Water Plasticization and Crystallization of Lactose in Spray-dried Lactose/Protein Mixtures

ABSTRACT: Water plasticization led to depression of the glass transition causing significant changes in the physico-chemical and crystallization properties in storage of lactose and lactose/protein (3:1) mixtures. Glass transition (Tg) and crystallization temperatures (Tcr) were determined using differential scanning calorimetry. Whey protein isolate (WPI), albumin, and gelatin increased the Tg of dry powders; when Na-caseinate was used, a decrease was observed. In the presence of proteins and water, a decrease of Tg at aw ≤ 0.23 was observed. At aw ≤ 0.33, proteins increased the Tg In the anhydrous state, Tcr decreased in the presence of proteins possibly because of browning. WPI, Na-caseinate, albumin, and gelatin delayed lactose crystallization in humidified samples, with albumin and gelatin delaying it more than WPI at all storage humidities. Temperature difference between an observed instant crystallization and glass transition (Tcr to Tg) was larger for humidified samples containing proteins than for lactose. Various proteins and water affect crystallization behavior of amorphous lactose differently in spray-dried powders. This should be considered in evaluating sugar crystallization properties in food products including dairy powders.     

Free and total amino acids in the non-protein fraction of an artisan blue cheese during ripening

Summary Changes in the free amino acid content and total amino acid content of the fraction soluble in 5% phosphotungstic acid from three batches of blue cheeses were studied by HPLC over the ripening period. The correlation coefficients between the free and total amino acids and ripening time were positive and higher than 0.85 for most amino acids. Non-protein amino acids showed the lowest correlations with ripening. Principal component analysis performed on the data showed ripening time to be the main cause of variation between the samples analyzed, explaining 60% of the variance; differences between batches were the second most important source of variation (15%). The ripening stage can be approximately estimated from the concentration of certain amino acids.

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Freie und gesamte Aminosäuren in der Nicht-Protein-Fraktion eines Blaukäses während der Reifung

Zusammenfassung Während des Reifungsprozesses bei drei Partien Blauschimmelkäse wurde der Verlauf des Gehaltes an freien und gesamten Aminosäuren der in 5% iger Phosphorwolframsäure löslichen Fraktion mittels HPLC beobachtet. Die Korrelationskoeffizienten zwischen dem Gehalt an freien und Gesamt-Aminosäuren während der Reifungszeit waren positiv und größer als 0,85 für die meisten Aminosäuren. Ein geringerer Korrelationsgrad im Verlauf der Reifung war bei den Nicht-Protein-Aminosäuren zu beobachten. Die Anwendung der Faktor-Analyse wies darauf hin, daß die Reifung die wichtigste Ursache der Unterschiede zwischen den analytischen Proben war (60% der Varianz) und die zweite Ursache für die Varianz (15%) der Unterschied zwischen den Partien. Der Reifungsgrad kann in etwa aus der Konzentration bestimmter Aminosäuren geschätzt werden.

     

Senescent fibroblasts as feeder cells for lymphoid cell cloning

In 1994, a magazine article, a newspaper article, and a segment of the television newsmagazine 60 Minutes presented information that cast doubt on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's conclusion that a dentist in Florida had infected six of his patients with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). These reports were based on previously unavailable documentary evidence, which suggested that the infected patients had unreported or undetected risk factors for HIV infection and that the molecular analyses used to determine that the dentist and his patients had the same strains of HIV had potentially serious flaws. A recent article in this journal sought to dismiss the relevance of this information in the eyes of the scientific community. That report, however, failed to respond directly to many key pieces of evidence, and it offered no rebuttal beyond personal invective and a reassertion of previously published material. Although scientists and clinicians should not rely solely on media reports when drawing conclusions about this complex and controversial case, they deserve a chance to consider and reflect on this material in a meaningful way.     

Effects of pulse methylprednisolone on cell adhesion molecules in the synovial membrane in rheumatoid arthritis. Reduced E-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 expression

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of a 1,000-mg intravenous pulse of methylprednisolone succinate (MP) on cell adhesion molecule expression on the synovial vascular endothelium in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Sequential arthroscopic biopsy samples were taken before and 24 hours after MP administration (10 patients) and at the time of RA flare (2 patients) and after retreatment with MP (1 patient). Immunoperoxidase staining for E-selectin (CD62E), P-selectin (CD62P), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1; CD54) and platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM; CD31) was performed, and the staining was quantified by color video image analysis. RESULTS: MP caused a rapid (within 24 hours) and substantial decrease in the expression of E-selectin on the synovial vascular endothelium, with a smaller reduction in ICAM-1 expression on synovial vascular endothelium and the synovial lining. There were no similar effects on synovial membrane P-selectin or PECAM expression. CONCLUSION: A potential mechanism by which MP impairs neutrophil trafficking into inflamed RA joints might be by reducing E-selectin, and possibly, ICAM-1, expression in the synovial membrane.     

Ethnic differences in the psychosocial antecedents of needle/syringe disinfection

This study examined psychosocial antecedents of needle/syringe disinfection by 209 injection drug users in three ethnic groups. Among Whites, high perceived self-efficacy for risk reduction had a positive effect on subsequent disinfection attempts. Among African Americans and Mexican Americans, peer norms favorable to risk reduction had a positive effect on subsequent disinfection attempts, while self-efficacy had no effect. These results suggest that risk-reduction capabilities may be rooted in individualistic perceptions of the self among White drug users, while 'collective self' perceptions are more relevant to these capabilities among African American and Mexican American drug users. HIV risk intervention may have more impact in specific ethnic groups if these distinctions are taken into account. Results also demonstrate the importance of comparing models of behavior change across ethnic groups.