Dietary Salt Accelerates Orthodontic Tooth Movement by Increased Osteoclast Activity

Dietary salt uptake and inflammation promote sodium accumulation in tissues, thereby modulating cells like macrophages and fibroblasts. Previous studies showed salt effects on periodontal ligament fibroblasts and on bone metabolism by expression of nuclear factor of activated T-cells-5 (NFAT-5). Here, we investigated the impact of salt and NFAT-5 on osteoclast activity and orthodontic tooth movement (OTM). After treatment of osteoclasts without (NS) or with additional salt (HS), we analyzed gene expression and the release of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase and calcium phosphate resorption. We kept wild-type mice and mice lacking NFAT-5 in myeloid cells either on a low, normal or high salt diet and inserted an elastic band between the first and second molar to induce OTM. We analyzed the expression of genes involved in bone metabolism, periodontal bone loss, OTM and bone density. Osteoclast activity was increased upon HS treatment. HS promoted periodontal bone loss and OTM and was associated with reduced bone density. Deletion of NFAT-5 led to increased osteoclast activity with NS, whereas we detected impaired OTM in mice. Dietary salt uptake seems to accelerate OTM and induce periodontal bone loss due to reduced bone density, which may be attributed to enhanced osteoclast activity. NFAT-5 influences this reaction to HS, as we detected impaired OTM and osteoclast activity upon deletion.

A comparative study of Atlantic salmon chilled in refrigerated seawater versus on ice: from whole fish to cold-smoked fillets

Water and salt uptake, and water holding capacity (WHC) of whole gutted Atlantic salmon superchilled at sub-zero temperatures in refrigerated seawater (RSW) were compared to traditional ice storage. Following the entire value chain, the whole salmon was further processed, and fillets were either chilled on ice or dry salted and cold-smoked. Changes in quality parameters including colour, texture, enzyme activity and microbial counts were also analyzed for 3 weeks. Our results showed that when fish were removed from the RSW tank after 4 days and further chilled for 3 days, an overall weight gain of 0.7%, salt uptake of 0.3% and higher WHC were observed. In contrast, ice-stored fish had a total weight loss of 1% and steady salt uptake of 0.1%. After filleting, raw fillets from whole fish initially immersed in RSW had better gaping occurrence, softer texture, lower cathepsin B + L activity but higher microbiological growth. Otherwise, there were no differences in drip loss nor colour (L*a*b*) on both raw and smoked fillets from RSW and iced fish. Storage duration significantly affected quality parameters including drip loss, colour, texture, enzyme activity and microbial counts in raw fillets and drip loss, WHC, redness and yellowness in smoked fillets.

Improving Modeling of Quinoa Growth Under Saline Conditions Using the Enhanced Agricultural Policy Environmental eXtender Model

Cultivation of highly salt-tolerant plants (i.e., halophytes), may provide a viable alternative to increase productivity compared to conventional salt-sensitive crops, increasing the economic potential of salt-affected lands that comprise ~20% of irrigated lands worldwide. In this study the Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) model was adapted to simulate growth of the halophyte quinoa, along with salt dynamics in the plant-soil-water system. Model modifications included salt uptake and salt stress functions formulated using greenhouse data. Data from a field site were used to further parameterize and calibrate the model. Initial simulation results were promising, but differences between simulated and observed soil salinity and plant salt values during the growing season in the calibration suggest that additional improvements to salt uptake and soil salinity algorithms are needed. To demonstrate utility of the modified APEX model, six scenarios were run to estimate quinoa biomass production and soil salinity with different irrigation managements and salinities. Simulated annual biomass was sensitive to soil moisture, and root zone salinity increased in all scenarios. Further experiments are needed to improve understanding of crop salt uptake dynamics and stress sensitivities so that future model updates and simulations better represent salt dynamics in plants and soils in agricultural settings.

Salt Distribution and Salt Uptake during Ripening in Turkish White Cheese Affected by High Pressure Processing

Turkish white cheeses after brine salting were subjected to high pressure processing (HPP) at 50, 100, 200 and 400 MPa for 5 and 15 min and the samples pressurized for 15 min were ripened in brine for 60 days. The effects of HPP on the salt distribution in external, middle and internal zones of cheese after pressurization and on the salt uptake of whole cheese block during ripening were investigated. HPP did not change the values of moisture, salt and salt in moisture in different zones of cheese. Furthermore, pressure holding time had no effect on salt distribution in cheese. The salt contents of un-pressurized and pressurized cheese samples were equilibrated on the 14th day of ripening, and then stabilized, with no high pressure effect. As a result, HPP at pressures up to 400 MPa did not significantly affect neither salt distribution after high pressure processing nor salt uptake during ripening. However, a slight increase in moisture at the pressures of 200-400 MPa on the 60th day of ripening, which was not significant, might warn further increases in moisture of white cheese for longer ripening periods than 60 days. Higher pressure applications may alter all those values in white cheese because of textural changes.

Enhancement of Salt Uptake with the Application of Rotary Magnetic Field in Brining Cucumber

<p>An experimental system by use of magnetic and hydrodynamic force was established to accelerate mass transport and thus to shorten the salting equilibrium time in salting of fresh-cut cucumbers. The cucumbers were brined with flowing 3% NaCl solution under rotary magnetic field at 22 ºC. During brining period, salt contents of the cucumbers at varying Reynolds number of flowing brine, rotary frequency, and magnetic flux density of magnetic field were separately investigated and the salt uptake kinetics was also analyzed. Results showed that flowing brine disturbed the salt diffusion into cucumber tissues without the application of magnetic field. Consequently, the salt uptake rate decreased compared to the conventional brining. No significant difference in salt content of cucumbers was observed between the conventional brining and static-magnetic-field-assisted brining. The salt uptake rate was improved by the combination of rotary magnetic field and flowing brine. The increment of salt uptake rate during this combined treatment got larger with the increase of magnetic flux density. Salt uptake rate of cucumber increased with the increase of rotational frequency of the magnetic field and Reynolds number of the flowing brine, up to a critical value. A 170% increment in salt uptake rate constant could be achieved at magnetic flux density 0.13 T, rotational frequency 5 Hz and Reynolds number 1127. Thus, an intergrated technique based upon rotary magnetic field and flowing brine is provided for brining of porous agricultural products.</p>

Salt influence on surface microorganisms and ripening of soft ewe cheese

The effect of different brining treatments on salt uptake and diffusion during the first 30 d of ripening was determined in soft ewe cheese. Additionally, salt influence on surface microorganisms and physicochemical parameters was evaluated. Cheeses were placed into different brine solutions (14, 18 and 24°Bé) at 5 and 10 °C for 1, 2 or 3 h. Samples from rind, outer core and inner core were analysed at 0, 7, 15 and 30 d. Complete salt diffusion from rind to the inner core took about 15 d. The resulting salt gradient favoured the development of a pH gradient from the surface to the inner core. Salt concentration also had a significant effect on the growth of surface microorganisms (mesophiles, pseudomonads and halotolerants). However, mould and yeasts were not affected throughout ripening by the salt levels achieved. Brine salting by immersion for 3 h at 10 °C in 24°B brine was found to be the most suitable treatment to control pseudomonads in cheese rind, as spoilage microorganism.