1.Validation of the TrichinEasy® digestion system for the detection of Anisakidae larvae in fish products.
Cammilleri G, Chetta M, Costa A, Graci S, Collura R, Buscemi MD, Cusimano M, Alongi A, Principato D, Giangrosso G, Vella A, Ferrantelli V. Acta Parasitol. 2016 Jun 1;61(2):369-75. doi: 10.1515/ap-2016-0048.
Anisakis and other parasites belonging to the Anisakidae family are organisms of interest for human health, because of their high zoonotic potential. Parasites belonging to this family can cause Anisakiasis, a parasitological disease caused by the ingestion of raw, infested fish products. Furthermore, evidence from the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority; EFSA 2010) has highlighted the allergological potential of nematodes belonging to the Anisakis genre. The detection and identification of Anisakidae larvae in fish products requires an initial visual inspection of the fish sample, as well as other techniques such as candling, UV illumination and artificial digestion. The digestion method consists of the simulation of digestive mechanics, which is made possible by the utilization of HCl and pepsin, according to EC Regulation 2075/2005. In this study, a new Anisakidae larvae detection method using a mechanical digestion system called Trichineasy® was developed.
2.Comparison of Morphology and Physicochemical Properties of Starch Among 3 Arrowhead Varieties.
Li A1, Zhang Y1, Zhang Y1, Yu X2, Xiong F2, Zhou R1, Zhang Y1. J Food Sci. 2016 Apr 15. doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.13303. [Epub ahead of print]
Arrowhead (Sagittaria trifolia var. sinensis) is a source of starch worldwide, but arrowhead starch has been rarely studied. In this work, starch was separated from arrowhead corm. The morphology and physicochemical properties of starch were then investigated and compared among 3 different arrowhead varieties (Purple-corm, Hongta, and Japanese). Results showed that starches from the 3 varieties similarly featured an oval shape containing a visible polarization cross, a CA -type crystalline structure, and an ordered structure in the external granule region. However, starch content, granule size, crystal characteristics, and pasting properties differed among the 3 varieties. Japanese arrowhead exhibited the highest starch content and degree of ordered structure in the external granule region, as well as onset, peak, and final gelatinization temperature. Purple-corm arrowhead starch demonstrated the highest amylose content and relative degree of crystallinity, smallest granule size, and lowest swelling power and solubility.
3.Design and Evaluation of Proniosomes As A Carrier for Ocular Delivery of Lomefloxacin HCl.
Khalil RM1, Abdelbary GA2, Basha M1, Awad GE3, El-Hashemy HA1. J Liposome Res. 2016 Apr 15:1-42. [Epub ahead of print]
The current investigation aims to develop and evaluate novel ocular proniosomal gels of Lomefloxacin HCl (LXN); in order to improve its ocular bioavailability for the management of bacterial conjunctivitis. Proniosomes were prepared using different types of nonionic surfactants solely and as mixtures with Span 60. The formed gels were characterized for entrapment efficiency, vesicle size and in vitro drug release. Only Span 60 was able to form stable LXN proniosomal gel when used individually while the other surfactants formed gels only in combination with Span 60 at different ratios. The optimum proniosomal gel; P-LXN 7 (Span60:Tween60, 9:1) appeared as spherical shaped vesicles having high entrapment efficiency (>80%), appropriate vesicle size (187 nm) as well as controlled drug release over 12h. Differential scanning calorimetry confirmed the amorphous nature of LXN within the vesicles. Stability study did not show any significant changes in entrapment efficiency or vesicle size after storage for 3 months at 4°C.
4.New antiviral targets for innovative treatment concepts for hepatitis B virus and hepatitis delta virus.
Durantel D1, Zoulim F2. J Hepatol. 2016 Apr;64(1 Suppl):S117-31. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2016.02.016.
Current therapies of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remain limited to pegylated-interferon-alpha (PegIFN-α) or any of the five approved nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUC) treatments. While viral suppression can be achieved in the majority of patients with the high-barrier-to-resistance new-generation of NUC, i.e. entecavir and tenofovir, HBsAg loss is achieved by PegIFN-α and/or NUC in only 10% of patients, after a 5-year follow-up. Attempts to improve the response by administering two different NUC or a combination of NUC and PegIFN-α have not provided a dramatic increase in the rate of functional cure. Because of this and the need of long-term NUC administration, there is a renewed interest regarding the understanding of various steps of the HBV replication cycle, as well as specific virus-host cell interactions, in order to define new targets and develop new antiviral drugs. This includes a direct inhibition of viral replication with entry inhibitors, drugs targeting cccDNA, siRNA targeting viral transcripts, capsid assembly modulators, and approaches targeting the secretion of viral envelope proteins.
