Purification and characterization of naringinase from a newly isolated strain of Aspergillus niger 1344 for the transformation of flavonoids

An extracellular naringinase (an enzyme complex consisting of α-L-rhamnosidase and β-D-glucosidase activity, EC 3.2.1.40) that hydrolyses naringin (a trihydroxy flavonoid) for the production of rhamnose and glucose was purified from the culture filtrate of Aspergillus niger 1344. The enzyme was purified 38-fold by ammonium sulphate precipitation, ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography with an overall recovery of 19% with a specific activity of 867 units per mg of protein. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be about 168 kDa by gel filtration chromatography on a Sephadex G-200 column and the molecular mass of the subunits was estimated to be 85 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulphate-Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The enzyme had an optimum pH of 4.0 and temperature of 50 °C, respectively. The naringinase was stable at 37 °C for 72 h, whereas at 40 °C the enzyme showed 50% inactivation after 96 h of incubation. Hg2+, SDS, p-chloromercuribenzoate, Cu2+ and Mn2+ completely inhibited the enzyme activity at a concentration of 2.5–10 mM, whereas, Ca2+, Co2+ and Mg2+ showed very little inactivation even at high concentrations (10–100 mM). The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by rhamnose, the end product of naringin hydrolysis. The enzyme activity was accelerated by Mg2+ and remained stable for one year after storage at −20 °C. The purified enzyme preparation successfully hydrolysed naringin and rutin, but not hesperidin.

Television viewing time and weight gain in colorectal cancer survivors : a prospective population-based study

Objective To investigate the prospective relationships between television viewing time and weight gain in the 3 years following colorectal cancer diagnosis for 1,867 colorectal cancer survivors (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 18.5 kg/m2).

Methods BMI, television viewing time, physical activity, and socio-demographic and clinical covariates were assessed at baseline (5 months), 24 months and 36 months post-diagnosis. Multiple linear regression was used to study independent associations between baseline television viewing time and BMI at 24 and 36 months post-diagnosis.

Results At both follow-up time points, there was a significant increase in mean BMI for participants reporting ≥5 h/day of television viewing compared to those watching <3 h/day at baseline (24 months: 0.72 kg/m2 (0.31, 1.12), p < 0.001; 36 months: 0.61 kg/m2 (0.14, 1.07), p = 0.01), independent of baseline BMI, gender, age, education, marital status, smoking, cancer site, cancer disease stage, treatment mode and co-morbidities. Additional adjustment for baseline physical activity did not change results.

Conclusions These findings suggest that a greater emphasis on decreasing television viewing time could help reduce weight gain among colorectal cancer survivors. This, in turn, could contribute to a risk reduction for co-morbid conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Races of Albugo candida causing white blister rust on brassica vegetables in Australia

Albugo Candida races of Australian isolates from B. oleracea var. italica (broccoli), B. rapa var. pekinensis (pak choi) and var. chinensis (Chinese cabbage), and Capsella bursa-pastoris (shepherd's purse) were identified on a set of Brassicaceae hosts. Isolates from broccoli were identified as A. candida race 9 (Ac 9), from pak choi and Chinese cabbage as the sub-race V of Ac 7 or as a mixed population of sub-races A and V of the same race. Isolates from Shepherd's purse were identified as Ac 4. Australian Ac 9 isolates caused white blister disease on broccoli, broccolini, cauliflower, Brussels sprout and other related Brassicaceae hosts including B. nigra (black mustard), B. napus (oilseed rape), and on B. rapa (turnip rape) 'Torch' (a differential host of Ac 7). All cultivars of cabbage (B. oleracea var. capitata) and one new broccoli 'Booster' inoculated with isolates from broccoli were immune to the isolate tested. This result indicates that the Australian A. candida varies from the European one that causes disease on cabbage as well as on other B. oleracea varieties and additionally on shepherd's purse and an American one that causes disease on cabbage. The genotype of B. nigra tested was susceptible to both Ac 9 and Ac 7. This result indicates that B. nigra can serve as a host for both races. This study provides the first record of white blister disease on B. napus ('Hobson' and 'Regent') in Australia.

An evaluation of a national program to implement the cornell scale for depression in dementia into routine practice in aged care facilities

Background: Screening tools have been recommended for use in aged care to improve the detection and treatment of depression. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a program for the routine implementation of the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia in Australian facilities, to determine whether use of the instrument by nurses led to further monitoring of depressive symptoms, medical referral, and changes in treatments prescribed for depression.
Methods: A file review was completed for 412 participants out of a total of 867 older people (47.5%) who resided in ten aged care facilities. The review examined Cornell Scale assessment data, medication charts, medical history, nursing progress notes, and resident care plans. Nursing staff who administered the Cornell Scale to each participant were also interviewed, and ten facilitymanagers took part in an interview to determine barriers to the effective implementation of the instrument.
Results: The Cornell Scale had been administered to 46.8% of the sample in the previous 12 months, with 25% of these participants scoring 9–13 and 27% scoring 14 and above. Less than one third of the residents with high scores were monitored by the staff following the assessment. Only 18% of residents with high scores were referred for further assessment of depression, while 10% received a treatment change.
Conclusions: The absence of a protocol for responding to high Cornell Scale scores limited the potential of this program to result in widespread improved treatment of depressed older people. The use of the Cornell Scale by aged care nurses with limited training raised concern.

The langauge of tourism : perfecting soft skills in a flat world

India is Australia's 11th-biggest inbound tourism market, bringing in 148,200 visitors who spent $867 million last year, but by 2020 officials say that could reach 300,000 visitors spending $2.3 billion.
Delhi and Mumbai have been targeted by Australia because they have an emerging middle class and India's highest concentration of affluent households.
The Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson, unveiled an India 2020 strategic plan last month at the annual Australian Tourism Exchange in Perth, the largest travel trade show in the southern hemisphere. "We have put a huge effort into attracting tourists from China recently and the next cab off the rank is India," he said.
The plan means that Tourism Australia's "There's Nothing Like Australia" campaign will be rolled out in Delhi and Mumbai and there will be extensive advertising on TV and digital channels as well as print.

Large-scale production of h-In2O3/carbon nanocomposites with enhanced lithium storage properties

h-In2O3/carbon nanocomposites were obtained via a facile ball milling process from a mixture of h-In2O3 nanoparticles and Super P carbon. Compared to pure h-In2O3 nanoparticles, the nanocomposites exhibited an initial discharge capacity of 1360 mAh g-1, a stable reversible capacity of 867 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles as well as a high coulombic efficiency of 99%. The superior lithium-ion battery performance can be attributed to the specific structure of h-In2O3 and the uniform and continuous nano-carbon coating layers. The nano-carbon coating could protect the inner active materials from fragmentation and increase the electronic conductivity. This study not only provides a promising electrode material for high-performance lithium-ion batteries, but also further demonstrates a straightforward, effective and environmental friendly process for synthesizing nanocomposites. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

Cetacean diversity of the continental shelf and slope off Southern Australia

We recorded a diverse cetacean assemblage from systematic aerial surveys in productive upwelling waters off southern Australia in 2002-2013. Surveys recorded 133 sightings of 15 identified cetacean species consisting of 7 mysticete (baleen) whale species, 8 odontocete (toothed) species, and 384 sightings of unidentified dolphins. This is the first assessment of cetacean diversity for the region and we found diversity to be comparable with other productive regions elsewhere. Differential spatial and temporal distributions of mysticete and odontocete species were apparent, and were associated with habitat variables and seasonal migration cycles. The study contributes new information to assist the environmental planning and management of activities in the region, including oil, and gas exploration and production, fishing, shipping, and renewable energy development.