Spoilage evaluation of raw Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) stored under modified atmospheres by multivariate statistics and augmented ordinal regression.

The development of quality monitoring systems for perishable food products like seafood requires extensive data collection under specified packaging and storage conditions, followed by advanced data analysis and interpretation. Even though the benefits of using volatile organic compounds as food quality indices have been recognized, few studies have focused on real-time quantification of the seafood volatilome and subsequent systematic identification of the most important spoilage indicators. In this study, spoilage of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) stored under modified atmospheres (% CO2/O2/N2) and air was characterized by performing multivariate statistical analysis and augmented ordinal regression modelling for data collected by microbiological, chemical and sensory analyses. Out of 25 compounds quantified by selected-ion flow-tube mass spectrometry, ethanol, dimethyl sulfide and hydrogen sulfide were found characteristic under anaerobic conditions (0/0/100 and 60/0/40), whereas spoilage under air was primarily associated with the production of alcohols and ketones. Under high-O2 MAP (60/40/0), only 3-methylbutanal fulfilled the identification criteria. Overall, this manuscript presents a systematic and widely applicable methodology for the identification of most potential seafood spoilage indicators within the context of intelligent packaging technology development. In particular, parallel application of statistics and modelling was found highly beneficial for the performance of the quality characterization process and for the practical applicability of the obtained results in food quality monitoring.

Choroidal neovascularisation as an unusual ophthalmic manifestation of cat-scratch disease in an 8-year-old girl.

To report the first case of choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) that appeared during the primary Bartonella henselae infection in an 8-year-old girl. An 8-year-old girl was referred to our clinic complaining of a central scotoma in the right eye. Fundus examination revealed a bilateral disc oedema and in the right eye neuroretinitis with macular star and CNV, which was confirmed by fluorescein angiography. The optical coherence tomography revealed the presence of macular serous retinal detachment. Laboratory analysis showed rising IgM and IgG titres for B. henselae. Cat-scratch disease was diagnosed, and an 8-week treatment with azithromycin was initiated. In addition, an intravitreal injection of ranibizumab was performed in the right eye to treat the CNV. A month later, we decided to administer a systemic antibiotic again for an additional 5 months, due to the persistence of papillitis. Cat-scratch disease should be considered among the different causes of inflammatory CNV secondary to infectious uveitis. Our case was the first described in the literature in which a CNV appeared during the primary infection and not as a later complication. The combination of systemic antibiotic treatment with intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy was a successful choice because it allowed us to obtain the complete resolution of neuroretinitis, associated with the scarring of the choroidal neovascular membrane, with a final visual acuity of 20/20 in both eyes.

Topological and functional relationship of subunits F1-gamma and F0I-PVP(b) in the mitochondrial H+-ATP synthase.

Diamide treatment of the F0F1-ATP synthase in "inside out" submitochondrial particles (ESMP) in the absence of a respiratory Delta mu H+ as well as of isolated Fo reconstituted with F1 or F1-gamma subunit results in direct disulfide cross-linking between cysteine 197 in the carboxy-terminal region of the F0I-PVP(b) subunit and cysteine 91 at the carboxyl end of a small alpha-helix of subunit F1-gamma, both located in the stalk. The F0I-PVP(b) and F1-gamma cross-linking cause dramatic enhancement of oligomycin-sensitive decay of Delta mu H+. In ESMP and MgATP particles the cross-linking is accompanied by decoupling of respiratory ATP synthesis. These effects are consistent with the view that F0I-PVP(b) and F1-gamma are components of the stator and rotor of the proposed rotary motor, respectively. The fact that the carboxy-terminal region of F0I-PVP(b) and the short alpha-helix of F1-gamma can form a direct disulfide bridge shows that these two protein domains are, at least in the resting state of the enzyme, in direct contact. In isolated F0, diamide also induces cross-linking of OSCP with another subunit of F0, but this has no significant effect on proton conduction. When ESMP are treated with diamide in the presence of Delta mu H+ generated by respiration, neither cross-linking between F0I-PVP(b) and F1-gamma subunits nor the associated effects on proton conduction and ATP synthesis is observed. Cross-linking is restored in respiring ESMP by Delta mu H+ collapsing agents as well as by DCCD or oligomycin. These observations indicate that the torque generated by Delta mu H+ decay through Fo induces a relative motion and/or a separation of the F0I-PVP(b) subunit and F1-gamma which places the single cysteine residues, present in each of the two subunits, at a distance at which they cannot be engaged in disulfide bridging.