Superficial Charge Density of Fining Agents: Influence of pH,Dose, and Temperature

The effects of pH, dose, and temperature on the superficial charge density of fining agents were determined in a model solution. This study included three gelatines and one egg's albumin, all of which are common fining agents, as well as three wheat glutens (one native and two hydrolyzed). Wheat glutens have been allowed to be used as fining agents only since 2005, and there are no preliminary studies examining them. The results of this study showed that the superficial charge density was mainly pH-dependent (p < 0.01), and that pH showed a greater effect at a higher degree of protein hydrolysis. For Gel 3, albumin and the wheat glutens, a larger protein concentration, decreased the superficial charge density. Gel 2, which was soluble in hot water, had the highest superficial charge density (>0.831 meq g^?1), which indicated that it would be more reactive than the other fining agents. Between pH 3.4 and 4.0, Gluten 1 and Gel 3 were more highly charged (superficial charge density >0.3 meq g^?1) than Gel 1 or the hydrolysed glutens. These data are useful for wine producers.     

Concentration of volatile compounds in Chardonnay wine fermented in stainless steel tanks and oak barrels

The influence of the type of container used in alcoholic fermentation on the formation of volatile compounds in wine from Chardonnay variety was studied. To do so, must from Chardonnay variety was fermented in both stainless steel tanks and in new Nevers oak barrels. The results obtained showed that wine fermented in barrels had a greater concentration of higher alcohols and esters than wine fermented in tanks. Concentration of isoamyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate and ethyl decanoate was four times higher in wine fermented in oak barrels than in wine fermented in stainless steel tanks. With regard to the concentration of acids, a greater concentration of medium-chain fatty acids (C6:0–C10:0) was noticeable in wine fermented in oak barrels. Given that these acids are toxic for the yeasts, they may be responsible for the slower fermentation rate of wine fermented in oak barrels.     

Immunomodulatory Lectin-like Peptides for Fish Erythrocytes-Targeting as Potential Antiviral Drug Delivery Platforms

One of the challenges of science in disease prevention is optimizing drug and vaccine delivery. Until now, many strategies have been employed in this sector, but most are quite complex and labile. To overcome these limitations, great efforts are directed to coupling drugs to carriers, either of natural or synthetic origin. Among the most studied cell carriers are antigen-presenting cells (APCs), however, red blood cells (RBCs) are positioned as attractive carriers in drug delivery due to their abundance and availability in the body. Furthermore, fish RBCs have a nucleus and have been shown to have a strong involvement in modulating the immune response. In this study, we evaluated the binding of three peptides to rainbow trout RBCs, two lectin-like peptides and another derived from Plasmodium falciparum membrane protein, in order to take advantage of this peptide-RBCs binding to generate tools to improve the specificity, efficacy, immunostimulatory effect, and safety of the antiviral therapeutic or prophylactic administration systems currently used.     

Monocytes and Macrophages Serve as Potent Prostaglandin D2 Sources during Acute,Non-Allergic Pulmonary Inflammation

Acute respiratory inflammation, most commonly resulting from bacterial or viral infection, is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. The inflammatory lipid mediator prostaglandin D₂ (PGD₂) and its rate-limiting enzyme, hematopoietic PGD synthase (hPGDS), are well-known drivers of allergic pulmonary inflammation. Here, we sought to investigate the source and role of hPGDS-derived PGD₂ in acute pulmonary inflammation. Murine bronchoalveolar monocytes/macrophages from LPS- but not OVA-induced lung inflammation released significant amounts of PGD₂. Accordingly, human monocyte-derived macrophages expressed high basal levels of hPGDS and released significant levels of PGD₂ after LPS/IFN-γ, but not IL-4 stimulation. Human peripheral blood monocytes secreted significantly more PGD₂ than monocyte-derived macrophages. Using human precision-cut lung slices (PCLS), we observed that LPS/IFN-γ but not IL-4/IL-13 drive PGD₂ production in the lung. HPGDS inhibition prevented LPS-induced PGD₂ release by human monocyte-derived macrophages and PCLS. As a result of hPGDS inhibition, less TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 could be determined in PCLS-conditioned medium. Collectively, this dataset reflects the time-dependent release of PGD₂ by human phagocytes, highlights the importance of monocytes and macrophages as PGD₂ sources and suggests that hPGDS inhibition might be a potential therapeutic option for acute, non-allergic lung inflammation.     

Alterations in Metabolome and Microbiome Associated with an Early Stress Stage in Male Wistar Rats: A Multi-Omics Approach

Stress disorders have dramatically increased in recent decades becoming the most prevalent psychiatric disorder in the United States and Europe. However, the diagnosis of stress disorders is currently based on symptom checklist and psychological questionnaires, thus making the identification of candidate biomarkers necessary to gain better insights into this pathology and its related metabolic alterations. Regarding the identification of potential biomarkers, omic profiling and metabolic footprint arise as promising approaches to recognize early biochemical changes in such disease and provide opportunities for the development of integrative candidate biomarkers. Here, we studied plasma and urine metabolites together with metagenomics in a 3 days Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (3d CUMS) animal approach that aims to focus on the early stress period of a well-established depression model. The multi-omics integration showed a profile composed by a signature of eight plasma metabolites, six urine metabolites and five microbes. Specifically, threonic acid, malic acid, alpha-ketoglutarate, succinic acid and cholesterol were proposed as key metabolites that could serve as key potential biomarkers in plasma metabolome of early stages of stress. Such findings targeted the threonic acid metabolism and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle as important pathways in early stress. Additionally, an increase in opportunistic microbes as virus of the Herpesvirales was observed in the microbiota as an effect of the primary stress stages. Our results provide an experimental biochemical characterization of the early stage of CUMS accompanied by a subsequent omic profiling and a metabolic footprinting that provide potential candidate biomarkers.     

Imbalances in TCA,Short Fatty Acids and One-Carbon Metabolisms as Important Features of Homeostatic Disruption Evidenced by a Multi-Omics Integrative Approach of LPS-Induced Chronic Inflammation in Male Wistar Rats

Chronic inflammation is an important risk factor in a broad variety of physical and mental disorders leading to highly prevalent non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, there is a need for a deeper understanding of this condition and its progression to the disease state. For this reason, it is important to define metabolic pathways and complementary biomarkers associated with homeostatic disruption in chronic inflammation. To achieve that, male Wistar rats were subjected to intraperitoneal and intermittent injections with saline solution or increasing lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentrations (0.5, 5 and 7.5 mg/kg) thrice a week for 31 days. Biochemical and inflammatory parameters were measured at the end of the study. To assess the omics profile, GC-qTOF and UHPLC-qTOF were performed to evaluate plasma metabolome; ¹H-NMR was used to evaluate urine metabolome; additionally, shotgun metagenomics sequencing was carried out to characterize the cecum microbiome. The chronicity of inflammation in the study was evaluated by the monitoring of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) during the different weeks of the experimental process. At the end of the study, together with the increased levels of MCP-1, levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) along with 8-isoprostanes (an indicative of oxidative stress) were significantly increased (p-value < 0.05). The leading features implicated in the current model were tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates (i.e., alpha-ketoglutarate, aconitic acid, malic acid, fumaric acid and succinic acid); lipids such as specific cholesterol esters (ChoEs), lysophospholipids (LPCs) and phosphatidylcholines (PCs); and glycine, as well as N, N-dimethylglycine, which are related to one-carbon (1C) metabolism. These metabolites point towards mitochondrial metabolism through TCA cycle, β-oxidation of fatty acids and 1C metabolism as interconnected pathways that could reveal the metabolic effects of chronic inflammation induced by LPS administration. These results provide deeper knowledge concerning the impact of chronic inflammation on the disruption of metabolic homeostasis.     

Development of Vanadium‐Coated Carbon Microspheres: Electrochemical Behavior as Electrodes for Supercapacitors

Vanadium‐coated carbon‐xerogel microspheres are successfully prepared by a specific designed sol–gel method, and their supercapacitor behavior is tested in a two‐electrode system. Nitrogen adsorption shows that these composite materials present a well‐developed micro‐ and mesoporous texture, which depends on the vanadium content in the final composite. A high dispersion of vanadium oxide on the carbon microsphere surface is reached, being the vanadium particle size around 4.5 nm. Moreover, low vanadium oxidation states are stabilized by the carbon matrix in the composites. The complete electrochemical characterization of the composites is carried out using cyclic voltammetry, chronopotentiometry, cycling charge–discharge, and impedance spectroscopy. The results show that these composites present high capacitance as 224 F g^?1, with a high capacitance retention which is explained on the basis of the presence of vanadium oxide, texture, and chemistry surface.     

Comparative study of the amine concentration in wines obtained from the traditional fermentation and from a more anaerobic fermentation method

Content of amines in wine is very variable. Its concentration depends on numerous factors such as raw materials, winemaking conditions, amino acid concentration in must… all these factors are usually interrelated and consequently it is difficult to know the individual action of each one of them. The new vinification method called Ganimede uses a deposit, which utilizes carbonic gas to achieve a more effective maceration of the skins; the conditions inside of the Ganimede tanks are more reductive than inside the conventional tanks. In this study a comparison was made of the amine concentration of wines from Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon musts using the traditional winemaking method (control method) and the Ganimede vinification method. From the results obtained it may be concluded that the Ganimede method produced a greater total concentration of biogenic amines than the conventional method. In general, the concentration of biogenic amines, such as histamine and tyramine, in all three varieties was higher in the wine made by the Ganimede method than in the wine made by the traditional method. These same results were also observed for the volatile amines whose total concentration was also higher in the wine obtained by the Ganimede method than in the control wine.