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Carbohydrate Polymers Aug 2024Here, biogenic and multifunctional active food coatings and packaging with UV shielding and antimicrobial properties were structured from the aqueous dispersion of an...
Here, biogenic and multifunctional active food coatings and packaging with UV shielding and antimicrobial properties were structured from the aqueous dispersion of an industrial byproduct, suberin, which was stabilized with amphiphilic cellulose nanofibers (CNF). The dual-functioning CNF, synthesized in a deep eutectic solvent, functioned as an efficient suberin dispersant and reinforcing agent in the packaging design. The nanofibrillar percolation network of CNF provided a steric hindrance against the coalescence of the suberin particles. The low CNF dosage of 0.5 wt% resulted in dispersion with optimal viscosity (208.70 Pa.s), enhanced stability (instability index of <0.001), and reduced particle size (9.37 ± 2.43 μm). The dispersion of suberin and CNF was further converted into self-standing films with superior UV-blocking capability, good thermal stability, improved hydrophobicity (increase in water contact angle from 61° ± 0.15 to 83° ± 5.11), and antimicrobial properties against gram-negative bacteria. Finally, the synergistic bicomponent dispersions were demonstrated as fruit coatings for bananas and packaging for strawberries to promote their self-life. The coatings and packaging considerably mitigated fruit deterioration and improved their freshness by preventing moisture loss and microbial attack. This sustainable approach is expected to pave the way toward advanced, biogenic, and active food packaging based on widely available bioresources.
Topics: Nanofibers; Cellulose; Food Packaging; Wood; Lipids; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Viscosity; Musa; Water; Gram-Negative Bacteria; Fruit
PubMed: 38763705
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2024.122218 -
Microbiology (Reading, England) May 2024Endolysins are bacteriophage (or phage)-encoded enzymes that catalyse the peptidoglycan breakdown in the bacterial cell wall. The exogenous action of recombinant phage...
Endolysins are bacteriophage (or phage)-encoded enzymes that catalyse the peptidoglycan breakdown in the bacterial cell wall. The exogenous action of recombinant phage endolysins against Gram-positive organisms has been extensively studied. However, the outer membrane acts as a physical barrier when considering the use of recombinant endolysins to combat Gram-negative bacteria. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the SAR-endolysin LysKpV475 against Gram-negative bacteria as single or combined therapies, using an outer membrane permeabilizer (polymyxin B) and a phage, free or immobilized in a pullulan matrix. In the first step, the endolysin LysKpV475 in solution, alone and combined with polymyxin B, was tested and against ten Gram-negative bacteria, including highly virulent strains and multidrug-resistant isolates. In the second step, the lyophilized LysKpV475 endolysin was combined with the phage phSE-5 and investigated, free or immobilized in a pullulan matrix, against subsp. serovar Typhimurium ATCC 13311. The bacteriostatic action of purified LysKpV475 varied between 8.125 μg ml against ATCC 27853, 16.25 μg ml against . Typhimurium ATCC 13311, and 32.50 μg ml against ATCC BAA-2146 and P2224. LysKpV475 showed bactericidal activity only for ATCC 27853 (32.50 μg ml) and P2307 (65.00 μg ml) at the tested concentrations. The effect of the LysKpV475 combined with polymyxin B increased against ATCC BAA-2146 [fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) 0.34; a value lower than 1.0 indicates an additive/combined effect] and . Typhimurium ATCC 13311 (FICI 0.93). A synergistic effect against . Typhimurium was also observed when the lyophilized LysKpV475 at ⅔ MIC was combined with the phage phSE-5 (m.o.i. of 100). The lyophilized LysKpV475 immobilized in a pullulan matrix maintained a significant S reduction of 2 logs after 6 h of treatment. These results demonstrate the potential of SAR-endolysins, alone or in combination with other treatments, in the free form or immobilized in solid matrices, which paves the way for their application in different areas, such as in biocontrol at the food processing stage, biosanitation of food contact surfaces and biopreservation of processed food in active food packing.
Topics: Endopeptidases; Polymyxin B; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Salmonella Phages; Glucans; Animals; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Gram-Negative Bacteria; Mice; Salmonella typhimurium; Bacteriophages; Viral Proteins
PubMed: 38739436
DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001462 -
International Journal of Stem Cells May 2024This paper presents guidelines for the systematic management of packaging, storage, transportation, and traceability of source cells used for organoid research. Given...
This paper presents guidelines for the systematic management of packaging, storage, transportation, and traceability of source cells used for organoid research. Given the important role of source cells in organoid studies, it is important to ensure the preservation of their quality and integrity throughout transportation and distribution processes. The proposed guidelines, therefore, call for a cohesive strategy through these stages to minimize the risks of contamination, deterioration, and loss-threats that significantly compromise the safety, efficacy, and efficiency of source cells. Central to these guidelines is the quality control measures that include roles and responsibilities across the entire supply chain, with recommendations specific to packaging materials, transportation facilities, and storage management. Furthermore, the need for an integrated management system is emphasized, spanning from source cell collection to the final application. This system is crucial for maintaining the traceability and accountability of source cells, facilitating the sharing, distribution, and utilization on a global scale, and supporting to advance organoid research and development.
PubMed: 38735854
DOI: 10.15283/ijsc24042 -
Scientific Reports May 2024This study developed a kind of PEG-crosslinked O-carboxymethyl chitosan (O-CMC-PEG) with various PEG content for food packaging. The crosslinking agent of...
This study developed a kind of PEG-crosslinked O-carboxymethyl chitosan (O-CMC-PEG) with various PEG content for food packaging. The crosslinking agent of isocyanate-terminated PEG was firstly synthesized by a simple condensation reaction between PEG and excess diisocyanate, then the crosslink between O-carboxymethyl chitosan (O-CMC) and crosslinking agent occurred under mild conditions to produce O-CMC-PEG with a crosslinked structure linked by urea bonds. FT-IR and H NMR techniques were utilized to confirm the chemical structures of the crosslinking agent and O-CMC-PEGs. Extensive research was conducted to investigate the impact of the PEG content (or crosslinking degree) on the physicochemical characteristics of the casted O-CMC-PEG films. The results illuminated that crosslinking and components compatibility could improve their tensile features and water vapor barrier performance, while high PEG content played the inverse effects due to the microphase separation between PEG and O-CMC segments. The in vitro degradation rate and water sensitivity primarily depended on the crosslinking degree in comparison with the PEG content. Furthermore, caused by the remaining -NH groups of O-CMC, the films demonstrated antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. When the PEG content was 6% (medium crosslinking degree), the prepared O-CMC-PEG film possessed optimal tensile features, high water resistance, appropriate degradation rate, low water vapor transmission rate and fine broad-spectrum antibacterial capacity, manifesting a great potential for application in food packaging to extend the shelf life.
Topics: Chitosan; Food Packaging; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Polyethylene Glycols; Escherichia coli; Cross-Linking Reagents; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Staphylococcus aureus; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Tensile Strength
PubMed: 38734808
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61642-x -
Food Research International (Ottawa,... Jun 2024The microbiome of surfaces along the beef processing chain represents a critical nexus where microbial ecosystems play a pivotal role in meat quality and safety of end...
The microbiome of surfaces along the beef processing chain represents a critical nexus where microbial ecosystems play a pivotal role in meat quality and safety of end products. This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the microbiome along beef processing using whole metagenomics with a particular focus on antimicrobial resistance and virulence-associated genes distribution. Our findings highlighted that microbial communities change dynamically in the different steps along beef processing chain, influenced by the specific conditions of each micro-environment. Brochothrix thermosphacta, Carnobacterium maltaromaticum, Pseudomonas fragi, Psychrobacter cryohalolentis and Psychrobacter immobilis were identified as the key species that characterize beef processing environments. Carcass samples and slaughterhouse surfaces exhibited a high abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), mainly belonging to aminoglycosides, β-lactams, amphenicols, sulfonamides and tetracyclines antibiotic classes, also localized on mobile elements, suggesting the possibility to be transmitted to human pathogens. We also evaluated how the initial microbial contamination of raw beef changes in response to storage conditions, showing different species prevailing according to the type of packaging employed. We identified several genes leading to the production of spoilage-associated compounds, and highlighted the different genomic potential selected by the storage conditions. Our results suggested that surfaces in beef processing environments represent a hotspot for beef contamination and evidenced that mapping the resident microbiome in these environments may help in reducing meat microbial contamination, increasing shelf-life, and finally contributing to food waste restraint.
Topics: Microbiota; Red Meat; Animals; Cattle; Food Microbiology; Food Handling; Bacteria; Metagenomics; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Abattoirs; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Food Contamination; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Food Packaging
PubMed: 38729711
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114318 -
Food Chemistry Sep 2024In order to valorise winemaking grape stalks, subcritical water extraction at 160 and 180 °C has been carried out to obtain phenolic-rich extracts useful for...
In order to valorise winemaking grape stalks, subcritical water extraction at 160 and 180 °C has been carried out to obtain phenolic-rich extracts useful for developing active food packaging materials. Red (R) and white (W) varieties (from Requena, Spain) were used, and thus, four kinds of extracts were obtained. These were characterised as to their composition, thermal stability and antioxidant and antibacterial activity. The extracts were incorporated at 6 wt% into polylactic acid (PLA) films and their effect on the optical and barrier properties of the films and their protective effect against sunflower oil oxidation was analysed. Carbohydrates were the major compounds (25-38%) in the extracts that contained 3.5-6.6% of phenolic compounds, the R extracts being the richest, with higher radical scavenging capacity. Every extract exhibited antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua, while PLA films with extracts preserved sunflower oil against oxidation.
Topics: Food Packaging; Vitis; Antioxidants; Plant Extracts; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Escherichia coli; Listeria
PubMed: 38729041
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139526 -
International Journal of Biological... Jun 2024Trigonella foenum-graecum, known as fenugreek, belongs to the leguminous family of wild growth in Western Asia, Europe, the Mediterranean, and Asia; its ripe seeds...
Trigonella foenum-graecum, known as fenugreek, belongs to the leguminous family of wild growth in Western Asia, Europe, the Mediterranean, and Asia; its ripe seeds contain a pool of bioactive substances with great potential in the food industry and medicine. In this study, fenugreek seed mucilage (FSM) was extracted and characterized in its structural properties by X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance, and high-performance liquid chromatography. Then, the applicability of FSM as an antimicrobial agent was demonstrated via the development of novel, active, edible FSM-based biofilms containing carboxymethyl cellulose and rosemary essential oil (REO). Incorporating REO in the biofilms brought about specific changes in Fourier-transform infrared spectra, affecting thermal degradation behavior. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy morphography showed an even distribution of REO and smoother surfaces in the loaded films. Besides, the solubility tests evidenced a reduction in water solubility with increasing REO concentration from 1 to 3 wt%. The biological assay evidenced the antimicrobial activity of REO-loaded biofilms against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Finally, whole apples were dip-coated with FSM-based solutions to showcase future edible systems. The REO-loaded biofilms extended the shelf life of apples to 30 days, demonstrating their potential for sustainable and active coatings.
Topics: Trigonella; Edible Films; Fruit; Seeds; Anti-Infective Agents; Plant Mucilage; Biofilms; Staphylococcus aureus; Escherichia coli; Chemical Phenomena; Solubility; Food Storage; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Microbial Sensitivity Tests
PubMed: 38723815
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132186 -
Drug Discovery Today Jun 2024Text summarization is crucial in scientific research, drug discovery and development, regulatory review, and more. This task demands domain expertise, language... (Review)
Review
Text summarization is crucial in scientific research, drug discovery and development, regulatory review, and more. This task demands domain expertise, language proficiency, semantic prowess, and conceptual skill. The recent advent of large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, offers unprecedented opportunities to automate this process. We compared ChatGPT-generated summaries with those produced by human experts using FDA drug labeling documents. The labeling contains summaries of key labeling sections, making them an ideal human benchmark to evaluate ChatGPT's summarization capabilities. Analyzing >14000 summaries, we observed that ChatGPT-generated summaries closely resembled those generated by human experts. Importantly, ChatGPT exhibited even greater similarity when summarizing drug safety information. These findings highlight ChatGPT's potential to accelerate work in critical areas, including drug safety.
Topics: Drug Labeling; Humans; United States; United States Food and Drug Administration; Natural Language Processing; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions
PubMed: 38723763
DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.104018 -
Clinical and Translational Science May 2024One of the key pharmacokinetic properties of most small molecule drugs is their ability to bind to serum proteins. Unbound or free drug is responsible for... (Review)
Review
One of the key pharmacokinetic properties of most small molecule drugs is their ability to bind to serum proteins. Unbound or free drug is responsible for pharmacological activity while the balance between free and bound drug can impact drug distribution, elimination, and other safety parameters. In the hepatic impairment (HI) and renal impairment (RI) clinical studies, unbound drug concentration is often assessed; however, the relevance and impact of the protein binding (PB) results is largely limited. We analyzed published clinical safety and pharmacokinetic studies in subjects with HI or RI with PB assessment up to October 2022 and summarized the contribution of PB results on their label dose recommendations. Among drugs with HI publication, 32% (17/53) associated product labels include PB results in HI section. Of these, the majority (9/17, 53%) recommend dose adjustments consistent with observed PB change. Among drugs with RI publication, 27% (12/44) of associated product labels include PB results in RI section with the majority (7/12, 58%) recommending no dose adjustment, consistent with the reported absence of PB change. PB results were found to be consistent with a tailored dose recommendation in 53% and 58% of the approved labels for HI and RI section, respectively. We further discussed the interpretation challenges of PB results, explored treatment decision factors including total drug concentration, exposure-response relationships, and safety considerations in these case examples. Collectively, comprehending the alterations in free drug levels in HI and RI informs treatment decision through a risk-based approach.
Topics: Humans; Drug Labeling; Protein Binding; Renal Insufficiency; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Liver Diseases; Blood Proteins; Drug Dosage Calculations
PubMed: 38716900
DOI: 10.1111/cts.13810 -
Viruses Apr 2024Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection can result in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), a spectrum of disorders characterized by neurological...
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection can result in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), a spectrum of disorders characterized by neurological impairment and chronic inflammation. Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) has elicited a marked reduction in the number of individuals diagnosed with HAND. However, there is continual, low-level viral transcription due to the lack of a transcription inhibitor in cART regimens, which results in the accumulation of viral products within infected cells. To alleviate stress, infected cells can release accumulated products, such as TAR RNA, in extracellular vesicles (EVs), which can contribute to pathogenesis in neighboring cells. Here, we demonstrate that cART can contribute to autophagy deregulation in infected cells and increased EV release. The impact of EVs released from HIV-1 infected myeloid cells was found to contribute to CNS pathogenesis, potentially through EV-mediated TLR3 (Toll-like receptor 3) activation, suggesting the need for therapeutics to target this mechanism. Three HIV-1 TAR-binding compounds, 103FA, 111FA, and Ral HCl, were identified that recognize TAR RNA and reduce TLR activation. These data indicate that packaging of viral products into EVs, potentially exacerbated by antiretroviral therapeutics, may induce chronic inflammation of the CNS observed in cART-treated patients, and novel therapeutic strategies may be exploited to mitigate morbidity.
Topics: Extracellular Vesicles; Humans; Toll-Like Receptor 3; HIV-1; HIV Infections; Autophagy; RNA, Viral
PubMed: 38675983
DOI: 10.3390/v16040643