Chemical and physical changes in milk protein concentrate (MPC80) powder during storage

The solubility and chemical changes due to the Maillard reaction were investigated in milk protein concentrate powder containing 80% protein (MPC80) during storage at temperatures and relative humidities in the ranges of 25-40 °C and 44-84%, respectively. The Maillard reaction was studied by measuring furosine (a product of lactosylated protein after digestion with acid) and free hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) contents by HPLC and L*, a*, b* values with a color-meter. Furosine, free HMF, and browning in MPC80 increased during storage, whereas the solubility decreased. The correlation between the Maillard reaction and solubility loss was explored in modified MPC80 to which glucose was added to enhance the rate of the Maillard reaction. More furosine and brown pigments were observed in the glucose-containing MPC80 than in MPC80 with added lactose. The opposite trend occurred for solubility, suggesting that the Maillard reaction may be a cause of solubility loss in MPC powder.     

Ciguatoxin in moray eels raising the risk for seafood safety in Viet Nam

Fisheries Science - Recently, suspected ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) cases caused by the consumption of moray eels, popular seafood for locals and tourists, have been reported in Viet Nam....     

Anti-Inflammatory Components of the Starfish Astropecten polyacanthus

Inflammation is important in biomedical research, because it plays a key role in inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, allergies, asthma, and even cancer. In the present study, we describe the inhibitory effect of crude extracts and steroids isolated from the starfish Astropecten polyacanthus on pro-inflammatory cytokine (Interleukin-12 (IL-12) p40, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). Among those tested, compounds 5 and 7 showed potent inhibitory effects on the production of all three pro-inflammatory cytokines with IC₅₀ values ranging from 1.82 ± 0.11 to 7.00 ± 0.16 μM. Potent inhibitory activities were also observed for compound 1 on the production of IL-12 p40 and IL-6 with values of 3.96 ± 0.12 and 4.07 ± 0.13 μM, respectively, and for compounds 3 and 4 on the production of IL-12 p40 with values of 6.55 ± 0.18 and 5.06 ± 0.16 μM, respectively. Moreover, compounds 2 (IC₅₀ = 34.86 ± 0.31 μM) and 6 (IC₅₀ = 79.05 ± 2.05 μM) exhibited moderate inhibitory effects on the production of IL-12 p40, whereas compounds 3 (IC₅₀ = 22.80 ± 0.21 μM) and 4 (IC₅₀ = 16.73 ± 0.25 μM) moderately inhibited the production of TNF-α and IL-6, respectively.     

Hepatitis E in southern Vietnam: Seroepidemiology in humans and molecular epidemiology in pigs

Viral pathogens account for a significant proportion of the burden of emerging infectious diseases in humans. The Wellcome Trust‐Vietnamese Initiative on Zoonotic Infections (WT‐VIZIONS) is aiming to understand the circulation of viral zoonotic pathogens in animals that pose a potential risk to human health. Evidence suggests that human exposure and infections with hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotypes (GT) 3 and 4 results from zoonotic transmission. Hypothesising that HEV GT3 and GT4 are circulating in the Vietnamese pig population and can be transmitted to humans, we aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of HEV exposure in a population of farmers and the general population. We additionally performed sequence analysis of HEV in pig populations in the same region to address knowledge gaps regarding HEV circulation and to evaluate if pigs were a potential source of HEV exposure. We found a high prevalence of HEV GT3 viral RNA in pigs (19.1% in faecal samples and 8.2% in rectal swabs) and a high HEV seroprevalence in pig farmers (16.0%) and a hospital‐attending population (31.7%) in southern Vietnam. The hospital population was recruited as a general‐population proxy even though this particular population subgroup may introduce bias. The detection of HEV RNA in pigs indicates that HEV may be a zoonotic disease risk in this location, although a larger sample size is required to infer an association between HEV positivity in pigs and seroprevalence in humans.     

Genetic diversity and pathogenic characteristics of Phomopsis asparagi obtained from Asparagus officinalis and A. kiusianus in Japan

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Phomopsis asparagi has been reported as a serious disease, causing stem blight on asparagus cultivars (Asparagus officinalis), and this fungus was also...     

DNA: a programmable force sensor

Direct quantification of biomolecular interaction by single-molecule force spectroscopy has evolved into a powerful tool for materials and life sciences. We introduce an approach in which the unbinding forces required to break intermolecular bonds are measured in a differential format by comparison with a known reference bond (here, a short DNA duplex). In addition to a marked increase in sensitivity and force resolution, which enabled us to resolve single-base pair mismatches, this concept allows for highly specific parallel assays. This option was exploited to overcome cross-reactions of antibodies in a protein biochip application.     

Use of ovotransferrin as an antimicrobial in turkeys naturally infected with Chlamydia psittaci, avian metapneumovirus and Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale

Respiratory pathogens are difficult to control in large-scale turkey production. This report describes a clinical trial of antimicrobial ovoTF aerosol on a large Belgian turkey farm. ovoTF was administered to reduce Chlamydia psittaci (C. psittaci) infections and to study the impact of this action on the occurrence of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (O. rhinotracheale) and avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) infections. Two subsequent broods were included; (i) a control brood receiving no ovoTF and (ii) an ovoTF brood receiving ovoTF aerosol (5mg/animal) at the age of 2 weeks, continuing daily for 12 days. Twenty-four one-day-old toms of the control and ovoTF brood were tagged and monitored for 15 weeks. The control brood experienced two periods of respiratory disease, the first (2-3 weeks of age) due to C. psittaci and the second (8-17 weeks of age) in the presence of C. psittaci, O. rhinotracheale and maybe aMPV. Extensive antibiotic treatment was needed in 2, 8 and 9 week-old toms. In the ovoTF brood, toms stayed healthy until the age of 9 weeks, whereafter respiratory disease occurred in the presence of C. psittaci, O rhinotracheale and aMPV. OvoTF administration: (i) reduced the amount of C. psittaci in the air as demonstrated by bioaerosol monitoring, (ii) prevented respiratory disease during the first half of the brood period, (iii) was associated with 46% reduction of mortality, and (iv) reduced the antibiotic cost. Our results justify additional clinical trials to explore the use of this innovative antimicrobial strategy for poultry.     

Genetic characterization of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) varieties conserved in Vietnam through SCoT marker-based polymorphisms

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) production sustains millions of smallholder farmers and their families around the globe, and also powers a thriving industry of...     

Applying Activated Carbon Derived from Coconut Shell Loaded by Silver Nanoparticles to Remove Methylene Blue in Aqueous Solution

This study developed a new adsorbent, specifically activated carbon-loaded silver nanoparticles (AgNPs-AC) by coating the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) onto activated carbon (AC). The obtained AgNPs-AC were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The ability of AgNPs-AC to remove methylene blue (MB) was evaluated using different experimental factors, these being pH solution, contact time, adsorbent dose, and initial MB concentration. Results indicated that the highest adsorption capacity of MB onto AgNPs-AC was obtained when the AC was loaded onto AgNPs at the impregnation ratio of 0.5% w/w for AC and AgNPs. The best conditions in which AgNPs-AC could remove MB were as follows: pH 10, contact time lasting 120 min, and adsorbent dose being 250 mg/25 mL solution. In this scenario, the maximum adsorption capacity of MB onto AgNPs-AC was 172.22 mg/g. The adsorption isothermal equilibrium was well described by the Langmuir, Freundlich and Sips models. The Sips equations had the highest correlation coefficient value (R²?=?0.935). The pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models agree well with the dynamic behavior of the adsorption of dye MB on AgNPs-AC.