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Topic Review
Quinoa
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is native to the Andean region and has attracted a global growing interest due its unique nutritional value. The protein content of quinoa grains is higher than other cereals while it has better distribution of essential amino acids. It can be used as an alternative to milk proteins. Additionally, quinoa contains a high amount of essential fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, dietary fibers, and carbohydrates with beneficial hypoglycemic effects while being gluten-free. Furthermore, the quinoa plant is resistant to cold, salt, and drought, which leaves no doubt as to why it has been called the “golden grain”. On that account, production of quinoa and its products followed an increasing trend that gained attraction in 2013, as it was proclaimed to be the international year of quinoa. In this respect, this review provides an overview of the published results regarding the nutritional and biological properties of quinoa that have been cultivated in different parts of the world during the last two decades.
  • 1.3K
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Breast cancer cell growth/motility is influenced by metal compounds
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a  highly "aggressive" malignant neoplasm with limited treatment options due to the lack of expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors and HER2/neu. In search of novel molecules displaying anti-TNBC activities, the TNBC cell line MDA-MB231 was exposed to cadmium chloride and/or manganese chloride, and a biological characterization of the effect observed was performed. The data obtained demonstrate a cytotoxic effect exerted by cadmium chloride with drastic changes affecting gene expressions and production of reactive oxygen species. Conversely, manganese chloride was effective in increasing cell number and promoting cell invasive ability.  Such effect was reverted by coexposure with cadmium chloride. Thus, metal compounds appear to be able to modulate the biological behavior of TNBC cells, although addressing them to different fates. The data obtained suggest that high environmental pollution with manganese chloride might increase the risk of breast tumorigenesis. On the other hand, the restraining modulatory property of cadmium chloride looks promising and deserves a more detailed mechanistic study aimed to the identification of possible molecular targets instrumental in inhibiting the expansion of malignant breast cancer.
  • 1.3K
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Medicinal Plants against SARS-CoV
SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) is in focus over all known human diseases, because it is destroying the world economy and social life, with increased mortality rate each day. To date, there is no specific medicine or vaccine available against this pandemic disease. However, the presence of medicinal plants and their bioactive molecules with antiviral properties might also be a successful strategy in order to develop therapeutic agents against SARS-CoV-2 infection. The identification of novel antiviral compounds is of critical significance, and medicinal plant based natural compounds are a good source for such discoveries. In depth search and analysis revealed several medicinal plants with excellent efficacy against SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV, which are well-known to act on ACE-2 receptor, 3CLpro and other viral protein targets. It has consolidated the data of several medicinal plants and their natural bioactive metabolites, which have promising antiviral activities against coronaviruses with detailed modes of action/mechanism. It is concluded that this topics will be useful for researchers worldwide and highly recommended for the development of naturally safe and effective therapeutic drugs/agents against SARS-CoV-2 infection, which might be used in therapeutic protocols alone or in combination with chemically synthetized drugs.
  • 1.3K
  • 01 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Structure and Formation of Chitin
Due to the properties such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, non-toxicity, physiological inertness, and gel-forming properties, chitin has been found to have countless applications in different industries, e.g., food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, manufacturing of synthetic materials, agriculture, and even electronics for the production of biosensors. It's important to understand the structure and formation of chitin.
  • 1.3K
  • 22 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Sicilian Black Pig
In the paper we report, for the first time, an overview  about  a Italian local pig breed with the aim to offer a general overview concerning the Sicilian black pig and to review the recent findings related to genome investigation. The recent use of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies in the study of autochthonous breeds genome showed that polymorphism of some candidate genes for productions performance and phenotypic traits represent important information for selection processes.The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has expressed concern about the lack of interest in local breeds compared to high-output animals and conservation programs have been implemented by various countries worldwide.  Autochthonous pig breeds represent a valuable genetic reserve to be utilized for typical products linked to italian gastronomic traditions, or for recovering some organoleptic proprieties of pork which have been lost through of severe selective programmes. Furthermore, consumers’ concerns about animal welfare, sensorial meat quality and specificity of meat products have led to increasing demand for foodstuffs obtained from local breeds reared under natural conditions. Considering that the information on the Italian local pigs is limited, it is necessary to increase a suitable activity of research to exploit these breeds and to increase the knowledge of their genetic variability. The present paper could be of great interest to the scientific community; in particular to readers of "Animals", involved in the field of animal breeding and genetics, animal genomics, and involved in local pig productions.
  • 1.3K
  • 28 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Foodborne Pathogens
There are millions of reported cases of foodborne illness in developed and developing countries annually making identification of foodborne pathogens a global concern. Testing for foodborne pathogens is essential to ensuring a safe food supply, quality assurance in the food industry, treating illness, and controlling outbreaks. In this article, several methods for the detection and identification of foodborne pathogens are discussed and a triplex PCR high-resolution melt assay for detecting Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Shigella flexneri, and Escherichia coli is presented.
  • 1.3K
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Dietary Polyphenol Supplementation in Animals
Polyphenols are secondary plant metabolites mainly known for their antioxidant properties. Their use as feed additives in the nutrition of farm animals is becoming increasingly popular as they are particularly exposed to oxidative stress which is reflected in a lipoperoxidation of the final product. For this reason, it is essential to preserve the quality and the safety of meat and milk products by attenuating oxidative deterioration. Moreover, polyphenols present the advantage of being more acceptable to the consumers than synthetic counterparts, as they are considered to be “non-toxic”.
  • 1.3K
  • 11 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Cecropins Gene Expression
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are naturally occurring molecules that are utilized as an innate immune response in a variety of organisms. AMPs can be constitutively expressed, and/or their transcription may be upregulated following pathogenic infection. Cecropins (Cecs) are insect AMPs, generally active against Gram-negative bacteria and to a lesser extent, Gram-positive bacteria. Some have been demonstrated to also exhibit an antifungal activity as well as anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties. Cecs function by associating their N- and C-terminal helices to the cellular membrane. Polar residues interact with the lipid phosphates while the non-polar residues burrow into the membrane. At high concentrations, Cecs form carpet-like structures with detergent-like properties that result in cell death. At low concentrations, Cecs organize into oligomers that form pores through the cellular phospholipid layer, resulting in an electrolyte imbalance that causes cell death. 
  • 1.3K
  • 30 Jul 2020
Topic Review
Polyamines
Polyamines (PAs), such as putrescine (PUT), spermine (SPE), and spermidine (SPD), are organic polycationic alkylamines, which are synthesized from L-ornithine or by the decarboxylation of amino acids. They are found in all living cells and mammalian cells contain a millimolar concentration of PAs. In 1678, the SPE was first identified by Van Leeuwenhoek as crystals in dried semen but not in fresh ones.
  • 1.3K
  • 28 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Non-Antibiotic Antibacterial Agents
Antimicrobial resistance is a significant threat to human health worldwide, forcing scientists to explore non-traditional antibacterial agents to support rapid interventions and combat the emergence and spread of drug resistant bacteria. Many new antibiotic-free approaches are being developed while the old ones are being revised, resulting in creating unique solutions that arise at the interface of physics, nanotechnology, and microbiology. Specifically, physical factors (e.g., pressure, temperature, UV light) are increasingly used for industrial sterilization. Nanoparticles (unmodified or in combination with toxic compounds) are also applied to circumvent in vivo drug resistance mechanisms in bacteria. Recently, bacteriophage-based treatments are also gaining momentum due to their high bactericidal activity and specificity. 
  • 1.3K
  • 07 May 2021
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