Evaluation of the adsorption behavior of polyacetylenes onto a food-grade resin for the debittering of carrot juice

In the present study, a procedure for the adsorptive removal of bitter principles, such as the polyacetylenes falcarinol, falcarindiol, and falcarindiol-3-acetate, from carrot juice using a food-grade macroreticular, non-ionic adsorption resin was investigated. To characterize the adsorption behavior of the target compounds, the influence of the independent factors resin amount, stirring rate, pH value, and temperature was studied first in batch-scale experiments. Based on mathematical models obtained from the analysis of the D-optimal design applied, optimal adsorption conditions of each polyacetylene were deduced. Taking together these findings, the adsorption behavior of polyacetylenes was investigated in column experiments. To enhance the binding rates by increasing contact times, the carrot juice was two- and threefold re-applied to the column at 30 °C. As expected, relative amounts of polyacetylenes bound by the adsorbent increased with prolonged contact time of carrot juice and resin material. After a contact time of 64 min, nearly 90% of total polyacetylenes were sorbed onto the resin surface. Therefore, the described adsorption technique may present a valuable tool for the removal of polyacetylenes from carrot juice and thus for debittering. On the other hand, adsorption may be utilized for the recovery and enrichment of these plant secondary metabolites and their use as a functional ingredient in pharmaceutical products and dietary supplements, respectively.     

Diversity of Candida zemplinina strains from grapes and Italian wines

The aim of this research was to genetically and technologically characterize Candida zemplinina strains isolated from different sources of enological interest. Phenotypic and genotypic subtyping, as well as enological characterization, were carried out on 36 C. zemplinina isolates collected from grapes, must and wines of different regions of Italy. RAPD-PCR fingerprinting of the isolates revealed a high genetic heterogeneity. At physiological level, yeasts were grouped into different clusters on the basis of sugar and ethanol tolerance. Common enological characteristics were examined and strains resulted to be highly fructophilic while presenting low ethanol and acetic acid production, high glycerol production, capacity to metabolize malic acid and slower fermentation kinetics when compared to Saccharomyces cerevisiae.The genetic and phenotypic intraspecies biodiversity of C. zemplinina gave useful data to understand its potential technological role in winemaking. This research represents a first step for the selection of C. zemplinina strains to be used as a starter in co-culture or in sequential inoculation with S. cerevisiae to improve the complexity and to enhance the particular characteristic of wines.     

Detection of Brettanomyces spp. in Red Wines Using Real-Time PCR

The question if the "Brett character" is a favorable wine attribute is one of the most controversial issues and it is currently addressed by many researches. Actually, the presence of Brettanomyces/Dekkera in wine during barrel aging is often associated to detrimental organoleptic characteristics depending on the release of volatile phenols (for example, 4-ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol); for that reason the possibility to rapidly detect the yeast at the early stage of wine production could allow preventive actions to reduce wine spoilage. In this work, 25 and 5 samples from conventional and organic vineyards, respectively, all suspected to be spoiled by Brettanomyces/Dekkera spp., were analyzed using both culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques. In particular, a DNA extraction protocol and a real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay to directly detect and quantify B. bruxellensis were optimized. Results showed that B. bruxellensis was present in 22 of 30 samples, ranging from 10 to 10(4) CFU/mL, lower values being found in organic wines (10 to 10(2) CFU/mL). Overall, qPCR was proved to be a useful and valuable wine control system, since 12 samples were recorded as positive for yeast presence when analyzed by qPCR and negative in case of plate count analyses. Practical Application: Brettanomyces cells were detected using a qPCR method, optimized in this study, which allows to obtain results quickly.     

Chiral Aryloxyalkylamines: Selective 5‐HT1B/1D Activation and Analgesic Activity

A series of chiral 2,3‐dichlorophenoxy and 1‐naphthyloxy alkylamines were synthesized, and their binding affinities towards 5‐HT_1D and h5‐HT_1B receptors were evaluated. In the naphthyloxy series, the (R)‐prolinol derivative was the most selective 5‐HT_1D ligand, while (S)‐N‐methyl‐2‐(1‐naphthyloxy)propan‐1‐amine showed the highest selectivity for h5‐HT_1B. Both compounds performed as 5‐HT_1D agonists in the isolated guinea pig assay and showed higher analgesic activity than both sumatriptan and the achiral analogue 20 b in the mouse hot‐plate test. Neither ligand displayed any affinity for nicotinic ACh receptors present in mouse brain membranes, thus indicating that their analgesic activity does not arise through interaction with these receptors.     

Trimethylchlorosilane and Silicon Tetrachloride in Two Novel Methodologies for the Efficient and Mild Aldol Addition of β‐Keto Esters and Malonates to Aldehydes

Efficient and mild aldol additions of β‐keto esters and malonates to aldehydes are described using two novel protocols in the presence of silicon tetrachloride and trimethylchlorosilane, respectively. Scope and limitations of the methods have been discussed. Moreover the stability of the obtained products, trimethylsilyl protection of the hydroxy group, as well as the role of both silicon tetrachloride and trimethylchlorosilane in attaining the final products have been analyzed.     

Quantification of pathogenic microorganisms and microbial indicators in three wastewater reclamation and managed aquifer recharge facilities in Europe

Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is becoming an attractive option for water storage in water reuse processes as it provides an additional treatment barrier to improve recharged water quality and buffers seasonal variations of water supply and demand. To achieve a better understanding about the level of pathogenic microorganisms and their relation with microbial indicators in these systems, five waterborne pathogens and four microbial indicators were monitored over one year in three European MAR sites operated with reclaimed wastewater. Giardia and Cryptosporidium (oo)cysts were found in 63.2 and 36.7% of the samples respectively. Salmonella spp. and helminth eggs were more rarely detected (16.3% and 12.5% of the samples respectively) and Campylobacter cells were only found in 2% of samples. At the Belgian site advanced tertiary treatment technology prior to soil aquifer treatment (SAT) produced effluent of drinking water quality, with no presence of the analysed pathogens. At the Spanish and Italian sites amelioration of microbiological water quality was observed between the MAR injectant and the recovered water. In particular Giardia levels decreased from 0.24-6.14 cysts/L to 0-0.01 cysts/L and from 0.4-6.2 cysts/L to 0-0.07 cysts/L in the Spanish and Italian sites respectively. Salmonella gene copies and Giardia cysts were however found in the water for final use and/or the recovered groundwater water at the two sites. Significant positive Spearman correlations (p < 0.05, r_s range: 0.45-0.95) were obtained, in all the three sites, between Giardia cysts and the most resistant microbial markers, Clostridium spores and bacteriophages.     

Effect of gaseous ozone treatments on DON,microbial contaminants and technological parameters of wheat and semolina

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is an important mycotoxin produced by several species of Fusarium. It occurs often in wheat grain and is frequently associated with significant levels of its modified form DON-3-glucoside (DON-3-Glc). Ozone (O₃) is a powerful disinfectant and oxidant, classified as GRAS (Generally Recognised As Safe), that reacts easily with specific compounds including the mycotoxins aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, trichothecenes and zearalenone. It degrades DON in aqueous solution and can be effective for decontamination of grain. This study reports the efficacy of gaseous ozone treatments in reducing DON, DON-3-Glc, bacteria, fungi and yeasts in naturally contaminated durum wheat. A prototype was used to dispense ozone continuously and homogeneously at different concentrations and exposure time, in 2 kg aliquots of durum wheat. The optimal conditions, which do not affect chemical and rheological parameters of durum wheat, semolina and pasta, were identified (55 g O₃ h^?1 for 6 h). The measured mean reductions of DON and DON-3-Glc in ozonated wheat were 29% and 44%, respectively. Ozonation also produced a significant (p < 0.05) reduction of total count (CFU/g) of bacteria, fungi and yeasts in wheat grains.     

Psychological distress and homeless duration*

We examine whether psychological distress levels vary with homeless and housed duration. We do this using longitudinal data from a national survey of persons facing housing insecurity that, unlike prior studies, is not restricted to those who are currently homeless (or to particular subsets of the homeless), but instead follows a nationally representative sample of Australians experiencing housing insecurity. This allows us to use methods that isolate the effects of changes in time spent homeless and time spent housed on psychological distress holding constant all unobserved person-specific effects that are time invariant. We find that the relationship between psychological distress and homelessness varies by gender and by type of homelessness. Males recently experiencing literal homelessness (i.e. sleeping rough or in crisis accommodation) exhibit the highest levels of distress, but consistent with the adaptation hypothesis, distress levels decline as homeless duration increases. This pattern is not seen when examining a broader notion of homelessness for males. Likewise, there is no clear pattern with regard to homeless duration for females.