Metabolism of SO₂ binding compounds by Oenococcus oeni during and after malolactic fermentation in white wine

Sulfur dioxide SO? is the key additive for the preservation of wines. Carbonyl and keto compounds in wine can bind to SO? and decrease its efficacy, resulting in higher total SO? requirements. Increased consumer demand for low sulfite and organic wines pose production challenges if SO? binders have not been properly managed during vinification. Malolactic fermentation (MLF) has been known to reduce bound SO? levels but detailed time course studies are not available. In this work, the kinetics of major SO? binding compounds and malic acid were followed during MLF in wine with 12 commercially available strains of Oenococcus oeni. Pyruvic acid, acetaldehyde and α-ketoglutaric acid were degraded to various degrees by O. oeni, but galacturonic acid was not. At the time of malic acid depletion, percent degradation of pyruvate, α-ketoglutaric acid and acetaldehyde was 49%, 14% and 30%, respectively. During MLF, the decrease in average bound SO? levels, as calculated from carbonyl metabolism, was 22%. The largest reduction in wine carbonyl content occurred in the week after completion of MLF and was 53% (107 mg/L to 34 mg/L) calculated as bound SO?. Prolonged activity of bacteria in the wines (up to 3 weeks post malic acid depletion) resulted only in reduced additional reductions in bound SO? levels. The results suggest that microbiological wine stabilization one week after malic acid depletion is an effective strategy for maximum removal of SO? binders while reducing the risk of possible post-ML spoilage by O. oeni leading to the production acetic acid and biogenic amines.     

Synthesis and characterisation of porous polymer microneedles

This paper presents a study on the synthesis of porous polymers with an application to microneedles. A range of Poly (ethylene glycol-co-methacrylic acid) polymers are synthesised using bulk polymerisation techniques to produce porous polymers with various strength and fluid transport characteristics. The synthesised materials are morphologically and mechanically characterised. Using different porogens in the polymer synthesis results in different mechanical strength and fluid flow characteristics. The results indicate that the fluid flow characteristics of the polymers can be sacrificed to improve strength. Optimum polymer strength can be attained by synthesising polymers with macropores that are interconnected via nanopores using the minimum amount of porogenic solvents.     

Crystallization of Zirconium-Rich PLZT Thin Films Below 500°C

The general problem of processing zirconium-rich lead-lanthanum-zirconate-titanate (PLZT) thin films at the commonly used temperatures between 600 and 650 C is lead-oxide loss, leading to the formation of a non-ferroelectric, surface pyrochlore-type phase. To avoid lead-oxide losses due to sublimation and/or the interaction of the film with the substrate, it is desirable that the annealing temperatures are as low as possible. Our goal was to study and prepare perovskite PLZT 9.5/65/35 (Pb 0.858 La 0.095 Zr 0.65 Ti 0.35 O 3 ) thin films below 500 C. At 400 C the growth of the perovskite phase follows the parabolic law typical of diffusion controlled processes. During prolonged annealing growth continues until the limiting stoichiometry of the perovskite phase with regard to the PbO is reached. We conclude that, even at this low temperature the amount of PbO in the film is the critical factor in the crystallization of the perovskite phase.     

TGFβ-Treated Placenta-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Selectively Promote Anti-Adipogenesis in Thyroid-Associated Ophthalmopathy

Orbital fibroblasts (OFs) in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) are differentiated from pre-adipocytes and mature adipocytes; increased lipid and fat expansion are the major characteristics of ophthalmic manifestations. Human placental mesenchymal stem cells (hPMSCs) were reported to immunomodulate pathogenesis and suppress adipogenesis in TAO OFs. Here, we prepared transforming growth factor β (TGFβ, 20 ng/mL)-treated hPMSCs (TGFβ-hPMSCs) in order to enhance anti-adipogenic effects in vitro and in TAO mice. TAO OFs were grown in a differentiation medium and then co-cultured with hPMSCs or TGFβ-hPMSCs. TAO OFs were analyzed via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Oil red O staining, and western blotting. The results showed that TGFβ-hPMSCs reduced the expression of adipogenic, lipogenic, and fibrotic genes better than hPMSCs in TAO OFs. Moreover, the adipose area decreased more in TAO mice injected with TGFβ-hPMSCs compared to those injected with hPMSCs or a steroid. Further, TGFβ-hPMSCs inhibited inflammation as effectively as a steroid. In conclusion, TGFβ-hPMSCs suppressed adipogenesis and lipogenesis in vitro and in TAO mice, and the effects were mediated by the SMAD 2/3 pathways. Furthermore, TGFβ-hPMSCs exhibited anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic functions, which suggests that they could be a new and safe method to promote the anti-adipogenic function of hPMSCs to treat TAO patients.     

Modular Coiled Flow Inverter with Narrow Residence Time Distribution for Process Development and Production

The ideal plug flow reactor is a common model with narrow residence time distribution in reaction engineering. This contribution explains a design strategy of a coiled flow inverter (CFI) with narrow residence time and flexible adjustable process conditions. The design space diagram illustrates the design limits of inner diameter and coil diameter on the base of dimensionless numbers. Standard coil tube diameters allow for rational design of a limited number of devices. The reactor performance diagram enables the facile scale‐up and adaption of new process conditions with the CFI with economic boundary conditions.     

Fodrin inhibits phospholipases A2, C, and D by decreasing polyphosphoinositide cell content

We evaluated the effect of adjunctive healing measures on central tears of the adult goat medial meniscus and the role of magnetic resonance arthrography in the assessment of menisci that have undergone a repair. Peripheral tears were made unilaterally in the medial menisci of seven goats in Group I and repaired with nonabsorbable suture. Six Group II goats had central medial meniscal tears repaired as in Group I plus an exogenous fibrin clot. Eight Group III goats had central tears plus abrasion of the parameniscal synovium and tear edges. Six months after surgery, a magnetic resonance imaging scan and a magnetic resonance arthrogram were obtained and the menisci were examined grossly. Group I goats showed healing in all seven knees. Central tears repaired with a fibrin clot (Group II) showed healing in one of six knees (17%). Central tears repaired with abrasion (Group III) showed healing in seven of eight knees (87.5%). Magnetic resonance arthrography was 100% accurate in detecting the presence or absence of complete residual tears. This study supports the current trend of using adjunctive measures for repair of central tears. Furthermore, abrasion of the parameniscal synovium and the tear edges appears to be more effective than the use of an exogenous fibrin clot. Magnetic resonance arthrography is useful in the evaluation of menisci that have undergone repair.     

Design and integration of a graphic interface for an expert system in oncology

We describe a graphic user interface for an expert system in oncology. The main objectives of our work has been to facilitate the adaptation of the system to different clinical environments and potentiate the factors which more directly determine the acceptance of the system by its users. We present the design principles derived from the features of the clinical domain chosen and from the objectives of the system. These principles are reflected on the design of the screen and of the interaction and in the style of integration of the interface with the other components of the system. Underlying the application we describe is a graphic user interface management system which provides facilities for the fast prototyping and integration of interfaces. We describe here those features of this tool which make the practical application of the design principles we consider possible.     

A reexamination of the role of nonhypnotic suggestibility in hypnotic responding.

An alcohol-placebo paradigm was used to measure individual differences in the tendency to have directly suggested, as well as unsuggested, alterations in experience. Using the spectral analytic technique of C. G. Balthazard and E. Z. Woody (see record 1992-22396-001), such alterations in experience were found to be differentially correlated with the easiest items of the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A. The results indicated that easy hypnotic performances depend on some kind of social suggestibility not unique to hypnosis, and this factor becomes less important as the difficulty of the hypnotic performances increases. The results may also shed light on hypnotic sequelae, context effects, and two-component models of hypnotic performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)