This study was performed to investigate the inhibitory effects of 16 different plant-derived polyphenols on the toxicity of staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA). Plant-derived polyphenols were incubated with the cultured Staphylococcus aureus C-29 to investigate the effects of these samples on SEA produced from C-29 using Western blot analysis. Twelve polyphenols (0.1-0.5 mg/mL) inhibited the int...

Background: One of the possible carcinogenic substances found in foods is Acrylamide (AA). This study aims to combine and innovate sea grapes (Caulerpa racemosa) extract with activated carbon into paper towels that can absorb AA levels in fried foods. Methods: The paper towel was created with composition of activated carbon: sea grapes extract: paper pulp using following formula: F0=0:0:100; F...

When reducing activity and using stored energy during seasonal food shortages, animals risk degradation of skeletal muscles, although some species avoid or minimize the resulting atrophy while experiencing these conditions during hibernation. Polar bears may be food deprived and relatively inactive during winter (when pregnant females hibernate and hunting success declines for other demographic...

An ecosystem modelling approach was used to understand and assess the Mediterranean marine ecosystem structure and function as a whole. In particular, 2 food web models for the 1950s and 2000s were built to investigate: (1) the main structural and functional characteristics of the Mediterranean food web during these 2 time periods; (2) the key species/functional groups and interactions; (3) the...

Staphylococcus aureus produces a wide variety of toxins including staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs; SEA to SEE, SEG to SEI, SER to SET) with demonstrated emetic activity, and staphylococcal-like (SEl) proteins, which are not emetic in a primate model (SElL and SElQ) or have yet to be tested (SElJ, SElK, SElM to SElP, SElU, SElU2 and SElV). SEs and SEls have been traditionally subdivided into cl...

The melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) is a G-protein coupled receptor mainly expressed in the central nervous system of vertebrates. Activation of the MC4R leads to a decrease in food intake, while inactivating mutations are a genetic cause of obesity. The binding of agoutirelated protein (AGRP) reduces agonist-stimulated cAMP production (competitive antagonist) but also the basal activity of the ...

This paper gives an overview of the trophic interactions in the North Sea in 1981 when 55,000 fish stomachs were sampled and analyzed. The study is based on the data base of the ICES Multispecies Assessment Working Group (MS WG), and published information. A balanced, steady state model of interactions and biomasses at all trophic levels is constructed using the ECOPATH II software. The results...

Interest in Mediterranean diet began 30 years ago, when Ancel Keys published the results of the famous Seven Countries Study, Since 1945, almost 1.3 million people have come to Australia from Mediterranean countries as new settlers. There are 18 countries with coasts on the Mediterranean sea: Spain, southern France, Italy, Malta, Croatia, Bosnia, Albania, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon,...

The Mediterranean Sea has been defined "under siege" because of intense pressures from multiple human activities; yet there is still insufficient information on the cumulative impact of these stressors on the ecosystem and its resources. We evaluate how the historical (1950-2011) trends of various ecosystems groups/species have been impacted by changes in primary productivity (PP) combined with...