Biological Products ; Biotechnology ; history ; China ; Food Preservatives ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Nisin

OBJECTIVES: Automobile exhaust gases contain benzene and toluene, which are excreted in human urine as trans,trans-muconic acid and hippuric acid, respectively. Sorbic acid and benzoic acid, used as food preservatives, are also metabolized into trans,trans-muconic acid and hippuric acid in the human body. The purpose of this study is to estimate the level of benzene and toluene exposure according to the commuting mode and duration, residential environment, and preservative-added foods intake in university students who are not occupationally exposed to benzene or toluene. METHODS: Spot urine samples were collected from 211 university students who had no occupational exposure to volatile organic compounds. Information about their smoking history, residence type, traffic environments, commuting mode and duration, and their intake of bottled or canned food or beverages was gathered through a self-administered questionnaire. Urinary concentrations of trans,trans-muconic acid and hippuric acid were measured and statistically correlated to the individual's life style factors. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the urinary concentrations of trans,trans-muconic acid or hippuric acid according to the smoking history. Mean urinary concentration of hippuric acid in females was higher than that found in males. Subjects living in districts with a population density of 1,000~4,999 people/km2 showed the highest urinary hippuric acid level; individuals living in cities of 5,000~9,999 people/km2 population density were next. The mean urinary trans,trans-muconic acid concentration was higher in students who were living where traffic jams are common compared to those who did not, and in subjects whose residence were within 149 m from a 4-lane road compared to those whose residence was not. However, neither mode nor duration of the commute showed any effect on the urinary trans,trans-muconic acid or hippuric acid concentrations of the students. Urinary hippuric acid levels increased when consuming canned fruit or canned coffee, and urinary trans,trans-muconic acid levels increased when consuming fruit juices or pickled radishes. CONCLUSIONS: The inhalation of vehicle exhaust and the ingestion of canned or pickled food may increase urinary hippuric acid and trans,trans-muconic acid levels in individuals who are not occupationally exposed to benzene or toluene.
Benzene ; Benzoic Acid ; Beverages ; Coffee ; Eating ; Female ; Food Preservatives ; Food, Preserved ; Fruit ; Gases ; Hippurates ; Human Body ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Life Style ; Male ; Occupational Exposure ; Occupations ; Population Density ; Questionnaires ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sorbic Acid ; Toluene ; Transportation ; Vehicle Emissions ; Volatile Organic Compounds

To investigate the potential ability of the nitrite to induce neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells, cultured PC12 cells planted on matrigel in the presence or absence of sodium nitrite were employed as model, nerve growth factor (NGF) served as a positive control. After 48 h, sodium nitrite enhanced cell viability and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion. Same as the effect of NGF, sodium nitrite (1.4 mmol x L(-1)) treated cultures contained a greater proportion of cells bearing neurites and neurites were much longer than those found in negative control cultures (P < 0.05). Compared with the negative control, sodium nitrite (1.4 mmol x L(-1)) also upregulated the expression of VEGF mRNA (P < 0.05) and hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) or VEGF protein expression (P < 0.05) in cultures of PC12 cells. On the other hand, these effects of the sodium nitrite were likely mediated by HIF-1alpha, since their effects were antagonized by addition of HIF-1alpha inhibitor YC-1. Taken together, these results suggest that low doses of sodium nitrite could induce neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells by activating the HIF-1alpha-VEGF pathway.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Food Preservatives ; pharmacology ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Neurites ; drug effects ; PC12 Cells ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Sodium Nitrite ; pharmacology ; Up-Regulation ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; secretion

Beef luncheon meat is one of the most popular meals in several countries in the world including Egypt. Thirty one fungal species and 3 species varieties were recovered from 30 samples of beef luncheon meat collected from different supermarkets in Qena. Alternaria, Aspergillus, Emericella, Mucor, Mycosphaerella, Penicillium and Rhizopus were the most common genera on the two types of media. From the above genera, the most prevalent species were Alternaria alternate, Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger, A. terreus, Emericella nidulans, Mucor racemosus, Mycosphaerella tassiana, Penicillium chrysogenum and Rhizopus stolonifer. Screening of fungi for their abilities to produce lipase enzyme showed that, ten isolates represented 32.26% of total isolates appeared high lipase production, while sixteen isolates (51.61%) were moderate and 5 isolates (16.13%) were low producers. Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum and Nectria haematococca produced the highest amount of lipase enzyme, so these fungi were used in further studies. The incorporation of five food preservatives (Disodium phosphate, sodium benzoate, citric acid, potassium sorbate and sodium citrate) individually in the culture medium of lipase production exhibited an inhibitive effect on the mycelial growth and enzyme production by Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum and Nectria haematococca.
Alternaria ; Aspergillus ; Aspergillus flavus ; Aspergillus niger ; Citric Acid ; Egypt ; Emericella ; Food Preservatives ; Fungi ; Fusarium ; Lipase ; Mass Screening ; Meals ; Meat ; Mucor ; Nectria ; Niger ; Penicillium ; Penicillium chrysogenum ; Rhizopus ; Sodium ; Sodium Benzoate ; Sorbic Acid