Indigenous Microbial Community of Barley Greatly Influences Grain Germination and Malt Quality

The present study was carried out to investigate the impacts of bacterial and fungal communities on grain germination and on the malting properties of good‐quality two‐row barley. In order to suppress the growth of bacterial and/or fungal communities, various antibiotics were added to the first steeping water of barley. This study was also designed to explore the dynamics of the bacterial community in the malting process after antimicrobial treatments by polymerase chain reaction‐denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR‐DGGE). The diverse microbial community played an active role in the malting ecosystem. Even previously undescribed bacterial species were found in the malting ecosystem. Suppression of the bacterial community mainly consisting of Gram‐negative bacteria was advantageous with respect to grain germination and wort separation. In addition, more extract was obtained after antibacterial treatments. The fungal community significantly contributed to the production of microbial β‐glucanases and xylanases, and was also involved in proteolysis. An improved understanding of the complex microbial community and its role in malting enables a more controlled process management and the production of high quality malt with tailored properties.     

High-Resolution Mobility and Mass Spectrometry of Negative Ions Produced in a 241Am Aerosol Charger

This work concentrates on the simultaneous mobility and mass measurement of negative ions generated by the ionizing radiation in a ²⁴¹Am aerosol charger in N₂ (5.0), a 1:1-mixture of N₂ and synthetic air, pure synthetic air (5.0), and filtered laboratory air at ～30% relative humidity. Therefore, a high-resolution mobility analyzer (UDMA) and an atmospheric pressure interface time-of-flight mass spectrometer (APi-TOF) were operated in series. Experiments with N₂ as carrier gas showed a dominating signal at an electrical mobility of 2.09 cm²/Vs with 90% of the ions being nitrate based. The ion composition was altered after a baking-out to a spectrum with three strong mobility-peaks at Z₁ = 2.34 cm²/Vs, Z₂ = 1.42 cm²/Vs, Z₃ = 1.08 cm²/Vs and a higher diversity of ions in the corresponding mass spectra. The carrier gas was gradually changed from N₂ (5.0) to a 1:1-mixture of N₂ with synthetic air and pure synthetic air (5.0), having only a minor effect on the overall pattern of the ion spectrum. Using room air leads to a domination of the nitrate based ions. The mobility-dependent transmission efficiency of the UDMA was modeled using an empirical, laminar diffusion deposition model. The data were further compared to an empirical mass-mobility relationship to evaluate the fragmentation of the ion clusters in the inlet of the mass spectrometer. This study suggests that the nitrate ion, NO₃ ^?, is found to be the dominant ion species produced in an aerosol charger, and that it may be mostly responsible for the charging of aerosol particles in negative polarity.

Copyright 2014 American Association for Aerosol Research     

Using SWAT, Bacteroidales microbial source tracking markers,and fecal indicator bacteria to predict waterborne pathogen occurrence in an agricultural watershed

Developing the capability to predict pathogens in surface water is important for reducing the risk that such organisms pose to human health. In this study, three primary data source scenarios (measured stream flow and water quality, modelled stream flow and water quality, and host-associated Bacteroidales) are investigated within a Classification and Regression Tree Analysis (CART) framework for classifying pathogen (Escherichia coli 0157:H7, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia) presence and absence (P/A) for a 178 km² agricultural watershed. To provide modelled data, a Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was developed to predict stream flow, total suspended solids (TSS), total N and total P, and fecal indicator bacteria loads; however, the model was only successful for flow and total N and total P simulations, and did not accurately simulate TSS and indicator bacteria transport. Also, the SWAT model was not sensitive to an observed reduction in the cattle population within the watershed that may have resulted in significant reduction in E. coli concentrations and Salmonella detections. Results show that when combined with air temperature and precipitation, SWAT modelled stream flow and total P concentrations were useful for classifying pathogen P/A using CART methodology. From a suite of host-associated Bacteroidales markers used as independent variables in CART analysis, the ruminant marker was found to be the best initial classifier of pathogen P/A. Of the measured sources of independent variables, air temperature, precipitation, stream flow, and total P were found to be the most important variables for classifying pathogen P/A. Results indicate a close relationship between cattle pollution and pathogen occurrence in this watershed, and an especially strong link between the cattle population and Salmonella detections.     

Adaptation and user expertise modelling in AthosMail

This article describes the User Model component of AthosMail, a speech-based interactive e-mail application developed in the context of the EU project DUMAS. The focus is on the system’s adaptive capabilities and user expertise modelling, exemplified through the User Model parameters dealing with initiative and explicitness of the system responses. The purpose of the conducted research was to investigate how the users could interact with a system in a more natural way, and the two aspects that mainly influence the system’s interaction capabilities, and thus the naturalness of the dialogue as a whole, are considered to be the dialogue control and the amount of information provided to the user. The User Model produces recommendations of the system’s appropriate reaction depending on the user’s observed competence level, monitored and computed on the basis of the user’s interaction with the system. The article also discusses methods for the evaluation of adaptive user models and presents results from the AthosMail evaluation.The research was done while the author was affiliated with the University of Art and Design Helsinki as the scientific coordinator of the DUMAS project.     

The MUMIN coding scheme for the annotation of feedback, turn management and sequencing phenomena

This paper deals with a multimodal annotation scheme dedicated to the study of gestures in interpersonal communication, with particular regard to the role played by multimodal expressions for feedback, turn management and sequencing. The scheme has been developed under the framework of the MUMIN network and tested on the analysis of multimodal behaviour in short video clips in Swedish, Finnish and Danish. The preliminary results obtained in these studies show that the reliability of the categories defined in the scheme is acceptable, and that the scheme as a whole constitutes a versatile analysis tool for the study of multimodal communication behaviour.     

Low density lipoprotein receptor mutations in a selected population of individuals with moderate hypercholesterolemia

To evaluate mutations in the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) gene in moderate primary hypercholesterolemia, a combination of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and direct sequencing, was used to screen the LDL-R gene in a selected population of 82 unrelated individuals with moderate elevation of plasma LDL-C [mean 4.55 +/- 0.55 mmol/l (176.4 +/- 21.6 mg/dl)]. Four subjects (5%) were found to be heterozygotes for missense mutations in the LDL-R gene. These mutations were located in four different exons (exons 6, 7, 15 and 17) and all alters highly conserved residues of LDL-R protein. None of these mutations were detected in 79 normocholesterolemic individuals. The mutation in exon 15 (T705I) was previously reported in a compound heterozygote for familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). In the proband carrying the mutation in exon 17 (R793Q), an in vivo LDL turnover study was performed and it demonstrated a reduction of LDL catabolism. These findings demonstrate that mutations in the LDL-R may occur in primary moderate hypercholesterolemia. They also extend the concept that some FH patients may present with a mild phenotype.     

Milk type during mixed feeding: contribution to serum cholesterol ester fatty acids in late infancy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the contribution of the type of milk on serum cholesterol ester fatty acids in infants receiving mixed feeding, we analyzed 3-day dietary records and serum cholesterol ester fatty acid composition of 397 seven-month-old infants. STUDY DESIGN: The infants received, in addition to solid food, only one type of milk: human milk (n = 218), a ready-to-use liquid formula (n = 139), a powdered formula (n = 33), or soy formula (n = 7). RESULTS: Mean fat intakes were low and varied from 28% to 31% of energy; the milks provided 43% to 64% of the fat. The mean polyunsaturated/saturated fat ratios of solid foods were from 0.52 to 0.63 and of milks from 0.20 to 0.45. Breast-fed infants' relative serum linoleic acid (18:2n-6) concentration was low (51.2%), whereas infants fed liquid formula had low serum oleic acid (18:1n-9) in accordance with low oleic acid content in that formula. The breast-fed infants had markedly higher serum concentrations of arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) than the infants fed any of the formulas. CONCLUSION: The typical fatty acid patterns of breast- or formula-fed infants were still evident in 7-month-old infants who already received 60% to 70% of their energy from solid food. Marked differences were seen also in the relative concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid despite their small contribution in cholesterol esters.     

The effect of carbon and nickel additions on the precursor synthesis of Cr3C2-Ni nanopowder

Decreasing crystal size to nanoscale is a proven method to enhance material properties. In this study, nanosize Cr₃C₂ and Cr₃C₂-Ni were synthetized and the reaction sequence was studied. Aqueous precursors using only water-soluble raw materials with varying carbon contents and a nickel addition were spray-dried. Glycine was used as a carbon source and chromium acetate hydroxide as a chromium source in the precursor solutions. Nickel nitrate hexahydrate was introduced as a nickel source to yield a metallic binder into the carbide nanopowder.Resulting powders were heat-treating to identify an applicable precursor composition producing the targeted Cr₃C₂ phase with crystal size of tens of nanometers. Thermal synthesis tests of the precursor powders to yield Cr₃C₂ took place at a temperature between 900 and 1300?°C under an Argon atmosphere. The synthesis of nanosize Cr₃C₂-Ni powder was successful at 1000?°C in 30?min, in a case of the best precursor. In order to produce the carbide phase with no residual oxide traces, relative carbon load has to be 48?wt%, while the stoichiometric amount of carbon in Cr₃C₂ is 13?wt%. When also introducing the nickel source into the precursor, an even higher carbon load was required. The carbon surplus needed to enable the Cr₃C₂ synthesis attributes to the non-homogeneity of the precursor composition.The chemical synthesis starting from water-soluble raw materials is a promising way of preparing nanosize Cr₃C₂-Ni with the targeted phase configuration.     

Deactivation of ZSM-5 additives in laboratory for realistic testing

ZSM-5 deactivates differently from Y zeolite. Dealumination of Y zeolite during deactivation causes UCS shrinkage and thereby decline in activity and changes in selectivity. For ZSM-5 instead deactivation removes alumina from the zeolite structure, but in spite of that the zeolite structure does not collapse. Therefore, deactivation causes activity decline due to loss of active alumina sites, but no significant changes in the strength and separation between acid sites. Unlike with FCC catalyst, physical properties of ZSM-5 additive do not change significantly with deactivation and surface area and pore volume measurements cannot be used as indications of additive performance. Yet, since both Y and ZSM-5 are used simultaneously in practice, the information on the relative rates of deactivation between the two zeolites is very important. Therefore, the question remains, what is the best way to deactivate and test ZSM-5 additives in the laboratory to obtain realistic performance, e.g. propylene yield and to obtain proper ranking of various additives. This paper discusses the effect of deactivation conditions as well as performance testing aspects of ZSM-5 additives. It is shown that choice of deactivation conditions has an effect on additive ranking and performance. By choosing the deactivation conditions properly ranking can be made clearer and more realistic additive performance is obtained.     

Cell death and differentiation in the development of the endocardial cushion of the embryonic heart

The transformation of the endocardial cushion into valves and septa is a critical step in cardiac morphogenesis as it initiates the development of the four-chambered heart. This transformation results from a region-specific balance between cellular proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation. The development of the form and structure of the endocardial cushion is accompanied by precise patterns of abundant cell death having the morphological features of programmed cell death (apoptosis), which plays an important role in the elimination of redundant cells and in changes of phenotypic composition during histogenesis. Apoptosis is an essential process in morphogenesis as it balances mitosis in renewing tissues. It is controlled by one or more genetic programs that kill the targeted cell. However, the causes, role, and regulation of apoptosis in the developing endocardial cushion still remain to be determined. The clarification of the role of the apoptosis regulatory genes constitutes a major task in future studies of cell death in the developing heart. This new molecular histology of heart development awaits further experiments to clarify the interactive mechanisms that act to ensure the sculpting of the endocardial cushion into valves and septa by determining the size of the cushion cell populations. The relation between the expression of different factors and the modifications of the cushion region during cardiac development are reviewed. In addition, we review and summarize information on molecules identified in our experiments that imply the activity of a number of essential genes coinciding with the key steps in generating the overall architecture of the heart. We correlate their temporal and spatial expression with their proposed roles.