University of Turku

About: University of Turku is a education organization based out in Turku, Finland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Galaxy. The organization has 16296 authors who have published 45124 publications receiving 1505428 citations. The organization is also known as: Turun yliopisto & Åbo universitet.

Surface binding of aflatoxin B(1) by lactic acid bacteria.

Abstract: Specific lactic acid bacterial strains remove toxins from liquid media by physical binding. The stability of the aflatoxin B1 complexes formed with 12 bacterial strains in both viable and nonviable (heat- or acid-treated) forms was assessed by repetitive aqueous extraction. By the fifth extraction, up to 71% of the total aflatoxin B1 remained bound. Nonviable bacteria retained the highest amount of aflatoxin B1. Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG (ATCC 53103) and L. rhamnosus strain LC-705 (DSM 7061) removed aflatoxin B1 from solution most efficiently and were selected for further study. The accessibility of bound aflatoxin B1 to an antibody in an indirect competitive inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay suggests that surface components of these bacteria are involved in binding. Further evidence is the recovery of around 90% of the bound aflatoxin from the bacteria by solvent extraction. Autoclaving and sonication did not release any detectable aflatoxin B1. Variation in temperature (4 to 37°C) and pH (2 to 10) did not have any significant effect on the amount of aflatoxin B1 released. Binding of aflatoxin B1 appears to be predominantly extracellular for viable and heat-treated bacteria. Acid treatment may permit intracellular binding. In all cases, binding is of a reversible nature, but the stability of the complexes formed depends on strain, treatment, and environmental conditions. Food contaminants entering the body through the oral route are directly exposed to the action of gut microflora. Normal healthy intestinal microflora contains many strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), some of which have been isolated, ascribed health benefits, and termed probiotic strains (22). The protective effect of LAB against food mutagens such as heterocyclic amines, N-nitroso compounds, and aflatoxins has been reported (8, 12, 19, 24, 27). Many of these studies have involved Lactobacillus strains, and physical binding has been proposed as one mechanism of mutagen removal. This study focuses on the nature of the binding of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) by 12 LAB strains. The potent mycotoxin AFB1 is a secondary metabolite of Aspergillus fungi that grow on a variety of food and feed commodities at any stage during growth, harvest, storage, and transportation. The occurrence of aflatoxin contamination is global, with severe problems especially prevalent in developing countries (11). Aflatoxins are of great concern because of their detrimental effects on the health of humans and animals, including carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic, and immunosuppressive effects (3). Aflatoxins are also of industrial importance due to the economic losses resulting from condemnation of contaminated crops, cheese defects, and impaired growth and feed efficiency of animals fed contaminated feeds. Consequently there is a great demand for

Genome-wide association study identifies multiple loci influencing human serum metabolite levels

Abstract: Samuli Ripatti and colleagues report a genome-wide association study for human serum metabolites using NMR of serum samples from over 8,000 Finnish individuals. They identify 31 loci associated with at least one of 216 serum metabolic measures.

Galaxy and mass assembly (GAMA): End of survey report and data release 2

Abstract: The Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey is one of the largest contemporary spectroscopic surveys of low redshift galaxies. Covering an area of ∼286 deg2 (split among five survey regions) down to a limiting magnitude of r < 19.8 mag, we have collected spectra and reliable redshifts for 238 000 objects using the AAOmega spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. In addition, we have assembled imaging data from a number of independent surveys in order to generate photometry spanning the wavelength range 1 nm–1 m. Here, we report on the recently completed spectroscopic survey and present a series of diagnostics to assess its final state and the quality of the redshift data. We also describe a number of survey aspects and procedures, or updates thereof, including changes to the input catalogue, redshifting and re-redshifting, and the derivation of ultraviolet, optical and near-infrared photometry. Finally, we present the second public release of GAMA data. In this release, we provide input catalogue and targeting information, spectra, redshifts, ultraviolet, optical and near-infrared photometry, single-component Sersic fits, stellar masses, Hα-derived star formation rates, environment information, and group properties for all galaxies with r < 19.0 mag in two of our survey regions, and for all galaxies with r < 19.4 mag in a third region (72 225 objects in total). The data base serving these data is available at http://www.gama-survey.org/.

Extracellular Matrix Molecules: Potential Targets in Pharmacotherapy

Abstract: The extracellular matrix (ECM) consists of numerous macromolecules classified traditionally into collagens, elastin, and microfibrillar proteins, proteoglycans including hyaluronan, and noncollagenous glycoproteins. In addition to being necessary structural components, ECM molecules exhibit important functional roles in the control of key cellular events such as adhesion, migration, proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Any structural inherited or acquired defect and/or metabolic disturbance in the ECM may cause cellular and tissue alterations that can lead to the development or progression of disease. Consequently, ECM molecules are important targets for pharmacotherapy. Specific agents that prevent theexcess accumulation of ECM molecules in the vascular system, liver, kidney, skin, and lung; alternatively, agents that inhibit the degradation of the ECM in degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis would be clinically beneficial. Unfortunately, until recently, the ECM in drug discovery has been largely ignored. However, several of today's drugs that act on various primary targets affect the ECM as a byproduct of the drugs' actions, and this activity may in part be beneficial to the drugs' disease-modifying properties. In the future, agents and compounds targeting directly the ECM will significantly advance the treatment of various human diseases, even those for which efficient therapies are not yet available.