How to Build Food Safety Resilience in Commercial Restaurants?

In this chapter, food safety is portrayed as an intrinsic component of food security and food systems. The objective is to discuss the ‘commercial restaurant’ system and the ‘kitchen worker’ subsystem from the perspective of building resilience in food safety. Relationship maps built for the system and subsystem guide the presentation and discussion of structural, organisational, social and symbolic aspects and elements. Resilience investigation is based on the references of the International Risk Governance Centre Resource Guide on Resilience and current and emerging topics related to food safety, such as risk perception of foodborne diseases, cognitive illusions, sociological aspects, social dimension of taste, humanisation and working conditions and precariousness of work in kitchens. In the final section, a list of recommendations for building resilience in commercial restaurants is presented to help researchers, decision-makers and practice agents apply this concept in their fields of expertise.

Characterizing the sensorimotor domain in schizophrenia spectrum disorders

The rapidly evolving field of sensorimotor neuroscience reflects the scientific and clinical relevance of sensorimotor abnormalities as an intrinsic component of the disease process, e.g., in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). Despite previous efforts, however, prevalence rates and relationships between different categories of sensorimotor abnormalities in SSD patients are still subject of ongoing debate. In this study, we examined five different categories of the sensorimotor domain (Neurological soft signs (NSS), parkinsonism, catatonia, akathisia, and tardive dyskinesia) according to well-established clinical ratings scales and the respective cut-off criteria in a sample of 131 SSD patients. We used a collection of statistical methods to better understand prevalence, overlap and heterogeneity, as well as psychopathological and cognitive correlates of sensorimotor abnormalities. 97.7% of the SSD patients considered by this study exhibited at least one categorically defined sensorimotor abnormality that tended to co-vary within three different sensorimotor subgroups (moderate, hyperkinetic and hypokinetic). Finally, hyperkinetic and hypokinetic groups differed significantly in their neurocognitive performance compared with the moderate group. The results suggest different patterns of clinical overlap, highlight the relationship between sensorimotor and cognitive domain and provide clues for further neurobiological studies.

Transcriptome Profiles of Leaves and Roots of Goldenrain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata Laxm.) in Response to Cadmium Stress

Cadmium (Cd) pollution is a widespread environmental problem. In this study, we explored the transcriptome and biochemical responses of goldenrain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata Laxm.) leaves and roots to Cd stress. Leaf and root growth decreased substantially under Cd stress (50 mg/L CdCl2), but leaf and root antioxidant mechanisms were significantly activated. In RNA-seq analysis, roots treated with 25 mg/L CdCl2 featured enriched GO terms in cellular components related to intracellular ribonucleoprotein complex, ribonucleoprotein complex, and macromolecular complex. In leaves under Cd stress, most differentially expressed genes were enriched in the cellular component terms intrinsic component of membrane and membrane part. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis and analysis of module–trait relations revealed candidate genes associated with superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA). Ten transcription factors responded to Cd stress expression, including those in C2H2, MYB, WRKY, and bZIP families. Transcriptomic analysis of goldenrain tree revealed that Cd stress rapidly induced the intracellular ribonucleoprotein complex in the roots and the intrinsic component of membrane in the leaves. The results also indicate directions for further analyses of molecular mechanisms of Cd tolerance and accumulation in goldenrain tree.

Modifying the m6A brain methylome by ALKBH5-mediated demethylation: a new contender for synaptic tagging

Synaptic plasticity processes, which underlie learning and memory formation, require RNA to be translated local to synapses. The synaptic tagging hypothesis has previously been proposed to explain how mRNAs are available at specific activated synapses. However how RNA is regulated, and which transcripts are silenced or processed as part of the tagging process is still unknown. Modification of RNA by N6-methyladenosine (m6A/m) influences the cellular fate of mRNA. Here, by advanced microscopy, we showed that m6A demethylation by the eraser protein ALKBH5 occurs at active synaptic ribosomes and at synapses during short term plasticity. We demonstrated that at activated glutamatergic post-synaptic sites, both the YTHDF1 and YTHDF3 reader and the ALKBH5 eraser proteins increase in co-localisation to m6A-modified RNAs; but only the readers showed high co-localisation to modified RNAs during late-stage plasticity. The YTHDF1 and YTHFDF3 readers also exhibited differential roles during synaptic maturation suggesting that temporal and subcellular abundance may determine specific function. m6A-sequencing of human parahippocampus brain tissue revealed distinct white and grey matter m6A methylome profiles indicating that cellular context is a fundamental factor dictating regulated pathways. However, in both neuronal and glial cell-rich tissue, m6A effector proteins are themselves modified and m6A epitranscriptional and posttranslational modification processes coregulate protein cascades. We hypothesise that the availability m6A effector protein machinery in conjunction with RNA modification, may be important in the formation of condensed synaptic nanodomain assemblies through liquid-liquid phase separation. Our findings support that m6A demethylation by ALKBH5 is an intrinsic component of the synaptic tagging hypothesis and a molecular switch which leads to alterations in the RNA methylome, synaptic dysfunction and potentially reversible disease states.

A review of cardiac autonomics: from pathophysiology to therapy

The effective management of cardiovascular diseases requires knowledge of intrinsic and extrinsic innervation of the heart and an understanding of how perturbations of said components affect cardiac function. The innate cardiac conduction system, which begins with cardiac pacemaker cells and terminates with subendocardial Purkinje fibers, is modulated by said systems. The intrinsic component of the cardiac autonomic nervous system, which remains incompletely elucidated, consists of intracardiac ganglia and interconnecting neurons that tightly regulate cardiac electrical activity. Extrinsic components of the autonomic nervous system, such as carotid baroreceptors and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, modulate sympathetic input to the heart through the stellate ganglion and parasympathetic input via the vagus nerve. There remains a need for additional therapies to treat conditions, such as advanced heart failure and refractory arrhythmias, and a better understanding of autonomics may be key to their development.

Greater Number of Microglia in Telencephalic Proliferative Zones of Human and Non-Human Primate Compared to Other Vertebrate Species

Microglial cells, the innate immune cells of the brain, are derived from yolk sac precursor cells, begin to colonize the telencephalon at the onset of cortical neurogenesis, and occupy specific layers including the telencephalic proliferative zones. Microglia are an intrinsic component of cortical germinal zones, establish extensive contacts with neural precursor cells (NPCs) and developing cortical vessels, and regulate the size of the NPC pool through mechanisms that include phagocytosis. Microglia exhibit notable differences in number and distribution in the prenatal neocortex between rat and Old World nonhuman primate telencephalon, suggesting that microglia exhibit distinct properties across vertebrate species. To begin addressing this subject we quantified the number of microglia and NPCs in proliferative zones of the fetal human, rhesus monkey, ferret, and rat, and the pre-hatch chick and turtle telencephalon. We show that the ratio of NPCs to microglia varies significantly across species. Few microglia populate the pre-hatch chick telencephalon, but the number of microglia approaches that of NPCs in fetal human and non-human primate telencephalon. These data demonstrate that microglia are in a position to perform similar functions in a number of vertebrate species, but more heavily colonize proliferative zones of fetal human and rhesus monkey telencephalon.

Robust Image Representation via Low Rank Locality Preserving Projection

Locality preserving projection (LPP) is a dimensionality reduction algorithm preserving the neighhorhood graph structure of data. However, the conventional LPP is sensitive to outliers existing in data. This article proposes a novel low-rank LPP model called LR-LPP. In this new model, original data are decomposed into the clean intrinsic component and noise component. Then the projective matrix is learned based on the clean intrinsic component which is encoded in low-rank features. The noise component is constrained by the ℓ 1 -norm which is more robust to outliers. Finally, LR-LPP model is extended to LR-FLPP in which low-dimensional feature is measured by F-norm. LR-FLPP will reduce aggregated error and weaken the effect of outliers, which will make the proposed LR-FLPP even more robust for outliers. The experimental results on public image databases demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed LR-LPP and LR-FLPP.

Research on ARKFCM Algorithm Based on Membership Constraint and Bias Field Correction in Neonatal HIE Image Segmentation Method

First, this paper presents the algorithm of adaptively regularized kernel-based fuzzy C-means based on membership constraint (G-ARKFCM). Under the idea of competitive learning based on penalizing opponents, a new membership constraint function penalty item is introduced for each sample point in the segmented image, so that the ARKFCM algorithm is no longer limited to the fuzzy index m = 2. Secondly, the multiplicative intrinsic component optimization (MICO) is introduced into G-ARKFCM to obtain the GM-ARKFCM algorithm, which can correct the bias field when segmenting neonatal HIE images. Compared with other algorithms, the GM-ARKFCM algorithm has better segmentation quality and robustness. The GM-ARKFCM algorithm can more completely segment the neonatal ventricles and surrounding white matter and can retain more information of the original image.

Spatial distribution of water-mobilizable colloids and phosphorus from dam reservoir sediment

<p>The hydrodynamics of dam reservoirs favor the accumulation of phosphorus (P) in bottom sediments since it has a strong affinity for the sedimentary particles. However mechanical disturbance of sediment (resuspension) may release P back to water column. The load of sedimentary P poses a serious ecological problem related to the maintaining of water eutrophication. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of sediments, accumulated in Champsanglard reservoir (Central France), to release water-mobilizable colloidal and dissolved P. A sampling campaign was carried out at different locations along the main channel of reservoir from riverine to lacustrine area and characterized by different hydrodynamics. The results showed that colloids are intrinsic component of reservoir sediment and contribute up to 2.3% of sediment mass. Colloidal P attributed up to 6% of total sedimentary P and 80% of water-mobilizable P (fraction < 1 µm). The stock of water-mobilizable colloids and associated P varied according to particle size distribution and was strongly dependent to channel morphology, hydrodynamics and inlet of tributary.</p><p><strong>Keywords: </strong>Dam reservoir, sedimentary colloids, phosphorus form, spatial variability</p>

Digital RNA-seq transcriptome plus tissue anatomy analyses reveal the developmental mechanism of the calabash-shaped root in Tetrastigma hemsleyanum

Tetrastigma hemsleyanum is a liana plant with promising medicinal and ornamental values. Its calabash-shaped roots (CRs) are served as a traditional Chinese herb. However, it takes a long growth period to form CRs. In the present study, three types of architectural roots, including fine roots (FRs), bar-shaped roots (BRs) and CRs, were employed as materials, and the characteristics of histo-anatomy and digital RNA-seq transcriptome profiles were analyzed. Among the three types of roots, the vascular bundles in FRs were intact, while some of the vascular bundles degenerated in BRs, and only few traces of vascular bundles existed in CRs. Meanwhile, no obvious cell inclusions were found in the cytoplasm of FRs, while a few inclusions were found in BRs, and abundant inclusions were detected in CRs, which might be the main source of medicinal components in roots. The transcriptome profiles and qRT-PCR validation indicated that seven up-regulated genes encoding xyloglucan glycosyltransferase, ACC oxidase, CYP711A1, SHORT-ROOT transcript factor, galacturonosyltransferas, WAT1 and WRKY, and two down-regulated genes encoded LRR receptor-like serine/threonine-protein kinase and CYP83B1, were probably involved in the formation and development of CRs. Besides, GO terms of intrinsic component of membrane, integral component of membrane, cell periphery, membrane part, plasma membrane, membrane, intrinsic component of plasma membrane, cellular chemical homeostasis, and plasma membrane part were probably related to the formation of CRs. KEGG pathways related to the development of CRs probably included MAPK signaling pathway-plant, plant hormone signal transduction, and circadian rhythm-plant. Our finding suggested a probable mode for the formation of CRs.