Efectos de la temperatura, la actividad de agua y el tiempo de incubación en el crecimiento fúngico y la producción de aflatoxina B1 por aislados toxicogénicos de Aspergillus flavus en sorgo / Effects of temperature, water activity and incubation time on fungal growth and aflatoxin B1 production by toxinogenic Aspergillus flavus isolates on sorghum seeds

Sorghum, which is consumed in Tunisia as human food, suffers from severe colonization by several toxigenic fungi and contamination by mycotoxins. The Tunisian climate is characterized by high temperature and humidity that stimulates mold proliferation and mycotoxin accumulation in foodstuffs. This study investigated the effects of temperature (15, 25 and 37 °C), water activity (a w, between 0.85 and 0.99) and incubation time (7, 14, 21 and 28 d) on fungal growth and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) production by three Aspergillus flavus isolates (8, 10 and 14) inoculated on sorghum grains. The Baranyi model was applied to identify the limits of growth and mycotoxin production. Maximum diameter growth rates were observed at 0.99 a w at 37 °C for two of the isolates. The minimum a w needed for mycelial growth was 0.91 at 25 and 37 °C. At 15 °C, only isolate 8 grew at 0.99 a w. Aflatoxin B1 accumulation could be avoided by storing sorghum at low water activity levels (≤0.91 a w). Aflatoxin production was not observed at 15 °C. This is the first work on the effects of water activity and temperature on A. flavus growth and AFB1 production by A. flavus isolates on sorghum grains.

El sorgo, que se consume en Túnez como alimento humano, puede sufrir la colonización severa de varios hongos toxicogénicos, con la consiguiente bioacumulación de micotoxinas. Además, el clima de Túnez, caracterizado por las altas temperaturas y humedad, estimula el crecimiento fúngico y la acumulación de micotoxinas en los productos alimenticios. Este estudio investigó los efectos de la temperatura (15, 25 y 37 °C), la actividad de agua (a w) (entre 0,85 y 0,99) y el tiempo de incubación (7, 14, 21 y 28 días) sobre el crecimiento y la producción de aflatoxina B1 (AFB1) de 3 aislados de Aspergillus flavus (designados como 8, 10 y 14) que se inocularon sobre granos de sorgo. El modelo Baranyi se aplicó para identificar los límites del crecimiento y la producción de micotoxinas. Las tasas máximas de crecimiento para 2 de los aislados se observaron en la combinación 0,99 a w y 37 °C. La a w mínima necesaria para el crecimiento del micelio fue de 0,91 a 25 °C y 37 °C. A 15 °C, solo el aislado 8 creció a 0,99 a w, pero fue incapaz de producir la aflatoxina B1. Es posible evitar la acumulación de aflatoxina B1 en el sorgo almacenándolo a baja actividad de agua (≤ 0,91 a w). Este es el primer trabajo que ha estudiado el efecto de la actividad del agua y la temperatura sobre el crecimiento de aislados de A. flavus y su producción de aflatoxina B1 en granos de sorgo.

Cell death pattern in cerebellum neurons infected with toxoplasma gondii

There is a demand for studying the role of Toxoplasma gondii in cell death seeking aiding prevention of the disease. The neuro-pathological changes in the cerebellum cortex in case of acquired toxoplasmosis had been studied. Adult Balb C mice were infected by intra peritoneal injection of T. gondii RH strain. Immuno-histochemical expression of pro apoptotic marker Bax had been applied in parallel with Hematoxylin and Eosin stain to study the layers of cerebellum cortex. The focal necrosis in the cerebellum was expressed. Necrosis was explained on the basis of hypoxic ischemia resulting from existing vasculitis followed the infection. Purkinje cell layer was markedly affected in the form of disfiguring and focal loss of cells with apoptotic and necrotic changes. Thinning of both the molecular and internal granular layers was recorded morphometricly. Morphometric study reveals non significant change in the ratio between the viable to non viable cells in all cerebellum layers among experimental and control groups though the Purkinje cell layer was mostly affected. Statistical significant changes in depth proportion of molecular layer: Internal granular [ML: IGL] layers was noted in experimental and control group [p 0.05]. Bax expression was not coexisting with the result of H and E stained cells. The hypothesis emphasizes that toxoplasmosis resist apoptosis seeking its benefit, and apoptosis followed toxoplasmosis may be due to another protein rather than Bax