Destruction of Bacillus anthracis strain Sterne 34F2 spores in postal envelopes by exposure to electron beam irradiation

AIMS: To determine the irradiation dose necessary to reduce the populations of Bacillus anthracis spores in a dry medium in postal envelopes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Bacillus anthracis Sterne 34F2 spores were dispersed in non-fat dry milk and then placed into standard business postal envelopes. The spores were treated with a sequence of irradiation doses to determine the decimal reduction value (D10) in kiloGrays (kGy). The average D10 value was 3.35 +/- 0.02 kGy. CONCLUSIONS: An irradiation dose of 40.2 kGy would be required to result in a process equivalent to the thermal canning process (12 D10 reduction) to eliminate Clostridium botulinum spores. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Irradiation is an effective means of reducing or eliminating B. anthracis spores in a dry medium in postal envelopes.     

Anti-u.v. activity of lignin biopolymers on Euglena gracilis

Sulphur-free lignin biopolymer and its oxidized and reduced derivatives have been prepared and their inhibitory activity against u.v.-induced mutagenesis in Euglena gracilis was evaluated. The structure- and dose-dependent anti-u.v. activity of lignins was observed at concentrations higher than 250gml^–1. The oxidized lignin showed the most antimutagenic activity, followed by the reduced lignin and the unmodified lignin had the least antimutagenic activity.     

IκB/NF-κB mediated cisplatin resistance in HeLa cells after low-dose γ-irradiation is associated with altered SODD expression

Fractionated -irradiation (15 × 2 Gy in 3 weeks) induces a cellular resistance in HeLa cells against cisplatin exposure but not against irradiation. The mechanisms underlying this cellular resistance are associated with major changes in the TNFR1-dependent transduction pathway. The resistant HeLa/B cells exhibit increased levels of NF-B with temporally independent regulation of the subunits NF-B50 and NF-B65. Blocking IB degradation by the proteasome inhibitor PSI, which abolishes the release of the active NF-B protein, induces cell death much more effectively in the parental than in the resistant HeLa/B cells. The translocation of NF-B does not seem to be affected in a similar manner since masking of the translocation sequence by NF-B SN50 enhances cisplatin toxicity to the same degree in both cell lines and overcomes drug resistance. Changes in upstream signaling are suggested by increased sensitivity of the parental HeLa cells to cisplatin in the presence of neutralizing anti-TNFR1. In HeLa/B cells, reduced expression of the 50 kDa silencer of death domain, SODD, is accompanied by constitutive overexpression of a 40–42 kDa SODD-like protein. A possible involvement of SODD in cisplatin resistance is discussed, which may shift the balance between life and death in the TNF receptor pathway to increased NF-B activation.     

Selective enzymic esterification of free fatty acids with n-butanol under microwave irradiation and under classical heating

Selective enzymic esterification of free fatty acids, obtained from blackcurrant oil by chemical saponification, with n-butanol using four immobilized lipases under microwave irradiation and under classical heating was studied. A positive effect of microwave irradiation on chemical yields of the products of the enzymic reactions and specificity of lipases were observed in comparison with a controlled heating in an incubator equipped with shaking (classical heating) applied during the identical enzyme-mediated processes. The maximum quantity of -linolenic acid (30%) was obtained with Lipozyme used as biocatalyst of the reaction under microwave irradiation. The maximum quantity of butyl -linolenate (20%) was obtained by a Pseudomonas cepacia lipase catalyzed esterification under classical heating.     

Effect of selected antimicrobial compounds on the radiosensitization of Salmonella Typhi in ground beef

Aims:  In this study, we extended our previous work to determine the efficiency of antimicrobial compounds in increase of relative radiosensitivity of Salmonella Typhi in medium fat ground beef (23% fat) by testing 41 different essential oils (EOs), oleoresins and food sauces.
Methods and Results:  Ground beef samples inoculated with Salmonella Typhi (10⁶ CFU g⁻¹ ) were treated with each antimicrobial compound at a concentration of 0·5% (w/w). Then, the samples (25 g each) were packaged under air and irradiated in a ⁶⁰Co irradiator at doses from 0 to 1·75 kGy. Radiosensitivity was evaluated by calculating relative radiation sensitivity, defined as the ratio of radiation D ₁₀ value in the absence/presence of antimicrobial compound.
Conclusions:  Depending on the compound tested, the addition of antimicrobial compound decreased the D ₁₀ value of Salmonella Typhi, resulting in an increase of the radiation sensitivity up to more than four times. Among these antimicrobial compounds, Chinese cinnamon EO, clove EO and trans -cinnamaldehyde were most effective to increase the radiosensitivity of Salmonella Typhi in ground beef.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  These observations demonstrate that some active compounds can function as radiosensitizers of Salmonella Typhi.     

超声和pH响应的药物共转运纳米胶束的制备及其生物学性能初探

目的:制备一种超声和p H双重响应的同时载有阿霉素(DOX)与石胆酸(LA)的纳米胶束,实现两种药物的共转运。方法:将叠氮化的石胆酸(LA-(N3)_2)与两个丙炔胺化β-环糊精(β-CD-C≡CH)通过点击反应结合,得到一种两亲性β-环糊精二聚体(LA-(CD)_2)。该环糊精二聚体在水溶液中发生自组装,同时包裹疏水性药物阿霉素,最终得到阿霉素与石胆酸共转运的纳米胶束(LA-CD2/DOX)。通过核磁共振光谱和飞行时间质谱表征LA-(CD)2的结构,透射电镜(TEM)和动态光散射(DLS)表征共转运纳米粒的形貌和大小,动态透析法模拟体外释药,监测在不同p H值和超声作用下纳米胶束的释药特性,同时采用人口腔表皮样癌细胞(KB细胞)测定LA-(CD)2/DOX的细胞毒性。结果:1经核磁共振和飞行时间质谱表征LA-(CD)2成功合成。2透射电镜和动态光散射证实LA-(CD)2自组装成形态规整的纳米胶束,Dz=128 nm,PDI=0.21。3体外释药实验结果表明DOX的释药具有p H和超声双重响应性,而LA的释药只具有p H响应性。4细胞实验证实LA-CD2/DOX的细胞毒性高于DOX和LA。结论:LA-(CD)2/DOX可有望成为一种p H和超声双重响应的抗肿瘤药物共转运纳米载体。     

胆道系统探查中术中超声的应用及临床价值

目的:探讨胆管系统探查中术中超声(intraoperative ultrasound,IOUS)的应用及临床价值。方法:2007年3月至2014年8月应用术中超声对胆道系统进行探查的病例资料58例,对其术前影像学表现、手术过程、术中超声所见以及术中和术后诊断进行分析,研究术中超声对胆道探查的应用价值。结果:(1)58例应用术中超声病人中,肝内外胆管结石35例、肝门部胆管癌及胆总管癌11例,急性胆囊炎8例,胃癌1例,先天性胆总管囊肿1例,胆总管炎性狭窄1例,胰腺癌1例。术中超声确认取净结石或胆总管未见明显异常34例,定位肝内胆管残余结石6例,发现胆总管内尚有结石2例,术中超声确诊胆管癌2例;另发现胆总管先天性解剖异常2例;(2)在发现胆管结石方面,与术前MRCP无显著性差异(P=0.643);与术前CT、B超比较有显著差异(P0.05),诊断率分别为B超74.3%,MRCP 91.4%,CT 77.1%,IOUS 94.3%。结论:术中超声胆道系统的探查可以在广泛的疾病中得到应用,可以对术前影像学检查起到验证和补充的作用,且在术中引导各种介入操作中起到独特作用。     

Application of NMR Spectroscopy in the Assessment of Radiation Dose in Human Primary Cells

We employed the primary cell model system as a first step toward establishing a method to assess the influence of ionizing radiation by using a combination of common and abundant metabolites. We applied X‐ray irradiation amounts of 0, 1, and 5 Gy to the cells that were harvested 24, 48, or 72 h later, and profiled metabolites by 2D‐NMR spectroscopy to sort out candidate molecules that could be used to distinguish the samples under different irradiation conditions. We traced metabolites stemming from the input ¹³C‐glucose, identified twelve of them from the cell extracts, and applied statistical analysis to find out that all the metabolites, including glycine, alanine, and gluatamic acid, increased upon irradiation. The combinatorial use of the selected metabolites showed promising results where the product of signal intensities of alanine and lactate could differentiate samples according to the dose of X‐ray irradiation. We hope that this work can form a base for treating radiation‐poisoned patients in the future.     

Recovery of extracellular matrix components by enalapril maleate during the repair process of ultraviolet B-induced wrinkles in mouse skin

The renin–angiotensin system is known to be involved in skin remodeling and inflammation. Previously, we reported that ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation enhanced angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) expression and angiotensin II levels in hairless mouse skin, and an ACE inhibitor, enalapril maleate (EM), accelerated repair of UVB-induced wrinkles. In this study, we analyzed gene expression profiles by DNA microarray and protein distribution patterns using an immunofluorescence method to clarify the process of EM-accelerated wrinkle repair in UVB-irradiated hairless mouse skin. In the microarray analysis, we detected EM-induced up-regulation of various extracellular matrix (ECM)-related genes in the UVB-irradiated skin. In the immunofluorescence, we confirmed that type I collagen α1 chain, fibrillin 1, elastin and dystroglycan 1 in the skin decreased after repeated UVB irradiation but staining for these proteins was improved by EM treatment. In addition, ADAMTS2 and MMP-14 also increased in the EM-treated skin. Although the relationship between these molecules and wrinkle formation is not clear yet, our present data suggest that the molecules are involved in the repair of UVB-induced wrinkles.