Phage-based technologies for highly sensitive luminescent detection of foodborne pathogens and microbial toxins: A review.

Foodborne pathogens and microbial toxins are the main causes of foodborne illness. However, trace pathogens and toxins in foods are difficult to detect. Thus, techniques for their rapid and sensitive identification and quantification are urgently needed. Phages can specifically recognize and adhere to certain species of microbes or toxins due to molecular complementation between capsid proteins of phages and receptors on the host cell wall or toxins, and thus they have been successfully developed into a detection platform for pathogens and toxins. This review presents an update on phage-based luminescent detection technologies as well as their working principles and characteristics. Based on phage display techniques of temperate phages, reporter gene detection assays have been designed to sensitively detect trace pathogens by luminous intensity. By the host-specific lytic effects of virulent phages, enzyme-catalyzed chemiluminescent detection technologies for pathogens have been exploited. Notably, these phage-based luminescent detection technologies can discriminate viable versus dead microbes. Further, highly selective and sensitive immune-based assays have been developed to detect trace toxins qualitatively and quantitatively via antibody analogs displayed by phages, such as phage-ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and phage-IPCR (immuno-polymerase chain reaction). This literature research may lead to novel and innocuous phage-based rapid detection technologies to ensure food safety.

Dynamic Nondestructive Detection Models of Apple Quality in Critical Harvest Period Based on Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Intelligent Algorithms.

Apples are usually bagged during the growing process, which can effectively improve the quality. Establishing an in situ nondestructive testing model for in-tree apples is very important for fruit companies in selecting raw apple materials for valuation. Low-maturity apples and high-maturity apples were acquired separately by a handheld tester for the internal quality assessment of apples developed by our group, and the effects of the two maturity levels on the soluble solids content (SSC) detection of apples were compared. Four feature selection algorithms, like ant colony optimization (ACO), were used to reduce the spectral complexity and improve the apple SSC detection accuracy. The comparison showed that the diffuse reflectance spectra of high-maturity apples better reflected the internal SSC information of the apples. The diffuse reflectance spectra of the high-maturity apples combined with the ACO algorithm achieved the best results for SSC prediction, with a prediction correlation coefficient (Rp) of 0.88, a root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.5678 °Brix, and a residual prediction deviation (RPD) value of 2.466. Additionally, the fruit maturity was predicted using PLS-LDA based on color data, achieveing accuracies of 99.03% and 99.35% for low- and high-maturity fruits, respectively. These results suggest that in-tree apple in situ detection has great potential to enable improved robustness and accuracy in modeling apple quality.

Size-Related Pathway Flux Analysis of Ultrasmall Iron Oxide Nanoparticles in Macrophage Cell RAW264.7 for Safety Evaluation.

The endocytosis, intracellular transport, and exocytosis of different-sized nanoparticles were reported to greatly affect their efficacy and biosafety. The quantitation of endocytosis and exocytosis as well as subcellular distribution of nanoparticles might be an effective approach based on transport pathway flux analysis. Thus, the key parameters that could present the effects of three different-sized ultrasmall iron oxide nanoparticles (USIONPs) were systematically investigated in RAW264.7 cells. The endocytosis and exocytosis of USIONPs were related to their sizes; 15.4 nm of S2 could be quickly and more internalized and excreted in comparison to S1 (7.8 nm) and S3 (30.7 nm). In RAW264.7 cells, USIONPs were observed in endosomes, lysosomes, the Golgi apparatus, and autophagosomes via a transmission electron microscope. Based on flux analysis of intracellular transport pathways of USIONPs, it was found that 43% of S1, 40% of S2, and 44% of S3 were individually transported extracellularly through the Golgi apparatus-involved middle-fast pathway, while 24% of S1, 23% of S2, and 26% of S3 were transported through the fast recycling endosomal pathway, and the residues were transported through the slower speed lysosomal pathway. USIONPs might be transported via size-related endocytosis and exocytosis pathways. The pathway flux could be calculated on the basis of disturbance analysis of special transporters as well as their coding genes. Because there were rate differences among these transport pathways, this pathway flux could anticipate the intracellular remaining time and distribution of different-sized nanoparticles, the function exertion, and side effects of nanomaterials. The size of the nanomaterials could be optimized for improving functions and safety.

Succinylated starch emulsified Eugenol and Carvacrol nanoemulsions improved digestive stability, bio-accessibility and Salmonella typhimurium inhibition.

The ultrasonically processed Eugenol (EU) and Carvacrol (CAR) nanoemulsions (NE) were successfully optimized via response surface methodology (RSM) to achieve broad spectrum antimicrobial efficacy. These NE were prepared using 2 % (w/w) purity gum ultra (i.e., succinylated starch), 10 % (v/v) oil phase, 80 % (800 W) sonication power, and 10 min of processing time as determined via RSM. The second order Polynomial method was suitable to RSM with a co-efficient of determination >0.90 and a narrow polydispersity index (PDI) ranging 0.12-0.19. NE had small droplet sizes (135.5-160 nm) and low volatility at high temperatures. The EU & CAR entrapment and heat stability (300 °C) confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Further, the volatility of EU & CAR NE was 18.18 ± 0.13 % and 12.29 ± 0.11 % respectively, being lower than that of bulk/unencapsulated EU & CAR (i.e., 23.48 ± 0.38 % and 19.11 ± 0.08 %) after 2 h at 90 °C. Interestingly, both EU & CAR NE showed sustained release behaviour till 48 h. Their digest could inhibit Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium) via membrane disruption and access to cellular machinery as evident from SEM images. Furthermore, in-vivo bio-accessibility of EU & CAR in mice serum was up to 80 %. These cost-effective and short-processed EU/CAR NE have the potential as green preservatives for food industry.

Lung cancer treatment potential and limits associated with the STAT family of transcription factors.

Lung cancer is one of the mortal cancers and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with a cancer survival rate of fewer than 5% in developing nations. This low survival rate can be linked to things like late-stage detection, quick postoperative recurrences in patients receiving therapy, and chemoresistance developing against various lung cancer treatments. Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) family of transcription factors are involved in lung cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, immunological control, and treatment resistance. By interacting with specific DNA sequences, STAT proteins trigger the production of particular genes, which in turn result in adaptive and incredibly specific biological responses. In the human genome, seven STAT proteins have been discovered (STAT1 to STAT6, including STAT5a and STAT5b). Many external signaling proteins can activate unphosphorylated STATs (uSTATs), which are found inactively in the cytoplasm. When STAT proteins are activated, they can increase the transcription of several target genes, which leads to unchecked cellular proliferation, anti-apoptotic reactions, and angiogenesis. The effects of STAT transcription factors on lung cancer are variable; some are either pro- or anti-tumorigenic, while others maintain dual, context-dependent activities. Here, we give a succinct summary of the various functions that each member of the STAT family plays in lung cancer and go into more detail about the advantages and disadvantages of pharmacologically targeting STAT proteins and their upstream activators in the context of lung cancer treatment.

DNA binding peptide CF-14 enhances bactericidal efficacy of eugenol/carvacrol nanoparticles to Escherichia coli.

To evaluate the bactericidal action of antimicrobial peptide CF-14, Eugenol (EU) and carvacrol (CAR) nanoparticles (NPs) less than 200 nm were surface-modified with CF14, gaining approximately 200 nm of EU-CF and CAR-CF NPs with swollen morphology. EU-CF and CAR-CF NPs were bactericidal to E. coli at dosage of 0.09% and 0.07% (v/v), respectively; while they were just bacteriostatic to Staphylococcus aureus at 0.10% and 0.08% (v/v). Spectral variations in bacterial carbohydrates (1185-900 cm-1), lipids (3000-2800 cm-1) and DNA (1500-1185 cm-1) were obvious as evident from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). A higher percentage of membrane damaged (non-revivable) E. coli than S. aureus was found, which indicated electrostatic interactions between Gram-negative E. coli with cationic CF conjugated NPs leading to DNA disintegration. Interestingly, EU-CF and CAR-CF NPs inhibited E. coli growth in orange juice without impacting flavour compounds.

Positive interactions among Corynebacterium glutamicum and keystone bacteria producing SCFAs benefited T2D mice to rebuild gut eubiosis.

Accumulating evidences strongly support the correlations between the compositions of gut microbiome and therapeutic effects on Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Notably, gut microbes such as Akkermansia muciniphila are found able to regulate microecological balance and alleviate dysmetabolism of mice bearing T2D. In order to search out similarly functional bacteria, bacteriophage MS2 with a good specificity to bacteria carrying fertility (F) factor were used to treat T2D mice. Based on multi-omics analysis of microbiome and global metabolism of mice, we observed that gavage of bacteriophage MS2 and metformin led to a significant increase in the abundance of Corynebacterium glutamicum and A. muciniphila, respectively. Consequently, the gut microbiota were remodeled, leading to variations in metabolites and a substantial increase in short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). In which, the amount of acetate, propionate, and butyrate presented negative correlations to that of proinflammatory cytokines, which was beneficial to repairing the intestinal barriers and improving their functions. Moreover, main short fatty acid (SCFA) producers exhibited positive interactions, further facilitating the restoration of gut eubiosis. These findings revealed that C. glutamicum and its metabolites may be potential dietary supplements for the treatment of T2D. Moreover, our research contributes to a novel understanding of the underlying mechanism by which functional foods exert their anti-diabetic effects.

Percutaneous management of RetroFlex 3 balloon rupture and separation of the Edwards Sapien delivery system.

We report the case of an 85-year-old woman with severe aortic stenosis who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement with use of the Edwards Sapien(®) valve system. The procedure was complicated by rupture of the valve-deployment balloon, with separation and retention of the nose cone of the RetroFlex 3(®) delivery system in the iliac artery. Our endovascular retrieval of the equipment was successful, and we achieved access-site hemostasis by deploying a covered stent. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the endovascular retrieval of a malfunctioning delivery system during transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Successful use of nitazoxanide in the treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection.

A 78-year-old, retired Caucasian male presented in emergency room with 3 days history of progressive watery diarrhoea. Two weeks earlier, he received intravenous levofloxacin for community acquired pneumonia. The patient was diagnosed as severe Clostridium difficile infection based on clinical presentation, labs and imaging studies. The patient was initially treated with intravenous metronidazole and oral vancomycin. While awaiting subacute rehabilitation placement, the patient relapsed twice. After first recurrence the patient was treated with 2 weeks of oral nitazoxanide. After second recurrence, the patient was treated 2 weeks of nitazoxanide followed by tapering dose of vancomycin. The patient was followed and no relapse was reported at 1 year follow-up visit.