Survival of Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains in the upper gastrointestinal tract

In the present study six probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains were investigated for their ability to survive in the human upper gastrointestinal tract through a dynamic gastric model of digestion. MRS broth was used as delivery vehicle and survival was investigated during in vitro gastric and gastric plus duodenal digestion. Results highlighted that all tested strains showed good survival rate during both gastric and duodenal digestion. In particular, three strains exhibited a great survival showing a recovery percentage in the range between 117 and 276%. In agreement with survival data, high lactic acid production was detected for all strains, confirming their metabolic activity during digestion.     

Kinetic study on the thermal and pressure degradation of anthocyanins in strawberries

The degradation of anthocyanins (pelargonidin-3-glucoside) in a strawberry paste during high-temperature/high-pressure treatments was investigated over a temperature range of 80–130 °C and a pressure range of 200–700 MPa, compared to 0.1 MPa. A first-order kinetic model fitted well to all data. At constant pressure, anthocyanin concentration decreased as a function of time and the degradation was accelerated at higher temperatures. At constant temperature, anthocyanins were more rapidly degraded as the pressure increased, but the effect of increasing pressure was smaller than the effect of increasing temperature. Temperature dependence of the degradation rate constants, described by the Arrhenius equation, was higher at atmospheric pressure than at elevated pressures, where all activation energies were comparable. Activation volumes, estimated by the Eyring equation, demonstrated a small pressure dependence of the reaction rate constants. Finally, a model to describe the combined temperature–pressure dependence of the degradation rate constants was proposed.     

Model representation of secondary organic aerosol in CMAQv4.7

Numerous scientific upgrades to the representation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) are incorporated into the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system. Additions include several recently identified SOA precursors: benzene, isoprene, and sesquiterpenes; and pathways: in-cloud oxidation of glyoxal and methylglyoxal, particle-phase oligomerization, and acid enhancement of isoprene SOA. NO(x)-dependent aromatic SOA yields are also added along with new empirical measurements of the enthalpies of vaporization and organic mass-to-carbon ratios. For the first time, these SOA precursors, pathways and empirical parameters are included simultaneously in an air quality model for an annual simulation spanning the continental U.S. Comparisons of CMAQ-modeled secondary organic carbon (OC(sec)) with semiempirical estimates screened from 165 routine monitoring sites across the U.S. indicate the new SOA module substantially improves model performance. The most notable improvement occurs in the central and southeastern U.S. where the regionally averaged temporal correlations (r) between modeled and semiempirical OC(sec) increase from 0.5 to 0.8 and 0.3 to 0.8, respectively, when the new SOA module is employed. Wintertime OC(sec) results improve in all regions of the continental U.S. and the seasonal and regional patterns of biogenic SOA are better represented.     

Alterations of phospholipids in ischemic canine myocardium during acute arrhythmia

Myocardial ischemia was produced in the left ventricle of the canine heart by a Harris two-stage occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery. The lipid content in the ischemic myocardium was analyzed and compared with the control tissue. No significant change in total phospholipid and cholesterol was detected. A 2-fold elevation in the levels of the major lysophospholipids was observed during acute ventricular arrhythmias at 24hr after the onset of ischemia. Such increases were not caused by preferential hydrolysis of phospholipid plasmalogens from the parent phospholipids.     

A proof technique for communicating sequential processes

Summary Proof rules are presented for an extension of Hoare's Communicating Sequential Processes. The rules deal with total correctness; all programs terminate in the absence of deadlock. The commands send and receive are treated symmetrically, simplifying the rules and allowing send to appear in guards. Also given are sufficient conditions for showing that a program is deadlock-free. An extended example illustrates the use of the technique.This research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under grant MCS-7622360.     

Fungal pretreatment of wheat straw: Effects on the biodegradability of cell walls,structural polysaccharides,lignin and phenolic acids by rumen microorganisms

Disappearance of cell wall components of untreated straw and straw treated with the ligninolytic white-rot fungi Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Dichomitus squalens and Cyathus stercoreus were determined during the course of rumen digestion of samples in nylon bags. The first fungus degraded hemicelluloses and cellulose non-selectively, adversely affecting the digestion rate of crude cell walls. Dichomitus squalens and C. stercoreus preferentially degraded hemicelluloses and lignin, affording cell wall degradation rates 1.5 times higher than in native straw. Furthermore, the extent of cell wall digestion was also significantly enhanced. Both strains improved the extent of cellulose digestion, whereas the potentially degradable xylan fraction remained unchanged. Polysaccharide digestion rates were influenced in different ways depending on the strain tested: straw degraded by C. stercoreus showed an increase in cellulose digestion rate by 50%, whereas residual arabinose units were slowly degraded. Xylan was degraded 1.8 times faster in straw decayed' by D. squalens, while cellulose digestion remained unchanged. Phanerochaete chrysosporium depressed both xylan and cellulose digestion rates. Fungal-treated lignins were solubilised in the rumen faster than in untreated straw, whereas only treatment by C. stercoreus resulted in higher lignin losses. Esterified phenolic acids were extensively degraded by all three fungi. Residual ferulic and p-coumaric acids accumulated during rumen digestion, although only the former decreased in the original straw.     

Evaluation of two current approaches for the measurement of carbon dioxide diffusive fluxes from lentic ecosystems

The dry ice sowing experiment (DISE) consisted in adding dry ice to a lake and monitoring the subsequent evasion of carbon dioxide (CO2). DISE allowed us to evaluate two approaches commonly used for measuring aquatic CO2 diffusive fluxes: the boundary layer equation (BLE) from Cole and Caraco (1998) and a particular model of static chamber (SC). CO2 evasion measurements with both approaches were compared to CO2 mass budgets as a relative reference to define their recovery coefficients (p). p for the BLE and the SC over the whole measurement period were 101 +/- 14% and 115 +/- 56%, respectively. Results from discrete sampling intervals revealed that the BLE generally provided estimations in good agreement (80-130%) with the mass budgets during both daytime and nighttime. Variations in p for the BLE were related to wind speed and, consequently, piston velocity (k600). The SC overestimated CO2 evasion during daytime (149 +/- 39%), and underestimated it during nighttime (57 +/- 18%). Variations in p for the SC were related to k600, stemming mainly from the alteration of the air/ water temperature gradient.     

Adaptive growth responses of Listeria monocytogenes to acid and osmotic shifts above and across the growth boundaries

The effect of acid and osmotic shifts on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes was evaluated at 10°C. Two types of shifts were tested: (i) within the range of pH and water activity (a(w)) levels that allow growth of L. monocytogenes and (ii) after habituation at no-growth conditions back to growth-permitting conditions. A L. monocytogenes cheese isolate, with high survival capacity during cheesemaking, was inoculated (10(2) CFU/ml) in tryptic soy broth supplemented with 0.6% yeast extract at six pH levels (5.1 to 7.2; adjusted with lactic acid) and 0.5% NaCl (a(w) 0.995), or four a(w) levels (0.995 to 0.93, adjusted with 0.5 to 10.5% NaCl) at pH 7.2 and grown to early stationary phase. L. monocytogenes was then shifted (at 10(2) CFU/ml) to each of the aforementioned growth-permitting pH and a(w) levels and incubated at 10°C. Shifts from no-growth to growth-permitting conditions were carried out by transferring L. monocytogenes habituated at pH 4.9 or a(w) 0.90 (12.5% NaCl) for 1, 5, and 10 days to all pH and a(w) levels permitting growth. Reducing a(w) or pH at different levels in the range of 0.995 to 0.93 and 7.2 to 5.1, respectively, decreased the maximum specific growth rate of L. monocytogenes. The lag time of the organism increased with all osmotic downshifts, as well as by the reduction of pH to 5.1. Conversely, any type of shift within pH 5.5 to 7.2 did not markedly affect the lag times of L. monocytogenes. The longer the cells were incubated at no-growth a(w) (0.90), the faster they initiated growth subsequently, suggesting adaptation to osmotic stress. Conversely, extended habituation at pH 4.9 had the opposite effect on subsequent growth of L. monocytogenes, possibly due to cell injury. These results suggest that there is an adaptation or injury rate induced at conditions inhibiting the growth of the pathogen. Thus, quantifying adaptation phenomena under growth-limiting environments, such as in fermented dairy and meat products or products preserved in brine, is essential for reliable growth simulations of L monocytogenes during transportation and storage of foods.     

Ascorbic acid: a review of its chemistry and reactivity in relation to a wine environment

Extensive reviews of research are available on the use of ascorbic acid, and its consequent degradation pathways, in physiological conditions or food matrices. However, very little information can be found for wine-related systems. This review highlights the relevant chemistry and reactivity of ascorbic acid with a focus on its behavior and potential behavior in a wine environment. The review describes the use of ascorbic acid as a complementary antioxidant preservative to sulfur dioxide along with the metal-catalyzed and radical-dependent manner by which it achieves this role. The relevant degradation products of ascorbic acid in aerobic and anaerobic conditions are presented as well as the interaction of these degradation products with sulfur dioxide and other wine-relevant sulfur compounds. Limitations in existing knowledge, especially regarding the crossover between the antioxidant and pro-oxidant roles of ascorbic acid, are identified.