Research Publications (Food Safety)

The abuse of pesticides in home gardens may lead to contamination of home‐grown eggs. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), aldrin, and malathion pesticides residues in egg white and egg yolk of home‐grown eggs in Jordan; and the effect of refrigerated storage and heat treatment (boiling and frying) on residues level.

Abstract

Background and Aims

Environmental fluctuations due to anthropogenic activities show negative effects on plant growth and crop production. Among the heavy metals, cadmium (Cd) pollution is most dangerous and is devastating most of the cultivable land. The current study evaluated the Cd induced toxicity in Lycopersicon esculentum plants and the mitigating role of rhizobacteria.

Multidrug efflux pumps play an important role in antibiotic resistance in bacteria. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the MexXY pump provides intrinsic resistance to many antimicrobials, including aminoglycosides. The expression of the mexXY operon is negatively regulated by the MexZ repressor. This repression is alleviated in response to antibiotic-induced ribosome stress, which results in increased synthesis of the antirepressor ArmZ, interacting with MexZ.

Spores are required for long-term survival of many organisms, including most fungi. For the majority of fatal human fungal pathogens, spore germination is the key process required to initiate vegetative growth and ultimately cause disease. Because germination is required for pathogenesis, the process could hold fungus-specific targets for new antifungal drug development.

Author(s): L. Heras-González, J.A. Latorre, M. Martinez-Bebia, D. Espino, F. Olea-Serrano, M. Mariscal-Arcas

Author(s): Wankui Jiang, Qinqin Gao, Lu Zhang, Hui Wang, Mingliang Zhang, Xiaoan Liu, Yidong Zhou, Zhijian Ke, Chenglong Wu, Jiguo Qiu, Qing Hong

Author(s): Eloy Navarro-León, Juan Manuel Ruiz, Alfonso Albacete, Begoña Blasco

Author(s): Fuyu Guo, Changfeng Ding, Zhigao Zhou, Fengxiang Han, Ronggui Tang, Gaoxiang Huang, Xingxiang Wang

Author(s): Biao Hu, Bin Tong, Ying Xiang, Se-Ruo Li, Zhu-Xia Tan, Hui-Xian Xiang, Lin Fu, Hua Wang, Hui Zhao, De-Xiang Xu

ABSTRACT To investigate Molybdenum (Mo) and Cadmium (Cd) co-induced the levels of autophagy-related genes via AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway in Shaoxing Duck (Anas platyrhyncha) kidney, 60 healthy 11-day-old ducks were randomly divided into 6 groups, which were treated with Mo or/and Cd at different doses on the basal diet for 120 d.

ABSTRACT The poultry industry has recently undergone transitions into antibiotic free production, and viable antibiotic alternatives, such as probiotics, are necessary. Through in ovo probiotic inoculation, beneficial microflora development in the gastrointestinal tract may occur prior to hatch without negatively impacting chick performance.

A pheochromocytoma of the rat adrenal medulla derived (a.k.a. PC12) cell-based assay for dopamine measurement by luminescence detection was customized for the qualitative evaluation of agonists and antagonists of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). The assay mechanism begins with ligand binding to transmembrane nAChRs, altering ion flow into the cell and inducing dopamine release from the cell.

by Kelsey A. Behrens, Leigh A. Jania, John N. Snouwaert, MyTrang Nguyen, Sheryl S. Moy, Andrey P. Tikunov, Jeffrey M. Macdonald, Beverly H. Koller

BACKGROUND The research focused on the evaluation of the impact of cover cropping on trace metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb, Co and Cd) and nutrients in vineyard soils and Vitis vinifera L. For this purpose, two types of cover crops (Lolium perenne L. and Medicago sativa L.) and their mixture were planted between vine rows of Muscat white in the vineyard in South Crimea.

The health status of the commercial Tehuelche scallop Aequipecten tehuelchus from San Román and El Riacho in San José gulf (Patagonia, Argentina) was evaluated through biomarkers widely used in ecotoxicological applications. Natural levels of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) were measured to determine their potential relationships with fluctuations of several oxidative stress biomarkers in the scallop.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in water resources has become a potentially serious threat to public health and environment across the globe. In this experiment, we investigated the capacity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) for selective removal of Cd from wastewater. The TiO2 NPs were prepared using newly developed sol-gel method and sorption attributes were investigated as a function of contact time, sorbent dosage, pH, and initial Cd concentration.

The presence of ear rots in maize caused by Aspergillus flavus that are also associated with the production of aflatoxins has evolved into an increasing problem over the last few years. Since no commercial biological control products are still available to control A. flavus in maize in Europe, this study targets to the evaluation of six biopesticides/biostimulants (Botector®, Mycostop®, Serenade Max®, Trianum®, Vacciplant®, and zeolite) for the control of A.

It has been reported that Heteropodatoxin3 (HpTx3), a peptidic neurotoxin purified from the venom of the spider species Heteropoda venatoria, could inhibit Kv4.2 channels. Our present study newly found that HpTx3 also has potent and selective inhibitory action on Nav1.7, with an IC50 of 135.61 ± 12.98 nM.

Author(s): Svetlana V. Klinova, Ilzira A. Minigalieva, Larisa I. Privalova, Irene E. Valamina, Oleg H. Makeyev, Eugene A. Shuman, Artem A. Korotkov, Vladimir G. Panov, Marina P. Sutunkova, Julia V. Ryabova, Tatiana V. Bushueva, Tatiana N. Shtin, Vladimir B. Gurvich, Boris A. Katsnelson

Author(s): Ellen Cristina Rivas Leonel, Silvana Gisele Pegorin Campos, Luiz Henrique Alves Guerra, Carolina Marques Bedolo, Patrícia Simone Leite Vilamaior, Marilia Freitas Calmon, Paula Rahal, Christiani Andrade Amorim, Sebastião Roberto Taboga

46% of raw and 14% of ready‐to‐eat vegetable samples from Arusha city were contaminated with pesticide residues from the groups of organophosphates pyrethroids and organochlorines. Washing of vegetables twice or more and changing the washing water after each use (p = .01) or peeling (p = .008) was significantly associated with a reduction of pesticide residues in them.

Cadmium (Cd) pollution is constantly increasing in agricultural systems due to anthropogenic activities and causes significant reductions in the yield of crop species. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of Cd stress on growth, element contents, oxidative damage, antioxidant enzyme activities, and genotoxicity in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

The issues of heavy metal contamination in water sources have been increasing substantially along with the rapid pace of industrial revolution. Lead, particularly, is one of the heavy metals that received considerable attention lately due to its frequent detection in the environment and hazardous effects. Although conventional water treatment processes had been utilized for ages, it is still a challenge to remove lead in the treatment plant effectively.

To understand the impact reduced mercury (Hg) loading and invasive species have had on methylmercury bioaccumulation in predator fish of Lake Michigan, we reconstructed bioaccumulation trends from a fish archive (1978 to 2012). By measuring fish Hg stable isotope ratios, we related temporal changes in Hg concentrations to varying Hg...

Lead pacemaker infection is a complication on the rise. An infected oscillating mass attached to the leads (ILV) is a common finding in this setting. Percutaneous extraction of the leads and of the device is the best curative option. However, extraction of leads with large masses can be complicated by pulmonary embolism.