Fertile sporophore production of Typhula phacorrhiza in the field is related to temperatures near freezing.
Two field tests and one lab test were conducted to examine the environmental factors affecting sporophore production in Typhula phacorrhiza and to compare these results with those documented for T. ishikariensis and T. incarnata. In the 2001 lab test where lighting, soil moisture, and soil-sand media were tested in 50 mL screw-cap tubes incubated at 4 degrees C, the limiting factor for Typhula sporophore production was found to be moisture. In the fall 2001 field test, 100 sclerotia of six isolates from three Typhula spp. were placed into pots filled with a sand and soil mixture. The pots were monitored weekly, and maximum sporophore production for all six isolates and for watered and unwatered pots was observed at 11 weeks, which was soon after mean daily temperatures fell below 0 degrees C. In the second field test in fall 2003, five isolates of the three species were tested with similar procedures, but peak sporophore production was observed after 6 weeks, and again only after mean daily temperatures fell below 0 degrees C. In the field, sporophore production of T. phacorrhiza seems to require the same environmental cues as those of T. ishikariensis or T. incarnata, namely high moisture and temperatures near freezing.
The Risk of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci Infections from Food Industry
Several works of literature research for the contribution of Antibiotic-Resistant Enterococci (ARE) and, especially Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) which entered into the food chain has gained importance with the increasing significance of VREs in hospital infections. Various studies conducted in Europe, United States of America (USA) and the Middle East were evaluated in terms of prevalence, epidemiology and risk factors of foodborne enterococci in VRE infections. VRE epidemiology has shown some distinctions in Europe and USA. VRE was generally isolated from animals in Europe, which was connected to the extensive/massive use of “avoparcin” as a growth promoter in animal feed in the agriculture sector. Animals fed with this feed act as reservoirs of transferable vanA type resistance. On the other hand, since “avoparcin” was not used in the USA, VRE could not be isolated in animals and healthy humans. However, hospital-acquired VRE infections are more showed in the USA than in European countries. According to numerous studies, since enterococci are used as starter culture and probiotic culture, they have no relationship genetically with the strains which include vancomycin/resistant to antibiotic/or having resistance and virulence genes. In this chapter, important features of enterococci, the role of food chain for ARE especially, VRE infections in community including strategies for future solutions about the problem are summarised.
On the fractionation of β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin
Abstract Existing methods for the preparation of α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin are examined critically. It is proposed that the most satisfactory method for the preparation of the whey protein fraction from bovine milk is (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 fractionation. A number of new gentle procedures for the fractionation of the whey proteins are compared with some existing methods. The distribution of total protein at various stages is determined by total Kjeldahl nitrogen and the kind of protein by starch-gel electrophoresis. The effect of variables, such as pH, salt concentration and temperature on the separation of α-lactalbumin and serum albumin from β-lactoglobulin is studied. Differences in the behavior ( e.g. solubility) of genetic variants of β-lactoglobulin are noted. The solubility of each of the major whey proteins, under similar conditions to those used in the fractionation, is compared with its solubility in the whey protein mixture. The understanding gained of factors important in the fractionation is used in recommending new procedures for α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin isolation.