Insights into the mechanisms and key factors influencing biofilm formation by Aeromonas hydrophila in the food industry: A comprehensive review and bibliometric analysis.

Biofilm formation by Aeromonas hydrophila in the food industry poses significant challenges to food safety and quality. Therefore, this comprehensive review aimed to provide insights into the mechanisms and key factors influencing A. hydrophila biofilm formation. It explores the molecular processes involved in initial attachment, microcolony formation, and biofilm maturation; moreover, it concurrently examines the impact of intrinsic factors, including quorum sensing, cyclic-di-GMP, the efflux pump, and antibiotic resistance, as well as environmental conditions, such as temperature, nutrient availability, and osmotic pressure, on biofilm architecture and resilience. Furthermore, the article highlights the potential of bibliometric analysis as a promising method for conceptualizing the research landscape of and identifying knowledge gaps in A. hydrophila biofilm research. The findings underscore the requirement for focused interventions that prevent biofilm development and raise food sector safety. The consolidation of current information and incorporation of bibliometric analysis enhances existing understanding of A. hydrophila biofilm formation and offers insights for future research and control strategies within a food industry context.

Pharmacological potentials of lycopene against aging and aging-related disorders: A review.

Aging and aging-related chronic disorders are one of the principal causes of death worldwide. The prevalence of these disorders is increasing gradually and globally. Considering this unwavering acceleration of the global burden, seeking alternatives to traditional medication to prevent the risk of aging disorders is needed. Among them, lycopene, a carotenoid, is abundant in many fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, grapefruits, and watermelons, and it has a unique chemical structure to be a potent antioxidant compound. This nutraceutical also possesses several anti-aging actions, including combating aging biomarkers and ameliorating several chronic disorders. However, no systematic evaluation has yet been carried out that can comprehensively elucidate the effectiveness of lycopene in halting the course of aging and the emergence of chronic diseases linked to aging. This review, therefore, incorporates previous pre-clinical, clinical, and epidemiological studies on lycopene to understand its potency in treating aging disorders and its role as a mimic of caloric restriction. Lycopene-rich foods are found to prevent or attenuate aging disorders in various research. Based on the evidence, this review suggests the clinical application of lycopene to improve human health and alleviate the prevalence of aging and aging disorders.

Determining Radiographic Reliability of Pelvic Landmarks in Assessing Limb Length Discrepancy Following Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Limb length discrepancy (LLD) is a frequent complication following total hip arthroplasty (THA) often associated with patient dissatisfaction. Radiographic landmarks are commonly used to determine limb length, but their reliability and accuracy remain to be validated. One-hundred and sixty-two preoperative standing pelvic radiographs from patients undergoing THA were measured using four common landmarks (teardrop, ischial tuberosity, obturator foramen, and iliac crest.) LLD and angular differences between measurements were obtained. Comparison of these landmarks for measuring leg lengths showed weak correlation and wide ranges of LLD for each method - in some cases differing by 30 mm. Angular comparisons showed similar results. Surgeons should be cautioned that there is no standard and reliable method for radiographic measurement of leg length in association with hip replacement surgery and use of these techniques in clinical and research settings should be approached cautiously. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 32(1):028-031, 2023).

Insights into antibiofilm mechanisms of phytochemicals: Prospects in the food industry.

The recalcitrance of microbial aggregation or biofilm in the food industry underpins the emerging antimicrobial resistance among foodborne pathogens, exacerbating the phenomena of food spoilage, processing and safety management failure, and the prevalence of foodborne illnesses. The challenges of growing tolerance to current chemical and disinfectant-based antibiofilm strategies have driven the urgency in finding a less vulnerable to bacterial resistance, effective alternative antibiofilm agent. To address these issues, various novel strategies are suggested in current days to combat bacterial biofilm. Among the innovative approaches, phytochemicals have already demonstrated their excellent performance in preventing biofilm formation and bactericidal actions against resident bacteria within biofilms. However, the diverse group of phytochemicals and their different modes of action become a barrier to applying them against specific pathogenic biofilm-formers. This phenomenon mandates the need to elucidate the multi-mechanistic actions of phytochemicals to design an effective novel antibiofilm strategy. Therefore, this review critically illustrates the structure - activity relationship, functional sites of actions, and target molecules of diverse phytochemicals regarding multiple major antibiofilm mechanisms and reversal mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance. The implementation of the in-depth knowledge will hopefully aid future studies for developing phytochemical-based next-generation antimicrobials.

Comparative effects of ascobin and glutathione on copper homeostasis and oxidative stress metabolism in mitigation of copper toxicity in rice.

Copper (Cu) pollution of agricultural land is a major threat to crop production. Exogenous chemical treatment is an easily accessible and rapid approach to remediate metal toxicity, including Cu toxicity in plants. We compared the effects of ascobin (ASC; ascorbic acid:citric acid at 2:1) and glutathione (GSH) in mitigation of Cu toxicity in rice. Plants subjected to Cu stress displayed growth inhibition and biomass reduction, which were connected to reduced levels of chlorophylls, RWC, total phenolic compounds, carotenoids and Mg2+ . Increased accumulation of ROS and malondialdehyde indicated oxidative stress in Cu-stressed plants. However, application of ASC or GSH minimized the inhibitory effects of Cu stress on rice plants by restricting Cu2+ uptake and improving mineral balance, chlorophyll content and RWC. Both ASC and GSH pretreatments reduced levels of ROS and malondialdehyde and improved activities of antioxidant enzymes, suggesting their roles in alleviating oxidative damage. A comparison on the effects of ASC and GSH under Cu stress revealed that ASC was more effective in restricting Cu2+ accumulation (69.5% by ASC and 57.1% by GSH), Ca2+ and Mg2+ homeostasis, protection of photosynthetic pigments and activation of antioxidant defence mechanisms [catalase (110.4%), ascorbate peroxidase (76.5%) and guaiacol peroxidase (39.0%) by ASC, and catalase (58.9%) and ascorbate peroxidase (59.9%) by GSH] in rice than GSH, eventually resulting in better protection of ASC-pretreated plants against Cu stress. In conclusion, although ASC and GSH differed in induction of stress protective mechanisms, both were effective in improving rice performance in response to Cu phytotoxicity.

Varicella zoster virus in American Samoa: seroprevalence and predictive value of varicella disease history in elementary and college students.

The epidemiology of varicella is believed to differ between temperate and tropical countries. We conducted a varicella seroprevalence study in elementary and college students in the US territory of American Samoa before introduction of a routine varicella vaccination programme. Sera from 515 elementary and 208 college students were tested for the presence of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) IgG antibodies. VZV seroprevalence increased with age from 76·0% in the 4-6 years group to 97·7% in those aged ⩾23 years. Reported history of varicella disease for elementary students was significantly associated with VZV seropositivity. The positive and negative predictive values of varicella disease history were 93·4% and 36·4%, respectively, in elementary students and 97·6% and 3·0%, respectively, in college students. VZV seroprevalence in this Pacific island appears to be similar to that in temperate countries and suggests endemic VZV circulation.