Linalool Reduces Virulence and Tolerance to Adverse Conditions of .

, a foodborne pathogen causing listeriosis, poses substantial societal, economic, and public health challenges due to its resistance, persistence, and biofilm formation in the food industry. Exploring subinhibitory concentrations of compounds to target virulence inhibition and increase susceptibility to adverse conditions presents a promising strategy to mitigate its impact of and unveils new potential applications. Thus, this study aims to explore the effect of linalool on virulence factors of and potential use in the reduction in its tolerance to stressful conditions.

Effect of soft tissue noise on trabecular bone score in postmenopausal women with diabetes: A cross sectional study.

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with increased fracture risk, despite similar or greater BMD compared to nondiabetics. TBS predicts fracture risk in T2D and nondiabetics. However, increased abdominal thickness, a common feature in T2D, may reduce TBS values.

Development of Phenothiazine Hybrids with Potential Medicinal Interest: A Review.

The molecular hybridization approach has been used to develop compounds with improved efficacy by combining two or more pharmacophores of bioactive scaffolds. In this context, hybridization of various relevant pharmacophores with phenothiazine derivatives has resulted in pertinent compounds with diverse biological activities, interacting with specific or multiple targets. In fact, the development of new drugs or drug candidates based on phenothiazine system has been a promising approach due to the diverse activities associated with this tricyclic system, traditionally present in compounds with antipsychotic, antihistaminic and antimuscarinic effects.

Encapsulation of cinnamon oil in cyclodextrin nanosponges and their potential use for antimicrobial food packaging.

The main goal of this work is the encapsulation of cinnamon essential oil in cyclodextrin nanosponges and the assessment of their antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens. After nanosponge synthesis, a headspace-solid phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) method was validated to quantify essential oil major compounds. Results showed that essential oil was successfully encapsulated in cyclodextrin nanosponges with α-NS and β-NS being able to encapsulate higher essential oil amounts.

5-Hydrazinylethylidenepyrimidines effective against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii: Synthesis and in vitro biological evaluation of antibacterial, radical scavenging and cytotoxic activities.

Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen in recent years, with infectious outbreaks caused by multidrug-resistant strains increasing worldwide. Thus, new antibacterial treatments for multidrug-resistant A. baumannii strains are needed.

A meta-analytic perspective on Arcobacter spp. antibiotic resistance.

Objectives: Over the years, an increased prevalence of resistant strains of Arcobacter has been observed, which may be due to Arcobacter exposure to antibiotics used both in animal production and human medicine. A systematic review was performed with the objective of summarising the results of the rates of antimicrobial resistance of Arcobacter isolates.

Methods: The systematic review was performed according to PRISMA (Preferred Reported Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) recommendations, followed by meta-analysis.

Arcobacter butzleri Ciprofloxacin Resistance: Point Mutations in DNA Gyrase A and Role on Fitness Cost.

Arcobacter butzleri is a widely distributed emerging pathogen resistant to various classes of antimicrobial agents, namely fluoroquinolones. A. butzleri resistance to fluoroquinolones is conferred by point mutations at the antibiotic target.

Trisubstituted barbiturates and thiobarbiturates: Synthesis and biological evaluation as xanthine oxidase inhibitors, antioxidants, antibacterial and anti-proliferative agents.

Barbituric and thiobarbituric acid derivatives have become progressively attractive to medicinal chemists due to their wide range of biological activities. Herein, different series of 1,3,5-trisubstituted barbiturates and thiobarbiturates were prepared in moderate to excellent yields and their activity as xanthine oxidase inhibitors, antioxidants, antibacterial agents and as anti-proliferative compounds was evaluated in vitro. Interesting bioactive barbiturates were found namely, 1,3-dimethyl-5-[1-(2-phenylhydrazinyl)ethylidene]pyrimidine-2,4,6(1H,3H,5H)-trione (6c) and 1,3-dimethyl-5-[1-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)hydrazinyl]ethylidene]pyrimidine-2,4,6(1H,3H,5H)-trione (6e), which showed concomitant xanthine oxidase inhibitory effect (IC values of 24.

Development of carboxymethyl xylan films with functional properties.

The aim of this work was focused on the development of carboxymethyl xylan (CMX) formulations with functional properties to produce edible films. Beechwood Xylan was firstly derivatized into carboxymethyl xylan and thereafter was blended with Agar (Ag), Ammonium zirconium carbonate (AZC) and linoleic acid (La) to produce CMX:Ag, CMX:AZC, CMX:Ag:La films. Mechanical, barrier, optical and thermal properties of the produced films and their antimicrobial activity against food pathogenic bacteria were evaluated.

Antimicrobial activity of coriander oil and its effectiveness as food preservative.

ABTRACT Foodborne illness represents a major economic burden worldwide and a serious public health threat, with around 48 million people affected and 3,000 death each year only in the USA. One of the possible strategies to reduce foodborne infections is the development of effective preservation strategies capable of eradicating microbial contamination of foods. Over the last years, new challenges for the food industry have arisen such as the increase of antimicrobial resistance of foodborne pathogens to common preservatives and consumers demand for naturally based products.

Trends in microbial control techniques for poultry products.

Fresh poultry meat and poultry products are highly perishable foods and high potential sources of human infection due to the presence of several foodborne pathogens. Focusing on the microbial control of poultry products, the food industry generally implements numerous preventive measures based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) food safety management system certification together with technological steps, such as refrigeration coupled to modified atmosphere packaging that are able to control identified potential microbial hazards during food processing. However, in recent years, to meet the demand of consumers for minimally processed, high-quality, and additive-free foods, technologies are emerging associated with nonthermal microbial inactivation, such as high hydrostatic pressure, irradiation, and natural alternatives, such as biopreservation or the incorporation of natural preservatives in packaging materials.

Clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii from a Portuguese hospital: PFGE characterization, antibiotic susceptibility and biofilm-forming ability.

Acinetobacter baumannii is an emerging pathogen associated with nosocomial infections that in addition has shown an increasing resistance to antibiotics. In this work the genetic diversity of A. baumannii isolates from a Portuguese hospital, their antibiotic resistance profiles and ability to form biofilms was studied.

Study of the major essential oil compounds of Coriandrum sativum against Acinetobacter baumannii and the effect of linalool on adhesion, biofilms and quorum sensing.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a pathogen that has the ability to adhere to surfaces in the hospital environment and to form biofilms which are increasingly resistant to antimicrobial agents. The aim of this work was to study the antimicrobial activity of the major oil compounds of Coriandrum sativum against A. baumannii.

Insights in the pathogenesis and resistance of Arcobacter: A review.

Arcobacter genus currently comprises 18 recognized species, among which Arcobacter butzleri, Arcobacter cryaerophilus and Arcobacter skirrowii have been associated with human and animal disease. Although these organisms, with special emphasis A. butzleri, are emerging as clinical pathogens, several aspects of their epidemiology and virulence are only starting to be clarified.

Association of the transcobalamin II gene 776C → G polymorphism with Alzheimer's type dementia: dependence on the 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 1298A → C polymorphism genotype.

Background: Decreased serum concentrations of vitamin B12 are associated with Alzheimer's type dementia. The transcobalamin II gene (TCN2) 776C → G polymorphism affects transcobalamin II function as a carrier of vitamin B12 and might modify its availability. The association of the TCN2 776C → G polymorphism with Alzheimer's type dementia is unclear and was investigated in the present study.

Resveratrol production in bioreactor: Assessment of cell physiological states and plasmid segregational stability.

Resveratrol is a plant secondary metabolite commonly found in peanuts and grapevines with significant health benefits. Recombinant organisms can produce large amounts of resveratrol and, in this work, BW27784 was used to produce resveratrol in bioreactors while monitoring cell physiology and plasmid stability through flow cytometry and real-time qPCR, respectively. Initially, the influence of culture conditions and precursor addition was evaluated in screening assays and the data gathered was used to perform the bioreactor assays, allowing the production of 160 μg/mL of resveratrol.

Genotypic and phenotypic features of Arcobacter butzleri pathogenicity.

Even though Arcobacter butzleri has been implicated in some human disease as diarrhoea and bacteraemia, much of its pathogenesis and virulence factors remain unclear. In this work we have compared pathogenic and genotypic properties of six A. butzleri isolates from human and non-human sources.

Human, food and animal Campylobacter spp. isolated in Portugal: high genetic diversity and antibiotic resistance rates.

Infections by Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are considered the major cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in humans, with food being the main source of infection. In this study, a total of 196 Campylobacter strains (125 isolates from humans, 39 from retail food and 32 from food animal sources) isolated in Portugal between 2009 and 2012 were characterised by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and flaA short variable region (SVR) typing. Susceptibility to six antibiotics as well as the mechanisms underlying antibiotic resistance phenotypes was also studied.

Evaluation of the prebiotic potential of arabinoxylans from brewer's spent grain.

Arabinoxylans (AX) consumption has been related to the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes, colorectal cancer and obesity. The beneficial health effects are conferred through gut microbiota modulation, and therefore, they have been proposed as potential slowly fermentable prebiotic candidates. As the mechanisms are not yet well understood, the prebiotic potential of AX from brewer's spent grain (BSG) has been investigated.

Resveratrol against Arcobacter butzleri and Arcobacter cryaerophilus: activity and effect on cellular functions.

The frequent isolation of Arcobacter butzleri and Arcobacter cryaerophilus from food samples makes it imperative to search for potential compounds able to inhibit the development of these bacteria. Taking this into consideration, this study focuses on the antimicrobial activity of resveratrol and its mechanism of action against A. butzleri and A.

Molecular diagnosis of Arcobacter and Campylobacter in diarrhoeal samples among Portuguese patients.

The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and diversity of Arcobacter and Campylobacter spp. in 298 stool samples of patients with diarrhoea, collected from 22 Portuguese hospitals, between September and November 2012. Detection of Arcobacter and Campylobacter spp.

Strategies to improve the solubility and stability of stilbene antioxidants: a comparative study between cyclodextrins and bile acids.

Aiming at the development of an active food packaging, the goal of this study was to increase stilbenes (resveratrol (RV), pterostilbene (PT) and pinosylvin (PS)) aqueous solubility and stability using hydropropyl-cyclodextrins (HP-CDs) and bile salts. To evaluate stilbene concentration, an HPLC-DAD method was validated. Stilbene solubility was improved by the formation of inclusion complexes and micellar systems with higher solubility values obtained for the inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins.

Genetic diversity, antibiotic resistance and biofilm-forming ability of Arcobacter butzleri isolated from poultry and environment from a Portuguese slaughterhouse.

The genus Arcobacter is an emerging pathogen associated with several clinical symptoms. This genus is widely distributed and has been isolated from environmental, animal, food and human samples, where poultry is considered the major source. In this study, forty three Arcobacter butzleri strains isolated from poultry and environment of a Portuguese slaughterhouse, were characterized by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and assessed for antimicrobial susceptibility and ability to form biofilms.

Evaluating metabolic stress and plasmid stability in plasmid DNA production by Escherichia coli.

In the context of recombinant DNA technology, the development of feasible and high-yielding plasmid DNA production processes has regained attention as more evidence for its efficacy as vectors for gene therapy and DNA vaccination arise. When producing plasmid DNA in Escherichia coli, a number of biological restraints, triggered by plasmid maintenance and replication as well as culture conditions are responsible for limiting final biomass and product yields. This termed "metabolic burden" can also cause detrimental effects on plasmid stability and quality, since the cell machinery is no longer capable of maintaining an active metabolism towards plasmid synthesis and the stress responses elicited by plasmid maintenance can also cause increased plasmid instability.

Plasmid DNA fermentation strategies: influence on plasmid stability and cell physiology.

In order to provide sufficient pharmaceutical-grade plasmid DNA material, it is essential to gain a comprehensive knowledge of the bioprocesses involved; so, the development of protocols and techniques that allow a fast monitoring of process performance is a valuable tool for bioprocess design. Regarding plasmid DNA production, the metabolic stress of the host strain as well as plasmid stability have been identified as two of the key parameters that greatly influence plasmid DNA yields. The present work describes the impact of batch and fed-batch fermentations using different C/N ratios and different feeding profiles on cell physiology and plasmid stability, investigating the potential of these two monitoring techniques as valuable tools for bioprocess development and design.