plate counts from1.00 to 2.90 and from1.00 to 6.04 log10 CFU g(-1), respectively. Total coliforms ranged from3 to 43 most probable number (MPN) g(-1) and from3 to2,400 MPN g(-1) for Spanish potato omelette and meat products, respectively. Escherichia coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci, and Lancefield group-D streptococci were detected in 1.7%, 3.5%, and 12.9% of Sp…

Applying systematic review search methods to the grey literature: a review of education and training courses on breastfeeding support for health professionals

Abstract Background Currently, lactation training courses aimed at health professionals are important for informing and supporting mothers who are breastfeeding. In this review, we seek to analyze similarities and/or variations in course content, modes of delivery, costs, teaching style and learning strategies among courses. To our knowledge, a review of lactation training courses available worldwide is lacking. Thus, the aim of this review is to describe course models aimed at training health professionals in lactation support for mothers. Methods Through searching grey literature, training courses were obtained from several directories, including the Alaska Breastfeeding Coalition, Intern…

Incidence of microorganisms from fresh orange juice processed by squeezing machines

Abstract This study was carried out to evaluate the microbiological quality of orange juice obtained from squeezing machines in foodservice establishments. The samples included fresh squeezed orange juice and juice which is maintained in metal jugs until consumption. According to the European Commission Regulation (No. 2073/2005 and No. 1441/2007) and Spanish microbiological criteria (No. 3484/2000), 12% and 43% of the total examined lots exceed the adopted limits of mesophilic aerobic counts and Enterobacteriaceae, respectively. Possibly, this contamination is caused by incorrect handling of oranges and juices and also by inadequate cleaning and sanitization of squeezing machine and metal …

Frequency of dicentrics and contamination levels in Ukrainian children and adolescents from areas near Chernobyl 20 years after the nuclear plant accident.

International audience; Purpose To survey the possible presence of chromosomal damage and internal contamination in a group of Ukrainian children and adolescents, 20 years after the Chernobyl accident at the Nuclear Power Plant. Materials and methods Cytogenetical procedures were performed according to dicentric assay in 55 Ukrainian children and adolescents (29 boys and 26 girls), living near Chernobyl. In addition, a whole body detector and urinalysis were used to detect internal contamination. Results 36 dicentrics were found in a total of 53,477 metaphases scored in these children, which reflected a frequency of dicentrics below the background level. On the other hand, internal contamin…

A review of the application of the hazard analysis and critical control point system to salads served in the restaurant of Valencia University

Salivary Testosterone and Cortisol as Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Sarcopenia and Sarcopenic Obesity in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Nowadays, the appearance of sarcopenia (S) or sarcopenic obesity (SO) is related to aging. According to the criteria of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP), the feasibility of using salivary cortisol and testosterone levels was analyzed as diagnostic biomarkers of S or SO. One hundred and ninety non-institutionalized people aged &ge

Somatostatin and Somatostatin Receptors: From Signaling to Clinical Applications in Neuroendocrine Neoplasms

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are heterogeneous neoplasms which arise from neuroendocrine cells that are distributed widely throughout the body. Although heterogenous, many of them share their ability to overexpress somatostatin receptors (SSTR) on their cell surface. Due to this, SSTR and somatostatin have been a large subject of interest in the discovery of potential biomarkers and treatment options for the disease. The aim of this review is to describe the molecular characteristics of somatostatin and somatostatin receptors and its application in diagnosis and therapy on patients with NENs as well as the use in the near future of somatostatin antagonists.

Listeria species in raw and ready-to-eat foods from restaurants.

From September 1999 to March 2000, meat (pork, beef, and chicken), fish (salmon, hake, and sole), vegetable (lettuce and spinach), and Spanish potato omelette samples obtained at restaurants were collected and tested for the occurrence of Listeria spp. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from 3 (2.9%) out of 103 studied samples. Other species isolated were Listeria grayi (13.6%), Listeria innocua (1.9%), Listeria ivanovii (5.8%), Listeria seeligeri (3.9%), and Listeria welshimeri (1.9%). Listeria was neither isolated from beef nor any type of fish.

Macrocyclic Pyclen-Based Gd3+ Complex with High Relaxivity and pH Response

We report the synthesis and characterization of the macrocyclic ligand 2,2'-((2-(3,9-bis(carboxymethyl)-3,6,9-triaza-1(2,6)-pyridinacyclodecaphane-6-yl)ethyl)azanediyl)diacetic acid (H4L) and several of its complexes with lanthanide ions. The structure of the free ligand was determined using X-ray diffraction measurements. Two N atoms of the pyclen moiety in the trans position are protonated in the solid state, together with the exocyclic N atom and one of the carboxylate groups of the ligand. The relaxivity of the Gd3+ complex was found to increase from 6.7 mM-1 s-1 at pH 8.6 to 8.5 mM-1 s-1 below pH ≈ 6.0. Luminescence lifetime measurements recorded from H2O and D2O solutions of the Eu3+ …

Aflatoxins in organs and biological samples from children affected by kwashiorkor, marasmus and marasmic-kwashiorkor: A scoping review

Originally, the kwashiorkor is a pathology justified by the low consumption of proteins and high carbohydrates in weaned children. However, today, it can appear due to multifactorial causes, one of the hypotheses being the presence of aflatoxins in foods consumed by the child population and detected in biological fluids. The objective of this work is to scoping review the presence of aflatoxins in kwashiorkor, marasmus and marasmic-kwashiorkor from organs and biological samples in children. Results reflected that the presence of aflatoxins in kwashiorkor is greater compared to marasmic-kwashiorkor and marasmus in the organs and biological samples analyzed. The relationship of this mycotoxin…

MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF SOUS VIDE COOK-CHILL PRESERVED FOOD AT DIFFERENT SHELF LIFE

The effect of three different periods of storage life (0, 15 and 30 days) on the microbiological quality of several foods elaborated with the sous vide cook–chill procedure in a restaurant was studied. These foods are grouped in three categories: meat (breast chicken, foie gras, pork loin and entrecote of veal), fish (codfish, gilt head sea bream, hake and salmon) and vegetable (broccoli, courgette, potato and carrot). Total plate counts in the products studied were in the range of <1.00–3.74 log10 cfu/g. Coagulase negative staphylococci were isolated in the three categories, Enterococcus spp. were isolated from foie gras and Pantoea agglomerans from salmon and carrot. Staphylococcus aureus…

Glucose influence on the production of T-2 toxin by Fusarium sporotrichioides

Toxigenic isolate of Fusarium sporotrichioides was tested for the T-2 toxin production on PDA plates during 10 days under various glucose concentrations. T-2 toxin was determined by LC-MS and confirmed with LC-MS/MS. This analytical method has been applied, for the first time, to an extensive study of T-2 accumulation. Results showed that the production of this mycotoxin is directly correlated to the concentration of glucose present in the medium. Concentrations of T-2 toxin produced by the strain of F. sporotrichioides ranged from 0 to 1.45 mg/kg. The better T-2 production was evidenced in the fermentation operated with 20% of glucose.

Curcumin and trans-resveratrol exert cell cycle-dependent radioprotective or radiosensitizing effects as elucidated by the PCC and G2-assay

Curcumin and trans-resveratrol are well-known antioxidant polyphenols with radiomodulatory properties, radioprotecting non-cancerous cells while radiosensitizing tumor cells. This dual action may be the result of their radical scavenging properties and their effects on cell-cycle checkpoints that are activated in response to radiation-induced chromosomal damage. It could be also caused by their effect on regulatory pathways with impact on detoxification enzymes, the up-regulation of endogenous protective systems, and cell-cycle-dependent processes of DNA damage. This work aims to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the dual action of these polyphenols and investigates under which conditions…

Rapid whole protein quantitation of staphylococcal enterotoxins A and B by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

Abstract Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen and has been indicated as the fifth causative agent of food-borne human illness throughout the world. Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) are toxic compounds excreted mainly by strains of S. aureus. Among these toxins, enterotoxins A (SEA) and B (SEB) are both of the most prevalent compounds in staphylococcal food poisoning. In this work, reverse phase liquid chromatography coupled to ESI mass spectrometry (LC–ESI/MS) has been applied for its rapid identification and quantification. Limit of detection (LOD) values were 0.5 and 0.2 ng for SEA and SEB, respectively and limit of quantification (LOQ) value was 1 ng for both enterotoxins. SEA…

Use of the modified quick easy cheap effective rugged and safe sample preparation approach for the simultaneous analysis of type A- and B-trichothecenes in wheat flour

A suitable extraction and purification method for the simultaneous liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) determination of five mycotoxins, three type A, diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), T-2 toxin (T-2) and HT-2 toxin (HT-2), and two type B-trichothecenes, deoxynivalenol (DON) and nivalenol (NIV), has been optimised using a modified "Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged and Safe" (QuEChERS) method. Different solvents were studied in the extraction procedure to obtain better recoveries, which ranged from 86 to 108%, using a 85/15 (v/v) mixture of methanol/acetonitrile. The values obtained for recovery, repeatability and reproducibility of the optimized method are in agreement with Commission …

Radioprotective activity and cytogenetic effect of resveratrol in human lymphocytes: An in vitro evaluation

Trans-resveratrol is a natural occurring polyphenol, obtained from grapes and other berries. This compound has shown antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulant or anti-carcinogenic properties. Our aim was to evaluate the radioprotective efficacy, in vitro, of trans-resveratrol against radiation-induced chromosomal damage and to study the genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of this polyphenol in cell cultures without irradiation. The study was carried out by the pre-treatment of human lymphocytes at concentrations from 0 to 219μM of trans-resveratrol. The results showed that all concentrations tested reduced radiation-induced chromosomal damage compared with cells with any treatment. Maximum …

Evolutionary Trends in the Mitochondrial Genome of Archaeplastida: How Does the GC Bias Affect the Transition from Water to Land?

[EN] Among the most intriguing mysteries in the evolutionary biology of photosynthetic organisms are the genesis and consequences of the dramatic increase in the mitochondrial and nuclear genome sizes, together with the concomitant evolution of the three genetic compartments, particularly during the transition from water to land. To clarify the evolutionary trends in the mitochondrial genome of Archaeplastida, we analyzed the sequences from 37 complete genomes. Therefore, we utilized mitochondrial, plastidial and nuclear ribosomal DNA molecular markers on 100 species of Streptophyta for each subunit. Hierarchical models of sequence evolution were fitted to test the heterogeneity in the base…

Listeria spp. in Street-Vended Ready-to-Eat Foods.

Street-vended ready-to-eat food sold in Egypt, including sandwiches and dishes of traditional food, was examined for the presence ofListeriaspecies. Out of 576 samples, 24% were found to containListeriaspecies.L. monocytogenesandL. innocuawere isolated from 57% and 39% of the contaminated samples, respectively. OtherListeriaspp. were detected with lower frequency.L. monocytogenesof ≥103 CFU/g were detected in 7% of the total examined samples, which represent 49% of the contaminated food samples (meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, and products of plant origin). Most of the samples contaminated byL. monocytogeneshad high levels of total viable bacterial counts. The results obtained may h…

Short Sleep Duration Is Related to Emerging Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Obese Children

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of sleep duration on cardiovascular risk factors in obese children. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of 90 obese children ages 7 to 16 years. Anthropometric and clinical evaluation with specification of dietary and lifestyle habits was carried out during an office visit. Sleep duration was evaluated by the BEARS (B = bedtime issues, E = excessive daytime sleepiness, A = night awakening, R = regularity and duration of sleep, S = snoring) questionnaire on children's sleep characteristics. Sleep time adequacy by age was assessed according to the criteria of the National Sleep Foundation. Biochemical blood variables indicati…

Comparación del somatotipo, evaluación nutricional e ingesta alimentaria entre estudiantes universitarios deportistas y sedentarios

Resumen Fundamento y objetivo El estudio del somatotipo y de la ingesta alimentaria entre la poblacion universitaria es importante para implantar politicas internas de mejora de la salud y de la prevencion de enfermedades. En este estudio se ha realizado la comparacion del somatotipo, evaluacion energetica-nutricional e ingesta alimentaria entre estudiantes universitarios deportistas frente a los sedentarios. Sujetos y metodo La muestra esta formada por 1.299 jovenes universitarios (420 varones y 879 mujeres) de la Universitat de Valencia, durante 2008-2009 y 2009-2010, evaluandose en ellos diversos parametros antropometricos, el somatotipo y la ingesta nutricional y alimentaria mediante un…

Incidence of Staphylococcus aureus in meals from cafeterias

A study to determine the incidence of Staphylococccus aureus in 705 meals from several cafeterias in Valencia, Spain was undertaken. Out of the 705 studied meals, 81 samples (I I. I %) had coagulase positive staphylococci with a range of S. aureus from 100 to 53000 cfu/g. me four highest values (> l0,ooO S. aureus &/g) were obtained with Russian type salad, meatballs, chicken croquettes and salad. These products involved more handling stages. These data show that food handlers may contribute to food poisoning and that there are some handling practices that require more attention.

Occurrence of fumonisins in organic and conventional cereal-based products commercialized in France, Germany and Spain

A fast and effective method for quantitative determination of fumonisins B1 and B2 (FB1 and FB2) in different cereal-based products was developed. Fumonisins were extracted combining a solid liquid extraction (SLE) pre-treatment and immunoaffinity columns (IACs), which were applied for an effective clean-up. Consecutively, high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to hybrid triple quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometer (QTrap®) was used for the separation, detection and quantification of targeted mycotoxins. The analytical method showed acceptable recoveries ranged from 89.7% to 99.1%, as well as a relative standard deviation (%, RSD) lower than 12%. A total of 1250 samples f…

Integrating sustainability into the multi-criteria assessment of urban dietary patterns

AbstractThis study develops a decision-making procedure to help policymakers compare alternative patterns for sustainable diets by reaching a compromise among three criteria: socio-economic perspective, health and environment (including carbon and water footprints). An Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was performed in several stages. First, a total of 25 stakeholders (members of organizations on the Valencia Food Policy Council) evaluated criteria that are relevant to the sustainability of diets. Secondly, a workshop with 14 experts from different backgrounds evaluated by consensus four dietary alternatives: Mediterranean, flexitarian, pescatarian and vegan. In terms of environment, exper…

Enterotoxinomics: The omic sciences in the study of staphylococcal toxins analyzed in food matrices

Abstract Foodomics covers all several disciplines related with emerging working areas and relies on them to get a broader knowledge about food quality and food safety to improve consumer's well-being, health and confidence. Enterotoxin-producing S. aureus is one of the most common causes of food-borne human illness throughout the world. Because of the possible significance of these enterotoxins for public health and food safety, greater knowledge of their occurrence and an efficient means of screening at the protein level are needed. It is under these circumstances where Enterotoxinomic science has an important role. The term Enterotoxinomics refers to the omic sciences applied to enterotox…

Dietary intake and food pattern of Saharawi refugee children in Tindouf (Algeria)

Microbial contamination of milk and dairy products from restaurants in Spain

This study was carried out to evaluate the microbiological quality of milk and some dairy products, including 95 lots of warm milk, 95 lots of milk conserved at room temperature, and 75 lots of dairy products collected from restaurants in Spain. According to the European microbiological criteria (92/46/EEC, 93/43/EEC, and Commission Regulation No. 2073/2005), 31% and 35% of the total examined lots exceed the adopted limits of mesophilic aerobic counts and Enterobacteriaceae, respectively. This may be due to incorrect handling of milk and dairy products and inadequate cleaning and sanitization of milk container. Further, 2% of all the lots examined were positive for the presence of Escherich…

Analysis of the Possible Persistent Genotoxic Damage in Workers Linked to the Ardystil Syndrome

[EN] Background: A combination of several factors including a change in the paint application system; a lack of proper hygiene; and inadequate safety measures caused a severe health impact in the workers of some textile painting factories. This outbreak, mainly characterized by respiratory disorders, caused the death of six people and it has been classified as Ardystil syndrome. Materials and Methods: Fifty-two workers involved in the outbreak and 48 healthy subjects not known to have exposed to the potentially mutagenic agents participated in the study. The program evaluated possible genotoxic damage through the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) cytogenetic biomarker assay. We determined the…

Occurrence and daily intake of ochratoxin A of organic and non-organic rice and rice products

Abstract Ochratoxin A (OTA) was extracted from 84 rice samples and rice products by using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and analysed with liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection. Samples were collected from rice cultivars, local markets and supermarkets; 64 were of non-organic and 20 of organic production. 7.8% of non-organic samples had OTA levels from 4.3 to 27.3 μg/kg and in 30% of organic samples was detected the presence of this mycotoxin varying from 1.0 to 7.1 μg/kg. OTA presence was confirmed by methyl-ester derivatization. Rice and rice products labelled with denomination of origin (DO) were not detected OTA due to the fact that its production has implement…

Exposure assessment to ochratoxin A from the consumption of Italian and Hungarian wines

Abstract A total of 267 wine samples including 19 dessert, 186 red, 11 rose and 51 white produced mostly in the years 1997–2002 in Italian and Hungarian regions were analyzed for ochratoxin A (OTA) using inmunoaffinity column (IAC) clean-up and HPLC with fluorimetric detection. None of Hungarian wine samples were contaminated with this mycotoxin. For Italian red wines, 84% of the samples were positive for OTA ranged from 0.01 to 4.00 ng/mL. Furthermore, OTA was detected in 63% of dessert, in 56% of rose and in 19% of white wine samples ranged from 0.01 to 1.64, from 0.01 to 1.04 and from 0.01 to 0.21 ng/mL, respectively. A study of OTA daily exposure assessment in Italian wines was also car…

Sister chromatid exchange, (SCE), High-Frequency Cells (HFCs) and SCE distribution patterns in peripheral blood lymphocytes of Spanish adult smokers compared to non-smokers

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, smoking tobacco is a major cause of cancer in humans. It causes about half of all male cancer deaths and an ever increasing number of cancer deaths in females. The aim of this study was to establish whether cigarette smoking increases sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in peripheral blood lymphocytes in two Spanish population groups; light and heavy smokers. The mean number of High-Frequency Cells (HFCs) was determined and, the SCE distribution pattern among the chromosomes was analysed represented by a ratio described below. A local sample of 101 adult smokers (n = 48) and non-smokers (n = 53), aged from 18 to 49 years, was studi…

Presence of aflatoxin M1 in pasteurized milk from Morocco

Fifty four samples of pasteurized milk produced by five different dairies from Morocco were surveyed for the presence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) using immunoaffinity columns and liquid chromatography coupled to fluorescence detection. Confirmation of AFM1 identity in positive samples was based on the formation of AFM1 hemi-acetal derivative (AFM2a) after derivatization with trifluoracetic acid. Analytical results showed that 88.8% of the samples were contaminated with AFM1; 7.4% being above the maximum level of 0.05 microg/L set by the Moroccan and European regulations for AFM1 in liquid milk. The incidence of AFM1 in milk from these dairies was 100, 92.3, 90, 83.3 and 77.7% respectively, with …

One-year monitoring of aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in tiger-nuts and their beverages.

A sensitive and selective liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS-MS) method was developed for the routine analysis of aflatoxins (AFB(1), AFB(2), AFG(1) and AFG(2)) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in tiger nuts and tiger-nut beverage (horchata). A matrix solid phase dispersion was adapted to eliminate lipidic interferences. The solid support was C(18), while the elution solvent was acetonitrile. Mean recoveries obtained at two fortification levels were 72-83% and 71-81% for horchata and tiger nut respectively with relative standard deviations (RSDs) <13% and 15% respectively. The LC-MS-MS method allowed quantification and identification at low levels in two matri…

Simple liquid chromatography assay for analyzing ochratoxin A in bovine milk

Abstract Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin with teratogenic and carcinogenic properties. Animal intake of feedstuffs contaminated with OTA may cause that some residues may be found in bovine milk, therefore, its analysis requires a highly sensitive, simple and precise technique. This method is based on a liquid–liquid extraction with methanol, followed by filtration and extract concentration. Liquid chromatography coupled to fluorescence detection was used for OTA analysis. In this way, several impurities are filtered off and OTA is quantified with a mean recovery of 93.0 ± 7.4% and a limit of detection of 0.01 ng mL −1 . Therefore, this methodology allows a simple quantitative extraction o…

A preliminary study of presence of resveratrol in skins and pulps of European and Japanese plum cultivars

BACKGROUND: Resveratrol is a polyphenol with health properties being mainly present in the skins of several foods. However, any study has been carried out to analyze the presence of this stilbene in the plum fruit from the genus Prunus in European and Japanese cultivars. RESULTS: The analysis of resveratrol from the skin in different cultivars of plums from Spanish markets with liquid chromatography coupled to ultraviolet (LC-UV) detector with subsequent confirmation by LC-MS/MS has been demonstrated that contents of this compound in plums ranged from 0.1 to 6.2 µg/g. CONCLUSIONS: Values of resveratrol in European plum cultivars is higher than in Japanese cultivars. Copyright © 2012 Society…

Rapid determination of ochratoxin A in cereals and cereal products by liquid chromatography.

A new method based on extraction with octylsilica (C8) followed by liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection (LC-FLD) was studied to determine ochratoxin A (OTA) from cereals and cereal products. Optimization of different parameters, such as type and amount of solid phase, type and volume of eluent and amount of sample were carried out. Recovery of OTA from rice samples spiked at 10 ng/g level was of 86% with relative standard deviation of 5%. The limits of detection and quantification of the proposed method were 0.25 and 0.75 ng/g, respectively. Furthermore, LC-FLD after of OTA methylation and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry with an electrospray interface…

Dietary intake of nutrients of great interest in immunonutrition to prevent muscle damage in soccer players

Soccer is a sport in which players are exposed to long-term periods of training and players need to augment strength and fat-free massgains by resistance training, minimize muscle damage and soreness and help to improve endurance. Recently, the incidence of injuries hasincreased during and preceding soccer matches, which inuences the effectiveness of the team. One study

Characterization of heat-labile toxin-subunit B from Escherichia coli by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

The possibilities of characterizing the heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) by liquid chromatography electrospray mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS) and matrix-assisted laser desorption with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) were investigated. The B subunit from recombinant E. coli (expression in Pichia pastoris) can be detected by LC/ESI-MS expressed in P. pastoris and the charge envelope signals can be observed; LC/ESI-MS and MALDI-TOF-MS analysis allowed the acquisition of labile toxin subunit B (LTB) molecular weight and preliminary structural characterization of LTB toxin. MALDI-TOF analysis after reduction and alkylation of the protein evid…

Reduction of earwax with hypoacusia in Saharawi children

Summary We report case reports of earwax with hypoacusia (1.8%) in 270 Saharawi children, aged from 6 to 13 years, for a two-month period during the summer according to the “Holidays in Peace” program developed in collaboration with a local non-governmental organization (NGO). Our values are lower than those of other authors due to an initiative of systematic checks carried out by trained general doctors and nursing on children's hearing in Saharawi refugee camps in the last years.

Development of a nutritional HACCP plan.

Actigraphic Sleep and Dietary Macronutrient Intake in Children Aged 6–9 Years Old: A Pilot Study

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between different sleep parameters and energy and macronutrient intake in school-aged children. A total of 203 children 6 to 9 years of age participated in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometric measurements were taken first. Diet was assessed with 3-day food logs and sleep was measured with a questionnaire on sleep quality and a wrist actigraph worn for at least 7 days. A decrease of 165.45 kcal was observed per each additional hour of sleep during the week (β (95% CI) = −165.45 (−274.01, −56.88)

Prevention and Management of Hormonal Crisis during Theragnosis with LU-DOTA-TATE in Neuroendocrine Tumors. A Systematic Review and Approach Proposal.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) frequently overexpress somatostatin receptors (SSTR) on their cell surface. The first-line pharmacological treatment for inoperable metastatic functioning well-differentiated NETs are somatostatin analogs. On second line, Lu-DOTA-TATE (177Lu-DOTA0 Tyr 3 octreotate) has shown stabilization of the disease and an increase in progression free survival, as well as effectiveness in controlling symptoms and increasing quality of life. The management of functional NETs before and during LU-DOTA-TATE treatment is specially challenging, as several complications such as severe carcinoid and catecholamine crisis have been described. The aim of this review is to establish pr…

Perfil de personalidad vulnerable en pacientes con dolor crónico: relación con el afrontamiento, la calidad de vida y la adaptación a la enfermedad

In this study with a sample of chronic pain patient, personality profiles defined as the individual’s scores on all five dimensions (NEO-FFI) are used, to establish relations with coping, quality of life, and adaptation to disease. After a cluster analysis two groups have been obtained: the first one being a trend to intermediate scores in all five dimensions and characterized by moderate neuroticism, average extraversion, low openness, moderate agreeableness, and moderate conscientiousness, whereas the second one is characterized by traits of vulnerability determined by high neuroticism, low extraversion, low openness, moderate agreeableness and low conscientiousness. Significant univariat…

Dietary intake of ochratoxin A from conventional and organic bread

Ochratoxin A (OTA) was extracted from 100 bread samples by using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and analyzed with liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection. The presence of OTA was confirmed by methyl-ester derivatization. Bread samples were bought from different bakeries and supermarkets, 74 of non-organic and 26 of organic bread. The incidence of OTA varied between 20.3% and 23.0% for non-organic and organic bread, respectively. The highest values were obtained with non-organic versus organic products, five samples exceeded the European maximum permitted limit of OTA (3 ng/g) for this product. Estimated daily intake of OTA in this study was 1.6 ng/kg b.w./day. This v…

Assessment in vitro of radioprotective efficacy of curcumin and resveratrol

Abstract Many natural substances have been studied in recent past to be used as radioprotectors to mitigate ionizing radiation-induced damage in mammalian systems due to its effectiveness given both pre- and post-irradiation and for long time with out drug-related toxicity. Curcumin and trans -resveratrol are both natural occurring polyphenols, obtained from the root of Curcuma longa and from grapes and other berries, respectively. These compounds have shown antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulant and anti-carcinogenic properties. Our aim was to evaluate the radioprotective efficacy, in vitro , of curcumin and trans -resveratrol separately against radiation-induced chromosomal aberr…

Simple liquid chromatography assay for analyzing ochratoxin a in bovine milk

Rapid mycotoxin analysis in human urine: A pilot study

A simple and rapid method effective for quantitative determination of deoxynivalenol (DON), T-2 toxin (T-2), HT-2 toxin (HT-2), zearalenone (ZEN), ochratoxin A (OTA), aflatoxins (AFs) B(1), B(2), G(1) and G(2) and fumonisins FB(1) and FB(2) in urine was developed. The urine was diluted with phosphate buffer solution (PBS) and thoroughly mixed. For clean-up and extraction, the mixture was loaded on a MYCO 6in1 IAC. Hybrid triple quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometer (QTrap) was used for the detection. Extra tools for confirmation of selected mycotoxins in positive samples, Information Dependent Acquisition (IDA) experiments, were also developed. The use of immunoaffinity columns follo…

Kinanthropometric Assessment of Individual, Collective and Fight Sport Players from the Spanish National Sport Technification Program

Nowadays, the study of kinanthropometric parameters is an important tool for both early talent selection and for evaluating the efficacy of a training program. This study aimed to determine the anthropometric characteristics, body composition indicators and somatotype components of individual (athletics, swimming and triathlon), collective (handball and volleyball) and fight (karate and taekwondo) sportsmen and sportswomen from the Valencian Sports Technification Centre. This study involved a total of 62 men and 56 women, they were divided in three subgroups, including individual (athletics, swimming and triathlon), collective (handball and volleyball) and fight (karate and taekwondo) sport…

Limited survey for the occurrence of aflatoxins in cereals and poultry feeds from Rabat, Morocco

Fifty eight (58) samples of cereals for human consumption (20 corn flour, 17 wheat flour) and poultry feeds (n=21) purchased from popular markets of Rabat in Morocco were analyzed for aflatoxins (AF) by HPLC with immunoaffinity column (IAC) clean-up and fluorimetric detection. The incidence of AF in corn, wheat flour and poultry feeds was about 80, 17.6 and 66.6% respectively. High contamination levels were found in corn and poultry feeds samples. Levels of contamination of analyzed samples with AFB1 ranged from 0.23 to 11.2, 0.03 to 0.15 and 0.05 to 5.38 ng/g for corn, wheat and poultry feeds respectively. Results showed also that the contamination of 10% of samples of corn was higher than…

Extracellular vesicles in food: Experimental evidence of their secretion in grape fruits

In the last decade, the number of studies related with extracellular vesicles (EVs) has dramatically grown since their role as key part of intercellular communication has been confirmed. EVs, as transporter of distinct bioactive molecules, can take part in different physiological mechanisms and have been gaining attention as potential tools with a wide range of therapeutic effects. Whereas a high number of studies have been published related to mammalian derived EVs, including products as food source, the existence of EVs in plants still is controversial. Recent descriptions of vesicles derived from edible plants show that they might contain pharmacological active molecules. In this context…

Real-time quantitative PCR of Staphylococcus aureus and application in restaurant meals.

Staphylococcus aureus is considered the second most common pathogen to cause outbreaks of food poisoning, exceeded only by Campylobacter. Consumption of foods containing this microorganism is often identified as the cause of illness. In this study, a rapid, reliable, and sensitive real-time quantitative PCR was developed and compared with conventional culture methods. Real-time quantitative PCR was carried out by purifying DNA extracts of S. aureus with a Staphylococcus sample preparation kit and quantifying it in the LightCycler system with hybridization probes. The assay was linear from a range of 10 to 10(6) S. aureus cells (r2 > 0.997). The PCR reaction presented an efficiency of >85%. …

Improvement of accessibility for the disabled in university restaurants

AMELIORATION DE L’ACCESSIBILITE DE RESTAURANTS UNIVERSITAIRES A DES HANDICAPES Une etude a ete realisee en vue d’ameliorer l’acces des handicapes aux 19 restraurants universitaires de Valence en Espagne, puisque le taux des etudiants handicapes, ces trois dernieres annees universitaires, est de l’ordre de 0,12 a 0,13 %. Au debut de cette etude, 16 etablissements disposaient d’un acces correct avec un pourcentage de 87,5, 25 et 6,3 concernant respectivement les rampes, les ascenseurs et les balustrades. En outre, toutes les portes d´acces de ces etablissements etaient equipees des poignees a leviers, ou etaient concues de sorte qu’une prise serree et qu’une torsion du poignet ne soient pas n…

The hospital anxiety and depression scale questionnaire in physical danger and evaluation situations

In this article we analyze the variables of anxiety and depression in two different situations: a combat situation and taking an exam. We used the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaire with a sample of 621 subjects, divided in four groups, two groups of soldiers, one of them in situation of combat (SBH) and the other one on the military service (CMS). The other two groups were composed of male students (MS) and female students (FS) that were going to take an exam. Results could be organized in two ways: quantitative results, where the more stable subjects are the soldiers in situation of combat (SBH), both in anxiety and in the depression variables. The female students (FS) ob…

BEHAVIOUR OF GRAPHITIZED CARBON BLACK IN THE EXTRACTION OF POLAR NON-IONIC NITROGEN-CONTAINING PESTICIDES. A CHECKING OF HYPOTHESES

Graphitized Carbon Black (GCB) extractive cartridges are evaluated for on-line coupling with a C8 analytical column to determine eleven carbamates and one carboximide pesticide from spiked deionized water at the 1.2 μg/L level. Several experiments were carried out to ascertain whether GCB saturation, pesticide degradation on the surface, existence of by-pass channels, mobility among the bulk cartridge, or strong retention on the surface interfere with the determination of pesticides. Problems in on-line CGB elution are partially solved by modifying the acetonitrile/water gradient to contain a front of 100% acetonitrile for a few seconds. Eluting the same GCB cartridges off-line with dichlor…

CAD-R. Cuestionario de afrontamiento al dolor crónico: análisis factorial confirmatorio. ¿Hay diferencias individuales en sexo, edad y tipo de dolor?

espanolRESUMEN Introduccion: Se presenta una revision del CAD-R (Cuestionario de afrontamiento al dolor reducido) (1) en una muestra de 4.389 pacientes diagnosticados con dolor cronico derivada de un estudio multicentrico de toda Espana (2). Material y metodo: Se analiza la estructura factorial mediante analisis factorial exploratorio (AFE) y confirmatorio (AFC), asi como la fiabilidad (consistencia interna y test retest a los tres meses, esta ultima sobre 2.825 pacientes). Se ponen a prueba cuatro modelos constatando que las estrategias de primer orden correlacionadas son las que aportan mejores indices de ajuste. Resultados: Tanto los indices de consistencia interna como los test-retest r…

Prevalence of bacteria and absence of anisakid parasites in raw and prepared fish and seafood dishes in Spanish restaurants

This study evaluated the presence of bacteria and anisakid parasites in 45 samples of raw anchovies in vinegar, a dish widely eaten in Spain, and in 227 samples of cooked fish and cephalopods served in Spanish food service establishments. Our analysis showed that, according to European and Spanish regulation, 14 to 30% of the prepared fish and cephalopod dishes exceeded the maximum allowable level for mesophilic aerobic counts, and 10 to 40% of these samples exceeded the allowable levels for Enterobacteriaceae. None of the studied samples showed evidence of anisakid parasites, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, or Listeria monocyto genes. These results indicate that applic…

Are There Any Parameters Missing in the Mathematical Models Applied in the Process of Spreading COVID-19?

Simple Summary Nowadays, enhancing development of mathematical models is very important to help in the prediction of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID1-19). However, the vast majority of published model-based predictions do not cover people who left the epidemic COVID-19 positive (alive) and they must be included in studies to guarantee a more accurate model for application in public health. The epidemic development phenomenon can be obtained with a modelling framework. Abstract On 11 March 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). As of 12.44 GMT on 15 January 2021, it has produced 93,640,296 cases and 2,004,984 deaths. The use …

Mechanism of action of sphingolipids and their metabolites in the toxicity of fumonisin B1.

Fumonisins are a group of mycotoxins produced primarily by Fusarium moniliforme. Several fumonisins have been isolated through out the years but only fumonisin B1, B2 and B3 are the ones present in naturally contaminated foods, with B1 being the most toxic between them. The structural similarity between sphinganine and fumonisin B1 suggests that the mechanism of action of this mycotoxin is mainly via disruption of sphingolipid metabolism, this is an important step in the cascade of events leading to altered cell growth, differentiation and cell injury. Sphingolipids are a second type of lipid found in cell membranes, particularly nerve cells and brain tissues. Toxicity of fumonisin B1 is gi…

Maternal profile according to Mediterranean diet adherence and small for gestational age and preterm newborn outcomes

AbstractObjective:The objective was to evaluate maternal Mediterranean diet (MD) pattern adherence during pregnancy and its association with small for gestational age (SGA) and preterm birth. A secondary objective of the current study was to describe the sociodemographic, lifestyle and obstetric profile of the mothers studied as well as the most relevant paternal and newborn characteristics.Design:The current study is a two-phase retrospective population-based study of maternal dietary habits during pregnancy and their effect on newborn size and prematurity. The descriptive first phase examined maternal dietary habits during pregnancy along with the maternal sociodemographic, lifestyle and …

Disorders of malnutrition among the Saharawi children

It is first article that reviews the literature on the problem of disorders of malnutrition among Saharawi children. Most of the studies reveal problems mainly of celiac disease, goiter, geophagia, undernutrition, wasting, stunting, overweight, scurvy, rickets and iron-deficiency anaemia.

Effect of introduction of HACCP on the microbiological quality of some restaurant meals

The microbial quality of Spanish potato omelette and pork loin before and after implementation of the HACCP system in University restaurants was used as indicator of food safety in this work. The prevalence of aerobic plate counts and incidences of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. and Clostridium perfringens were analysed. Results of implementation of the HACCP system show a lower incidence of studied microorganisms. On the other hand, a documented training in personal hygiene, good manufacturing practices (GMPs), cleaning and sanitation procedures and personal safety in addition to the rearrangement in the infrastructure of t…

Liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection and quantification of heat-labile toxin produced by enterotoxigenic E. coli cultured under different conditions

Abstract Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is the main bacterial cause of dehydrating infant diarrhoea in less-developed countries. Labile toxin (LT) is the major virulent factor of ETEC. Easy diagnostic tests are necessary to reduce the number of cases. Immunological methods have some drawbacks and also have important limitations. For that reason, a Liquid Chromatography coupled to UV detector technique (LC-UV) has been optimize to a rapid identification and quantification of LT from bacteria cultures. It is also important to know optimal conditions for LT and with this purpose several enterotoxigenic E. coli strains have been studied to determine the influence of glucose concentrati…

Apple-products phytochemicals and processing: a review.

Epidemiological studies have linked the consumption of apples with reduced risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and diabetes. Extensive research exists on apples and the health benefits of their beverages and phytochemicals. The purpose of this paper is to review the most recent literature in this area focusing on phytochemicals, phytochemical bioavailability and antioxidant behavior.

Report of toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) from Staphylococcus aureus isolated in food handlers and surfaces from foodservice establishments.

A set of 53 Staphylococcus aureus isolates collected from food handlers and foodservice establishments in Spain was analyzed for toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST-1) production. S. aureus strains were isolated from 908 samples collected from different surfaces such as dish towels, workers’ hands, cutting boards, stainless steel tables and slicers, but they were not detected neither in clean plates nor in kitchen knives. Only one food worker hand has been reported to be contaminated by TSST-1 in a restaurant. Despite this, proper hygiene practices should be respected for the surfaces of contact with food, as well as for the hands of the manipulators This is the first article, in Spain, that r…

Comparison of different sorbents for on-line liquid-solid extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of nitrogen-containing pesticides

Abstract LiChrolut EN [poly(styrene-divinylbenzene), PSDVB], Carbograph (graphitized carbon black, GCB), Isolute CN (cyanopropylsilica), Isolute C 2 (ethylsilica), and LiChrospher RP18 (octadecylsilica) were studied for on-line solid-phase extraction of twelve nitrogen containing pesticides from water. Determination (UV 210 nm) was performed with a Spherisorb C 8 analytical column and an acetonitrile-water gradient. The mean recoveries from 50 ml ranged from 83% for RP18 to 44% for GCB, and decreased in the following order: RP18, CN, LiChrolut EN, C 2 , and GCB. GCB showed poor recoveries due to incomplete desorption with the acetonitrile-water gradient used, and memory effects were detecte…

Concentration of ochratoxin A in wines from supermarkets and stores of Valencian Community (Spain)

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by fungi species belonging to the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium being isolated in alcoholic beverages. The aim of this work is developed and applied a procedure for the analysis of OTA in wines. An analytical method based on immunoaffinity column (IAC) for clean-up, liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (LC-FD), and LC-FD after of OTA methylation was used to determine the occurrence of OTA in wines. Recoveries of this mycotoxin spiked to red wines at 0.5 ng/ml level were >90% with an average of relative standards deviations of 4%. Furthermore, 116 wine samples from designation of origin (DO) and three samples from food stores of Va…

Assessment of the Nutritional Status, Diet and Intestinal Parasites in Hosted Saharawi Children.

Since the early 1990s, Spanish humanitarian associations have welcomed Saharawi children from the refugee camps in Tindouf (Argelia). These children are the most affected by the lack of food, water, hygienic measures and health care. The main objective of this study was to analyze the anthropometric, nutritional and parasitological data of 38 Saharawi boys and girls (from 10 to 13 years old) under a holiday host program in the city of Valencia. Our results confirm that malnutrition and multiparasitism are highly frequent, so it is understood that living conditions in refugee camps continue to be precarious with a lack of proper hygiene and nutrition. Furthermore, biochemical alterations, la…

Quantification of Listeria monocytogenes in salads by real time quantitative PCR

Abstract A real time quantitative PCR (RTQ-PCR) was carried out purifying DNA extracts of Listeria monocytogenes using a High Pure Listeria Sample Preparation Kit and quantifying in a LightCycler system with hybridisation probes. A standard curve was constructed with serial dilutions. A range linear relationship, from 10 to 10 5 L. monocytogenes colony forming units (CFU), was observed between threshold cycle ( C t ) and logarithmic concentration of the serial dilutions. The assay was linear in a range from 10 to 10 5 L. monocytogenes CFU and the coefficient of determination ( r 2 ) was > 0.98. RTQ-PCR presented an efficiency of > 85%. The accuracy of the PCR-based assay, expressed as % bia…

Untargeted metabolomics of fresh and heat treatment Tiger nut ( Cyperus esculentus L. ) milks reveals further insight into food quality and nutrition

Tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.) is a crop traditionally grown in Valencia Region (Spain) and other temperate and tropical regions in the world, where its tubers are commonly consumed as tiger nut milk (horchata). Because of their nutritive potential and original taste, these products are beginning to spread internationally and, as consequence, analytical procedures to assess nutritional profiles, quality control issues are acquiring increasing relevance. The main objective of this study was to use an advance analytical method and chemometrics tools to determine if the ultra-high temperature (UHT) treatment necessary to extend the shelf life of tiger nut milk would affect the profile of nu…

Limited survey for the presence of aflatoxins in foods from local markets and supermarkets in Valencia, Spain.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), B2 (AFB2), G1 (AFG1) and G2 (AFG2) were extracted by matrix solid-phase dispersion with C18 silica and acetonitrile as the eluting solvent, analysed by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and confirmed by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry using an electrospray interface in 58 samples grouped as cereals, dried fruits, herbs and spices, pulses, snacks, and nuts and nut products collected from local markets and supermarkets in Valencia, Spain. All samples analysed by the proposed method were previously studied with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as a screening protocol for the fast detection of mycotoxins. The samples containing residues (3/5…

Multidisciplinary program based in physiotherapy and nutrition in coronary artery disease patients: randomized controlled trial

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction. The interventions on eating habits and exercise in physiotherapy programs are usually recommended in coronary artery disease (CAD), since they are beneficial to improve physical and nutritional status of patient. Despite this, scarce studies are focused on combined protocols based on high intensity interval training (HIIT) and dietary education in CAD patients with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Purpose The main goal of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary program based in HIIT, with a program based in dietary education and HIIT (DEHIIT), on eating habits in CAD patients w…

Intake, decontamination and legislation of fumonisins in foods

Fumonisins (FB) are mycotoxins synthesized mainly by different species of the genus Fusarium with different toxicological effects in humans and animals and associated to esophageal cancer in different countries. This review gives an overview about the intake of fumosins from foods with a careful attention for people with gluten intolerance, celiac or Duhring's disease, infants and alcohol consumers. Furthermore, a section on decontamination is focused on physical, chemical and biological methods. Finally, the legislation of fumonisins in foods in different countries is reviewed.

Assessment of microbial quality of commercial and home-made tiger-nut beverages

Aims:  We aimed to assess the microbiological quality of Spanish commercial tiger-nut beverages as well as home-made samples collected from supermarkets, street vendors, juice bars and ice-cream parlours located in Valencia. Methods and Results:  Microbiological analysis of 44 tiger-nut beverages samples were carried out according to International Standard Organization (ISO) norms and published works which included the total viable count, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Bacillus cereus, yeasts, moulds, Yersinia enterocolitca, Clostridium perfringens, Vibrio spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. The obtained results indicated that all the commercial sample…

Use of Ganoderma lucidum (Ganodermataceae, Basidiomycota) as Radioprotector

For millennia, naturopaths and physicians have used Ganoderma lucidum (reishi mushroom) for its diverse therapeutic properties, as recorded in the oldest Chinese herbal encyclopedia. Indeed, a radioprotective effect has been reported in the isolated components of its extracts. A systematic review and meta-analyses (PRISMA) was conducted in March 2020, searching databases including PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar, along with Clinical Trials. The inclusion criteria were ex vivo, in vitro, and in vivo studies, with full texts in English, conducted to determine the radioprotective benefits of G. lucidum, or reports in which ionizing radiation was used. From a total number of 1109 rec…

Occurrence of deoxynivalenol and T-2 toxin in bread and pasta commercialised in Spain

Abstract Deoxynivalenol and T-2 toxin were extracted from wheat-based bread ( n  = 75) and pasta ( n  = 75) samples using a mixture of acetonitrile:water (86:14 v/v); for analysis, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry after derivatisation with trifluoroacetic anhydride was utilised. The recovery of deoxynivalenol and T-2 toxin from both food matrixes ranged from 90.1 to 94.0%. The occurrence of these mycotoxins in bread was 28.0% and 2.6% for deoxynivalenol and T-2 toxin, respectively, whereas in pasta, the occurrence of both mycotoxins was higher, varying from 9.3 to 62.7%. The mean content of deoxynivalenol (42.5 μg/kg) in bread was lower than the content of T-2 toxin (68.37 μg/kg), while…

Evaluation of mycotoxins and their metabolites in human breast milk using liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry

Humans can be exposed to mycotoxins through the food chain. Mycotoxins are mainly found as contaminants in food and could be subsequently excreted via biological fluids such as urine or human breast milk in native or metabolised form. Since breast milk is usually supposed as the only food for new-borns, the occurrence of mycotoxins in thirty-five human milk samples was evaluated by a newly developed method based on QuEChERS extraction and UHPLC-HRMS detection. The method described here allows the detection of target mycotoxins in order to determine the quality of this initial feeding. The method has been fully validated, with recoveries ranging from 64% to 93% and relative standard deviatio…

Factors affecting the presence of ochratoxin A in wines.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) are synthesized mainly by different species of Aspergillus and Penicillium being its human toxicological effects reflected in different countries due to the consumption of different foods and beverages such as red, white, rose, and special wines. This review presents an overview of the direct (meteorological conditions, grape cultivation, and wine-making techniques) and indirect (latitude, year of production, use of pesticides, presence of spoilage microorganisms, conditions of storage of the harvested grapes, type of maceration, and conditions of fermentation), factors affecting the presence of OTA in wines.

Blastocystis subtypes and their association with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Blastocystis spp. is a common intestinal protozoan that affects humans and animals. The role of this parasite as a pathogen is still controversial and it is suspected to be linked to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic or recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered intestinal habits. A broad search in electronic databases, libraries, portals of journals, etc. for reports on the association between the parasite and IBS without language restriction was performed. The selection was not restricted by date, but articles published in the last seven years were given preference. We investigated the evidence regarding Blastocystis and IBS coexist…

Antifungal effects of the bioactive compounds enniatins A, A1, B, B1

To produce enniatin (ENs), Fusarium tricinctum CECT 20150 was grown in a liquid medium of potato (PDB), being mycotoxin purified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a reverse phase semipreparative column using a mobile phase of acetonitrile/water using gradient condition. The purity of the ENs fractions was verified by analytical HPLC and LC/MS-MS. The pure fractions of ENs were utilized to study the biological activity on several mycotoxigenic moulds as Fusarium verticilloides, Fusarium sporotrichioides, Fusarium tricinctum, Fusarium poae, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium proliferatum, Beauveria bassiana, Trichoderma harzianum, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, Asp…

Intake of some immunonutrients and ecoimmunonutrients by young high-level basketball players

Giardia intestinalis and Fructose Malabsorption: A Frequent Association

Nowadays, scientific studies are emerging on the possible etiological role of intestinal parasites in functional digestive disorders. Our study was carried out with healthy individuals (control group

Valoración de la efectividad de la educación alimentaria en niños preescolares, padres y educadores

Introducción: La etapa infantil es el momento en el que se desarrollan los factores de riesgo que pueden desencadenar en edades adultas enfermedades relacionadas con la alimentación. Éste es el momento adecuado para instaurar las bases de una alimentación saludable. El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar la adherencia a la Dieta Mediterránea de niños, los conocimientos sobre hábitos saludables de niños, padres y profesores antes y después de una intervención de educación alimentaria, así como evaluar su eficacia.Material y Métodos: Estudio transversal en el que participaron 94 estudiantes de edades comprendidas entre 3 y 6 años, 12 padres y 8 profesores. Se calculó el grado de conocim…

El camino de la consolidación en el trabajo científico

Accelerated solvent extraction of ochratoxin a from rice samples.

In this paper, accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) for the analysis of ochratoxin A (OTA) is applied for the first time. Optimization of the method is given for the extraction of OTA from rice samples. Several parameters such as type of solvent, temperature, pressure, static time, and cell size were investigated thoroughly to find the optimal extraction conditions. The optimum ASE operating conditions were methanol as extraction solvent, 1500 psi, 40 degrees C, 5 min of static time, 50% flush volume, 60 s of purge, 1 cycle, and 11 mL cell size. The total extraction time was approximately 15 min. OTA was determined by liquid chromatography coupled with a fluorescence detector and confirmed …

Absence Ochratoxin A in soy sauce

A method is described for the determination of ochratoxin A (OTA) in soy sauce using phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) extraction, an immunoaffinity clean-up, a liquid chromatographic determination with fluorescence detection (LC-FD) and confirmation with LC-FD after methylation of OTA. Recoveries of OTA spiked to soy sauce samples at 0.25 ng/ml level were 90% with relative standard deviations of 4%. The limit of detection was 0.01 ng/ml for OTA using the proposed method. Furthermore, the proposed method was applied to 60 soy sauce samples from China and Japan and none of them were found to contain OTA.

Impact of a program based in eating habits and physiotherapy on anthropometric parameters in patients with coronary artery disease: randomized controlled trial

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction. On the one hand, physical training such as High intensity interval training (HIIT) and on the other, eating habits, it is often prescribed to patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Nevertheless, the combination of HIIT and eating habits in CAD with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) there is no consensus on using a combined protocol of both. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of an HIIT program with eating habits, with a program based in HIIT, on anthropometric parameters in CAD patients with PCI. Methods. A randomized controlled trial was carried out in a hospital.  44 pati…

Prevalencia de soplo cardíaco e hipertensión en saharauis acogidos en España

Hazard analysis and critical control points in deep-fat frying

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system was applied to sunflower oils used for frying in nineteen university restaurants. Guidelines for implementation that include training personnel, flow diagram, identifying hazards, controlling hazards at critical control points (CCP's), monitoring CCP's and measure of action for exceeding limit were developed. Polar compounds were used as a measure for deteriorated sunflower oil and the values obtained from university restaurants before and after personnel training and implementation of HACCP were determined. Implementation of the guidelines produced an improvement in the quality of the frying process, and all establishments reduc…

Exposure to patulin from consumption of apple-based products.

Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by species of Penicillium, Aspergillus and Byssochylamys. Several Scientific Committees classify patulin as mutagenic, embryotoxic and immunotoxic. It has been found as a natural contaminant of processed apple products and its presence may be indicative of the quality of fruit used in production. In this work, a method for the analysis of patulin is described, based on a simple liquid-liquid extraction with acetonitrile; patulin is analyzed using liquid chromatography with UV detection. Patulin identity was confirmed by GC-MS after its reaction with N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide. Fifty-three apple-containing products were analyzed and patulin …

Occurrence of fumonisins in foods

Fumonisins (FB) are synthesized mainly by different species of the genus Fusarium and FB1 is the predominating fumonisin isolated in foods. FB1 shows different toxicological effects in humans and animals and has been associated with esophageal cancer in different countries. This review presents an overview of the worldwide occurrence of fumonisins in crops and human foods being corn and corn meal the most contaminated foods, and reviews variations of the presence of these mycotoxins in foods and in agricultural crops. In foods, these variations are due to the alkaline solutions, water and temperature. For agricultural crops, the role of climatic conditions and latitude, genotypes, spoilage …

Assessment of Salmonella spp. in feces, cloacal swabs, and eggs (eggshell and content separately) from a laying hen farm.

Microbial pathogens of the genus Salmonella are among the leading causes of foodborne illness in the world. The present study was done on a laying hen farm with a Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis-positive result according to the testing specified by European regulation 2160/2003. The aim of this study was to compare the Salmonella contamination on a laying hen farm with the Salmonella presence in the hen eggs. The strains were isolated by ISO method 6579:2002 (standard method for the detection of Salmonella spp. in the European regulation for food and animal feeding stuffs, animal feces, and environmental samples from the primary production stage, including poultry farms) and were co…