Changes in consumer behavior on the market with food
changes, consumer behavior, Czech Republic, food, Habits
Czech Republic has experienced significant changes on the market with food in last two decades. The paper presents summary of results of conducted analyses focusing on changes in levels of most important food categories, changes in consumer preferences, and suggests what trends we can expect in the near future. The analyses were based on date from Czech Statistical Office Yearbooks, EUROSTAT, INCOMA and GfK, and data from primary researches conducted on sample of total 2522 households in the Czech Republic through questionnaire researches in 2005, 2006 and 2007. The results show that in the Czech Republic, the ratio of expenditures for food out of total consumer expenditures is slowly decreasing and advances to (still lower) level typical for traditional EU countries. We have experienced growth of demand for products with higher added value; customers put more emphasis on perceived quality, longer durability and special product characteristics. Czech con­su­mers increase their consumption of vegetables and fruit, bottled beverages, wine and alcoholic beverages, cheese, they decreased their consumption of meat (in total), milk and potatoes, stagnation was typical for bakery products, sugar and fats and oils. Development in all social classes was very similar. For the future, we can expect growing interest for food products in smaller packages and targeted at specific needs, growing demand for food products with higher added value, consumption of food formerly unusual for the Czech, more frequent out-of-home eating, and growing differences between individual segments of social groups, mainly due to uneven income distribution.
Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis
Involvement of Autophagy in Coronavirus Replication
coronavirus, IBV, Autophagy, double membrane vesicles, replication-transcription complexes
Coronaviruses are single stranded, positive sense RNA viruses, which induce the rearrangement of cellular membranes upon infection of a host cell. This provides the virus with a platform for the assembly of viral replication complexes, improving efficiency of RNA synthesis. The membranes observed in coronavirus infected cells include double membrane vesicles. By nature of their double membrane, these vesicles resemble cellular autophagosomes, generated during the cellular autophagy pathway. In addition, coronavirus infection has been demonstrated to induce autophagy. Here we review current knowledge of coronavirus induced membrane rearrangements and the involvement of autophagy or autophagy protein microtubule associated protein 1B light chain 3 (LC3) in coronavirus replication.
Welcome to Viruses: A New Open-Access, Multidisciplinary Forum for Virology
The field of virology has never been more exciting as a research area and more relevant to human health as it is in 2009. The AIDS pandemic, caused by the uncurtailed spread of HIV-1 in large parts of the world, continues to have an enormous impact on the human condition. The threat of a global outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza remains real, and memories of the devastation created by the SARS coronavirus are still fresh. While many of the world’s most lethal viruses (Ebola, Hendra, Rift Valley fever, etc.) are geographically contained, the possibility of deliberate transmission of such infectious agents as biological weapons is cause for concern. Increased understanding of all viruses, not only these “newsworthy” pathogens, is warranted as it is impossible to predict the origins of the next viral epidemic. Increased human movement, global climate change, and disruption of natural ecosystems all favor the transmission and spread of both established and emerging viruses. Agricultural interests world-wide continue to be significantly impacted by viral agents. [...]
Maristem—Stem Cells of Marine/Aquatic Invertebrates: From Basic Research to Innovative Applications
Aging, bioactive molecules, blue biotechnology, cancer, Cell culture, COST Action, Europe, marine/aquatic invertebrates, regeneration, Stem cells
The “stem cells” discipline represents one of the most dynamic areas in biomedicine. While adult marine/aquatic invertebrate stem cell (MISC) biology is of prime research and medical interest, studies on stem cells from organisms outside the classical vertebrate (e.g., human, mouse, and zebrafish) and invertebrate (e.g., Drosophila, Caenorhabditis) models have not been pursued vigorously. Marine/aquatic invertebrates constitute the largest biodiversity and the widest phylogenetic radiation on Earth, from morphologically simple organisms (e.g., sponges, cnidarians), to the more complex mollusks, crustaceans, echinoderms, and protochordates. These organisms contain a kaleidoscope of MISC-types that allow the production of a large number of novel bioactive-molecules, many of which are of significant potential interest for human health. MISCs further participate in aging and regeneration phenomena, including whole-body regeneration. For years, the European MISC-community has been highly fragmented and has established scarce ties with biomedical industries in an attempt to harness MISCs for human welfare. Thus, it is important to (i) consolidate the European community of researchers working on MISCs; (ii) promote and coordinate European research on MISC biology; (iii) stimulate young researchers to embark on research in MISC-biology; (iv) develop, validate, and share novel MISC tools and methodologies; (v) establish the MISC discipline as a forefront interest of biomedical disciplines, including nanobiomedicine; and (vi) establish collaborations with industries to exploit MISCs as sources of bioactive molecules. In order to fill the recognized gaps, the EC-COST Action 16203 “MARISTEM” has recently been launched. At its initial stage, the consortium unites 26 scientists from EC countries, Cooperating countries, and Near Neighbor Countries.
Loriano Ballarin, Baruch Rinkevich, Kerstin Bartscherer, Artur Burzynski, Sebastien Cambier, Matteo Cammarata, Isabelle Domart-Coulon, Damjana Drobne, Juanma Encinas, Uri Frank, Anne-Marie Geneviere, Bert Hobmayer, Helike Löhelaid, Daniel Lyons, Pedro Martinez, Paola Oliveri, Lorena Peric, Stefano Piraino, Andreja Ramšak, Sebastian Rakers, Fabian Rentzsch, Amalia Rosner, Tiago Henriques da Silva, Ildiko Somorjai, Sherif Suleiman, Ana Varela Coelho
Environmental sciences, Renewable energy sources, Environmental effects of industries and plants
Unconventional Use of LC3 by Coronaviruses through the Alleged Subversion of the ERAD Tuning Pathway
coronaviruses, nidoviruses, double membrane vesicles, MHV, SARS-coronavirus, Autophagy, EDEMosomes, EDEM1, OS-9, ERAD, ER quality control
Pathogens of bacterial and viral origin hijack pathways operating in eukaryotic cells in many ways in order to gain access into the host, to establish themselves and to eventually produce their progeny. The detailed molecular characterization of the subversion mechanisms devised by pathogens to infect host cells is crucial to generate targets for therapeutic intervention. Here we review recent data indicating that coronaviruses probably co-opt membranous carriers derived from the endoplasmic reticulum, which contain proteins that regulate disposal of misfolded polypeptides, for their replication. In addition, we also present models describing potential mechanisms that coronaviruses could employ for this hijacking.
Fulvio Reggiori, Cornelis A.M. De Haan, Maurizio Molinari
New records of Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) from the Tomo River, Vichada, Colombia
Cladocera, taxonomy, new records, Neotropical region, geographic distribution
Abstract Five species of cladocerans are reported from the Tomo River, Vichada, Colombia. Zooplankton samples were collected from the littoral zone with vegetation (Campsiandra comosa Benth). Three of them, namely Streblocerus pygmaeus Sars, 1901, Disparalona cf. hamata (Birge, 1879) and Alona isabellae Sousa, Elmoor-Loureiro and Santos, 2016 are new to the Colombian cladoceran fauna. Descriptive notes, comparative comments on morphology and variability and illustrations are also provided for some remarkable taxa. This is the first report on the cladoceran fauna in the Tomo River.
Juan M. Fuentes-Reinés, Lourdes M. A. Elmoor-Loureiro, Cristian E. Granados-Martínez
Mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) receptor as a determinant of the mouse susceptibility to MHV infection
coronavirus, mouse, Receptor, gene replacement, MHV, MHV receptor
In this review, we report that the receptor of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1), is an important determinant of mouse susceptibility to MHV infection. This finding was revealed by using mouse strains with two different allelic forms of the MHV receptor, Ceacam1a and Ceacam1b. Although previous studies indicated that susceptibility is determined by a single gene, Ceacam1, our recent work in gene-replaced mice with chimeric Ceacam1 pointed toward the involvement of other host factors (genes) in the susceptibility. Studies on mouse susceptibility to MHV, as well as the factors involved in their susceptibility, are overviewed.
Structure and Antioxidant Activity Relationships of Isoflavonoids from Dalbergia parviflora
Antioxidant, Isoflavonoids, Dalbergia parviflora, DPPH, ORAC, xanthine/xanthine oxidase assay, structure-activity relationship
The antioxidant activities of 24 isoflavonoids that were previously isolated as pure compounds from Dalbergia parviflora were evaluated using three different in vitro antioxidant-based assay systems: xanthine/xanthine oxidase (X/XO), ORAC, and DPPH. The isolates consisted of three subgroups, namely isoflavones, isoflavanones, and isoflavans, each of which appeared to have diversified substituents, and were thus ideal for the study of their structure-activity relationships (SARs). The SAR analysis was performed using the results obtained from both the inter-subgroup isoflavonoids with the same substitution pattern and the intra-subgroup compounds with different substitution patterns. The inter-subgroup comparison showed that the isoflavones exhibited the highest antioxidant activities based on all three assays. The intra-subgroup analysis showed that the additional presence of an OH group in Ring B at either R3′ or R5′ from the basic common structure of the R7-OH of Ring A and the R4′-OH (or -OMe) of Ring B greatly increased the antioxidant activities of all of the isoflavonoid subgroups and that other positions of OH and OMe substitutions exerted different effects on the activities depending on the subgroup and assay type. Therefore, based on the structural diversity of the isoflavonoids in D. parviflora, the present study provides the first clarification of the detailed antioxidant SARs of isoflavonoids.
Worrawat Promden, Orawan Monthakantirat, Kaoru Umehara, Hiroshi Noguchi, Wanchai De-Eknamkul
A Rapid and Specific Assay for the Detection of MERS-CoV
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification, nucleic acid visualization, visual detection, RT-LAMP-VF
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a novel human coronavirus that can cause human respiratory disease. The development of a detection method for this virus that can lead to rapid and accurate diagnosis would be significant. In this study, we established a nucleic acid visualization technique that combines the reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification technique and a vertical flow visualization strip (RT-LAMP-VF) to detect the N gene of MERS-CoV. The RT-LAMP-VF assay was performed in a constant temperature water bath for 30 min, and the result was visible by the naked eye within 5 min. The RT-LAMP-VF assay was capable of detecting 2 × 101 copies/μl of synthesized RNA transcript and 1 × 101 copies/μl of MERS-CoV RNA. The method exhibits no cross-reactivities with multiple CoVs including SARS-related (SARSr)-CoV, HKU4, HKU1, OC43 and 229E, and thus exhibits high specificity. Compared to the real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR) method recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), the RT-LAMP-VF assay is easy to handle, does not require expensive equipment and can rapidly complete detection within 35 min.
Pei Huang, Hualei Wang, Zengguo Cao, Hong-li Jin, Hang Chi, Jincun Zhao, Beibei Yu, Feihu Yan, Xingxing Hu, Fangfang Wu, Cuicui Jiao, Pengfei Hou, Shengnan Xu, Yongkun Zhao, Na Feng, Jian-Zhong Wang, Weiyang Sun, Tiecheng Wang, Yuwei Gao, Songtao Yang, Xianzhu Xia
Method for the Identification of Taxon-Specific k-mers from Chloroplast Genome: A Case Study on Tomato Plant (Solanum lycopersicum)
k-mer-based method, taxon-specific k-mers, plant taxon identification, raw sequencing reads, Solanum lycopersicum
Polymerase chain reaction and different barcoding methods commonly used for plant identification from metagenomics samples are based on the amplification of a limited number of pre-selected barcoding regions. These methods are often inapplicable due to DNA degradation, low amplification success or low species discriminative power of selected genomic regions. Here we introduce a method for the rapid identification of plant taxon-specific k-mers, that is applicable for the fast detection of plant taxa directly from raw sequencing reads without aligning, mapping or assembling the reads. We identified more than 800 Solanum lycopersicum specific k-mers (32 nucleotides in length) from 42 different chloroplast genome regions using the developed method. We demonstrated that identified k-mers are also detectable in whole genome sequencing raw reads from S. lycopersicum. Also, we demonstrated the usability of taxon-specific k-mers in artificial mixtures of sequences from closely related species. Developed method offers a novel strategy for fast identification of taxon-specific genome regions and offers new perspectives for detection of plant taxa directly from sequencing raw reads.