Arabinosylated phenolics obtained from SO2‐steam‐pretreated sugarcane bagasse

A pentose‐rich hydrolysate fraction obtained by extraction of steam‐pretreated sugarcane bagasse was analysed with regard to dissolved phenolics. The liquid obtained after steam pretreatment (2% SO₂ (w/w) at 190 °C for 5 min) was divided into two parts: one containing dissolved compounds originating from hemicellulose (with xylose as the dominating compound), and the other containing predominantly dissolved compounds originating from lignin. Using nuclear magnetic resonance, the main dissolved compounds originating from lignin were identified as the glycosylated aromatics, 5‐O‐(trans‐feruloyl)‐L‐Arabinofuranose and 5‐O‐(trans‐coumaroyl)‐L‐Arabinofuranose, together with p‐coumaric acid and small amounts of more common free phenolics such as p‐hydroxybenzaldehyde, p‐hydroxybenzoic acid and vanillin. The phenolic compounds were analysed and quantified using reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography. The findings show that SO₂ steam explosion opened up new degradation pathways during lignin degradation. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Optimisation of rancidity stability in long‐chain PUFA concentrates obtained from a rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) by‐product

This research was focused on the production of polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrates from a farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) by‐product (i.e. belly muscle). The effect of different process variables (urea/fatty acids (FA) contents ratio, crystallisation time and temperature and stirring speed of the urea/FA mixture) on the lipid oxidation development during the urea complexation process was investigated. For this purpose, an experimental design (26 runs) following the response‐surface methodology was developed. As a result, peroxide value and TOTOX index showed to be dependent on the crystallisation time and temperature and the urea/FA ratio, while no influence of the crystallisation stirring speed was detected on both indices; additionally, polyene index was affected by the urea/FA ratio and its interaction with the crystallisation time. An optimised desirability score near 1.0 was attained provided values of 2.8 °C, 3.05 h and 3.57 were applied for crystallisation temperature, crystallisation time and urea/FA ratio, respectively.     

Transversal myelitis as initial manifestation of secondary antiphospholipid syndrome. Report of a case

We report the clinical case of an 8 years female with systemic lupus erythematosous who developed transverse myelitis secondary to antiphospholipid syndrome. She had an excellent response to the treatment with Prednisone and Cyclophosphamide. As long as we know this is the first report of transverse myelitis as clinical manifestation of antiphospholipid syndrome in childhood.     

Zur Anzahl der Schlupfvariablen in der Optimallösung bei der linearen Optimierung

Zusammenfassung Aus einer früheren Arbeit war bekannt, daß die Ausgangstableaus für eine Produktionsprogrammplanung in der Metallindustrie mittels der Linearen Optimierung wesentlich dichter besetzt sind als in anderen Industriezweigen. Die dichte Besetzung der Ausgangstableaus führt zu einer Verringerung der Anzahl der Strukturvariablen (produktiven Variablen) bzw. zu einer Vergrößerung der Anzahl der Schlupfvariablen in der Optimallösung. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird über Zusammenhänge zwischen Modellabmessungen, Besetzungsdichte und des Erwartungswertes an Schlupfvariablen berichtet.

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Summary It is known from a previous paper that in planning the production program for the metal products industry with the help of linear programming the given constraint matrices have more non-zero elements as in other industries. This leads to a reduction of the number of productive variables respectively to an increasing of the number of slack variables in the optimal solution. This paper reports about relations between model characteristics, number of non-zero elements and expected value of slack variables.

     

Transgenic A1 adenosine receptor overexpression markedly improves myocardial energy state during ischemia-reperfusion

A1 adenosine (A1AR) activation may reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury. Metabolic and functional responses to 30 min global normothermic ischemia and 20 min reperfusion were compared in wild-type and transgenic mouse hearts with approximately 100-fold overexpression of coupled cardiac A1ARs. 31P-NMR spectroscopy revealed that ATP was better preserved in transgenic v wild-type hearts: 53 +/- 11% of preischemic ATP remained after ischemia in transgenic hearts v only 4 +/- 4% in wild-type hearts. However, recovery of ATP after reperfusion was similar in transgenic (46 +/- 5%) and wild-type hearts (37 +/- 12%). Reductions in phosphocreatine (PCr) and cytosolic pH during ischemia were similar in both groups. However, recovery of PCR on reperfusion was higher in transgenic (67 +/- 8%) v wild-type hearts (36 +/- 8%), and recovery of pH was greater in transgenic (pH = 7.11 +/- 0.05) v wild-type hearts (pH = 6.90 +/- 0.02). Bioenergetic state ([ATP]/[ADP].[Pi]) was higher in transgenic v wild-type hearts during ischemia-reperfusion. Time to ischemic contracture was prolonged in transgenic (13.6 +/- 0.8 min) v wild-type hearts (10.4 +/- 0.3 min). Degree of contracture was lower and recovery of function in reperfusion higher in transgenic v wild-type hearts. In conclusion, A1AR overexpression reduces ATP loss and improves bioenergetic state during severe ischemic insult and reperfusion. These changes may contribute to improved functional tolerance.     

Some contributions to mechanical behaviors of lacustrine deposit in Bogota,Colombia

This paper presents the mechanical behaviors of the lacustrine deposit,a representative soil in Bogota,Colombia.Initially,the physical characterization of the deposit is performed via laboratory tests(grain size distribution,scanning electron microscopy,Atterberg limits and water content).This characterization intends to explain the special characteristics of the mechanical behaviors of this soil.Then,various triaxial tests are carried out with controlled loading path,strain rate change,relaxation,extensile stress,and cyclic loading.The test results reveal the shape of the yield curve for Bogota soil(in a natural state),and also show that an increasing effect of the strain rate depends on the liquid limit.This effect is also preserved with extensile stresses(which are poorly studied in soil mechanics).Finally,other effects,such as the loss of structure in the reconstituted samples and the effect of shear modulus at low strains,are studied for Bogota soil.     

A fundamental approach and its experimental validation to simulate density as a function of moisture content during drying processes

Although several empirical models are available in the literature to predict density in solid matrices, only a very limited number of theoretical models have been reported. So far, no model considered the possible variation in the initial air volume existing at the beginning of the drying process. In this contribution, a theoretical model to predict bulk density of dried materials was built by considering two mechanisms that might occur during drying processes. These mechanisms are represented by collapse and shrinkage functions. The predictions obtained by this theoretical model were extensively validated with experimental data published by several independent groups for different food products dried with different technologies. In all these cases, the model gave excellent agreement with the experimental data regardless the topology of the curve bulk density versus moisture content. The model was also compared with other published models. The result of this comparison revealed that the errors resulting from the predictions obtained by the present model are among the smallest. Shrinkage and collapse functions were used to analyze the mechanisms by which bulk density varies during air-drying and freeze-drying. The model showed that both shrinkage and collapse phenomena are dramatically involved during air-drying. However, in the case of freeze-drying, no collapse is observed and only partial shrinkage is taking place. Hence, the present model can be used as a tool to predict the bulk density with excellent accuracy, to understand the dynamic mechanisms involved during drying. Moreover, this model can be incorporated to other models involving the variation of density as a function of moisture.