Nitric oxide (NO) production in mammalian non-tumorigenic epithelial cells of the small intestine and macrophages induced by individual strains of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria

Nitric oxide (NO) affects multiple gastrointestinal functions, including mucosal inflammation and antimicrobial activity. The aim of this study was to screen the ability of probiotic bacteria to stimulate NO production in porcine intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages in the presence and absence of interferon gamma (INF-γ). Production of NO in intestinal epithelium was stimulated by individual strains of lactobacilli without INF-γ priming. While none of the tested bifidobacteria were capable of inducing NO production, most constitutively secreted NO. Most tested strains induced a significant increase in NO production compared with the control cells in the macrophage cell line 3D4/21. Results support the protective role of the individual strains of the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium and may lead to new approaches for manipulating and regulating immune responses at the mucosal surfaces of the gastrointestinal tract.     

Reactive polymers XIV. Hydrolysis of the epoxide groups of the copolymer glycidylmethacrylate — ethylenedimethacrylate

Hydrolysis of the epoxide groups of the copolymer glycidylmethacrylate - ethylenedi-methacrylate in variously concentrated sulphuric acid solutions was studied. An approximate activation energy of hydrolysis, 41 kJ mol^?1, was determined from the temperature dependences. For the sake of comparison the effect of pH on the degree of hydrolysis over the whole range of pH values was examined, and the importance of the results with respect to other reactions of the copolymer used was discussed.     

Conformation and electrical conductivity of poly(γ-methyl-L(LD)-glutamates) reticulate-doped with 1,3-dimethylimidazolium-7,7,8,8-tetracyano-p-quinodimethane complex salt

Polymeric composites were prepared by reticulate doping of poly(γ-methyl-L-glutamate) (PMLGA) and poly(γ-methyl-LD-glutamate) (PMLDGA, 1 : 1) having different conformation forms with 1,3-dimethylimidazolium-TCNQ complex salt. The heat induced α-helix to coil transition in PMLGA and α-helix to β-form and coil transition in PMLDGA were carried out in chlorobenzene and o-dichlorobenzene at temperatures between 70 and 150°C. The conductivity of polyglutamate composites thermally treated and prepared at 70°C is higher by approximately two orders of magnitude than that of thermally not treated films cast at ambient temperature. The conductivity of the most conductive reticulate-doped PMLGA film is higher by more than four orders of magnitude than that of the 1,3-dimethylimidazolium-TCNQ complex salt in pressed pellets.     

The influence of monoacylglycerol and L‐glutamic acid on the viscoelastic properties of wheat flour dough and sensory characteristics of French loaf product

BACKGROUND: The influence of monoacylglycerol Rimulsoft Super(V) and L ‐glutamic acid added to wheat flour dough was studied. Properties of the doughs were evaluated on the basis of chemical analysis and rheological measurements on a farinograph. Bakery products made from these doughs were subsequently subjected to sensory analyses. RESULTS: It was found that L ‐glutamic acid influenced the water absorption in dough more (50.0 g kg^?1; water absorption 56.6%) than monoacylglycerol Rimulsoft Super(V) (50.0 g kg^?1; water absorption 55.0%). Farinograph measurements showed that doughs with the addition of L ‐glutamic acid resembled flour containing high‐quality gluten, but dough with the addition of monoacylglycerol Rimulsoft Super(V) corresponded to ‘weak’ flour. Sensory analyses revealed that, in comparison with the control sample of French loaf, the saliva‐absorbing capacity increased in the French loaf with the highest addition of L ‐glutamic acid (30.0 g kg^?1). Deterioration in quality and texture in French loaf with addition of L ‐glutamic acid (8.0 g kg^?1, 30.0 g kg^?1) was noted. No other statistically significant differences were found. CONCLUSION: It is acceptable to add both additives to dough in order to modify its rheological properties. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Behavior of Deformed Droplets in an Immiscible Polymer Blend: A Comparative Study of Electron Microscopy and Small‐Angle X‐Ray Scattering

The deformation of dispersed droplets in a PS/LLDPE 95:5 blend during uniaxial elongation and after cessation of the flow was studied. The behavior of the dispersed droplets during elongation is in a good agreement with a prediction of the modified capillary number model using transient elongational viscosities. The phase structure changes after the elongation was studied in relaxation and recovery modes. The morphology was investigated using scanning electron microscopy and small‐angle X‐ray scattering. Thus the dimensions of the dispersed particles and their degree of orientation were estimated. It was shown that the SAXS as an integral method gives new additional information which is hardly accessible by SEM as a method providing local information about discrete locations in the sample. The results of both methods proved that the stress in the sample is a decisive parameter determining the morphology development after cessation of the flow.

     

A formal approach to AADL model-based software engineering

International Journal on Software Tools for Technology Transfer - Formal methods have become a recommended practice in safety-critical software engineering. To be formally verified, a system should...     

Ergodic optimization of stochastic differential systems in wireless networks

Multidimensional Systems and Signal Processing - The present work is the second article in a couple of intertwined papers. They form complementary items on the same subject. They both address the...