The Characterization of Heavy Metals in the Grapevine (Vitis vinifera) Cultivar Rkatsiteli and Wild Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) from East Serbia by ICP-OES and BAFs

Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, in combination with calculation of various biological factors, was used in this study not only for a simple illustration of the present status of some essential and non-essential metals such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and cadmium (Cd) in the grapevine cultivar Rkatsiteli and wild blackberry from East Serbia but also for the estimation of plant bioaccumulation potentials. Great majority of detected metal concentrations were in normal ranges except in few cases: Zn concentrations were at the level of deficiency in almost all plant parts, and some Cu and As concentrations were at the levels that could be considered phytotoxic. Biological accumulation factors provided very informative data on metal accumulation and translocation in both plants and pointed to low accumulation rates of metals except in the case of Cu, Zn, and As in some wild blackberry tissues.     

Changes in the content of free sulphydryl groups during postharvest wheat and flour maturation and their influence on technological quality

The main aim of this study was to determine the changes in free sulphydryl content during postharvest wheat and flour maturation. The content of free sulphydryl groups was determined from wet gluten over 50 days of wheat postharvest maturation and over 14 days of flour maturation by varying incubation temperatures (30 and 37 °C) and incubation times (0, 45, 90 and 135 min). The amount of free sulphydryl groups increased during postharvest wheat and flour maturation as well as with the increase in temperature and gluten incubation time. The additional aim of this study was to find the interrelation between the content of free sulphydryl groups and selected parameters of technological quality by means of Principal Component Analysis. During wheat/flour maturation, the strengthening of protein structure was observed manifested by the increase in gluten index and Mixolab protein network weakening (C2), and changes in dough resistance as well. The incubation temperature of 37 °C affected the weakening of protein structure manifested by the decrease in gluten index and resistance, and increase in extensibility. Strong differentiation of examined varieties in terms of selected quality indicators was observed upon pre-defined maturation period, probably due to the expression of their intrinsic properties.     

On determination of chitin content in mushrooms

Nitrogen compounds constitute the greatest proportion of the dry weight of mushrooms. These nitrogen compounds are partly protein and partly non-protein. A modified Heneberg-Stohman's method was used to separate non-protein from protein nitrogen, as well as to determine raw fiber content in mushrooms, since the methods used previously for this purpose are time-consuming and complicated. Elemental analysis of crude fiber was performed to confirm the uniformity of isolated products. The content of total crude fiber (fungin) and the proportion of chitin and cellulose in it were determined. The chitin content of 15 species of field grown edible mushrooms was in the range of 1.87–6.93% of total dry mass and 34.51–67.72% of isolated fungin.     

Curcumin,a Compound from Natural Sources,a True Scientific Challenge – A Review

Curcumin, a plant-derived polyphenolic compound, naturally present in turmeric (Curcuma longa), has been the subject of intensive investigations on account of its various activities. The implementation of safe, beneficial and highly functional compounds from natural sources in human nutrition/prevention/therapy requires some modifications in order to achieve their multi-functionality, improve their bioavailability and delivery strategies, with the main aim to enhance their effectiveness. The low aqueous solubility of curcumin, its rapid metabolism and elimination from the body, and consequently, poor bioavailability, constitute major obstacles to its application. The main objectives of this review are related to reported strategies to overcome these limitations and, thereby, improve the solubility, stability and bioavailability of curcumin. The effectiveness of curcumin could be greatly improved by using nanoparticle-based carriers. The significance of the quality of a substance delivery system is reflected in the fact that carrying curcumin as a food additive/nutrition also means carrying the active biological product/drug. This review summarizes the state of the art, and highlights some examples and the most significant advances in the field of curcumin research.     

Mass spectrometry of intact V-type ATPases reveals bound lipids and the effects of nucleotide binding

The ability of electrospray to propel large viruses into a mass spectrometer is established and is rationalized by analogy to the atmospheric transmission of the common cold. Much less clear is the fate of membrane-embedded molecular machines in the gas phase. Here we show that rotary adenosine triphosphatases (ATPases)/synthases from Thermus thermophilus and Enterococcus hirae can be maintained intact with membrane and soluble subunit interactions preserved in vacuum. Mass spectra reveal subunit stoichiometries and the identity of tightly bound lipids within the membrane rotors. Moreover, subcomplexes formed in solution and gas phases reveal the regulatory effects of nucleotide binding on both ATP hydrolysis and proton translocation. Consequently, we can link specific lipid and nucleotide binding with distinct regulatory roles.     

Antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella isolated from finishing swine and the environment of 60 Alberta swine farms

The study objective was to describe and evaluate antimicrobial resistance profiles in Salmonella isolated from Alberta swine finishing farms. Salmonella isolates (n = 322) were obtained from 192 fecal and 84 environmental samples of the 60 Salmonella-positive swine finishing farms. Isolates were classified susceptible, intermediate or resistant based on NCCLS guidelines. More than half of the isolates (53.4%) were susceptible to all of the 18 antimicrobials in the testing panel. No resistance was observed to amikacin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cefoxitin, ceftiofur, ceftriaxone, cephalothin, ciprofloxacin, imipenem or nalidixic acid. Less than 1% of isolates were resistant to apramycin, gentamicin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Higher frequencies of resistance were observed for chloramphenicol (4.7%), ampicillin (7.8%), kanamycin (11.8%), sulfamethoxazole (21.1%), streptomycin (25.5%) and tetracycline (38.8%). Eleven Salmonella serovars had isolates with resistance to > or =3 antimicrobials. The most frequently resistant serovar was Salmonella Derby, with 27 (38.0%) isolates resistant to > or =3 antimicrobials, including resistance to five and six antimicrobials. An absence of resistance to cephalosporins and fluoroquniolones and a low proportion of isolates resistant to amikacin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, apramycin, gentamicin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole are encouraging findings from public health and animal health perspectives. Frequent resistance observed for ampicillin, kanamycin, sulfamethoxazole, streptomycin and tetracycline, antimicrobials commonly used in veterinary medicine for decades, indicates an urgent need to utilize these antimicrobials more prudently if their benefits are to be preserved.     

Die Veränderungen der Gehalte an essentiellen Aminosäuren während der Reifung des Weizenkorns

Changes in the contents of main aminoacids have been watched during the period of wheat ripening. The aminoacids have been determined by microbiological methods. The results obtained have been calculated according to the statistics used in British Pharmacopeia. Reliability range has been settled for each results separately. Determination fault amounts to ±4,6% on an average. The total aminoacids have been calculated to 16% nitrogen. According to analysis results the aminoacids can be classified in four groups, i.e.:

1. Aminoacids which share in total proteins remain constant during wheat ripening: Threonine, Valine, Isoleucine.
2. Aminoacids which share in total proteins decrease during wheat ripening: Lysine.
3. Aminoacids which share in total proteins increase during wheat ripening: Methionine, Arginine, Tryptophane.
4. Aminoacids whose contents show no regularity during the wheat ripening: Leucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine.