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Sample records for sorbitol-fermenting sf enterohemorrhagic

  1. Sorbitol-Fermenting Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H- Isolates from Czech Patients with Novel Plasmid Composition Not Previously Seen in German Isolates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauwens, Andreas; Marejková, Monika; Middendorf-Bauchart, Barbara; Prager, Rita; Kossow, Annelene; Zhang, Wenlan; Karch, Helge; Mellmann, Alexander; Bielaszewska, Martina

    2017-12-01

    Sorbitol-fermenting (SF) enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H - strains, first identified in Germany, have emerged as important pathogens throughout Europe. Besides chromosomally encoded Shiga toxin 2a (the major virulence factor), several putative virulence loci, including the hly , etp , and sfp operons, encoding EHEC hemolysin, type II secretion system proteins, and Sfp fimbriae, respectively, are located on the 121-kb plasmid pSFO157 in German strains. Here we report novel SF EHEC O157:H - strains isolated from patients in the Czech Republic. These strains share the core genomes and chromosomal virulence loci encoding toxins ( stx 2a and the cdtV -ABC operon) and adhesins ( eae -γ, efa1 , lpfA O157OI-141 , and lpfA O157OI-154 ) with German strains but differ essentially in their plasmids. In contrast to all previously detected SF EHEC O157:H - strains, the Czech strains carry two plasmids, of 79 kb and 86 kb. The 79-kb plasmid harbors the sfp operon, but neither of the plasmids contains the hly and etp operons. Sequence analyses demonstrated that the 79-kb plasmid (pSFO157 258/98-1) evolved from pSFO157 of German strains by deletion of a 41,534-bp region via homologous recombination, resulting in loss of the hly and etp operons. The 86-kb plasmid (pSFO157 258/98-2) displays 98% sequence similarity to a 92.7-kb plasmid of an extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli bloodstream isolate. Our finding of this novel plasmid composition in SF EHEC O157:H - strains extends the evolutionary history of EHEC O157 plasmids. Moreover, the unique molecular plasmid characteristics permit the identification of such strains, thereby facilitating further investigations of their geographic distribution, clinical significance, and epidemiology. IMPORTANCE Since their first identification in Germany in 1989, sorbitol-fermenting enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H - (nonmotile) strains have emerged as important causes of the life-threatening disease hemolytic

  2. Sorbitol-Fermenting Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H− Isolates from Czech Patients with Novel Plasmid Composition Not Previously Seen in German Isolates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauwens, Andreas; Marejková, Monika; Middendorf-Bauchart, Barbara; Prager, Rita; Kossow, Annelene; Zhang, Wenlan; Karch, Helge

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Sorbitol-fermenting (SF) enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H− strains, first identified in Germany, have emerged as important pathogens throughout Europe. Besides chromosomally encoded Shiga toxin 2a (the major virulence factor), several putative virulence loci, including the hly, etp, and sfp operons, encoding EHEC hemolysin, type II secretion system proteins, and Sfp fimbriae, respectively, are located on the 121-kb plasmid pSFO157 in German strains. Here we report novel SF EHEC O157:H− strains isolated from patients in the Czech Republic. These strains share the core genomes and chromosomal virulence loci encoding toxins (stx2a and the cdtV-ABC operon) and adhesins (eae-γ, efa1, lpfAO157OI-141, and lpfAO157OI-154) with German strains but differ essentially in their plasmids. In contrast to all previously detected SF EHEC O157:H− strains, the Czech strains carry two plasmids, of 79 kb and 86 kb. The 79-kb plasmid harbors the sfp operon, but neither of the plasmids contains the hly and etp operons. Sequence analyses demonstrated that the 79-kb plasmid (pSFO157 258/98-1) evolved from pSFO157 of German strains by deletion of a 41,534-bp region via homologous recombination, resulting in loss of the hly and etp operons. The 86-kb plasmid (pSFO157 258/98-2) displays 98% sequence similarity to a 92.7-kb plasmid of an extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli bloodstream isolate. Our finding of this novel plasmid composition in SF EHEC O157:H− strains extends the evolutionary history of EHEC O157 plasmids. Moreover, the unique molecular plasmid characteristics permit the identification of such strains, thereby facilitating further investigations of their geographic distribution, clinical significance, and epidemiology. IMPORTANCE Since their first identification in Germany in 1989, sorbitol-fermenting enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H− (nonmotile) strains have emerged as important causes of the life-threatening disease hemolytic

  3. Distribution of the urease gene cluster among and urease activities of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 isolates from humans

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Friedrich, Alexander W; Köck, Robin; Bielaszewska, Martina; Zhang, Wenlan; Karch, Helge; Mathys, Werner

    Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157 strains belong to two closely related major groups, which are differentiated by their sorbitol fermentation phenotypes. Here we studied the conservation of urease genes and their expression in sorbitol-fermenting (SF) and non-SF EHEC O157 isolates. PCR

  4. Enhanced Sorbitol Production under Submerged Fermentation using Lactobacillus plantarum

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    Khan Nadiya Jan

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objective: Sorbitol is a non-toxic and slightly hygroscopic compound with different applications. Zymomonas mobiles produces sorbitol from sucrose or mixtures of glucose and fructose (formation is coupled with the dehydrogenation of glucose to glucono-δ- lactone. Recombinant Zymomonas mobilis may produce sorbitol and gluconic acid from glucose and fructose using different divalent metal ions with reduced the ethanol yield andsignificantly increased yield of sorbitol. Current study envisaged to alter the media components, physical process parameters and supplementation of amino acids for enhanced sorbitol production.Material and Methods: Several process variables were evaluated on sorbitol production including carbon sources (glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose, carbon concentrations (5, 10, 20 and 25 g l-1, nitrogen sources (peptone, tryptone, yeast extract, beef extract and organic nitrogen mix, temperatures (25, 29, 33, 37, 41°C, pH (6, 6.5, 7 , 7.5 ,8, agitation rate (50, 100, 150, 200 rpm and amino acids (cysteine, cystine, tryptophanin batch cultivation ofLactobacillus plantarum NCIM 2912. Shake flask cultivation performed under optimum conditions like temperature 37°C, pH 7.0 and agitation rate of 150 rpm, resulted in enhanced sorbitol production. Comparative study of sorbitol production in solid state fermentation and submerged fermentation was also evaluated.Results and Conclusion: Batch cultivation under submerged conditions further performed in 7.5-l lab scale bioreactor (working volume 3.0-l under optimized conditions resulted in maximum cell biomass of 8.95±0.03 g g-1 and a sorbitol content of 9.78±0.04 g l-1 after 42.0 h of fermentation. Scale up study on bioreactor resulted in maximum sorbitol yield (Yp/x and productivity of 1.11 g g-1 and 0.50 g l-1 h under submerged fermentation, respectively.Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

  5. Temperature-Dependent Fermentation of d-Sorbitol in Escherichia coli O157:H7

    OpenAIRE

    Bouvet, O. M. M.; Pernoud, S.; Grimont, P. A. D.

    1999-01-01

    The influence of growth temperature on the ability to ferment d-sorbitol was investigated in Escherichia coli O157:H7. It was found that O157:H7 strains have a temperature-sensitive sorbitol phenotype. d-Sorbitol transport and sorbitol-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities were expressed in sorbitol-fermenting cells grown at 30°C but only at a low level at 40°C. Sorbitol-positive variants able to transport d-sorbitol were easily selected at 30°C from culture of Sor− E. coli O157:H7 strains.

  6. Severe Outbreak of Sorbitol-Fermenting Escherichia coli O157 via Unpasteurized Milk and Farm Visits, Finland 2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaakkonen, A; Salmenlinna, S; Rimhanen-Finne, R; Lundström, H; Heinikainen, S; Hakkinen, M; Hallanvuo, S

    2017-09-01

    Shiga toxin-producing, sorbitol-fermenting Escherichia coli O157 (SF O157) has emerged as a cause of severe human illness. Despite frequent human findings, its transmission routes and reservoirs remain largely unknown. Foodborne transmission and reservoir in cattle have been suspected, but with limited supporting evidence. This study describes the outbreak of SF O157 that occurred in Finland in 2012. The outbreak originated from a recreational farm selling unpasteurized milk, as revealed by epidemiologic and microbiological investigations, and involved six hospitalized children and two asymptomatic adults with culture-confirmed infection. An identical strain of SF O157 was isolated from patients, cattle and the farm environment, and epidemiologic analysis suggested unpasteurized milk as the vehicle of transmission. This study reports the first milkborne outbreak of SF O157, provides supporting evidence of cattle as a reservoir and highlights the health risks related to the consumption of unpasteurized milk. © 2017 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health Published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  7. Proteins involved in difference of sorbitol fermentation rates of the toxigenic and nontoxigenic Vibrio cholerae El Tor strains revealed by comparative proteome analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-01-01

    Background The nontoxigenic V. cholerae El Tor strains ferment sorbitol faster than the toxigenic strains, hence fast-fermenting and slow-fermenting strains are defined by sorbitol fermentation test. This test has been used for more than 40 years in cholera surveillance and strain analysis in China. Understanding of the mechanisms of sorbitol metabolism of the toxigenic and nontoxigenic strains may help to explore the genome and metabolism divergence in these strains. Here we used comparative proteomic analysis to find the proteins which may be involved in such metabolic difference. Results We found the production of formate and lactic acid in the sorbitol fermentation medium of the nontoxigenic strain was earlier than of the toxigenic strain. We compared the protein expression profiles of the toxigenic strain N16961 and nontoxigenic strain JS32 cultured in sorbitol fermentation medium, by using fructose fermentation medium as the control. Seventy-three differential protein spots were found and further identified by MALDI-MS. The difference of product of fructose-specific IIA/FPR component gene and mannitol-1-P dehydrogenase, may be involved in the difference of sorbitol transportation and dehydrogenation in the sorbitol fast- and slow-fermenting strains. The difference of the relative transcription levels of pyruvate formate-lyase to pyruvate dehydrogenase between the toxigenic and nontoxigenic strains may be also responsible for the time and ability difference of formate production between these strains. Conclusion Multiple factors involved in different metabolism steps may affect the sorbitol fermentation in the toxigenic and nontoxigenic strains of V. cholerae El Tor. PMID:19589152

  8. Foodborne transmission of sorbitol-fermenting Escherichia coli O157:[H7] via ground beef: an outbreak in northern France, 2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, L A; Loukiadis, E; Mariani-Kurkdjian, P; Haeghebaert, S; Weill, F-X; Baliere, C; Ganet, S; Gouali, M; Vaillant, V; Pihier, N; Callon, H; Novo, R; Gaillot, O; Thevenot-Sergentet, D; Bingen, E; Chaud, P; de Valk, H

    2014-12-01

    Sorbitol-fermenting Escherichia coli O157:[H7] is a particularly virulent clone of E. coli O157:H7 associated with a higher incidence of haemolytic uraemic syndrome and a higher case fatality rate. Many fundamental aspects of its epidemiology remain to be elucidated, including its reservoir and transmission routes and vehicles. We describe an outbreak of sorbitol-fermenting E. coli O157:[H7] that occurred in France in 2011. Eighteen cases of paediatric haemolytic uraemic syndrome with symptom onset between 6 June and 15 July 2011 were identified among children aged 6 months to 10 years residing in northern France. A strain of sorbitol-fermenting E. coli O157:[H7] stx2a eae was isolated from ten cases. Epidemiological, microbiological and trace-back investigations identified multiply-contaminated frozen ground beef products bought in a supermarket chain as the outbreak vehicle. Strains with three distinct pulsotypes that were isolated from patients, ground beef preparations recovered from patients' freezers and from stored production samples taken at the production plant were indistinguishable upon molecular comparison. This investigation documents microbiologically confirmed foodborne transmission of sorbitol-fermenting of E. coli O157 via beef and could additionally provide evidence of a reservoir in cattle for this pathogen. © 2014 The Authors Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2014 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

  9. Molecular Characterization of Human Atypical Sorbitol-Fermenting Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O157 Reveals High Diversity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kossow, Annelene; Zhang, Wenlan; Bielaszewska, Martina; Rhode, Sophie; Hansen, Kevin; Fruth, Angelika; Rüter, Christian; Karch, Helge; Mellmann, Alexander

    2016-05-01

    Alongside the well-characterized enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7, serogroup O157 comprises sorbitol-fermenting typical and atypical enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC/aEPEC) strains that carry the intimin-encoding gene eae but not Shiga toxin-encoding genes (stx). Since little is known about these pathogens, we characterized 30 clinical isolates from patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) or uncomplicated diarrhea with respect to their flagellin gene (fliC) type and multilocus sequence type (MLST). Moreover, we applied whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to determine the phylogenetic relationship with other eae-positive EHEC serotypes and the composition of the rfbO157 region. fliC typing resulted in five fliC types (H7, H16, H34, H39, and H45). Isolates of each fliC type shared a unique ST. In comparison to the 42 HUS-associated E. coli (HUSEC) strains, only the stx-negative isolates with fliCH7 shared their ST with EHEC O157:H7/H(-) strains. With the exception of one O157:H(-) fliCH16 isolate, HUS was exclusively associated with fliCH7. WGS corroborated the separation of the fliCH7 isolates, which were closely related to the EHEC O157:H7/H(-) isolates, and the diverse group of isolates exhibiting different fliC types, indicating independent evolution of the different serotypes. This was also supported by the heterogeneity within the rfbO157 region that exhibited extensive recombinations. The genotypic subtypes and distribution of clinical symptoms suggested that the stx-negative O157 strains with fliCH7 were originally EHEC strains that lost stx The remaining isolates form a distinct and diverse group of atypical EPEC isolates that do not possess the full spectrum of virulence genes, underlining the importance of identifying the H antigen for clinical risk assessment. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  10. Peranan sorbitol dalam mempertahankan kestabilan pH saliva pada proses pencegahan karies (The role of sorbitol in maintaining saliva’s pH to prevent caries process

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    Diana Soesilo

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available People in Indonesia often consume food containing sucrose. If the sucrose consumed is in a large amount, it will decrease saliva’s pH and soon teeth destruction will happen. To avoid it, it is necessary to change sucrose consumption habit into another kind of sugar, namely sorbitol. Sorbitol is preferred to use, because it is cheaper and easier to get. Sorbitol is made from cassava, which is plentifully grown in Indonesia. Sorbitol is not good media for bacteria to grow. Because sorbitol has a diol, so it’s difficult to catalyst by glucosyltransferase enzyme, which is produced by bacteria Streptococcus mutans. The conclusion is that sorbitol is difficult to be fermented by Streptococcus mutans so it will not decrease saliva’s pH.

  11. Fructose production by Zymomonas mobilis in fed-batch culture with minimal sorbitol formation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Edye, L A; Johns, M R; Ewings, K N

    1989-08-01

    Fed-batch cultures of Zymomonas mobilis (UQM 2864), a mutant unable to metabolise fructose, grown on diluted sugar cane syrup (200 g/l sucrose) achieved yields of 90.5 g/l fructose and 48.3 g/l ethanol with minimal sorbitol formation and complete utilization of the substrate. The effect of inoculum size on sorbitol formation in the batch stage of fed-batch fermentation are reported. Fermentation of sucrose (350 g/l) supplemented with nutrients yielded 142 g/l fructose and 76.5 g/l ethanol. Some fructose product loss at high fructose concentrations was observed. The fed-batch fermentation process offers a method for obtaining high concentrations of fructose and ethanol from sucrose materials. (orig.).

  12. Stability of midazolam in syrspend SF and syrspend SF cherry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geiger, Christine M; Sorenson, Bridget; Whaley, Paul A

    2013-01-01

    Midazolam is a short-acting benzodiazepine central nervous system depressant available as an injection, tablet, or oral syrup. The need for alternative dosage form options for patients unable to take tablets and shortages of other forms of the drug have led compounding pharmacies to seek alternatives, mainly solutions and suspensions. Additionally, some patients are unable to use suspending agents containing alcohol or sorbitol. The objective of this study was to determine the stability of midazolam in sorbitol-free, alcohol-free SyrSpend SF and SyrSpend SF Cherry suspending agents. The studied samples were compounded into a 1-mg/mL suspension and stored in low-actinic plastic bottles at temperatures between 2 degrees C to 8 degrees C and at room temperature conditions. Six samples were assayed at each time point out to 58 days by a stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography method. The method was validated for its specificity through forced-degradation studies. The samples remained within 90% to 110% of the initial concentration throughout the course of the study. Based on the data collected, the beyond-use date of these preparations is at least 58 days when protected from light at both refrigerated and room temperature storage conditions.

  13. Prevalence of sorbitol non-fermenting Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in Black Bengal goats on smallholdings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das Gupta, M; Das, A; Islam, M Z; Biswas, P K

    2016-09-01

    A cross-sectional survey was carried out in Bangladesh with the sampling of 514 Black Bengal goats on smallholdings to determine the presence of sorbitol non-fermenting (SNF) Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Swab samples collected from the recto-anal junction were plated onto cefixime and potassium tellurite added sorbitol MacConkey (CT-SMAC) agar, a selective medium for STEC O157 serogroup, where this serogroup and other SNF STEC produce colourless colonies. The SNF E. coli (SNF EC) isolates obtained from the survey were investigated by PCR for the presence of Shiga toxin-producing genes, stx1 and stx2, and two other virulence genes, eae and hlyA that code for adherence factor (intimin protein) and pore-forming cytolysin, respectively. The SNF EC isolates were also assessed for the presence of the rfbO157 gene to verify their identity to O157 serogroup. The results revealed that the proportions of goats carrying SNF EC isolates and stx1 and stx2 genes were 6·2% (32/514) [95% confidence interval (CI) 4·4-8·7)], 1·2% (95% CI 0·5-2·6) and 1·2% (95% CI 0·5-2·6), respectively. All the SNF STEC tested negative for rfbO157, hlyA and eae genes. The risk for transmission of STEC from Black Bengal goats to humans is low.

  14. Fed-batch methanol feeding strategy for recombinant protein production by Pichia pastoris in the presence of co-substrate sorbitol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Celik, Eda; Calik, Pinar; Oliver, Stephen G

    2009-09-01

    Batch-wise sorbitol addition as a co-substrate at the induction phase of methanol fed-batch fermentation by Pichia pastoris (Mut(+)) was proposed as a beneficial recombinant protein production strategy and the metabolic responses to methanol feeding rate in the presence of sorbitol was systematically investigated. Adding sorbitol batch-wise to the medium provided the following advantages over growth on methanol alone: (a) eliminating the long lag-phase for the cells and reaching 'high cell density production' at t = 24 h of the process (C(X) = 70 g CDW/l); (b) achieving 1.8-fold higher recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) (at t = 18 h); (c) reducing specific protease production 1.2-fold; (d) eliminating the lactic acid build-up period; (e) lowering the oxygen uptake rate two-fold; and (f) obtaining 1.4-fold higher overall yield coefficients. The maximum specific alcohol oxidase activity was not affected in the presence of sorbitol, and it was observed that sorbitol and methanol were utilized simultaneously. Thus, in the presence of sorbitol, 130 mg/l rHuEPO was produced at t = 24 h, compared to 80 mg/l rHuEPO (t = 24 h) on methanol alone. This work demonstrates not only the ease and efficiency of incorporating sorbitol to fermentations by Mut(+) strains of P. pastoris for the production of any bio-product, but also provides new insights into the metabolism of the methylotrophic yeast P. pastoris.

  15. Viability of L. casei during fermentation in soymilk and freeze-dried soymilk; effect of cryoprotectant, rehydration and storage temperature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristina Mladenovska

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the work was to investigate the behaviour of L. casei and the effect of sorbitol on its viability during fermentation in soymilk drink. Values for pH, ranging from 6.82 to 3.42 in the soymilk drink without sorbitol and from 6.74 to 3.41 in the drink with sorbitol were noted during 72 h of fermentation at 25oC. The corresponding values for titratable acidity ranged from 0.071% to 0.758% and from 0.073% to 0.761%, respectively. Soymilk was found to support the growth of L. casei with improvement in viability for 0.24 log at the end of fermentation when sorbitol was added. Survival of L. casei and the effectiveness of sorbitol in improving viability during freeze-drying, subsequent rehydration and during a 5-week period of storage under different temperatures were also investigated. After freeze-drying, L. casei exhibited a survival percent of approximately 46%. Sorbitol improved the viability of L. casei by 0.51 log immediately after freeze-drying and by 1.30 log and 0.47 log during five weeks of storage at 25oC and 4oC, respectively. Further study revealed that the freeze-dried fermented soymilk rehydrated at 45oC was optimum for the recovery of L. casei with improvement in recovery for 0.68 log when sorbitol was added. A higher percent of survival was noted when the dried soymilk was stored at 4oC than at 25oC with improved viability at the end of 5 weeks storage for approximately 6 log for drinks with and without sorbitol. Fermented dried soymilk with sorbitol afforded significant tolerance of L. casei to acid stress. Generally, a stable probiotic diary product was prepared in which the concentration of L. casei remained above therapeutic level of 107 cfu/ml.

  16. The effects of potassium and chloride ions on the ethanolic fermentation of sucrose by Zymomonas mobilis 2716

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kirk, L A; Doelle, H W [Queensland Univ., Brisbane (Australia). Dept. of Microbiology

    1992-04-01

    The inclusion of specific salts in Zymomonas mobilis batch sucrose fermentations can limit by-product formation. Sorbitol and fructo-oligosaccharide formation can be reduced and ethanol production enhanced by manipulating mineral salt concentrations. Chloride salts reduced the production of biomass and sorbitol in favour of fructo-obligosaccharide formation at concentrations lower than 10 g NaCl/l or MgCl{sub 2}. Higher concentrations led to the accumulation of glucose and fructose. Low concentrations of KH{sub 2}PO{sub 4} (<20 g/l) enhanced biomass formation, and the concomitant reduction in sorbitol and fructo-obligosaccharides favoured enhanced ethanol formation. At concentrations above 20 g/l, its effects were similar to those obtained with the chloride salts. Invertase addition at the start of fermentation increased sorbitol formation, whereas addition after the completion of sucrose hydrolysis resulted in the conversion of fructo-obligosaccharides formed into fructose or ethanol. Fermentation with 250 g/l of sugar-cane syrup (=130 g sucrose/l) in the presence of 8 g KH{sub 2}PO{sub 4}/l, with 0.05 g invertase/l added on the completion of sucrose hydrolysis, resulted in a conversion efficiency of 94% with complete carbon accountability, and only 7 g sorbitol/l. (orig.).

  17. Enhanced production of L-sorbose from D-sorbitol by improving the mRNA abundance of sorbitol dehydrogenase in Gluconobacter oxydans WSH-003.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Sha; Wang, Xiaobei; Du, Guocheng; Zhou, Jingwen; Chen, Jian

    2014-10-18

    Production of L-sorbose from D-sorbitol by Gluconobacter oxydans is the first step to produce L-ascorbic acid on industrial scale. The sldhAB gene, which encodes the sorbitol dehydrogenase (SLDH), was overexpressed in an industrial strain G. oxydans WSH-003 with a strong promoter, P tufB . To enhance the mRNA abundance, a series of artificial poly(A/T) tails were added to the 3'-terminal of sldhAB gene. Besides, their role in sldhAB overexpression and their subsequent effects on L-sorbose production were investigated. The mRNA abundance of the sldhAB gene could be enhanced in G. oxydans by suitable poly(A/T) tails. By self-overexpressing the sldhAB gene in G. oxydans WSH-003 with an optimal poly(A/T) tail under the constitutive promoter P tufB , the titer and the productivity of L-sorbose were enhanced by 36.3% and 25.0%, respectively, in a 1-L fermenter. Immobilization of G. oxydans-sldhAB6 cells further improved the L-sorbose titer by 33.7% after 20 days of semi-continuous fed-batch fermentation. The artificial poly(A/T) tails could significantly enhance the mRNA abundance of the sldhAB. Immobilized G. oxydans-sldhAB6 cells could further enlarge the positive effect caused by enhanced mRNA abundance of the sldhAB.

  18. Sorbitol Can Fuel Mouse Sperm Motility and Protein Tyrosine Phosphorylation via Sorbitol Dehydrogenase1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Wenlei; Aghajanian, Haig K.; Haig-Ladewig, Lisa A.; Gerton, George L.

    2008-01-01

    Energy sources that can be metabolized to yield ATP are essential for normal sperm functions such as motility. Two major monosaccharides, sorbitol and fructose, are present in semen. Furthermore, sorbitol dehydrogenase (SORD) can convert sorbitol to fructose, which can then be metabolized via the glycolytic pathway in sperm to make ATP. Here we characterize Sord mRNA and SORD expression during mouse spermatogenesis and examine the ability of sorbitol to support epididymal sperm motility and tyrosine phosphorylation. Sord mRNA levels increased during the course of spermatogenic differentiation. SORD protein, however, was first detected at the condensing spermatid stage. By indirect immunofluorescence, SORD was present along the length of the flagella of caudal epididymal sperm. Furthermore, immunoelectron microscopy showed that SORD was associated with mitochondria and the plasma membranes of sperm. Sperm incubated with sorbitol maintained motility, indicating that sorbitol was utilized as an energy source. Sorbitol, as well as glucose and fructose, were not essential to induce hyperactive motility. Protein tyrosine phosphorylation increased in a similar manner when sorbitol was substituted for glucose in the incubation medium used for sperm capacitation. These results indicate that sorbitol can serve as an alternative energy source for sperm motility and protein tyrosine phosphorylation. PMID:18799757

  19. Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 in milk and dairy products from Libya: Isolation and molecular identification by partial sequencing of 16S rDNA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aboubaker M. Garbaj

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Aim: The aim of this work was to isolate and molecularly identify enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC O157 in milk and dairy products in Libya, in addition; to clear the accuracy of cultural and biochemical identification as compared with molecular identification by partial sequencing of 16S rDNA for the existing isolates. Materials and Methods: A total of 108 samples of raw milk (cow, she-camel, and goat and locally made dairy products (fermented cow’s milk, Maasora, Ricotta and ice cream were collected from some regions (Janzour, Tripoli, Kremiya, Tajoura and Tobruk in Libya. Samples were subjected to microbiological analysis for isolation of E. coli that was detected by conventional cultural and molecular method using polymerase chain reaction and partial sequencing of 16S rDNA. Results: Out of 108 samples, only 27 isolates were found to be EHEC O157 based on their cultural characteristics (Tellurite-Cefixime-Sorbitol MacConkey that include 3 isolates from cow’s milk (11%, 3 isolates from she-camel’s milk (11%, two isolates from goat’s milk (7.4% and 7 isolates from fermented raw milk samples (26%, isolates from fresh locally made soft cheeses (Maasora and Ricotta were 9 (33% and 3 (11%, respectively, while none of the ice cream samples revealed any growth. However, out of these 27 isolates, only 11 were confirmed to be E. coli by partial sequencing of 16S rDNA and E. coli O157 Latex agglutination test. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that majority of local E. coli isolates were related to E. coli O157:H7 FRIK944 strain. Conclusion: These results can be used for further studies on EHEC O157 as an emerging foodborne pathogen and its role in human infection in Libya.

  20. 21 CFR 184.1835 - Sorbitol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Sorbitol. 184.1835 Section 184.1835 Food and Drugs... Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 184.1835 Sorbitol. (a) Sorbitol is the chemical 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexanehexol.... Sorbitol is produced by the electrolytic reduction, or the transition metal catalytic hydrogenation of...

  1. Lipase-Catalyzed Production of 6-O-cinnamoyl-sorbitol from D-sorbitol and Cinnamic Acid Esters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jung-Ho; Bhatia, Shashi Kant; Yoo, Dongwon; Seo, Hyung Min; Yi, Da-Hye; Kim, Hyun Joong; Lee, Ju Hee; Choi, Kwon-Young; Kim, Kwang Jin; Lee, Yoo Kyung; Yang, Yung-Hun

    2015-05-01

    To overcome the poor properties of solubility and stability of cinnamic acid, cinnamate derivatives with sugar alcohols were produced using the immobilized Candida antarctica lipase with vinyl cinnamate and D-sorbitol as substrate at 45 °C. Immobilized C. antarctica lipase was found to synthesize 6-O-cinnamoyl-sorbitol and confirmed by HPLC and (1)H-NMR and had a preference for vinyl cinnamate over other esters such as allyl-, ethyl-, and isobutyl cinnamate as co-substrate with D-sorbitol. Contrary to D-sorbitol, vinyl cinnamate, and cinnamic acid, the final product 6-O-cinnamoyl-sorbitol was found to have radical scavenging activity. This would be the first report on the biosynthesis of 6-O-cinnamoyl-sorbitol with immobilized enzyme from C. antarctica.

  2. Sorbitol Can Fuel Mouse Sperm Motility and Protein Tyrosine Phosphorylation via Sorbitol Dehydrogenase1

    OpenAIRE

    Cao, Wenlei; Aghajanian, Haig K.; Haig-Ladewig, Lisa A.; Gerton, George L.

    2009-01-01

    Energy sources that can be metabolized to yield ATP are essential for normal sperm functions such as motility. Two major monosaccharides, sorbitol and fructose, are present in semen. Furthermore, sorbitol dehydrogenase (SORD) can convert sorbitol to fructose, which can then be metabolized via the glycolytic pathway in sperm to make ATP. Here we characterize Sord mRNA and SORD expression during mouse spermatogenesis and examine the ability of sorbitol to support epididymal sperm motility and t...

  3. Viability of L. casei during fermentation in soymilk and freeze-dried soymilk; effect of cryoprotectant, rehydration and storage temperature

    OpenAIRE

    Kristina Mladenovska; Tanja Petreska Ivanovska; Maja Jurhar Pavlova; Milena Petrovska; Angela Delova; Lidija Petrusevska Tozi; Lela Acevska

    2005-01-01

    The aim of the work was to investigate the behaviour of L. casei and the effect of sorbitol on its viability during fermentation in soymilk drink. Values for pH, ranging from 6.82 to 3.42 in the soymilk drink without sorbitol and from 6.74 to 3.41 in the drink with sorbitol were noted during 72 h of fermentation at 25oC. The corresponding values for titratable acidity ranged from 0.071% to 0.758% and from 0.073% to 0.761%, respectively. Soymilk was found to support the growth of L. case...

  4. Cellulase and Xylanase Production by Penicillium echinulatum in Submerged Media Containing Cellulose Amended with Sorbitol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carla Eliana Todero Ritter

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The present work investigated the use of sorbitol as a soluble carbon source, in association with cellulose, to produce cellulases and xylanases in submerged cultures of Penicillium echinulatum 9A02S1. Because cellulose is an insoluble carbon source, in cellulase production, there are some problems with rheology and oxygen transfer. The submerged fermentations containing media composed of 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1% (w/v sorbitol and cellulose that were added at different times during the cultivation; 0.2% (w/v soy bran; 0.1% (w/v wheat bran; and a solution of salts. The highest filter paper activity (FPA ( IU·mL−1 was obtained on the seventh day in the medium containing 0.5% (w/v sorbitol and 0.5% (w/v cellulose added 24 h after the start of cultivation. However, the CMCases showed an activity peak on the sixth day ( IU·mL−1 in the medium containing 0.75% (w/v sorbitol and 0.75% (w/v cellulose added after 12 h of cultivation. The xylanases showed the highest activity in the medium with 0.75% (w/v sorbitol and 0.25% (w/v cellulose added 36 h after the start of cultivation. This strategy enables the reduction of the cellulose concentration, which in high concentrations can cause rheological and oxygen transfer problems.

  5. 21 CFR 582.5835 - Sorbitol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Sorbitol. 582.5835 Section 582.5835 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS... § 582.5835 Sorbitol. (a) Product. Sorbitol. (b) Conditions of use. This substance is generally...

  6. 21 CFR 862.1670 - Sorbitol dehydrogenase test system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Sorbitol dehydrogenase test system. 862.1670... Systems § 862.1670 Sorbitol dehydrogenase test system. (a) Identification. A sorbitol dehydrogenase test system is a device intended to measure the activity of the enzyme sorbitol dehydrogenase in serum...

  7. 75 FR 39277 - Sorbitol From France; Determination

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-08

    ... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation No. 731-TA-44 (Third Review)] Sorbitol From France... U.S.C. 1675d(c)) (the Act), that revocation of the antidumping duty order on sorbitol from France... views of the Commission are contained in USITC Publication 4164 (June 2010), entitled Sorbitol from...

  8. The metabolic fate of exogenous sorbitol in the rat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ertel, N.H.; Akgun, S.; Kemp, F.W.; Mittler, J.C.

    1983-01-01

    Dietary sorbitol is rapidly converted to fructose and other carbohydrates in the liver, but its metabolic fate has not been studied rigorously. Twenty-four rats were given 20.4 muCi [ 14 C]sorbitol with 100 mg of sorbitol, and groups of six were killed at 1, 3, 6, and 24 hours after sorbitol administration. Rats were also fed 6.9 muCi [ 14 C]sorbitol for 7 or 14 days. Serum, liver, and lens were analyzed for 14 C-labeled sorbitol, fructose, and glucose by using high-performance liquid chromatography. Negligible radioactivity (1.1%) was found in the gastrointestinal content at 24 hours indicating virtually complete absorption. Most of the radioactivity was recovered in the glucose fraction in serum, liver and lens. Glucose and fructose concentrations showed some decline by day 14 compared with day 7 in serum and liver. However, in the lens, sorbitol showed a peak value at the end of the 14th day (37.5 +/- 9.9 micrograms/pair). These findings suggest that: 1) after oral administration, sorbitol is completely absorbed, and 2) that there is a finite accumulation of sorbitol and fructose in the lens in 14 days. Although the radioactive label indicated the exogenous origin of these carbohydrates, it is not certain whether the sorbitol is converted to glucose before entering and accumulating in the lens

  9. Comparison of Intermolecular Forces in Anhydrous Sorbitol and Solvent Cocrystals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dierks, Teresa M; Korter, Timothy M

    2017-08-03

    The hygroscopicity of solid sorbitol is important for its utilization as a sweetener in the pharmaceutical and food industries. The molecular foundations of sorbitol hydration characteristics are explored here using two solvated cocrystals, sorbitol-water and sorbitol-pyridine. In this work, solid-state density functional theory and terahertz time-domain spectroscopy were used to evaluate the relative stabilities of these cocrystals as compared to anhydrous sorbitol in terms of conformational and cohesive energies. The modification of the hydrogen-bonding network in crystalline sorbitol by solvent molecules gives new insight into the origins of the notable stability of sorbitol-water as compared to similar solids such as mannitol-water. In particular, the energy analysis reveals that the relative instability of the mannitol hydrate is based primarily in the lack of water-water interactions which provide considerable stabilization in the sorbitol-water crystal.

  10. Electron impact ionization of the gas-phase sorbitol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chernyshova, Irina; Markush, Pavlo; Zavilopulo, Anatoly; Shpenik, Otto

    2015-03-01

    Ionization and dissociative ionization of the sorbitol molecule by electron impact have been studied using two different experimental methods. In the mass range of m/ z = 10-190, the mass spectra of sorbitol were recorded at the ionizing electron energies of 70 and 30 eV. The ion yield curves for the fragment ions have been analyzed and the appearance energies of these ions have been determined. The relative total ionization cross section of the sorbitol molecule was measured using monoenergetic electron beam. Possible fragmentation pathways for the sorbitol molecule were proposed.

  11. Sorbitol dehydrogenase is a cytosolic protein required for sorbitol metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aguayo, María Francisca; Ampuero, Diego; Mandujano, Patricio; Parada, Roberto; Muñoz, Rodrigo; Gallart, Marta; Altabella, Teresa; Cabrera, Ricardo; Stange, Claudia; Handford, Michael

    2013-05-01

    Sorbitol is converted to fructose in Rosaceae species by SORBITOL DEHYDROGENASE (SDH, EC 1.1.1.14), especially in sink organs. SDH has also been found in non-Rosaceae species and here we show that the protein encoded by At5g51970 in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. possesses the molecular characteristics of an SDH. Using a green fluorescent protein-tagged version and anti-SDH antisera, we determined that SDH is cytosolically localized, consistent with bioinformatic predictions. We also show that SDH is widely expressed, and that SDH protein accumulates in both source and sink organs. In the presence of NAD+, recombinant SDH exhibited greatest oxidative activity with sorbitol, ribitol and xylitol as substrates; other sugar alcohols were oxidized to a lesser extent. Under standard growth conditions, three independent sdh- mutants developed as wild-type. Nevertheless, all three exhibited reduced dry weight and primary root length compared to wild-type when grown in the presence of sorbitol. Additionally, under short-day conditions, the mutants were more resistant to dehydration stress, as shown by a reduced loss of leaf water content when watering was withheld, and a greater survival rate on re-watering. This evidence suggests that limitations in the metabolism of sugar alcohols alter the growth of Arabidopsis and its response to drought. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Sorbitol-fermenting Bifidobacteria are indicators of very recent human faecal pollution in streams and groundwater habitats in urban tropical lowlands

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    Sorbitol-fermenting Bifidobacteria (SFB) proved to be an excellent indicator of very recent human faecal pollution (hours to days) in the investigated tropical stream and groundwater habitats. SFB were recovered from human faeces and sources potentially contaminated with human excreta. SFB were undetectable in animal faeces and environmental samples not contaminated with human faeces. Microcosm studies demonstrated a rapid die-off rate in groundwater (T90 value 0.6 days) and stream water (T90 value 0.9–1.7 days). Discrimination sensitivity analysis, including E. coli, faecal coliforms, total coliforms and Clostridium perfringens spores, revealed high ability of SFB to distinguish differing levels of faecal pollution especially for streams although high background levels of interfering bacteria can complicate its recovery on the used medium. Due to its faster die-off, as compared to many waterborne pathogens, SFB cannot replace microbiological standard parameters for routine water quality monitoring but it is highly recommendable as a specific and complementary tool when human faecal pollution has to be localized or verified. Because of its exclusive faecal origin and human specificity it seems also worthwhile to include SFB in future risk evaluation studies at tropical water resources in order to evaluate under which situations risks of infection may be indicated. PMID:20375476

  13. Sorbitol dehydrogenase of Aspergillus niger, SdhA, is part of the oxido-reductive D-galactose pathway and essential for D-sorbitol catabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koivistoinen, Outi M; Richard, Peter; Penttilä, Merja; Ruohonen, Laura; Mojzita, Dominik

    2012-02-17

    In filamentous fungi D-galactose can be catabolised through the oxido-reductive and/or the Leloir pathway. In the oxido-reductive pathway D-galactose is converted to d-fructose in a series of steps where the last step is the oxidation of d-sorbitol by an NAD-dependent dehydrogenase. We identified a sorbitol dehydrogenase gene, sdhA (JGI53356), in Aspergillus niger encoding a medium chain dehydrogenase which is involved in D-galactose and D-sorbitol catabolism. The gene is upregulated in the presence of D-galactose, galactitol and D-sorbitol. An sdhA deletion strain showed reduced growth on galactitol and growth on D-sorbitol was completely abolished. The purified enzyme converted D-sorbitol to D-fructose with K(m) of 50±5 mM and v(max) of 80±10 U/mg. Copyright © 2012 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Direct catalytic production of sorbitol from waste cellulosic materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribeiro, Lucília Sousa; Órfão, José J de Melo; Pereira, Manuel Fernando Ribeiro

    2017-05-01

    Cotton wool, cotton textile, tissue paper and printing paper, all potential waste cellulosic materials, were directly converted to sorbitol using a Ru/CNT catalyst in the presence of H 2 and using only water as solvent, without any acids. Conversions up to 38% were attained for the raw substrates, with sorbitol yields below 10%. Ball-milling of the materials disrupted their crystallinity, allowing reaching 100% conversion of cotton wool, cotton textile and tissue paper after 4h, with sorbitol yields around 50%. Mix-milling these materials with the catalyst greatly enhanced their conversion rate, and the materials were efficiently converted to sorbitol with a yield around 50% in 2h. However, ball- and mix-milled printing paper presented a conversion of only 50% after 5h, with sorbitol yields of 7%. Amounts of sorbitol of 0.525, 0.511 and 0.559g could be obtained from 1g of cotton wool, cotton textile and tissue paper, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Sorbitol crystallization-induced aggregation in frozen mAb formulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piedmonte, Deirdre Murphy; Hair, Alison; Baker, Priti; Brych, Lejla; Nagapudi, Karthik; Lin, Hong; Cao, Wenjin; Hershenson, Susan; Ratnaswamy, Gayathri

    2015-02-01

    Sorbitol crystallization-induced aggregation of mAbs in the frozen state was evaluated. The effect of protein aggregation resulting from sorbitol crystallization was measured as a function of formulation variables such as protein concentration and pH. Long-term studies were performed on both IgG1 and IgG2 mAbs over the protein concentration range of 0.1-120 mg/mL. Protein aggregation was measured by size-exclusion HPLC (SE-HPLC) and further characterized by capillary-electrophoresis SDS. Sorbitol crystallization was monitored and characterized by subambient differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. Aggregation due to sorbitol crystallization is inversely proportional to both protein concentration and formulation pH. At high protein concentrations, sorbitol crystallization was suppressed, and minimal aggregation by SE-HPLC resulted, presumably because of self-stabilization of the mAbs. The glass transition temperature (Tg ') and fragility index measurements were made to assess the influence of molecular mobility on the crystallization of sorbitol. Tg ' increased with increasing protein concentration for both mAbs. The fragility index decreased with increasing protein concentration, suggesting that it is increasingly difficult for sorbitol to crystallize at high protein concentrations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

  16. Pra Desain Pabrik Sorbitol dari Tepung Tapioka dengan Hidrogenasi Katalitik

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hellen Kartika Dewi

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Sorbitol yang dikenal juga sebagai glusitol, adalah suatu gula alkohol yang dimetabolisme lambat di dalam tubuh. Sorbitol banyak digunakan sebagai bahan baku untuk industri barang konsumsi dan makanan seperti pasta gigi, permen, kosmetika, farmasi, vitamin C, termasuk industri tekstil dan kulit. Pembuatan sorbitol dari bahan baku tepung tapioka. Pabrik sorbitol ini direncanakan akan didirikan di Propinsi Jawa Tengah tepatnya di Kabupaten Batang dengan kapasitas produksi 30.000 ton/tahun. Proses produksi Sorbitol menggunakan proses hidrogenasi katalitik. Pembuatan sorbitol dari bahan baku pati melalui dua tahap proses utama yaitu proses perubahan starch menjadi glukosa melalui hidrolisa double enzym. Enzim yang digunakan yaitu α-amylase dan glukoamylase. Proses hidrogenasi katalitik dilakukan dengan mereaksikan larutan dekstrose dan gas hidrogen bertekanan tinggi dengan menambahkan katalis nikel dalam reaktor (Reaktor Hidrogenasi. Gas hidrogen masuk dari bawah reaktor secara bubbling dan larutan dekstrose diumpankan dari atas reaktor sehingga kontak yang terjadi semakin baik. Sorbitol yang di hasilkan dalam pradesain pabrik sorbitol ini dengan konsentrasi 58,2%. Pendirian pabrik sorbitol memerlukan biaya investasi modal tetap (fixed capital sebesar Rp 168.801.192.952, modal kerja (working capital  Rp 29.788.445.815, investasi total Rp 198.589.638.767, Biaya produksi per tahun Rp 368.832.813.809 dan  hasil penjualan per tahun Rp 540.000.078.750. Dari analisa ekonomi didapatkan BEP sebesar 26,32%. ROI sesudah pajak 48,5 %, POT sesudah pajak 2,14 tahun. Dari segi teknis dan ekonomis, pabrik ini layak untuk didirikan.

  17. Sorbitol counteracts high hydrostatic pressure-induced denaturation of inulin fructotransferase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yungao; Miao, Ming; Liu, Miao; Jiang, Bo; Zhang, Tao; Chen, Xiangyin

    2014-09-01

    Inulin fructotransferase (IFTase), a novel hydrolase for inulin, was exposed to high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) at 400 and 600 MPa for 15 min in the presence or absence of sorbitol. Sorbitol protected the enzyme against HHP-induced activity loss. The relative residual activity increased nearly 3.1- and 3.8-fold in the presence of 3 mol/L sorbitol under 400 MPa and 600 MPa for 15 min, respectively. Circular dichroism results indicated that the original chaotic unfolding conformation of the enzyme under HHP shifted toward more ordered and impact with 3 mol/L sorbitol. Fluorescence and UV spectra results suggested that sorbitol prevented partially the unfolding of the enzyme and stabilized the conformation under high pressure. These results might be attributed to the binding of sorbitol on the surface of IFTase to rearrange and strengthen intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Non-climacteric ripening and sorbitol homeostasis in plum fruits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Ho-Youn; Farcuh, Macarena; Cohen, Yuval; Crisosto, Carlos; Sadka, Avi; Blumwald, Eduardo

    2015-02-01

    During ripening fruits undergo several physiological and biochemical modifications that influence quality-related properties, such as texture, color, aroma and taste. We studied the differences in ethylene and sugar metabolism between two genetically related Japanese plum cultivars with contrasting ripening behaviors. 'Santa Rosa' (SR) behaved as a typical climacteric fruit, while the bud sport mutant 'Sweet Miriam' (SM) displayed a non-climacteric ripening pattern. SM fruit displayed a delayed ripening that lasted 120 days longer than that of the climacteric fruit. At the full-ripe stage, both cultivars reached similar final size and weight but the non-climacteric fruits were firmer than the climacteric fruits. Fully ripe non-climacteric plum fruits, showed an accumulation of sorbitol that was 2.5 times higher than that of climacteric fruits, and the increase in sorbitol were also paralleled to an increase in sucrose catabolism. These changes were highly correlated with decreased activity and expression of NAD(+)-dependent sorbitol dehydrogenase and sorbitol oxidase and increased sorbitol-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, suggesting an enhanced sorbitol synthesis in non-climacteric fruits. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. The effects of urea, guanidinium chloride and sorbitol on porphyrin ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    This paper compares the inhibition effect of porphyrin aggregation in the presence of urea, guanidinium chloride (Gdn) and sorbitol by molecular dynamics simulation. It demonstrates that porphyrin aggregation increases in sorbitol, but decreases towards addition of urea and Gdn. It shows that urea, Gdn and sorbitol can ...

  20. Reagentless D-sorbitol biosensor based on D-sorbitol dehydrogenase immobilized in a sol-gel carbon nanotubes-poly(methylene green) composite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhijie; Etienne, Mathieu; Urbanova, Veronika; Kohring, Gert-Wieland; Walcarius, Alain

    2013-04-01

    A reagentless D-sorbitol biosensor based on NAD-dependent D-sorbitol dehydrogenase (DSDH) immobilized in a sol-gel carbon nanotubes-poly(methylene green) composite has been developed. It was prepared by durably immobilizing the NAD(+) cofactor with DSDH in a sol-gel thin film on the surface of carbon nanotubes functionalized with poly(methylene green). This device enables selective determination of D-sorbitol at 0.2 V with a sensitivity of 8.7 μA mmol(-1) L cm(-2) and a detection limit of 0.11 mmol L(-1). Moreover, this biosensor has excellent operational stability upon continuous use in hydrodynamic conditions.

  1. Stability of rifampin in SyrSpend SF.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sorenson, Bridget; Whaley, Paul

    2013-01-01

    Rifampin is a bactericidal antibiotic drug of the rifamycin group. It is a semisynthetic drug produced from the bacterium Streptomyces mediterranei. Rifampin is commonly manufactured in capsule, tablet, and syrup dosage solutions containing alcohol or sorbitol. The objective of this study was to determine the stability of rifampin in SyrSpend SF. The studied samples were compounded into 25-mg/mL suspensions and stored in low-actinic bottles at room temperature and refrigerated conditions. Samples were assayed at each time point out to 60 days by a stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography method. The method was validated for its specificity through forced-degradation studies. The sample remained within 90% to 110% of the initial concentration throughout the course of the study. Based on data collected, the beyond-use date of the preparation is at least 60 days when refrigerated or stored at room temperature and protected from light.

  2. Direct sorbitol proton exchange membrane fuel cell using moderate catalyst loadings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oyarce, Alejandro; Gonzalez, Carlos; Lima, Raquel Bohn; Lindström, Rakel Wreland; Lagergren, Carina; Lindbergh, Göran

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: •The performance of a direct sorbitol fuel cell was evaluated at different temperatures. •The performance was compared to the performance of a direct glucose fuel cell. •The mass specific peak power density of the direct sorbitol fuel cell was 3.6 mW mg −1 totalcatalystloading at 80 °C. •Both sorbitol and glucose fuel cell suffer from deactivation. -- Abstract: Recent progress in biomass hydrolysis has made it interesting to study the use of sorbitol for electricity generation. In this study, sorbitol and glucose are used as fuels in proton exchange membrane fuel cells having 0.9 mg cm −2 PtRu/C at the anode and 0.3 mg cm −2 Pt/C at the cathode. The sorbitol oxidation was found to have slower kinetics than glucose oxidation. However, at low temperatures the direct sorbitol fuel cell shows higher performance than the direct glucose fuel cell, attributed to a lower degree of catalyst poisoning. The performance of both fuel cells is considerably improved at higher temperatures. High temperatures lower the poisoning, allowing the direct glucose fuel cell to reach a higher performance than the direct sorbitol fuel cell. The mass specific peak power densities of the direct sorbitol and direct glucose fuel cells at 65 °C was 3.2 mW mg −1 catalyst and 3.5 mW mg −1 catalyst , respectively. Both of these values are one order of magnitude larger than mass specific peak power densities of earlier reported direct glucose fuel cells using proton exchange membranes. Furthermore, both the fuel cells showed a considerably decrease in performance with time, which is partially attributed to sorbitol and glucose crossover poisoning the Pt/C cathode

  3. Effect of sorbitol on dough rheology and quality of sugar replaced cookies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Ali Shariati

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available A high amount of sugar is used in bakery products, which may cause diabetes, high blood glucose levels and obesity. Due to these reasons, sugar is being replaced with substitutes. There is different carbohydrate-based sugar substitutes (polyols that can efficiently replace sugar. Among polyols, sorbitol is an efficient replacer that can mimic sugar with minimal effects on cookie quality. Effects of different sorbitol levels (0 to 12.5% were seen on the dough rheology. Mixographic studies showed that peak height and mixing time reduced with the addition of sorbitol. Farinographic studies showed that water absorption and the mixing tolerance index of dough reduced with the supplementation of sorbitol, whereas dough development time, arrival time, dough stability time and softening of dough increased. Extensographic studies revealed that sorbitol substitution produced hard, cohesive, adhesive and elastic dough. Sugar in cookies formulations was reduced from 100 to 50% by replacing with sorbitol 0 to 50%. Physical analysis of sorbitol containing cookies showed that the diameter and spread factor of cookies decreased with higher levels of sorbitol, whereas thickness, color, hardness and water activity of cookies increased. The calorific value of cookies decreased with the increasing levels of sorbitol. At upto 20% replacement of sugar, other parameters of cookies were not affected. Sensory evaluation of the cookies showed that hedonic points for sensory evaluation parameters reduced with the increasing levels of sorbitol, T2 (20% replacement showed maximum overall acceptability. Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE AR-SA

  4. Effects of sorbitol on porcine oocyte maturation and embryo development in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Tao; Zhang, Jin Yu; Diao, Yun Fei; Kang, Jung Won; Jin, Dong-Il

    2015-04-01

    In the present study, a porcine system was supplemented with sorbitol during in vitro maturation (IVM) or in vitro culture (IVC), and the effects of sorbitol on oocyte maturation and embryonic development following parthenogenetic activation were assessed. Porcine immature oocytes were treated with different concentrations of sorbitol during IVM, and the resultant metaphase II stage oocytes were activated and cultured in porcine zygote medium-3 (PZM-3) for 7 days. No significant difference was observed in cumulus expansion and the nuclear maturation between the control and sorbitol-treated groups, with the exception of the 100 mM group, which showed significantly decreased nuclear maturation and cumulus expansion. There was no significant difference in the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels between oocytes matured with 10 or 20 mM sorbitol and control groups, but 50 and 100 mM groups had significantly higher ROS levels than other groups. The 20 mM group showed significant increases in intracellular glutathione and subsequent blastocyst formation rates following parthenogenetic activation compared with the other groups. During IVC, supplementation with sorbitol significantly reduced blastocyst formation and increased the apoptotic index compared with the control. The apoptotic index of blastocysts from the sorbitol-treated group for entire culture period was significantly higher than those of the partially sorbitol-exposed groups. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that the addition of a low concentration of sorbitol (20 mM) during IVM of porcine oocytes benefits subsequent blastocyst development and improves embryo quality, whereas sorbitol supplement during IVC has a negative effect on blastocyst formation.

  5. The Interaction of Sorbitol with Caffeine in Aqueous Solution

    OpenAIRE

    Tavagnacco, Letizia; Brady, John W.; Cesàro, Attilio

    2013-01-01

    Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out on a system of caffeine interacting with the sugar alcohol sorbitol. The system examined had a caffeine concentration 0.083 m and a sugar concentration 1.08 m. The trajectories of all molecules in the system were collected over a period of 80 ns and analyzed to determine whether there is any tendency for sorbitol to bind to caffeine, and if so, by what mechanism. The results show that the sorbitol molecules have an affinity for the caffeine mole...

  6. The Interaction of Sorbitol with Caffeine in Aqueous Solution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tavagnacco, Letizia; Brady, John W; Cesàro, Attilio

    2013-09-01

    Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out on a system of caffeine interacting with the sugar alcohol sorbitol. The system examined had a caffeine concentration 0.083 m and a sugar concentration 1.08 m. The trajectories of all molecules in the system were collected over a period of 80 ns and analyzed to determine whether there is any tendency for sorbitol to bind to caffeine, and if so, by what mechanism. The results show that the sorbitol molecules have an affinity for the caffeine molecules and that the binding occurred by the interaction of the aliphatic hydrophobic protons of the sugar with the caffeine face. This intermolecular association via face-to-face stacking, as suggested by simulation studies, is similar to that found for sucrose and for D-glucose, which overwhelmingly exists in the pyranose ring chair form in aqueous solution, as well as for caffeine-caffeine association. The sorbitol molecules, however, exist as relatively extended chains and are, therefore, topologically quite different from the sugars sucrose and glucose. The comparison of the average conformation of sorbitol molecules bound to caffeine with that of molecules in the free state shows a substantial similarity.

  7. Malabsorption of fructose-sorbitol mixtures. Interactions causing abdominal distress

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rumessen, J J; Gudmand-Høyer, E

    1987-01-01

    Hydrogen breath tests were performed on 10 healthy adults after they had ingested a mixture of sorbitol and fructose, in which these substances were present in amounts corresponding to the individual absorption capacities. A significant malabsorption of this mixture was evident in 7 of 10 subjects....... The mixture caused mild to severe gastrointestinal distress in five subjects. When the carbohydrates were given separately, symptoms were absent. There was a significant correlation between the individual absorption capacities of fructose and of sorbitol. A mixture containing a similar amount of fructose......, but given as sucrose, and a similar amount of sorbitol was further given to four of the seven subjects showing malabsorption of the fructose-sorbitol mixture. Malabsorption now failed to appear, and symptoms were absent. These findings are of potential importance for the understanding of the physiologic...

  8. Effect of submerged and solid-state fermentation on pigment and citrinin production by Monascus purpureus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Liang; Li, Zhiqiang; Dai, Bing; Zhang, Wenxue; Yuan, Yongjun

    2013-09-01

    Monascus pigments, which are produced by various species of Monascus, often have been used as a natural colourant and as traditional natural food additives, especially in Southern China, Japan and Southeastern Asia. The limitation of wide using Monascus pigment is attributed to one of its secondary metabolites named citrinin. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of pigment and citrinin production via submerged fermentation (SmF) and solid-state fermentation (SF) from rice (Oryza sativa L.) by Monascus purpureus AS3.531. The optimal fermentation temperature and pH were significantly different for pigment production through different fermentation mode (35 °C, pH 5.0 for SF and 32 °C, pH 5.5 for SmF, respectively). Adding 2% (w/v) of glycerol in the medium could enhance the pigment production. On the optimized condition, although the concentration of citrinin produced by SmF (19.02 ug/g) increased more than 100 times than that by SF (0.018 ug/g), the pigment yield by SmF (7.93 U/g/g) could be comparable to that by SF (6.63 U/g/g). Those indicate us that fermentation mode seems to be the primary factor which influence the citrinin yield and secondary factor for pigment production.

  9. Improved cryopreservability of stallion sperm using a sorbitol-based freezing extender.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pojprasath, T; Lohachit, C; Techakumphu, M; Stout, T; Tharasanit, T

    2011-06-01

    Cryopreservation of stallion semen is often associated with poor post-thaw sperm quality. Sugars are among the important components of a freezing extender and act as non-permeating cryoprotectants. This study aimed to compare the quality of stallion sperm frozen with glucose, fructose or sorbitol-containing freezing extenders. Semen was collected from six stallions of proven fertility and cryopreserved using a freezing extender containing different types of monosaccharide sugars (glucose, fructose or sorbitol). After thawing, the semen was examined for sperm motility, viability, acrosome integrity, plasma membrane functionality and sperm longevity. The fertility of semen frozen in the presence of sorbitol was also tested by artificial insemination. Sperm quality was significantly decreased following freezing and thawing (P sorbitol and glucose (P sorbitol-based extender when examined at 2 and 4 h post-thaw, all of these parameters plus plasma membrane functionality were improved for sperm frozen in the sorbitol extender than in the glucose extender when examined 10 min post-thaw. Two of four mares (50%) inseminated with semen frozen with a sorbitol-containing freezing extender became pregnant. It is concluded that different sugars have different abilities to protect against cryoinjury during freezing and thawing of stallion sperm. This study demonstrated that an extender containing sorbitol as primary sugar can be used to successfully cryopreserve equine sperm; moreover, the quality of frozen-thawed sperm appeared to be better than when glucose or fructose was the principle sugar in the freezing extender. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. 75 FR 51015 - Sorbitol From France: Notice of Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-08-18

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-427-001] Sorbitol From France: Notice... order on sorbitol from France. The review covers one producer/exporter of sorbitol, Syral S.A.S. (Syral... Products International (CP), domestic producers of sorbitol, we are now rescinding this administrative...

  11. 75 FR 42380 - Revocation of Antidumping Duty Order on Sorbitol From France

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-21

    ... Duty Order on Sorbitol From France AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration... sunset review of the antidumping duty order on sorbitol from France. See Initiation of Five-year... the existing antidumping duty order on sorbitol from France would not be likely to lead to...

  12. Synthesis of sorbitol by Zymomonas mobilis under high osmotic pressure Síntese de sorbitol por Zymomonas mobilis sob elevada pressão osmótica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Márcio de Barros

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available The bacterium Zymomonas mobilis presents potential for sorbitol production when grown in culture medium with high sugar concentration. Sorbitol is produced and accumulated in the periplasma of the bacterium to protect the cells from the harmful effects of high osmotic pressure that results from the action of invertase on sucrose. The conversion of sucrose into glucose and fructose increases the osmolarity of the medium. However, an excessive increase in the osmotic pressure may decrease the sorbitol production. In this work Saccharomyces cerevisiae invertase was added two media containing sucrose 200 and 300 g.L-1. Sorbitol production in sucrose at 200 g.L-1 was 42.35 and 38.42 g.L-1, with and without the invertase treatment, respectively. In the culture medium with 300 g.L-1 sucrose, production reached 60.4 g.L-1 and with invertase treatment was 19.14 g.L-1. These results indicated that the excessive rise in osmotic pressure led to a significant decrease in sorbitol production by the Zymomonas mobilis bacterium in the sucrose medium treated with invertase.A bactéria Zymomonas mobilis, apresenta potencial para produção de sorbitol quando crescida em meio com alta concentração de açúcar. O sorbitol produzido é acumulado no periplasma da bactéria para conter os efeitos prejudiciais da elevada pressão osmótica, que resulta pela ação da enzima invertase, que promove hidrólise da sacarose. A conversão da sacarose em glicose e frutose aumentando a osmolaridade do meio. Entretanto, um aumento excessivo na pressão osmótica pode inibir a produção de sorbitol pela bactéria. Este trabalho empregou invertase de Saccharomyces cerevisiae nos meios de fermentação com sacarose a 200 e 300 g.L-1. A produção de sorbitol no meio com sacarose a 200 g.L-1 foi de 42,35 g.L-1 e 38,42 g.L-1 com e sem tratamento com invertase respectivamente. No meio com 300 g.L-1 sem tratamento, a produção foi de 60,42 e com tratamento 19,14 g.L-1. Estes

  13. PRODUKSI ANTIBIOTIKA OLEH Bacillus subtilis M10 DALAM MEDIA UREA-SORBITOL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Supartono Supartono

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available PRODUCTION OF ANTIBIOTICS BY Bacillus subtilis M10 IN UREA-SORBITOL MEDIUM. Infection diseases still become the main health problems that suffered by people in Indonesia. Besides, there were many pathogen bacteria found to be resistant to the some antibiotics. Therefore, the efforts to get a new antibiotic require to be done continuously. A new local strain of Bacillus subtilis BAC4 has been known producing an antibiotic that inhibit Serratia marcescens ATCC 27117 growth. To make efficient the local strain, mutation on Bacillus subtilis BAC4 was done by using acridine orange and a mutant cell of Bacillus subtilis M10 that overproduction for producing antibiotic was obtained. Nevertheless, the production kinetics of antibiotic by this mutant has not been reported. The objective of this research was to study the production kinetics of antibiotic by Bacillus subtilis M10 mutant. The production of antibiotic was conducted using batch fermentation and antibiotic assay was performed with agar absorption method using Serratia marcescens ATCC 27117 as bacteria assay. Research result provided that Bacillus subtilis M10 mutant with overproduction of antibiotic produced an antibiotic since 8th hour’s fermentation and optimum of it production was at 14th hours after inoculation.  Penyakit infeksi masih menjadi masalah yang utama diderita oleh masyarakat Indonesia. Di samping itu, banyak bakteri patogen yang ditemukan resisten terhadap beberapa antibiotika. Oleh karena itu, upaya-upaya untuk mendapatkan antibiotika baru perlu dilakukan secara terus-menerus. Suatu galur lokal baru Bacillus subtilis BAC4 teridentifikasi memproduksi senyawa antibiotika yang menghambat pertumbuhan Serratia marcescens ATCC27117. Untuk memberdayakan galur tersebut, terhadap Bacillus subtilis BAC4 dilakukan mutasi dengan larutan akridin oranye dan diperoleh mutan Bacillus subtilis M10 yang memproduksi antibiotika berlebihan. Namun, kinetika produksi antibiotika oleh Bacillus

  14. Exposure to sorbitol during lactation causes metabolic alterations and genotoxic effects in rat offspring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cardoso, Felipe S; Araujo-Lima, Carlos F; Aiub, Claudia A F; Felzenszwalb, Israel

    2016-10-17

    Sorbitol is a polyol used by the food industry as a sweetener. Women are consuming diet and light products containing sorbitol during pregnancy and in the postnatal period to prevent themselves from excessive weight gain and maintain a slim body. Although there is no evidence for the genotoxicity of sorbitol in the perinatal period, this study focused on evaluating the effects of the maternal intake of sorbitol on the biochemical and toxicological parameters of lactating Wistar rat offspring after 14days of mother-to-offspring exposure. A dose-dependent reduction of offspring length was observed. An increase in sorbitol levels determined in the milk was also observed. However, we detected an inverse relationship between the exposition dose in milk fructose and triacylglycerols concentrations. There was an increase in the plasmatic levels of ALT, AST and LDLc and a decrease in proteins, cholesterol and glucose levels in the offspring. Sorbitol exposure caused hepatocyte genotoxicity, including micronuclei induction. Maternal sorbitol intake induced myelotoxicity and myelosuppression in their offspring. The Comet assay of the blood cells detected a dose-dependent genotoxic response within the sorbitol-exposed offspring. According to our results, sorbitol is able to induce important metabolic alterations and genotoxic responses in the exposed offspring. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Differentiation between Trichophyton mentagrophytes and T. rubrum by sorbitol assimilation.

    OpenAIRE

    Rezusta, A; Rubio, M C; Alejandre, M C

    1991-01-01

    Trichophyton rubrum was easily differentiated from T. mentagrophytes by its ability to assimilate sorbitol with an API 20C AUX strip. One hundred percent of 36 T. rubrum strains and none of 147 T. mentagrophytes strains assimilated sorbitol.

  16. Stepwise metabolic engineering of Gluconobacter oxydans WSH-003 for the direct production of 2-keto-L-gulonic acid from D-sorbitol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Lili; Hu, Yudong; Liu, Jie; Du, Guocheng; Zhou, Jingwen; Chen, Jian

    2014-07-01

    2-Keto-L-gulonic acid (2-KLG), the direct precursor of vitamin C, is currently produced by a two-step fermentation route from D-sorbitol. However, this route involves three bacteria, making the mix-culture system complicated and redundant. Thus, replacement of the conventional two-step fermentation process with a one-step process could be revolutionary in vitamin C industry. In this study, different combinations of five L-sorbose dehydrogenases (SDH) and two L-sorbosone dehydrogenases (SNDH) from Ketogulonicigenium vulgare WSH-001 were introduced into Gluconobacter oxydans WSH-003, an industrial strain used for the conversion of d-sorbitol to L-sorbose. The optimum combination produced 4.9g/L of 2-KLG. In addition, 10 different linker peptides were used for the fusion expression of SDH and SNDH in G. oxydans. The best recombinant strain (G. oxydans/pGUC-k0203-GS-k0095) produced 32.4g/L of 2-KLG after 168h. Furthermore, biosynthesis of pyrroloquinoline quinine (PQQ), a cofactor of those dehydrogenases, was enhanced to improve 2-KLG production. With the stepwise metabolic engineering of G. oxydans, the final 2-KLG production was improved to 39.2g/L, which was 8.0-fold higher than that obtained using independent expression of the dehydrogenases. These results bring us closer to the final one-step industrial-scale production of vitamin C. Copyright © 2014 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Humectancies of d-tagatose and d-sorbitol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Y

    2001-06-01

    Most toothpastes contain either d-sorbitol or glycerin, or both, as humectants. Both compounds are about half as sweet as sucrose. This level of sweetness is not as intense as desired by most people when brushing teeth. Therefore, many brands of toothpaste add saccharin, a high-intensity sweetener, to increase product sweetness to acceptable levels. While this combination provides the required bulk, humectancy and sweetness, the last characteristic suffers from the widely perceived metallic, or bitter, aftertaste of saccharin. d-tagatose, a full-bulk, low-calorie, sucrose-like sweetener with about twice the sweetness of d-sorbitol, and which does not promote tooth decay, holds promise as a sole sweetener for toothpastes. The only untested aspect of this use of d-tagatose was its humectancy, the characteristic that retains the required level of moisture in toothpaste. The current study was made to investigate this important property, to make a direct comparison of the humectancies of d-tagatose and d-sorbitol as pure substances, and to determine whether the humectancy of d-tagatose is sufficient to counter the crystallizing potentiation of the abrasives used in toothpastes. The humectancies of d-tagatose and d-sorbitol were tested through measuring their water activity (a(w)) vs. water content. By comparing their desorption curves, d-tagatose was seen to have a humectancy equal to that of d-sorbitol when a(w) in the d-tagatose solution was above 0.62. d-Tagatose was then tested in toothpastes containing typical abrasives to determine whether the abrasives would induce crystallization of the sweetener. The addition of 20-25% wt/wt of d-tagatose to the Tom of Maine's toothpastes imparted a satisfactory sweetness. It was found that, within that range of concentration, d-tagatose retained its humectancy, and did not crystallize in the popular brands of commercial toothpastes tested. Thus, d-tagatose could be used as a humectant sweetener in toothpastes, although further

  18. 40 CFR 180.1262 - Sorbitol octanoate; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Sorbitol octanoate; exemption from the... Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1262 Sorbitol octanoate; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. An exemption from the requirement of a tolerance is established for residues of sorbitol octanoate in or on all...

  19. Production of sorbitol and ethanol from Jerusalem artichokes by Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 36859

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Duvnjak, Z.; Duan, Z.D. (Ottawa Univ., ON (Canada). Dept. of Chemical Engineering); Turcotte, G. (Acadia Univ., Wolfville, NS (Canada). Dept. of Food Science)

    1991-09-01

    This study shows the possible use of Jerusalem artichokes for the production of sorbitol and ethanol by Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 36859. Ethanol was produced from the beginning of the process, while sorbitol production started after glucose had been entirely consumed from Jerusalem artichoke (J.a.) juice. The importance of yeast extract and inoculum concentrations on the production of sorbitol from the above raw material was demonstrated. With a low initial biomass concentration sorbitol was not produced in pure J.a. juice. When the juice was supplemented with 3% yeast extract, the concentration of sorbitol was 4.6%. The sorbitol, ethanol and biomass yields (gram of product produced per gram of sugars consumed) were 0.259, 0.160 and 0.071 at the end of the process respectively. Adding glucose to increase its concentration to about 9% in the J.a. juice with 3% yeast extract had a positive effect on the production of ethanol, while commencement of the production of sorbitol was delayed and its final concentration was less than 50% of its concentration in the medium without added glucose. The effect of glucose was much stronger when it was added during the process than when added at the beginning of the process. (orig.).

  20. Colon Necrosis Due to Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate with and without Sorbitol: An Experimental Study in Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayoub, Isabelle; Oh, Man S; Gupta, Raavi; McFarlane, Michael; Babinska, Anna; Salifu, Moro O

    2015-01-01

    Based on a single rat study by Lillemoe et al, the consensus has been formed to implicate sorbitol rather than sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS) as the culprit for colon necrosis in humans treated with SPS and sorbitol. We tested the hypothesis that colon necrosis by sorbitol in the experiment was due to the high osmolality and volume of sorbitol rather than its chemical nature. 26 rats underwent 5/6 nephrectomy. They were divided into 6 groups and given enema solutions under anesthesia (normal saline, 33% sorbitol, 33% mannitol, SPS in 33% sorbitol, SPS in normal saline, and SPS in distilled water). They were sacrificed after 48 hours of enema administration or earlier if they were very sick. The gross appearance of the colon was visually inspected, and then sliced colon tissues were examined under light microscopy. 1 rat from the sorbitol and 1 from the mannitol group had foci of ischemic colonic changes. The rats receiving SPS enema, in sorbitol, normal saline, distilled water, had crystal deposition with colonic necrosis and mucosal erosion. All the rats not given SPS survived until sacrificed at 48 h whereas 11 of 13 rats that received SPS in sorbitol, normal saline or distilled water died or were clearly dying and sacrificed sooner. There was no difference between sorbitol and mannitol when given without SPS. In a surgical uremic rat model, SPS enema given alone or with sorbitol or mannitol seemed to cause colon necrosis and high mortality rate, whereas 33% sorbitol without SPS did not.

  1. Theoretical investigation of interaction of sorbitol molecules with alcohol dehydrogenase in aqueous solution using molecular dynamics simulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bahrami, Homayoon; Zahedi, Mansour; Moosavi-Movahedi, Ali Akbar; Azizian, Homa; Amanlou, Massoud

    2011-03-01

    The nature of protein-sorbitol-water interaction in solution at the molecular level, has been investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. In order to do this task, two molecular dynamics simulations of the protein ADH in solution at room temperature have been carried out, one in the presence (about 0.9 M) and another in the absence of sorbitol. The results show that the sorbitol molecules cluster and move toward the protein, and form hydrogen bonds with protein. Also, coating by sorbitol reduces the conformational fluctuations of the protein compared to the sorbitol-free system. Thus, it is concluded that at moderate concentration of sorbitol solution, sorbitol molecules interact with ADH via many H-bonds that prevent the protein folding. In fact, at more concentrated sorbitol solution, water and sorbitol molecules accumulate around the protein surface and form a continuous space-filling network to reduce the protein flexibility. Namely, in such solution, sorbitol molecules can stabilize a misfolded state of ADH, and prevent the protein from folding to its native structure.

  2. Skeletal Muscle Sorbitol Levels in Diabetic Rats with and without Insulin Therapy and Endurance Exercise Training

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez, O. A.; Walseth, T. F.; Snow, L. M.; Serfass, R. C.; Thompson, L. V.

    2009-01-01

    Sorbitol accumulation is postulated to play a role in skeletal muscle dysfunction associated with diabetes. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of insulin and of endurance exercise on skeletal muscle sorbitol levels in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Rats were assigned to one experimental group (control sedentary, control exercise, diabetic sedentary, diabetic exercise, diabetic sedentary no-insulin). Diabetic rats received daily subcutaneous insulin. The exercise-trained rats ran on a treadmill (1 hour, 5X/wk, for 12 weeks). Skeletal muscle sorbitol levels were the highest in the diabetic sedentary no-insulin group. Diabetic sedentary rats receiving insulin had similar sorbitol levels to control sedentary rats. Endurance exercise did not significantly affect sorbitol levels. These results indicate that insulin treatment lowers sorbitol in skeletal muscle; therefore sorbitol accumulation is probably not related to muscle dysfunction in insulin-treated diabetic individuals. Endurance exercise did not influence intramuscular sorbitol values as strongly as insulin. PMID:20016800

  3. Chromatin-associated regulation of sorbitol synthesis in flower buds of peach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lloret, Alba; Martínez-Fuentes, Amparo; Agustí, Manuel; Badenes, María Luisa; Ríos, Gabino

    2017-11-01

    PpeS6PDH gene is postulated to mediate sorbitol synthesis in flower buds of peach concomitantly with specific chromatin modifications. Perennial plants have evolved an adaptive mechanism involving protection of meristems within specialized structures named buds in order to survive low temperatures and water deprivation during winter. A seasonal period of dormancy further improves tolerance of buds to environmental stresses through specific mechanisms poorly known at the molecular level. We have shown that peach PpeS6PDH gene is down-regulated in flower buds after dormancy release, concomitantly with changes in the methylation level at specific lysine residues of histone H3 (H3K27 and H3K4) in the chromatin around the translation start site of the gene. PpeS6PDH encodes a NADPH-dependent sorbitol-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, the key enzyme for biosynthesis of sorbitol. Consistently, sorbitol accumulates in dormant buds showing higher PpeS6PDH expression. Moreover, PpeS6PDH gene expression is affected by cold and water deficit stress. Particularly, its expression is up-regulated by low temperature in buds and leaves, whereas desiccation treatment induces PpeS6PDH in buds and represses the gene in leaves. These data reveal the concurrent participation of chromatin modification mechanisms, transcriptional regulation of PpeS6PDH and sorbitol accumulation in flower buds of peach. In addition to its role as a major translocatable photosynthate in Rosaceae species, sorbitol is a widespread compatible solute and cryoprotectant, which suggests its participation in tolerance to environmental stresses in flower buds of peach.

  4. Trehalose 6-phosphate signal is closely related to sorbitol in apple (Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Gala

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wen Zhang

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Trehalose-6-phosphate (Tre6P is a precursor of trehalose, which is widespread in nature and greatly influences plant growth and development. Tre6P acts as a signal of carbon availability in many plants, but little is known about the function of Tre6P in rosaceous plants, which have specific sorbitol biosynthesis and transportation pathways. In the present study, Tre6P levels and Sorbitol:Tre6P ratios were analyzed in apple (Malus domestica, Borkh. cv. Gala. Tre6P levels were positively correlated with sorbitol content but negatively correlated with sucrose, glucose, and fructose content in developing fruit. However, under sorbitol-limited conditions, Tre6P levels were positively correlated with both sorbitol and sucrose. In the presence of different exogenous sugar supply, Tre6P levels increased corresponding with sorbitol, but this was not the case with sucrose. In addition, Tre6P content and sorbitol:Tre6P ratios were more highly correlated with ADP-glucose levels under sorbitol-limited conditions and fruit development stages, respectively. These results suggest that Tre6P is more closely related to sorbitol than other soluble sugars and has an important role in influencing carbon metabolism in apple.

  5. Trehalose 6-phosphate signal is closely related to sorbitol in apple (Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Gala)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Wen; Lunn, John E.; Feil, Regina; Wang, Yufei; Zhao, Jingjing; Tao, Hongxia; Zhao, Zhengyang

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Trehalose-6-phosphate (Tre6P) is a precursor of trehalose, which is widespread in nature and greatly influences plant growth and development. Tre6P acts as a signal of carbon availability in many plants, but little is known about the function of Tre6P in rosaceous plants, which have specific sorbitol biosynthesis and transportation pathways. In the present study, Tre6P levels and Sorbitol:Tre6P ratios were analyzed in apple (Malus domestica, Borkh. cv. Gala). Tre6P levels were positively correlated with sorbitol content but negatively correlated with sucrose, glucose, and fructose content in developing fruit. However, under sorbitol-limited conditions, Tre6P levels were positively correlated with both sorbitol and sucrose. In the presence of different exogenous sugar supply, Tre6P levels increased corresponding with sorbitol, but this was not the case with sucrose. In addition, Tre6P content and sorbitol:Tre6P ratios were more highly correlated with ADP-glucose levels under sorbitol-limited conditions and fruit development stages, respectively. These results suggest that Tre6P is more closely related to sorbitol than other soluble sugars and has an important role in influencing carbon metabolism in apple. PMID:28069587

  6. Enhanced porcine circovirus Cap protein production by Pichia pastoris with a fuzzy logic DO control based methanol/sorbitol co-feeding induction strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Jian; Zhang, Chunling; Gao, Minjie; Hou, Guoli; Liang, Kexue; Li, Chunhua; Ni, Jianping; Li, Zhen; Shi, Zhongping

    2014-05-10

    Porcine circovirus Cap protein production by P. pastoris with strong AOX promoter suffered with the problems with traditional pure methanol induction: (1) inefficient methanol metabolism; (2) extensive oxygen supply load; (3) difficulty in stable DO control; (4) low protein titer. In this study, based on the difference of DO change patterns in response to methanol and sorbitol additions, a novel fuzzy control system was proposed to automatically regulate the co-feeding rates of methanol and sorbitol for efficient Cap protein induction. With aid of the proposed control system when setting DO control level at 10%, overall fermentation performance was significantly improved: (1) DO could be stably controlled under mild aeration condition; (2) methanol consumption rate could be restricted at moderate level and the major enzymes involved with methanol metabolism were largely activated; (3) Cap protein concentration reached a highest level of 198mg/L, which was about 64% increase over the best one using the pure methanol induction strategies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. MATHEMATICAL MODELING, AUTOMATION AND CONTROL OF THE BIOCONVERSION OF SORBITOL TO SORBOSE IN THE VITAMIN C PRODUCTION PROCESS I. MATHEMATICAL MODELING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Bonomi

    1997-12-01

    Full Text Available In 1990, the Biotechnology and the Control Systems Groups of IPT started developing a system for the control and automation of fermentation processes, applied to the oxidation of sorbitol to sorbose by the bacteria Gluconobacter oxydans, the microbial step of the vitamin C production process, that was chosen as a case study. Initially, a thirteen-parameter model was fitted to represent the batch operation of the system utilizing a nonlinear regression analysis, the flexible polyhedron method. Based on these results, a model for the continuous process (with the same kinetic equations was constructed and its optimum operating point obtained

  8. Ethanol fermentation by immobilized cells of Zymomonas mobilis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grote, W.

    1985-01-01

    Previous studies have shown that immobilized yeast cell cultures have commercial potential for fuel ethanol production. In this study the suitability of strains of Z. mobilis for whole cell immobilization was investigated. Experiments revealed that immobilization in Ca-alginate or K-carrageenan gel or use of flocculating strains was effective for ethanol production at relatively high productivities. Two laboratory size reactors were designed and constructed. These were a compartmented multiple discshaft column and a tower fermentor. Results of this work supported other studies that established that growth and fermentation could be uncoupled. The data indicated that specific metabolic rates were dependent on the nature of the fermentation media. The addition of lactobacilli to Z. mobilis continuous fermentations had only a transient effect, and was unlikely to affect an immobilized Z. mobilis process. With 150 gl/sup -1/ glucose media and a Z. mobilis ZM4 immobilized cell reactor, a maximum volumetric ethanol productivity of 55 gl/sup -1/h/sup -1/ was obtained. The fermentation of sucrose media or sucrose-based raw materials (molasses, cane juice, synthetic mill liquor) by immobilized Z. mobilis ZM4 revealed a pattern of rapid sucrose hydrolysis, preferential glucose utilization and the conversion of fructose to the undesirable by-products levan and sorbitol.

  9. Caloric utilization of sorbitol and isomalt in the rat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Figdor, S.K.; Allingham, R.P.; Kita, D.A.; Hobbs, D.C.

    1987-01-01

    Sorbitol and isomalt are modified saccharides used to substitute for the physical properties of sucrose in various prepared foods. The merits of the various methods for determining caloric availability were reviewed. Balance and growth curve methods are inaccurate and inappropriate for determination of the caloric availability of these substances when present in diets at low concentrations, whereas the radiolabel disposition method is a direct and precise measure of utilization. Accordingly, the authors administered uniformly 14 C-labeled material to rats and collected excreta and expired air. The appearance of about half of the label in CO 2 indicated that, by comparison with labeled glucose, about 80% of the orally administered sorbitol and isomalt was calorically available to the rat. The high caloric availabilities of these materials were confirmed by the appearance in feces of only 14 and 12% of the administered label from sorbitol and isomalt, respectively

  10. Molecular evidence of sorbitol dehydrogenase in tomato, a non-Rosaceae plant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohta, Kazuhiro; Moriguchi, Ryo; Kanahama, Koki; Yamaki, Shohei; Kanayama, Yoshinori

    2005-12-01

    The enzyme NAD-dependent sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) is well characterized in the Rosaceae family of fruit trees, which synthesizes sorbitol as a translocatable photosynthate. Expressed sequence tags of SDH-like sequences have also been generated from various non-Rosaceae species that do not synthesize sorbitol as a primary photosynthetic product, but the physiological roles of the encoded proteins in non-Rosaceae plants are unknown. Therefore, we isolated an SDH-like cDNA (SDL) from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). Genomic Southern blot analysis suggested that SDL exists in the tomato genome as a single-copy gene. Northern blot analysis showed that SDL is ubiquitously expressed in tomato plants. Recombinant SDL protein was produced and purified for enzymatic characterization. SDL catalyzed the interconversion of sorbitol and fructose with NAD (H). SDL showed highest activity for sorbitol among the several substrates tested. SDL showed no activity with NADP+. Thus, SDL was identified as a SDH, although the Km values and substrate specificity of SDL were significantly different from those of SDH purified from the Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia), a Rosaceae fruit tree. In addition, tomato was transformed with antisense SDL to evaluate the contribution of SDL to SDH activity in tomato. The transformation decreased SDH activity to approximately 50% on average. Taken together, these results provide molecular evidence of SDH in tomato, and SDL was renamed LeSDH.

  11. Modulation of δ-Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase Activity by the Sorbitol-Induced Osmotic Stress in Maize Leaf Segments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, M; Tiwary, S; Gadre, R

    2018-01-01

    Osmotic stress induced with 1 M sorbitol inhibited δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) and aminolevulinic acid (ALA) synthesizing activities in etiolated maize leaf segments during greening; the ALAD activity was inhibited to a greater extent than the ALA synthesis. When the leaves were exposed to light, the ALAD activity increased for the first 8 h, followed by a decrease observed at 16 and 24 h in both sorbitol-treated and untreated leaf tissues. The maximum inhibition of the enzyme activity was observed in the leaf segments incubated with sorbitol for 4 to 8 h. Glutamate increased the ALAD activity in the in vitro enzymatic preparations obtained from the sorbitol-treated leaf segments; sorbitol inhibited the ALAD activity in the preparations from both sorbitol-treated and untreated leaves. It was suggested that sorbitol-induced osmotic stress inhibits the enzyme activity by affecting the ALAD induction during greening and regulating the ALAD steady-state level of ALAD in leaf cells. The protective effect of glutamate on ALAD in the preparations from the sorbitol-treated leaves might be due to its stimulatory effect on the enzyme.

  12. Improving Performance and Operational Stability of Porcine Interferon-α Production by Pichia pastoris with Combinational Induction Strategy of Low Temperature and Methanol/Sorbitol Co-feeding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Min-Jie; Zhan, Xiao-Bei; Gao, Peng; Zhang, Xu; Dong, Shi-Juan; Li, Zhen; Shi, Zhong-Ping; Lin, Chi-Chung

    2015-05-01

    Various induction strategies were investigated for effective porcine interferon-α (pIFN-α) production by Pichia pastoris in a 10 L fermenter. We found that pIFN-α concentration could be significantly improved with the strategies of low-temperature induction or methanol/sorbitol co-feeding. On this basis, a combinational strategy of induction at lower temperature (20 °C) with methanol/sorbitol co-feeding has been proposed for improvement of pIFN-α production. The results reveal that maximal pIFN-α concentration and antiviral activity reach the highest level of 2.7 g/L and 1.8 × 10(7) IU/mg with the proposed induction strategy, about 1.3-2.1 folds higher than those obtained with other sub-optimal induction strategies. Metabolic analysis and online multi-variable measurement results indicate that energy metabolic enrichment is responsible for the performance enhancement of pIFN-α production, as a large amount of ATP could be simultaneously produced from both formaldehyde oxidation pathway in methanol metabolism and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle in sorbitol metabolism. In addition, the proposed combinational induction strategy enables P. pastoris to be resistant to high methanol concentration (42 g/L), which conceivably occur associating with the error-prone methanol over-feeding. As a result, the proposed combinational induction strategy simultaneously increased the targeted protein concentration and operational stability leading to significant improvement of pIFN-α production.

  13. A fiber-optic sorbitol biosensor based on NADH fluorescence detection toward rapid diagnosis of diabetic complications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gessei, Tomoko; Arakawa, Takahiro; Kudo, Hiroyuki; Mitsubayashi, Kohji

    2015-09-21

    Accumulation of sorbitol in the tissue is known to cause microvascular diabetic complications. In this paper, a fiber-optic biosensor for sorbitol which is used as a biomarker of diabetic complications was developed and tested. The biosensor used a sorbitol dehydrogenase from microorganisms of the genus Flavimonas with high substrate specificity and detected the fluorescence of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) by the enzymatic reaction. An ultraviolet light emitting diode (UV-LED) was used as the excitation light source of NADH. The fluorescence of NADH was detected using a spectrometer or a photomultiplier tube (PMT). The UV-LED and the photodetector were coupled using a Y-shaped optical fiber. In the experiment, an optical fiber probe with a sorbitol dehydrogenase immobilized membrane was placed in a cuvette filled with a phosphate buffer containing the oxidized form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)). The changes in NADH fluorescence intensity were measured after adding a standard sorbitol solution. According to the experimental assessment, the calibration range of the sorbitol biosensor systems using a spectrometer and a PMT was 5.0-1000 μmol L(-1) and 1.0-1000 μmol L(-1), respectively. The sorbitol biosensor system using the sorbitol dehydrogenase from microorganisms of the genus Flavimonas has high selectivity and sensitivity compared with that from sheep liver. The sorbitol biosensor allows for point-of-care testing applications or daily health care tests for diabetes patients.

  14. The effects of xylitol and sorbitol on lysozyme- and peroxidase-related enzymatic and candidacidal activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Bum-Soo; Chang, Ji-Youn; Kim, Yoon-Young; Kho, Hong-Seop

    2015-07-01

    To investigate whether xylitol and sorbitol affect enzymatic and candidacidal activities of lysozyme, the peroxidase system, and the glucose oxidase-mediated peroxidase system. Xylitol and sorbitol were added to hen egg-white lysozyme, bovine lactoperoxidase, glucose oxidase-mediated peroxidase, and whole saliva in solution and on hydroxyapatite surfaces. The enzymatic activities of lysozyme, peroxidase, and glucose oxidase-mediated peroxidase were determined by the turbidimetric method, the NbsSCN assay, and production of oxidized o-dianisidine, respectively. Candidacidal activities were determined by comparing colony forming units using Candida albicans ATCC strains 10231, 11006, and 18804. While xylitol and sorbitol did not affect the enzymatic activity of hen egg-white lysozyme both in solution and on hydroxyapatite surfaces, they did inhibit the enzymatic activity of salivary lysozyme significantly in solution, but not on the surfaces. Xylitol and sorbitol enhanced the enzymatic activities of both bovine lactoperoxidase and salivary peroxidase significantly in a dose-dependent manner in solution, but not on the surfaces. Sorbitol, but not xylitol, inhibited the enzymatic activity of glucose oxidase-mediated peroxidase significantly. Both xylitol and sorbitol did not affect candidacidal activities of hen egg-white lysozyme, the bovine lactoperoxidase system, or the glucose oxidase-mediated bovine lactoperoxidase system. Xylitol and sorbitol inhibited salivary lysozyme activity, but enhanced both bovine lactoperoxidase and salivary peroxidase activities significantly in solution. Xylitol and sorbitol did not augment lysozyme- and peroxidase-related candidacidal activities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Sorbitol treatment extends lifespan and induces the osmotic stress response in Caenorhabditis elegans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Devon eChandler-Brown

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The response to osmotic stress is a highly conserved process for adapting to changing environmental conditions. Prior studies have shown that hyperosmolarity by addition of sorbitol to the growth medium is sufficient to increase both chronological and replicative lifespan in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here we report a similar phenomenon in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Addition of sorbitol to the nematode growth medium induces an adaptive osmotic response and increases C. elegans lifespan by about 35%. Lifespan extension from 5% sorbitol behaves similarly to dietary restriction in a variety of genetic backgrounds, increasing lifespan additively with mutation of daf-2(e1370 and independently of daf-16(mu86, sir-2.1(ok434, aak-2(ok524, and hif-1(ia04. Dietary restriction by bacterial deprivation or mutation of eat-2(ad1113 fails to further extend lifespan in the presence of 5% sorbitol. Two mutants with constitutive activation of the osmotic response, osm-5(p813 and osm-7(n1515, were found to be long-lived, and lifespan extension from sorbitol required the glycerol biosynthetic enzymes GPDH-1 and GPDH-2. Taken together, these observations demonstrate that exposure to sorbitol at levels sufficient to induce an adaptive osmotic response extends lifespan in worms and define the osmotic stress response pathway as a longevity pathway conserved between yeast and nematodes.

  16. Effect of Sorbitol Plasticizer on the Structure and Properties of Melt Processed Polyvinyl Alcohol Films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Huafeng; Liu, Di; Yao, Yuanyuan; Ma, Songbai; Zhang, Xing; Xiang, Aimin

    2017-12-01

    Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) possesses wide applications as food packaging materials, but is difficult to melt process for its strong inter/intra hydrogen bonding. In this work, flexible PVA films with different content of sorbitol plasticizers were prepared by melt processing with the assistance of water. And the influence of sorbitol plasticizer content on the crystallinity, optical transparency, water-retaining capability, mechanical properties, thermal stability and oxygen and water permeability were investigated. The results indicated that sorbitol dramatically improved the melt processing ability of PVA. Sorbitol could interact with PVA to form strong hydrogen bonding interactions, which would decrease the original hydrogen bonding of the matrix, resulting in the decrease of crystallinity degrees. The glass transition, melting and crystallization peak temperatures decreased with the increase of sorbitol. All the films exhibited fine optical transparency. The water retaining capability were improved with the increase of sorbitol. Especially, an increase in elongation at break and decrease in Young's modulus and tensile strength were observed indicating good plasticizing effect of sorbitol on PVA films. In addition, the PVA films prepared in this work exhibited fine barrier properties against oxygen and water, suggesting wide application potential as packaging materials. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  17. 75 FR 16839 - Sorbitol From France

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-02

    ... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation No. 731-TA-44 (Third Review)] Sorbitol From France AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission. ACTION: Revised schedule for the subject review. DATES: Effective Date: Date of Commission approval. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dana Lofgren (202...

  18. Biosynthesis of sorbitol and other compounds in Golden Delicious apple leaves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steenkamp, J.; Terblanche, J.H.; De Villiers, O.T.

    1981-01-01

    The distribution of radioactivity in the principal alcohol-soluble fractions of Golden Delicious apple leaves after exposure to 14 CO 2 for periods from 5 s to 60 min showed that the main products of photosynthesis were located in the phosphorylated and sugar fractions. Although the phosphorylated fraction consistently contained the highest radioactivity, no attempt was made to separate and identify the different compounds. As the percentage activity in the sugar (and sorbitol) and phosphorylated fractions increased with time, that in the organic acid and amino acid fractions decreased. Since the sugar and sorbitol fraction contained 45% of the total radioactivity after 60 min exposure to 14 CO 2 , and since sorbitol contained 82% of the radioactivity in this fraction, it appears that sorbitol is the principal non-phosphorylated end-product of photosynthesis in Golden Delicious apple leaves. Similar results were obtained with plum and apricot leaves. Since after only 60 s of photosynthesis sorbitol contained the highest radioactivity, it is apparent that the formation of this compound is very rapid, plays a role in the metabolism of Golden Delicious apple leaves, and that it is probably associated with the chloroplasts, as was found for plum leaves. The fact that amino acids and other organic acids also contained an appreciable amount of radioactivity (especially after short periods of photosynthesis) indicates a close relationship between these compounds and the primary products of photosynthesis

  19. A biopolymer-based carbon nanotube interface integrated with a redox shuttle and a D-sorbitol dehydrogenase for robust monitoring of D-sorbitol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sefcovicova, J.; Filip, J.; Gemeiner, P.; Bucko, M.; Magdolen, P.; Tkac, J.; Tomcik, P.

    2011-01-01

    We describe the preparation and characterization of a glassy carbon electrode modified with a bionanocomposite consisting of a hyaluronic acid, dispersed carbon nanotubes, and electrostatically bound toluidine blue. The electrode was used to detect NADH in the batch and flow-injection mode of operation. The electrode was further modified by immobilizing sorbitol dehydrogenase to result in biosensor for D-sorbitol that displays good operational stability, a sensitivity of 10.6 μA mM -1 cm -2 , a response time of 16 s, and detection limit in the low micromolar range. The biosensor was successfully applied to off-line monitoring of D-sorbitol during its bioconversion into L-sorbose (a precursor in the synthesis of vitamin C) by Gluconobacter oxydans. The sample assay precision is 2.5% (an average RSD) and the throughput is 65 h -1 if operated in the flow-injection mode. The validation of this biosensor against a reference HPLC method resulted in a slope of correlation of 1.021 ± 0.001 (R 2 = 0.99997). (author)

  20. Comparison of the effect of sorbitol and glucose on calcium absorption in postmenopausal women

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Francis, R.M.; Peacock, M.; Barkworth, S.A.; Marshall, D.H.

    1986-01-01

    It has been suggested that the oral administration of sorbitol promotes calcium absorption, while glucose has no effect. We have therefore compared the effect of oral sorbitol and glucose on the absorption of radiocalcium from low and high carrier loads in healthy postmenopausal women. In a control group of 20 women given neither sorbitol nor glucose, the mean +/- SEM fractional radiocalcium absorption rate from a low carrier load was 0.65 +/- 0.05 (fraction of dose/h). In a second group of 10 women the fractional absorption rate from the low carrier load was lower (p less than 0.05) with 10 g sorbitol (0.48 +/- 0.05) than with 10 g glucose (0.65 +/- 0.08). Fractional absorption of radiocalcium from a high carrier load measured in a third group of seven women using two isotopes (oral 45Ca, IV 47Ca) was also lower (p less than 0.001) with 10 g sorbitol (0.22 +/- 0.01, fraction/3 h) than with 10 g glucose (0.29 +/- 0.02). The results suggest that calcium absorption from a low carrier load is unaltered by glucose but that absorption of calcium from both low and high carrier loads is lower with sorbitol than with glucose

  1. An exploratory study; the therapeutic effects of premixed activated charcoal-sorbitol administration in patients poisoned with organophosphate pesticide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moon, Jeongmi; Chun, Byeongjo; Song, Kyounghwan

    2015-02-01

    The effects of activated charcoal (AC) mixed with cathartics for gastric decontamination in the management of organophosphate (OP) poisoning remain unknown due to limited clinical evidence. This exploratory study assessed the effectiveness of premixed AC-sorbitol as a treatment for OP poisoning. This retrospective observational case study included patients who either did not receive AC-sorbitol or received a single dose of AC-sorbitol within 24 h after OP ingestion. The patients were divided into three groups: no AC-sorbitol treatment, patients who received AC-sorbitol within 1 h of OP ingestion, and patients who received AC-sorbitol more than 1 h after OP ingestion. Mortality, the development of respiratory failure, and the duration of mechanical ventilation were used as outcome measurements for effectiveness, whereas aspiration pneumonia and electrolyte imbalance were employed as safety measurements. Among 262 patients with OP poisoning, 198 were included. Of these, 133 patients did not receive AC-sorbitol, whereas 14 and 51 patients received AC-sorbitol within 1 h or more than 1 h after ingestion, respectively. The time from ingestion to hospital arrival and time from ingestion to administration of atropine and pralidoxime differed among the groups, whereas other characteristics, including age, amount ingested, and type of ingested OP, were similar among the groups. Univariate and multivariate analysis demonstrated that the administration of AC-sorbitol was not associated with outcome measures for effectiveness and did not significantly increase either aspiration pneumonia or electrolyte imbalances during hospitalization. The administration of AC-sorbitol exerted neither beneficial nor harmful effects on the outcomes of OP-poisoned patients regardless of the time from OP ingestion to administration, compared with those of patients who did not receive AC-sorbitol. However, this study enrolled a small number of patients who received AC-sorbitol; further qualified

  2. Follow-up of coeliac disease with the novel one-hour 13C-sorbitol breath test versus the H2-sorbitol breath test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tveito, Kari; Hetta, Anne Kristine; Askedal, Mia; Brunborg, Cathrine; Sandvik, Leiv; Løberg, Else Marit; Skar, Viggo

    2011-07-01

    We recently developed a (13)C-sorbitol breath test ((13)C-SBT) as an alternative to the H(2)-sorbitol breath test (H(2)-SBT) for coeliac disease. In this study we compared the diagnostic properties of the H(2)-SBT and the (13)C-SBT in follow-up of coeliac disease. Twenty-seven coeliac patients on a gluten-free diet (GFD) performed the breath tests. All had been tested before treatment in the initial study of the (13)C-SBT, in which 39 untreated coeliac patients, 40 patient controls, and 26 healthy volunteers participated. Five gram sorbitol and 100 mg (13)C-sorbitol were dissolved in 250 ml tap water and given orally. H(2), CH(4) and (13)CO(2) were measured in end-expiratory breath samples every 30 min for 4 h. Increased H(2) concentration ≥20 ppm from basal values was used as cut-off for the H(2)-SBT. Sixty minutes values were used as diagnostic index in the (13)C-SBT. (13)CO(2) levels at 60 min increased in 20/26 treated coeliac patients (77%) after GFD, but were significantly lower than in control groups. Out of 20 patients who had a positive H(2)-SBT before GFD, 12 had a negative H(2)-SBT after GFD. Peak H(2) concentrations were not correlated with (13)C-SBT results. The study confirms the sensitivity of a one-hour (13)C-SBT for small intestinal malabsorption. The (13)C-SBT has superior diagnostic properties compared with the H(2)-SBT in follow-up of coeliac disease.

  3. Ileocolic perforation secondary to sodium polystyrene sulfonate in sorbitol use: A case report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trottier, Vincent; Drolet, Sébastien; Morcos, Mohib W

    2009-01-01

    Hyperkalemia is a common condition encountered in medical and surgical patients. It can lead to various complications including cardiac arrhythmias. Sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS) in sorbitol is an ion-exchange resin that can be used to treat hyperkalemia. It can be used in enema or in oral form. The present article describes the case of an intensive care unit patient who experienced severe, diffuse, intestinal perforation induced by the use of SPS-sorbitol, requiring multiple laparotomies, followed by a brief review of the relevant literature and recommendations regarding the use of SPS-sorbitol. PMID:19826644

  4. The effect of glicerol and sorbitol plasticizers toward disintegration time of phyto-capsules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pudjiastuti, Pratiwi; Hendradi, Esti; Wafiroh, Siti; Harsini, Muji; Darmokoesoemo, Handoko

    2016-03-01

    The aim of research is determining the effect of glycerol and sorbitol toward the disintegration time of phyto-capsules, originated capsules from plant polysaccharides. Phyto-capsules were made from polysaccharides and 0.5% (v/v) of glycerol and sorbitol of each. The seven capsules of each were determined the disintegration time using Erweka disintegrator. The mean of disintegration time of phyto-capsules without plasticizers, with glycerol and sorbitol were 25'30"; 45'15" and 35'30" respectively. The color and colorless gelatin capsules showed the mean of disintegration time 7'30" and 2'35" respectively.

  5. Fermentable soluble fibres spare amino acids in healthy dogs fed a low-protein diet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wambacq, Wendy; Rybachuk, Galena; Jeusette, Isabelle; Rochus, Kristel; Wuyts, Brigitte; Fievez, Veerle; Nguyen, Patrick; Hesta, Myriam

    2016-06-28

    Research in cats has shown that increased fermentation-derived propionic acid and its metabolites can be used as alternative substrates for gluconeogenesis, thus sparing amino acids for other purposes. This amino acid sparing effect could be of particular interest in patients with kidney or liver disease, where this could reduce the kidneys'/liver's burden of N-waste removal. Since dogs are known to have a different metabolism than the obligatory carnivorous cat, the main objective of this study was to assess the possibility of altering amino acid metabolism through intestinal fermentation in healthy dogs. This was studied by supplementing a low-protein diet with fermentable fibres, hereby providing an initial model for future studies in dogs suffering from renal/liver disease. Eight healthy dogs were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: sugar beet pulp and guar gum mix (SF: soluble fibre, estimated to mainly stimulate propionic acid production) or cellulose (IF: insoluble fibre). Treatments were incorporated into a low-protein (17 %) extruded dry diet in amounts to obtain similar total dietary fibre (TDF) contents for both diets (9.4 % and 8.2 % for the SF and IF diet, respectively) and were tested in a 4-week crossover feeding trial. Apparent faecal nitrogen digestibility and post-prandial fermentation metabolites in faeces and plasma were evaluated. Dogs fed the SF diet showed significantly higher faecal excretion of acetic and propionic acid, resulting in a higher total SCFA excretion compared to IF. SF affected the three to six-hour postprandial plasma acylcarnitine profile by significantly increasing AUC of acetyl-, propionyl-, butyryl- + isobutyryl-, 3-OH-butyryl-, 3-OH-isovaleryl- and malonyl-L-carnitine. Moreover, the amino acid plasma profile at that time was modified as leucine + isoleucine concentrations were significantly increased by SF, and a similar trend for phenylalanine and tyrosine's AUC was found. These results indicate

  6. Management of constipation in residents with dementia: sorbitol effectiveness and cost.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Volicer, Ladislav; Lane, Patricia; Panke, JoAnn; Lyman, Paul

    2004-01-01

    The objective of this report is to describe a cost-effective strategy for management of constipation in nursing home residents with dementia. We conducted a prospective observational quality improvement study of 41 residents with chronic constipation and receiving an osmotic laxative. Sorbitol was substituted for lactulose. The study was conducted at a dementia special care unit at a Veterans Administration hospital. We measured the number and amount of laxative use over a period of 4 weeks that were required to maintain regular bowel function. There was no difference in efficacy of lactulose and sorbitol. Use of additional laxatives was infrequent: Milk of Magnesia on approximately 10% of days/patient, bisacodyl suppository on 2% to 4% of days/patient, and Fleet enema only on 3 occasions. The cost of constipation management using routine administration of sorbitol and as-needed use of other laxatives was 27% to 55% lower than the cost of other constipation management strategies reported in the literature. Substitution of sorbitol for lactulose does not change efficacy of the treatment and decreases cost. Regular use of an osmotic laxative avoids the costs and discomforts of rectal laxatives.

  7. Cloning, Expression, and Characterization of Sorbitol Transporters from Developing Sour Cherry Fruit and Leaf Sink Tissues1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Zhifang; Maurousset, Laurence; Lemoine, Remi; Yoo, Sang-Dong; van Nocker, Steven; Loescher, Wayne

    2003-01-01

    The acyclic polyol sorbitol is a primary photosynthetic product and the principal photosynthetic transport substance in many economically important members of the family Rosaceace (e.g. almond [Prunus dulcis (P. Mill.) D.A. Webber], apple [Malus pumila P. Mill.], cherry [Prunus spp.], peach [Prunus persica L. Batsch], and pear [Pyrus communis]). To understand key steps in long-distance transport and particularly partitioning and accumulation of sorbitol in sink tissues, we have cloned two sorbitol transporter genes (PcSOT1 and PcSOT2) from sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) fruit tissues that accumulate large quantities of sorbitol. Sorbitol uptake activities and other characteristics were measured by heterologous expression of PcSOT1 and PcSOT2 in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Both genes encode proton-dependent, sorbitol-specific transporters with similar affinities (Km sorbitol of 0.81 mm for PcSOT1 and 0.64 mm for PcSOT2). Analyses of gene expression of these transporters, however, suggest different roles during leaf and fruit development. PcSOT1 is expressed throughout fruit development, but especially when growth and sorbitol accumulation rates are highest. In leaves, PcSOT1 expression is highest in young, expanding tissues, but substantially less in mature leaves. In contrast, PcSOT2 is mainly expressed only early in fruit development and not in leaves. Compositional analyses suggest that transport mediated by PcSOT1 and PcSOT2 plays a major role in sorbitol and dry matter accumulation in sour cherry fruits. Presence of these transporters and the high fruit sorbitol concentrations suggest that there is an apoplastic step during phloem unloading and accumulation in these sink tissues. Expression of PcSOT1 in young leaves before completion of the transition from sink to source is further evidence for a role in determining sink activity. PMID:12692316

  8. Granule fraction inhomogeneity of calcium carbonate/sorbitol in roller compacted granules

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bacher, Charlotte; Olsen, P.M.; Bertelsen, P.

    2008-01-01

    The granule fraction inhomogeneity of roller compacted granules was examined on mixtures of three different morphologic forms of calcium carbonate and three particle sizes of sorbitol. The granule fraction inhomogeneity was determined by the distribution of the calcium carbonate in each of the 10...... size fractions between 0 and 2000 µm and by calculating the demixing potential. Significant inhomogeneous occurrence of calcium carbonate in the size fractions was demonstrated, depending mostly on the particles sizes of sorbitol but also on the morphological forms of calcium carbonate......, the ability of the powder to agglomerate in the roller compactor was demonstrated to be related to the ability of the powder to be compacted into a tablet, thus the most compactable calcium carbonate and the smallest sized sorbitol improved the homogeneity by decreasing the demixing potential....

  9. Effect of Secondary Doping Using Sorbitol on Structure and Transport Properties of PEDOT-PSS Thin Films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khasim, Syed; Pasha, Apsar; Roy, Aashish S.; Parveen, Ameena; Badi, Nacer

    2017-07-01

    Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulphonate) (PEDOT-PSS) in the recent past has emerged as one of the most fascinating conducting polymers for many device applications. The unique feature of PEDOT-PSS is its transparency in the entire visible spectrum with excellent thermal stability. The PEDOT-PSS as prepared as an aqueous dispersion has very low conductivity, and it hinders the performance of a device. In this work we report the conductivity enhancement of PEDOT-PSS thin films through secondary doping using a polar organic solvent such as sorbitol. The mechanism of conductivity enhancement was studied through various physical and chemical characterizations. The effect of sorbitol concentration on structure and transport properties of PEDOT-PSS thin films was investigated in detail. The structural and morphological modifications in PEDOT-PSS due to the addition of sorbitol was studied through Fourier transform spectroscopy, Ultra Violet-visible spectroscopy, theromogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The interactions resulting from conformational changes of PEDOT chains that changes from coiled to linear structure due to the sorbitol treatment significantly improves the conductivity of PEDOT-PSS films. The secondary doping of sorbitol reduces the energy barrier that facilitates the charge carrier hopping leading to enhanced conductivity. We have observed that the conductivity of PEDOT-PSS thin films was increased by two fold due to sorbitol treatment when compared to conductivity of pure PEDOT-PSS. We have carried out detailed analysis of dielectric parameters of sorbitol-treated PEDOT-PSS films and found that sorbitol treatment has a significant effect on various dielectric attributes of PEDOT-PSS films. Hence, secondary doping using sorbitol could be a useful way to effectively tailor the conductivity and dielectric properties of PEDOT-PSS thin films that can be used as flexible electrodes in

  10. Sorbitol-modified hyaluronic acid reduces oxidative stress, apoptosis and mediators of inflammation and catabolism in human osteoarthritic chondrocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mongkhon, John-Max; Thach, Maryane; Shi, Qin; Fernandes, Julio C; Fahmi, Hassan; Benderdour, Mohamed

    2014-08-01

    Our study was designed to elucidate the precise molecular mechanisms by which sorbitol-modified hyaluronic acid (HA/sorbitol) exerts beneficial effects in osteoarthritis (OA). Human OA chondrocytes were treated with increasing doses of HA/sorbitol ± anti-CD44 antibody or with sorbitol alone and thereafter with or without interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Signal transduction pathways and parameters related to oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation, and catabolism were investigated. HA/sorbitol prevented IL-1β-induced oxidative stress, as measured by reactive oxygen species, p47-NADPH oxidase phosphorylation, 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) production and HNE-metabolizing glutathione-S-transferase A4-4 expression. Moreover, HA/sorbitol stifled IL-1β-induced metalloproteinase-13, nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 release as well as inducible NO synthase expression. Study of the apoptosis process revealed that this gel significantly attenuated cell death, caspase-3 activation and DNA fragmentation elicited by exposure to a cytotoxic H2O2 dose. Examination of signaling pathway components disclosed that HA/sorbitol prevented IL-1β-induced p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor-kappa B activation, but not that of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2. Interestingly, the antioxidant as well as the anti-inflammatory and anti-catabolic effects of HA/sorbitol were attributed to sorbitol and HA, respectively. Altogether, our findings support a beneficial effect of HA/sorbitol in OA through the restoration of redox status and reduction of apoptosis, inflammation and catabolism involved in cartilage damage.

  11. Caloric restriction counteracts age-related changes in the activities of sorbitol metabolizing enzymes from mouse liver

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagopian, Kevork; Ramsey, Jon J.; Weindruch, Richard

    2009-01-01

    The influence of caloric restriction (CR) on hepatic sorbitol-metabolizing enzyme activities was investigated in young and old mice. Aldose reductase and sorbitol dehydrogenase activities were significantly lower in old CR mice than in old controls. Young CR mice showed decreased aldose reductase activity and a trend towards decreased sorbitol dehydrogenase when compared to controls. Metabolites of the pathway, namely sorbitol, glucose and fructose were decreased by CR in young and old mice. Pyruvate levels were decreased by CR in both young and old mice, while lactate decreased only in old CR. Malate levels increased in old CR but remained unchanged in young CR, when compared with controls. Accordingly, the lactae/pyruvate and malate/pyruvate ratios in young and old CR mice were increased, indicating increased NADH/NAD and NADPH/NADP redox couples, respectively. The results indicate that decreased glucose levels under CR conditions lead to decreased sorbitol pathway enzyme activities and metabolite levels, and could contribute to the beneficial effects of long-term CR through decreased sorbitol levels and NADPH sparing. PMID:18953666

  12. Physicochemical, mechanical and thermal properties of chitosan films with and without sorbitol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Mei; Zhou, Yibin; Zhang, Yang; Yu, Chen; Cao, Shengnan

    2014-09-01

    The effect of sorbitol on the physicochemical, mechanical and thermal properties of chitosan films with different degrees of deacetylation (DD; i.e., DD85% and DD95%) was investigated. The thickness, moisture content (MC), water solubility (WS) and water-vapor permeability (WVP) of the films were evaluated. Sorbitol addition reduced MC, increased WS and significantly (psorbitol increased the strain and decreased stress for both DD films, but DD95% could sustain higher strain and DD85% could sustain higher stress. Thermogravimetrics analysis and differential scanning calorimetry showed that sorbitol elicited a lower degradation temperature for both films, and that DD95% films exhibited higher thermal stability than DD85% films. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Ileocolic Perforation Secondary to Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate in Sorbitol Use: A Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vincent Trottier

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Hyperkalemia is a common condition encountered in medical and surgical patients. It can lead to various complications including cardiac arrhythmias. Sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS in sorbitol is an ion-exchange resin that can be used to treat hyperkalemia. It can be used in enema or in oral form. The present article describes the case of an intensive care unit patient who experienced severe, diffuse, intestinal perforation induced by the use of SPS-sorbitol, requiring multiple laparotomies, followed by a brief review of the relevant literature and recommendations regarding the use of SPS-sorbitol.

  14. Molecular dynamics studies of the conformation of sorbitol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lerbret, A.; Mason, P.E.; Venable, R.M.; Cesàro, A.; Saboungi, M.-L.; Pastor, R.W.; Brady, J.W.

    2009-01-01

    Molecular dynamics simulations of a 3 m aqueous solution of D-sorbitol (also called D-glucitol) have been performed at 300 K, as well as at two elevated temperatures to promote conformational transitions. In principle, sorbitol is more flexible than glucose since it does not contain a constraining ring. However, a conformational analysis revealed that the sorbitol chain remains extended in solution, in contrast to the bent conformation found experimentally in the crystalline form. While there are 243 staggered conformations of the backbone possible for this open-chain polyol, only a very limited number were found to be stable in the simulations. Although many conformers were briefly sampled, only eight were significantly populated in the simulation. The carbon backbones of all but two of these eight conformers were completely extended, unlike the bent crystal conformation. These extended conformers were stabilized by a quite persistent intramolecular hydrogen bond between the hydroxyl groups of carbon C-2 and C-4. The conformational populations were found to be in good agreement with the limited available NMR data except for the C-2–C-3 torsion (spanned by the O-2–O-4 hydrogen bond), where the NMR data supports a more bent structure. PMID:19744646

  15. The metabolism of sorbitol and fructose in isolated chloroplasts of Santa Rosa plum leaves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Villiers, O.T.

    1979-01-01

    Aqueously as well as non-aqueously isolated chloroplasts from Santa Rosa plum leaves readily metabolised sorbitol- 14 C to fructose, glucose and sucrose. Likewise, fructose- 14 C was converted to sorbitol, glucose and sucrose [af

  16. Colonic necrosis due to calcium polystyrene sulfonate (Kalimate not suspended in sorbitol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Dolores Castillo-Cejas

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Cation-exchange resins are used in the management of hyperkalemia, particularly in patients with end-stage renal disease. These resins were associated with gastrointestinal tract lesions, especially sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate mixed with sorbitol. We present a case of colonic necrosis after the administration of calcium polystyrene sulfonate (Kalimate not suspended in sorbitol.

  17. Translocation of sorbitol and other photosynthates in golden delicious apple shoots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steenkamp, J.; Terblanche, J.H.; De Villiers, O.T.

    1982-01-01

    This study was undertaken to determine to what extent sorbitol and other photosynthates are translocated in Golden Delicious apple shoots. The distribution of radioactivity in the different fractions, after the leaves had been exposed to radiocarbon, was found in segment of the shoots directly below the treatment leaves. The highest 14 C activity was in the carbohydrate fraction. The results indicate that sorbitol is the principal carbohydrate transported in Golden Delicious apple shoots

  18. PHYSIOLOGICAL REGULATION OF PROTEASE AND ANTIBIOTICS IN PENICILLIUM SP. USING SUBMERGED AND SOLID STATE FERMENTATION TECHNIQUES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    HAIDER M. HAMZAH

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available A fungal strain belonging to the genus Penicillium was isolated from soil sample and has been diagnosed as Penicillium sp. according to its morphological characteristics of the colonies on solid media and also microscopical examination of the fungal parts. Antibiotics, protease activity and pH values were determined after cultivation of the fungus using submerged fermentation (SF and solid state fermentation (SSF. The two different patterns of fermentation processes seem to influence the physiological behavior of the fungus differently. Experiments were made using nutrient broth medium (N.B for SF and wheat bran in SSF. The pH values were adjacent to 5.5. Wheat bran was enriched with fish scales and egg shale in a ratio of (1:2:0.005 w/w and the mixture was moistened by adding (30 ml whey solution. After 7 days of incubation, the pH value of SF was increased to 8.0 at 30ºC. The SF was appeared efficient for antibiotics production. Using well diffusion technique the extracted antibiotics solution was active against some pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Proteus sp., Salmonella sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus sp. In SSF relative proteases concentrations were found to be highly reactive than SF. This was proved by the appearance of the zone (20 mm and 32 mm due to the hydrolysis of milk and blood proteins respectively using pH 5.5 at 30ºC for 24 hrs. The activity of proteases was (10.4 U/ml.

  19. Effect of Guar Gum with Sorbitol Coating on the Properties and Oil Absorption of French Fries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Bo; Fan, Daming; Li, Jinwei; Duan, Zhenhua; Fan, Liuping

    2017-12-13

    This paper investigated the effects of guar gum with sorbitol coating on the oil absorption of French fries by combined dye oil methods, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that pretreatment of blanching with calcium ions and coating with guar gum and sorbitol could significantly reduce the structural oil (STO) and penetrated surface oil (PSO) of French fries and have no negative effects on its texture and also effectively control the final moisture content ( p French fries with guar gum and sorbitol reduced by 50.8%, 33.1% and 30.6%, respectively. CLSM photographs confirmed that STO significantly reduced after coating with guar gum and sorbitol, followed by PSO. In the process of frying, the coatings of guar gum or guar gum with sorbitol could effectively prevent oil from infiltrating the potato tissue, which can be seen in the SEM photographs. The barrier properties of French fries were enhanced by coating guar gum, and sorbitol was added to avoid pores and cracks. Blanching with calcium ion can significantly reduce the final moisture content of coating French fries.

  20. Conductivity, work function, and environmental stability of PEDOT:PSS thin films treated with sorbitol

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nardes, A.M.; Kemerink, M.; Kok, de M.M.; Vinken, E.; Maturova, K.; Janssen, R.A.J.

    2008-01-01

    The electrical properties of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) thin films deposited from aqueous dispersion using different concentrations of sorbitol have been studied in detail. Although it is well known that sorbitol enhances the conductivity of PEDOT:PSS thin

  1. Isohexide and Sorbitol-Derived, Enzymatically Synthesized Renewable Polyesters with Enhanced Tg.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gustini, Liliana; Lavilla, Cristina; de Ilarduya, Antxon Martínez; Muñoz-Guerra, Sebastián; Koning, Cor E

    2016-10-10

    Sugar-based polyesters derived from sorbitol and isohexides were obtained via solvent-free enzymatic catalysis. Pendant hydroxyl groups, coming from the sorbitol units, were present along the polyester backbone, whereas the two isohexides, namely, isomannide and isoidide dimethyl ester monomers, were selected to introduce rigidity into the polyester chains. The feasibility of incorporating isomannide as a diol compared to the isoidide dimethyl ester as acyl-donor via lipase-catalyzed polycondensation was investigated. The presence of bicyclic units resulted in enhanced T g with respect to the parent sorbitol-containing polyester lacking isohexides. The different capability of the two isohexides to boost the thermal properties confirmed the more flexible character provided by the isoidide diester derivative. Solvent-borne coatings were prepared by cross-linking the sugar-based polyester polyols with polyisocyanates. The increased rigidity of the obtained sugar-based polyester polyols led to an enhancement in hardness of the resulting coatings.

  2. The relationship between sucrose hydrolysis, sorbitol formation and mineral ion concentration during bioethanol formation using Zymomonas mobilis 2716

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Doelle, M.B.; Doelle, H.W. (Queensland Univ., St. Lucia (Australia). Dept. of Microbiology); Greenfield, P.F. (Queensland Univ., St. Lucia (Australia). Dept. of Chemical Engineering)

    1990-11-01

    Investigations into the relationship between sucrose hydrolysis, sorbitol formation and mineral ion concentration during bioethanol formation by Zymomonas mobilis 2716 revealed two distinct phenomena responsible for carbon flow diversion, a 'sucrose effect' and a 'salt effect'. Neither of the two phenomena affects sucrose hydrolysis, but they divert carbon flow of the fructose monomer leading to its own accumulation, sorbitol or oligosaccharide formation. Sucrose concentrations in excess of 15% (w/v) led to sorbitol formation, the level of which may exceed 2% (w/v) depending upon glucose accumulation during sucrose hydrolysis. Increasing mineral ion concentrations led initially to carbon losses and finally to fructose accumulation instead of sorbitol formation. This carbon loss can be corrected by the addition of invertase, which in turn leads to an increase in sorbitol, fructose and ethanol. Potassium and chloride are the dominant ions responsible for suppression of sorbitol formation and fructose uptake, encouraging oligosaccharide formation. These fructooligosaccharides must be of a type which can be converted to fructose, sorbitol and ethanol through the action of invertase. The requirement of invertase addition to prevent fructooligosaccharide formation is indirect evidence that Z. mobilis 2716 does not produce invertase. (orig.).

  3. Genome-wide identification of SF1 and SF2 helicases from archaea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamieh, Hala; Ibrahim, Hiba; Kozah, Juliana

    2016-01-15

    Archaea microorganisms have long been used as model organisms for the study of protein molecular machines. Archaeal proteins are particularly appealing to study since archaea, even though prokaryotic, possess eukaryotic-like cellular processes. Super Family I (SF1) and Super Family II (SF2) helicase families have been studied in many model organisms, little is known about their presence and distribution in archaea. We performed an exhaustive search of homologs of SF1 and SF2 helicase proteins in 95 complete archaeal genomes. In the present study, we identified the complete sets of SF1 and SF2 helicases in archaea. Comparative analysis between archaea, human and the bacteria E. coli SF1 and SF2 helicases, resulted in the identification of seven helicase families conserved among representatives of the domains of life. This analysis suggests that these helicase families are highly conserved throughout evolution. We highlight the conserved motifs of each family and characteristic domains of the detected families. Distribution of SF1/SF2 families show that Ski2-like, Lhr, Sfth and Rad3-like helicases are ubiquitous among archaeal genomes while the other families are specific to certain archaeal groups. We also report the presence of a novel SF2 helicase specific to archaea domain named Archaea Specific Helicase (ASH). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that ASH has evolved in Euryarchaeota and is evolutionary related to the Ski2-like family with specific characteristic domains. Our study provides the first exhaustive analysis of SF1 and SF2 helicases from archaea. It expands the variety of SF1 and SF2 archaeal helicases known to exist to date and provides a starting point for new biochemical and genetic studies needed to validate their biological functions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. EFFECT OF XYLITOL AND SORBITOL IN CHEWING-GUMS ON MUTANS STREPTOCOCCI, PLAQUE PH AND MINERAL LOSS OF ENAMEL

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    WENNERHOLM, K; ARENDS, J; BIRKHED, D; RUBEN, J; EMILSON, CG; DIJKMAN, AG

    1994-01-01

    Seventeen subjects with more than 3 x 10(5) mutans streptococci per millilitre of saliva completed this randomised, cross-over study. Four different chewing-gums, containing: (1) 70% xylitol, (2) 35% xylitol + 35% sorbitol, (3) 17.5% xylitol + 52.5% sorbitol, and (4) 70% sorbitol, were tested. The

  5. Occurrence and characterization of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 and other non-sorbitol-fermenting E. coli in cattle and humans in urban areas of Morogoro, Tanzania.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lupindu, Athumani M; Olsen, John E; Ngowi, Helena A; Msoffe, Peter L M; Mtambo, Madundo M; Scheutz, Flemming; Dalsgaard, Anders

    2014-07-01

    Escherichia coli strains such as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), enteropathogenic E. coli, enterotoxigenic, attaching, and effacing E. coli, and enteroinvasive E. coli cause diarrhea in humans. Although other serotypes exist, the most commonly reported STEC in outbreaks is O157:H7. A cross-sectional study was conducted to isolate and characterize non-sorbitol-fermenting (NSF) E. coli O157:H7 from urban and periurban livestock settings of Morogoro, Tanzania. Human stool, cattle feces, and soil and water samples were collected. Observations and questionnaire interview studies were used to gather information about cattle and manure management practices in the study area. E. coli were isolated on sorbitol MacConkey agar and characterized by conventional biochemical tests. Out of 1049 samples, 143 (13.7%) yielded NSF E. coli. Serological and antimicrobial tests and molecular typing were performed to NSF E. coli isolates. These procedures detected 10 (7%) pathogenic E. coli including STEC (n=7), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) (n=2), and attaching and effacing E. coli (A/EEC) (n=1) strains. The STEC strains had the ability to produce VT1 and different VT2 toxin subtypes that caused cytopathic effects on Vero cells. The prevalence of STEC in cattle was 1.6%, out of which 0.9% was serotype O157:H7 and the overall prevalence of diarrheagenic E. coli in cattle was 2.2%. The serotypes O157:H7, O142:H34, O113:H21, O+:H-, O+:H16, and O25:H4 were identified. One ESBL-producing isolate showed the MLST type ST131. To our knowledge, this is the first finding in Tanzania of this recently emerged worldwide pandemic clonal group, causing widespread antimicrobial-resistant infections, and adds knowledge of the geographical distribution of ST131. Cattle manure was indiscriminately deposited within residential areas, and there was direct contact between humans and cattle feces during manure handling. Cattle and manure management practices expose humans, animals, and the environment

  6. PHYSIOLOGICAL REGULATION OF PROTEASE AND ANTIBIOTICS IN PENICILLIUM SP. USING SUBMERGED AND SOLID STATE FERMENTATION TECHNIQUES

    OpenAIRE

    HAIDER M. HAMZAH; ANWAR H.L. Ali; HAMID G. HASSAN

    2009-01-01

    A fungal strain belonging to the genus Penicillium was isolated from soil sample and has been diagnosed as Penicillium sp. according to its morphological characteristics of the colonies on solid media and also microscopical examination of the fungal parts. Antibiotics, protease activity and pH values were determined after cultivation of the fungus using submerged fermentation (SF) and solid state fermentation (SSF). The two different patterns of fermentation processes seem to influence the ph...

  7. Structure-property relation in HPMC polymer films plasticized with Sorbitol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prakash, Y.; Somashekarappa, H.; Mahadevaiah, Somashekar, R.

    2013-06-01

    A correlation study on physical and mechanical properties of Hydroxy propyl-methylcellulose (HPMC) polymer films plasticized with different weight ratio of Sorbitol, prepared using solution casting method, was carried out using wide angle X-ray technique and universal testing machine. It is found that the crystallanity decreases as the concentration of Sorbitol increases up to a certain concentration and there afterwards increases. Measured Physical Properties like tensile strength decreases and elongation (%) increases indicating increase in the flexibility of the films. These observations confirm the correlation between microstructal parameters and mechanical properties of films. These films are suitable for packaging food products.

  8. Effect of sorbitol and glycerol on the stability of trypsin and difference between their stabilization effects in the various solvents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pazhang, Mohammad; Mehrnejad, Faramarz; Pazhang, Yaghub; Falahati, Hanieh; Chaparzadeh, Nader

    2016-01-01

    The effect of glycerol and sorbitol on the stability of porcine pancreas trypsin was investigated in this work. Molecular dynamics simulation and thermostability results showed that trypsin has two flexible regions, and polyols (sorbitol and glycerol) stabilize the enzyme by decreasing the flexibility of these regions. Radial distribution function results exhibited that sorbitol and glycerol were excluded from the first water layer of the enzyme, therefore decrease the flexibility of the regions by preferential exclusion. Also, results showed that the stabilization effect of sorbitol is more than glycerol. This observation could be because of the larger decrease in the fluctuations of trypsin in the presence of sorbitol. We also examined the role of solvent's hydrophobicity in enzyme stabilization by sorbitol and glycerol. To do so, the thermostability of trypsin was evaluated in the presence of solvents with different hydrophobicity (methanol, ethanol, isopropanol and n-propanol) in addition to the polyols. Our results depicted that glycerol is a better stabilizer than sorbitol in the presence of hydrophobic solvents (n-propanol), whereas sorbitol is a better stabilizer than glycerol in the presence of hydrophilic solvents (methanol). © 2015 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  9. Effect of sugar alcohol sorbitol on in vitro shoot development of Dianthus serotinus Waldst. et Kit.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marković Marija

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different concentrations of sorbitol on the development of the in vitro culture of D. serotinus in the multiplication phase. The obtained results showed that sorbitol generally had a positive effect, depending on its concentration and explant type. In addition, the presence of sorbitol affected the change of pH value of the media after autoclaving and after 25 days of in vitro culture, which could affect the availability of certain ions to plants. Therefore, the obtained results indicate that sorbitol can be used as an energy source for the in vitro culture of D. serotinus, but this should be further investigated. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 43007

  10. Effect of seasonal and geographical differences on skin and effect of treatment with an osmoprotectant: Sorbitol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muizzuddin, Neelam; Ingrassia, Michael; Marenus, Kenneth D; Maes, Daniel H; Mammone, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    Human skin maintains an optimal permeability barrier function in a terrestrial environment that varies considerably in humidity. Cells cultured under hyperosmotic stress accumulate osmolytes including sorbitol. Epidermal keratinocytes experience similar high osmolality under dry environmental conditions because of increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and concomitant drying of the skin. This study was designed to determine if epidermal keratinocytes, in vitro, could be protected from high osmotic stress, with the exogenous addition of sorbitol. In addition, we evaluated the effect of a formulation containing topical sorbitol on skin barrier and moisturization of subjects living in arid and humid regions in summer as well as in winter. Results from in vitro experiments showed that 50 mM sorbitol protected epidermal keratinocytes from osmotic toxicity induced by sodium chloride. Clinical studies indicated that skin chronically exposed to hot, dry environment appeared to exhibit stronger skin barrier and a lower baseline TEWL. In addition, skin barrier was stronger in summer than in winter. Sorbitol exhibited significant improvement in both barrier repair and moisturization, especially in individuals subjected to arid environmental conditions.

  11. Dielectric properties for SF6 and SF6 mixtures predicted from basic data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kline, L.E.; Davies, D.K.; Chen, C.L.; Chantry, P.J.

    1979-01-01

    We have calculated α and eta, the ionization and attachment coefficients, and (E/N) *, the limiting breakdown electric-field--to--gas-density ratio, in SF 6 and SF 6 mixtures by numerically solving the Boltzmann equation for the electron energy distribution. The calculations require a knowledge of several electron collision cross sections. Published momentum transfer and ionization cross sections for SF 6 were used. We measured various attachment cross sections for SF 6 using electron-beam techniques with mass spectrometric ion detection. We determined a total cross section for electronic excitation of SF 6 by comparing the predicted values of α, eta, and (E/N) * with our measured values obtained from spatial current growth experiments in SF 6 in uniform fields over an extended range of E/N. With this self-consistent set of SF 6 cross sections, together with published He and N 2 cross sections, it was then possible to predict the dielectric properties of SF 6 -He and SF 6 -N 2 mixtures. Published experimental values of α for the SF 6 -He mixtures lie between the values of α calculated with and without ionization of SF 6 by excited He atoms. Published experimental values of (E/N) * agree with our calculations to within 5% in both the SF 6 -He and the SF 6 -N 2 mixtures

  12. The "11K" gene family members sf68, sf95 and sf138 modulate transmissibility and insecticidal properties of Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beperet, Inés; Simón, Oihane; Williams, Trevor; López-Ferber, Miguel; Caballero, Primitivo

    2015-05-01

    The "11K" gene family is notable for having homologs in both baculoviruses and entomopoxviruses and is classified as either type 145 or type 150, according to their similarity with the ac145 or ac150 genes of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV). One homolog of ac145 (sf138) and two homologs of ac150 (sf68 and sf95) are present in Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV). Recombinant bacmids lacking sf68, sf95 or sf138 (Sf68null, Sf95null and Sf138null, respectively) and the respective repair bacmids were generated from a bacmid comprising the complete virus genome. Occlusion bodies (OBs) of the Sf138null virus were ∼15-fold less orally infective to insects, which was attributed to a 100-fold reduction in ODV infectious titer. Inoculation of insects with Sf138null OBs in mixtures with an optical brightener failed to restore the pathogenicity of Sf138null OBs to that of the parental virus, indicating that the effects of sf138 deletion on OB pathogenicity were unlikely to involve an interaction with the gut peritrophic matrix. In contrast, deletion of sf68 and sf95 resulted in a slower speed-of-kill by 9h, and a concurrent increase in the yield of OBs. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that sf68 and sf95 were not generated after a duplication event of an ancestral gene homologous to the ac150 gene. We conclude that type 145 genes modulate the primary infection process of the virus, whereas type 150 genes appear to have a role in spreading systemic infection within the insect. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Effect of nonabsorbed amounts of a fructose-sorbitol mixture on small intestinal transit in healthy volunteers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Jan L; Linnet, Jan; Rumessen, Jüri J

    2006-01-01

    Although malabsorption of small amounts of fructose-sorbitol mixtures occurs frequently in healthy humans, insights into their effects on gastrointestinal motility are poor. The present study addresses the hypothesis that malabsorption of a fructose-sorbitol challenge changes the small intestinal...... transit rate. Eleven healthy volunteers participated in a double-blind crossover investigation. In random order, the subjects ingested 30 g glucose or a mixture of 25 g fructose and 5 g sorbitol as 10% solutions. As a radiolabeled marker, (99m)Tc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid was added to each test...... solution. Breath hydrogen and methane concentrations and gastrointestinal progress of the radiolabeled marker were followed for the next 6-hr period. Malabsorption of small amounts of the fructose-sorbitol mixture was evident in all subjects. The area under the gastric radioactivity-time curve after...

  14. Effect of nonabsorbed amounts of a fructose-sorbitol mixture on small intestinal transit in healthy volunteers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Jan L; Linnet, Jan; Rumessen, Jüri J

    2006-01-01

    transit rate. Eleven healthy volunteers participated in a double-blind crossover investigation. In random order, the subjects ingested 30 g glucose or a mixture of 25 g fructose and 5 g sorbitol as 10% solutions. As a radiolabeled marker, (99m)Tc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid was added to each test......Although malabsorption of small amounts of fructose-sorbitol mixtures occurs frequently in healthy humans, insights into their effects on gastrointestinal motility are poor. The present study addresses the hypothesis that malabsorption of a fructose-sorbitol challenge changes the small intestinal...... solution. Breath hydrogen and methane concentrations and gastrointestinal progress of the radiolabeled marker were followed for the next 6-hr period. Malabsorption of small amounts of the fructose-sorbitol mixture was evident in all subjects. The area under the gastric radioactivity-time curve after...

  15. Sensitization of glycine (spectrophotometric read-out) dosimetric system using sorbitol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shinde, S.H.; Mukherjee, T.

    2009-01-01

    Glycine spectrophotometric read-out systems have a useful dose range of 15-4000 Gy. An attempt was made to sensitize it using sorbitol as a sensitizer. Optimum compositions of aqueous acidic solutions of ferrous ammonium sulphate-xylenol orange (XO), i.e. FX and sorbitol-ferrous ammonium sulphate-xylenol orange, i.e. SFX, for 400 mg of glycine, which gives maximum dosimetric response for any given dose, were established. Molar absorption coefficient values of ferric-XO-glycine complex, i.e. ε-values, were determined for glycine system in FX and SFX. These values were found to be 8410 and 15,000 m 2 mol -1 respectively, indicating that an enhancement or sensitivity factor of about 1.78 can be achieved by sorbitol for glycine in SFX. This factor was further confirmed by measuring the gamma dose response of glycine in FX and in SFX for four different doses, viz. 37.8, 75.5, 151 and 302 Gy. It was observed that dose response of glycine in SFX is about 77% more than that of glycine in FX. The maximum variation observed in response of glycine in FX or SFX was found to be within ±1.5%.

  16. Comparison of 3% sorbitol vs psyllium fibre as oral contrast agents in MR enterography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saini, Sidharth; Colak, Errol; Anthwal, Shalini; Vlachou, Paraskevi A; Raikhlin, Antony; Kirpalani, Anish

    2014-10-01

    To compare the degree of small bowel distension achieved by 3% sorbitol, a high osmolarity solution, and a psyllium-based bulk fibre as oral contrast agents (OCAs) in MR enterography (MRE). This retrospective study was approved by our institutional review board. A total of 45 consecutive normal MRE examinations (sorbitol, n = 20; psyllium, n = 25) were reviewed. The patients received either 1.5 l of 3% sorbitol or 2 l of 1.6 g kg(-1) psyllium prior to imaging. Quantitative small bowel distension measurements were taken in five segments: proximal jejunum, distal jejunum, proximal ileum, distal ileum and terminal ileum by two independent radiologists. Distension in these five segments was also qualitatively graded from 0 (very poor) to 4 (excellent) by two additional independent radiologists. Statistical analysis comparing the groups and assessing agreement included intraclass coefficients, Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney U-test. Small bowel distension was not significantly different in any of the five small bowel segments between the use of sorbitol and psyllium as OCAs in both the qualitative (p = 0.338-0.908) and quantitative assessments (p = 0.083-0.856). The mean bowel distension achieved was 20.1 ± 2.2 mm for sorbitol and 19.8 ± 2.5 mm for psyllium (p = 0.722). Visualization of the ileum was good or excellent in 65% of the examinations in both groups. Sorbitol and psyllium are not significantly different at distending the small bowel and both may be used as OCAs for MRE studies. This is the first study to directly compare the degree of distension in MRE between these two common, readily available and inexpensive OCAs.

  17. Children's acceptance of milk with xylitol or sorbitol for dental caries prevention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Castillo Ramon

    2005-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Xylitol, a polyol sugar, has been shown to reduce dental caries when mixed with food or chewing gum. This study examines the taste acceptability of xylitol in milk as a first step toward measuring the effectiveness of xylitol in milk for the reduction of dental caries in a public health program. Methods Three different types of milk (Ultra High Temperature (UHT, powder and evaporated were tested for acceptability by 75 Peruvian children (25 per milk group, ages 4 to 7 years. Each group evaluated xylitol and sorbitol in one type of milk. In the first phase, each child was presented with a tray of four plastic cups containing 50 ml of milk with 0.021 g/ml xylitol, 0.042 g/ml xylitol, 0.042 g/ml sorbitol or no sugar. Each child was asked to taste the samples in a self-selected order. After tasting each sample, the child placed the milk cup in front of one of three cartoon faces (smile, frown or neutral representing the child's response to the taste of each sample. In the second phase, the child was asked to rank order the milk samples within each category (smile, frown or neutral. Ranks within categories were then combined to obtain a rank ordering for all the test samples. Results The ranking from best to worst for the samples across categories (UHT, powder, evaporated was xylitol (0.0.042 g/ml, sorbitol (0.042 g/ml, xylitol (0.021 g/ml and milk alone (Friedman's ANOVA. Xylitol and sorbitol were preferred over milk alone, and xylitol (0.042 g/ml was preferred to sorbitol (0.042 g/ml(p Conclusion Milk sweetened with xylitol is well accepted by Peruvian children ages 4–7 years.

  18. SF12: Stata module to alidate sf12 input and calculate sf12 version 2 t scores

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2015-01-01

    sf12 takes 12 variables in correct order (i1 i2a i2b i3a i3b i4a i4b i5 i6a i6b i6c i7), validate the variables with respect to sf12 requirements. Only rows that are correct are used for calculating the sf12 t scores....

  19. Increased sorbitol levels in the hypertrophic ligamentum flavum of diabetic patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Jiaquan; Huang, Lu; Chen, Zhuo; Zeng, Zhaoxun; Miyamoto, Takeshi; Wu, Hao; Zhang, Zhongzu; Pan, Zhimin; Fujita, Nobuyuki; Hikata, Tomohiro; Iwanami, Akio; Tsuji, Takashi; Ishii, Ken; Nakamura, Masaya; Matsumoto, Morio; Watanabe, Kota; Cao, Kai

    2017-05-01

    The pathomechanism of the ligamentum flavum (LF) hypertrophy in diabetic patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS) remains unclear. A cross-sectional study was undertaken to investigate the mechanism of LF hypertrophy in these patients. Twenty-four diabetic and 20 normoglycemic patients with LSCS were enrolled in the study. The structure of the LF in the study subjects was evaluated using histological and immunohistochemical methods, and the levels of sorbitol, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and the fibrogenic factor, TGF-β1, in the LF were analyzed. In vitro experiments were performed using NIH3T3 fibroblasts to evaluate the effect of high-glucose conditions and an aldose reductase inhibitor on the cellular production of sorbitol, pro-inflammatory factors, and TGF-β1. We found that the LF of diabetic patients exhibited significantly higher levels of sorbitol and pro-inflammatory cytokines, TGF-β1 and of CD68-positive staining than that of the normoglycemic subjects. The diabetic LF was significantly thicker than that of the controls, and showed evidence of degeneration. The high glucose-cultured fibroblasts exhibited significantly higher levels of sorbitol, pro-inflammatory factors, and TGF-β1 compared to the low glucose-cultured cells, and these levels were dose-dependently reduced by treatment with the aldose reductase inhibitor. Taken together, our data suggests that increased sorbitol levels in the LF of diabetic patients results in increased production of pro-inflammatory and fibrogenic factor, which contribute to LF hypertrophy, and could increase the susceptibility of diabetic patients to LSCS. Furthermore, aldose reductase inhibition effectively reduced the levels of sorbitol and sorbitol-induced pro-inflammatory factor expression in high glucose-cultured fibroblasts. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:1058-1066, 2017. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. X-ray crystal structure and small-angle X-ray scattering of sheep liver sorbitol dehydrogenase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yennawar, Hemant; Møller, Magda; Gillilan, Richard

    2011-01-01

    The X-ray crystal structure of sheep liver sorbitol dehydrogenase (slSDH) has been determined using the crystal structure of human sorbitol dehydrogenase (hSDH) as a molecular-replacement model. slSDH crystallized in space group I222 with one monomer in the asymmetric unit. A conserved tetramer...

  1. Efeito da sacarose e sorbitol na conservação in vitro de Passiflora giberti N. E. Brown Sucrose and sorbitol effect in the in vitro conservation of Passiflora giberti N. E. Brown

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gláucia Amorim Faria

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available Este trabalho teve como objetivo estudar o efeito da sacarose e do sorbitol na conservação in vitro de um acesso de Passiflora giberti N. E. Brown. Para isso, foi instalado um experimento no delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em que foi comparado o tratamento-testemunha (MS padrão com o meio MS suplementado com três concentrações de sacarose (0; 15 e 30 g L-1 em combinação com três concentrações de sorbitol (10; 20 e 40 g L-1. As avaliações foram realizadas aos 30; 60; 90 e 120 dias de incubação, observando-se o comprimento das brotações (cm, número de raízes, número e coloração das folhas. Os resultados mostram ser possível conservar sob crescimento lento, por quatro meses, microplantas de maracujazeiro em meio de cultura MS suplementado com 10 ou 20 g L-1 de sorbitol, na ausência de sacarose, e mantidas sob condições de fotoperíodo de 16 h (22 µE m-2s-1 e temperatura de 27 ± 1 ºC. A sacarose promoveu maior desenvolvimento de microplantas. A rizogênese é afetada pelo sorbitol na concentração de 40 g L-1 e pela ausência de sacarose no meio de cultura.This work objectified the study of sucrose and sorbitol effect in the in vitro conservation for Passiflora giberti N. E. Brown, access. Therefore, an experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design to compare control treatment (standard MS to MS medium supplemented with three sucrose concentrations (0, 15 and 30 g L-1 combined with three sorbitol concentrations (10, 20 and 40 g L-1, in a total of 10 treatments with 20 replicas. The experiment evaluation was carried out at 30, 60, 90 and 120 days of incubation, whereas the height of shoots (cm, number of roots, number and color of leaves were observed. The results showed the possibility to maintain passion-fruit microplants for a four months period under slow growth in MS medium supplemented with 10 or 20 g L-1 of sorbitol, without sucrose, and kept under 16 hours photoperiod (22 µ E m-2 s-1 and

  2. A highly efficient sorbitol dehydrogenase from Gluconobacter oxydans G624 and improvement of its stability through immobilization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Tae-Su; Patel, Sanjay K S; Selvaraj, Chandrabose; Jung, Woo-Suk; Pan, Cheol-Ho; Kang, Yun Chan; Lee, Jung-Kul

    2016-09-16

    A sorbitol dehydrogenase (GoSLDH) from Gluconobacter oxydans G624 (G. oxydans G624) was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)-CodonPlus RIL. The complete 1455-bp codon-optimized gene was amplified, expressed, and thoroughly characterized for the first time. GoSLDH exhibited Km and kcat values of 38.9 mM and 3820 s(-1) toward L-sorbitol, respectively. The enzyme exhibited high preference for NADP(+) (vs. only 2.5% relative activity with NAD(+)). GoSLDH sequencing, structure analyses, and biochemical studies, suggested that it belongs to the NADP(+)-dependent polyol-specific long-chain sorbitol dehydrogenase family. GoSLDH is the first fully characterized SLDH to date, and it is distinguished from other L-sorbose-producing enzymes by its high activity and substrate specificity. Isothermal titration calorimetry showed that the protein binds more strongly to D-sorbitol than other L-sorbose-producing enzymes, and substrate docking analysis confirmed a higher turnover rate. The high oxidation potential of GoSLDH for D-sorbitol was confirmed by cyclovoltametric analysis. Further, stability of GoSLDH significantly improved (up to 13.6-fold) after cross-linking of immobilized enzyme on silica nanoparticles and retained 62.8% residual activity after 10 cycles of reuse. Therefore, immobilized GoSLDH may be useful for L-sorbose production from D-sorbitol.

  3. Dielectric properties for SF6 and SF6 mixtures predicted from basic data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kline, L.E.; Davies, D.K.; Chen, C.L.; Chantry, P.J.

    1978-01-01

    α and eta, the ionization and attachment coefficients, and (E/N)*, the limiting breakdown electric field-to-gas density ratio, in SF 6 and SF 6 mixtures were calculated by numerically solving the Boltzmann equation for the electron energy distribution. The calculations require a knowledge of several electron collision cross sections. Published momentum transfer and ionization cross sections for SF 6 were used. Various attachment cross sections for SF 6 were measured by using electron beam techniques with mass spectrometric ion detection. A total cross section for electronic excitation of SF 6 was determined by comparing the predicted values of α, eta, and (E/N)* with measured values obtained from spatial current growth experiments in SF 6 in uniform fields over an extended range of E/N. With this self-consistent set of SF 6 cross sections, together with published He cross sections, it was then possible to predict the dielectric properties of SF 6 --He mixtures. Published experimental values of α for these mixtures lie between the values of α calculated with and without ionization of SF 6 by excited He atoms. Published experimental values of (E/N)* agree with the calculations to within 5%. 11 figures

  4. Suppressing Sorbitol Synthesis Substantially Alters the Global Expression Profile of Stress Response Genes in Apple (Malus domestica) Leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Ting; Wang, Yi; Zheng, Yi; Fei, Zhangjun; Dandekar, Abhaya M; Xu, Kenong; Han, Zhenhai; Cheng, Lailiang

    2015-09-01

    Sorbitol is a major product of photosynthesis in apple (Malus domestica) that is involved in carbohydrate metabolism and stress tolerance. However, little is known about how the global transcript levels in apple leaves respond to decreased sorbitol synthesis. In this study we used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) profiling to characterize the transcriptome of leaves from transgenic lines of the apple cultivar 'Greensleeves' exhibiting suppressed expression of aldose-6-phosphate reductase (A6PR) to gain insights into sorbitol function and the consequences of decreased sorbitol synthesis on gene expression. We observed that, although the leaves of the low sorbitol transgenic lines accumulate higher levels of various primary metabolites, only very limited changes were found in the levels of transcripts associated with primary metabolism. We suggest that this is indicative of post-transcriptional and/or post-translational regulation of primary metabolite accumulation and central carbon metabolism. However, we identified significantly enriched gene ontology terms belonging to the 'stress related process' category in the antisense lines (P-value sorbitol plays a role in the responses of apple trees to abiotic and biotic stresses. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. Differential response of nucleus pulposus intervertebral disc cells to high salt, sorbitol, and urea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mavrogonatou, Eleni; Kletsas, Dimitris

    2012-03-01

    Nucleus pulposus intervertebral disc cells are routinely confronted with high osmolality in their microenvironment and respond to this stress in vitro by regulating cell cycle progression and by activating a DNA repair machinery in order to counteract its genotoxic effect. In the present study, we attempted to identify the origin of this osmo-regulatory response, by using an ionic NaCl/KCl solution, the compatible osmolyte sorbitol, and the readily permeant urea. High salt and sorbitol were found to activate similar molecular pathways, including the p38 MAPK and the p53-p21(WAF1)-pRb axis, that were not stimulated by high urea. On the other hand, only high urea led to the phosphorylation of ERKs and JNKs. Furthermore, salt- and sorbitol-treated cells were able to phosphorylate histone H2A.X on Ser139, in contrast to cells exposed to urea, indicating a common mechanism for DNA repair, which was achieved by a p53-dependent activation of the G1 checkpoint by both solutes. DNA repair, as directly measured by a host cell reactivation assay, occurred under conditions of hyperosmolar salt and sorbitol, although to a lesser extent in sorbitol-treated cells than in cells exposed to high salinity. Taken as a whole, our findings suggest that the hyperosmolality-provoked DNA damage and the responses of nucleus pulposus cells induced by this genotoxic stress most probably originate from cell volume alterations mediated by hypertonicity and not from increased intracellular ionic concentration. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Optimization of asparaginase production from Zymomonas mobilis by continuous fermentation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francieli Bortoluzzi Menegat

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Asparaginase is an enzyme used in clinical treatments as a chemotherapeutic agent and in food technology to prevent acrylamide formation in fried and baked foods. Asparaginase is industrially produced by microorganisms, mainly gram-negative bacteria. Zymomonas mobilis is a Gram-negative bacterium that utilizes glucose, fructose and sucrose as carbon source and has been known for its efficiency in producing ethanol, sorbitol, levan, gluconic acid and has recently aroused interest for asparaginase production. Current assay optimizes the production of Z. mobilis asparaginase by continuous fermentation using response surface experimental design and methodology. The studied variables comprised sucrose, yeast extract and asparagine. Optimized condition obtained 117.45 IU L-1 with dilution rate 0.20 h-1, yeast extract 0.5 g L-1, sucrose 20 g L-1 and asparagine 1.3 g L-1. Moreover, carbon:nitrogen ratio (1:0.025 strongly affected the response of asparaginase activity. The use of Z. mobilis by continuous fermentation has proved to be a promising alternative for the biotechnological production of asparaginase.

  7. Dietary sorbitol and mannitol: food content and distinct absorption patterns between healthy individuals and patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, C K; Tan, H-L; van Langenberg, D R; Barrett, J S; Rose, R; Liels, K; Gibson, P R; Muir, J G

    2014-04-01

    Sorbitol and mannitol are naturally-occurring polyol isomers. Although poor absorption and induction of gastrointestinal symptoms by sorbitol are known, the properties of mannitol are poorly described. We aimed to expand data on food composition of these polyols, and to compare their absorptive capacities and symptom induction in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and healthy individuals. Food samples were analysed for sorbitol and mannitol content. The degree of absorption measured by breath hydrogen production and gastrointestinal symptoms (visual analogue scales) was evaluated in a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study in 21 healthy and 20 IBS subjects after challenges with 10 g of sorbitol, mannitol or glucose. Certain fruits and sugar-free gum contained sorbitol, whereas mannitol content was higher in certain vegetables. Similar proportions of patients with IBS (40%) and healthy subjects (33%) completely absorbed sorbitol, although more so with IBS absorbed mannitol (80% versus 43%; P = 0.02). Breath hydrogen production was similar in both groups after lactulose but was reduced in patients with IBS after both polyols. No difference in mean (SEM) hydrogen production was found in healthy controls after sorbitol [area-under-the-curve: 2766 (591) ppm 4 h(-1) ] or mannitol [2062 (468) ppm 4 h(-1) ] but, in patients with IBS, this was greater after sorbitol [1136 (204) ppm 4 h(-1) ] than mannitol [404 (154) ppm 4 h(-1) ; P = 0.002]. Overall gastrointestinal symptoms increased significantly after both polyols in patients with IBS only, although they were independent of malabsorption of either of the polyols. Increased and discordant absorption of mannitol and sorbitol occurs in patients with IBS compared to that in healthy controls. Polyols induced gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with IBS independently of their absorptive patterns, suggesting that the dietary restriction of polyols may be efficacious. © 2013 The

  8. Ordered Mesoporous NiCeAl Containing Catalysts for Hydrogenolysis of Sorbitol to Glycols

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Zhiwei; Zhang, Jiaqi; Qin, Juan; Li, Dong; Wu, Wenliang

    2018-03-01

    Cellulose-derived sorbitol is emerging as a feasible and renewable feedstock for the production of value-added chemicals. Highly active and stable catalyst is essential for sorbitol hydrogenolysis. Ordered mesoporous M- xNi yCeAl catalysts with different loadings of nickel and cerium species were successfully synthesized via one-pot evaporation-induced self-assembly strategy (EISA) and their catalytic performance were tested in the hydrogenolysis of sorbitol. The physical chemical properties for the catalysts were characterized by XRD, N2 physisorption, H2-TPR, H2 impulse chemisorption, ICP and TEM techniques. The results showed that the ordered mesopores with uniform pore sizes can be obtained and the Ni nanoparticles around 6 nm in size were homogeneously dispersed in the mesopore channels. A little amount of cerium species introduced would be beneficial to their textural properties resulting in higher Ni dispersion, metal area and smaller size of Ni nanoparticles. The M-10Ni2CeAl catalyst with Ni and Ce loading of 10.9 and 6.3 wt % shows better catalytic performance than other catalysts, and the yield of 1,2-PG and EG can reach 56.9% at 493 K and 6 MPa pressure for 8 h after repeating reactions for 12 times without obvious deterioration of physical and chemical properties. Ordered mesoporous M-NiCeAl catalysts are active and stable in sorbitol hydrogenolysis.

  9. Advanced glycation end products and sorbitol in blood from differently compensated diabetic dogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Comazzi, S; Bertazzolo, W; Bonfanti, U; Spagnolo, V; Sartorelli, P

    2008-06-01

    Canine diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common metabolic disorder with long term complications, most of which are caused by glycosylation of structural proteins, decreases in antioxidant concentrations, altered osmotic balance and hypoxia due to impaired oxygen transport. Previous studies have demonstrated that under hyperglycemic conditions canine erythrocytes undergo swelling, probably due to activation of the polyol pathway. The present work aimed to assess the plasma concentration of advanced glycation end (AGE) products, stable Amadori-products generated by non-enzymatic glycosylation of proteins and the intracellular concentration of sorbitol, produced by the activation of polyol pathway in 34 blood samples from diabetic dogs and in 14 controls. AGE products were significantly higher (pdogs compared with control animals. The sorbitol concentration in erythrocytes was also significantly higher in diabetic dogs and, in particular, in poorly compensated animals and in dogs with ketonuria. In five cases that were analysed before and after clinical improvement, sorbitol concentration was found to correlate with improvement. These results suggest that non-specific glycosylation is increased and that the polyol pathway is activated in diabetic dogs in a manner that is proportionate to the severity of disease. Moreover, the concentration of AGE products and sorbitol may be useful for monitoring the onset of diabetic complications and assessing the most appropriate therapeutic approaches for management of canine DM.

  10. Thin layer chromatography of glucose and sorbitol on Cu(II)-impregnated silica gel plates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hadzija, O. (Ruder Boskovic Inst., Zagreb (Croatia)); Spoljar, B. (Ruder Boskovic Inst., Zagreb (Croatia)); Sesartic, L. (Inst. of Immunology, Zagreb (Croatia))

    1994-04-01

    A thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) separation of glucose and sorbitol on CU(II)-impregnated silica gel plates with n-propanol: Water (4:1) v/v as developer and potassium permanganate as detecting reagent has been worked out. The new impregnant is completely insoluble in water and thus enables the use of an aqueous developer. The R[sub f]-values are 55 and 10 for glucose and sorbitol, respectively. (orig.)

  11. D-sorbitol-induced phase control of TiO2 nanoparticles and its application for dye-sensitized solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaikh, Shoyebmohamad F.; Mane, Rajaram S.; Min, Byoung Koun; Hwang, Yun Jeong; Joo, Oh-Shim

    2016-02-01

    Using a simple hydrothermal synthesis, the crystal structure of TiO2 nanoparticles was controlled from rutile to anatase using a sugar alcohol, D-sorbitol. Adding small amounts of D-sorbitol to an aqueous TiCl4 solution resulted in changes in the crystal phase, particle size, and surface area by affecting the hydrolysis rate of TiCl4. These changes led to improvements of the solar-to-electrical power conversion efficiency (η) of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) fabricated using these nanoparticles. A postulated reaction mechanism concerning the role of D-sorbitol in the formation of rutile and anatase was proposed. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, 13C NMR spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering analyses were used to better understand the interaction between the Ti precursor and D-sorbitol. The crystal phase and size of the synthesized TiO2 nanocrystallites as well as photovoltaic performance of the DSSC were examined using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and photocurrent density-applied voltage spectroscopy measurement techniques. The DSSC fabricated using the anatase TiO2 nanoparticles synthesized in the presence of D-sorbitol, exhibited an enhanced η (6%, 1.5-fold improvement) compared with the device fabricated using the rutile TiO2 synthesized without D-sorbitol.

  12. Development of selective and differential medium for Shigella sonnei using three carbohydrates (lactose, sorbitol, and xylose) and X-Gal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Na, G N; Kim, S A; Kwon, O C; Rhee, M S

    2015-08-01

    The aim of this study was to develop a new selective and differential medium for isolating Shigella sonnei (designated 3SD medium). The new medium was based on three carbohydrates (lactose, sorbitol, and xylose) and a chromogenic substrate (5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-β-D-galactopyranoside, X-Gal). S. sonnei cannot ferment lactose, sorbitol, or xylose, but can ferment X-Gal, which generates turquoise-blue colonies with rough edges. Other bacteria (54 strains of foodborne pathogens and spoilage bacteria) produced visually distinct colonies on 3SD medium (colorless or pink-violet colonies), or their growth was inhibited on 3SD medium. The optimum concentration of 50 mg/L X-Gal was selected because it yielded the highest level of morphological discrimination between S. sonnei and other bacteria, and this concentration was cost-effective. Bile salt concentration optimization was performed using healthy, heat-injured, and acid-injured S. sonnei. The recovery rate differed significantly depending on the bile salt concentration; media containing >1.0 g/L bile salt showed significantly lower recovery of stress-injured cells than medium containing 0.5 g/L bile salt (P<0.05). Growth of all Gram-positive bacteria was inhibited on medium containing 0.5 g/L bile salt; therefore, this concentration was used as the optimal concentration. Previous media used to isolate Shigella spp. (MacConkey, xylose lysine desoxycholate, and Salmonella-Shigella agar) showed poor performance when used to support the growth of injured S. sonnei cells, whereas 3SD medium supported a high growth rate of injured and healthy cells (equivalent to that obtained with nutrient-rich tryptic soy agar). To validate the performance of 3SD medium with real specimens, S. sonnei and other bacteria were spiked into samples such as untreated water, carrot, salad, and oyster. 3SD medium showed superior specificity (100%) and sensitivity (100%) for S. sonnei, and yielded no false-positive or false-negative results

  13. Sorbitol increases muscle glucose uptake ex vivo and inhibits intestinal glucose absorption ex vivo and in normal and type 2 diabetic rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chukwuma, Chika Ifeanyi; Islam, Md Shahidul

    2017-04-01

    Previous studies have suggested that sorbitol, a known polyol sweetener, possesses glycemic control potentials. However, the effect of sorbitol on intestinal glucose absorption and muscle glucose uptake still remains elusive. The present study investigated the effects of sorbitol on intestinal glucose absorption and muscle glucose uptake as possible anti-hyperglycemic or glycemic control potentials using ex vivo and in vivo experimental models. Sorbitol (2.5% to 20%) inhibited glucose absorption in isolated rat jejuna (IC 50 = 14.6% ± 4.6%) and increased glucose uptake in isolated rat psoas muscle with (GU 50 = 3.5% ± 1.6%) or without insulin (GU 50 = 7.0% ± 0.5%) in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, sorbitol significantly delayed gastric emptying, accelerated digesta transit, inhibited intestinal glucose absorption, and reduced blood glucose increase in both normoglycemic and type 2 diabetic rats after 1 h of coingestion with glucose. Data of this study suggest that sorbitol exhibited anti-hyperglycemic potentials, possibly via increasing muscle glucose uptake ex vivo and reducing intestinal glucose absorption in normal and type 2 diabetic rats. Hence, sorbitol may be further investigated as a possible anti-hyperglycemic sweetener.

  14. Activation of sorbitol pathway in metabolic syndrome and increased susceptibility to cataract in Wistar-Obese rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, Paduru Yadagiri; Giridharan, Nappan Veettil; Reddy, Geereddy Bhanuprakash

    2012-01-01

    Obesity is a major public health problem worldwide, and of late, epidemiological studies indicate a preponderance of cataracts under obesity conditions. Although cataract is a multifactorial disorder and various biochemical mechanisms have been proposed, the influence of obesity on cataractogenesis has yet to be investigated. In such a scenario, a suitable animal model that develops cataract following the onset of obesity will be a welcome tool for biomedical research. Therefore, we investigated the molecular and biochemical basis for predisposition to cataract in the obese mutant rat models established in our institute because 15%-20% of these rats develop cataracts spontaneously as they reach 12-15 months of age. We analyzed the major biochemical pathways in the normal lenses of different age groups of our obese mutant rat strains, Wistar/Obese (WNIN/Ob) and WNIN/GR-Ob, the former with euglycemia and the latter with an additional impaired glucose tolerance trait. In addition, sorbitol levels were estimated in the cataractous lenses of the obese rats. Except for the polyol pathway, all the principal pathways of the lens remained unaltered. Therefore, sorbitol levels were found to be high in the normal eye lenses of obese rats (WNIN/Ob and WNIN/GR-Ob) compared to their lean controls from three months of age onwards. Between WNIN/Ob and WNIN/GR-Ob, the levels of sorbitol were higher in the latter, suggesting a synergistic effect of impaired glucose tolerance along with obesity in the activation of the sorbitol pathway. Either way, an elevated sorbitol pathway seemed to be the predisposing factor responsible for cataract formation in these mutant rats. Activation of the sorbitol pathway indeed enhances the risk of cataract development in conditions such as metabolic syndrome. These rat models thus may be valuable tools for investigating obesity-associated cataract and for developing intervention strategies, based on these findings.

  15. Putative metabolic pathway of mannitol and sorbitol and in sugarcane Provável via metabólica de manitol e sorbitol em cana-de-açúcar

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Celso Luís Marino

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available Until the mid 1950s, boron was believed to play an important role in the transport of sugars in plants. However, boron actually depends on sugar alcohols to be taken up by the plant. In some cases, the main sugars involved in this process are sorbitol and mannitol which form stable complexes with boron. In this study, the sequences of the SugarCane EST Genome Project (SUCEST database were searched for enzymes involved in the metabolism of these sugars by comparing them with enzymes from other organisms. Eighteen contigs from sugarcane (Saccharum sp. presented high similarity with 11 enzymes involved in the putative biosynthetic pathway of sorbitol and mannitol from fructose in sugarcane. Seven of these contigs had high homology with sequences deposited in GenBank.Até meados da década de 50 acreditava-se que o boro tinha uma importante função no transporte de açúcares em plantas. Na verdade, o boro depende de açúcares álcoois para serem mobilizados dentro da planta. Em alguns organismos os principais açúcares envolvidos neste processo são o sorbitol e o manitol, que formam complexos estáveis com o micronutriente. O objetivo deste estudo foi procurar seqüências no banco de dados SugarCane EST Genome Project (SUCEST que codificam enzimas participantes na via metabólica destes açúcares através da comparação de enzimas de outros organismos. Dezoito "contigs" de cana-de-açúcar (Saccharum sp. apresentaram similaridade com onze seqüências de enzimas que compõem a provável via metabólica de sorbitol e manitol a partir de frutose. Destes "contigs", sete apresentaram uma alta similaridade entre as seqüências depositadas no GenBank.

  16. Magnetic study of iron sorbitol

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lazaro, F.J. E-mail: osoro@posta.unizar.es; Larrea, A.; Abadia, A.R.; Romero, M.S

    2002-09-01

    A magnetic study of iron sorbitol, an iron-containing drug to treat the iron deficiency anemia is presented. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the system contains nanometric particles with an average diameter of 3 nm whose composition is close to two-line ferrihydrite. The characterisation by magnetisation and AC susceptibility measurements indicates superparamagnetic behaviour with progressive magnetic blocking starting at 8 K. The quantitative analysis of the magnetic results indicates that the system consists of an assembly of very small magnetic moments, presumably originated by spin uncompensation of the antiferromagnetic nanoparticles, with Arrhenius type magnetic dynamics.

  17. Increased risk of cataract development in WNIN-obese rats due to accumulation of intralenticular sorbitol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, Paduru Yadagiri; Giridharan, Nappan Veettil; Balakrishna, Nagalla; Validandi, Vakdevi; Pullakhandam, Raghu; Reddy, Geereddy Bhanuprakash

    2013-05-01

    Epidemiological studies have reported an association between obesity and increased incidence of ocular complications including cataract, yet the underlying biochemical and molecular mechanisms remained unclear. Previously we had demonstrated accumulation of sorbitol in the lens of obese rats (WNIN/Ob) and more so in a related strain with impaired glucose tolerance (WNIN/GR-Ob). However, only a few (15-20%) WNIN/Ob and WNIN/GR-Ob rats develop cataracts spontaneously with age. To gain further insights, we investigated the susceptibility of eye lens proteins of these obese rat strains to heat- and UV-induced aggregation in vitro, lens opacification upon glucose-mediated sorbitol accumulation ex vivo, and onset and progression of cataract was followed by galactose feeding and streptozotocin (STZ) injection. The results indicated increased susceptibility toward heat- or UV-induced aggregation of lens proteins in obese animals compared to their littermate lean controls. Further, in organ culture studies glucose-induced sorbitol accumulation was found to be higher and thus the lens opacification was faster in obese animals compared to their lean littermates. Also, the onset and progression of galactose- or STZ-induced cataractogenesis was faster in obese animals compared to lean control. These results together with our previous observations suggest that obesity status could lead to hyperaccumulation of sorbitol in eye lens, predisposing them to cataract, primarily by increasing their susceptibility to environmental and/or physiological factors. Further, intralenticular sorbitol accumulation beyond a threshold level could lead to cataract in WNIN/Ob and WNIN/GR-Ob rats. Copyright © 2013 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  18. Simultaneous catalytic conversion of cellulose and corncob xylan under temperature programming for enhanced sorbitol and xylitol production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribeiro, Lucília Sousa; Órfão, José J de Melo; Pereira, Manuel Fernando Ribeiro

    2017-11-01

    Sorbitol and xylitol yields can be improved by converting cellulose and xylan simultaneously, due to a synergetic effect between both substrates. Furthermore, both yields can be greatly enhanced by simply adjusting the reaction conditions regarding the optimum for the production of each product, since xylitol (from xylan) and sorbitol (from cellulose) yields are maximized when the reaction is carried out at 170 and 205°C, respectively. Therefore, the combination of a simultaneous conversion of cellulose and xylan with a two-step temperature approach, which consists in the variation of the reaction temperature from 170 to 205°C after 2h, showed to be a good strategy for maximizing the production of sorbitol and xylitol directly from mixture of cellulose and xylan. Using this new and environmentally friendly approach, yields of sorbitol and xylitol of 75 and 77%, respectively, were obtained after 6h of reaction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium bacteraemia as a complication of Kayexalate (sodium polystyrene sulfonate, SPS) in sorbitol-induced ischaemic colitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cerrud-Rodriguez, Roberto Christian; Alcaraz-Alvarez, Diego; Chiong, Brian Bobby; Ahmed, Abdurhman

    2017-11-09

    We present the case report of an 80-year-old woman with chronic kidney disease stage G5 admitted to the hospital with fluid overload and hyperkalaemia. Sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS, Kayexalate) in sorbitol suspension was given orally to treat her hyperkalaemia, which precipitated an episode of SPS in sorbitol-induced ischaemic colitis with the subsequent complication of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) bacteraemia. SPS (Kayexalate) in sorbitol suspension has been implicated in the development of intestinal necrosis. Sorbitol, which is added as a cathartic agent to decrease the chance of faecal impaction, may be primarily responsible through several proposed mechanisms. The gold standard of diagnosis is the presence of SPS crystals in the colon biopsy. On a MEDLINE search, no previous reports of a VRE bacteraemia as a complication of biopsy-confirmed SPS in sorbitol ischaemic colitis were found. To the best of our knowledge, ours would be the first such case ever reported. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  20. FORMULA OPTIMATION OF SENGGUGU ROOT BARK EXTRACT LOZENGES (Clerodendrum serratum (L. Moon. AS MUCOLYTIC AGENT WITH LACTOSE – SORBITOL FILLER COMBINATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wahyono Wahyono

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Senggugu root bark has mucolytic activity and has been used empirically, so it needs to be formulated as lozengeswhich can be used practically and comfortable for the patients. Senggugu root bark powder was extracted by maceration using aethanol 70%. Lozenges was optimized using lactose-sorbitol filler mix through three formulas, formula A ( 100% lactose, formula B (100% sorbitol, formula C (50% lactose-50% sorbitol. Lozenges was made by wet granulation method. The optimum formula was obtained from theresults of physical granul test and lozenges using SLD, and analyzed by its granul flow, hardness, dissolution time, and taste responsiveness, and also qualitative and quantitative analysis. The results show that lactose-sorbitol filler mix can increase hardness and taste responsiveness, decrease granul flow and dissolution time. The oprimum formula from this research is 100% sorbitol:0% lactose.

  1. Development of a promoter shutoff system in Aspergillus oryzae using a sorbitol-sensitive promoter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oda, Ken; Terado, Shiho; Toyoura, Rieko; Fukuda, Hisashi; Kawauchi, Moriyuki; Iwashita, Kazuhiro

    2016-09-01

    Promoter shutoff is a general method for analyzing essential genes, but in the fungus Aspergillus oryzae, no tightly repressed promoters have been reported. To overcome the current limitations of conditional promoters, we examined sorbitol- and galactose-responsive genes using microarrays to identify regulatable genes with only minor physiological and genetic effects. We identified two sorbitol-induced genes (designated as sorA and sorB), cloned their promoters, and built a regulated egfp and brlA expression system. Growth medium-dependent enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) fluorescence and conidiation were confirmed for egfp and brlA under the control of their respective promoters. We also used this shutoff system to regulate the essential rhoA, which demonstrated the expected growth inhibition under repressed growth conditions. Our new sorbitol promoter shutoff system developed can serve as a valuable new tool for essential gene analyses of filamentous fungi.

  2. Pronounced microheterogeneity in a sorbitol-water mixture observed through variable temperature neutron scattering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chou, Shin G; Soper, Alan K; Khodadadi, Sheila; Curtis, Joseph E; Krueger, Susan; Cicerone, Marcus T; Fitch, Andrew N; Shalaev, Evgenyi Y

    2012-04-19

    In this study, the structure of concentrated d-sorbitol-water mixtures is studied by wide- and small-angle neutron scattering (WANS and SANS) as a function of temperature. The mixtures are prepared using both deuterated and regular sorbitol and water at a molar fraction of sorbitol of 0.19 (equivalent to 70% by weight of regular sorbitol in water). Retention of an amorphous structure (i.e., absence of crystallinity) is confirmed for this system over the entire temperature range, 100-298 K. The glass transition temperature, Tg, is found from differential scanning calorimetry to be approximately 200 K. WANS data are analyzed using empirical potential structure refinement, to obtain the site-site radial distribution functions (RDFs) and coordination numbers. This analysis reveals the presence of nanoscaled water clusters surrounded by (and interacting with) sorbitol molecules. The water clusters appear more structured compared to bulk water and, especially at the lowest temperatures, resemble the structure of low-density amorphous ice (LDA). Upon cooling to 100 K the peaks in the water RDFs become markedly sharper, with increased coordination number, indicating enhanced local (nanometer-scale) ordering, with changes taking place both above and well below the Tg. On the mesoscopic (submicrometer) scale, although there are no changes between 298 and 213 K, cooling the sample to 100 K results in a significant increase in the SANS signal, which is indicative of pronounced inhomogeneities. This increase in the scattering is partly reversed during heating, although some hysteresis is observed. Furthermore, a power law analysis of the SANS data indicates the existence of domains with well-defined interfaces on the submicrometer length scale, probably as a result of the appearance and growth of microscopic voids in the glassy matrix. Because of the unusual combination of small and wide scattering data used here, the present results provide new physical insight into the

  3. Effect of xylitol versus sorbitol: a quantitative systematic review of clinical trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mickenautsch, Steffen; Yengopal, Veerasamy

    2012-08-01

    This study aimed to appraise, within the context of tooth caries, the current clinical evidence and its risk for bias regarding the effects of xylitol in comparison with sorbitol. Databases were searched for clinical trials to 19 March 2011. Inclusion criteria required studies to: test a caries-related primary outcome; compare the effects of xylitol with those of sorbitol; describe a clinical trial with two or more arms, and utilise a prospective study design. Articles were excluded if they did not report computable data or did not follow up test and control groups in the same way. Individual dichotomous and continuous datasets were extracted from accepted articles. Selection and performance/detection bias were assessed. Sensitivity analysis was used to investigate attrition bias. Egger's regression and funnel plotting were used to investigate risk for publication bias. Nine articles were identified. Of these, eight were accepted and one was excluded. Ten continuous and eight dichotomous datasets were extracted. Because of high clinical heterogeneity, no meta-analysis was performed. Most of the datasets favoured xylitol, but this was not consistent. The accepted trials may be limited by selection bias. Results of the sensitivity analysis indicate a high risk for attrition bias. The funnel plot and Egger's regression results suggest a low publication bias risk. External fluoride exposure and stimulated saliva flow may have confounded the measured anticariogenic effect of xylitol. The evidence identified in support of xylitol over sorbitol is contradictory, is at high risk for selection and attrition bias and may be limited by confounder effects. Future high-quality randomised controlled trials are needed to show whether xylitol has a greater anticariogenic effect than sorbitol. © 2012 FDI World Dental Federation.

  4. Cryopreservation of boar semen by egg yolk-based extenders containing lactose or fructose is better than sorbitol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chanapiwat, Panida; Kaeoket, Kampon; Tummaruk, Padet

    2012-03-01

    The present study determined the effect of different types of sugars (lactose, fructose, glucose and sorbitol) used in egg yolk-based extender on the post-thawed boar semen quality. Twenty-two ejaculates from 6 fertility-proven Yorkshire boars were cryopreserved by liquid nitrogen vapor method. Sperm motility, viability, acrosome integrity and intact functional plasma membrane were determined at 0, 2 and 4 hr after thawing. It was found that the lactose-based extender resulted in a higher percentage of post-thawed sperm motility, viability, intact acrosome and functional plasma membrane than sorbitol-based extender (Pextender yielded a higher post-thawed sperm motility and viability than sorbitol-based extender (Pboar semen.

  5. In vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics and utilisable CP supply of sainfoin and birdsfoot trefoil silages and their mixtures with other legumes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grosse Brinkhaus, A; Wyss, U; Arrigo, Y; Girard, M; Bee, G; Zeitz, J O; Kreuzer, M; Dohme-Meier, F

    2017-04-01

    The extensive protein degradation occurring during ensiling decreases the nutritive value of silages, but this might be counteracted by tannins. Therefore, silages from two legume species containing condensed tannins (CT) - sainfoin (SF) and birdsfoot trefoil (two cultivars: birdsfoot trefoil, cv. Bull (BTB) and birdsfoot trefoil, cv. Polom) - were compared for their in vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics. The effect of combining them with two CT-free legume silages (lucerne (LU) and red clover (RC)) was also determined. The supply of duodenally utilisable CP (uCP) in the forages was emphasised. The legumes were each harvested from three field sites. After 24 h of wilting on the field, the legumes were ensiled in laboratory silos for 86 days. Proximate constituents, silage fermentation characteristics, CT content and CP fractions were determined. Subsequently, silage samples and 1 : 1 mixtures of the CT-containing and CT-free silages were incubated for 24 h in batch cultures using ruminal fluid and buffer (1 : 2, v/v). Each treatment was replicated six times in six runs. The effects on pH, ammonia and volatile fatty acid concentrations, protozoal counts, and total gas and methane production were determined. uCP content was calculated by considering the CP in the silage and the ammonia in the incubation fluid from treatments and blanks. Statistical evaluation compared data from single plants alone and together with that from the mixtures. Among treatments, SF silage contained the least CP and the most CT. The non-protein nitrogen content was lower, favouring neutral detergent soluble and insoluble protein fractions, in the SF and RC silages. Absolute uCP content was lowest in SF and SF mixtures, although the ratio to total CP was the highest. In comparison with LU, the ammonia concentration of the incubation fluid was lower for SF, RC and BTB and for the mixture of SF with LU. The total gas and methane production was similar among the treatments, and the

  6. Modulating β-lactoglobulin nanofibril self-assembly at pH 2 using glycerol and sorbitol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dave, Anant C; Loveday, Simon M; Anema, Skelte G; Jameson, Geoffrey B; Singh, Harjinder

    2014-01-13

    β-Lactoglobulin (β-lg) forms fibrils when heated at 80 °C, pH 2, and low ionic strength (sorbitol (0-50% w/v) on β-lg self-assembly at pH 2. Glycerol and sorbitol stabilize native protein structure and modulate protein functionality by preferential exclusion. In our study, both polyols decreased the rate of β-lg self-assembly but had no effect on the morphology of fibrils. The mechanism of these effects was studied using circular dichroism spectroscopy and SDS-PAGE. Sorbitol inhibited self-assembly by stabilizing β-lg against unfolding and hydrolysis, resulting in fewer fibrillogenic species, whereas glycerol inhibited nucleation without inhibiting hydrolysis. Both polyols increased the viscosity of the solutions, but viscosity appeared to have little effect on fibril assembly, and we believe that self-assembly was not diffusion-limited under these conditions. This is in agreement with previous reports for other proteins assembling under different conditions. The phenomenon of peptide self-assembly can be decoupled from protein hydrolysis using glycerol.

  7. SF6 and the greenhouse effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gjaerde, Anne Cathrine; Rein, Asgaut; Hegerberg, Rolf; Kulsetaas, John

    1997-01-01

    The gas SF 6 (sulfur hexafluoride) is much used as an insulation medium in electric switchgear and breakers. However, there has been some recent concern about the possible contribution of SF 6 to the global greenhouse effect. This report presents some collected facts about SF 6 emission. The concentration of SF 6 in the atmosphere is very low and will probably remain so until the end of the next century. Hence the contribution of SF 6 to the greenhouse effect is negligible. Most of the SF 6 emission comes from the magnesium and aluminium industries. In 1993, SF 6 emission from switchgear in the Norwegian distribution grid corresponded to only 0.2 per million of the CO 2 emission in Norway. But the quantity of SF 6 accumulated in electric switchgear is considerable. However, losing it to the atmosphere can be avoided by using recirculation or destruction systems for SF 6 in connection with maintenance and replacement of components. Norwegian climate policy aims at taking measures against SF 6 and other climate gases on a par with CO 2 . Taxation measures have been suggested for SF 6 . Atmospheric SF 6 does not influence the ozone layer. 3 refs., 8 figs

  8. Subcellular localization and vacuolar targeting of sorbitol dehydrogenase in apple seed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiu-Ling; Hu, Zi-Ying; You, Chun-Xiang; Kong, Xiu-Zhen; Shi, Xiao-Pu

    2013-09-01

    Sorbitol is the primary photosynthate and translocated carbohydrate in fruit trees of the Rosaceae family. NAD(+)-dependent sorbitol dehydrogenase (NAD-SDH, EC 1.1.1.14), which mainly catalyzes the oxidation of sorbitol to fructose, plays a key role in regulating sink strength in apple. In this study, we found that apple NAD-SDH was ubiquitously distributed in epidermis, parenchyma, and vascular bundle in developing cotyledon. NAD-SDH was localized in the cytosol, the membranes of endoplasmic reticulum and vesicles, and the vacuolar lumen in the cotyledon at the middle stage of seed development. In contrast, NAD-SDH was mainly distributed in the protein storage vacuoles in cotyledon at the late stage of seed development. Sequence analysis revealed there is a putative signal peptide (SP), also being predicated to be a transmembrane domain, in the middle of proteins of apple NAD-SDH isoforms. To investigate whether the putative internal SP functions in the vacuolar targeting of NAD-SDH, we analyzed the localization of the SP-deletion mutants of MdSDH5 and MdSDH6 (two NAD-SDH isoforms in apple) by the transient expression system in Arabidopsis protoplasts. MdSDH5 and MdSDH6 were not localized in the vacuoles after their SPs were deleted, suggesting the internal SP functions in the vacuolar targeting of apple NAD-SDH. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Production of liquid alkanes by controlling reactivity of sorbitol hydrogenation with a Ni/HZSM-5 catalyst in water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Qing; Wang, Tiejun; Xu, Ying; Zhang, Qi; Ma, Longlong

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: MCM-41-modified Ni/HZSM-5 catalyst was developed by impregnation method with high catalytic performance for sorbitol hydrogenation in water. Appropriate amount of MCM-41 addition can distinctly promote the improvement in the surface structure and modulation of acidic sites of the catalyst. The scission of C–O bond in the sorbitol molecule into liquid alkanes was easily carried out on the catalyst containing more Lewis acidic sites. - Highlights: • Ni/HZSM-5 promoted with MCM-41 is active for sorbitol hydrogenation to liquid alkanes. • Lewis acidic sites of Ni/HZSM-5 can be modulated by pure silica MCM-41. • MCM-41 added can distinctly decrease carbon deposition on the catalyst surface. - Abstract: Liquid fuels derived from renewable biomass are of great importance on the potential substitution for diminishing fossil fuels. The conversion of sorbitol (a product of biomass-derived glucose hydrogenation) into liquid alkanes such as pentane and hexane over the Ni/HZSM-5 catalysts with or without MCM-41 addition was investigated in the presence of hydrogen in water medium. The production distribution of sorbitol hydrogenation can be controlled by adjusting the acidity of the catalyst. The scission of C–C bond in the sorbitol molecule into light C 1 –C 4 alkanes was mainly carried out over Ni/HZSM-5 containing strong Brønsted acid sites, while C–O bond scission into heavier alkanes was dominated over the catalysts added by MCM-41 containing weak Lewis acid sites. The sorbitol conversion and total liquid alkanes selectivity were found to be 67.1% and 98.7% over 2%Ni/HZSM-5 modified by 40 wt% of MCM-41, whereas the corresponding value was 40% and 35.6% over 2%Ni/HZSM-5 in the absence of MCM-41. The effect of MCM-41 on the structure, acidity, and reducibility of Ni/HZSM-5 was investigated by using XRD, Py-IR, IR, and H 2 -TPR. Meanwhile, the resistance of carbon deposition over the catalyst modified by MCM-41 was studied by using TG

  10. Effect of sorbitol in callus induction and plant regeneration in wheat

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2009-12-01

    Dec 1, 2009 ... Key words: Callus induction, plant regeneration, wheat, 2,4-D, sorbitol. INTRODUCTION ... regeneration is better on hormone-free medium or that .... AB (interaction). 15 ... element and creates osmotic stress as reported by.

  11. Control of glucokinase translocation in rat hepatocytes by sorbitol and the cytosolic redox state.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agius, L

    1994-02-15

    In rat hepatocytes cultured in 5 mM glucose, glucokinase activity is present predominantly in a bound state, and during permeabilization of the cells with digitonin in the presence of Mg2+ less than 20% of glucokinase activity is released. However, incubation of hepatocytes with a higher [glucose] [concn. giving half-maximal activation (A50) 15 mM] or with fructose (A50 50 microM) causes translocation of glucokinase from its Mg(2+)-dependent binding site to an alternative site [Agius and Peak (1993) Biochem. J. 296, 785-796]. A comparison of various substrates showed that sorbitol (A50 8 microM) was 6-fold more potent than fructose at causing glucokinase translocation, whereas tagatose was as potent and mannitol was > 10-fold less potent (A50 550 microM). These substrates also stimulate glucose conversion into glycogen with a similar relative potency, suggesting that conversion of glucose into glycogen is dependent on the binding and/or location of glucokinase within the hepatocyte. Ethanol and glycerol inhibited the effects of fructose, sorbitol and glucose on glucokinase translocation, whereas dihydroxy-acetone had a small additive effect at sub-maximal substrate stimulation. The converse effects of glycerol and dihydroxy-acetone suggest a role for the cytosolic NADH/NAD+ redox state in controlling glucokinase translocation. Titrations with three competitive inhibitors of glucokinase did not provide evidence for involvement of glucokinase flux in glucose-induced glucokinase translocation: N-acetylglucosamine inhibited glucose conversion into glycogen, but not glucose-induced glucokinase translocation; glucosamine partially suppressed glucose-induced and fructose-induced glucokinase translocation, at concentrations that caused total inhibition of glucose conversion into glycogen; D-mannoheptulose increased glucokinase release and had an additive effect with glucose. 3,3'-Tetramethylene-glutaric acid (5 mM), an inhibitor of aldose reductase, inhibited glucokinase

  12. Effects of protectant and rehydration conditions on the survival rate and malolactic fermentation efficiency of freeze-dried Lactobacillus plantarum JH287.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sae-Byuk; Kim, Dong-Hwan; Park, Heui-Dong

    2016-09-01

    In this study, Lactobacillus plantarum JH287 was used as a malolactic fermentation starter in Campbell Early wine production. L. plantarum JH287 was first lyophilized, and the malolactic fermentation potential of freeze-dried L. plantarum JH287 was investigated. Different protective media and rehydration conditions were tested to improve the survival rate of freeze-dried L. plantarum JH287. Optimal protective medium contained 10 % sorbitol and 10 % skim milk. The optimal rehydration condition was a 1-h rehydration time conducted in the same protective media, and the combination of these two methods produced a survival rate of 86.37 %. In addition, a 77.71 % survival rate was achieved using freeze-dried samples that were stored at 4 °C for 2 months. Freeze-dried L. plantarum JH287 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Fermivin were used to inoculate the Campbell Early grape must to decrease its malic acid content. Using this mixed-fermentation method, wine showed a decrease in malic acid content after 9 days of fermentation. GC-MS analysis detected 15 volatile ester compounds in the wine. A sensory evaluation showed that the taste and aroma of mix-fermented wine were better than those of the control that had not been inoculated with L. plantarum JH287.

  13. The Influence of Scalded Flour, Fermentation, and Plants Belonging to Lamiaceae Family on the Wheat Bread Quality and Acrylamide Content.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartkiene, Elena; Bartkevics, Vadims; Krungleviciute, Vita; Pugajeva, Iveta; Zadeike, Daiva; Juodeikiene, Grazina; Cizeikiene, Dalia

    2018-06-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of additives such as plants belonging to Lamiaceae family (Thymus vulgaris, Carum carvi, Origanum vulgare, Ocimum basilicum, and Coriandrum sativum), scalded flour (SF) or scalded flour fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum LUHS135 (SFFLp) on the quality and acrylamide formation in wheat bread. The formation of acrylamide and bread quality significantly depended on the king of plants used and the amount of SF and SFFLp used. The additives of T. vulgaris and SF increased the content of acrylamide by 3.4-fold in comparison with bread prepared without SF, whereas the addition of SFFLp significantly reduced the content of acrylamide in bread, especially using 5% of SFFLp supplemented with O. vulgare and 15% of SFFLp supplemented with C. sativum (respectively by 40% and 29.4%) therefore could be recommended for safer bread production. The addition of 5% (from total wheat flour content) of scalded wheat flour fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum LUHS135 strain (SFFLp) with Origanum vulgare addition, and 5% or 10% of SFFLp prepared with Ocimum basilicum, and 15% of SFFLp prepared with Coriandrum sativum significantly reduce the content of acrylamide in wheat bread, therefore could be recommended for safer bread production. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  14. Identification and functional properties of dominant lactic acid bacteria isolated from Kahudi, a traditional rapeseed fermented food product of Assam, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gunajit Goswami

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Kahudi or Pani tenga is a very unique fermented mustard product of Assam that is prepared by mixing coarsely ground mustard with extracts of acidic Garcinia pedunculata (Thekera or tamarind. Kahudi is produced through a spontaneous and uncontrolled solid state fermentation and very little scientific effort has been directed to understand its microflora and their functional properties. In this paper, we report the microbial flora and their dynamics during Kahudi fermentation with special emphasis on lactic acid bacteria (LAB. LAB were found to be dominant (8 log CFU/g over other microbial flora (4 log CFU/g during the fermentation process leading to Kahudi formation. The microbial load in Kahudi did not include any mycelial molds or pathogenic enteric bacteria. Combination of phenotypic parameters, biochemical tests, and 16S rDNA gene sequencing revealed the dominant group of LAB as Enterococcus durans, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum, and Lactobacillus casei. The sugar fermentation and enzyme profile analysis revealed the ability of the microbial consortia to metabolize an array of indigestible sugars including D-mannose, mannitol, sorbitol, methyl-α-D-mannopyranoside, methyl-α-D-glucopyranoside, N-acetylglucosamine, amygdalin, and arbutin. Although the isolates showed good acid phosphatase activity they had weak extracellular phytase activity. This is the first report on the microbial dynamics and involvement of LAB during Kahudi fermentation.

  15. Hybrid neural network model for simulating sorbitol synthesis by glucose-fructose oxidoreductase in Zymomonas mobilis CP4

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bravo S.

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available A hybrid neural network model for simulating the process of enzymatic reduction of fructose to sorbitol process catalyzed by glucose-fructose oxidoreductase in Zymomonas mobilis CP4 is presented. Data used to derive and validate the model was obtained from experiments carried out under different conditions of pH, temperature and concentrations of both substrates (glucose and fructose involved in the reaction. Sonicated and lyophilized cells were used as source of the enzyme. The optimal pH for sorbitol synthesis at 30º C is 6.5. For a value of pH of 6, the optimal temperature is 35º C. The neural network in the model computes the value of the kinetic relationship. The hybrid neural network model is able to simulate changes in the substrates and product concentrations during sorbitol synthesis under pH and temperature conditions ranging between 5 and 7.5 and 25 and 40º C, respectively. Under these conditions the rate of sorbitol synthesis shows important differences. Values computed using the hybrid neural network model have an average error of 1.7·10-3 mole.

  16. Trehalose and sorbitol alter the kinetic pattern of inactivation of glutamate dehydrogenase during drying in levitated microdroplets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorenzen, Elke; Lee, Geoffrey

    2013-12-01

    A single-droplet acoustic levitator was used to determine the drying rate and the kinetics of inactivation of glutamate dehydrogenase in the presence of added trehalose or sorbitol. The solution was also spray dried under the same process condition of drying gas temperature on a bench-top machine. Both trehalose and sorbitol delay the point of onset of enzyme inactivation which lies after the critical point of drying. Both carbohydrates also reduce the apparent rate constant of inactivation calculated during the subsequent inactivation phase. The carbohydrates stabilise, therefore, the enzyme during droplet drying and particle formation mainly during the falling rate drying period. There is no difference between the stabilising effects of the two carbohydrates when examined as levitated single droplets. This suggests the importance of water replacement as a stabilising mechanism in the levitated droplets/particles. On spray drying, the trehalose stabilises the enzyme better than does the sorbitol at a drying gas (outlet) temperature of 60°C. This suggests glass formation with the trehalose but not the sorbitol during the very rapid drying process of small-atomised droplets in the spray dryer. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

  17. ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE SPECTRUM OF NON FERMENTING GRAM NEGATIVE BACILLI ISOLATED IN THE ORTHOPEDIC TRAUMATOLOGY CLINIC OF "SF. SPIRIDON" CLINICAL EMERGENCY HOSPITAL IAŞI.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tucaliuc, D; Alexa, O; Tuchiluş, Cristina Gabriela; Ursu, Ramona Gabriela; Tucaliuc, Elena Simona; Jelihovsky, I; Iancu, Luminiţa Smaranda

    2015-01-01

    The retro-prospective analysis of antibiotic sensitivity of non-fermenting gram negative bacilli strains circulating in the Orthopedics-Traumatology Clinic from "Sf. Spiridon" Emergency Clinical Hospital in view of determining the trend of the resistance phenomenon and indicating the most useful treatment for the infections caused by these strains. The retrospective component was conducted from 01.01.2003 to 31.12.2012, and the result of the diffusimetric antibiograms was taken from the hospital's informatics system; the prospective component of the study involved the collection of pathological products from the patients admitted during January-December 2013, who showed clinical suspicion of infection, in compliance with the general collection norms for the products destined for the bacteriological exam. From the total 167 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated and identified from the patients, 48 (28.74%) were sensitive to at least one antibiotic from each tested class, 29 (17.39%) were resistant to a single antibiotic and the rest of 90 (53.89%) showed multiple resistance. We noticed a statistically significant difference between the number of strains sensitive to at least one antibiotic from each tested class and those with multiple resistance (p < 0.05). For the strains of Acinetobacter baumanii combined resistance was identified for 121 (87.04%), out of which 55 (39.56%) were resistant to two classes of antibiotics and the other (47.48%) to all three classes. The most frequently met was the association of resistance to quinolones and aminoglycosides, namely for a number of 49 strains (35.25%); only 3.59% of them were simultaneously sensitive to the three classes of antibiotics. The already high percentages and the rising trends of antibiotic resistance of non-fermenting gram-negative bacteria described in this study confirm the continuous decrease of the efficiency of antimicrobial agents and underline the necessity of a global strategy which aims at all

  18. Fermentative hydrogen production by the newly isolated Enterobacter asburiae SNU-1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shin, Jong-Hwan; Hyun Yoon, Jong; Eun Kyoung Ahn; Park, Tai Hyun [School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-744 (Korea); Kim, Mi-Sun [Biomass Research Team, Korea Institute of Energy Research, Daejeon 305-343 (Korea); Jun Sim, Sang [Department of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea)

    2007-02-15

    A new fermentative hydrogen-producing bacterium was isolated from a domestic landfill and identified as Enterobacter asburiae using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and DNA-DNA hybridization methods. The isolated bacterium, designated as Enterobacter asburiae SNU-1, is a new species that has never been examined as a potential hydrogen-producing bacterium. This study examined the hydrogen-producing ability of Enterobacter asburiae SNU-1. During fermentation, the hydrogen was mainly produced in the stationary phase. The hydrogen yield based on the formate consumption was 0.43 mol hydrogen/mol formate. This strain was able to produce hydrogen over a wide range of pH (4-7.5), with the optimum pH being pH 7. The level of hydrogen production was also affected by the initial glucose concentration, and the optimum value was found to be 25 g glucose/l. The maximum and overall hydrogen productivities were 398 and 174 ml/l/hr, respectively, at pH 7 with an initial glucose concentration of 25 g/l. This strain could produce hydrogen from glucose and many other carbon sources such as fructose, sucrose, and sorbitol. (author)

  19. Functional assignment of gene AAC16202.1 from Rhodobacter capsulatus SB1003: new insights into the bacterial SDR sorbitol dehydrogenases family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sola-Carvajal, Agustín; García-García, María Inmaculada; Sánchez-Carrón, Guiomar; García-Carmona, Francisco; Sánchez-Ferrer, Alvaro

    2012-11-01

    Short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDR) constitute one of the largest enzyme superfamilies with over 60,000 non-redundant sequences in the database, many of which need a correct functional assignment. Among them, the gene AAC16202.1 (NCBI) from Rhodobacter capsulatus SB1003 has been assigned in Uniprot both as a sorbitol dehydrogenase (#D5AUY1) and, as an N-acetyl-d-mannosamine dehydrogenase (#O66112), both enzymes being of biotechnological interest. When the gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli Rosetta (DE3)pLys, the purified enzyme was not active toward N-acetyl-d-mannosamine, whereas it was active toward d-sorbitol and d-fructose. However, the relative activities toward xylitol and l-iditol (0.45 and 6.9%, respectively) were low compared with that toward d-sorbitol. Thus, the enzyme could be considered sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) with very low activity toward xylitol, which could increase its biotechnological interest for determining sorbitol without the unspecific cross-determination of added xylitol in food and pharma compositions. The tetrameric enzyme (120 kDa) showed similar catalytic efficiency (2.2 × 10(3) M(-1) s(-1)) to other sorbitol dehydrogenases for d-sorbitol, with an optimum pH of 9.0 and an optimum temperature of 37 °C. The enzyme was also more thermostable than other reported SDH, ammonium sulfate being the best stabilizer in this respect, increasing the melting temperature (T(m)) up to 52.9 °C. The enzyme can also be considered as a new member of the Zn(2+) independent SDH family since no effect on activity was detected in the presence of divalent cations or chelating agents. Finally, its in silico analysis enabled the specific conserved sequence blocks that are the fingerprints of bacterial sorbitol dehydrogenases and mainly located at C-terminal of the protein, to be determined for the first time. This knowledge will facilitate future data curation of present databases and a better functional assignment of newly described

  20. Consistent evidence to support the use of xylitol- and sorbitol-containing chewing gum to prevent dental caries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Twetman, Svante

    2009-01-01

    DATA SOURCES: Studies were identified using searches with Medline, the Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. STUDY SELECTION: Studies were screened independently and were included if they evaluated the effect of one or more chewing gums containing at least one polyol (xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol...... randomised controlled trials (RCT) of which four were cluster RCT, nine controlled clinical trials (CCT) and four cohort studies]. Two RCT had a Jadad score of three or higher. The mean preventive fraction for the four main gum types are shown in the table 1, results of all except the sorbitol -mannitol...... blend were statistically significant. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the findings. CONCLUSIONS: Although research gaps exist, particularly on optimal dosing and relative polyol efficacy, there is consistent evidence to support the use of xylitol- and sorbitol-containing chewing gum...

  1. Effects of dormancy progression and low-temperature response on changes in the sorbitol concentration in xylem sap of Japanese pear during winter season.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Akiko; Sugiura, Toshihiko; Sakamoto, Daisuke; Moriguchi, Takaya

    2013-04-01

    In order to elucidate which physiological event(s) are involved in the seasonal changes of carbohydrate dynamics during winter, we examined the effects of different low temperatures on the carbohydrate concentrations of Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm.) Nakai). For four winter seasons, large increases in the sorbitol concentration of shoot xylem sap occurred during mid- to late December, possibly due to the endodormancy completion and low-temperature responses. When trees were kept at 15 °C from 3 November to 3 December in order to postpone the initiation and completion of chilling accumulation that would break endodormancy, sorbitol accumulation in xylem sap was always higher from trees with sufficient chilling accumulation than from trees that received insufficient chilling. However, an additional increase in xylem sap sorbitol occurred around late December in trees regardless of whether their chilling accumulation naturally progressed or was postponed. To examine different temperature effects more closely, we compared the carbohydrate concentrations of trees subjected to either 6 or 0 °C treatment. The sorbitol concentration in xylem sap tremendously increased at 0 °C treatment compared with 6 °C treatment. However, an additional increase in xylem sap sorbitol occurred at both the temperatures when sufficient chilling accumulated with a peak coinciding with the peak expression in shoots of the sorbitol transporter gene (PpSOT2). Interestingly, the total carbohydrate concentration of shoots tremendously increased with exposure to 0 °C compared with exposure to 6 °C, but was not affected by the amount of accumulated chilling. Instead, as chilling accumulated the ratio of sorbitol to total soluble sugars in shoots increased. We presumed that carbohydrates in the shoot tissues may be converted to sorbitol and loaded into the xylem sap so that the sorbitol accumulation patterns were synchronized with the progression of dormancy, whereas the total

  2. Substrate inhibition: Oxidation of D-sorbitol and D-mannitol by potassium periodate in alkaline medium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lakshman Kumar, Y.; Venkata Nadh, R.; Radhakrishnamurti, P. S.

    2014-05-01

    In the oxidation of D-sorbitol and D-mannitol by potassium periodate in alkaline media, substrate inhibition was observed with both substrates, i.e., a decrease in the rate of the reaction was observed with an increase in the concentration of substrate. The substrate inhibition was attributed to the formation of stable complex between the substrate and periodate. The reactions were found to be first order in case of periodate and a positive fractional order with hydroxide ions. Arrhenius parameters were calculated for the oxidation of sorbitol and mannitol by potassium periodate in alkali media.

  3. Effects of Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens M1 isolated from kefir grains on enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli infection using mouse and intestinal cell models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Y P; Lee, T Y; Hong, W S; Hsieh, H H; Chen, M J

    2013-01-01

    A potential probiotic strain, Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens M1, was previously isolated from kefir grains, which are used to manufacture the traditional fermented drink kefir. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Lb. kefiranofaciens M1 on enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) infection, using mice and intestinal cell models. BALB/c mice were daily administrated with either phosphate buffered saline or Lb. kefiranofaciens M1 at 2×10(8) cfu/mouse per day intragastrically for 7 d. Intragastric challenges with EHEC (2×10(9) cfu/mouse) were conducted on d 0, 4, and 7 after treatment. Administration of Lb. kefiranofaciens M1 was able to prevent EHEC infection-induced symptoms, intestinal damage, renal damage, bacterial translocation, and Shiga toxin penetration. Furthermore, the mucosal EHEC-specific IgA responses were increased after Lb. kefiranofaciens M1 administration in the EHEC-infected mouse system. Additionally, in vitro, Lb. kefiranofaciens M1 was shown to have a protective effect on Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells and Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cell monolayers; the bacteria limited EHEC-induced cell death and reduced the loss of epithelial integrity. These findings support the potential of Lb. kefiranofaciens M1 treatment as an approach to preventing EHEC infection and its effects. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Polyol specificity of recombinant Arabidopsis thaliana sorbitol dehydrogenase studied by enzyme kinetics and in silico modeling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Francisca eAguayo

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Polyols are enzymatically-produced plant compounds which can act as compatible solutes during periods of abiotic stress. NAD+-dependent SORBITOL DEHYDROGENASE (SDH, E.C. 1.1.1.14 from Arabidopsis thaliana L. (AtSDH is capable of oxidizing several polyols including sorbitol, ribitol and xylitol. In the present study, enzymatic assays using recombinant AtSDH demonstrated a higher specificity constant for xylitol compared to sorbitol and ribitol, all of which are C2 (S and C4 (R polyols. Enzyme activity was reduced by preincubation with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA, indicating a requirement for zinc ions. In humans, it has been proposed that sorbitol becomes part of a pentahedric coordination sphere of the catalytic zinc during the reaction mechanism. In order to determine the validity of this pentahedric coordination model in a plant SDH, homology modeling and Molecular Dynamics simulations of AtSDH ternary complexes with the three polyols were performed using crystal structures of human and Bemisia argentifolii (Genn. (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae SDHs as scaffolds. The results indicate that the differences in interaction with structural water molecules correlate very well with the observed enzymatic parameters, validate the proposed pentahedric coordination of the catalytic zinc ion in a plant SDH, and provide an explanation for why AtSDH shows a preference for polyols with a chirality of C2 (S and C4 (R.

  5. Simultaneous saccharification of inulin and starch using commercial glucoamylase and the subsequent bioconversion to high titer sorbitol and gluconic acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Kehong; Hu, Fengxian; Bao, Jie

    2013-12-01

    A new bioprocess for production of sorbitol and gluconic acid from two low-cost feedstocks, inulin and cassava starch, using a commercially available enzyme was proposed in this study. The commercial glucoamylase GA-L NEW from Genencor was found to demonstrate a high inulinase activity for hydrolysis of inulin into fructose and glucose. The glucoamylase was used to replace the expensive and not commercially available inulinase enzyme for simultaneous saccharification of inulin and starch into high titer glucose and fructose hydrolysate. The glucose and fructose in the hydrolysate were converted into sorbitol and gluconic acid using immobilized whole cells of the recombinant Zymomonas mobilis strain. The high gluconic acid concentration of 193 g/L and sorbitol concentration of 180 g/L with the overall yield of 97.3 % were obtained in the batch operations. The present study provided a practical production method of sorbitol and gluconic acid from low cost feedstocks and enzymes.

  6. Sorbitol dehydration into isosorbide in a molten salt hydrate medium

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Li, J.; Spina, A.; Moulijn, J.A.; Makkee, M.

    2013-01-01

    The sorbitol conversion in a molten salt hydrate medium (ZnCl2; 70 wt% in water) was studied. Dehydration is the main reaction, initially 1,4- and 3,6-anhydrosorbitol are the main products that are subsequently converted into isosorbide; two other anhydrohexitols, (1,5- and 2,5-), formed are in less

  7. The influence of sorbitol on the production of cellulases and xylanases in an airlift bioreactor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ritter, Carla Eliana Todero; Fontana, Roselei Claudete; Camassola, Marli; da Silveira, Maurício Moura; Dillon, Aldo José Pinheiro

    2013-11-01

    The production of cellulases and xylanases by Penicillium echinulatum in an airlift bioreactor was evaluated. In batch production, we tested media with isolated or associated cellulose and sorbitol. In fed-batch production, we tested cellulose addition at two different times, 30 h and 48 h. Higher liquid circulation velocities in the downcomer were observed in sorbitol 10 g L(-1) medium. In batch production, higher FPA (filter paper activity) and endoglucanase activities were obtained with cellulose (7.5 g L(-1)) and sorbitol (2.5 g L(-1)), 1.0 U mL(-1) (120 h) and 6.4 U m L(-1) (100 h), respectively. For xylanases, the best production condition was cellulose 10 g L(-1), which achieved 5.5 U mL(-1) in 64 h. The fed-batch process was favorable for obtaining xylanases, but not for FPA and endoglucanases, suggesting that in the case of cellulases, the inducer must be added early in the process. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Solvent-Free Polymerization of L-Aspartic Acid in the Presence of D-Sorbitol to Obtain Water Soluble or Network Copolymers

    Science.gov (United States)

    L-aspartic acid was thermally polymerized in the presence of D-sorbitol with the goal of synthesizing new, higher molecular weight water soluble and absorbent copolymers. No reaction occurred when aspartic acid alone was heated at 170 or 200 degrees C. In contrast, heating sorbitol and aspartic ac...

  9. Sorbitol as an efficient reducing agent for laser-induced copper deposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kochemirovsky, V. A.; Logunov, L. S.; Safonov, S. V.; Tumkin, I. I.; Tver'yanovich, Yu. S.; Menchikov, L. G.

    2012-10-01

    We have pioneered in revealing the fact that sorbitol may be used as an efficient reducing agent in the process of laser-induced copper deposition from solutions; in this case, it is possible to obtain copper lines much higher quality than by using conventional formalin.

  10. Effects of Dietary Fermented Seaweed and Seaweed Fusiforme on Growth Performance, Carcass Parameters and Immunoglobulin Concentration in Broiler Chicks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. J. Choi

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available This study was conducted to investigate the effects of brown seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida by-product and seaweed fusiforme (Hizikia fusiformis by-product supplementation on growth performance and blood profiles including serum immunoglobulin (Ig in broilers. Fermentation of seaweeds was conducted by Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus oryzae. In a 5-wk feeding trial, 750 one-d-old broiler chicks were divided into 5 groups, and were assigned to the control diet or experimental diets including control+0.5% brown seaweed (BS by-product, control+0.5% seaweed fusiforme (SF by-product, control+0.5% fermented brown seaweed (FBS by-product, and control+0.5% fermented seaweed fusiforme (FSF by-product. As a consequence, body weight gain (BWG and gain:feed of seaweed by-product groups were clearly higher, when compared to those of control diet group from d 18 to 35 and the entire experimental period (p<0.05. In mortality rate, seaweed by-product groups were significantly lower when compared to control diet group during entire experimental period (p<0.05. However, Feed Intake of experimental diets group was not different from that of the control group during the entire experimental period. Whereas, Feed Intake of fermented seaweed by-product groups was lower than that of non-fermented seaweed groups (p<0.05. Total organ weights, lipids, and glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT of all treatment groups were not different from those of control group. However, glutamic pyruvate transaminase (GPT of all treatment groups was higher than that of control group at d 17 (p<0.05. In case of serum Igs concentration, the concentration of IgA antibody in BS, SF, FSF treatment groups was significantly higher than in control group at d 35 (p<0.01. IgA concentration in FBS supplementation groups was negligibly decreased when compared to the control group. IgM concentration in the serums of all treatment groups was significantly higher than in control group (p<0.05 and in

  11. Effects of olestra and sorbitol consumption on objective measures of diarrhea: impact of stool viscosity on common gastrointestinal symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McRorie, J; Zorich, N; Riccardi, K; Bishop, L; Filloon, T; Wason, S; Giannella, R

    2000-02-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the effects of olestra and sorbitol consumption on three accepted objective measures of diarrhea (stool output >250 g/day, liquid/watery stools, bowel movement frequency >3/day), and how stool composition influences reports of common gastrointestinal symptoms. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study compared the effects of sorbitol (40 g/day in candy), a poorly absorbed sugar-alcohol with known osmotic effects, with those of olestra (20 or 40 g/day in potato chips), a nonabsorbed fat, on objective measures of stool composition and GI symptoms. Sixty-six subjects resided on a metabolic ward for 12 days: 2 days lead-in, 4 days baseline, 6 days treatment. Sorbitol 40 g/day resulted in loose/liquid stools within 1-3 h of consumption. In contrast, olestra resulted in a dose-responsive stool softening effect after 2-4 days of consumption. Subjects reported "diarrhea" when mean stool apparent viscosity (peak force (PF), g) decreased from a perceived "normal" (mean +/- SE, 1355 +/- 224 g PF; firm stool) to loose (260 +/- 68 g PF) stool. Mean apparent viscosity of stool during treatment: placebo, 1363 +/- 280 g (firm); olestra 20 g/day 743 +/- 65 g (soft); olestra 40 g/day, 563 +/- 105 g (soft); and sorbitol 40 g/day, 249 +/- 53 g (loose). Of the 1098 stool samples collected, 38% (419/1098) were rated by subjects as "diarrhea," yet only 2% of treatment days (all in the sorbitol treatment group) met commonly accepted criteria for a clinical diarrhea. Sorbitol, but not olestra, increased the severity of abdominal cramping, urgency and nausea compared to placebo. Olestra consumption, at levels far in excess of normal snacking conditions, resulted in a gradual stool softening effect after several days of consumption, did not meet any of the three objective measures of diarrhea, and did not increase GI symptoms. Sorbitol consumption, at only 80% of the dose requiring a "laxative effect" information label, resulted in rapid onset loose

  12. Correlated physical and mental health summary scores for the SF-36 and SF-12 Health Survey, V.1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cunningham William E

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The SF-36 and SF-12 summary scores were derived using an uncorrelated (orthogonal factor solution. We estimate SF-36 and SF-12 summary scores using a correlated (oblique physical and mental health factor model. Methods We administered the SF-36 to 7,093 patients who received medical care from an independent association of 48 physician groups in the western United States. Correlated physical health (PCSc and mental health (MCSc scores were constructed by multiplying each SF-36 scale z-score by its respective scoring coefficient from the obliquely rotated two factor solution. PCSc-12 and MCSc-12 scores were estimated using an approach similar to the one used to derive the original SF-12 summary scores. Results The estimated correlation between SF-36 PCSc and MCSc scores was 0.62. There were far fewer negative factor scoring coefficients for the oblique factor solution compared to the factor scoring coefficients produced by the standard orthogonal factor solution. Similar results were found for PCSc-12, and MCSc-12 summary scores. Conclusion Correlated physical and mental health summary scores for the SF-36 and SF-12 derived from an obliquely rotated factor solution should be used along with the uncorrelated summary scores. The new scoring algorithm can reduce inconsistent results between the SF-36 scale scores and physical and mental health summary scores reported in some prior studies. (Subscripts C = correlated and UC = uncorrelated

  13. Are decisions using cost-utility analyses robust to choice of SF-36/SF-12 preference-based algorithm?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Walton Surrey M

    2005-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cost utility analysis (CUA using SF-36/SF-12 data has been facilitated by the development of several preference-based algorithms. The purpose of this study was to illustrate how decision-making could be affected by the choice of preference-based algorithms for the SF-36 and SF-12, and provide some guidance on selecting an appropriate algorithm. Methods Two sets of data were used: (1 a clinical trial of adult asthma patients; and (2 a longitudinal study of post-stroke patients. Incremental costs were assumed to be $2000 per year over standard treatment, and QALY gains realized over a 1-year period. Ten published algorithms were identified, denoted by first author: Brazier (SF-36, Brazier (SF-12, Shmueli, Fryback, Lundberg, Nichol, Franks (3 algorithms, and Lawrence. Incremental cost-utility ratios (ICURs for each algorithm, stated in dollars per quality-adjusted life year ($/QALY, were ranked and compared between datasets. Results In the asthma patients, estimated ICURs ranged from Lawrence's SF-12 algorithm at $30,769/QALY (95% CI: 26,316 to 36,697 to Brazier's SF-36 algorithm at $63,492/QALY (95% CI: 48,780 to 83,333. ICURs for the stroke cohort varied slightly more dramatically. The MEPS-based algorithm by Franks et al. provided the lowest ICUR at $27,972/QALY (95% CI: 20,942 to 41,667. The Fryback and Shmueli algorithms provided ICURs that were greater than $50,000/QALY and did not have confidence intervals that overlapped with most of the other algorithms. The ICUR-based ranking of algorithms was strongly correlated between the asthma and stroke datasets (r = 0.60. Conclusion SF-36/SF-12 preference-based algorithms produced a wide range of ICURs that could potentially lead to different reimbursement decisions. Brazier's SF-36 and SF-12 algorithms have a strong methodological and theoretical basis and tended to generate relatively higher ICUR estimates, considerations that support a preference for these algorithms over the

  14. Performance, nutritional behavior, and metabolic responses of calves supplemented with forage depend on starch fermentability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mojahedi, S; Khorvash, M; Ghorbani, G R; Ghasemi, E; Mirzaei, M; Hashemzadeh-Cigari, F

    2018-05-16

    This study evaluated the interactive effects of forage provision on performance, nutritional behavior, apparent digestibility, rumen fermentation, and blood metabolites of dairy calves when corn grains with different fermentability were used. Sixty 3-d-old Holstein calves were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Dietary treatments were (1) steam-flaked (SF) corn without alfalfa hay (AH) supplementation (SF-NO), (2) SF corn with AH supplementation (SF-AH), (3) cracked (CR) corn without AH supplementation (CR-NO), and (4) CR corn with AH supplementation (CR-AH). All calves received the same amount of pasteurized whole milk and weaned on d 56 of the experiment; the study was terminated on d 70. Steam-flaked corn contained higher amounts of gelatinized starch in comparison with cracked corn (44.1 vs. 12.5% of total starch, respectively). Starter intake was not affected by corn processing methods or AH provision during the pre- or postweaning periods. However, we noted an interaction between corn processing methods and forage supplementation for starter intake during d 31 to 50 of the experiment, where calves fed on SF-AH starter had greater starter intake than those fed SF-NO starter, but the starter intake was not different between CR-NO and CR-AH fed calves. Furthermore, AH increased average daily gain (ADG) of calves fed an SF-based diet but not in calves fed a CR-based diet during the preweaning and overall periods. Interaction between forage provision and time was significant for ADG and feed efficiency, as calves supplemented with forage had higher ADG (0.982 vs. 0.592, respectively) and feed efficiency compared with forage unsupplemented calves at the weaning week. Forage supplementation resulted in more stable ruminal condition compared with nonforage-fed calves, as evidenced by higher ruminal pH (5.71 vs. 5.29, respectively) at postweaning and lower non-nutritive oral behavior around weaning time (55 vs. 70.5 min

  15. Blending of soluble corn fiber with pullulan, sorbitol, or fructose attenuates glycemic and insulinemic responses in the dog and affects hydrolytic digestion in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Godoy, M R C; Knapp, B K; Bauer, L L; Swanson, K S; Fahey, G C

    2013-08-01

    The objective of these experiments was to measure in vitro hydrolytic digestion and glycemic and insulinemic responses of select carbohydrate blends, all containing the novel carbohydrate soluble corn fiber (SCF). Two SCF that varied in their method of production were used to formulate the carbohydrate blends. One set of blends contained a SCF that was spray dried (SCFsd) and then blended with different amounts of either pullulan, sorbitol, or fructose. The other set of blends contained a SCF produced using longer evaporation time (SCF) and then blended with different ratios of pullulan, sorbitol, and fructose. Free sugar concentrations found in the individual SCFsd and SCF substrates were low but varied. Spray-dried soluble corn fiber had a reduced free sugar concentration compared with SCF (2.8 vs. 14.2%). Glucose was the main free sugar found in both SCFsd and SCF but at different concentrations (2.7 vs. 12.7%, respectively). The majority of the SCFsd blends were completely hydrolyzed to their monosaccharide components. Glucose accounted for most of the hydrolyzed monosaccharides for SCFsd and all the SCFsd blends. Hydrolyzed monosaccharide concentrations for the SCF:pullulan:sorbitol:fructose blends followed similar trends to the SCFsd blends where greater percentages of fructose and sorbitol resulted in decreased (P sorbitol. Total released monosaccharides were high in SCFsd blends containing either 50% fructose or sorbitol, but the combination resulted in reduced concentrations of glucose released (P sorbitol:fructose blends also had intermediate to high released monosaccharides as a result of in vitro hydrolytic digestion. All SCF blends resulted in decreased glycemic and insulinemic responses compared with the maltodextrin control (P sorbitol in the blends had the greatest impact on glycemic and insulinemic responses, even at concentrations as low as 5% of the blends. Overall, SCF and their blends may prove beneficial as components of low glycemic

  16. ARCPHdb: A comprehensive protein database for SF1 and SF2 helicase from archaea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moukhtar, Mirna; Chaar, Wafi; Abdel-Razzak, Ziad; Khalil, Mohamad; Taha, Samir; Chamieh, Hala

    2017-01-01

    Superfamily 1 and Superfamily 2 helicases, two of the largest helicase protein families, play vital roles in many biological processes including replication, transcription and translation. Study of helicase proteins in the model microorganisms of archaea have largely contributed to the understanding of their function, architecture and assembly. Based on a large phylogenomics approach, we have identified and classified all SF1 and SF2 protein families in ninety five sequenced archaea genomes. Here we developed an online webserver linked to a specialized protein database named ARCPHdb to provide access for SF1 and SF2 helicase families from archaea. ARCPHdb was implemented using MySQL relational database. Web interfaces were developed using Netbeans. Data were stored according to UniProt accession numbers, NCBI Ref Seq ID, PDB IDs and Entrez Databases. A user-friendly interactive web interface has been developed to browse, search and download archaeal helicase protein sequences, their available 3D structure models, and related documentation available in the literature provided by ARCPHdb. The database provides direct links to matching external databases. The ARCPHdb is the first online database to compile all protein information on SF1 and SF2 helicase from archaea in one platform. This database provides essential resource information for all researchers interested in the field. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Selective electrocatalytic oxidation of sorbitol to fructose and sorbose.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwon, Youngkook; de Jong, Ed; van der Waal, Jan Kees; Koper, Marc T M

    2015-03-01

    A new electrocatalytic method for the selective electrochemical oxidation of sorbitol to fructose and sorbose is demonstrated by using a platinum electrode promoted by p-block metal atoms. By the studying a range of C4, C5 and C6 polyols, it is found that the promoter interferes with the stereochemistry of the polyol and thereby modifies its reactivity. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Overexpression, purification and crystallization of the tetrameric form of SorC sorbitol operon regulator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanctis, Daniele de; Rêgo, Ana T.; Marçal, David; McVey, Colin E.; Carrondo, Maria A.; Enguita, Francisco J.

    2007-01-01

    The sorbitol operon regulator from K. pneumoniae has been overexpressed in E. coli, purified and crystallized. Diffraction data were collected to 3.2 Å. The sorbitol operon regulator (SorC) regulates the metabolism of l-sorbose in Klebsiella pneumonia. SorC was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified, and crystals were obtained of a tetrameric form. A single crystal showed X-ray diffraction to 3.20 Å. The crystal belongs to space group P2 1 2 1 2 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = 91.6, b = 113.3, c = 184.1 Å. Analysis of the molecular-replacement solution indicates the presence of four SorC molecules in the asymmetric unit

  19. The effect of increasing chitosan on the characteristics of bioplastic from starch talas (Colocasia esculenta) using plasticizer sorbitol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ginting, M. H. S.; Lubis, M.; Sidabutar, T.; Sirait, T. P.

    2018-03-01

    The aims of this research to determine the profile of starch gelatinization, bioplastic and the effect of increasing chitosan and sorbitol to the properties of tensile strength and elongation of break bioplastic. Preparation of bioplastics was used by casting method, that is 30% w/v solution of starch mixed with chitosan solution (0.5 w/v; 1 w/v; 1.5 w/v; 2 w/v; and 2.5 w/v) and plasticizer sorbitol (10 % w/w; 20 % w/w; 30 % w/w; 40 % w/w and 50 % w/w) were heated using a hotplate magnetic stirrer at 750C. The results of Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) obtained by starch and bioplastic gelatinization temperature of 72.94°C 77.72°C with peak viscosity 6632 cP and 3476 cP. Analysis of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) obtained the change a functional group of bioplastic OH at wave number 3765 cm-1 and uneven chitosan distribution, and there is still an empty fraction. The addition of chitosan and sorbitol had an effect on tensile strength and elongation at break, tensile strength and elongation at break the highest of 8.36 MPa and 22.06% in starch composition 30%, 2.5 w/v chitosan and sorbitol 30% w/w.

  20. Preliminary comparison of MP sparking characteristics for SF6 insulating gas mixtures and pure SF6

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lindgren, R.; Wegner, H.E.

    1978-01-01

    Operation of the Brookhaven MP-7 tandem Van de Graaff accelerator with pure SF 6 insulating gas is described. Sparking and terminal voltage were monitored and are compared for operation with a mixture of SF 6 , N 2 , CO 2 and O 2 . The accelerator was found to be more difficult to operate with pure SF 6

  1. Effect of exchanging Onobrychis viciifolia and Lotus corniculatus for Medicago sativa on ruminal fermentation and nitrogen turnover in dairy cows.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grosse Brinkhaus, A; Bee, G; Silacci, P; Kreuzer, M; Dohme-Meier, F

    2016-06-01

    The objective of the study was to determine the effect of feeding sainfoin (SF; Onobrychis viciifolia) and birdsfoot trefoil (BT; Lotus corniculatus), 2 temperate climate forage legumes that contain condensed tannins (CT), on ruminal fermentation and N turnover in dairy cows. Six ruminally cannulated multiparous dairy cows (milk yield=40kg/d; 36 d in milk) were used in a replicated 3×3 Latin square design. All animals were fed basal diets containing 20% pelleted SF (223g of CT/kg of dry matter), BT (30.3g of CT/kg of dry matter), or alfalfa (AL) and concentrate to meet their predicted nutrient requirements. Each experimental period consisted of a 21-d adaptation period in a tiestall, followed by a 7-d collection period in metabolic crates, where feces and urine were collected quantitatively. During the 7-d period, milk yield was recorded daily and milk samples were taken at each milking. Blood, ruminal fluid, and papillae were sampled on d 2 and 5. The relative abundance of selected bacterial strains in ruminal fluid and the gene expression of transporter genes in the papillae were determined with quantitative PCR. Total volatile fatty acids and the abundance of the cellulolytic bacteria Prevotella spp. and Ruminococcus flavefaciens decreased with SF compared with AL. The relative gene expression of the monocarboxylate transporter 1 was increased with BT compared with AL and SF. Total yields of milk, milk fat, and milk protein were similar among treatments. The proportion of 18:3n-3 in milk fat was greater and those of 22:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 were lower with SF than with BT. The contents of urea N in blood (2.71, 3.45, and 3.90mmol/L for SF, AL, and BT, respectively), milk (79.8, 100.1, and 110.9mg/kg for SF, AL, and BT, respectively), and urine were lower with SF than with AL and BT, and a trend toward a lower ruminal ammonia content occurred with SF compared with BT. Intake and excretion of N with milk were similar among treatments, but urine N was lower with SF

  2. Utilization starch of jackfruit seed (Artocarpus heterophyllus) as raw material for bioplastics manufacturing using sorbitol as plasticizer and chitosan as filler

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lubis, M.; Harahap, M. B.; Manullang, A.; Alfarodo; Ginting, M. H. S.; Sartika, M.

    2017-01-01

    Starch is a natural polymer that can be used for the production of bioplastics because its source is abundant, renewable and easily degraded. Jackfruit seeds can be used as raw material for bioplastics because its contains starch. The aim of this study to determine the characteristics of jackfruit seeds and determine the effect of chitosan and sorbitol on the physicochemical properties of bioplastics from jackfruit seeds. Starch is extracted from jackfruit seeds were then characterized to determine its chemical composition. In the manufacture of bioplastics starch composition jackfruit seeds - chitosan used was 7: 3, 8: 2 and 9: 1 (g/g), while the concentration of sorbitol used was 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, and 40% by weight dry ingredients. From the analysis of jackfruit seed starch obtained water content of 6.04%, ash content of 1.08%, the starch content of 70.22%, 16.39% amylose content, amylopectin content of 53.83%, 4.68% protein content, fat content 0.54%. The best conditions of starch bioplastics jackfruit seeds obtained at a ratio of starch: chitosan (w/w) = 8: 2 and the concentration of plasticizer sorbitol 25% with tensile strength 13.524 MPa. From the results of FT-IR analysis indicated an increase for the OH group and the group NH on bioplastics due to the addition of chitosan and sorbitol. The results of mechanical tests is further supported by analysis of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showing jackfruit seed starch has a small granule size with the size of 7.6 μm and in bioplastics with chitosan filler and plasticizer sorbitol their fracture surface is smooth and slightly hollow compared bioplastics without fillers chitosan and plasticizer sorbitol.

  3. Effect of Xylitol on Growth of Streptococcus pneumoniae in the Presence of Fructose and Sorbitol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tapiainen, Terhi; Kontiokari, Tero; Sammalkivi, Laura; Ikäheimo, Irma; Koskela, Markku; Uhari, Matti

    2001-01-01

    Xylitol is effective in preventing acute otitis media by inhibiting the growth of Streptococcus pneumoniae. To clarify this inhibition we used fructose, which is known to block similar growth inhibition observed in Streptococcus mutans. In addition, we evaluated the efficacy of sorbitol in inhibiting the growth of pneumococci, as sorbitol is widely used for indications similar to those for which xylitol is used. The addition of 5% xylitol to the growth medium resulted in marked growth inhibition, an effect which was totally eliminated in the presence of 1, 2.5, or 5% fructose but not in the presence of 1 or 5% glucose, 1% galactose, or 1% sucrose. This finding implies that xylitol-induced inhibition of pneumococcal growth is mediated via the fructose phosphotransferase system in a way similar to that in which mutans group streptococcal growth is inhibited. The addition of sorbitol at concentrations of 1, 2.5, or 5% to the growth medium did not affect the growth of pneumococci and neither inhibited nor enhanced the xylitol-induced growth impairment. Thus, it seems that xylitol is the only commercially used sugar substitute proven to have an antimicrobial effect on pneumococci. PMID:11120960

  4. Sweet taste in apple: the role of sorbitol, individual sugars, organic acids and volatile compounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aprea, Eugenio; Charles, Mathilde; Endrizzi, Isabella; Laura Corollaro, Maria; Betta, Emanuela; Biasioli, Franco; Gasperi, Flavia

    2017-03-01

    Sweetness is one of the main drivers of consumer preference, and thus is given high priority in apple breeding programmes. Due to the complexity of sweetness evaluation, soluble solid content (SSC) is commonly used as an estimation of this trait. Nevertheless, it has been demonstrated that SSC and sweet taste are poorly correlated. Though individual sugar content may vary greatly between and within apple cultivars, no previous study has tried to investigate the relationship between the amount of individual sugars, or ratios of these, and apple sweetness. In this work, we quantified the major sugars (sucrose, glucose, fructose, xylose) and sorbitol and explored their influence on perceived sweetness in apple; we also related this to malic acid content, SSC and volatile compounds. Our data confirmed that the correlation between sweetness and SSC is weak. We found that sorbitol content correlates (similarly to SSC) with perceived sweetness better than any other single sugar or total sugar content. The single sugars show no differentiable importance in determining apple sweetness. Our predictive model based on partial least squares regression shows that after sorbitol and SSC, the most important contribution to apple sweetness is provided by several volatile compounds, mainly esters and farnesene.

  5. 21 CFR 180.25 - Mannitol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... fructose. (2) The fermentation of sugars or sugar alcohols such as glucose, sucrose, fructose, or sorbitol using the yeast Zygosaccharomyces rouxii. (3) A pure culture fermentation of sugars such as fructose...

  6. Photosystem I shows a higher tolerance to sorbitol-induced osmotic stress than photosystem II in the intertidal macro-algae Ulva prolifera (Chlorophyta).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Shan; Zheng, Zhenbing; Gu, Wenhui; Xie, Xiujun; Huan, Li; Pan, Guanghua; Wang, Guangce

    2014-10-01

    The photosynthetic performance of the desiccation-tolerant, intertidal macro-algae Ulva prolifera was significantly affected by sorbitol-induced osmotic stress. Our results showed that photosynthetic activity decreased significantly with increases in sorbitol concentration. Although the partial activity of both photosystem I (PS I) and photosystem II (PS II) was able to recover after 30 min of rehydration, the activity of PS II decreased more rapidly than PS I. At 4 M sorbitol concentration, the activity of PS II was almost 0 while that of PS I was still at about one third of normal levels. Following prolonged treatment with 1 and 2 M sorbitol, the activity of PS I and PS II decreased slowly, suggesting that the effects of moderate concentrations of sorbitol on PS I and PS II were gradual. Interestingly, an increase in non-photochemical quenching occurred under these conditions in response to moderate osmotic stress, whereas it declined significantly under severe osmotic stress. These results suggest that photoprotection in U. prolifera could also be induced by moderate osmotic stress. In addition, the oxidation of PS I was significantly affected by osmotic stress. P700(+) in the thalli treated with high concentrations of sorbitol could still be reduced, as PS II was inhibited by 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU), but it could not be fully oxidized. This observation may be caused by the higher quantum yield of non-photochemical energy dissipation in PS I due to acceptor-side limitation (Y(NA)) during rehydration in seawater containing DCMU. © 2014 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

  7. Molecular motions in sucrose-PVP and sucrose-sorbitol dispersions-II. Implications of annealing on secondary relaxations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharya, Sisir; Bhardwaj, Sunny P; Suryanarayanan, Raj

    2014-10-01

    To determine the effect of annealing on the two secondary relaxations in amorphous sucrose and in sucrose solid dispersions. Sucrose was co-lyophilized with either PVP or sorbitol, annealed for different time periods and analyzed by dielectric spectroscopy. In an earlier investigation, we had documented the effect of PVP and sorbitol on the primary and the two secondary relaxations in amorphous sucrose solid dispersions (1). Here we investigated the effect of annealing on local motions, both in amorphous sucrose and in the dispersions. The average relaxation time of the local motion (irrespective of origin) in sucrose, decreased upon annealing. However, the heterogeneity in relaxation time distribution as well as the dielectric strength decreased only for β1- (the slower relaxation) but not for β2-relaxations. The effect of annealing on β2-relaxation times was neutralized by sorbitol while PVP negated the effect of annealing on both β1- and β2-relaxations. An increase in local mobility of sucrose brought about by annealing could be negated with an additive.

  8. A physicochemical study of sugar palm (Arenga Pinnata) starch films plasticized by glycerol and sorbitol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poeloengasih, Crescentiana D.; Pranoto, Yudi; Hayati, Septi Nur; Hernawan, Rosyida, Vita T.; Prasetyo, Dwi J.; Jatmiko, Tri H.; Apriyana, Wuri; Suwanto, Andri

    2016-02-01

    The present work explores the physicochemical characteristics of sugar palm starch film for a potential hard capsule purpose. Sugar palm (Arenga pinnata) starch films were plasticized with glycerol or sorbitol in various concentrations (30% up to 50% w/w starch). Their effects on physicochemical properties of the films were investigated. The results showed that sugar palm starch was successfully developed as the main material of film using casting method. Incorporation of both glycerol or sorbitol affected the properties of films in different ways. It was found that thickness and solubility increased as plasticizer concentration increased, whereas retraction ratio, swelling degree and swelling thickness decreased with the increased plasticizer concentration.

  9. Variações do conteúdo de glucose, frutose e sorbitol em gemas e ramos de macieira durante a dormência Variations of glucose, frutose and sorbitol content in buds and stems of apple tree during the dormancy period

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruy Inacio Neiva de Carvalho

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar as variações do conteúdo de glucose, frutose e sorbitol em gemas e ramos de um ano de macieira durante o período de dormência. Os ramos da cultivar "Imperial Gala" foram coletados em Porto Amazonas-PR, em intervalos de 21 dias, de abril a agosto (19/04, 10/05, 31/05, 21/06, 12/07, 02/08 e 23/08, e receberam ou não tratamento com frio suplementar de 1.440 horas à temperatura de 4 a 7°C. As análises dos carboidratos foram realizadas em gemas e porções de ramos adjacentes às primeiras por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (HPLC. Ocorreu um acúmulo de glucose, frutose e sorbitol nas gemas de macieira durante a dormência. O acúmulo de glucose e frutose nos ramos aconteceu até o início de agosto quando, em seguida, houve redução, enquanto o sorbitol decresceu até junho e, em seguida, elevou-se até o final de agosto. O tratamento com frio ao longo da dormência modificou as variações dos conteúdos de carboidratos nas gemas e ramos de macieira.This research was aimed at evaluating the variations of glucose, frutose and sorbitol content in one year old buds and stems of apple trees during the dormancy period. The stems of cv. Imperial Gala were collected in Porto Amazonas, Parana State, Brazil, at intervals of 21 days from April to August (April 19th, May 10th, May 31st, June 21st, July 12th, August 2nd and August 23rd and were treated or not with 1,440 hours of chill (4 to 7°C. The carbohydrates were analysed in buds and stem tissues close to buds by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC. There was an increase of glucose, frutose and sorbitol content in apple tree buds during the dormancy. An increase of glucose and frutose content in stems occured until August 2nd followed by a significative reduction, while the sorbitol content decreased until June 21st followed by an increase until August 31st. The chill treatment during the dormancy period modified the variations of

  10. Plasma glucagon-like peptide 1 and peptide YY levels are not altered in symptomatic fructose-sorbitol malabsorption

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Valeur, Jørgen; Øines, Eliann; Morken, Mette Helvik

    2008-01-01

    consecutive patients with functional abdominal complaints, referred to our clinic for investigation of self-reported food hypersensitivity, were included in the study and compared with 15 healthy volunteers. All subjects ingested a mixture of 25 g fructose and 5 g sorbitol. Pulmonary hydrogen and methane...... excretion and plasma glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and peptide YY (PYY) levels were measured during the next 3 h. Both habitual and post-test symptoms were assessed. RESULTS: Malabsorption of fructose and sorbitol was present in 61% of the patients and 73% of the controls. Nevertheless, the patients...

  11. Production of Starch Based Bioplastic from Cassava Peel Reinforced with Microcrystalline Celllulose Avicel PH101 Using Sorbitol as Plasticizer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maulida; Siagian, M.; Tarigan, P.

    2016-04-01

    The production of starch based bioplastics from cassava peel reeinforced with microcrystalline cellulose using sorbitol as plasticizer were investigated. Physical properties of bioplastics were determined by density, water uptake, tensile strength and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Bioplastics were prepared from cassava peel starch plasticized using sorbitol with variation of 20; 25; 30% (wt/v of sorbitol to starch) reinforced with microcrystalline celllulose (MCC) Avicel PH101 fillers with range of 0 to 6% (wt/wt of MCC to starch). The results showed improvement in tensile strength with higher MCC content up to 9, 12 mpa compared to non-reinforced bioplastics. This could be mainly attributed to the strong hydrogen bonds between MCC and starch. On the contrary, the addition of MCC decreased the elongation at break, density and water uptake. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy showed the functional groups of bioplastics, which the majority of O-H groups were found at the bioplastics with reinforcing filler MCC that represented substantial hydrogen bonds. The highest tensile strength value was obtained for bioplastic with MCC content 6% and sorbitol content 20%. With good adhesion between MCC and starch the production of bioplastics could be widely used as a substitute for conventional plastics with more benefits to the environment.

  12. Production of Starch Based Bioplastic from Cassava Peel Reinforced with Microcrystalline Celllulose Avicel PH101 Using Sorbitol as Plasticizer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maulida; Siagian, M; Tarigan, P

    2016-01-01

    The production of starch based bioplastics from cassava peel reeinforced with microcrystalline cellulose using sorbitol as plasticizer were investigated. Physical properties of bioplastics were determined by density, water uptake, tensile strength and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Bioplastics were prepared from cassava peel starch plasticized using sorbitol with variation of 20; 25; 30% (wt/v of sorbitol to starch) reinforced with microcrystalline celllulose (MCC) Avicel PH101 fillers with range of 0 to 6% (wt/wt of MCC to starch). The results showed improvement in tensile strength with higher MCC content up to 9, 12 mpa compared to non-reinforced bioplastics. This could be mainly attributed to the strong hydrogen bonds between MCC and starch. On the contrary, the addition of MCC decreased the elongation at break, density and water uptake. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy showed the functional groups of bioplastics, which the majority of O-H groups were found at the bioplastics with reinforcing filler MCC that represented substantial hydrogen bonds. The highest tensile strength value was obtained for bioplastic with MCC content 6% and sorbitol content 20%. With good adhesion between MCC and starch the production of bioplastics could be widely used as a substitute for conventional plastics with more benefits to the environment. (paper)

  13. A mannitol/sorbitol receptor stimulates dietary intake in Tribolium castaneum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takada, Tomoyuki; Sato, Ryoichi; Kikuta, Shingo

    2017-01-01

    In insects, perception of chemical stimuli is involved in the acceptance or rejection of food. Gustatory receptors (Grs) that regulate external signals in chemosensory organs have been found in many insects. Tribolium castaneum, a major pest of stored products, possesses over 200 Gr genes. An expanded repertoire of Gr genes appears to be required for diet recognition in species that are generalist feeders; however, it remains unclear whether T. castaneum recognizes a suite of chemicals common to many products or whether its feeding is activated by specific chemicals, and whether its Grs are involved in feeding behavior. It is difficult to determine the food preferences of T. castaneum based on dietary intake due to a lack of appropriate methodology. This study established a novel dietary intake estimation method using gypsum, designated the TribUTE (Tribolium Urges To Eat) assay. For this assay, T. castaneum adults were fed a gypsum block without added organic compounds. Sweet preference was determined by adding sweeteners and measuring the amount of gypsum in the excreta. Mannitol was the strongest activator of T. castaneum dietary intake. In a Xenopus oocyte expression, TcGr20 was found to be responsible for mannitol and sorbitol responses, but not for responses to other tested non-volatile compounds. The EC50 values of TcGr20 for mannitol and sorbitol were 72.6 mM and 90.6 mM, respectively, suggesting that TcGr20 is a feasible receptor for the recognition of mannitol at lower concentrations. We used RNAi and the TribUTE assay to examine whether TcGr20 expression was involved in mannitol recognition. The amounts of excreta in TcGr20 dsRNA-injected adults decreased significantly, despite the presence of mannitol, compared to control adults. Taken together, our results indicate that T. castaneum adults recognized mannitol/sorbitol using the TcGr20 receptor, thereby facilitating the dietary intake of these compounds.

  14. A mannitol/sorbitol receptor stimulates dietary intake in Tribolium castaneum.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomoyuki Takada

    Full Text Available In insects, perception of chemical stimuli is involved in the acceptance or rejection of food. Gustatory receptors (Grs that regulate external signals in chemosensory organs have been found in many insects. Tribolium castaneum, a major pest of stored products, possesses over 200 Gr genes. An expanded repertoire of Gr genes appears to be required for diet recognition in species that are generalist feeders; however, it remains unclear whether T. castaneum recognizes a suite of chemicals common to many products or whether its feeding is activated by specific chemicals, and whether its Grs are involved in feeding behavior. It is difficult to determine the food preferences of T. castaneum based on dietary intake due to a lack of appropriate methodology. This study established a novel dietary intake estimation method using gypsum, designated the TribUTE (Tribolium Urges To Eat assay. For this assay, T. castaneum adults were fed a gypsum block without added organic compounds. Sweet preference was determined by adding sweeteners and measuring the amount of gypsum in the excreta. Mannitol was the strongest activator of T. castaneum dietary intake. In a Xenopus oocyte expression, TcGr20 was found to be responsible for mannitol and sorbitol responses, but not for responses to other tested non-volatile compounds. The EC50 values of TcGr20 for mannitol and sorbitol were 72.6 mM and 90.6 mM, respectively, suggesting that TcGr20 is a feasible receptor for the recognition of mannitol at lower concentrations. We used RNAi and the TribUTE assay to examine whether TcGr20 expression was involved in mannitol recognition. The amounts of excreta in TcGr20 dsRNA-injected adults decreased significantly, despite the presence of mannitol, compared to control adults. Taken together, our results indicate that T. castaneum adults recognized mannitol/sorbitol using the TcGr20 receptor, thereby facilitating the dietary intake of these compounds.

  15. Metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli to enhance shikimic acid production from sorbitol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xianglei; Lin, Jun; Hu, Haifeng; Zhou, Bin; Zhu, Baoquan

    2014-09-01

    Shikimic acid (SA) is the key synthetic material of Oseltamivir, which is an effective drug for the prevention and treatment of influenza. In this study, to block the downstream metabolic pathway of SA, the shikimate kinase isoenzyme genes aroK and aroL were deleted by Red recombination. Moreover, the key enzyme genes aroG, aroB, tktA and aroE of SA pathway were co-expressed by constructing the recombinant vector pETDuet-GBAE. As a result, SA production of E. coli BW25113 (∆aroL/aroK, DE3)/pETDuet-GBAE reached 1,077.6 mg/l when low amounts of sorbitol (5 g/l) were fed in shake flasks. The yield was 3.7 times that when glucose was used (P sorbitol was an optimized carbon source for the high efficient accumulation of SA for the first time, which was applicable to use in the industry for high yields and low consumption.

  16. Genomic Variability of O Islands Encoding Tellurite Resistance in Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 Isolates

    OpenAIRE

    Taylor, Diane E.; Rooker, Michelle; Keelan, Monika; Ng, Lai-King; Martin, Irene; Perna, Nicole T.; Burland, N. T. Valerie; Blattner, Fredrick R.

    2002-01-01

    Strains of Escherichia coli causing enterohemorrhagic colitis belonging to the O157:H7 lineage are reported to be highly related. Fifteen strains of E. coli O157:H7 and 1 strain of E. coli O46:H− (nonflagellated) were examined for the presence of potassium tellurite resistance (Ter). Ter genes comprising terABCDEF were shown previously to be part of a pathogenicity island also containing integrase, phage, and urease genes. PCR analysis, both conventional and light cycler based, demonstrated t...

  17. X-ray crystal structure and small-angle X-ray scattering of sheep liver sorbitol dehydrogenase

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yennawar, Hemant [Pennsylvania State University, 8 Althouse Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Møller, Magda [Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States); University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen (Denmark); Gillilan, Richard [Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States); Yennawar, Neela, E-mail: nhy1@psu.edu [Pennsylvania State University, 8 Althouse Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)

    2011-05-01

    The X-ray crystal structure and a small-angle X-ray scattering solution structure of sheep liver sorbitol dehydrogenase have been determined. The details of the interactions that enable the tetramer scaffold to be the functional biological unit have been analyzed. The X-ray crystal structure of sheep liver sorbitol dehydrogenase (slSDH) has been determined using the crystal structure of human sorbitol dehydrogenase (hSDH) as a molecular-replacement model. slSDH crystallized in space group I222 with one monomer in the asymmetric unit. A conserved tetramer that superposes well with that seen in hSDH (despite belonging to a different space group) and obeying the 222 crystal symmetry is seen in slSDH. An acetate molecule is bound in the active site, coordinating to the active-site zinc through a water molecule. Glycerol, a substrate of slSDH, also occupies the substrate-binding pocket together with the acetate designed by nature to fit large polyol substrates. The substrate-binding pocket is seen to be in close proximity to the tetramer interface, which explains the need for the structural integrity of the tetramer for enzyme activity. Small-angle X-ray scattering was also used to identify the quaternary structure of the tetramer of slSDH in solution.

  18. Effect of solid state fermentation of peanut shell on its dye adsorption performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jiayang; Wang, Zhixin; Li, Hongyan; Hu, Changwei; Raymer, Paul; Huang, Qingguo

    2018-02-01

    The effect of solid state fermentation of peanut shell to produce beneficial laccase and on its dye adsorption performance was evaluated. The resulting residues from solid fermentation were tested as sorbents (designated as SFs) in comparison to the raw peanut shell (RPS) for their ability to remove crystal violet from water. The fermentation process reduced the adsorption capacity (q m ) of SF by about 50%, and changed the sorptive behavior when compared to the RPS. The Langmuir model was more suitable for fitting adsorption by SFs. q m was positively correlated with the surface area of peanut shell, but negatively correlated with acid detergent lignin content. For all the sorbents tested, the process was spontaneous and endothermic, and the adsorption followed both the pseudo 1st and 2nd order kinetic model and the film diffusion model. Dye adsorption efficiency was greater when SFs dispersed solution than when placed in filter packets. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Predicting the concentration of verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli bacteria during processing and storage of fermented raw-meat sausages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quinto, E J; Arinder, P; Axelsson, L; Heir, E; Holck, A; Lindqvist, R; Lindblad, M; Andreou, P; Lauzon, H L; Marteinsson, V Þ; Pin, C

    2014-05-01

    A model to predict the population density of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) throughout the elaboration and storage of fermented raw-meat sausages (FRMS) was developed. Probabilistic and kinetic measurement data sets collected from publicly available resources were completed with new measurements when required and used to quantify the dependence of VTEC growth and inactivation on the temperature, pH, water activity (aw), and concentration of lactic acid. Predictions were compared with observations in VTEC-contaminated FRMS manufactured in a pilot plant. Slight differences in the reduction of VTEC were predicted according to the fermentation temperature, 24 or 34°C, with greater inactivation at the highest temperature. The greatest reduction was observed during storage at high temperatures. A population decrease greater than 6 decimal logarithmic units was observed after 66 days of storage at 25°C, while a reduction of only ca. 1 logarithmic unit was detected at 12°C. The performance of our model and other modeling approaches was evaluated throughout the processing of dry and semidry FRMS. The greatest inactivation of VTEC was predicted in dry FRMS with long drying periods, while the smallest reduction was predicted in semidry FMRS with short drying periods. The model is implemented in a computing tool, E. coli SafeFerment (EcSF), freely available from http://www.ifr.ac.uk/safety/EcoliSafeFerment. EcSF integrates growth, probability of growth, and thermal and nonthermal inactivation models to predict the VTEC concentration throughout FRMS manufacturing and storage under constant or fluctuating environmental conditions.

  20. Decomposition of Potent Greenhouse Gases SF6, CF4 and SF5CF3 by Dielectric Barrier Discharge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Renxi; Wang Jingting; Cao Xu; Hou Huiqi

    2016-01-01

    For their distinguished global warming potential (GWP100) and long atmosphere lifespan, CF 4 , SF 6 and SF 5 CF 3 were significant in the field of greenhouse gas research. The details of discharging character and the optimal parameter were discussed by using a Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) reactor to decompose these potent greenhouse gases in this work. The results showed that SF 6 could be decomposed by 92% under the conditions of 5 min resident time and 3000 V applied voltage with the partial pressure of 2.0 kPa, 28.2 kPa, and 1.8 kPa for SF 6 , air and water vapor, respectively. 0.4 kPa CF 4 could be decomposed by 98.2% for 4 min resident time with 30 kPa Ar added. The decomposition of SF 5 CF 3 was much more effective than that of SF 6 and CF 4 and moreover, 1.3 kPa SF 5 CF 3 , discharged with 30 kPa O 2 , Ar and air, could not be detected when the resident time was 80 s, 40 s, and 120 s, respectively. All the results indicated that DBD was a feasible technique for the abatement of potent greenhouse gases. (paper)

  1. Lactase Non-Persistence Genotyping: Comparison of Two Real-Time PCR Assays and Assessment of Concomitant Fructose/Sorbitol Malabsorption Rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enko, Dietmar; Pollheimer, Verena; Németh, Stefan; Pühringer, Helene; Stolba, Robert; Halwachs-Baumann, Gabriele; Kriegshäuser, Gernot

    2016-01-01

    Genetic testing is a standard technique for the diagnosis of primary adult-type hypolactasia, also referred to as lactase non-persistence. The aim of this study was to compare the lactase gene (LCT) C/T-13910 polymorphism genotyping results of two commercially available real-time (RT)-PCR assays in patients referred to our outpatient clinic for primary lactose malabsorption testing. Furthermore, concomitant conditions of fructose/sorbitol malabsorption were assessed. Samples obtained from 100 patients were tested in parallel using the LCT T-13910C ToolSet for Light Cycler (Roche, Rotkreuz, Switzerland) and the LCT-13910C>T RealFast Assay (ViennaLab Diagnostics GmbH, Vienna, Austria). Additionally, patients were also screened for the presence of fructose/sorbitol malabsorption by functional hydrogen (H2)/methane (CH4) breath testing (HMBT). Cohen's Kappa (κ) was used to calculate the agreement between the two genotyping methods. The exact Chi-Square test was performed to compare fructose/sorbitol HMBT with LCT genotyping results. Twenty-one (21.0%) patients had a LCT C/C-13910 genotype suggestive of lactase non-persistence, and 79 (79.0%) patients were identified with either a LCT T/C-13910 or T/T-13910 genotype (i.e., lactase persistence). In all genotype groups, concordance between the two RT-PCR assays was 100%. Cohen's κ demonstrated perfect observed agreement (p sorbitol malabsorption was observed in 13/100 (13.0%) and 25/100 (25.0%) individuals, respectively. Both RT-PCR assays are robust and reliable LCT genotyping tools in a routine clinical setting. Concomitant fructose and/or sorbitol malabsorption should be considered in individuals with suspected lactase-non-persistence. However, standardization of clinical interpretation of laboratory HMBT results is required.

  2. Electron Transport Coefficients and Effective Ionization Coefficients in SF6-O2 and SF6-Air Mixtures Using Boltzmann Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Linsheng; Xu, Min; Yuan, Dingkun; Zhang, Yafang; Hu, Zhaoji; Tan, Zhihong

    2014-10-01

    The electron drift velocity, electron energy distribution function (EEDF), density-normalized effective ionization coefficient and density-normalized longitudinal diffusion velocity are calculated in SF6-O2 and SF6-Air mixtures. The experimental results from a pulsed Townsend discharge are plotted for comparison with the numerical results. The reduced field strength varies from 40 Td to 500 Td (1 Townsend=10-17 V·cm2) and the SF6 concentration ranges from 10% to 100%. A Boltzmann equation associated with the two-term spherical harmonic expansion approximation is utilized to gain the swarm parameters in steady-state Townsend. Results show that the accuracy of the Boltzmann solution with a two-term expansion in calculating the electron drift velocity, electron energy distribution function, and density-normalized effective ionization coefficient is acceptable. The effective ionization coefficient presents a distinct relationship with the SF6 content in the mixtures. Moreover, the E/Ncr values in SF6-Air mixtures are higher than those in SF6-O2 mixtures and the calculated value E/Ncr in SF6-O2 and SF6-Air mixtures is lower than the measured value in SF6-N2. Parametric studies conducted on these parameters using the Boltzmann analysis offer substantial insight into the plasma physics, as well as a basis to explore the ozone generation process.

  3. Structural characterization of the thermostable Bradyrhizobium japonicumD-sorbitol dehydrogenase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fredslund, Folmer; Otten, Harm; Gemperlein, Sabrina; Poulsen, Jens Christian N; Carius, Yvonne; Kohring, Gert Wieland; Lo Leggio, Leila

    2016-11-01

    Bradyrhizobium japonicum sorbitol dehydrogenase is NADH-dependent and is active at elevated temperatures. The best substrate is D-glucitol (a synonym for D-sorbitol), although L-glucitol is also accepted, giving it particular potential in industrial applications. Crystallization led to a hexagonal crystal form, with crystals diffracting to 2.9 Å resolution. In attempts to phase the data, a molecular-replacement solution based upon PDB entry 4nbu (33% identical in sequence to the target) was found. The solution contained one molecule in the asymmetric unit, but a tetramer similar to that found in other short-chain dehydrogenases, including the search model, could be reconstructed by applying crystallographic symmetry operations. The active site contains electron density consistent with D-glucitol and phosphate, but there was not clear evidence for the binding of NADH. In a search for the features that determine the thermostability of the enzyme, the T m for the orthologue from Rhodobacter sphaeroides, for which the structure was already known, was also determined, and this enzyme proved to be considerably less thermostable. A continuous β-sheet is formed between two monomers in the tetramer of the B. japonicum enzyme, a feature not generally shared by short-chain dehydrogenases, and which may contribute to thermostability, as may an increased Pro/Gly ratio.

  4. Fructose and/or Sorbitol Intolerance in a Subgroup of Lactose Intolerant Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SR Mishkin

    1994-01-01

    Full Text Available The diagnosis and treatment of lactose intolerance often does not resolve all the symptoms of postcibal bloating and flatulence. Included in this study were 104 lactose intolerant patients (71 female, 33 male who complained of residual postcibal discomfort in spite of adherence to and benefit from appropriate measures for their documented lactose intolerance (at least 20 ppm H2 after 25 g lactose as well as appropriate symptomatic discomfort. Clinical characteristics common to this group included: symptomatic diarrhea (12.5%, history of foreign travel (5.8%, endoscopic and pathological evidence of gastritis and helicobacter infection (19.2 and 8.7%, respectively, nonspecific abnormalities of small bowel follow-through (15.4%, Crohn’s disease (8.7% and colonic cliverticulosis (14.4%. Intolerance co fructose (at least 10 ppm H2 after 25 g fructose plus appropriate symptoms or sorbitol (at least 10 ppm H2 after 5 g sorbitol plus appropriate symptoms was documented in 17.3 and 18.3%, respectively. Intolerance to both fructose and sorbicol (administered as separate challenges, more than twice as common as intolerance to either one alone, occurred in 41.4% and was independent of sex. In conclusion, additional carbohydrate intolerances contribute to postcibal discomfort in more than 75% of lactose intolerant patients who remain symptomatic in spite of adherence to appropriate measures for this condition. While 62% of all patients had benefited significantly (greater than 50% from appropriate dietary measures and enzyme replacement for lactose intolerance, only 40% of those who were also fructose intolerant and 47% who were sorbitol intolerant benefited (greater than 50% from appropriate dietary measures (no enzyme replacement yet available for intolerance to these sugars.

  5. Erythritol Is More Effective Than Xylitol and Sorbitol in Managing Oral Health Endpoints

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter de Cock

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To provide a comprehensive overview of published evidence on the impact of erythritol, a noncaloric polyol bulk sweetener, on oral health. Methods. A literature review was conducted regarding the potential effects of erythritol on dental plaque (biofilm, dental caries, and periodontal therapy. The efficacy of erythritol on oral health was compared with xylitol and sorbitol. Results. Erythritol effectively decreased weight of dental plaque and adherence of common streptococcal oral bacteria to tooth surfaces, inhibited growth and activity of associated bacteria like S. mutans, decreased expression of bacterial genes involved in sucrose metabolism, reduced the overall number of dental caries, and served as a suitable matrix for subgingival air-polishing to replace traditional root scaling. Conclusions. Important differences were reported in the effect of individual polyols on oral health. The current review provides evidence demonstrating better efficacy of erythritol compared to sorbitol and xylitol to maintain and improve oral health.

  6. Pt nanocatalysts supported on reduced graphene oxide for selective conversion of cellulose or cellobiose to sorbitol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ding; Niu, Wenqi; Tan, Minghui; Wu, Mingbo; Zheng, Xuejun; Li, Yanpeng; Tsubaki, Noritatsu

    2014-05-01

    Pt nanocatalysts loaded on reduced graphene oxide (Pt/RGO) were prepared by means of a convenient microwave-assisted reduction approach with ethylene glycol as reductant. The conversion of cellulose or cellobiose into sorbitol was used as an application reaction to investigate their catalytic performance. Various metal nanocatalysts loaded on RGO were compared and RGO-supported Pt exhibited the highest catalytic activity with 91.5 % of sorbitol yield from cellobiose. The catalytic performances of Pt nanocatalysts supported on different carbon materials or on silica support were also compared. The results showed that RGO was the best catalyst support, and the yield of sorbitol was as high as 91.5 % from cellobiose and 58.9 % from cellulose, respectively. The improvement of catalytic activity was attributed to the appropriate Pt particle size and hydrogen spillover effect of Pt/RGO catalyst. Interestingly, the size and dispersion of supported Pt particles could be easily regulated by convenient adjustment of the microwave heating temperature. The catalytic performance was found to initially increase and then decrease with increasing particle size. The optimum Pt particle size was 3.6 nm. These findings may offer useful guidelines for designing novel catalysts with beneficial catalytic performance for biomass conversion. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. EPA's SF6 Emission Reduction Partnership: Maximizing the Benefits of SF6 Emission Reductions for Electric Utilities

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Blackman, Jerome; Kantamaneni, Ravi

    2004-01-01

    .... Under ideal conditions, SF6 would remain contained within transmission equipment. In reality, however, SF6 is inadvertently emitted into the atmosphere as leaks develop during various stages of the equipment's life cycle...

  8. Intracellular distribution of TM4SF1 and internalization of TM4SF1-antibody complex in vascular endothelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sciuto, Tracey E.; Merley, Anne; Lin, Chi-Iou; Richardson, Douglas; Liu, Yu; Li, Dan; Dvorak, Ann M.; Dvorak, Harold F.; Jaminet, Shou-Ching S.

    2015-01-01

    Transmembrane-4 L-six family member-1 (TM4SF1) is a small plasma membrane-associated glycoprotein that is highly and selectively expressed on the plasma membranes of tumor cells, cultured endothelial cells, and, in vivo, on tumor-associated endothelium. Immunofluorescence microscopy also demonstrated TM4SF1 in cytoplasm and, tentatively, within nuclei. With monoclonal antibody 8G4, and the finer resolution afforded by immuno-nanogold transmission electron microscopy, we now demonstrate TM4SF1 in uncoated cytoplasmic vesicles, nuclear pores and nucleoplasm. Because of its prominent surface location on tumor cells and tumor-associated endothelium, TM4SF1 has potential as a dual therapeutic target using an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) approach. For ADC to be successful, antibodies reacting with cell surface antigens must be internalized for delivery of associated toxins to intracellular targets. We now report that 8G4 is efficiently taken up into cultured endothelial cells by uncoated vesicles in a dynamin-dependent, clathrin-independent manner. It is then transported along microtubules through the cytoplasm and passes through nuclear pores into the nucleus. These findings validate TM4SF1 as an attractive candidate for cancer therapy with antibody-bound toxins that have the capacity to react with either cytoplasmic or nuclear targets in tumor cells or tumor-associated vascular endothelium. - Highlights: • Anti-TM4SF1 antibody 8G4 was efficiently taken up by cultured endothelial cells. • TM4SF1–8G4 internalization is dynamin-dependent but clathrin-independent. • TM4SF1–8G4 complexes internalize along microtubules to reach the perinuclear region. • Internalized TM4SF1–8G4 complexes pass through nuclear pores into the nucleus. • TM4SF1 is an attractive candidate for ADC cancer therapy

  9. Intracellular distribution of TM4SF1 and internalization of TM4SF1-antibody complex in vascular endothelial cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sciuto, Tracey E.; Merley, Anne; Lin, Chi-Iou [Center for Vascular Biology Research and Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (United States); Richardson, Douglas [Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University (United States); Liu, Yu [Department of Pharmacology, Shanxi Medical University, Xinjiannanlu 56, Shanxi Province, Taiyuan 030001 (China); Li, Dan; Dvorak, Ann M. [Center for Vascular Biology Research and Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (United States); Dvorak, Harold F., E-mail: hdvorak@bidmc.harvard.edu [Center for Vascular Biology Research and Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (United States); Jaminet, Shou-Ching S., E-mail: sjaminet@bidmc.harvard.edu [Center for Vascular Biology Research and Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (United States)

    2015-09-25

    Transmembrane-4 L-six family member-1 (TM4SF1) is a small plasma membrane-associated glycoprotein that is highly and selectively expressed on the plasma membranes of tumor cells, cultured endothelial cells, and, in vivo, on tumor-associated endothelium. Immunofluorescence microscopy also demonstrated TM4SF1 in cytoplasm and, tentatively, within nuclei. With monoclonal antibody 8G4, and the finer resolution afforded by immuno-nanogold transmission electron microscopy, we now demonstrate TM4SF1 in uncoated cytoplasmic vesicles, nuclear pores and nucleoplasm. Because of its prominent surface location on tumor cells and tumor-associated endothelium, TM4SF1 has potential as a dual therapeutic target using an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) approach. For ADC to be successful, antibodies reacting with cell surface antigens must be internalized for delivery of associated toxins to intracellular targets. We now report that 8G4 is efficiently taken up into cultured endothelial cells by uncoated vesicles in a dynamin-dependent, clathrin-independent manner. It is then transported along microtubules through the cytoplasm and passes through nuclear pores into the nucleus. These findings validate TM4SF1 as an attractive candidate for cancer therapy with antibody-bound toxins that have the capacity to react with either cytoplasmic or nuclear targets in tumor cells or tumor-associated vascular endothelium. - Highlights: • Anti-TM4SF1 antibody 8G4 was efficiently taken up by cultured endothelial cells. • TM4SF1–8G4 internalization is dynamin-dependent but clathrin-independent. • TM4SF1–8G4 complexes internalize along microtubules to reach the perinuclear region. • Internalized TM4SF1–8G4 complexes pass through nuclear pores into the nucleus. • TM4SF1 is an attractive candidate for ADC cancer therapy.

  10. One-pot aqueous phase catalytic conversion of sorbitol to gasoline over nickel catalyst

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weng, Yujing; Qiu, Songbai; Xu, Ying; Ding, Mingyue; Chen, Lungang; Zhang, Qi; Ma, Longlong; Wang, Tiejun

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Directly production gasoline (C5–C12 alkanes) from biomass-derived sugar alcohol sorbitol. • Temperature of STG (553–593 K) was lower than that of traditional methanol to gasoline (MTG) (623–773 K). • Gasoline yield of 46.9% and C7–C12 hydrocarbons reached up to 45.5% in the gasoline products. - Abstract: The carbon chain extension and hydrodeoxygenation steps play critical roles in the high-energy-density hydrocarbons production. In this paper, a systematic study had been carried out to investigate one-pot aqueous phase catalytic conversion of sorbitol to gasoline (STG) over bifunctional Ni-based catalysts. Characterization technologies of N 2 physisorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and NH 3 temperature-programmed desorption (NH 3 -TPD) were used to study the textural properties, phase compositions, acid behavior and morphologies of the catalysts. The catalytic performances were tested in a fixed bed reactor. It was found that the physically mixed Ni/HZSM-5 and Ni/silica-gel (mesoporous SG) catalyst realized the carbon chain extension and exhibited excellent performances on hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) reaction (46.9% of gasoline (C5–C12) yield and 45.5% of C7–C12 hydrocarbons in the gasoline products). Especially, the temperature of STG (553–593 K) was lower obviously than that of the traditional methanol to gasoline (MTG) process (623–773 K). It provided a novel transformation of sorbitol to long-chain alkanes by one-pot process over the bifunctional catalyst (Ni@HZSM-5/SG), wherein hydrodeoxygenation, ketonization and aldol condensation steps were integrated

  11. Conversion of biomass-derived sorbitol to glycols over carbon-materials supported Ru-based catalysts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Xingcui; Guan, Jing; Li, Bin; Wang, Xicheng; Mu, Xindong; Liu, Huizhou

    2015-11-01

    Ruthenium (Ru) supported on activated carbon (AC) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was carried out in the hydrogenolysis of sorbitol to ethylene glycol (EG) and 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PD) under the promotion of tungsten (WOx) species and different bases. Their catalytic activities and glycols selectivities strongly depended on the support properties and location of Ru on CNTs, owning to the altered metal-support interactions and electronic state of ruthenium. Ru located outside of the tubes showed excellent catalytic performance than those encapsulated inside the nanotubes. Additionally, the introduction of WOx into Ru/CNTs significantly improved the hydrogenolysis activities, and a complete conversion of sorbitol with up to 60.2% 1,2-PD and EG yields was obtained on RuWOx/CNTs catalyst upon addition of Ca(OH)2. Stability study showed that this catalyst was highly stable against leaching and poisoning and could be recycled several times.

  12. Simultaneous hydrolysis and hydrogenation of cellobiose to sorbitol in molten salt hydrate media

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Li, J.; Soares, H.S.M.P.; Moulijn, J.A.; Makkee, M.

    2013-01-01

    The hydrolysis and hydrogenation of cellobiose (4-O-b-D-glucopyranosyl-D-glucose) in ZnCl2_4H2O solvent was studied to optimize the conditions for conversion of lignocellulose (the most abundant renewable resource) into sorbitol (D-glucitol). Water at neutral pH does not allow hydrolysis of

  13. Preparation and Characterization of HPMC/PVP Blend Films Plasticized with Sorbitol

    OpenAIRE

    Somashekarappa, H.; Prakash, Y.; Hemalatha, K.; Demappa, T.; Somashekar, R.

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this present work is to investigate the effect of plasticizers like Sorbitol on microstructural and mechanical properties of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) blend films. The pure blend and plasticized blend films were prepared by solution casting method and investigated using wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) method. WAXS analysis confirms that the plasticizers can enter into macromolecular blend structure and destroy the crystallinity of the f...

  14. Fitness of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC)/Enteroaggregative E. coli O104:H4 in Comparison to That of EHEC O157: Survival Studies in Food and In Vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Böhnlein, Christina; Kabisch, Jan; Meske, Diana; Franz, Charles M A P; Pichner, Rohtraud

    2016-11-01

    In 2011, one of the world's largest outbreaks of hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) occurred, caused by a rare Escherichia coli serotype, O104:H4, that shared the virulence profiles of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC)/enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) and enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC). The persistence and fitness factors of the highly virulent EHEC/EAEC O104:H4 strain, grown either in food or in vitro, were compared with those of E. coli O157 outbreak-associated strains. The log reduction rates of the different EHEC strains during the maturation of fermented sausages were not significantly different. Both the O157:NM and O104:H4 serotypes could be shown by qualitative enrichment to be present after 60 days of sausage storage. Moreover, the EHEC/EAEC O104:H4 strain appeared to be more viable than E. coli O157:H7 under conditions of decreased pH and in the presence of sodium nitrite. Analysis of specific EHEC strains in experiments with an EHEC inoculation cocktail showed a dominance of EHEC/EAEC O104:H4, which could be isolated from fermented sausages for 60 days. Inhibitory activities of EHEC/EAEC O104:H4 toward several E. coli strains, including serotype O157 strains, could be determined. Our study suggests that EHEC/EAEC O104:H4 is well adapted to the multiple adverse conditions occurring in fermented raw sausages. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that STEC strain cocktails composed of several serotypes, instead of E. coli O157:H7 alone, be used in food risk assessments. The enhanced persistence of EHEC/EAEC O104:H4 as a result of its robustness, as well as the production of bacteriocins, may account for its extraordinary virulence potential. In 2011, a severe outbreak caused by an EHEC/EAEC serovar O104:H4 strain led to many HUS sequelae. In this study, the persistence of the O104:H4 strain was compared with those of other outbreak-relevant STEC strains under conditions of fermented raw sausage production. Both O157:NM and O104:H4 strains could survive

  15. Dose response of xylitol and sorbitol for epr retrospective dosimetry with applications to chewing gum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Israelsson, A.; Gustafsson, H.; Lund, E.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this investigation was to study the radiation-induced electron paramagnetic resonance signal in sweeteners xylitol and sorbitol for use in retrospective dosimetry. For both sweeteners and chewing gum, the signal changed at an interval of 1-84 d after irradiation with minimal changes after 4-8 d. A dependence on storage conditions was noticed and the exposure of the samples to light and humidity was therefore minimised. Both the xylitol and sorbitol signals showed linearity with dose in the measured dose interval, 0-20 Gy. The dose-response measurements for the chewing gum resulted in a decision threshold of 0.38 Gy and a detection limit of 0.78 Gy. A blind test illustrated the possibility of using chewing gums as a retrospective dosemeter with an uncertainty in the dose determination of 0.17 Gy (1 SD). (authors)

  16. 48 CFR 53.232 - Contract financing (SF 1443).

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Contract financing (SF 1443). 53.232 Section 53.232 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (CONTINUED) CLAUSES AND FORMS FORMS Prescription of Forms 53.232 Contract financing (SF 1443). SF 1443 (JUL...

  17. A Comparison of SF-36 and SF-12 Composite Scores and Subsequent Hospitalization and Mortality Risks in Long-Term Dialysis Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jianglin; Lin, Shu-Fang; Dean, Sandie Guerra; Lazarus, J. Michael; Hakim, Raymond M.

    2010-01-01

    Background and objectives: The Short Form 12 (SF-12) has not been validated for long-term dialysis patients. The study compared physical and mental component summary (PCS/MCS) scores from the SF-36 with those from the embedded SF-12 in a national cohort of dialysis patients. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: All 44,395 patients who had scorable SF-36 and SF-12 from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2006, and were treated at Fresenius Medical Care, North America facilities were included. Death and first hospitalization were followed for up to 1 year from the date of survey. Correlation and agreement were obtained between PCS-36 and PCS-12 and MCS-36 and MCS-12; then Cox models were constructed to compare associated hazard ratios (HRs) between them. Results: Physical and mental dimensions both exhibited excellent intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.94. Each incremental point for both PCS-12 and PCS-36 was associated with a 2.4% lower adjusted HR of death and 0.4% decline in HR for first hospitalization (both P < 0.0001). Corresponding improvement in HR of death for each MCS point was 1.2% for MCS-12 and 1.3% for MCS-36, whereas both had similar 0.6% lower HR for hospitalization per point (all P < 0.0001). Conclusions: The use of the SF-12 alone or as part of a larger survey is valid in dialysis patients. Composite scores from the SF-12 and SF-36 have similar prognostic association with death and hospitalization risk. Prospective longitudinal studies of SF-12 surveys that consider responsiveness to specific clinical, situational, and interventional changes are needed in this population. PMID:20019120

  18. Efecto del sorbitol sobre la relajación estructural en películas de gelatina en estado vítreo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo Díaz-Calderón

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el efecto del sorbitol sobre la cinética de relajación estructural de películas de gelatina almacenadas bajo la temperatura de transición vítrea (Tg. Películas de gelatina de bovino y sorbitol fueron preparadas mediante casting en frío. El sorbitol fue agregado en fracciones en peso (Qs de 0,0, 0,06 y 0,10. Las películas fueron acondicionadas en un ambiente de humedad relativa constante (44% utilizando una solución saturada de carbonato de potasio, obteniéndose fracciones de contenido de humedad en peso (Qw de 0,18, 0,16 y 0,18 respectivamente. La entalpía de relajación (∆H fue determinada mediante Calorimetría Diferencial de Barrido (DSC. Las muestras utilizadas en este estudio presentaron valores de Tg de 48ºC (Qs=0,0, 35ºC (Qs=0,06 y 30ºC (Qs=0,10. Luego de eliminar el historial térmico (30ºC sobre Tg, 15min, las muestras fueron almacenadas isotérmicamente a 10ºC bajo Tgonset entre 2 y 80 horas. La adición de sorbitol produjo una reducción signifi cativa (p<0,05 en la cinética de relajación estructural. La linealización del valor de entalpía de relajación (∆H en función del logaritmo del tiempo de almacenamiento mostró una reducción de la pendiente en las muestras plastifi cadas con sorbitol. La reducción en la cinética de relajación estaría relacionada con el efecto de empaquetamiento molecular asociado a la presencia de polioles en matrices en estado vítreo recientemente reportada mediante espectroscopía de positrones (PALS

  19. Simultaneous separation and determination of fructose, sorbitol, glucose and sucrose in fruits by HPLC-ELSD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Chunmei; Sun, Zhen; Chen, Changbao; Zhang, Lili; Zhu, Shuhua

    2014-02-15

    A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD) was optimised for simultaneous determination of fructose, sorbitol, glucose and sucrose in fruits. The analysis was carried out on a Phenomenex Luna 5u NH₂ 100A column (250 mm × 4.60mm, 5 micron) with isocratic elution of acetonitrile:water (82.5:17.5, v/v). Drift tube temperature of the ELSD system was set to 82 °C and nitrogen flow rate was 2.0 L min⁻¹. The regression equation revealed good linear relationship (R = 0.9967-0.9989) within test ranges. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) for four analytes (peach, apple, watermelon, and cherry fruits) were in the range of 0.07-0.27 and 0.22-0.91 mg L⁻¹, respectively. The proposed HPLC-ELSD method was validated for quantification of sugars in peach, apple, watermelon, and cherry fruits, and the results were satisfactory. The results showed that the contents of the four sugars varied among fruits. While fructose (5.79-104.01 mg g⁻¹) and glucose (9.25-99.62 mg g⁻¹) emerged as common sugars in the four fruits, sorbitol (8.70-19.13 mg g⁻¹) were only found in peach, apple and cherry fruits, and sucrose (15.82-106.39 mg g⁻¹) were in peach, apple and watermelon. There was not detectable sorbitol in watermelon and sucrose in cherry fruits, respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Analise térmica e microscópica de laminados biodegradáveis obtidos a partir de farinha de mandioca, sorbitol e poli (butileno adipato co-tereftalato PBAT. Thermal and microscopic analysis of biodegradable laminates made from cassava flour, sorbitol and poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate PBAT - doi: 10.4025/actascitechnol.v35i4.13183

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Henrique Tirolli Rett

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver blendas de materiais laminados biodegradáveis, utilizando farinha de mandioca como fonte de amido, fibras naturais, sorbitol como plastificante e PBAT. Primeiro obteve-se peletes de três formulações diferentes e a partir destes, utilizou-se a termoprensagem a alta temperatura como alternativa na formação dos laminados. A caracterização foi feita através de microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV e calorimetria diferencia de varredura (CDV. A quantidade se sorbitol que melhor se ajustou à extrusão foi a de 15% (peso/peso; a formulação do laminado mais homogêneo, observada pela microscopia, foi de 55:40:15 (farinha/sorbitol/PBAT. As fibras ficaram dispersas por toda a superfície nos três tratamentos estudados, porém, por dentre eles, observaram-se zonas dispersas das fibras. Conforme se aumentou o teor de farinha, houve aumento no ponto de fusão dos laminados em comparação ao PBAT puro.Blends of biodegradable laminated materials were developed using cassava flour as starch and natural fibers source, sorbitol as a plasticizer and PBAT as a biodegradable polyester. After obtaining pellets from three different formulations, high temperature thermopressure was used to form laminates. The characterization was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC. The amount of sorbitol for the best extrusion process was 15% (weight/weight and the formulation of the best homogeneity observed by microscopy was 55:40:15 (flour/sorbitol/PBAT. Although fibers were dispersed throughout the surface in the three treatments, scattered areas of fibers could be found among them. As rates of flour increased, an increase in the melting point of the laminates occurred when compared to pure PBAT.  

  1. A novel method to decompose two potent greenhouse gases: Photoreduction of SF6 and SF5CF3 in the presence of propene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Li; Shen Yan; Dong Wenbo; Zhang Renxi; Zhang Jianliang; Hou Huiqi

    2008-01-01

    SF 5 CF 3 and SF 6 are the most effective greenhouse gases on a per molecule basis in the atmosphere. Original laboratory trial for photoreduction of them by use of propene as a reactant was performed to develop a novel technique to destroy them. The highly reductive radicals produced during the photolysis of propene at 184.9 nm, such as ·CH 3 , ·C 2 H 3 , and ·C 3 H 5 , could efficiently decompose SF 6 and SF 5 CF 3 to CH 4 , elemental sulfur and trace amounts of fluorinated organic compounds. It was further demonstrated that the destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) of SF 5 X (X represented F or CF 3 ) was highly dependent on the initial propene-to-SF 5 X ratio. The addition of certain amounts of oxygen and water vapor not only enhanced the DRE but avoided the generation of deposits. In both systems, employment nitrogen as dilution gas lessened the DRE slightly. Given the advantage of less toxic products, the technique might contribute to SF 5 X remediation

  2. A comparative study on cellulose nanocrystals extracted from bleached cotton and flax and used for casting films with glycerol and sorbitol plasticisers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Csiszár, Emilia; Nagy, Sebestyén

    2017-10-15

    Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were released from bleached cotton and flax by a sulphuric acid hydrolysis with about 40 and 34% yield, respectively. The rod-like cotton-CNC particles were slightly longer and wider and had a less pronounced aggregation ability in aqueous suspension than the flax-CNC ones. Films were cast from the CNC suspensions with sorbitol and glycerol plasticisers. The concept behind this research was to explore how the plasticisers - with similar structure but different molecular weight - and their concentrations affect the perceptible and measured properties of CNC films. Results revealed that the type of plasticiser determined the morphology and the optical and tensile properties of films. The best quality CNC film with an averaged thickness of 50μm was obtained with 20% sorbitol from cotton-CNC. It was proved that behaviour of sorbitol and glycerol plasticisers in CNC films was very similar to that reported previously for starch films. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Broad horizons SETI, SF and education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffiths, Martin

    2004-04-01

    Science fiction (SF) is often perceived as a ‘fringe’ form of entertainment that excites the socially challenged. This misperception detracts from the critical, scientific and interpretive nature of the genre which can be directed into science teaching at school and university levels as an innovative way of exploring the cultural background, politics, leitmotif and themes of society, science and their operation. One example is the ‘alien’ theme in SF; it is perceptually one of the driving factors in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). Such a topic can become an introduction to current technology, the motives and politics of science and the sociological implications inherent in a confrontation with the ideal of man's uniqueness in the cosmos. When applied to the SETI, SF engenders a constructive convergence in studies such as biological determinism, the evolution of life, communication, interstellar travel and methods of contact, thus enriching the consideration of possible life in the cosmos. Adopting elements of SF in lifelong learning therefore enables informed, imaginative reflection and debate that educates, trains and instructs, broadening the potential of students and their future roles by invoking an analysis of vital public, scientific and humanistic fields.

  4. Production of proteases from organic wastes by solid-state fermentation: downstream and zero waste strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marín, Maria; Artola, Adriana; Sánchez, Antoni

    2018-04-01

    Production of enzymes through solid-state fermentation (SSF) of agro-industrial wastes reports high productivity with low investment. The extraction of the final product from the solid waste and solid disposal represent the main cost of the process. In this work, the complete downstream processes of SSF of two industrial residues for the production of proteases, soy fibre (SF) and a mixture of hair and sludge (HS), were studied in terms of activity recovery, using different extraction parameters (extracting solvent, ratio solid: solvent and extraction mode). Activity after lyophilisation was tested. Solid waste valorisation after extraction was studied using respiration techniques and biogas production tests, as part of a zero waste strategy. Results showed a maximum extraction yield of 91% for SF and 121% for HS, both in agitated mode and distilled water as extraction agent. An average activity recovery of 95 ± 6 and 94 ± 6% for SF and HS, respectively, was obtained after lyophilisation and redissolution. To reduce the cost of extraction, a ratio 1:3 w : v solid-solvent in static mode is advised for SF, and 1:2 w : v extraction ratio in agitated mode for HS, both with distilled water as extracting agent. Both composting and anaerobic digestion are suitable techniques for valorisation of the waste material.

  5. A Novel Aqueous Micellar Two-Phase System Composed of Surfactant and Sorbitol for Purification of Pectinase Enzyme from Psidium guajava and Recycling Phase Components

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murshid, Fara Syazana; Manap, Mohd Yazid; Hussin, Muhaini

    2015-01-01

    A novel aqueous two-phase system composed of a surfactant and sorbitol was employed for the first time to purify pectinase from Psidium guajava. The influences of different parameters, including the type and concentration of the surfactant and the concentration and composition of the surfactant/sorbitol ratio, on the partitioning behavior and recovery of pectinase were investigated. Moreover, the effects of system pH and the crude load on purification fold and the yield of purified pectinase were studied. The experimental results indicated that the pectinase was partitioned into surfactant-rich top phase, and the impurities were partitioned into the sorbitol-rich bottom phase with the novel method involving an ATPS composed of 26% (w/w) Triton X-100 and 23% (w/w) sorbitol at 54.2% of the TLL crude load of 20% (w/w) at pH 6.0. The enzyme was successfully recovered by this method with a high purification factor of 15.2 and a yield of 98.3%, whereas the phase components were also recovered and recycled at rates above 96%. This study demonstrated that this novel ATPS method can be used as an efficient and economical alternative to the traditional ATPS for the purification and recovery of the valuable enzyme. PMID:25756051

  6. A novel aqueous micellar two-phase system composed of surfactant and sorbitol for purification of pectinase enzyme from Psidium guajava and recycling phase components.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amid, Mehrnoush; Murshid, Fara Syazana; Manap, Mohd Yazid; Hussin, Muhaini

    2015-01-01

    A novel aqueous two-phase system composed of a surfactant and sorbitol was employed for the first time to purify pectinase from Psidium guajava. The influences of different parameters, including the type and concentration of the surfactant and the concentration and composition of the surfactant/sorbitol ratio, on the partitioning behavior and recovery of pectinase were investigated. Moreover, the effects of system pH and the crude load on purification fold and the yield of purified pectinase were studied. The experimental results indicated that the pectinase was partitioned into surfactant-rich top phase, and the impurities were partitioned into the sorbitol-rich bottom phase with the novel method involving an ATPS composed of 26% (w/w) Triton X-100 and 23% (w/w) sorbitol at 54.2% of the TLL crude load of 20% (w/w) at pH 6.0. The enzyme was successfully recovered by this method with a high purification factor of 15.2 and a yield of 98.3%, whereas the phase components were also recovered and recycled at rates above 96%. This study demonstrated that this novel ATPS method can be used as an efficient and economical alternative to the traditional ATPS for the purification and recovery of the valuable enzyme.

  7. Rapid conversion of sorbitol to isosorbide in hydrophobic ionic liquids under microwave irradiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamimura, Akio; Murata, Kengo; Tanaka, Yoshiki; Okagawa, Tomoki; Matsumoto, Hiroshi; Kaiso, Kouji; Yoshimoto, Makoto

    2014-12-01

    Sorbitol was effectively converted to isosorbide by treatment with [TMPA][NTf2 ] in the presence of catalytic amounts of TsOH under microwave heating at 180 °C. The reaction completed within 10 min and isosorbide was isolated to about 60%. Ionic liquids were readily recovered by an extraction treatment and reused several times. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. The sf32 unique gene of Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV is a non-essential gene that could be involved in nucleocapsid organization in occlusion-derived virions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Inés Beperet

    Full Text Available A recombinant virus lacking the sf32 gene (Sf32null, unique to the Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV, was generated by homologous recombination from a bacmid comprising the complete viral genome (Sfbac. Transcriptional analysis revealed that sf32 is an early gene. Occlusion bodies (OBs of Sf32null contained 62% more genomic DNA than viruses containing the sf32 gene, Sfbac and Sf32null-repair, although Sf32null DNA was three-fold less infective when injected in vivo. Sf32null OBs were 18% larger in diameter and contained 17% more nucleocapsids within ODVs than those of Sfbac. No significant differences were detected in OB pathogenicity (50% lethal concentration, speed-of-kill or budded virus production in vivo. In contrast, the production of OBs/larva was reduced by 39% in insects infected by Sf32null compared to those infected by Sfbac. The SF32 predicted protein sequence showed homology (25% identity, 44% similarity to two adhesion proteins from Streptococcus pyogenes and a single N-mirystoylation site was predicted. We conclude that SF32 is a non-essential protein that could be involved in nucleocapsid organization during ODV assembly and occlusion, resulting in increased numbers of nucleocapsids within ODVs.

  9. Intracellular trehalose and sorbitol synergistically promoting cell viability of a biocontrol yeast, Pichia anomala, for aflatoxin reduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hua, Sui Sheng T; Hernlem, Bradley J; Yokoyama, Wallace; Sarreal, Siov Bouy L

    2015-05-01

    Pichia anomala (Wickerhamomyces anomalus) WRL-076 was discovered by a visual screening bioassay for its antagonism against Aspergillus flavus. The yeast was shown to significantly inhibit aflatoxin production and the growth of A. flavus. P. anomala is a potential biocontrol agent for reduction of aflatoxin in the food chain. Maintaining the viability of biocontrol agents in formulated products is a great challenge for commercial applications. Four media, NYG, NYGS, NYGT and NYGST are described which support good growth of yeast cells and were tested as storage formulations. Post growth supplement of 5 % trehalose to NYGST resulted in 83 % viable yeast cells after 12 months in cold storage. Intracellular sorbitol and trehalose concentrations were determined by HPLC analysis at the beginning of the storage and at the end of 12 month. Correlation of cell viability to both trehalose and sorbitol suggested a synergistic effect. Bonferroni (Dunn) t Test, Tukey's Studentized Range (HSD) Test and Duncan's Multiple Range Test, all showed that yeast cell viability in samples with both intracellular trehalose and sorbitol were significantly higher than those with either or none, at a 95 % confidence level. DiBAC4(5) and CFDA-AM were used as the membrane integrity fluorescent stains to create a two-color vital staining scheme with red and green fluorescence, respectively. Yeast cells stored in formulations NYG and NYGS with no detectable trehalose, displayed mostly red fluorescence. Yeast cells in NYGST+5T showed mostly green fluorescence.

  10. Freeze-dried snake antivenoms formulated with sorbitol, sucrose or mannitol: comparison of their stability in an accelerated test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrera, María; Tattini, Virgilio; Pitombo, Ronaldo N M; Gutiérrez, José María; Borgognoni, Camila; Vega-Baudrit, José; Solera, Federico; Cerdas, Maykel; Segura, Alvaro; Villalta, Mauren; Vargas, Mariángela; León, Guillermo

    2014-11-01

    Freeze-drying is used to improve the long term stability of pharmaceutical proteins. Sugars and polyols have been successfully used in the stabilization of proteins. However, their use in the development of freeze-dried antivenoms has not been documented. In this work, whole IgG snake antivenom, purified from equine plasma, was formulated with different concentrations of sorbitol, sucrose or mannitol. The glass transition temperatures of frozen formulations, determined by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), ranged between -13.5 °C and -41 °C. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the different stabilizers, the freeze-dried samples were subjected to an accelerated stability test at 40 ± 2 °C and 75 ± 5% relative humidity. After six months of storage at 40 °C, all the formulations presented the same residual humidity, but significant differences were observed in turbidity, reconstitution time and electrophoretic pattern. Moreover, all formulations, except antivenoms freeze-dried with mannitol, exhibited the same potency for the neutralization of lethal effect of Bothrops asper venom. The 5% (w:v) sucrose formulation exhibited the best stability among the samples tested, while mannitol and sorbitol formulations turned brown. These results suggest that sucrose is a better stabilizer than mannitol and sorbitol in the formulation of freeze-dried antivenoms under the studied conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Oxidative Stress in Shiga Toxin Production by Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katarzyna Licznerska

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Virulence of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC strains depends on production of Shiga toxins. These toxins are encoded in genomes of lambdoid bacteriophages (Shiga toxin-converting phages, present in EHEC cells as prophages. The genes coding for Shiga toxins are silent in lysogenic bacteria, and prophage induction is necessary for their efficient expression and toxin production. Under laboratory conditions, treatment with UV light or antibiotics interfering with DNA replication are commonly used to induce lambdoid prophages. Since such conditions are unlikely to occur in human intestine, various research groups searched for other factors or agents that might induce Shiga toxin-converting prophages. Among other conditions, it was reported that treatment with H2O2 caused induction of these prophages, though with efficiency significantly lower relative to UV-irradiation or mitomycin C treatment. A molecular mechanism of this phenomenon has been proposed. It appears that the oxidative stress represents natural conditions provoking induction of Shiga toxin-converting prophages as a consequence of H2O2 excretion by either neutrophils in infected humans or protist predators outside human body. Finally, the recently proposed biological role of Shiga toxin production is described in this paper, and the “bacterial altruism” and “Trojan Horse” hypotheses, which are connected to the oxidative stress, are discussed.

  12. Quantitative studies of transfer in vivo of low density, Sf 12-60, and Sf 60-400 lipoproteins between plasma and arterial intima in humans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shaikh, M.; Wootton, R.; Nordestgaard, B.G.; Baskerville, P.; Lumley, J.S.; La Ville, A.E.; Quiney, J.; Lewis, B.

    1991-01-01

    To assess the potential of various plasma lipoprotein classes to contribute to the lipid content of the arterial intima, influx and efflux of these plasma lipoprotein fractions into and from the intima of human carotid arteries were measured in vivo. While low density lipoprotein (LDL) is known to transfer from plasma into the arterial wall, there is less information on the atherogenic potential of lipoproteins of intermediate density (Sf 12-60) or of very low density (Sf 60-400). Aliquots of the same lipoprotein (LDL, Sf 12-60 lipoprotein particles, or Sf 60-400 lipoprotein particles) iodinated with iodine-125 and iodine-131 were injected intravenously 18-29 hours and 3-6 hours, respectively, before elective surgical removal of atheromatous arterial tissue, and the intimal clearance of lipoproteins, lipoprotein influx, and fractional loss of newly entered lipoproteins were calculated. Intimal clearance of Sf 60-400 particles was not detectable (less than 0.3 microliter x hr-1 x cm-2), whereas the average value for both LDL and Sf 12-60 lipoprotein particles was 0.9 microliter x hr-1 x cm-2. Since the fractional loss of newly entered LDL and Sf 12-60 lipoprotein particles was also similar, the results suggest similar modes of entry and exit for these two particles. However, due to lower plasma concentrations of Sf 12-60 lipoproteins as compared with LDL, the mass influx of cholesterol in the Sf 12-60 particles was on the order of one 10th of that in LDL, and that of apolipoprotein B was about one 20th

  13. Carbon-coated ceramic membrane reactor for production of hydrogen via aqueous phase reforming of sorbitol

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Neira d'Angelo, M.F.; Ordomskiy, V.; Schouten, J.C.; Schaaf, van der J.; Nijhuis, T.A.

    2014-01-01

    Hydrogen was produced by aqueous-phase reforming (APR) of sorbitol in a carbon-on-alumina tubular membrane reactor (4 nm pore size, 7 cm long, 3 mm internal diameter) that allows the hydrogen gas to permeate to the shell side, whereas the liquid remains in the tube side. The hydrophobic nature of

  14. Supershort avalanche electron beam in SF6 and krypton

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Cheng; Tarasenko, Victor F.; Gu, Jianwei; Baksht, Evgeni Kh.; Beloplotov, Dmitry V.; Burachenko, Alexander G.; Yan, Ping; Lomaev, Mikhail I.; Shao, Tao

    2016-03-01

    Runaway electrons play an important role in the avalanche formation in nanosecond- and subnanosecond- pulse discharges. In this paper, characteristics of a supershort avalanche electron beam (SAEB) generated at the subnanosecond and nanosecond breakdown in sulfur hexafluoride (SF6 ) in an inhomogeneous electric field were studied. One pulser operated at negative polarity with voltage pulse amplitude of ˜130 kV and rise time of 0.3 ns. The other pulser operated at negative polarity with voltage pulse amplitude of 70 kV and rise time of ˜1.6 ns . SAEB parameters in SF6 are compared with those obtained in krypton (Kr), nitrogen (N2 ), air, and mixtures of SF6 with krypton or nitrogen. Experimental results showed that SAEB currents appeared during the rise-time of the voltage pulse for both pulsers. Moreover, amplitudes of the SAEB current in SF6 and Kr approximately ranged from several to tens of milliamps at atmospheric pressure, which were smaller than those in N2 and air (ranging from hundreds of milliamps to several amperes). Furthermore, the concentration of SF6 additive could significantly reduce the SAEB current in N2-SF6 mixture, but it slightly affected the SAEB current in Kr -SF6 mixture because of the atomic/molecular ionization cross section of the gas had a much greater impact on the SAEB current rather than the electronegativity.

  15. Genesis of a novel Shigella flexneri serotype by sequential infection of serotype-converting bacteriophages SfX and SfI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sun Qiangzheng

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Shigella flexneri is the major pathogen causing bacillary dysentery. Fifteen serotypes have been recognized up to now. The genesis of new S. flexneri serotypes is commonly mediated by serotype-converting bacteriophages. Untypeable or novel serotypes from natural infections had been reported worldwide but have not been generated in laboratory. Results A new S. flexneri serotype-serotype 1 d was generated when a S. flexneri serotype Y strain (native LPS was sequentially infected with 2 serotype-converting bacteriophages, SfX first and then SfI. The new serotype 1 d strain agglutinated with both serotype X-specific anti-7;8 grouping serum and serotype 1a-specific anti- I typing serum, and differed from subserotypes 1a, 1b and 1c. Twenty four S. flexneri clinical isolates of serotype X were all converted to serotype 1 d by infection with phage SfI. PCR and sequencing revealed that SfI and SfX were integrated in tandem into the proA-yaiC region of the host chromosome. Conclusions These findings suggest a new S. flexneri serotype could be created in nature. Such a conversion may be constrained by susceptibility of a strain to infection by a given serotype-converting bacteriophage. This finding has significant implications in the emergence of new S. flexneri serotypes in nature.

  16. Prognose: SF den store vinder af kommunalvalget

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Søren Risbjerg

    2009-01-01

    KV-09: SF stormer ifølge Altinget.dks prognose ind i byråd og ikke mindst regionsråd ved valget til november, mens Radikale halveres.......KV-09: SF stormer ifølge Altinget.dks prognose ind i byråd og ikke mindst regionsråd ved valget til november, mens Radikale halveres....

  17. Real-time monitoring of sucrose, sorbitol, d-glucose and d-fructose concentration by electromagnetic sensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harnsoongnoen, Supakorn; Wanthong, Anuwat

    2017-10-01

    Magnetic sensing at microwave frequencies for real-time monitoring of sucrose, sorbitol, d-glucose and d-fructose concentrations is reported. The sensing element was designed based on a coplanar waveguide (CPW) loaded with a split ring resonator (SRR), which was fabricated on a DiClad 880 substrate with a thickness of 1.6mm and relative permittivity (ε r ) of 2.2. The magnetic sensor was connected to a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) and the electromagnetic interaction between the samples and sensor was analyzed. The magnitude of the transmission coefficient (S 21 ) was used as an indicator to detect the solution sample concentrations ranging from 0.04 to 0.20g/ml. The experimental results confirmed that the developed system using microwaves for the real-time monitoring of sucrose, sorbitol, d-glucose and d-fructose concentrations gave unique results for each solution type and concentration. Moreover, the proposed sensor has a wide dynamic range, high linearity, fast operation and low-cost. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Molar concentrations of sorbitol and polyethylene glycol inhibit the Plasmodium aquaglyceroporin but not that of E. coli: involvement of the channel vestibules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Jie; Almasalmeh, Abdulnasser; Krenc, Dawid; Beitz, Eric

    2012-05-01

    The aquaglyceroporins of Escherichia coli, EcGlpF, and of Plasmodium falciparum, PfAQP, are probably the best characterized members of the solute-conducting aquaporin (AQP) subfamily. Their crystal structures have been elucidated and numerous experimental and theoretical analyses have been conducted. However, opposing reports on their rates of water permeability require clarification. Hence, we expressed EcGlpF and PfAQP in yeast, prepared protoplasts, and compared water and glycerol permeability of both aquaglyceroporins in the presence of different osmolytes, i.e. sucrose, sorbitol, PEG300, and glycerol. We found that water permeability of PfAQP strongly depends on the external osmolyte, with full inhibition by sorbitol, and increasing water permeability when glycerol, PEG300, and sucrose were used. EcGlpF expression did not enhance water permeability over that of non-expressing control protoplasts regardless of the osmolyte. Glycerol permeability of PfAQP was also inhibited by sorbitol, but to a smaller extent, whereas EcGlpF conducted glycerol independently of the osmolyte. Mixtures of glycerol and urea passed PfAQP equally well under isosmotic conditions, whereas under hypertonic conditions in a countercurrent with water, glycerol was clearly preferred over urea. We conclude that PfAQP has high and EcGlpF low water permeability, and explain the inhibiting effect of sorbitol on PfAQP by its binding to the extracellular vestibule. The preference for glycerol under hypertonic conditions implies that in a physiological setting, PfAQP mainly acts as a water/glycerol channel rather than a urea facilitator. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Highly efficient red fluorescent organic light-emitting diodes by sorbitol-doped PEDOT:PSS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Yan-Qiong; Yu, Jun-Le; Wang, Chao; Yang, Fang; Wei, Bin; Zhang, Jian-Hua; Zeng, Cheng-Hui; Yang, Yang

    2018-06-01

    This work shows a promising approach to improve device performance by optimizing the electron transport and hole injection layers for tetraphenyldibenzoperiflanthene (DBP):rubrene-based red fluorescent organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). We compared the effect of two electron transport layers (ETLs), and found that the rubrene/bathophenanthroline (Bphen) ETL-based OLED showed a much higher external quantum efficiency (EQE) (4.67%) than the Alq3 ETL-based OLED (EQE of 3.08%). The doping ratio of DBP in rubrene was tuned from 1.0 wt% to 4.5 wt%, and the 1.5 wt%-DBP:rubrene-based OLED demonstrated the highest EQE of 5.24% and lowest turn-on voltage of 2.2 V. Atomic force microscopy images indicated that 1.5 wt% DBP-doped rubrene film exhibited a regular strip shape, and this regular surface was favorable to the hole and electron recombination in the emitting layer. Finally, the sorbitol-doped poly(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) was used to further improve the EQE; doping with 6 wt% sorbitol achieved the highest current efficiency of 7.03 cd A‑1 and an EQE of 7.50%. The significantly enhanced performance implies that the hole injection is a limiting factor for DBP:rubrene-based red fluorescent OLEDs.

  20. Digesta retention patterns of solute and different-sized particles in camelids compared with ruminants and other foregut fermenters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dittmann, Marie T; Runge, Ullrich; Ortmann, Sylvia; Lang, Richard A; Moser, Dario; Galeffi, Cordula; Schwarm, Angela; Kreuzer, Michael; Clauss, Marcus

    2015-07-01

    The mean retention times (MRT) of solute or particles in the gastrointestinal tract and the forestomach (FS) are crucial determinants of digestive physiology in herbivores. Besides ruminants, camelids are the only herbivores that have evolved rumination as an obligatory physiological process consisting of repeated mastication of large food particles, which requires a particle sorting mechanism in the FS. Differences between camelids and ruminants have hardly been investigated so far. In this study we measured MRTs of solute and differently sized particles (2, 10, and 20 mm) and the ratio of large-to-small particle MRT, i.e. the selectivity factors (SF(10/2mm), SF(20/2mm), SF(20/10mm)), in three camelid species: alpacas (Vicugna pacos), llamas (Llama glama), and Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus). The camelid data were compared with literature data from ruminants and non-ruminant foregut fermenters (NRFF). Camelids and ruminants both had higher SF(10/2mm)FS than NRFF, suggesting convergence in the function of the FS sorting mechanism in contrast to NRFF, in which such a sorting mechanism is absent. The SF(20/10mm)FS did not differ between ruminants and camelids, indicating that there is a particle size threshold of about 1 cm in both suborders above which particle retention is not increased. Camelids did not differ from ruminants in MRT(2mm)FS, MRTsoluteFS, and the ratio MRT(2mm)FS/MRTsoluteFS, but they were more similar to 'cattle-' than to 'moose-type' ruminants. Camelids had higher SF(10/2mm)FS and higher SF(20/2mm)FS than ruminants, indicating a potentially slower particle sorting in camelids than in ruminants, with larger particles being retained longer in relation to small particles.

  1. Supershort avalanche electron beam in SF_{6} and krypton

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng Zhang (章程

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Runaway electrons play an important role in the avalanche formation in nanosecond- and subnanosecond- pulse discharges. In this paper, characteristics of a supershort avalanche electron beam (SAEB generated at the subnanosecond and nanosecond breakdown in sulfur hexafluoride (SF_{6} in an inhomogeneous electric field were studied. One pulser operated at negative polarity with voltage pulse amplitude of ∼130  kV and rise time of 0.3 ns. The other pulser operated at negative polarity with voltage pulse amplitude of 70 kV and rise time of ∼1.6  ns. SAEB parameters in SF_{6} are compared with those obtained in krypton (Kr, nitrogen (N_{2}, air, and mixtures of SF_{6} with krypton or nitrogen. Experimental results showed that SAEB currents appeared during the rise-time of the voltage pulse for both pulsers. Moreover, amplitudes of the SAEB current in SF_{6} and Kr approximately ranged from several to tens of milliamps at atmospheric pressure, which were smaller than those in N_{2} and air (ranging from hundreds of milliamps to several amperes. Furthermore, the concentration of SF_{6} additive could significantly reduce the SAEB current in N_{2}-SF_{6} mixture, but it slightly affected the SAEB current in Kr-SF_{6} mixture because of the atomic/molecular ionization cross section of the gas had a much greater impact on the SAEB current rather than the electronegativity.

  2. Fractal aspects of the flow and shear behaviour of free-flowable particle size fractions of pharmaceutical directly compressible excipient sorbitol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hurychová, Hana; Lebedová, Václava; Šklubalová, Zdenka; Dzámová, Pavlína; Svěrák, Tomáš; Stoniš, Jan

    Flowability of powder excipients is directly influenced by their size and shape although the granulometric influence of the flow and shear behaviour of particulate matter is not studied frequently. In this work, the influence of particle size on the mass flow rate through the orifice of a conical hopper, and the cohesion and flow function was studied for four free-flowable size fractions of sorbitol for direct compression in the range of 0.080-0.400 mm. The particles were granulometricaly characterized using an optical microscopy; a boundary fractal dimension of 1.066 was estimated for regular sorbitol particles. In the particle size range studied, a non-linear relationship between the mean particle size and the mass flow rate Q10 (g/s) was detected having amaximum at the 0.245mm fraction. The best flow properties of this fraction were verified with aJenike shear tester due to the highest value of flow function and the lowest value of the cohesion. The results of this work show the importance of the right choice of the excipient particle size to achieve the best flow behaviour of particulate material.Key words: flowability size fraction sorbitol for direct compaction Jenike shear tester fractal dimension.

  3. Multiplexed Single Intact Cell Droplet Digital PCR (MuSIC ddPCR) Method for Specific Detection of Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) in Food Enrichment Cultures

    OpenAIRE

    McMahon, Tanis C.; Blais, Burton W.; Wong, Alex; Carrillo, Catherine D.

    2017-01-01

    Foodborne illness attributed to enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), a highly pathogenic subset of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), is increasingly recognized as a significant public health issue. Current microbiological methods for identification of EHEC in foods often use PCR-based approaches to screen enrichment broth cultures for characteristic gene markers [i.e., Shiga toxin (stx) and intimin (eae)]. However, false positives arise when complex food matrices, such as beef, contain mixtu...

  4. Theoretical and experimental studies of N and SF2 reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Shuqin; Zhou Xiaoguo

    2000-02-01

    In this paper, free radical reaction of N+SF 2 induced by dc discharge in N 2 and SF 6 system was examined. Although the NS + (m/z = 46) ion signals were detected, NS + is not the spectral carrier from obtained REMPI spectra analysis. Ab initio quantum calculation shows that NSF is the main product of N + SF 2 . It is confirmed from this calculation that NS + obtained in experiment was produced by multiphoton ionization and dissociation of NSF which is real product of N + SF 2 reaction. (author)

  5. Electron scattering cross sections for SF6 and SF5CF3 at intermediate and high energies (100-10000 eV)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Limao-Vieira, P.; Blanco, F.; Oller, J.C.; Munoz, A.; Perez, J.M.; Vinodkumar, M.; Garcia, G.; Mason, N.J.

    2005-01-01

    A modified experimental apparatus with improved angular resolution and stability has been used to measure the total electron scattering cross sections for SF 6 and SF 5 CF 3 in the energy range of 100-5000 eV. A detailed analysis of the experimental error sources is provided. The experimental results are compared with integral elastic and inelastic cross sections calculated using the independent atom model approximation and a modified single-center additivity rule for electron energies ranging from 1 to 10,000 eV. The accuracy of these approximations method is discussed through a comparison with the experimental results. Previous cross-sectional data for SF 6 are compared with the present theoretical and experimental results. For SF 5 CF 3 , we present the first electron scattering cross-sectional data for the 100-10,000 eV energy range, as well as the first empirical determination of the molecular polarizability

  6. SfDredd, a Novel Initiator Caspase Possessing Activity on Effector Caspase Substrates in Spodoptera frugiperda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Zhouning; Zhou, Ke; Liu, Hao; Wu, Andong; Mei, Long; Liu, Qingzhen

    2016-01-01

    Sf9, a cell line derived from Spodoptera frugiperda, is an ideal model organism for studying insect apoptosis. The first notable study that attempted to identify the apoptotic pathway in Sf9 was performed in 1997 and included the discovery of Sf-caspase-1, an effector caspase of Sf9. However, it was not until 2013 that the first initiator caspase in Sf9, SfDronc, was discovered, and the apoptotic pathway in Sf9 became clearer. In this study, we report another caspase of Sf9, SfDredd. SfDredd is highly similar to insect initiator caspase Dredd homologs. Experimentally, recombinant SfDredd underwent autocleavage and exhibited different efficiencies in cleavage of synthetic caspase substrates. This was attributed to its caspase activity for the predicted active site mutation blocked the above autocleavage and synthetic caspase substrates cleavage activity. SfDredd was capable of not only cleaving Sf-caspase-1 in vitro but also cleaving Sf-caspase-1 and inducing apoptosis when it was co-expressed with Sf-caspase-1 in Sf9 cells. The protein level of SfDredd was increased when Sf9 cells were treated by Actinomycin D, whereas silencing of SfDredd reduced apoptosis and Sf-caspase-1 cleavage induced by Actinomycin D treatment. These results clearly indicate that SfDredd functioned as an apoptotic initiator caspase. Apoptosis induced in Sf9 cells by overexpression of SfDredd alone was not as obvious as that induced by SfDronc alone, and the cleavage sites of Sf-caspase-1 for SfDredd and SfDronc are different. In addition, despite sharing a sequence homology with initiator caspases and possessing weak activity on initiator caspase substrates, SfDredd showed strong activity on effector caspase substrates, making it the only insect caspase reported so far functioning similar to human caspase-2 in this aspect. We believe that the discovery of SfDredd, and its different properties from SfDronc, will improve the understanding of apoptosis pathway in Sf9 cells.

  7. [Construction and characterization of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 ppk- deleted strain].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Peng; Sun, Qi; Zhao, Suhui; Zhang, Qiwei; Wan, Chengsong

    2014-06-01

    To construct enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157: H7 ppk gene deletion strains and study its biological characteristics. The gene fragment of kanamycin resistance was amplified using a pair of homologous arm primers whose 5' and 3' ends were homologous with ppk gene and kanamycin resistance gene, respectively. EHEC O157: H7 EDL933w competent strains were prepared and transformed via electroporation with the amplification products. The ppk gene was replaced by kanamycin resistance gene using pKD46-mediated Red recombination system. The recombinant strain was confirmed by PCR and sequencing, and its morphology, growth ability and adhesion were assessed using Gram staining, OD600 value and Giemsa staining. We established a ppk-deleted EHEC O157:H7 EDL933w strain with kanamycin resistance and compared the biological characteristics of the wild-type and mutant strains, which may facilitate further study of the regulatory mechanism of ppk gene.

  8. Shiga Toxin in Enterohemorrhagic E.coli: regulation and novel antivirulence strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanessa eSperandio

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 infects about 73,000 people annually in the USA and is a major cause of outbreaks of bloody diarrhea worldwide, and. In 5 to 7% of the cases, the person infected develops the potentially fatal sequelae hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS, characterized by acute kidney failure. A hallmark of EHEC pathogenesis and cause of HUS is the production of Shiga toxin (Stx. Stx was first described by Kiyoshi Shiga in Shigella dysenterae serotype I and later discovered in EHEC, and it has been linked to HUS since 1983. Many factors regulate the production of Stx, including temperature, growth phase, antibiotics, reactive oxygen species and quorum sensing. Currently, there is no effective treatment or prophylaxis for HUS. Since the use of antibiotics is not advised to treat EHEC infections because it triggers Stx production, alternative antibacterial strategies need to be developed. Quorum sensing inhibitors represent a novel class of antibacterial compounds, which have the advantage of not interfering on bacterial growth, thereby without selective pressure that can lead to appearance of resistant strains. In this review, we discuss factors that regulate Stx production in EHEC as well as novel strategies to fight Stx and minimize development to HUS in EHEC-infected patients.

  9. CF3SF5 : a ‘super’ greenhouse gas

    OpenAIRE

    Tuckett, R. P.

    2008-01-01

    One molecule of the anthropogenic pollutant trifluoromethyl sulphur pentafluoride (CF\\(_3\\)SF\\(_5\\)), an adduct of the CF\\(_3\\) and SF\\(_5\\) free radicals, causes more global warming than one molecule of any other greenhouse gas yet detected in the Earth’s atmosphere. That is, it has the highest per molecule radiative forcing of any greenhouse pollutant, and the value of its global warming potential is only exceeded by that of SF\\(_6\\). First, the greenhouse effect is described, the propertie...

  10. Effect of sorbitol, single, and multidose activated charcoal administration on carprofen absorption following experimental overdose in dogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koenigshof, Amy M; Beal, Matthew W; Poppenga, Robert H; Jutkowitz, L Ari

    2015-01-01

    To compare the effectiveness of single dose activated charcoal, single dose activated charcoal with sorbitol, and multidose activated charcoal in reducing plasma carprofen concentrations following experimental overdose in dogs. Randomized, four period cross-over study. University research setting. Eight healthy Beagles. A 120 mg/kg of carprofen was administered orally to each dog followed by either (i) a single 2 g/kg activated charcoal administration 1 hour following carprofen ingestion (AC); (ii) 2 g/kg activated charcoal with 3.84 g/kg sorbitol 1 hour following carprofen ingestion (ACS); (iii) 2 g/kg activated charcoal 1 hour after carprofen ingestion and repeated every 6 hours for a total of 4 doses (MD); (iv) no treatment (control). Plasma carprofen concentrations were obtained over a 36-hour period following carprofen ingestion for each protocol. Pharmacokinetic modeling was performed and time versus concentration, area under the curve, maximum plasma concentration, time to maximum concentration, and elimination half-life were calculated and compared among the groups using ANOVA followed by Tukey's multiple comparisons test. Activated charcoal, activated charcoal with sorbitol (ACS), and multiple-dose activated charcoal (MD) significantly reduced the area under the curve compared to the control group. AC and MD significantly reduced the maximum concentration when compared to the control group. MD significantly reduced elimination half-life when compared to ACS and the control group. There were no other significant differences among the treatment groups. Activated charcoal and ACS are as effective as MD in reducing serum carprofen concentrations following experimental overdose in dogs. Prospective studies are warranted to evaluate the effectiveness of AC, ACS, and MD in the clinical setting. © Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2015.

  11. Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli senses low biotin status in the large intestine for colonization and infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Bin; Feng, Lu; Wang, Fang; Wang, Lei

    2015-01-01

    Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is an important foodborne pathogen that infects humans by colonizing the large intestine. Here we identify a virulence-regulating pathway in which the biotin protein ligase BirA signals to the global regulator Fur, which in turn activates LEE (locus of enterocyte effacement) genes to promote EHEC adherence in the low-biotin large intestine. LEE genes are repressed in the high-biotin small intestine, thus preventing adherence and ensuring selective colonization of the large intestine. The presence of this pathway in all nine EHEC serotypes tested indicates that it is an important evolutionary strategy for EHEC. The pathway is incomplete in closely related small-intestinal enteropathogenic E. coli due to the lack of the Fur response to BirA. Mice fed with a biotin-rich diet show significantly reduced EHEC adherence, indicating that biotin might be useful to prevent EHEC infection in humans. PMID:25791315

  12. Revisiting the STEC Testing Approach: Using espK and espV to Make Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) Detection More Reliable in Beef

    OpenAIRE

    Delannoy, Sabine; Chaves, Byron D.; Ison, Sarah A.; Webb, Hattie E.; Beutin, Lothar; Delaval, José; Billet, Isabelle; Fach, Patrick

    2016-01-01

    Current methods for screening Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157 and non-O157 in beef enrichments typically rely on the molecular detection of stx, eae, and serogroup-specific wzx or wzy gene fragments. As these genetic markers can also be found in some non-EHEC strains, a number of ‘false positive’ results are obtained. Here, we explore the suitability of five novel molecular markers, espK, espV, ureD, Z2098, and CRISPRO26:H11 as candidates for a more accurate screening of EHEC s...

  13. JNK signaling pathway regulates sorbitol-induced Tau proteolysis and apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells by targeting caspase-3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olivera Santa-Catalina, Marta; Caballero Bermejo, Montaña; Argent, Ricardo; Alonso, Juan C; Centeno, Francisco; Lorenzo, María J

    2017-12-15

    Growing evidence suggests that Diabetes Mellitus increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. It is well known that hyperglycemia, a key feature of Diabetes Mellitus, may induce plasma osmolarity disturbances. Both hyperglycemia and hyperosmolarity promote the altered post-translational regulation of microtubule-associated protein Tau. Interestingly, abnormal hyperphosphorylation and cleavage of Tau have been proven to lead to the genesis of filamentous structures referred to as neurofibrillary tangles, the main pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. We have previously described that hyperosmotic stress induced by sorbitol promotes Tau proteolysis and apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells via caspase-3 activation. In order to gain insights into the regulatory mechanisms of such processes, in this work we explored the intracellular signaling pathways that regulate these events. We found that sorbitol treatment significantly enhanced the activation of conventional families of MAPK in SH-SY5Y cells. Tau proteolysis was completely prevented by JNK inhibition but not affected by either ERK1/2 or p38 MAPK blockade. Moreover, inhibition of JNK, but not ERK1/2 or p38 MAPK, efficiently prevented sorbitol-induced apoptosis and caspase-3 activation. In summary, we provide evidence that JNK signaling pathway is an upstream regulator of hyperosmotic stress-induced Tau cleavage and apoptosis in SH-SY5Y through the control of caspase-3 activation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Aging of the Johari-Goldstein relaxation in the glass-forming liquids sorbitol and xylitol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yardimci, Hasan; Leheny, Robert L.

    2006-06-01

    Employing frequency-dependent dielectric susceptibility we characterize the aging in two supercooled liquids, sorbitol and xylitol, below their calorimetric glass transition temperatures. In addition to the alpha relaxation that tracks the structural dynamics, the susceptibility of both liquids possesses a secondary Johari-Goldstein relaxation at higher frequencies. Following a quench through the glass transition, the susceptibility slowly approaches the equilibrium behavior. For both liquids, the magnitude of the Johari-Goldstein relaxation displays a dependence on the time since the quench, or aging time, that is quantitatively very similar to the age dependence of the alpha peak frequency. The Johari-Goldstein relaxation time remains constant during aging for sorbitol while it decreases slightly with age for xylitol. Hence, one cannot sensibly assign a fictive temperature to the Johari-Goldstein relaxation. This behavior contrasts with that of liquids lacking distinct Johari-Goldstein peaks for which the excess wing of the alpha peak tracks the main part of the peak during aging, enabling the assignment of a single fictive temperature to the entire spectrum. The aging behavior of the Johari-Goldstein relaxation time further calls into question the possibility that the relaxation time possesses stronger temperature dependence in equilibrium than is observed in the out-of-equilibrium state below the glass transition.

  15. Determination of structural and mechanical properties, diffractometry, and thermal analysis of chitosan and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC films plasticized with sorbitol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jefferson Rotta

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available In this work, the structural, mechanical, diffractometric, and thermal parameters of chitosan-hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC films plasticized with sorbitol were studied. Solutions of HPMC (2% w/v in water and chitosan (2% w/v in 2% acetic acid solution were prepared. The concentration of sorbitol used was 10% (w/w to both polymers. This solutions were mixed at different proportions (100/0; 70/30; 50/50; 30/70, and 0/100 of chitosan and HPMC, respectively, and 20 mL was cast in Petri dishes for further analysis of dried films. The miscibility of polymers was assessed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscopy (SEM, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA. The results obtained indicate that the films are not fully miscible at a dry state despite the weak hydrogen bonding between the polymer functional groups.

  16. Risbjerg: SF vandt valgkampen, NA og R tabte

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Søren Risbjerg

    2007-01-01

    ANALYSE: Endnu engang flyttede en valgkamp for alvor stemmer. SF gik undervejs 27 pct. frem, mens NA gik 34 pct. tilbage og R 26 pct. Udgivelsesdato: 25. november......ANALYSE: Endnu engang flyttede en valgkamp for alvor stemmer. SF gik undervejs 27 pct. frem, mens NA gik 34 pct. tilbage og R 26 pct. Udgivelsesdato: 25. november...

  17. Phosphotyrosine-Mediated Regulation of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Virulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, Colin D.; Hazen, Tracy H.; Kaper, James B.

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT Enteric pathogens with low infectious doses rely on the ability to orchestrate the expression of virulence and metabolism-associated genes in response to environmental cues for successful infection. Accordingly, the human pathogen enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) employs a complex multifaceted regulatory network to link the expression of type III secretion system (T3SS) components to nutrient availability. While phosphorylation of histidine and aspartate residues on two-component system response regulators is recognized as an integral part of bacterial signaling, the involvement of phosphotyrosine-mediated control is minimally explored in Gram-negative pathogens. Our recent phosphotyrosine profiling study of E. coli identified 342 phosphorylated proteins, indicating that phosphotyrosine modifications in bacteria are more prevalent than previously anticipated. The present study demonstrates that tyrosine phosphorylation of a metabolite-responsive LacI/GalR family regulator, Cra, negatively affects T3SS expression under glycolytic conditions that are typical for the colonic lumen environment where production of the T3SS is unnecessary. Our data suggest that Cra phosphorylation affects T3SS expression by modulating the expression of ler, which encodes the major activator of EHEC virulence gene expression. Phosphorylation of the Cra Y47 residue diminishes DNA binding to fine-tune the expression of virulence-associated genes, including those of the locus of enterocyte effacement pathogenicity island that encode the T3SS, and thereby negatively affects the formation of attaching and effacing lesions. Our data indicate that tyrosine phosphorylation provides an additional mechanism to control the DNA binding of Cra and other LacI/GalR family regulators, including LacI and PurR. This study describes an initial effort to unravel the role of global phosphotyrosine signaling in the control of EHEC virulence potential. PMID:29487233

  18. Phosphotyrosine-Mediated Regulation of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Virulence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Colin D. Robertson

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Enteric pathogens with low infectious doses rely on the ability to orchestrate the expression of virulence and metabolism-associated genes in response to environmental cues for successful infection. Accordingly, the human pathogen enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC employs a complex multifaceted regulatory network to link the expression of type III secretion system (T3SS components to nutrient availability. While phosphorylation of histidine and aspartate residues on two-component system response regulators is recognized as an integral part of bacterial signaling, the involvement of phosphotyrosine-mediated control is minimally explored in Gram-negative pathogens. Our recent phosphotyrosine profiling study of E. coli identified 342 phosphorylated proteins, indicating that phosphotyrosine modifications in bacteria are more prevalent than previously anticipated. The present study demonstrates that tyrosine phosphorylation of a metabolite-responsive LacI/GalR family regulator, Cra, negatively affects T3SS expression under glycolytic conditions that are typical for the colonic lumen environment where production of the T3SS is unnecessary. Our data suggest that Cra phosphorylation affects T3SS expression by modulating the expression of ler, which encodes the major activator of EHEC virulence gene expression. Phosphorylation of the Cra Y47 residue diminishes DNA binding to fine-tune the expression of virulence-associated genes, including those of the locus of enterocyte effacement pathogenicity island that encode the T3SS, and thereby negatively affects the formation of attaching and effacing lesions. Our data indicate that tyrosine phosphorylation provides an additional mechanism to control the DNA binding of Cra and other LacI/GalR family regulators, including LacI and PurR. This study describes an initial effort to unravel the role of global phosphotyrosine signaling in the control of EHEC virulence potential.

  19. Contrasting dynamics of fragile and non-fragile polyalcohols through the glass, and dynamical, transitions: A comparison of neutron scattering and dielectric relaxation data for sorbitol and glycerol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Migliardo, F; Angell, C A; Magazù, S

    2017-01-01

    Glycerol and sorbitol are glass-forming hydrogen-bonded systems characterized by intriguing properties which make these systems very interesting also from the applications point of view. The goal of this work is to relate the hydrogen-bonded features, relaxation dynamics, glass transition properties and fragility of these systems, in particular to seek insight into their very different liquid fragilities. The comparison between glycerol and sorbitol is carried out by collecting the elastic incoherent neutron scattering (EINS) intensity as a function of temperature and of the instrumental energy resolution. Intensity data vs temperature and resolution are analyzed in terms of thermal restraint and Resolution Elastic Neutron Scattering (RENS) approaches. The number of OH groups, which are related to the connecting sites, is a significant parameter both in the glass transition and in the dynamical transition. On the other hand, the disordered nature of sorbitol is confirmed by the existence of different relaxation processes. From the applications point of view, glycerol and sorbitol have remarkable bioprotectant properties which make these systems useful in different technological and industrial fields. Furthermore, polyols are rich in glassforming liquid phenomenology and highly deserving of study in their own right. The comparison of EINS and calorimetric data on glycerol and sorbitol helps provide a connection between structural relaxation, dynamical transition, glass transition, and fragility. The evaluation of the inflection point in the elastic intensity behavior as a function of temperature and instrumental energy resolution provides a confirmation of the validity of the RENS approach. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Science for Life" Guest Editor: Dr. Austen Angell, Dr. Salvatore Magazù and Dr. Federica Migliardo. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  20. Virulence meets metabolism: Cra and KdpE gene regulation in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Njoroge, Jacqueline W; Nguyen, Y; Curtis, Meredith M; Moreira, Cristiano G; Sperandio, Vanessa

    2012-10-16

    Gastrointestinal (GI) bacteria sense diverse environmental signals as cues for differential gene regulation and niche adaptation. Pathogens such as enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), which causes bloody diarrhea, use these signals for the temporal and energy-efficient regulation of their virulence factors. One of the main virulence strategies employed by EHEC is the formation of attaching and effacing (AE) lesions on enterocytes. Most of the genes necessary for the formation of these lesions are grouped within a pathogenicity island, the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE), whose expression requires the LEE-encoded regulator Ler. Here we show that growth of EHEC in glycolytic environments inhibits the expression of ler and consequently all other LEE genes. Conversely, growth within a gluconeogenic environment activates expression of these genes. This sugar-dependent regulation is achieved through two transcription factors: KdpE and Cra. Both Cra and KdpE directly bind to the ler promoter, and Cra's affinity to this promoter is catabolite dependent. Moreover, we show that the Cra and KdpE proteins interact in vitro and that KdpE's ability to bind DNA is enhanced by the presence of Cra. Cra is important for AE lesion formation, and KdpE contributes to this Cra-dependent regulation. The deletion of cra and kdpE resulted in the ablation of AE lesions. One of the many challenges that bacteria face within the GI tract is to successfully compete for carbon sources. Linking carbon metabolism to the precise coordination of virulence expression is a key step in the adaptation of pathogens to the GI environment. IMPORTANCE An appropriate and prompt response to environmental cues is crucial for bacterial survival. Cra and KdpE are two proteins found in both nonpathogenic and pathogenic bacteria that regulate genes in response to differences in metabolite concentration. In this work, we show that, in the deadly pathogen enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7

  1. FERMENTATION ACTIVITY OF LACTOSE-FERMENTATION YEAST IN WHEY-MALT WORT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. V. Greek

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The main parameters of fermentation of whey-malt wort with the use of different strains of lactose-fermentation yeast was investigated experimentally. According to the findings of investigation of fermentive activity for different types of lactose-fermentation microorganisms in whey-malt wort it was found that the most active spirituous fermentation for all parameters was in wort fermented by microorganisms Zygosaccharomyces lactis 868-K and Saccharomyces lactis 95. High capacity for utilization of malt carbohydrates represented by easily metabolized carbohydrates of malt extract was determined. Also organoleptic analysis of fermented whey drinks derived from the renewed mixtures of dry whey and fermented malt and yeast Zygosaccharomyces lactis 868-K and Saccharomyces lactis 95 was carried out. It was found that the drink fermented with yeast Zygosaccharomyces lactis 868-K had intense refreshing flavor of rye bread with fruit tones. Intensity growth of aromatization for complex of sample with microorganisms Saccharomyces lactis 95, indicating high organoleptic indexes of the drink was observed.

  2. Two-temperature transport coefficients of SF6–N2 plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Fei; Chen, Zhexin; Wu, Yi; Rong, Mingzhe; Wang, Chunlin; Guo, Anxiang; Liu, Zirui

    2015-01-01

    Sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) is widely adopted in electric power industry, especially in high-voltage circuit breakers and gas-insulated switchgear. However, the use of SF 6 is limited by its high liquidation temperature and high global warming potential. Recently, research shows SF 6 –N 2 mixture, which shows environmental friendliness and good electrical properties, may be a feasible substitute for pure SF 6 . This paper is devoted to the calculation of and transport coefficients of SF 6 –N 2 mixture under both LTE (local thermodynamic equilibrium) and non-LTE condition. The two–temperature mass action law was used to determine the composition. The transport coefficients were calculated by classical Chapman–Enskog method simplified by Devoto. The thermophysical properties are presented for electron temperatures of 300–40 000 K, ratios of electron to heavy species temperature of 1–10 and N 2 mole fraction of 0%–100% at atmospheric pressure. The ionization processes under both LTE and non-LTE have been discussed. The results show that deviations from local thermodynamic equilibrium significantly affect the properties of SF 6 –N 2 plasma, especially before the plasma is fully ionized. The different influence of N 2 on properties for SF 6 –N 2 plasma in and out of LTE has been found. The results will serve as reliable reference data for computational simulation of the behavior of SF 6 –N 2 plasmas

  3. Hyperglycemia Promotes Schwann Cell De-differentiation and De-myelination via Sorbitol Accumulation and Igf1 Protein Down-regulation*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Wu; Tashiro, Syoichi; Hasegawa, Tomoka; Sato, Yuiko; Kobayashi, Tami; Tando, Toshimi; Katsuyama, Eri; Fujie, Atsuhiro; Watanabe, Ryuichi; Morita, Mayu; Miyamoto, Kana; Morioka, Hideo; Nakamura, Masaya; Matsumoto, Morio; Amizuka, Norio; Toyama, Yoshiaki; Miyamoto, Takeshi

    2015-01-01

    Diabetes mellitus (DM) is frequently accompanied by complications, such as peripheral nerve neuropathy. Schwann cells play a pivotal role in regulating peripheral nerve function and conduction velocity; however, changes in Schwann cell differentiation status in DM are not fully understood. Here, we report that Schwann cells de-differentiate into immature cells under hyperglycemic conditions as a result of sorbitol accumulation and decreased Igf1 expression in those cells. We found that de-differentiated Schwann cells could be re-differentiated in vitro into mature cells by treatment with an aldose reductase inhibitor, to reduce sorbitol levels, or with vitamin D3, to elevate Igf1 expression. In vivo DM models exhibited significantly reduced nerve function and conduction, Schwann cell de-differentiation, peripheral nerve de-myelination, and all conditions were significantly rescued by aldose reductase inhibitor or vitamin D3 administration. These findings reveal mechanisms underlying pathological changes in Schwann cells seen in DM and suggest ways to treat neurological conditions associated with this condition. PMID:25998127

  4. Emissions from SF6 appliances in Norway. Additional report No. 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gjarede, Anne Cathrine

    1999-01-01

    The report presents facts regarding the Norwegian SF 6 emissions and the significance for the Norwegian climatic gas accounts in order to evaluate whether 12-24 kV SF 6 appliances are environmentally acceptable. Estimations show that emissions from such equipment contribute with about 0.2 % of the total Norwegian CO 2 emissions in 1993. The SF 6 which is stored in electric appliances, may either be recycled or decomposed to more environmentally acceptable end products. The report concludes that the contribution to the greenhouse effects from SF 6 appliances is minimal

  5. Polar silica-based stationary phases. Part II- Neutral silica stationary phases with surface bound maltose and sorbitol for hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rathnasekara, Renuka; El Rassi, Ziad

    2017-07-28

    Two neutral polyhydroxylated silica bonded stationary phases, namely maltose-silica (MALT-silica) and sorbitol-silica (SOR-silica), have been introduced and chromatographically characterized in hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) for a wide range of polar compounds. The bonding of the maltose and sorbitol to the silica surface was brought about by first converting bare silica to an epoxy-activated silica surface via reaction with γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) followed by attaching maltose and sorbitol to the epoxy surface in the presence of the Lewis acid catalyst BF 3 .ethereate. Both silica based columns offered the expected retention characteristics usually encountered for neutral polar surface. The retention mechanism is majorly based on solute' differential partitioning between an organic rich hydro-organic mobile phase (e.g., ACN rich mobile phase) and an adsorbed water layer on the surface of the stationary phase although additional hydrogen bonding was also responsible in some cases for solute retention. The MALT-silica column proved to be more hydrophilic and offered higher retention, separation efficiency and resolution than the SOR-silica column among the tested polar solutes such as derivatized mono- and oligosaccharides, weak phenolic acids, cyclic nucleotide monophosphate and nucleotide-5'-monophosphates, and weak bases, e.g., nucleobases and nucleosides. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Smart SfM: Salinas Archaeological Museum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inzerillo, L.

    2017-08-01

    In these last years, there has been an increasing use of the Structure from Motion (SfM) techniques applied to Cultural Heritage. The accessibility of SfM software can be especially advantageous to users in non-technical fields or to those with limited resources. Thanks to SfM using, everyone can make with a digital camera a 3D model applied to an object of both Cultural Heritage, and physically Environment, and work arts, etc. One very interesting and useful application can be envisioned into museum collection digitalization. In the last years, a social experiment has been conducted involving young generation to live a social museum using their own camera to take pictures and videos. Students of university of Catania and Palermo were involved into a national event #digitalinvasion (2015-2016 editions) offering their personal contribution: they realized 3D models of the museums collection through the SfM techniques. In particular at the National Archaeological Museum Salinas in Palermo, it has been conducted an organized survey to recognize the most important part of the archaeological collection. It was a success: in both #digitalinvasion National Event 2015 and 2016 the young students of Engineering classes carried out, with Photoscan Agisoft, more than one hundred 3D models some of which realized by phone camera and some other by reflex camera and some other with compact camera too. The director of the museum has been very impressed from these results and now we are going to collaborate at a National project to use the young generation crowdsourcing to realize a semi-automated monitoring system at Salinas Archaeological Museum.

  7. SMART SfM: SALINAS ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. Inzerillo

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available In these last years, there has been an increasing use of the Structure from Motion (SfM techniques applied to Cultural Heritage. The accessibility of SfM software can be especially advantageous to users in non-technical fields or to those with limited resources. Thanks to SfM using, everyone can make with a digital camera a 3D model applied to an object of both Cultural Heritage, and physically Environment, and work arts, etc. One very interesting and useful application can be envisioned into museum collection digitalization. In the last years, a social experiment has been conducted involving young generation to live a social museum using their own camera to take pictures and videos. Students of university of Catania and Palermo were involved into a national event #digitalinvasion (2015-2016 editions offering their personal contribution: they realized 3D models of the museums collection through the SfM techniques. In particular at the National Archaeological Museum Salinas in Palermo, it has been conducted an organized survey to recognize the most important part of the archaeological collection. It was a success: in both #digitalinvasion National Event 2015 and 2016 the young students of Engineering classes carried out, with Photoscan Agisoft, more than one hundred 3D models some of which realized by phone camera and some other by reflex camera and some other with compact camera too. The director of the museum has been very impressed from these results and now we are going to collaborate at a National project to use the young generation crowdsourcing to realize a semi-automated monitoring system at Salinas Archaeological Museum.

  8. Electrochemical and Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy Detection of SF6 Decomposition Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming Dong

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6 gas-insulated electrical equipment is widely used in high-voltage (HV and extra-high-voltage (EHV power systems. Partial discharge (PD and local heating can occur in the electrical equipment because of insulation faults, which results in SF6 decomposition and ultimately generates several types of decomposition products. These SF6 decomposition products can be qualitatively and quantitatively detected with relevant detection methods, and such detection contributes to diagnosing the internal faults and evaluating the security risks of the equipment. At present, multiple detection methods exist for analyzing the SF6 decomposition products, and electrochemical sensing (ES and infrared (IR spectroscopy are well suited for application in online detection. In this study, the combination of ES with IR spectroscopy is used to detect SF6 gas decomposition. First, the characteristics of these two detection methods are studied, and the data analysis matrix is established. Then, a qualitative and quantitative analysis ES-IR model is established by adopting a two-step approach. A SF6 decomposition detector is designed and manufactured by combining an electrochemical sensor and IR spectroscopy technology. The detector is used to detect SF6 gas decomposition and is verified to reliably and accurately detect the gas components and concentrations.

  9. Electrochemical and Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy Detection of SF6 Decomposition Products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Ming; Ren, Ming; Ye, Rixin

    2017-01-01

    Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas-insulated electrical equipment is widely used in high-voltage (HV) and extra-high-voltage (EHV) power systems. Partial discharge (PD) and local heating can occur in the electrical equipment because of insulation faults, which results in SF6 decomposition and ultimately generates several types of decomposition products. These SF6 decomposition products can be qualitatively and quantitatively detected with relevant detection methods, and such detection contributes to diagnosing the internal faults and evaluating the security risks of the equipment. At present, multiple detection methods exist for analyzing the SF6 decomposition products, and electrochemical sensing (ES) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy are well suited for application in online detection. In this study, the combination of ES with IR spectroscopy is used to detect SF6 gas decomposition. First, the characteristics of these two detection methods are studied, and the data analysis matrix is established. Then, a qualitative and quantitative analysis ES-IR model is established by adopting a two-step approach. A SF6 decomposition detector is designed and manufactured by combining an electrochemical sensor and IR spectroscopy technology. The detector is used to detect SF6 gas decomposition and is verified to reliably and accurately detect the gas components and concentrations. PMID:29140268

  10. Optimization of Fermentation Conditions for the Production of Bacteriocin Fermentate

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-03-30

    FERMENTATION CONDITIONS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BACTERIOCIN “ FERMENTATE ” by Anthony Sikes Wayne Muller and Claire Lee March 2015...From - To) October 2010 – November 2013 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE OPTIMIZATION OF FERMENTATION CONDITIONS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BACTERIOCIN “ FERMENTATE ...nisin and pediocin. Whey + yeast extract was the best performing whey fermentation media. The nisin producer strain Lactococcus. lactis ssp. lactis was

  11. Alternate economical starchy substrates for the production of 70% sorbitol

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Upadhyay, C.M. (Sarabhai Research Centre, Baroda (India). Industrial Enzymes Dept.); Nehete, P.N. (Sarabhai Research Centre, Baroda (India). Industrial Fermentation Div.); Shah, D.N. (GSFC Research and Development Centre, Fertilizernagar (India). Biotechnology Dept.); Shah, N.K. (Armour Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., Ankleshwar (India)); Shankar, V. (National Chemical Lab., Pune (India). Biochemistry Div.); Kothari, R.M. (Thapar Corporate Research and Development Centre, Patiala (India). Biotechnology Div.)

    1991-03-01

    In view of the soaring prices of corn and tapioca starch, use of their hydrolysate in the production of 70% sorbitol became less remunerative. Therefore, an economical alternative is explored by using hydrolysates of cereal flours, namely, rice (Oryzae sativa), wheat (Triticum aestivum), jowar (Sorghum vulgare) and bajra (Pennisetum typhoideum). A protocol is devised to (a) prepare their high DE hydrolysates, (b) purify it after saccharification, (c) monitor the chemical chracteristics of concentrated hydrolysate, as feedstock for Raney nickel catalyzed pressure hydrogenation and (d) finally prepare 70% sorbital. Merits and demerits of hydrolysates of these cereal flours are discussed in terms of operational limitations and percentage recovery, the governing factors for their industrial acceptability. Rice flour hydrolysate appears to be an alternative substrate, operationally and economically. (orig.).

  12. Edible Film from Polyblend of Ginger Starch, Chitosan, and Sorbitol as Plasticizer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sariningsih, N.; Putra, Y. P.; Pamungkas, W. P.; Kusumaningsih, T.

    2018-03-01

    Polyblend ginger starch/chitosan based edible film has been succesfully prepared and characterized. The purpose of this research was to produce edible film from polyblend of ginger starch, chitosan, and sorbitol as plasticizer. The resulted edible film were characterized by using FTIR, TGA and UTM. Edible film of ginger starch had OH vibration (3430 cm-1). Besides, edible film had elongation up to 15.63%. The thermal degradation of this material reached 208°C indicating high termal stability. The water uptake of the edible film was 42.85%. It concluded that edible film produce in this research has potential as a packaging.

  13. SfDronc, an initiator caspase involved in apoptosis in the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Ning; Civciristov, Srgjan; Hawkins, Christine J; Clem, Rollie J

    2013-05-01

    Initiator caspases are the first caspases that are activated following an apoptotic stimulus, and are responsible for cleaving and activating downstream effector caspases, which directly cause apoptosis. We have cloned a cDNA encoding an ortholog of the initiator caspase Dronc in the lepidopteran insect Spodoptera frugiperda. The SfDronc cDNA encodes a predicted protein of 447 amino acids with a molecular weight of 51 kDa. Overexpression of SfDronc induced apoptosis in Sf9 cells, while partial silencing of SfDronc expression in Sf9 cells reduced apoptosis induced by baculovirus infection or by treatment with UV or actinomycin D. Recombinant SfDronc exhibited several expected biochemical characteristics of an apoptotic initiator caspase: 1) SfDronc efficiently cleaved synthetic initiator caspase substrates, but had very little activity against effector caspase substrates; 2) mutation of a predicted cleavage site at position D340 blocked autoprocessing of recombinant SfDronc and reduced enzyme activity by approximately 10-fold; 3) SfDronc cleaved the effector caspase Sf-caspase-1 at the expected cleavage site, resulting in Sf-caspase-1 activation; and 4) SfDronc was strongly inhibited by the baculovirus caspase inhibitor SpliP49, but not by the related protein AcP35. These results indicate that SfDronc is an initiator caspase involved in caspase-dependent apoptosis in S. frugiperda, and as such is likely to be responsible for the initiator caspase activity in S. frugiperda cells known as Sf-caspase-X. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Conversion of cellulose and cellobiose into sorbitol catalyzed by ruthenium supported on a polyoxometalate/metal-organic framework hybrid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jinzhu; Wang, Shengpei; Huang, Jing; Chen, Limin; Ma, Longlong; Huang, Xing

    2013-08-01

    Cellulose and cellobiose were selectively converted into sorbitol over water-tolerant phosphotungstic acid (PTA)/metal- organic-framework-hybrid-supported ruthenium catalysts, Ru-PTA/MIL-100(Cr), under aqueous hydrogenation conditions. The goal was to investigate the relationship between the acid/metal balance of bifunctional catalysts Ru-PTA/MIL-100(Cr) and their performance in the catalytic conversion of cellulose and cellobiose into sugar alcohols. The control of the amount and strength of acid sites in the supported PTA/MIL-100(Cr) was achieved through the effective control of encapsulated-PTA loading in MIL-100(Cr). This design and preparation method led to an appropriately balanced Ru-PTA/MIL-100(Cr) in terms of Ru dispersion and hydrogenation capacity on the one hand, and acid site density of PTA/MIL-100(Cr) (responsible for acid-catalyzed hydrolysis) on the other hand. The ratio of acid site density to the number of Ru surface atoms (nA /nRu ) of Ru-PTA/MIL-100(Cr) was used to monitor the balance between hydrogenation and hydrolysis functions; the optimum balance between the two catalytic functions, that is, 8.84sorbitol of 57.9% at complete conversion of cellulose, and 97.1% yield in hexitols with a selectivity for sorbitol of 95.1% at complete conversion of cellobiose) were obtained using a Ru-PTA/MIL-100(Cr) catalyst with loadings of 3.2 wt % for Ru and 16.7 wt % for PTA. This research thus opens new perspectives for the rational design of acid/metal bifunctional catalysts for biomass conversion. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Fate of Salmonella enterica and Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Cells Artificially Internalized into Vegetable Seeds during Germination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Da; Cui, Yue; Walcott, Ronald; Chen, Jinru

    2018-01-01

    Vegetable seeds contaminated with bacterial pathogens have been linked to fresh-produce-associated outbreaks of gastrointestinal infections. This study was undertaken to observe the physiological behavior of Salmonella enterica and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) cells artificially internalized into vegetable seeds during the germination process. Surface-decontaminated seeds of alfalfa, fenugreek, lettuce, and tomato were vacuum-infiltrated with four individual strains of Salmonella or EHEC. Contaminated seeds were germinated at 25°C for 9 days, and different sprout/seedling tissues were microbiologically analyzed every other day. The internalization of Salmonella and EHEC cells into vegetable seeds was confirmed by the absence of pathogens in seed-rinsing water and the presence of pathogens in seed homogenates after postinternalization seed surface decontamination. Results show that 317 (62%) and 343 (67%) of the 512 collected sprout/seedling tissue samples were positive for Salmonella and EHEC, respectively. The average Salmonella populations were significantly larger ( P seed coat tissues, followed by the root tissues, but the mean EHEC populations from all sampled tissue sections were statistically similar, except in pregerminated seeds. Three Salmonella and two EHEC strains had significantly larger cell populations on sprout/seedling tissues than other strains used in the study. Salmonella and EHEC populations from fenugreek and alfalfa tissues were significantly larger than those from tomato and lettuce tissues. The study showed the fate of internalized human pathogens on germinating vegetable seeds and sprout/seedling tissues and emphasized the importance of using pathogen-free seeds for sprout production. IMPORTANCE The internalization of microorganisms into vegetable seeds could occur naturally and represents a possible pathway of vegetable seed contamination by human pathogens. The present study investigated the ability of two important

  16. Electro-Fermentation - Merging Electrochemistry with Fermentation in Industrial Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schievano, Andrea; Pepé Sciarria, Tommy; Vanbroekhoven, Karolien; De Wever, Heleen; Puig, Sebastià; Andersen, Stephen J; Rabaey, Korneel; Pant, Deepak

    2016-11-01

    Electro-fermentation (EF) merges traditional industrial fermentation with electrochemistry. An imposed electrical field influences the fermentation environment and microbial metabolism in either a reductive or oxidative manner. The benefit of this approach is to produce target biochemicals with improved selectivity, increase carbon efficiency, limit the use of additives for redox balance or pH control, enhance microbial growth, or in some cases enhance product recovery. We discuss the principles of electrically driven fermentations and how EF can be used to steer both pure culture and microbiota-based fermentations. An overview is given on which advantages EF may bring to both existing and innovative industrial fermentation processes, and which doors might be opened in waste biomass utilization towards added-value biorefineries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Production of versatile peroxidase from Pleurotus eryngii by solid-state fermentation using agricultural residues and evaluation of its catalytic properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palma, C; Lloret, L; Sepúlveda, L; Contreras, E

    2016-01-01

    Interest in production of ligninolytic enzymes has been growing over recent years for their use in various applications such as recalcitrant pollutants bioremediation; specifically, versatile peroxidase (VP) presents a great potential due to its catalytic versatility. The proper selection of the fermentation mode and the culture medium should be an imperative to ensure a successful production by an economic and available medium that favors the process viability. VP was produced by solid-state fermentation (SSF) of Pleurotus eryngii, using the agricultural residue banana peel as growth medium; an enzymatic activity of 10,800 U L(-1) (36 U g(-1) of substrate) was detected after 18 days, whereas only 1800 U L(-1) was reached by conventional submerged fermentation (SF) with glucose-based medium. The kinetic parameters were determined by evaluating the H2O2 and Mn(2+) concentration effects on the Mn(3+)-tartrate complex formation. The results indicated that although the H2O2 inhibitory effect was observed for the enzyme produced by both media, the reaction rates for VP obtained by SSF were less impacted. This outcome suggests the presence of substances released from banana peel during the fermentation, which might exhibit a protective effect resulting in an improved kinetic behavior of the enzyme.

  18. Acoustic excitations in glassy sorbitol and their relation with the fragility and the boson peak

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruta, B.; Baldi, G.; Scarponi, F.; Fioretto, D.; Giordano, V. M.; Monaco, G.

    2012-12-01

    We report a detailed analysis of the dynamic structure factor of glassy sorbitol by using inelastic X-ray scattering and previously measured light scattering data [B. Ruta, G. Monaco, F. Scarponi, and D. Fioretto, Philos. Mag. 88, 3939 (2008), 10.1080/14786430802317586]. The thus obtained knowledge on the density-density fluctuations at both the mesoscopic and macroscopic length scale has been used to address two debated topics concerning the vibrational properties of glasses. The relation between the acoustic modes and the universal boson peak (BP) appearing in the vibrational density of states of glasses has been investigated, also in relation with some recent theoretical models. Moreover, the connection between the elastic properties of glasses and the slowing down of the structural relaxation process in supercooled liquids has been scrutinized. For what concerns the first issue, it is here shown that the wave vector dependence of the acoustic excitations can be used, in sorbitol, to quantitatively reproduce the shape of the boson peak, supporting the relation between BP and acoustic modes. For what concerns the second issue, a proper study of elasticity over a wide spatial range is shown to be fundamental in order to investigate the relation between elastic properties and the slowing down of the dynamics in the corresponding supercooled liquid phase.

  19. Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Hybrid Pathotype O80:H2 as a New Therapeutic Challenge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soysal, Nurcan; Mariani-Kurkdjian, Patricia; Smail, Yasmine; Liguori, Sandrine; Gouali, Malika; Loukiadis, Estelle; Fach, Patrick; Bruyand, Mathias; Blanco, Jorge; Bidet, Philippe

    2016-01-01

    We describe the epidemiology, clinical features, and molecular characterization of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) infections caused by the singular hybrid pathotype O80:H2, and we examine the influence of antibiotics on Shiga toxin production. In France, during 2005–2014, a total of 54 patients were infected with EHEC O80:H2; 91% had hemolytic uremic syndrome. Two patients had invasive infections, and 2 died. All strains carried stx2 (variants stx2a, 2c, or 2d); the rare intimin gene (eae-ξ); and at least 4 genes characteristic of pS88, a plasmid associated with extraintestinal virulence. Similar strains were found in Spain. All isolates belonged to the same clonal group. At subinhibitory concentrations, azithromycin decreased Shiga toxin production significantly, ciprofloxacin increased it substantially, and ceftriaxone had no major effect. Antibiotic combinations that included azithromycin also were tested. EHEC O80:H2, which can induce hemolytic uremic syndrome complicated by bacteremia, is emerging in France. However, azithromycin might effectively combat these infections. PMID:27533474

  20. A single amino acid change (Y318F) in the L-arabitol dehydrogenase (LadA) from Aspergillus niger results in a significant increase in affinity for D-sorbitol

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-01-01

    Background L-arabitol dehydrogenase (LAD) and xylitol dehydrogenase (XDH) are involved in the degradation of L-arabinose and D-xylose, which are among the most abundant monosaccharides on earth. Previous data demonstrated that LAD and XDH not only differ in the activity on their biological substrate, but also that only XDH has significant activity on D-sorbitol and may therefore be more closely related to D-sorbitol dehydrogenases (SDH). In this study we aimed to identify residues involved in the difference in substrate specificity. Results Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that LAD, XDH and SDH form 3 distinct groups of the family of dehydrogenases containing an Alcohol dehydrogenase GroES-like domain (pfam08240) and likely have evolved from a common ancestor. Modelling of LadA and XdhA of the saprobic fungus Aspergillus niger on human SDH identified two residues in LadA (M70 and Y318), that may explain the absence of activity on D-sorbitol. While introduction of the mutation M70F in LadA of A. niger resulted in a nearly complete enzyme inactivation, the Y318F resulted in increased activity for L-arabitol and xylitol. Moreover, the affinity for D-sorbitol was increased in this mutant. Conclusion These data demonstrates that Y318 of LadA contributes significantly to the substrate specificity difference between LAD and XDH/SDH. PMID:19674460

  1. Catabolite and Oxygen Regulation of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Virulence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kimberly M. Carlson-Banning

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The biogeography of the gut is diverse in its longitudinal axis, as well as within specific microenvironments. Differential oxygenation and nutrient composition drive the membership of microbial communities in these habitats. Moreover, enteric pathogens can orchestrate further modifications to gain a competitive advantage toward host colonization. These pathogens are versatile and adept when exploiting the human colon. They expertly navigate complex environmental cues and interkingdom signaling to colonize and infect their hosts. Here we demonstrate how enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC uses three sugar-sensing transcription factors, Cra, KdpE, and FusR, to exquisitely regulate the expression of virulence factors associated with its type III secretion system (T3SS when exposed to various oxygen concentrations. We also explored the effect of mucin-derived nonpreferred carbon sources on EHEC growth and expression of virulence genes. Taken together, the results show that EHEC represses the expression of its T3SS when oxygen is absent, mimicking the largely anaerobic lumen, and activates its T3SS when oxygen is available through Cra. In addition, when EHEC senses mucin-derived sugars heavily present in the O-linked and N-linked glycans of the large intestine, virulence gene expression is initiated. Sugars derived from pectin, a complex plant polysaccharide digested in the large intestine, also increased virulence gene expression. Not only does EHEC sense host- and microbiota-derived interkingdom signals, it also uses oxygen availability and mucin-derived sugars liberated by the microbiota to stimulate expression of the T3SS. This precision in gene regulation allows EHEC to be an efficient pathogen with an extremely low infectious dose.

  2. Efficient removal of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) through reacting with recycled electroplating sludge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jia; Zhou, Ji Zhi; Liu, Qiang; Qian, Guangren; Xu, Zhi Ping

    2013-06-18

    This paper reports that recycled electroplating sludge is able to efficiently remove greenhouse gas sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). The removal process involves various reactions of SF6 with the recycled sludge. Remarkably, the sludge completely removed SF6 at a capacity of 1.10 mmol/g (SF6/sludge) at 600 °C. More importantly, the evolved gases were SO2, SiF4, and a limited amount of HF, with no toxic SOF4, SO2F2, or SF4 being detected. These generated gases can be readily captured and removed by NaOH solution. The reacted solids were further found to be various metal fluorides, thus revealing that SF6 removal takes place by reacting with various metal oxides and silicate in the sludge. Moreover, the kinetic investigation revealed that the SF6 reaction with the sludge is a first-order chemically controlled process. This research thus demonstrates that the waste electroplating sludge can be potentially used as an effective removal agent for one of the notorious greenhouse gases, SF6.

  3. Validation of the SF-6D Health State Utilities Measure in Lower Extremity Sarcoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kenneth R. Gundle

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim. Health state utilities measures are preference-weighted patient-reported outcome (PRO instruments that facilitate comparative effectiveness research. One such measure, the SF-6D, is generated from the Short Form 36 (SF-36. This report describes a psychometric evaluation of the SF-6D in a cross-sectional population of lower extremity sarcoma patients. Methods. Patients with lower extremity sarcoma from a prospective database who had completed the SF-36 and Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS were eligible for inclusion. Computed SF-6D health states were given preference weights based on a prior valuation. The primary outcome was correlation between the SF-6D and TESS. Results. In 63 pairs of surveys in a lower extremity sarcoma population, the mean preference-weighted SF-6D score was 0.59 (95% CI 0.4–0.81. The distribution of SF-6D scores approximated a normal curve (skewness = 0.11. There was a positive correlation between the SF-6D and TESS (r=0.75, P<0.01. Respondents who reported walking aid use had lower SF-6D scores (0.53 versus 0.61, P=0.03. Five respondents underwent amputation, with lower SF-6D scores that approached significance (0.48 versus 0.6, P=0.06. Conclusions. The SF-6D health state utilities measure demonstrated convergent validity without evidence of ceiling or floor effects. The SF-6D is a health state utilities measure suitable for further research in sarcoma patients.

  4. Controlling alchohol fermentations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leedham, P A; Tubb, R S

    1983-09-21

    In the initial stages of a fermentation of carbohydrate to EtOH, the growth of the yeast is controlled by monitoring the pH of a fermenting liquid or wort and controlling the supply of O/sub 2/ in accordance with the pH. The temperature of the fermenting liquid is also controlled in dependence upon the pH. The control of the fermentation process is carried out automatically by an apparatus including a fermentation vessel, a pH sensor arranged to provide an output signal representative of the pH of the liquid in the vessel, memory means to store information on the required pH with regard to the fermentation time, means to inject O/sub 2/ into the fermenting liquid and control means to compare the output signal of the pH sensor at a particular time with that of the required pH at that time, and in the event of the pH of the fermenting liquid lagging behind that required, actuate the means to inject O/sub 2/ into the fermenting liquid to increase the O/sub 2/ content of the fermenting liquid.

  5. Research on technology of online gas chromatograph for SF6 decomposition products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, L.; Fan, X. P.; Zhou, Y. Y.; Tang, N.; Zou, Z. L.; Liu, M. Z.; Huang, G. J.

    2017-12-01

    Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) decomposition products were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed by several gas chromatographs in the laboratory. Test conditions and methods were selected and optimized to minimize and eliminate the SF6’ influences on detection of other trace components. The effective separation and detection of selected characteristic gases were achieved. And by comparison among different types of gas chromatograph, it was found that GPTR-S101 can effectively separate and detect SF6 decomposition products and has best the best detection limit and sensitivity. On the basis of GPTR-S101, online gas chromatograph for SF6decomposition products (GPTR-S201) was developed. It lays the foundation for further online monitoring and diagnosis of SF6.

  6. TRAC-PF1/MOD 1 independent assessment: Semiscale MOD-2A feedwater-line break (S-SF-3) and steam-line break (S-SF-5) tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dobranich, D.

    1985-11-01

    The TRAC-PF1/MOD1 independent assessment project at Sandia is part of an overall effort funded by the NRC to determine the ability of various systems codes to predict the detailed thermal/hydraulic response of LWRs during accident and off-normal conditions. As part of this effort, calculations for Semiscale Mod-2A test S-SF-3, a feedwater-line break test, and S-SF-5, a steam-line break test, were performed with TRAC-PF1/MOD1. Most aspects of both the S-SF-3 and S-SF-5 steady-state calculations were found to be in good agreement with data. However, the need for a better steam separator model was identified from the S-SF-3 calculation. Overall, the qualitative behavior of both transients was calculated reasonably well; however, there were some discrepancies in the prediction of the quantitative behavior. The results for the S-SF-3 transient calculation indicate that the primary-to-secondary heat transfer degradation began too early. This was possibly due to overprediction of entrainment in the steam generator boiler, leading to an incorrect calculation of the secondary-side fluid distribution during the steady state. However, there was insufficient data to verify this. Results for the S-SF-5 transient calculation indicate that the primary-side fluid temperature response to a steam-line break was in reasonable agreement with data but the pressure response did not coincide with the data. Uncertainties in the data are sufficient to prevent us from determining the exact cause of this discrepancy, but there is indirect evidence that the calculated rate of phase change in the pressurizer was incorrect. 16 refs., 73 figs., 13 tabs

  7. Study on SF6 trace experiment in Lianyungang Nuclear Power Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu Erbang; Yan Jiangyu; Zhang Yongyi; Wen Lianzhong

    2001-01-01

    10 times SF 6 trace experiments were successfully performed in August 1997 on a very complex terrain of Lianyungang Nuclear Power Plant in order to obtain plume trajectory and diffusion parameters. SF 6 is released from the top of a tower of 100 m. The sample points are arranged not only on the sample lines but also on the areas near residences. About 50 samples are obtained in each SF 6 trace experiment. The samples of SF 6 are analysed by the GC-ECD method. The weather stability is 5 times C and D stabilities respectively if using P-G method or 10 times D stabilities if using ΔT-U method. A least-square method is adopted to obtain the diffusion parameters from diffusion equation. Meanwhile the effect on the diffusion parameters from sampling time is measured based on the above SF 6 trace experiment

  8. A meta-analytic review of measurement equivalence study findings of the SF-36® and SF-12® Health Surveys across electronic modes compared to paper administration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Michelle K; Maher, Stephen M; Rizio, Avery A; Bjorner, Jakob B

    2018-04-16

    Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures originally developed for paper administration are increasingly being administered electronically in clinical trials and other health research studies. Three published meta-analyses of measurement equivalence among paper and electronic modes aggregated findings across hundreds of PROs, but there has not been a similar meta-analysis that addresses a single PRO, partly because there are not enough published measurement equivalence studies using the same PRO. Because the SF-36 (R) Health Survey (SF-36) is a widely used PRO, the aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of measurement equivalence studies of this survey. A literature search of several medical databases used search terms for variations of "SF-36" or "SF-12" and "equivalence" in the title or abstract of English language publications. The eight scale scores and two summary measures of the SF-36 and SF-12 were transformed to norm-based scores (NBS) using developer guidelines. A threshold of within ± 2 NBS points was set as the margin of equivalence. Comprehensive meta-analysis software was used. Twenty-five studies were included in the meta-analysis. Results indicated that mean differences across domains and summary scores ranged from 0.01 to 0.39 while estimates of agreement ranged from 0.76 to 0.91, all well within the equivalence threshold. Moderator analyses showed that time between administration, survey language, and type of electronic device did not influence equivalence. The results of the meta-analysis support equivalence of paper-based and electronic versions of the SF-36 and SF-12 across a variety of disease populations, countries, and electronic modes.

  9. Self-focusing in SF6

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ackerhalt, J.R.; Galbraith, H.W.

    1981-01-01

    It is shown by explicit calculation of previously published quasicontinuum model that the molecular susceptibility rapidly approaches zero as higher excited states of the molecule become populated. Hence the overtones of the ν 3 -pumped mode are totally responsible for the self focusing effects in SF 6 . The ν 3 ladder contribution to the susceptibility is calculated. The vibrational model is a classical triply degenerate anharmonic oscillator in the Cartesian basis with the anharmonicity parameters chosen to be consistent with the latest spectroscopic analysis of the 3ν 3 overtone spectrum. The rotational structure is represented by a distribution of these oscillators where the distribution is chosen to correspond to the spectrum of the ν 3 fundamental. Good agreement is found with the 300 0 in self-focusing data of Nowak and Ham at CO 2 P(28), P(20) and P(10) in SF 6

  10. A quantitative study of methanol/sorbitol co-feeding process of a Pichia pastoris Mut+/pAOX1-lacZ strain

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background One of the main challenges for heterologous protein production by the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris at large-scale is related to its high oxygen demand. A promising solution is a co-feeding strategy based on a methanol/sorbitol mixture during the induction phase. Nonetheless, a deep understanding of the cellular physiology and the regulation of the AOX1 promoter, used to govern heterologous protein production, during this co-feeding strategy is still scarce. Results Transient continuous cultures with a dilution rate of 0.023 h-1 at 25°C were performed to quantitatively assess the benefits of a methanol/sorbitol co-feeding process with a Mut+ strain in which the pAOX1-lacZ construct served as a reporter gene. Cell growth and metabolism, including O2 consumption together with CO2 and heat production were analyzed with regard to a linear change of methanol fraction in the mixed feeding media. In addition, the regulation of the promoter AOX1 was investigated by means of β-galactosidase measurements. Our results demonstrated that the cell-specific oxygen consumption (qO2) could be reduced by decreasing the methanol fraction in the feeding media. More interestingly, maximal β-galactosidase cell-specific activity (>7500 Miller unit) and thus, optimal pAOX1 induction, was achieved and maintained in the range of 0.45 ~ 0.75 C-mol/C-mol of methanol fraction. In addition, the qO2 was reduced by 30% at most in those conditions. Based on a simplified metabolic network, metabolic flux analysis (MFA) was performed to quantify intracellular metabolic flux distributions during the transient continuous cultures, which further shed light on the advantages of methanol/sorbitol co-feeding process. Finally, our observations were further validated in fed-batch cultures. Conclusion This study brings quantitative insight into the co-feeding process, which provides valuable data for the control of methanol/sorbitol co-feeding, aiming at enhancing biomass and

  11. [Survey on the applicability of SF-36 version-2 (SF-36v2) in assessment quality of life among urban residents in Chengdu city].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Longchao; Liu, Zhijun; He, Yan; Li, Ningxiu; Liu, Danping

    2014-05-01

    To explore the psychometric performances and applicability of SF-36v2 in assessment quality of life among urban residents in Chengdu. During Oct. to Dec., 2012, 2 186 adult urban residents with clear mind and well self-express were recruited in the study by multistage stratified cluster sampling method in Chengdu urban area. The survey questionnaires included general health condition and quality of life, which was adopted the SF-36v2. Internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability and construct validity were all analyzed as indicators of the psychometric performance. The survey released 2 186 questionnaires, with 2 182 ones returned and 2 178(99.8%) met the data standard. The scores of 8 scales in SF-36v2, including physical function (PF), role-physical (RP), bodily pain (BP), general health (GH), vitality (VT), social function (SF), role-emotion (RE) and mental health (MH), were 89.15 ± 17.56, 85.18 ± 22.52, 76.64 ± 17.80, 64.13 ± 19.56, 70.39 ± 17.31, 86.43 ± 17.35, 87.79 ± 19.24 and 80.61 ± 13.49, respectively; the floor effects were 0.28%, 0.41%, 0.23%, 0.28%, 0.09%, 0.05%, 0.14% and 0.23%, respectively; and the ceiling effects were 51.38%, 60.60%, 58.08%, 0.83%, 2.94%, 50.32%, 64.00% and 3.95%, respectively. The item-convergent validities were all achieved the standard (r = 0.40) except the item MH5 (Have you been happy?), and the total scaling success rate of item-convergent validity was 97.14%. The scales' success rates of item-discriminant validities for the SF, VT and MH scales were 93.75%, 56.25% and 97.50% respectively, while the rates of others were 100.00% and the total success rate was 96.43%. The internal reliability ranged from 0.724 to 0.974 across all the scales, except for SF (r = 0.603) and VT (r = 0.697). The two-week test-retest reliability ranged from 0.610 to 0.845. Within factor analysis, two common factors were confirmed, separately representing physical health and mental health, altogether contributing 64.4% of the

  12. Electrochemical and Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy Detection of SF6 Decomposition Products

    OpenAIRE

    Dong, Ming; Zhang, Chongxing; Ren, Ming; Albarracín, Ricardo; Ye, Rixin

    2017-01-01

    Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas-insulated electrical equipment is widely used in high-voltage (HV) and extra-high-voltage (EHV) power systems. Partial discharge (PD) and local heating can occur in the electrical equipment because of insulation faults, which results in SF6 decomposition and ultimately generates several types of decomposition products. These SF6 decomposition products can be qualitatively and quantitatively detected with relevant detection methods, and such detection contributes ...

  13. Advances in high voltage insulation and arc interruption in SF6 and vacuum

    CERN Document Server

    Maller, V N

    1982-01-01

    Advances in High Voltage Insulation and Arc Interruption in SF6 and Vacuum deals with high voltage breakdown and arc extinction in sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and high vacuum, with special emphasis on the application of these insulating media in high voltage power apparatus and devices. The design and developmental aspects of various high voltage power apparatus using SF6 and high vacuum are highlighted. This book is comprised of eight chapters and opens with a discussion on electrical discharges in SF6 and high vacuum, along with the properties and handling of SF6 gas. The following chapters fo

  14. Hyperglycemia Promotes Schwann Cell De-differentiation and De-myelination via Sorbitol Accumulation and Igf1 Protein Down-regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Wu; Tashiro, Syoichi; Hasegawa, Tomoka; Sato, Yuiko; Kobayashi, Tami; Tando, Toshimi; Katsuyama, Eri; Fujie, Atsuhiro; Watanabe, Ryuichi; Morita, Mayu; Miyamoto, Kana; Morioka, Hideo; Nakamura, Masaya; Matsumoto, Morio; Amizuka, Norio; Toyama, Yoshiaki; Miyamoto, Takeshi

    2015-07-10

    Diabetes mellitus (DM) is frequently accompanied by complications, such as peripheral nerve neuropathy. Schwann cells play a pivotal role in regulating peripheral nerve function and conduction velocity; however, changes in Schwann cell differentiation status in DM are not fully understood. Here, we report that Schwann cells de-differentiate into immature cells under hyperglycemic conditions as a result of sorbitol accumulation and decreased Igf1 expression in those cells. We found that de-differentiated Schwann cells could be re-differentiated in vitro into mature cells by treatment with an aldose reductase inhibitor, to reduce sorbitol levels, or with vitamin D3, to elevate Igf1 expression. In vivo DM models exhibited significantly reduced nerve function and conduction, Schwann cell de-differentiation, peripheral nerve de-myelination, and all conditions were significantly rescued by aldose reductase inhibitor or vitamin D3 administration. These findings reveal mechanisms underlying pathological changes in Schwann cells seen in DM and suggest ways to treat neurological conditions associated with this condition. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  15. Characterization of fermented black soybean natto inoculated with Bacillus natto during fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Yongjin; Ge, Changrong; Yuan, Wei; Zhu, Renjun; Zhang, Wujiu; Du, Lijuan; Xue, Jie

    2010-05-01

    To make nutrients more accessible and further increase biological activity, cooked black soybeans were inoculated with Bacillus natto and fermented at 37 degrees C for 48 h. The changes in physiochemical properties of fermented black soybean natto were investigated. The inoculation procedure significantly increased moisture, viscosity, color, polyphenol compounds and anthocyanin, and significantly decreased hardness after 48 h fermentation. Fibrinolytic and caseinolytic protease, beta-glucosidase activities, TCA-soluble nitrogen, and ammonia nitrogen contents in the inoculated samples significantly increased as fermentation time increased. Genistin and daidzin concentrations gradually decreased with increased fermentation time. However, genistein and daidzein increased with fermentation time, which reached 316.8 and 305.2 microg g(-1) during 48 h fermentation, respectively. DPPH radical scavenging activities of the fermented black soybeans increased linearly with fermentation time and concentration. Compared with the soaked black soybeans and cooked black soybeans, the fermented black soybeans with B. natto resulted in higher scavenging activity towards DPPH radicals, which correlated well with the content of total phenols (r = 0.9254, P natto fermented by B. natto has the potential to become a functional food because of its high antioxidant activity.

  16. Camera system considerations for geomorphic applications of SfM photogrammetry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mosbrucker, Adam; Major, Jon J.; Spicer, Kurt R.; Pitlick, John

    2017-01-01

    The availability of high-resolution, multi-temporal, remotely sensed topographic data is revolutionizing geomorphic analysis. Three-dimensional topographic point measurements acquired from structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry have been shown to be highly accurate and cost-effective compared to laser-based alternatives in some environments. Use of consumer-grade digital cameras to generate terrain models and derivatives is becoming prevalent within the geomorphic community despite the details of these instruments being largely overlooked in current SfM literature. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.A practical discussion of camera system selection, configuration, and image acquisition is presented. The hypothesis that optimizing source imagery can increase digital terrain model (DTM) accuracy is tested by evaluating accuracies of four SfM datasets conducted over multiple years of a gravel bed river floodplain using independent ground check points with the purpose of comparing morphological sediment budgets computed from SfM- and lidar-derived DTMs. Case study results are compared to existing SfM validation studies in an attempt to deconstruct the principle components of an SfM error budget. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.Greater information capacity of source imagery was found to increase pixel matching quality, which produced 8 times greater point density and 6 times greater accuracy. When propagated through volumetric change analysis, individual DTM accuracy (6–37 cm) was sufficient to detect moderate geomorphic change (order 100,000 m3) on an unvegetated fluvial surface; change detection determined from repeat lidar and SfM surveys differed by about 10%. Simple camera selection criteria increased accuracy by 64%; configuration settings or image post-processing techniques increased point density by 5–25% and decreased processing time by 10–30%. This article is protected by copyright. All rights

  17. Effects of sorbitol and glycerol on the structure, dynamics, and stability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis pyrazinamidase

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehrnoosh Khajehzadeh

    2016-01-01

    Conclusion: It can be concluded that the native conformation of the enzyme was stabilized in the sorbitol and glycerol and tend to exclude from the PZase surface, forcing the enzyme to keep it in the compactly folded conformation. The glycerol molecules stabilized PZase by decreasing the loops flexibility and then compacting the enzyme structure. It appears that more stability of PZase in glycerol solution correlates with its amphiphilic orientation, which decreases the unfavorable interactions of hydrophobic regions.

  18. Complete study demonstrating the absence of rhabdovirus in a distinct Sf9 cell line.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoshifumi Hashimoto

    Full Text Available A putative novel rhabdovirus (SfRV was previously identified in a Spodoptera frugiperda cell line (Sf9 cells [ATCC CRL-1711 lot 58078522] by next generation sequencing and extensive bioinformatic analysis. We performed an extensive analysis of our Sf9 cell bank (ATCC CRL-1711 lot 5814 [Sf9L5814] to determine whether this virus was already present in cells obtained from ATCC in 1987. Inverse PCR of DNA isolated from Sf9 L5814 cellular DNA revealed integration of SfRV sequences in the cellular genome. RT-PCR of total RNA showed a deletion of 320 nucleotides in the SfRV RNA that includes the transcriptional motifs for genes X and L. Concentrated cell culture supernatant was analyzed by sucrose density gradient centrifugation and revealed a single band at a density of 1.14 g/ml. This fraction was further analysed by electron microscopy and showed amorphous and particulate debris that did not resemble a rhabdovirus in morphology or size. SDS-PAGE analysis confirmed that the protein composition did not contain the typical five rhabdovirus structural proteins and LC-MS/MS analysis revealed primarily of exosomal marker proteins, the SfRV N protein, and truncated forms of SfRV N, P, and G proteins. The SfRV L gene fragment RNA sequence was recovered from the supernatant after ultracentrifugation of the 1.14 g/ml fraction treated with diethyl ether suggesting that the SfRV L gene fragment sequence is not associated with a diethyl ether resistant nucleocapsid. Interestingly, the 1.14 g/ml fraction was able to transfer baculovirus DNA into Sf9L5814 cells, consistent with the presence of functional exosomes. Our results demonstrate the absence of viral particles in ATCC CRL-1711 lot 5814 Sf9 cells in contrast to a previous study that suggested the presence of infectious rhabdoviral particles in Sf9 cells from a different lot. This study highlights how cell lines with different lineages may present different virosomes and therefore no general conclusions can

  19. The isotope separator on-line at the INS-SF cyclotron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yonehara, H.; Kawakami, H.; Tanaka, J.; Omata, K.; Shida, Y.

    1981-02-01

    The Isotope Separator On-Line at the SF Cyclotron has been improved. Some details of improvements are described on the target-ion source, rapid extraction with aluminized tape, tape transport system and data aquisition. The performance of the improved SF-ISOL is discussed. (author)

  20. Laser Spectroscopy on Ozone Destruction by SF6 Decomposed Products

    OpenAIRE

    北嶋, 巌; 村上, 和幸; 田中, 淳一; 岡井, 善四郎

    2002-01-01

    This paper reports on the identification of the SF6 decomposed products and the possibility of the ozone destruction by it. SF6 gas absorbs very strongly the 10.6μm P branch of C02 laser beam,so that the trace detection under ppb will be easily performed by the laser photo-acoustic method. We observed a new absorption spectra within the 9.6μm P branch resulted from the decomposed molecules after 2 hours 1 Hz-pulsed discharge of SF6 gas. As a resu1t ofthe gas chromatograph, it will be assumed ...

  1. Ground-based FTIR retrievals of SF6 on Reunion Island

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Zhou

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available SF6 total columns were successfully retrieved from FTIR (Fourier transform infrared measurements (Saint Denis and Maïdo on Reunion Island (21° S, 55° E between 2004 and 2016 using the SFIT4 algorithm: the retrieval strategy and the error budget were presented. The FTIR SF6 retrieval has independent information in only one individual layer, covering the whole of the troposphere and the lower stratosphere. The trend in SF6 was analysed based on the FTIR-retrieved dry-air column-averaged mole fractions (XSF6 on Reunion Island, the in situ measurements at America Samoa (SMO and the collocated satellite measurements (Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding, MIPAS, and Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer, ACE-FTS in the southern tropics. The SF6 annual growth rate from FTIR retrievals is 0.265 ± 0.013 pptv year−1 for 2004–2016, which is slightly weaker than that from the SMO in situ measurements (0.285 ± 0.002 pptv year−1 for the same time period. The SF6 trend in the troposphere from MIPAS and ACE-FTS observations is also close to the ones from the FTIR retrievals and the SMO in situ measurements.

  2. Ground-based FTIR retrievals of SF6 on Reunion Island

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Minqiang; Langerock, Bavo; Vigouroux, Corinne; Wang, Pucai; Hermans, Christian; Stiller, Gabriele; Walker, Kaley A.; Dutton, Geoff; Mahieu, Emmanuel; De Mazière, Martine

    2018-02-01

    SF6 total columns were successfully retrieved from FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) measurements (Saint Denis and Maïdo) on Reunion Island (21° S, 55° E) between 2004 and 2016 using the SFIT4 algorithm: the retrieval strategy and the error budget were presented. The FTIR SF6 retrieval has independent information in only one individual layer, covering the whole of the troposphere and the lower stratosphere. The trend in SF6 was analysed based on the FTIR-retrieved dry-air column-averaged mole fractions (XSF6) on Reunion Island, the in situ measurements at America Samoa (SMO) and the collocated satellite measurements (Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding, MIPAS, and Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer, ACE-FTS) in the southern tropics. The SF6 annual growth rate from FTIR retrievals is 0.265 ± 0.013 pptv year-1 for 2004-2016, which is slightly weaker than that from the SMO in situ measurements (0.285 ± 0.002 pptv year-1) for the same time period. The SF6 trend in the troposphere from MIPAS and ACE-FTS observations is also close to the ones from the FTIR retrievals and the SMO in situ measurements.

  3. Potential Application of Ganoderma lucidum in Solid State Fermentation of Primary Sludge and Wheat Straw

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    João Paulo Furlan de Jesus

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available This study was conducted to investigate the production of lignocellulolytic enzymes and sugars by the fungus Ganoderma lucidum during solid state fermentation (SSF using primary sludge (PS and wheat straw (WS as substrates at different concentration ratios. For fungal growth on SSF, 20 g of each blended substrate was added to Erlenmeyer flasks, which were autoclaved and maintained at room temperature prior to inoculation, whereas for submerged fermentation (SF, flasks containing 25 mL of potato dextrose broth (PDB were used as standard to check the differences between both methods of growth, and then all flasks were incubated at 25 °C in the dark, during 8 and 16 days. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis from the protein extract obtained from solid state fermentation strongly suggested that G. lucidum could produce lignocellulolytic enzymes to degrade primary sludge and wheat straw. Among the sugars, the production of xylose and mannose was disturbed by adding primary sludge. With the addition of primary sludge, high glucuronic acid content was observed. The results suggest that the combination of primary sludge and wheat straw, at concentration ratios of 1:1 to 1:3, respectively, can be used as a raw material in the production of lignocellulolytic enzymes and the bioconversion of other types of biomass by G. lucidum.

  4. Survival of pathogenic and lactobacilli species of fermented olives during simulated human digestion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arroyo-López, Francisco N; Blanquet-Diot, Stéphanie; Denis, Sylvain; Thévenot, Jonathan; Chalancon, Sandrine; Alric, Monique; Rodríguez-Gómez, Francisco; Romero-Gil, Verónica; Jiménez-Díaz, Rufino; Garrido-Fernández, Antonio

    2014-01-01

    The present survey uses a dynamic gastric and small intestinal model to assess the survival of one pathogenic (Escherichia coli O157:H7 EDL 933) and three lactobacilli bacteria with probiotic potential (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, L. pentosus TOMC-LAB2, and L. pentosus TOMC-LAB4) during their passage through the human gastrointestinal tract using fermented olives as the food matrix. The data showed that the survival of the E. coli strain in the stomach and duodenum was very low, while its transit through the distal parts (jejunum and ileum) resulted in an increase in the pathogen population. The production of Shiga toxins by this enterohemorrhagic microorganism in the ileal effluents of the in vitro system was too low to be detected by ELISA assays. On the contrary, the three lactobacilli species assayed showed a considerable resistance to the gastric digestion, but not to the intestinal one, which affected their survival, and was especially evident in the case of both L. pentosus strains. In spite of this, high population levels for all assayed microorganisms were recovered at the end of the gastrointestinal passage. The results obtained in the present study show the potential use of table olives as a vehicle of beneficial microorganisms to the human body, as well as the need for good hygienic practices on the part of olive manufacturers in order to avoid the possibility of contamination by food-borne pathogens.

  5. Survival of pathogenic and lactobacilli species of fermented olives during simulated human digestion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco Noé eArroyo López

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The present survey uses a dynamic gastric and small intestinal model to assess the survival of one pathogenic (Escherichia coli O157:H7 EDL 933 and three lactobacilli bacteria with probiotic potential (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus pentosus TOMC-LAB2 and Lactobacillus pentosus TOMC-LAB4 during their passage through the human gastrointestinal tract using fermented olives as the food matrix. The data showed that the survival of the E. coli strain in the stomach and duodenum was very low, while its transit through the distal parts (jejunum and ileum resulted in an increase in the pathogen population. The production of Shiga toxins by this enterohemorrhagic microorganism in the ileal effluents of the in vitro system was too low to be detected by ELISA assays. On the contrary, the three lactobacilli species assayed showed a considerable resistance to the gastric digestion, but not to the intestinal one, which affected their survival, and was especially evident in the case of both L. pentosus strains. In spite of this, high population levels for all assayed microorganisms were recovered at the end of the gastrointestinal passage. The results obtained in the present study show the potential use of table olives as a vehicle of beneficial microorganisms to the human body, as well as the need for good hygienic practices on the part of olive manufacturers in order to avoid the possibility of contamination by food-borne pathogens.

  6. Incremental Validity of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siegling, A B; Vesely, Ashley K; Petrides, K V; Saklofske, Donald H

    2015-01-01

    This study examined the incremental validity of the adult short form of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue-SF) in predicting 7 construct-relevant criteria beyond the variance explained by the Five-factor model and coping strategies. Additionally, the relative contributions of the questionnaire's 4 subscales were assessed. Two samples of Canadian university students completed the TEIQue-SF, along with measures of the Big Five, coping strategies (Sample 1 only), and emotion-laden criteria. The TEIQue-SF showed consistent incremental effects beyond the Big Five or the Big Five and coping strategies, predicting all 7 criteria examined across the 2 samples. Furthermore, 2 of the 4 TEIQue-SF subscales accounted for the measure's incremental validity. Although the findings provide good support for the validity and utility of the TEIQue-SF, directions for further research are emphasized.

  7. A quantitative study of methanol/sorbitol co-feeding process of a Pichia pastoris Mut⁺/pAOX1-lacZ strain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niu, Hongxing; Jost, Laurent; Pirlot, Nathalie; Sassi, Hosni; Daukandt, Marc; Rodriguez, Christian; Fickers, Patrick

    2013-04-08

    One of the main challenges for heterologous protein production by the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris at large-scale is related to its high oxygen demand. A promising solution is a co-feeding strategy based on a methanol/sorbitol mixture during the induction phase. Nonetheless, a deep understanding of the cellular physiology and the regulation of the AOX1 promoter, used to govern heterologous protein production, during this co-feeding strategy is still scarce. Transient continuous cultures with a dilution rate of 0.023 h(-1) at 25°C were performed to quantitatively assess the benefits of a methanol/sorbitol co-feeding process with a Mut+ strain in which the pAOX1-lacZ construct served as a reporter gene. Cell growth and metabolism, including O2 consumption together with CO2 and heat production were analyzed with regard to a linear change of methanol fraction in the mixed feeding media. In addition, the regulation of the promoter AOX1 was investigated by means of β-galactosidase measurements. Our results demonstrated that the cell-specific oxygen consumption (qO2) could be reduced by decreasing the methanol fraction in the feeding media. More interestingly, maximal β-galactosidase cell-specific activity (>7500 Miller unit) and thus, optimal pAOX1 induction, was achieved and maintained in the range of 0.45 ~ 0.75 C-mol/C-mol of methanol fraction. In addition, the qO2 was reduced by 30% at most in those conditions. Based on a simplified metabolic network, metabolic flux analysis (MFA) was performed to quantify intracellular metabolic flux distributions during the transient continuous cultures, which further shed light on the advantages of methanol/sorbitol co-feeding process. Finally, our observations were further validated in fed-batch cultures. This study brings quantitative insight into the co-feeding process, which provides valuable data for the control of methanol/sorbitol co-feeding, aiming at enhancing biomass and heterologous protein productivities

  8. The inertial attitude augmentation for ambiguity resolution in SF/SE-GNSS attitude determination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Jiancheng; Hu, Xiaoping; Zhang, Jingyu; Li, Tao; Wang, Jinling; Wu, Meiping

    2014-06-26

    The Unaided Single Frequency/Single Epoch Global Navigation Satellite System (SF/SE GNSS) model is the most challenging scenario for ambiguity resolution in the GNSS attitude determination application. To improve the performance of SF/SE-GNSS ambiguity resolution without excessive cost, the Micro-Electro-Mechanical System Inertial Measurement Unit (MEMS-IMU) is a proper choice for the auxiliary sensor that carries out the inertial attitude augmentation. Firstly, based on the SF/SE-GNSS compass model, the Inertial Derived Baseline Vector (IDBV) is defined to connect the MEMS-IMU attitude measurement with the SF/SE-GNSS ambiguity search space, and the mechanism of inertial attitude augmentation is revealed from the perspective of geometry. Then, through the quantitative description of model strength by Ambiguity Dilution of Precision (ADOP), two ADOPs are specified for the unaided SF/SE-GNSS compass model and its inertial attitude augmentation counterparts, respectively, and a sufficient condition is proposed for augmenting the SF/SE-GNSS model strength with inertial attitude measurement. Finally, in the framework of an integer aperture estimator with fixed failure rate, the performance of SF/SE-GNSS ambiguity resolution with inertial attitude augmentation is analyzed when the model strength is varying from strong to weak. The simulation results show that, in the SF/SE-GNSS attitude determination application, MEMS-IMU can satisfy the requirements of ambiguity resolution with inertial attitude augmentation.

  9. The Inertial Attitude Augmentation for Ambiguity Resolution in SF/SE-GNSS Attitude Determination

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Jiancheng; Hu, Xiaoping; Zhang, Jingyu; Li, Tao; Wang, Jinling; Wu, Meiping

    2014-01-01

    The Unaided Single Frequency/Single Epoch Global Navigation Satellite System (SF/SE GNSS) model is the most challenging scenario for ambiguity resolution in the GNSS attitude determination application. To improve the performance of SF/SE-GNSS ambiguity resolution without excessive cost, the Micro-Electro-Mechanical System Inertial Measurement Unit (MEMS-IMU) is a proper choice for the auxiliary sensor that carries out the inertial attitude augmentation. Firstly, based on the SF/SE-GNSS compass model, the Inertial Derived Baseline Vector (IDBV) is defined to connect the MEMS-IMU attitude measurement with the SF/SE-GNSS ambiguity search space, and the mechanism of inertial attitude augmentation is revealed from the perspective of geometry. Then, through the quantitative description of model strength by Ambiguity Dilution of Precision (ADOP), two ADOPs are specified for the unaided SF/SE-GNSS compass model and its inertial attitude augmentation counterparts, respectively, and a sufficient condition is proposed for augmenting the SF/SE-GNSS model strength with inertial attitude measurement. Finally, in the framework of an integer aperture estimator with fixed failure rate, the performance of SF/SE-GNSS ambiguity resolution with inertial attitude augmentation is analyzed when the model strength is varying from strong to weak. The simulation results show that, in the SF/SE-GNSS attitude determination application, MEMS-IMU can satisfy the requirements of ambiguity resolution with inertial attitude augmentation. PMID:24971472

  10. Unchained Melody: Revisiting the Estimation of SF-6D Values

    Science.gov (United States)

    Craig, Benjamin M.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose In the original SF-6D valuation study, the analytical design inherited conventions that detrimentally affected its ability to predict values on a quality-adjusted life year (QALY) scale. Our objective is to estimate UK values for SF-6D states using the original data and multi-attribute utility (MAU) regression after addressing its limitations and to compare the revised SF-6D and EQ-5D value predictions. Methods Using the unaltered data (611 respondents, 3503 SG responses), the parameters of the original MAU model were re-estimated under 3 alternative error specifications, known as the instant, episodic, and angular random utility models. Value predictions on a QALY scale were compared to EQ-5D3L predictions using the 1996 Health Survey for England. Results Contrary to the original results, the revised SF-6D value predictions range below 0 QALYs (i.e., worse than death) and agree largely with EQ-5D predictions after adjusting for scale. Although a QALY is defined as a year in optimal health, the SF-6D sets a higher standard for optimal health than the EQ-5D-3L; therefore, it has larger units on a QALY scale by construction (20.9% more). Conclusions Much of the debate in health valuation has focused on differences between preference elicitation tasks, sampling, and instruments. After correcting errant econometric practices and adjusting for differences in QALY scale between the EQ-5D and SF-6D values, the revised predictions demonstrate convergent validity, making them more suitable for UK economic evaluations compared to original estimates. PMID:26359242

  11. Biorefinery Concept Development Based on Wheat Flour Milling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Elliott, Douglas C.; Orth, Rick J.; Werpy, Todd A.; Gao, Johnway; Eakin, David E.; Schmidt, Andrew J.; Neuenschwander, Gary G.; Murry, J; Flagg, Anthony; Lahman, L; Mennel, D; Lin, C J.; Landucci, Ron; Crockett, John; Peterson, Charles L.

    2002-09-22

    We are developing an innovative process for the recovery of a starch-rich product from millfeed (the low-value byproduct of wheat flour milling); enzymatic processing of the starch to glucose; and the subsequent processes for conversion of that glucose into a value-added product by either a catalytic or a fermentation process. We have completed the development of the starch recovery step with enzymatic processing and the assessment of its economic viability. The processes to use the glucose product as feedstock for catalytic processing and fermentation processing have been tested in the laboratory. Catalytic processing of the glucose from the extracted starch for polyol production is based on catalytic hydrogenation to sorbitol. Alternatively, fermentation of the extracted starch-derived glucose also provides a pathway to value-added chemical products via a platform chemical, lactic acid. The paper includes results from all the processing areas addressed. Starch extraction and glucose generation from wheat milling byproducts are presented with laboratory and scaled-up processing results. Results of fermentation of the glucose product to lactic acid in shaker flask tests are presented, documenting the minimal requirements for nutrient addition. Stirred batch reactor tests of catalytic hydrogenation of the glucose product to sorbitol are presented with a discussion of contaminant effects on the catalyst.

  12. Crystal structure and functional characterization of SF216 from Shigella flexneri.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Ha-Neul; Seok, Seung-Hyeon; Lee, Yoo-Sup; Won, Hyung-Sik; Seo, Min-Duk

    2017-11-01

    Shigella flexneri is a Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium that causes highly infectious bacterial dysentery in humans. Here, we solved the crystal structure of SF216, a hypothetical protein from the S. flexneri 5a strain M90T, at 1.7 Å resolution. The crystal structure of SF216 represents a homotrimer stabilized by intersubunit interactions and ion-mediated electrostatic interactions. Each subunit consists of three β-strands and five α-helices with the β-β-β-α-α-α-α-α topology. Based on the structural information, we also demonstrate that SF216 shows weak ribonuclease activity by a fluorescence quenching assay. Furthermore, we identify potential druggable pockets (putative hot spots) on the surface of the SF216 structure by computational mapping. © 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  13. The DAPP-SF as a screener for personality disorder in a forensic setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spaans, Marleen; Rinne, Thomas; de Beurs, Edwin; Spinhoven, Philip

    2015-01-01

    Studies on the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology-Short Form (DAPP-SF) have shown its ability to identify treatment-seeking patients with personality disorders. This study focuses on its screening potential for personality disorder in 89 criminal suspects (77 men, 12 women; M age = 37.0 years) undergoing residential pretrial psychological assessments in a high-security setting. It was expected that Structured Interview for DSM-IV Personality (SIDP-IV) criteria met for personality disorder(s) would be associated with higher DAPP-SF scores. A floor effect was found in DAPP-SF scores: The forensic population reported less personality pathology than the general population. Only moderate associations between DAPP-SF and SIDP-IV outcome were found. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that some DAPP-SF subscales did not exceed chance level in their ability to screen for personality disorders. It is concluded that the DAPP-SF has limited usefulness as a screener for personality disorders in a forensic pretrial setting. Alternative forensic screening instruments are presented.

  14. Association of prescription of oral sodium polystyrene sulfonate with sorbitol in an inpatient setting with colonic necrosis: a retrospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson, Maura A; Baker, Thomas P; Nguyen, Annie; Sebastianelli, Mary E; Stewart, Heather L; Oliver, David K; Abbott, Kevin C; Yuan, Christina M

    2012-09-01

    Colonic necrosis has been reported after sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS)/sorbitol use, but the incidence and relative risk (RR) are not established. Retrospective cohort study. 123,391 adult inpatients at a tertiary medical center. Receipt of SPS prescriptions (exposed) or a prescription other than SPS (unexposed internal comparison group) between September 1, 2001, and October 31, 2010. The main outcome measure was tissue-confirmed diagnosis of colonic necrosis, considered SPS-associated if SPS was prescribed 30 or fewer days before tissue accession date. Demographics, serum chemistry test results, hospital location, and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision diagnostic codes. SPS was prescribed to 2,194 inpatients. 82 inpatient colonic necrosis cases were identified. 3 received oral SPS (1 gram per 4 milliliters of 33% sorbitol) 30 or fewer days before the colonic necrosis accession date (3.7% of inpatient colonic necrosis cases). The data were linked with 123,391 individuals who received inpatient prescriptions between the same dates. Colonic necrosis incidence was 0.14% (95% CI, 0.03%-0.40%) in those prescribed SPS versus 0.07% (95% CI, 0.05-0.08%) in those not prescribed SPS (RR, 2.10; 95% CI, 0.68-6.48; P = 0.2). The number needed to harm was 1,395 (95% CI, 298-5,100). Subgroup analysis (age >65 years; estimated glomerular filtration rate, sorbitol prescription was not associated significantly with an increased RR of colonic necrosis in this retrospective cohort analysis. Multivariate analysis would require retrospective clinical cohorts from larger or more than one hospital system(s). Published by Elsevier Inc.

  15. The effect of the addition of sorbitol and glycerol towards the edible film characteristics of the belitung taro starch and the lime leaves as antimicrobial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asria, Merry; Elizarni, Samah, dan Selfa Dewati

    2015-12-01

    Plastics have been generally used for food packaging, but plastics using causing environmental problem for as non biodegradable. Resolving the problem need another alternative packaging that environmental friendly such as the edible film as biodegradable packing material. This research intend to determination the effects of sorbitol and glycerol (concentration of 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) as addition to the edible film characteristics from the belitung taro starch (Xanthosoma sagitifolium). Lime leaves (Citrus aurantifolia) extract used as an antimicrobial film (2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% respectively). From the research obtained that using sorbitol has given more rigid and hard film texture, while glycerol provides more elastic and flexible texture. Sorbitol give best performance at 2% where thickness 0.17 mm; tensile strength 41.60 MPa; yield strength 34.28 MPa; modulus of elasticity 7983.71 MPa; and maximum strain 29,8%. While, glycerol (2%) provides thickness 0.18 mm; tensile strength 35.72 MPa; yield strength 30.78 MPa; modulus of elasticity 9065.90 MPa; and maximum strain 14.4% for best performance. SEM and FTIR analysis applied to determine film surface morphology's characterization and determine the functional groups of the film materials. The addition of lime leaves extract as antimicrobial gives the growth inhibition activity against the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.

  16. Prenatal nicotinic exposure suppresses fetal adrenal steroidogenesis via steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) deacetylation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yan, You-e [Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical School of Wuhan University, Wuhan (China); Liu, Lian [Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical School of Wuhan University, Wuhan (China); Department of Pharmacology, Medical School of Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434000 (China); Wang, Jian-fei; Liu, Fang; Li, Xiao-hai; Qin, Hai-quan [Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical School of Wuhan University, Wuhan (China); Wang, Hui, E-mail: wanghui19@whu.edu.cn [Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical School of Wuhan University, Wuhan (China); Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Wuhan 430071 (China)

    2014-06-15

    This study aimed to investigate the suppressive effect of nicotine on fetal adrenal steroidogenesis and to explore the potential role of epigenetic modification of steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) transcriptional activity in this process. Nicotine was intragastrically administered to pregnant rats and NCI-H295A cells were treated with nicotine or trichostatin A (TSA). The pathomorphology of fetal adrenals, steroid hormone levels, the expression of SF-1 and its target genes, and histone deacetylase (HDAC) mRNA were analyzed. Histone modification and DNA methylation of the SF-1 promoter region were assessed using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and bisulfite sequencing PCR. The interaction between SF1 and its target genes was observed. Prenatal nicotinic exposure decreased fetal body weight, increased the IUGR rate and caused detrimental changes in fetal adrenal. In addition, the levels of corticosterone, the expression of SF-1 and its target genes were decreased while HDAC2 expression was enhanced. Nicotine treatment decreased histone H3K9 and H3K14 acetylation levels while there was no effect on the methylation frequency on the SF-1 promoter region. Furthermore, in nicotine-treated NCI-H295A cells, lower levels of steroidogenic synthesis, lower expression of SF-1 and its target genes were observed while the expression of HDACs was enhanced. The interaction between SF1 and StAR decreased with nicotine treatment. Nicotine treatment decreased histone H3K9 and H3K14 acetylation levels, and addition of TSA reversed the inhibition of nicotine-mediated SF-1 and its partial target genes. Thus, nicotine-mediated reduction of SF-1 expression resulted in an inhibitory effect on the expression of its target genes and steroid production via histone deacetylation. - Highlights: • Prenatal nicotine-exposed suppresses fetal adrenal steroidogenesis. • Nicotine-supressed fetal adrenal steroidogenesis is related to SF-1 deacetylation. • Prenatal nicotinic exposure decreased

  17. Prenatal nicotinic exposure suppresses fetal adrenal steroidogenesis via steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) deacetylation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan, You-e; Liu, Lian; Wang, Jian-fei; Liu, Fang; Li, Xiao-hai; Qin, Hai-quan; Wang, Hui

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the suppressive effect of nicotine on fetal adrenal steroidogenesis and to explore the potential role of epigenetic modification of steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) transcriptional activity in this process. Nicotine was intragastrically administered to pregnant rats and NCI-H295A cells were treated with nicotine or trichostatin A (TSA). The pathomorphology of fetal adrenals, steroid hormone levels, the expression of SF-1 and its target genes, and histone deacetylase (HDAC) mRNA were analyzed. Histone modification and DNA methylation of the SF-1 promoter region were assessed using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and bisulfite sequencing PCR. The interaction between SF1 and its target genes was observed. Prenatal nicotinic exposure decreased fetal body weight, increased the IUGR rate and caused detrimental changes in fetal adrenal. In addition, the levels of corticosterone, the expression of SF-1 and its target genes were decreased while HDAC2 expression was enhanced. Nicotine treatment decreased histone H3K9 and H3K14 acetylation levels while there was no effect on the methylation frequency on the SF-1 promoter region. Furthermore, in nicotine-treated NCI-H295A cells, lower levels of steroidogenic synthesis, lower expression of SF-1 and its target genes were observed while the expression of HDACs was enhanced. The interaction between SF1 and StAR decreased with nicotine treatment. Nicotine treatment decreased histone H3K9 and H3K14 acetylation levels, and addition of TSA reversed the inhibition of nicotine-mediated SF-1 and its partial target genes. Thus, nicotine-mediated reduction of SF-1 expression resulted in an inhibitory effect on the expression of its target genes and steroid production via histone deacetylation. - Highlights: • Prenatal nicotine-exposed suppresses fetal adrenal steroidogenesis. • Nicotine-supressed fetal adrenal steroidogenesis is related to SF-1 deacetylation. • Prenatal nicotinic exposure decreased

  18. An optical sensors for monitoring SF6 dissociation in a corona discharge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Irawan, R.; Scelsi, G.B.; Woolsey, G.A.

    1999-01-01

    Sulphur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) is a chemically inert gas (Schumb, 1947) and has high dielectric strength, 3 times greater than air (Morrison and Robins, 1994). In high voltage systems, it is used both as a dielectric and an arc-quenching medium. An electrical breakdown event such as a partial discharge (corona) or arc will dissociate SF 6 into sulphur fluorides, sulphur and fluorine. In a contaminant-free environment, the dissociation products recombine back to SF 6 after extinction of the electrical discharge. Otherwise, some of the products will react with contaminants such as water vapour and oxygen, and with the metal surfaces and electrodes of the discharge chamber, to produce by-products including gaseous sulphur oxyfluorides and solid by-products (Van Brunt, 1985; Griffin et al, 1990 and Vukovic, 1997). As a consequence, a reduction in SF 6 concentration takes place, and the insulating efficiency of the system is degraded. If the SF 6 is not renewed, failure of the high voltage system is likely to eventually occur. One method of monitoring a system is to look for the presence of partial discharges, using techniques such as ultrasonic wave detection (Auckland et al, 1996) or fluorescent plastic fibre (Kurosawa et al., 1997). More directly, the integrity of the SF 6 may be examined using techniques such as mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy. Such techniques, however, are bulky and require gas samples to be extracted, and so they are unsuited to field use. Since SF 6 insulating systems involve high voltages and a high level of electromagnetic interference, direct in-situ optical monitoring appears to provide the best approach. This paper describes the development of such an optical sensing technique, specifically for continuous monitoring of SF 6 degradation in partial or corona discharges

  19. Influence of pre-fermentation cold maceration treatment on aroma compounds of Cabernet Sauvignon wines fermented in different industrial scale fermenters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Jian; Zhu, Bao-Qing; Wang, Yun-He; Lu, Lin; Lan, Yi-Bin; Reeves, Malcolm J; Duan, Chang-Qing

    2014-07-01

    The influence of pre-fermentation cold maceration (CM) on Cabernet Sauvignon wines fermented in two different industrial-scale fermenters was studied. CM treatment had different effects on wine aroma depending on the types of fermenter, being more effective for automatic pumping-over tank (PO-tank) than automatic punching-down tank (PD-tank). When PO-tank was used, CM-treated wine showed a decrease in some fusel alcohols (isobutanol and isopentanol) and an increase in some esters (especially acetate esters). However, no significant changes were detected in these compounds when PD-tank was used. Ethyl 2-hexenoate and diethyl succinate were decreased, while geranylacetone was increased by the CM treatment in both fermenters. β-Damascenone was increased by the CM treatment in PO-tank fermented wines but decreased in PD-tank fermented wines. The fruity, caramel and floral aroma series were enhanced while chemical series were decreased by the CM treatment in PO-tank fermented wines. The content of (Z)-6-nonen-1-ol in the final wines was positively correlated to CM treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. GUT FERMENTATION SYNDROME

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    boaz

    individuals who became intoxicated after consuming carbohydrates, which became fermented in the gastrointestinal tract. These claims of intoxication without drinking alcohol, and the findings on endogenous alcohol fermentation are now called Gut. Fermentation Syndrome. This review will concentrate on understanding ...

  1. N-chlorotaurine, a long-lived oxidant produced by human leukocytes, inactivates Shiga toxin of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian Eitzinger

    Full Text Available N-chlorotaurine (NCT, the main representative of long-lived oxidants produced by granulocytes and monocytes, is known to exert broad-spectrum microbicidal activity. Here we show that NCT directly inactivates Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2, used as a model toxin secreted by enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC. Bacterial growth and Stx2 production were both inhibited by 2 mM NCT. The cytotoxic effect of Stx2 on Vero cells was removed by ≥5.5 mM NCT. Confocal microscopy and FACS analyses showed that the binding of Stx2 to human kidney glomerular endothelial cells was inhibited, and no NCT-treated Stx2 entered the cytosol. Mass spectrometry displayed oxidation of thio groups and aromatic amino acids of Stx2 by NCT. Therefore, long-lived oxidants may act as powerful tools of innate immunity against soluble virulence factors of pathogens. Moreover, inactivation of virulence factors may contribute to therapeutic success of NCT and novel analogs, which are in development as topical antiinfectives.

  2. Radiolysis of carbohydrates as studied by ESR and spin-trapping—II. Glycerol- d8 xylitol, dulcitol, d-sorbitol and d-mannitol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuwabara, M.; Zhang, Z.-Y.; Inanami, O.; Yoshii, G.

    Studies concerning the radicals produced in glycerol by reactions with OH radicals have been carried out by investigating deuterated glycerol (glycerol-d 8) by spin-trapping with 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane. Free radicals produced in linear carbohydrates such as xylitol, dulcitol, D-sorbitol and D-mannitol by reactions with OH radicals as well as by direct γ-radiolysis have been also investigated by spin-trapping. The ESR spectra of the spin-trapped radicals were analysed on the basis of the results from ESR and spin-trapping experiments on glycerol and deuterated glycerol, and the formation of three radical species, CHO-CH-, CH 2-CO- and HO-CH-, due to both OH reactions and direct γ-radiolysis was confirmed for all compounds. The presence of a radical, -CO-CH-, was detected for xylitol, D-sorbitol and D-mannitol. General reactions processes induced by OH reactions or γ-radiolysis in the solid state are discussed.

  3. Hemolytic-uremic syndrome with acute encephalopathy in a pregnant woman infected with epidemic enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli: characteristic brain images and cytokine profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, M; Shiozaki, A; Shimizu, M; Saito, S

    2015-05-01

    A food-poisoning outbreak due to enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) occurred in Toyama, Japan. The case of a 26-year-old pregnant woman with hemolytic-uremic syndrome who developed acute encephalopathy due to EHEC infection after eating raw meat is presented herein. On day 2 following admission, a cesarean section was performed because of a non-reassuring fetal status. Fecal bacterial culture confirmed an O111/O157 superinfection. Intensive care therapies including continuous hemodiafiltration and plasma exchange were performed. After the operation, the patient developed encephalopathy for which steroid pulse therapy was added. Her condition improved gradually and she was discharged 55 days after delivery. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  4. Two-temperature transport coefficients of SF{sub 6}–N{sub 2} plasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Fei; Chen, Zhexin; Wu, Yi, E-mail: wuyic51@mail.xjtu.edu.cn; Rong, Mingzhe; Wang, Chunlin [State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, School of Electrical Engineering, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Guo, Anxiang; Liu, Zirui [Electric Power Research Institute of State Grid Shaanxi Electric Power Company, Xian (China)

    2015-10-15

    Sulfur hexafluoride (SF{sub 6}) is widely adopted in electric power industry, especially in high-voltage circuit breakers and gas-insulated switchgear. However, the use of SF{sub 6} is limited by its high liquidation temperature and high global warming potential. Recently, research shows SF{sub 6}–N{sub 2} mixture, which shows environmental friendliness and good electrical properties, may be a feasible substitute for pure SF{sub 6}. This paper is devoted to the calculation of and transport coefficients of SF{sub 6}–N{sub 2} mixture under both LTE (local thermodynamic equilibrium) and non-LTE condition. The two–temperature mass action law was used to determine the composition. The transport coefficients were calculated by classical Chapman–Enskog method simplified by Devoto. The thermophysical properties are presented for electron temperatures of 300–40 000 K, ratios of electron to heavy species temperature of 1–10 and N{sub 2} mole fraction of 0%–100% at atmospheric pressure. The ionization processes under both LTE and non-LTE have been discussed. The results show that deviations from local thermodynamic equilibrium significantly affect the properties of SF{sub 6}–N{sub 2} plasma, especially before the plasma is fully ionized. The different influence of N{sub 2} on properties for SF{sub 6}–N{sub 2} plasma in and out of LTE has been found. The results will serve as reliable reference data for computational simulation of the behavior of SF{sub 6}–N{sub 2} plasmas.

  5. Marijuana Craving Questionnaire (MCQ-SF/Versão Brasil: validação semântica Marijuana Craving Questionnaire (MCQ-SF/Brazil Version: semantic validation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosemeri Siqueira Pedroso

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar tradução e adaptação transcultural do Marijuana Craving Questionnaire (MCQ-SF10, que avalia o craving por maconha em uma amostra brasileira. MÉTODO: O MCQ-SF foi traduzido do inglês para o português, aplicado em 10 sujeitos, submetido ao brainstorming num grupo de três indivíduos para reprodução individual e verbal, item a item. Realizou-se o back-translation, uma versão para o idioma de origem, a partir da primeira tradução e do brainstorming. Logo após, traduziu-se novamente para o português. Um comitê de juízes especialistas analisou todas as traduções. RESULTADOS: Após as considerações do comitê e um estudo-piloto com 30 sujeitos, a versão final do MCQ-SF/Versão Brasil foi construída. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados demonstraram uma equivalência semântica satisfatória entre as versões. O MCQ-SF/Versão Brasil pode ser útil para avaliar o craving pela maconha nos dependentes dessa substância.OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to translate and adapt culturally the Marijuana Craving Questionnaire (MCQ-SF10 which evaluates the craving for marijuana in a Brazilian sample. METHOD: The Marijuana Craving Questionnaire (MCQ-SF was translated from English to Portuguese, administered to 10 subjects, submitted to a brainstorming in a group of three people for individual and verbal reproduction, item by item. Back-translation was executed, a translation for the original language, based on first translation and from brainstorming. Soon after, it was translated again into Portuguese. A committee of specialists analyzed all translations. RESULTS: After the committee considerations and a pilot study with 30 subjects, the final version of MCQ-SF/Versão Brasil was built. CONCLUSION: The results showed a satisfactory semantic equivalence between versions. The MCQ/Versão Brasil can be useful to evaluate the craving for marijuana on the dependents of this substance.

  6. Effects of Yoga on Measures of Health-related Quality of Life from SF-36 and SF-12 Assessments: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriel Benavidez

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Objectives Yoga is commonly being adopted and prescribed with the intent to increase a participant’s health-related quality of life. In practice, the current gold-standard health-related quality of life measurement tool is the SF-36 and SF-12 assessments. Therefore, it is important for yoga scientists and practitioners to understand yoga’s effects on health-related quality of life when in fact a gold-standard assessment is implemented. The purpose of this study was to employ systematic review and meta-analytic techniques to examine the effect of yoga on measures of health-related quality of life measured using only the SF-36/12 assessments. Methods A current (January 2007 to December 2016 systematic review of the Pubmed database was conducted and included studies that used yoga as an intervention with outcomes measures of health-related quality of life measured by the SF-36/12. Ten different measures were extracted from studies including eight dimension scores (physical functioning, bodily pain, physical role function, general health, mental health, emotional role function, social function, and vitality and two summary scores (physical component and mental component. Ten different meta-analyses were performed using calculated standardized mean effect sizes and random effects models. Both moderator and sensitivity analyses were conducted. Results A total of 34 studies were included is the analyses with 185 independent effect sizes. Yoga intervention showed a significant positive effect on all ten measures of the SF-36/12. Effects ranged from 0.56 (0.39-0.73 to 0.28 (0.17-0.40. Yoga type (Hatha, Iyengar, Other moderated the effects of yoga intervention on the mental component (p=.021, with Hatha yielding the greatest effects (ES=1.63, 0.61-2.65. The sensitivity analysis showed little to no bias in mean effect size estimates. Conclusions The meta-analytic evidence clearly supports the small-to-medium positive effects of yoga on health

  7. Laser excitation of SF6: spectroscopy and coherent pulse propagation effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cantrell, C.D.; Makarov, A.A.; Louisell, W.H.

    1978-01-01

    Recent theoretical studies of coherent propagation effects in SF 6 and other polyatomic molecules are summarized beginning with an account of relevant aspects of the high-resolution spectroscopy of the ν 3 band of SF 6 . A laser pulse propagating in a molecular gas can acquire new frequencies which were not initially present in the pulse, and, in fact, a wave is coherently generated at the frequency of every molecular transition accessible from the initial molecular energy levels. The possible consequences of coherent generation of sidebands for the multiple-photon excitation of SF 6 and other polyatomic molecules are discussed

  8. SF3B1-initiating mutations in MDS-RSs target lymphomyeloid hematopoietic stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mortera-Blanco, Teresa; Dimitriou, Marios; Woll, Petter S; Karimi, Mohsen; Elvarsdottir, Edda; Conte, Simona; Tobiasson, Magnus; Jansson, Monika; Douagi, Iyadh; Moarii, Matahi; Saft, Leonie; Papaemmanuil, Elli; Jacobsen, Sten Eirik W; Hellström-Lindberg, Eva

    2017-08-17

    Mutations in the RNA splicing gene SF3B1 are found in >80% of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome with ring sideroblasts (MDS-RS). We investigated the origin of SF3B1 mutations within the bone marrow hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell compartments in patients with MDS-RS. Screening for recurrently mutated genes in the mononuclear cell fraction revealed mutations in SF3B1 in 39 of 40 cases (97.5%), combined with TET2 and DNMT3A in 11 (28%) and 6 (15%) patients, respectively. All recurrent mutations identified in mononuclear cells could be tracked back to the phenotypically defined hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) compartment in all investigated patients and were also present in downstream myeloid and erythroid progenitor cells. While in agreement with previous studies, little or no evidence for clonal ( SF3B1 mutation) involvement could be found in mature B cells, consistent involvement at the pro-B-cell progenitor stage was established, providing definitive evidence for SF3B1 mutations targeting lymphomyeloid HSCs and compatible with mutated SF3B1 negatively affecting lymphoid development. Assessment of stem cell function in vitro as well as in vivo established that only HSCs and not investigated progenitor populations could propagate the SF3B1 mutated clone. Upon transplantation into immune-deficient mice, SF3B1 mutated MDS-RS HSCs differentiated into characteristic ring sideroblasts, the hallmark of MDS-RS. Our findings provide evidence of a multipotent lymphomyeloid HSC origin of SF3B1 mutations in MDS-RS patients and provide a novel in vivo platform for mechanistically and therapeutically exploring SF3B1 mutated MDS-RS. © 2017 by The American Society of Hematology.

  9. A comparison between spectra of runaway electron beams in SF6 and air

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Cheng; Wang, Ruexue; Yan, Ping; Shao, Tao; Tarasenko, Victor; Gu, Jianwei; Baksht, Evgenii

    2015-01-01

    Runaway electron (RAE) with extremely high-energy plays important role on the avalanche propagation, streamer formation, and ionization waves in nanosecond-pulse discharges. In this paper, the generation of a supershort avalanche electron beam (SAEB) in SF 6 and air in an inhomogeneous electric field is investigated. A VPG-30-200 generator with a pulse rise time of ∼1.6 ns and a full width at half maximum of 3–5 ns is used to produce RAE beams. The SAEBs in SF 6 and air are measured by using aluminum foils with different thicknesses. Furthermore, the SAEB spectra in SF 6 and air at pressures of 7.5 Torr, 75 Torr, and 750 Torr are compared. The results showed that amplitude of RAE beam current generated at the breakdown in SF 6 was approximately an order of magnitude less than that in air. The energy of SAEB in air was not smaller than that in SF 6 in nanosecond-pulse discharges under otherwise equal conditions. Moreover, the difference between the maximum energy of the electron distributions in air and SF 6 decreased when the rise time of the voltage pulse increased. It was because the difference between the breakdown voltages in air and SF 6 decreased when the rise time of the voltage pulse increased

  10. A comparison between spectra of runaway electron beams in SF6 and air

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Cheng; Tarasenko, Victor; Gu, Jianwei; Baksht, Evgenii; Wang, Ruexue; Yan, Ping; Shao, Tao

    2015-12-01

    Runaway electron (RAE) with extremely high-energy plays important role on the avalanche propagation, streamer formation, and ionization waves in nanosecond-pulse discharges. In this paper, the generation of a supershort avalanche electron beam (SAEB) in SF6 and air in an inhomogeneous electric field is investigated. A VPG-30-200 generator with a pulse rise time of ˜1.6 ns and a full width at half maximum of 3-5 ns is used to produce RAE beams. The SAEBs in SF6 and air are measured by using aluminum foils with different thicknesses. Furthermore, the SAEB spectra in SF6 and air at pressures of 7.5 Torr, 75 Torr, and 750 Torr are compared. The results showed that amplitude of RAE beam current generated at the breakdown in SF6 was approximately an order of magnitude less than that in air. The energy of SAEB in air was not smaller than that in SF6 in nanosecond-pulse discharges under otherwise equal conditions. Moreover, the difference between the maximum energy of the electron distributions in air and SF6 decreased when the rise time of the voltage pulse increased. It was because the difference between the breakdown voltages in air and SF6 decreased when the rise time of the voltage pulse increased.

  11. Best combination of promoter and micellar catalyst for the rapid conversion of sorbitol to glucose

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukherjee, Kakali; Ghosh, Aniruddha; Saha, Rumpa; Sar, Pintu; Malik, Susanta; Saha, Bidyut

    2014-03-01

    Kinetic data for oxidation of D-sorbitol to glucose by hexavalent chromium in aqueous medium and aqueous surfactant medium (SDS, TX-100) have been reported. Effect of promoter such as PA, bipy and phenanthroline on the reaction has been investigated. The reaction is performed under pseudo first order condition with an excess of substrate over the oxidant. The reaction is first order with respect to substrate and oxidant. The micelles have a catalytic effect on the reaction. Combination of phen and TX-100 produces almost twelve times increase in rate of oxidation.

  12. Lactose fermentation by engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae capable of fermenting cellobiose.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jing-Jing; Zhang, Guo-Chang; Oh, Eun Joong; Pathanibul, Panchalee; Turner, Timothy L; Jin, Yong-Su

    2016-09-20

    Lactose is an inevitable byproduct of the dairy industry. In addition to cheese manufacturing, the growing Greek yogurt industry generates excess acid whey, which contains lactose. Therefore, rapid and efficient conversion of lactose to fuels and chemicals would be useful for recycling the otherwise harmful acid whey. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a popular metabolic engineering host, cannot natively utilize lactose. However, we discovered that an engineered S. cerevisiae strain (EJ2) capable of fermenting cellobiose can also ferment lactose. This finding suggests that a cellobiose transporter (CDT-1) can transport lactose and a β-glucosidase (GH1-1) can hydrolyze lactose by acting as a β-galactosidase. While the lactose fermentation by the EJ2 strain was much slower than the cellobiose fermentation, a faster lactose-fermenting strain (EJ2e8) was obtained through serial subcultures on lactose. The EJ2e8 strain fermented lactose with a consumption rate of 2.16g/Lh. The improved lactose fermentation by the EJ2e8 strain was due to the increased copy number of cdt-1 and gh1-1 genes. Looking ahead, the EJ2e8 strain could be exploited for the production of other non-ethanol fuels and chemicals from lactose through further metabolic engineering. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. TM4SF1 Promotes Gemcitabine Resistance of Pancreatic Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jia Cao

    Full Text Available TM4SF1 is overexpressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC and affects the development of this cancer. Also, multidrug resistance (MDR is generally associated with tumor chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer. However, the correlation between TM4SF1 and MDR remains unknown. This research aims to investigate the effect of TM4SF1 on gemcitabine resistance in PDAC and explore the possible molecular mechanism between TM4SF1 and MDR.The expression of TM4SF1 was evaluated in pancreatic cancer cell lines and human pancreatic duct epithelial (HPDE cell lines by quantitative RT-PCR. TM4SF1 siRNA transfection was carried out using Hiperfect transfection reagent to knock down TM4SF1. The transcripts were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR, RT-PCR and western blotting for further study. The cell proliferation and apoptosis were obtained to investigate the sensitivity to gemcitabine of pancreatic cancer cells after silencing TM4SF1 in vitro. We demonstrated that cell signaling of TM4SF1 mediated chemoresistance in cancer cells by assessing the expression of multidrug resistance (MDR genes using quantitative RT-PCR. In vivo, we used orthotopic pancreatic tumor models to investigate the effect of proliferation after silencing TM4SF1 by a lentivirus-mediated shRNA in MIA PaCa-2 cell lines.The mRNA expression of TM4SF1 was higher in seven pancreatic cancer cell lines than in HPDE cell lines. In three gemcitabine-sensitive cell lines (L3.6pl, BxPC-3, SU86.86, the expression of TM4SF1 was lower than that in four gemcitabine-resistant cell lines (MIA PaCa-2, PANC-1, Hs766T, AsPC-1. We evaluated that TM4SF1 was a putative target for gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer cells. Using AsPC-1, MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1, we investigated that TM4SF1 silencing affected cell proliferation and increased the percentages of cell apoptosis mediated by treatment with gemcitabine compared with cells which were treated with negative control. This resistance was associated

  14. Quality and Composition of Red Wine Fermented with Schizosaccharomyces pombe as Sole Fermentative Yeast, and in Mixed and Sequential Fermentations with Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Felipe Palomero

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This work examines the physiology of Schizosaccharomyces pombe (represented by strain 938 in the production of red wine, as the sole fermentative yeast, and in mixed and sequential fermentations with Saccharomyces cerevisiae 796. For further comparison, fermentations in which Saccharomyces cerevisiae was the sole fermentative yeast were also performed; in these fermentations a commercial lactic acid bacterium was used to perform malolactic fermentation once alcoholic fermentation was complete (unlike S. cerevisiae, the Sc. pombe performs maloalcoholic fermentation and therefore removes malic acid without such help. Relative density, acetic, malic and pyruvic acid concentrations, primary amino nitrogen and urea concentrations, and pH of the musts were measured over the entire fermentation period. In all fermentations in which Sc. pombe 938 was involved, nearly all the malic acid was consumed from an initial concentration of 5.5 g/L, and moderate acetic acid concentrations below 0.4 g/L were formed. The urea content of these wines was notably lower, showing a tenfold reduction when compared with those that were made with S. cerevisiae 796 alone. The sensorial properties of the different final wines varied widely. The wines fermented with Sc. pombe 938 had maximum aroma intensity and quality, and they were preferred by the tasters.

  15. Protein concentrations of sweet soysauces from Rhizopus oryzae and R. oligosporus fermentation without moromi fermentation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    NOOR SOESANTI HANDAJANI

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available Soy sauce was produce from soybean that fermented with koji/tempeh fungi and thenfermented under salt solution or moromi fermentation. The objectives of this experiment was to compare of protein (total and soluble content of sweet soy sauce that produced from soybean fermented with Rhizopus oryzae and R. oligosporus without moromi fermentation to the sweet soysauce with moromi fermentation one. The total and soluble proteins of sweet soy sauces that produce from soybean without moromi fermentation were higher that sweet soy sauces that produce with moromi fermentation. Soluble protein of sweet soy sauce that produced from soybean fermented with R. oligosporus without moromi fermentation was 8.2% and meet to the highest quality of sweet soy sweet sauce based on Indonesia Industrial Standard. Soluble protein of sweet soy sauce that produced from soybean fermented with R. oryzae without moromi fermentation was 4.1% and meet to the medium quality of sweet soy sweet sauce based on Indonesia Industrial Standard.

  16. Structural mechanical and antibacterial properties of HPMC/SF-AgNPs nanocomposite films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harish, K. V.; Rao, B. Lakshmeesha; Asha, S.; Vipin, C.; Sangappa, Y.

    2018-04-01

    In the present study, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC) pure and HPMC/SF-AgNPs biopolymer nanocomposite films were prepared by simple solution casting method. The prepared nanocomposite films were characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy(UV-Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The mechanical properties of HPMC/SF-AgNPs nanocomposites were found to be decrease with increase in the AgNP's concentrations. The HPMC/SF-AgNPs nanocomposites showed very good antibacterial activity against human pathogens P. aeruginosa, E.coli, and S.aureus.

  17. Solid substrate fermentation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tengerdy, R P

    1985-04-01

    Solid Substrate Fermentation (SSF) describes the microbiological tranformation of biological materials in their natural state, in contrast with liquid or submerged fermentations which are carried out in dilute solutions or slurries. The most important industrial microorganisms used in SSF are filamentous fungi and the critical factors in their growth are the control of the moisture level and the temperature. Traditionally, most SSFs are conducted in shallow trays (so that heat build up is avoided) and stacked in a moist chamber, however, the modern SSF should be able to mix large amounts of substrate for a uniform fermentation, maximum automization scale-up of the process, continuous operation and fermentation control and a promising new design is the Helical screw fermenter. At the present time SSF is used in the production of foods (e.g. mushrooms and oriental foods) in municipal, agricultural and industrial solid waste disposal and in the production of enzymes and speciality chemicals but it does not seem likely that it will replace prevalent liquid fermentation technologies. 29 references.

  18. Defective quiescence entry promotes the fermentation performance of bottom-fermenting brewer's yeast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oomuro, Mayu; Kato, Taku; Zhou, Yan; Watanabe, Daisuke; Motoyama, Yasuo; Yamagishi, Hiromi; Akao, Takeshi; Aizawa, Masayuki

    2016-11-01

    One of the key processes in making beer is fermentation. In the fermentation process, brewer's yeast plays an essential role in both the production of ethanol and the flavor profile of beer. Therefore, the mechanism of ethanol fermentation by of brewer's yeast is attracting much attention. The high ethanol productivity of sake yeast has provided a good basis from which to investigate the factors that regulate the fermentation rates of brewer's yeast. Recent studies found that the elevated fermentation rate of sake Saccharomyces cerevisiae species is closely related to a defective transition from vegetative growth to the quiescent (G 0 ) state. In the present study, to clarify the relationship between the fermentation rate of brewer's yeast and entry into G 0 , we constructed two types of mutant of the bottom-fermenting brewer's yeast Saccharomyces pastorianus Weihenstephan 34/70: a RIM15 gene disruptant that was defective in entry into G 0 ; and a CLN3ΔPEST mutant, in which the G 1 cyclin Cln3p accumulated at high levels. Both strains exhibited higher fermentation rates under high-maltose medium or high-gravity wort conditions (20° Plato) as compared with the wild-type strain. Furthermore, G 1 arrest and/or G 0 entry were defective in both the RIM15 disruptant and the CLN3ΔPEST mutant as compared with the wild-type strain. Taken together, these results indicate that regulation of the G 0 /G 1 transition might govern the fermentation rate of bottom-fermenting brewer's yeast in high-gravity wort. Copyright © 2016 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Construct validity of SF-6D health state utility values in an employed population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baxter, Siyan; Sanderson, Kristy; Venn, Alison; Otahal, Petr; Palmer, Andrew J

    2015-04-01

    Health utility values permit cost utility analysis in workplace health promotion; however, utility measures of working populations have not been validated. To investigate construct validity of SF-6D health utility in a public service workforce. SF-12v2 Health Survey was administered to 3,408 randomly selected public service employees in Australia in 2010. SF-12 scores were converted to SF-6D health utility values. Associations and correlates of SF-6D with health, socio-demographic and work characteristics [comorbidities, body mass index (BMI), Kessler-10 psychological distress (K10), education, salary, effort-reward imbalance (ERI), absenteeism] were explored. Ceiling effects were analysed. Nationally representative employee SF-6D values from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey (n = 11,234) were compared. All analyses were stratified by sex. Mean (SE) age was 45.7 (0.35) males; 44.5 (0.22) females. Females represented 72 % of the sample. Mean (SE) health utility 0.792 (0.004); 0.771 (0.003) was higher in males. SF-6D demonstrated both a significant inverse association (p negative correlations (female; male) with K10 (r = -0.63; r = -0.66), comorbidity count (r = -0.40; r = -0.33), ERI (r = -0.37; r = -0.34) and absenteeism (p imbalance and absenteeism are negatively associated with employee health. SF-6D is a valid measure of perceived health states in working populations.

  20. Photodegradation of SF6 on polyisoprene surface: Implication on elimination of toxic byproducts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song Xiaoxiao; Liu Xingang; Ye Zhaolian; He Jincong; Zhang Renxi; Hou, Huiqi

    2009-01-01

    Photodegradation of SF 6 was performed on the surface of polyisoprene (PI) based on a brand new mechanism of 'controlled release of radicals'. Effective decomposition of SF 6 (60% of SF 6 was degraded in 4 h) was achieved due to the highly reductive radicals (mainly allylic radicals and excited C=C bond) which were generated from the photolysis of PI. No toxic fluoride was detected by FT-IR. The PI irradiated for 200 h in SF 6 circumstance was examined by XPS to be doped with fluorine and sulfur. Fouling due to photoinitiated polymerization on UV lamp was avoided because the radicals were released slowly. Photolysis of SF 6 in pure argon with the presence of irradiated PI showed kinetics of pseudo-first-order reaction and the degradation rate constant was 5.16 x 10 -5 s -1 . Factors which may affect the photolysis process such as introduction of O 2 and H 2 O were also examined.

  1. Citric acid fermentation by gamma ray induced mutants of Aspergillus niger in different carbohydrate media

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anjuman Ara Begum; Naiyyum Choudhury; Mohammad Serajul Islam (Institute of Food and Radiation Biology, Dacca (Bangladesh))

    1990-01-01

    A natural isolate of Aspergillus niger, CA16, and two of its second step mutants, 136/40 and 277/30, grown on different sugar substrates gave maximum citric acid yields of 34, 70, and 126 mg/ml respectively in sucrose medium. Combination of two sugars in the medium at 50% of each improved the yields of citric acid for the sucrose: glucose, glucose: sorbitol, glucose: xylose, and xylose: sorbitol combinations with the mutant strains. Inclusion of galactose in combinations decreased the citric acid yield. (author).

  2. Citric acid fermentation by gamma ray induced mutants of Aspergillus niger in different carbohydrate media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anjuman Ara Begum; Naiyyum Choudhury; Mohammad Serajul Islam

    1990-01-01

    A natural isolate of Aspergillus niger, CA16, and two of its second step mutants, 136/40 and 277/30, grown on different sugar substrates gave maximum citric acid yields of 34, 70, and 126 mg/ml respectively in sucrose medium. Combination of two sugars in the medium at 50% of each improved the yields of citric acid for the sucrose: glucose, glucose: sorbitol, glucose: xylose, and xylose: sorbitol combinations with the mutant strains. Inclusion of galactose in combinations decreased the citric acid yield. (author)

  3. Present and future environmental ''problems'' with SF6 and other fluorinated gases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brunt, R.J. Van

    1996-01-01

    Sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) is widely used as an insulating and arc interrupting gas in high-voltage systems and has found application in plasma processing of materials. However, SF 6 is known to decompose in electrical discharges to form toxic and corrosive gaseous compounds such as SOF 4 , SOF 2 , SO 2 F 2 , and HF. Of particular concern are the species S 2 F 10 and S 2 O 2 F 10 that are known to be highly toxic and to be formed in corona, spark, and arc discharges in high-pressure SF 6 . The conditions under which these byproducts are formed, the methods for removal, and the possible hazards that they present are reviewed. Sulfur hexafluoride is also an efficient absorber of infrared radiation and is estimated to have a global warning potential that is 2.5 x 10 4 times greater than that of CO 2 . Methods that have been proposed to control the use of SF 6 and reduce the rate of its release into the atmosphere will be examined. The advantages, disadvantages, and likely problems with finding technically feasible and environmentally acceptable replacements for SF 6 will be discussed

  4. Enzymes in Fermented Fish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giyatmi; Irianto, H E

    Fermented fish products are very popular particularly in Southeast Asian countries. These products have unique characteristics, especially in terms of aroma, flavor, and texture developing during fermentation process. Proteolytic enzymes have a main role in hydrolyzing protein into simpler compounds. Fermentation process of fish relies both on naturally occurring enzymes (in the muscle or the intestinal tract) as well as bacteria. Fermented fish products processed using the whole fish show a different characteristic compared to those prepared from headed and gutted fish. Endogenous enzymes like trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, and aminopeptidase are the most involved in the fermentation process. Muscle tissue enzymes like cathepsins, peptidases, transaminases, amidases, amino acid decarboxylases, glutamic dehydrogenases, and related enzymes may also play a role in fish fermentation. Due to the decreased bacterial number during fermentation, contribution of microbial enzymes to proteolysis may be expected prior to salting of fish. Commercial enzymes are supplemented during processing for specific purposes, such as quality improvement and process acceleration. In the case of fish sauce, efforts to accelerate fermentation process and to improve product quality have been studied by addition of enzymes such as papain, bromelain, trypsin, pepsin, and chymotrypsin. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Probiotic fermented dairy products

    OpenAIRE

    Adnan Tamime; Rajka Božanić; Irena Rogelj

    2003-01-01

    Fermented dairy products are the most popular vehicle used in theindustry for the implantation of the probiotic microflora in humans. Therefore this paper provides an overview of new knowledge on probiotic fermented dairy products. It involves historical developments, commercial probiotic microorganisms and products, and their therapeutic properties, possibilities of quality improvement of different types of newly developed fermented dairy products together with fermented goat’s milk products.

  6. Glycerol production by fermenting yeast cells is essential for optimal bread dough fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aslankoohi, Elham; Rezaei, Mohammad Naser; Vervoort, Yannick; Courtin, Christophe M; Verstrepen, Kevin J

    2015-01-01

    Glycerol is the main compatible solute in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. When faced with osmotic stress, for example during semi-solid state bread dough fermentation, yeast cells produce and accumulate glycerol in order to prevent dehydration by balancing the intracellular osmolarity with that of the environment. However, increased glycerol production also results in decreased CO2 production, which may reduce dough leavening. We investigated the effect of yeast glycerol production level on bread dough fermentation capacity of a commercial bakery strain and a laboratory strain. We find that Δgpd1 mutants that show decreased glycerol production show impaired dough fermentation. In contrast, overexpression of GPD1 in the laboratory strain results in increased fermentation rates in high-sugar dough and improved gas retention in the fermenting bread dough. Together, our results reveal the crucial role of glycerol production level by fermenting yeast cells in dough fermentation efficiency as well as gas retention in dough, thereby opening up new routes for the selection of improved commercial bakery yeasts.

  7. The K-SF-42

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aurelio José Figueredo

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the present article is to propose an alternative short form for the 199-item Arizona Life History Battery (ALHB, which we are calling the K-SF-42, as it contains 42 items as compared with the 20 items of the Mini-K, the short form that has been in greatest use for the past decade. These 42 items were selected from the ALHB, unlike those of the Mini-K, making direct comparisons of the relative psychometric performance of the two alternative short forms a valid and instructive exercise. A series of secondary data analyses were performed upon a recently completed five-nation cross-cultural survey, which was originally designed to assess the role of life history strategy in the etiology of interpersonal aggression. Only data from the ALHB that were collected in all five cross-cultural replications were used for the present analyses. The single immediate objective of this secondary data analysis was producing the K-SF-42 such that it would perform optimally across all five cultures sampled, and perhaps even generalize well to other modern industrial societies not currently sampled as a result of the geographic breadth of those included in the present study. A novel method, based on the use of the Cross-Sample Geometric Mean as a criterion for item selection, was used for generating such a cross-culturally valid short form.

  8. Ricostruzione di una scena urbana 3D utilizzando VisualSfM.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Inzerillo

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Le tecniche di computer vision oggi danno la possibilità di costruire in maniera rapida e automatica modelli 3D dettagliati a partire da dataset fotografici. La comunità accademica ha visto una crescente attenzione alla ricostruzione 3D a scala urbana. Tra i vari strumenti oggi a disposizione spicca VisualSfM sviluppato dall’università di Washingthon e Google. Si tratta di una Interfaccia grafica open source strutturata in algoritmi dedicati alla tecnica di Structure from Motion (SfM. VisualSfM utilizza un estrattore di features chiamato SIFTGPU e un algoritmo di Bundle Adjustment Multicore. Inoltre è possibile ottenere una nuvola di punti densa utilizzando gli algoritmi CMVS/PMVS2. La finalità di questo studio è di verificare l’accuratezza metrica delle ricostruzioni attraverso l’utilizzo integrato di VisualSfM e CMVS/PMVS2. L’approccio quindi è stato testato su diversi dataset di una certa entità strutturati da collezioni fotografiche ragionate. 

  9. Autodisplay of active sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) yields a whole cell biocatalyst for the synthesis of rare sugars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jose, Joachim; von Schwichow, Steffen

    2004-04-02

    Whole cell biocatalysts are attractive technological tools for the regio- and enantioselective synthesis of products, especially from substrates with several identical reactive groups. In the present study, a whole cell biocatalyst for the synthesis of rare sugars from polyalcohols was constructed. For this purpose, sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) from Rhodobacter sphaeroides, a member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family, was expressed on the surface of Escherichia coli using Autodisplay. Autodisplay is an efficient surface display system for Gram-negative bacteria and is based on the autotransporter secretion pathway. Transport of SDH to the outer membrane was monitored by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting of different cell fractions. The surface exposure of the enzyme could be verified by immunofluorescence microscopy and fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS). The activity of whole cells displaying SDH at the surface was determined in an optical test. Specific activities were found to be 12 mU per 3.3 x 10(8) cells for the conversion of D-glucitol (sorbitol) to D-fructose, 7 mU for the conversion D-galactitol to D-tagatose, and 17 mU for the conversion of L-arabitol to L-ribulose. The whole cell biocatalyst obtained by surface display of SDH could also produce D-glucitol from D-fructose (29 mU per 3.3 x 10(8) cells).

  10. Leptin and insulin engage specific PI3K subunits in hypothalamic SF1 neurons

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jong-Woo Sohn

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH regulates energy balance and glucose homeostasis. Leptin and insulin exert metabolic effects via their cognate receptors expressed by the steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1 neurons within the VMH. However, detailed cellular mechanisms involved in the regulation of these neurons by leptin and insulin remain to be identified. Methods: We utilized genetically-modified mouse models and performed patch-clamp electrophysiology experiments to resolve this issue. Results: We identified distinct populations of leptin-activated and leptin-inhibited SF1 neurons. In contrast, insulin uniformly inhibited SF1 neurons. Notably, we found that leptin-activated, leptin-inhibited, and insulin-inhibited SF1 neurons are distinct subpopulations within the VMH. Leptin depolarization of SF1 neuron also required the PI3K p110β catalytic subunit. This effect was mediated by the putative transient receptor potential C (TRPC channel. On the other hand, hyperpolarizing responses of SF1 neurons by leptin and insulin required either of the p110α or p110β catalytic subunits, and were mediated by the putative ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP channel. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that specific PI3K catalytic subunits are responsible for the acute effects of leptin and insulin on VMH SF1 neurons, and provide insights into the cellular mechanisms of leptin and insulin action on VMH SF1 neurons that regulate energy balance and glucose homeostasis. Author Video: Author Video Watch what authors say about their articles Keywords: Cellular mechanism, Conditional knockout mouse, Patch clamp technique, Functional heterogeneity, Homeostasis

  11. EFFECT OF FERMENTED CACAO POD SUPPLEMENTATION ON SHEEP RUMEN MICROBIAL FERMENTATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Wulandari

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this research was to improve beneficial value of cacao pod as sheep feedingredients comprising up to 50% total feed. This research was conducted in two stages. Stage 1 wascacao pod fermentation. Completely randomized design with 3x3 factorial patterns was used in thisstage, in which factor I was microbial inoculum dosage of 0%, 0.05% and 0.1% and factor II wasincubation period of 0, 3 and 6 days. Result demonstrated that six-day fermentation with 0.05%microbial inoculum could lower cacao NDF, ADF and theobromine. The optimum inoculum dosage andfermentation time from stage 1 was applied to stage 2. Stage 2 was rumen microbial fermentation test.This research administrated 3x3 of latin square design. In period I sheep were fed with CF0 (nonfermentedcomplete feed, in period II sheep were given CF 1 (complete feed containing fermentedcacao pod and in period III sheep were given CF2 (fermented complete feed based cacao pod. Resultdemonstrated that pH value of sheep microbial liquid in treatment of CF0, CF1 and CF2 was in normalpH range and did not affect volatile fatty acids (VFA and ammonia. In conclusion, supplementing up to 50% of feed with complete feed containing fermented or non-fermented cacao pod did not affect theprocess of rumen microbial fermentation.

  12. SF6-alternative gases for application in gas-insulated switchgear

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xingwen; Zhao, Hu; Murphy, Anthony B.

    2018-04-01

    The environmental problems caused by greenhouse gases have received unprecedented attention. Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), which is the preferred gas for use in gas-insulated switchgear (circuit breakers, disconnect switches, etc. for high-voltage electrical circuits), has a very high global warming potential, and there is a large international effort to find alternative gases. Recently, this effort has made important progress, with promising alternative gases being identified and tested. An overview, in particular the current state of the art, of the study of SF6-alternative gases is presented in the paper. The review focuses on the application of the SF6-alternative gases in gas-insulated switchgear, with detailed analysis of calculations and measurements of their basic physical properties, dielectric strengths, and arc-quenching capabilities. Finally, a discussion of and perspectives on current research and future research directions are presented.

  13. Relative gene transcription and pathogenicity of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli after long-term adaptation to acid and salt stress

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, Inger; Jespersen, Lene

    2010-01-01

    Relative gene transcription and virulence potential, as measured by a Caco-2 adhesion assay, were investigated for three enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) strains after long-term adaptation for 24 h to acid (BHI pH 5.5) and salt (BHI 4.5% (w/v) NaCl) stress. Five virulence genes (eae, lpf...... compared to EDL933 (O157:H7, raw hamburger). Long-term adaptation to salt stress significantly increased the adhesion of all three EHEC strains to Caco-2 compared to the non-stressed controls. The present study shows that long-term adaptation to food related stress factors such as acid and salt is capable...... of changing the relative transcription of important virulence and stress response genes and increasing the virulence potential as measured by adhesion to the human colonic epithelial cell line, Caco-2....

  14. Selection and characterisation of high ethanol tolerant ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    15% ethanol tolerance. High level ethanol tolerant Saccharomyces yeast, Orc 6, was investigated for its potential application in ethanologenic fermentations. Data presented in this study revealed that Orc 6 yeast isolate tolerated osmotic stress above 12% (w/v) sorbitol and 15% (w/v) sucrose equivalent of osmotic pressure ...

  15. Is there regional variation in the SF-36 scores of Canadian adults?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopman, Wilma M; Berger, Claudie; Joseph, Lawrence; Towheed, Tanveer; Anastassiades, Tassos; Tenenhouse, Alan; Poliquin, Suzette; Brown, Jacques P; Murray, Timothy M; Adachi, Jonathan D; Hanley, David A; Papadimitropoulos, Emmanuel A

    2002-01-01

    Canadian normative data for the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short form (SF-36) have recently been published. However, there is evidence from other countries to suggest that regional variation in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) may exist. We therefore examined the SF-36 data from nine Canadian centres for evidence of systematic differences. Bayesian hierarchical modelling was used to compare the differences in the eight SF-36 domains and the two summary component scores within each of the age and gender strata across the nine sites. Five domains and the two summary component scores showed little clinically important variation. Other than a small number of exceptions, there was little overall evidence of HRQOL differences across most domains and across most sites. Our finding of only a few small differences suggests that there is no need to develop region-specific Canadian normative data for the SF-36 health survey.

  16. A comparison between spectra of runaway electron beams in SF{sub 6} and air

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Cheng; Wang, Ruexue; Yan, Ping; Shao, Tao, E-mail: st@mail.iee.ac.cn [Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Key Laboratory of Power Electronics and Electric Drive, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Tarasenko, Victor [Institute of High Current Electronics, 2/3 Akademichesky Ave., Tomsk 634055 (Russian Federation); National Research Tomsk State University, 36 Lenin Ave., Tomsk 634050 (Russian Federation); Gu, Jianwei [Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Baksht, Evgenii [Institute of High Current Electronics, 2/3 Akademichesky Ave., Tomsk 634055 (Russian Federation)

    2015-12-15

    Runaway electron (RAE) with extremely high-energy plays important role on the avalanche propagation, streamer formation, and ionization waves in nanosecond-pulse discharges. In this paper, the generation of a supershort avalanche electron beam (SAEB) in SF{sub 6} and air in an inhomogeneous electric field is investigated. A VPG-30-200 generator with a pulse rise time of ∼1.6 ns and a full width at half maximum of 3–5 ns is used to produce RAE beams. The SAEBs in SF{sub 6} and air are measured by using aluminum foils with different thicknesses. Furthermore, the SAEB spectra in SF{sub 6} and air at pressures of 7.5 Torr, 75 Torr, and 750 Torr are compared. The results showed that amplitude of RAE beam current generated at the breakdown in SF{sub 6} was approximately an order of magnitude less than that in air. The energy of SAEB in air was not smaller than that in SF{sub 6} in nanosecond-pulse discharges under otherwise equal conditions. Moreover, the difference between the maximum energy of the electron distributions in air and SF{sub 6} decreased when the rise time of the voltage pulse increased. It was because the difference between the breakdown voltages in air and SF{sub 6} decreased when the rise time of the voltage pulse increased.

  17. Fermentation performance optimization in an ectopic fermentation system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xiaotong; Geng, Bing; Zhu, Changxiong; Li, Hongna; He, Buwei; Guo, Hui

    2018-07-01

    Ectopic fermentation systems (EFSs) were developed for wastewater treatment. Previous studies have investigated the ability of thermophilic bacteria to improve fermentation performance in EFS. Continuing this research, we evaluated EFS performance using principle component analysis and investigated the addition of different proportions of cow dung. Viable bacteria communities were clustered and identified using BOX-AIR-based repetitive extragenic palindromic-PCR and 16S rDNA analysis. The results revealed optimal conditions for the padding were maize straw inoculated with thermophilic bacteria. Adding 20% cow dung yielded the best pH values (6.94-8.56), higher temperatures, increased wastewater absorption, improved litter quality, and greater microbial quantities. The viable bacteria groups were enriched by the addition of thermophilic consortium, and exogenous strains G21, G14, G4-1, and CR-15 were detected in fermentation process. The proportion of Bacillus species in treatment groups reached 70.37% after fermentation, demonstrating that thermophilic bacteria, especially Bacillus, have an important role in EFS, supporting previous predictions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. The vapour pressure of water as a function of solute concentration above aqueous solutions of fructose, sucrose, raffinose, erythritol, xylitol, and sorbitol

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cooke, S.A.; Jonsdottir, Svava Osk; Westh, Peter

    2002-01-01

    The vapour pressure of water above an aqueous solution of sucrose at T = 298.06 K has been measured for 9 sucrose mole fractions up to 0.12. Vapour pressure measurements have also been made on aqueous solutions of meso-erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, fructose, and raffinose at T = 317.99 K...

  19. Electron-transport, ionization, attachment, and dissociation coefficients in SF6 and its mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Phelps, A.V.; Van Brunt, R.J.

    1988-01-01

    An improved set of electron-collision cross sections is derived for SF 6 and used to calculate transport, ionization, attachment, and dissociation coefficients for pure SF 6 and mixtures of SF 6 with N 2 , O 2 , and Ne. The SF 6 cross sections differ from previously published sets primarily at very low and high electron energies. At energies below 0.03 eV the attachment cross section is adjusted to fit recent electron swarm experiments, while the elastic momentum transfer cross section is increased to the theoretical limit. At high energies an allowance is made for the excitation of highly excited levels as observed in electron beam experiments. The cross-section sets used for the admixed gases have previously been published. Electron kinetic energy distributions computed from numerical solutions of the electron-transport (Boltzmann) equation using the two-term, spherical harmonic expansion approximation were used to obtain electron-transport and reaction coefficients as functions of E/N and the fractional concentration of SF 6 . Here E is the electric field strength and N is the gas number density. Attachment rate data for low concentrations of SF 6 in N 2 are used to test the attachment cross sections. Particular attention is given to the calculation of transport and reaction coefficients at the critical E/N = (E/N)/sub c/ at which the ionization and attachment rates are equal

  20. Glycerol production by fermenting yeast cells is essential for optimal bread dough fermentation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elham Aslankoohi

    Full Text Available Glycerol is the main compatible solute in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. When faced with osmotic stress, for example during semi-solid state bread dough fermentation, yeast cells produce and accumulate glycerol in order to prevent dehydration by balancing the intracellular osmolarity with that of the environment. However, increased glycerol production also results in decreased CO2 production, which may reduce dough leavening. We investigated the effect of yeast glycerol production level on bread dough fermentation capacity of a commercial bakery strain and a laboratory strain. We find that Δgpd1 mutants that show decreased glycerol production show impaired dough fermentation. In contrast, overexpression of GPD1 in the laboratory strain results in increased fermentation rates in high-sugar dough and improved gas retention in the fermenting bread dough. Together, our results reveal the crucial role of glycerol production level by fermenting yeast cells in dough fermentation efficiency as well as gas retention in dough, thereby opening up new routes for the selection of improved commercial bakery yeasts.

  1. A comparative study of glycerol and sorbitol as co-substrates in methanol-induced cultures of Pichia pastoris: temperature effect and scale-up simulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berrios, Julio; Flores, María-Olga; Díaz-Barrera, Alvaro; Altamirano, Claudia; Martínez, Irene; Cabrera, Zaida

    2017-03-01

    The production of recombinant proteins by Pichia pastoris under AOX1 promoter is usually performed using methanol together with either glycerol or sorbitol as co-substrate. Although both co-substrates have been widely used, comparative studies are scarce. In addition, these comparisons have been performed at different specific growth rate (µ) that it is well known that has an important effect on productivity. Thus, the effect of using these co-substrates on the production of Rhyzopus oryzae lipase (ROL) by P. pastoris was compared in continuous cultures growing at the same µ at either 22 or 30 °C. Results show that using glycerol as co-substrate led to higher volumetric productivities, and lower specific and volumetric methanol consumption rates. Scale-up simulation with 10-10,000 L bioreactor sizes indicated that glycerol produced the highest volumetric productivity of ROL with lower aeration requirements. Therefore, glycerol rises as a better option than sorbitol in ROL production.

  2. 48 CFR 53.236-2 - Architect-engineer services (SF's 252 and 330).

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Architect-engineer... ACQUISITION REGULATION (CONTINUED) CLAUSES AND FORMS FORMS Prescription of Forms 53.236-2 Architect-engineer...-engineer and related services: (a) SF 252 (Rev. 10/83), Architect-Engineer Contract. SF 252 is prescribed...

  3. Abnormal polarity effect in nanosecond-pulse breakdown of SF6 and nitrogen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shao, Tao; Tarasenko, Victor F.; Zhang, Cheng; Beloplotov, Dmitry S.; Yang, Wenjin; Lomaev, Mikhail I.; Zhou, Zhongsheng; Sorokin, Dmitry A.; Yan, Ping

    2014-01-01

    The breakdown of gas gaps in an inhomogeneous electric field at subnanosecond and nanosecond voltage pulse rise times are studied, and the famous polarity effect in point-to-plane gaps is investigated. It is shown that at a voltage pulse rise time of ∼0.5 ns, the inversion of polarity effect takes place not only in electronegative gases such as SF 6 , but also occurs in electropositive nitrogen. The inversion of polarity effect is related to a delay of electron emission from the plane cathode on arrival of the ionization wave front anode to the cathode. It is found that with a voltage pulse rise time of ∼0.5 ns, the inversion of polarity effect occurs at SF 6 and SF 6 –N 2 pressures of 0.25 MPa and lower, and with a voltage pulse rise time of 15 ns, at a SF 6 pressure lower than 0.12 MPa.

  4. An Efficient SF-ISF Approach for the Slepian-Wolf Source Coding Problem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tu Zhenyu

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available A simple but powerful scheme exploiting the binning concept for asymmetric lossless distributed source coding is proposed. The novelty in the proposed scheme is the introduction of a syndrome former (SF in the source encoder and an inverse syndrome former (ISF in the source decoder to efficiently exploit an existing linear channel code without the need to modify the code structure or the decoding strategy. For most channel codes, the construction of SF-ISF pairs is a light task. For parallelly and serially concatenated codes and particularly parallel and serial turbo codes where this appear less obvious, an efficient way for constructing linear complexity SF-ISF pairs is demonstrated. It is shown that the proposed SF-ISF approach is simple, provenly optimal, and generally applicable to any linear channel code. Simulation using conventional and asymmetric turbo codes demonstrates a compression rate that is only 0.06 bit/symbol from the theoretical limit, which is among the best results reported so far.

  5. Structure elucidation and quantification of impurities formed between 6-aminocaproic acid and the excipients citric acid and sorbitol in an oral solution using high-resolution mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schou-Pedersen, Anne Marie V; Cornett, Claus; Nyberg, Nils

    2015-01-01

    Concentrated solutions containing 6-aminocaproic acid and the excipients citric acid and sorbitol have been studied at temperatures of 50 °C, 60 °C, 70 °C and 80 °C as well as at 20 °C. It has previously been reported that the commonly employed citric acid is a reactive excipient, and it is there......Concentrated solutions containing 6-aminocaproic acid and the excipients citric acid and sorbitol have been studied at temperatures of 50 °C, 60 °C, 70 °C and 80 °C as well as at 20 °C. It has previously been reported that the commonly employed citric acid is a reactive excipient...... and cyclized 6-aminocaproic acid, i.e., caprolactam. No reaction products between d-sorbitol and 6-aminocaproic acid could be observed. 3-Hydroxy-3,4-dicarboxy-butanamide-N-hexanoic acid, dimer and caprolactam were also observed after storage at 20 °C for 3 months. The findings imply that an oral solution of 6...

  6. Identification and Molecular Characterisation of a Novel Mu-Like Bacteriophage, SfMu, of Shigella flexneri.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richa Jakhetia

    Full Text Available S. flexneri is the leading cause of bacillary dysentery in the developing countries. Several temperate phages originating from this host have been characterised. However, all S. flexneri phages known to date are lambdoid phages, which have the ability to confer the O-antigen modification of their host. In this study, we report the isolation and characterisation of a novel Mu-like phage from a serotype 4a strain of S. flexneri. The genome of phage SfMu is composed of 37,146 bp and is predicted to contain 55 open reading frames (orfs. Comparative genome analysis of phage SfMu with Mu and other Mu-like phages revealed that SfMu is closely related to phage Mu, sharing >90% identity with majority of its proteins. Moreover, investigation of phage SfMu receptor on the surface of the host cell revealed that the O-antigen of the host serves as the receptor for the adsorption of phage SfMu. This study also demonstrates pervasiveness of SfMu phage in S. flexneri, by identifying complete SfMu prophage strains of serotype X and Y, and remnants of SfMu in strains belonging to 4 other serotypes, thereby indicating that transposable phages in S. flexneri are not uncommon. The findings of this study contribute an advance in our current knowledge of S. flexneri phages and will also play a key role in understanding the evolution of S. flexneri.

  7. POD-1/Tcf21 overexpression reduces endogenous SF-1 and StAR expression in rat adrenal cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. M. França

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available During gonad and adrenal development, the POD-1/capsulin/TCF21transcription factor negatively regulates SF-1/NR5A1expression, with higher SF-1 levels being associated with increased adrenal cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. In adrenocortical tumor cells, POD-1 binds to the SF-1 E-box promoter region, decreasing SF-1 expression. However, the modulation of SF-1 expression by POD-1 has not previously been described in normal adrenal cells. Here, we analyzed the basal expression of Pod-1 and Sf-1 in primary cultures of glomerulosa (G and fasciculata/reticularis (F/R cells isolated from male Sprague-Dawley rats, and investigated whether POD-1 overexpression modulates the expression of endogenous Sf-1 and its target genes in these cells. POD-1 overexpression, following the transfection of pCMVMycPod-1, significantly decreased the endogenous levels of Sf-1 mRNA and protein in F/R cells, but not in G cells, and also decreased the expression of the SF-1 target StAR in F/R cells. In G cells overexpressing POD-1, no modulation of the expression of SF-1 targets, StAR and CYP11B2, was observed. Our data showing that G and F/R cells respond differently to ectopic POD-1 expression emphasize the functional differences between the outer and inner zones of the adrenal cortex, and support the hypothesis that SF-1 is regulated by POD-1/Tcf21 in normal adrenocortical cells lacking the alterations in cellular physiology found in tumor cells.

  8. SF6 laser remote sensing by CO2 laser DIAL lidar

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parvin, P.; Basam, Z.; Zamanipour, Z.; Kariminezhad, H.; Boyook, N.; Borna, F.; Azari, T.; Eshragi, N.; Ataran, A.; Ghods Ahmad Zadeh, R.

    2004-01-01

    A DIAL system using tunable CO 2 laser has been demonstrated practically for remote sensing of SF 6 components in Mashad Shahid Motahhari Research Complex. Non toxic components of SF 6 as a rare isotope is studied to calibrate the lidar function in several conditions. The whole system enables us to detect ppm amounts of chemical gases as well as pollutants and poisonous species

  9. Evaluation and cultural adaptation of a German version of the AIMS2-SF questionnaire (German AIMS2-SF).

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rosemann, T.J.; Korner, T.; Wensing, M.J.P.; Schneider, A.; Szecsenyi, J.

    2005-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to examine the validity of a translated and culturally adapted version of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2, Short Form (AIMS2-SF) in patients suffering from osteoarthritis (OA) in primary care. METHODS: A structured procedure was used for the translation

  10. Preparation and properties of 1-tetradecanol/1,3:2,4-di-(3,4-dimethyl) benzylidene sorbitol gelatinous form-stable phase change materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tian, Tuo; Song, Jian; Niu, Libo; Feng, Rongxiu

    2013-01-01

    Graphical abstract: The 1,3:2,4-di-(3,4-dimethyl) benzylidene sorbitol can self-assemble to form three-dimensional network and immobilized the 1-tetradecanol. As a result, the gel-to-sol transition temperature of the composite PCM increased and the 1-tetradecanol leakage decreased. Highlights: ► First used of 1,3:2,4-di-(3,4-dimethyl) benzylidene sorbitol in alcohol-based PCMs. ► A new method of doping with exfoliated graphite is presented. ► A possible mechanism for decreasing leakage has been proposed based on SEM results. ► The prepared composite PCMs showed a high-energy storage density. ► The addition of exfoliated graphite enhanced the thermal conductivity of the PCMs. - Abstract: A 1-tetradecanol (TD)/1,3:2,4-di-(3,4-dimethyl) benzylidene sorbitol (DMDBS) composite was prepared as a novel form-stable phase change material (PCM), and the properties of the composites such as the gel-to-sol transition temperature, the latent heat, the microstructure and the thermal storage performance were characterized. The composite was prepared by impregnating DMDBS into TD and the maximum feasible weight percentage of TD was determined to be 94.2 wt%. The gel-to-sol transition temperature of the composite PCM was 158.3–180.0 °C, which is well above the melting point of 1-tetradecanol. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) was used to determine the melting and freezing enthalpies of 1-tetradecanol in the composite PCM and the values are 218.5 and 215.3 J g −1 , respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that 1-tetradecanol dispersed in the three-dimensional network formed by DMDBS. The relationship between the amount of DMDBS additive and the leakage was also discussed. The thermal conductivity of the composite PCM was improved by doping with exfoliated graphite

  11. Fermentation performance of engineered and evolved xylose-fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sonderegger, M.; Jeppsson, M.; Larsson, C.

    2004-01-01

    Lignocellulose hydrolysate is an abundant substrate for bioethanol production. The ideal microorganism for such a fermentation process should combine rapid and efficient conversion of the available carbon sources to ethanol with high tolerance to ethanol and to inhibitory components in the hydrol......Lignocellulose hydrolysate is an abundant substrate for bioethanol production. The ideal microorganism for such a fermentation process should combine rapid and efficient conversion of the available carbon sources to ethanol with high tolerance to ethanol and to inhibitory components...... in the hydrolysate. A particular biological problem are the pentoses, which are not naturally metabolized by the main industrial ethanol producer Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Several recombinant, mutated, and evolved xylose fermenting S. cerevisiae strains have been developed recently. We compare here the fermentation...

  12. Synergistic Inhibition of Protein Fibrillation by Proline and Sorbitol: Biophysical Investigations.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sinjan Choudhary

    Full Text Available We report here interesting synergistic effects of proline and sorbitol, two well-known chemical chaperones, in the inhibition of fibrillation of two proteins, insulin and lysozyme. A combination of many biophysical techniques has been used to understand the structural morphology and modes of interaction of the chaperones with the proteins during fibrillation. Both the chaperones establish stronger polar interactions in the elongation and saturation stages of fibrillation compared to that in the native stage. However, when presented as a mixture, we also see contribution of hydrophobic interactions. Thus, a co-operative adjustment of polar and hydrophobic interactions between the chaperones and the protein surface seems to drive the synergistic effects in the fibrillation process. In insulin, this synergy is quantitatively similar in all the stages of the fibrillation process. These observations would have significant implications for understanding protein folding concepts, in general, and for designing combination therapies against protein fibrillation, in particular.

  13. Synergistic Inhibition of Protein Fibrillation by Proline and Sorbitol: Biophysical Investigations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choudhary, Sinjan; Save, Shreyada N; Kishore, Nand; Hosur, Ramakrishna V

    2016-01-01

    We report here interesting synergistic effects of proline and sorbitol, two well-known chemical chaperones, in the inhibition of fibrillation of two proteins, insulin and lysozyme. A combination of many biophysical techniques has been used to understand the structural morphology and modes of interaction of the chaperones with the proteins during fibrillation. Both the chaperones establish stronger polar interactions in the elongation and saturation stages of fibrillation compared to that in the native stage. However, when presented as a mixture, we also see contribution of hydrophobic interactions. Thus, a co-operative adjustment of polar and hydrophobic interactions between the chaperones and the protein surface seems to drive the synergistic effects in the fibrillation process. In insulin, this synergy is quantitatively similar in all the stages of the fibrillation process. These observations would have significant implications for understanding protein folding concepts, in general, and for designing combination therapies against protein fibrillation, in particular.

  14. Validade concorrente da versão Brasileira do SRS-22r com o Br-SF-36 Concurrent validity of the Brazilian version of SRS-22r with Br-SF-36

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giselle C. L. Rosanova

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO: A validade concorrente, relevante na adaptação transcultural, refere-se à relação entre o desempenho do instrumento de interesse e o desempenho de instrumento semelhante com validade conhecida. OBJETIVO: Realizar a validação concorrente da versão brasileira do questionário revisado da Scoliosis Research Society (Br-SRS-22r com a versão brasileira do Short Form-36 (Br-SF-36. MÉTODOS: Foram selecionados 54 pacientes com escoliose idiopática com média de 19,9 anos (±7,7 e curvaturas com média de 31,6° (±20,5° graus Cobb, variando entre 10º e 92º. Os questionários tiveram seus resultados convertidos em escores, e a análise estatística correlacionou os domínios concorrentes utilizando o cálculo de coeficiente de Spearman. RESULTADOS: Os domínios de melhor correlação foram função do Br-SRS-22r com função física do Br-SF-36 (r=0,83 e dor do Br-SRS-22r com dor do Br-SF-36 (r=0,86. Entretanto, os domínios autoimagem e satisfação com o tratamento do Br-SRS-22r apresentaram baixa correlação com seus domínios concorrentes do Br-SF-36. DISCUSSÃO: Houve uma correlação satisfatória entre os questionários, sendo que as melhores correlações indicam maior semelhança nos parâmetros avaliados entre os respectivos instrumentos. As melhores correlações foram as dos domínios função e dor, não ocorrendo em saúde mental, possivelmente devido às dificuldades de interpretação de suas questões no Br-SF-36. Para os domínios autoimagem e satisfação com o tratamento do Br-SRS-22r, a correlação é pouco satisfatória por não serem especificamente abordados pelo SF-36. CONCLUSÃO: A versão brasileira do SRS-22r apresentou resultados satisfatórios para a validação concorrente com o Br-SF-36, sendo considerada válida para a versão adaptada à cultura brasileira.BACKGROUND: An important parameter in cross-cultural adaptations, and concurrent validity are the relationships between the

  15. Effective Production of Sorbitol and Mannitol from Sugars Catalyzed by Ni Nanoparticles Supported on Aluminium Hydroxide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodiansono Rodiansono

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Effective production of hexitols (sorbitol and mannitol was achieved from sugars by means of nickel nanoparticles supported on aluminium hydroxide (NiNPs/AlOH catalyst. NiNPs/AlOH catalyst was prepared by a simple and benign environmentally procedure using less amount of sodium hydroxide. ICP-AES and XRD analyses confirmed that the NiNPs/AlOH catalysts comprised a large amount of remained aluminium hydroxide (i.e. bayerite and gibbsite. The presence of aluminium hydroxide caused a high dispersion Ni metal species. The average Ni crystallite sizes that derived from the Scherrer`s equation for former R-Ni and NiNPs/AlOH were 8.6 nm and 4.1 nm, respectively. The catalyst exhibited high activity and selectivity both hydrogenolysis of disaccharides (sucrose and cellobiose and monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, and xylose at 403 K for 24 h. The NiNPs/AlOH catalyst was found to be reusable for at least five consecutive runs without any significant loss of activity and selectivity. © 2013 BCREC UNDIP. All rights reservedReceived: 21st December 2012; Revised: 7th February 2013; Accepted: 10th February 2013[How to Cite: Rodiansono, R., Shimazu, S. (2013. Effective Production of Sorbitol and Mannitol from Sug-ars Catalyzed by Ni Nanoparticles Supported on Aluminium Hydroxide. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering & Catalysis, 8 (1: 40-46. (doi:10.9767/bcrec.8.1.4290.40-46][Permalink/DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.8.1.4290.40-46] | View in  |

  16. Effect of the percentage of SF sub 6 (100%-10%-5%) on the decomposition of SF sub 6 -N sub 2 mixtures under negative dc coronas in the presence of water vapour or oxygen

    CERN Document Server

    Díaz, J; Casanovas, J

    2003-01-01

    Low SF sub 6 content SF sub 6 -N sub 2 mixtures have recently been proposed as a replacement for pure SF sub 6 in the insulation of gas insulated lines (GIL). Among the areas of investigation of such gas mixtures, their electrical decomposition under corona discharges must be studied considering the possible occurrence of such stress in GIL. This paper presents data concerning the decomposition of high-pressure SF sub 6 -N sub 2 (5 : 95) mixtures (400 kPa) submitted to negative dc coronas in the absence or presence of 0.3% H sub 2 O or 0.3% O sub 2. The chemical stability of these mixtures is compared with that of SF sub 6 -N sub 2 (10 : 90) mixtures or undiluted SF sub 6 investigated in the same conditions in a previous paper. The corona discharges were generated with a point-to-plane set-up and the gaseous by-products were assayed by gas chromatography at the end of each run carried out over a range of transported charge covering 0-13 C. The following by-products were detected and assayed: SOF sub 4 , SO su...

  17. In vitro batch fecal fermentation comparison of gas and short-chain fatty acid production using "slowly fermentable" dietary fibers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaur, Amandeep; Rose, Devin J; Rumpagaporn, Pinthip; Patterson, John A; Hamaker, Bruce R

    2011-01-01

    Sustained colonic fermentation supplies beneficial fermentative by-products to the distal colon, which is particularly prone to intestinal ailments. Blunted/delayed initial fermentation may also lead to less bloating. Previously, we reported that starch-entrapped alginate-based microspheres act as a slowly fermenting dietary fiber. This material was used in the present study to provide a benchmark to compare to other "slowly fermentable" fibers. Dietary fibers with previous reports of slow fermentation, namely, long-chain inulin, psyllium, alkali-soluble corn bran arabinoxylan, and long-chain β-glucan, as well as starch-entrapped microspheres were subjected to in vitro upper gastrointestinal digestion and human fecal fermentation and measured over 48 h for pH, gas, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). The resistant fraction of cooked and cooled potato starch was used as another form of fermentable starch and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) served as a fast fermenting control. Corn bran arabinoxylan and long-chain β-glucan initially appeared slower fermenting with comparatively low gas and SCFA production, but later fermented rapidly with little remaining in the final half of the fermentation period. Long-chain inulin and psyllium had slow and moderate, but incomplete, fermentation. The resistant fraction of cooked and cooled potato starch fermented rapidly and appeared similar to FOS. In conclusion, compared to the benchmark slowly fermentable starch-entrapped microspheres, a number of the purported slowly fermentable fibers fermented fairly rapidly overall and, of this group, only the starch-entrapped microspheres appreciably fermented in the second half of the fermentation period. Consumption of dietary fibers, particularly commercial prebiotics, leads to uncomfortable feelings of bloating and flatulence due to their rapid degradation in our large intestine. This article employs claimed potential slowly fermenting fibers and compares their fermentation rates

  18. The evolution of Sf. Gheorghe (Danube asymmetric deltaic lobe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alfred VESPREMEANU-STROE

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available The wave asymmetric Sf. Gheorghe lobe is the only active in the Danube delta where river mouth bar (and the associated barrier islands and spits continuously deployed a cyclic development for almost two millennia. During first stage, the Sf. Gheorghe distributary had a small discharge (with an order of magnitude lower than present which after that experienced a rapid increase in consequence of the successive avulsions of Împuţita (southern distributary of Sulina arm and Dunavăţ distributaries. Our morphological analyses together with the newly obtained chronology, revealed the multiple ridgesets structure of Sf. Gheorghe deltaic lobe. In fact, all ridgesets (10 follow a common morphodynamic pattern characterized by the cyclic succession of three stages: i subaqueous mouth bar development, ii barrier island emergence, iii barrier spit phase with several secondary spits derived from an updrift trunk ridge. The size of each ridgeset increased exponentially with every new cycle due to the constant lengthening of the coastline as the downdrift side of the lobe advances seaward through a series of progressively larger similar quadrilaterals, yielding to a constant enlargment of the delta front size. 

  19. Acid-producing capacity from sugars and sugar alcohols among Lactobacillus isolates collected in connection with radiation therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almståhl, Annica; Rudbäck, Helena; Basic, Amina; Carlén, Anette; Alstad, Torgny

    2017-12-01

    To investigate the acid-producing capacity from sugars and sugar alcohols of oral Lactobacillus collected in connection with radiation therapy (RT) to the head and neck region. Lactobacillus were collected from the tongue, buccal mucosa and supragingival plaque in 24 patients before, during, and after RT. The acid-producing capacity of Lactobacillus isolates (n=211) was analyzed using a colorimetric fermentation test in microtiter plates. Solutions containing 2% sugars (sucrose, glucose, fructose, lactose) or sugar-alcohols (sorbitol and xylitol) were used. After 24h of incubation, bacterial acid-producing capacity was determined as strong (pH6). Data regarding intake frequency of sugar-rich products and products with sugar-alcohols was collected. The highest acid-producing capacity using the sugars was seen for isolates collected during RT. Sorbitol was fermented to a higher extent during and post RT, especially among isolates from plaque. Lactobacillus fermenting xylitol showed the highest acid-producing capacity during RT (psugar-rich products or sugar-alcohol containing products and Lactobacillus acid-producing capacity, were found. The results suggest that Lactobacillus isolates, collected from the tongue, buccal mucosa and supragingival plaque, have a higher acid-producing capacity using sugars and sugar-alcohols during RT than one year post RT. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Relationship between fermentation index and other biochemical changes evaluated during the fermentation of Mexican cocoa (Theobroma cacao) beans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romero-Cortes, Teresa; Salgado-Cervantes, Marco Antonio; García-Alamilla, Pedro; García-Alvarado, Miguel Angel; Rodríguez-Jimenes, Guadalupe del C; Hidalgo-Morales, Madeleine; Robles-Olvera, Víctor

    2013-08-15

    During traditional cocoa processing, the end of fermentation is empirically determined by the workers; consequently, a high variability on the quality of fermented cocoa beans is observed. Some physicochemical properties (such as fermentation index) have been used to measure the degree of fermentation and changes in quality, but only after the fermentation process has concluded, using dried cocoa beans. This would suggest that it is necessary to establish a relationship between the chemical changes inside the cocoa bean and the fermentation conditions during the fermentation in order to standardize the process. Cocoa beans were traditionally fermented inside wooden boxes, sampled every 24 h and analyzed to evaluate fermentation changes in complete bean, cotyledon and dried beans. The value of the fermentation index suggested as the minimal adequate (≥1) was observed at 72 h in all bean parts analyzed. At this time, values of pH, spectral absorption, total protein hydrolysis and vicilin-class globulins of fermented beans suggested that they were well fermented. Since no difference was found between the types of samples, the pH value could be used as a first indicator of the end of the fermentation and confirmed by evaluation of the fermentation index using undried samples, during the process. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

  1. Micro computer aided beam transport for the SF cyclotron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Honma, Toshihiro; Yamazaki, Tsutomu.

    1984-01-01

    An improvement of the beam transport system for the SF cyclotron is described. The system was designed to handle on-line alignment of the beam extracted from the SF cyclotron onto the optical axis of the transport line. It also enables to measure the beam emittance. The measurement of the emittance parameters is in particular necessary to calculate the beam optics. The calculation has been modified to become easy to handle. With the help of the computer-aided on-line beam profile measurement system, the operation of the beam transport system is very subservient to shorten the beam-tuning time and to improve the beam-transmission efficiency and the quality. (author)

  2. Low energy electron attachment to SF6 in N2, Ar, and Xe buffer gases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hunter, S.R.; Carter, J.G.; Christophorou, L.G.

    1989-01-01

    The electron attachment rate constants k/sub a/ for SF 6 have been measured in dilute mixtures of SF 6 in high pressure (>1 atm) N 2 , Ar, and Xe buffer gases at room temperature (T≅300 K) over a wide E/N range (electric field strength to gas number density ratio), corresponding to mean electron energies from near thermal electron energies (≅0.04 eV) to ≅4.3 eV. Particular attention has been paid to the effects of space charge distortion, molecular impurities, and changes in the electron energy distribution function on the measured electron attachment rate constant values at the lower E/N values in these mixtures. The present measured thermal electron attachment rate constants in SF 6 /N 2 and SF 6 /Xe gas mixtures are in excellent agreement with recent accurate measurements of these parameters in several SF 6 /buffer gas mixtures. At higher values, the present SF 6 /N 2 measurements are in fair agreement with previous measurements, while no previous measurements using Ar and Xe buffer gases have been published. These measurements have been used in numerical two term, spherical harmonic Boltzmann equation analyses of the electron motion in these gas mixtures to obtain the low energy ( 6 . The present derived electron attachment cross sections are compared with recently measured and derived nondissociative and dissociative electron attachment cross sections for SF 6

  3. Modelling ethanol production from cellulose: separate hydrolysis and fermentation versus simultaneous saccharification and fermentation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Drissen, R.E.T.; Maas, R.H.W.; Tramper, J.; Beeftink, H.H.

    2009-01-01

    In ethanol production from cellulose, enzymatic hydrolysis, and fermentative conversion may be performed sequentially (separate hydrolysis and fermentation, SHF) or in a single reaction vessel (simultaneous saccharification and fermentation, SSF). Opting for either is essentially a trade-off between

  4. Alcoholic fermentation of whey

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beach, A S; Holland, J W

    1958-09-10

    The lactose of whey and other milk products is rapidly fermented to ethanol by means of Candida pseudotropicalis strain XI. The fermentation is complete in about 12 hours and yields about 45% ethanol based on the weight of lactose. Conditions favoring the fermentation and inhibiting lactic acid production include pH 4.5, 30/sup 0/, and continuous aeration.

  5. Assessment of health-related quality of life in spine treatment: conversion from SF-36 to VR-12.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gornet, Matthew F; Copay, Anne G; Sorensen, Katrine M; Schranck, Francine W

    2018-02-28

    Health-related quality-of-life outcomes have been collected with the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Short Form 36 (SF-36) survey. Boston University School of Public Health has developed algorithms for the conversion of SF-36 to Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12) Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the conversion of the SF-36 to VR-12 PCS and MCS scores. Preoperative and postoperative SF-36 were collected from patients who underwent lumbar or cervical surgery from a single surgeon between August 1998 and January 2013. Short Form 36 PCS and MCS scores were calculated following their original instructions. The SF-36 answers were then converted to VR-12 PCS and MCS scores following the algorithm provided by the Boston University School of Public Health. The mean score, preoperative to postoperative change, and proportions of patients who reach the minimum detectable change were compared between SF-36 and VR-12. A total of 1,968 patients (1,559 lumbar and 409 cervical) had completed preoperative and postoperative SF-36. The values of the SF-36 and VR-12 mean scores were extremely similar, with score differences ranging from 0.77 to 1.82. The preoperative to postoperative improvement was highly significant (p36 and VR-12 scores. The mean change scores were similar, with a difference of up to 0.93 for PCS and up to 0.37 for MCS. Minimum detectable change (MDC) values were almost identical for SF-36 and VR-12, with a difference of 0.12 for PCS and up to 0.41 for MCS. The proportions of patients whose change in score reached MDC were also nearly identical for SF-36 and VR-12. About 90% of the patients above SF-36 MDC were also above VR-12 MDC. The converted VR-12 scores, similar to the SF-36 scores, detect a significant postoperative improvement in PCS and MCS scores. The calculated MDC values and the proportions of patients whose score improvement reach MDC are similar for

  6. Comparison of fermentation of diets of variable composition and microbial populations in the rumen of sheep and Rusitec fermenters. I. Digestibility, fermentation parameters, and microbial growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez, M E; Ranilla, M J; Tejido, M L; Ramos, S; Carro, M D

    2010-08-01

    Four ruminally and duodenally cannulated sheep and 8 Rusitec fermenters were used to determine the effects of forage to concentrate (F:C) ratio and type of forage in the diet on ruminal fermentation and microbial protein synthesis. The purpose of the study was to assess how closely fermenters can mimic the dietary differences found in vivo. The 4 experimental diets contained F:C ratios of 70:30 or 30:70 with either alfalfa hay or grass hay as the forage. Microbial growth was determined in both systems using (15)N as a microbial marker. Rusitec fermenters detected differences between diets similar to those observed in sheep by changing F:C ratio on pH; neutral detergent fiber digestibility; total volatile fatty acid concentrations; molar proportions of acetate, propionate, butyrate, isovalerate, and caproate; and amylase activity. In contrast, Rusitec fermenters did not reproduce the dietary differences found in sheep for NH(3)-N and lactate concentrations, dry matter (DM) digestibility, proportions of isobutyrate and valerate, carboxymethylcellulase and xylanase activities, and microbial growth and its efficiency. Regarding the effect of the type of forage in the diet, Rusitec fermenters detected differences between diets similar to those found in sheep for most determined parameters, with the exception of pH, DM digestibility, butyrate proportion, and carboxymethylcellulase activity. Minimum pH and maximal volatile fatty acid concentrations were reached at 2h and at 6 to 8h postfeeding in sheep and fermenters, respectively, indicating that feed fermentation was slower in fermenters compared with that in sheep. There were differences between systems in the magnitude of most determined parameters. In general, fermenters showed lower lactate concentrations, neutral detergent fiber digestibility, acetate:propionate ratios, and enzymatic activities. On the contrary, fermenters showed greater NH(3)-N concentrations, DM digestibility, and proportions of propionate

  7. Negative corona current pulses in argon and in mixture argon with SF6

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zahoranova, A.; Zahoran, M.; Bucek, A.; Cernak, M.; Bosko, J.

    2004-01-01

    Waveforms of the first negative current pulses in a short negative point-to plane gap in pure argon and argon with SF 6 admixture have been investigated with a nanosecond time resolution at a gas pressure 50 kPa as a function of applied gap voltage and content of SF 6 in the mixture. We have made an attempt to explain the differences in the discharge development in pure argon and in argon with admixture of SF 6 based on the observed changes of the pulse shape. The experimental results obtained will be discussed in context with existing computer simulation models (Authors)

  8. A study of the valence shell photoelectron and photoabsorption spectra of CF3SF5

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holland, D M P; Shaw, D A; Walker, I C; McEwen, I J; Apra, E; Guest, M F

    2005-01-01

    The outer valence shell photoelectron spectrum of CF 3 SF 5 has been studied experimentally and theoretically. Synchrotron radiation has been used to record angle-resolved outer valence shell photoelectron spectra of CF 3 SF 5 in the photon energy range 18-60 eV. These spectra have allowed photoelectron asymmetry parameters and branching ratios to be derived. The Outer Valence Green's Function approach has been employed to calculate the molecular orbital configuration and associated binding energies. A charge distribution analysis has also been obtained. Assignments have been proposed for the peaks observed in the photoelectron spectrum. The absolute photoabsorption cross section of CF 3 SF 5 has been measured from threshold to 40 eV, and strongly resembles that of SF 6 . Assignments, involving intravalence transitions, have been proposed for some of the principal features appearing in the photoabsorption spectrum of CF 3 SF 5

  9. Ethanol production in fermentation of mixed sugars containing xylose

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viitanen, Paul V [West Chester, PA; Mc Cutchen, Carol M [Wilmington, DE; Li,; Xu, [Newark, DE; Emptage, Mark [Wilmington, DE; Caimi, Perry G [Kennett Square, PA; Zhang, Min [Lakewood, CO; Chou, Yat-Chen [Lakewood, CO; Franden, Mary Ann [Centennial, CO

    2009-12-08

    Xylose-utilizing Z. mobilis strains were found to have improved ethanol production when grown in medium containing mixed sugars including xylose if sorbitol or mannitol was included in the medium. The effect was seen in concentrations of mixed sugars where no growth lag period occurs, as well as in higher sugars concentrations.

  10. A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON APOPTOSIS INDUCTION BY AZADIRACHTIN IN Spodoptera frugiperda CULTURED CELL LINE Sf9.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shu, Benshui; Wang, Wenxiang; Hu, Qingbo; Huang, Jingfei; Hu, Meiying; Zhong, Guohua

    2015-07-01

    The induction of apoptosis by azadirachtin, a well-known botanical tetranortriterpenoid isolated from the neem tree (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) and other members of the Meliaceae, was investigated in Spodoptera frugiperda cultured cell line (Sf9). Morphological changes in Sf9 cells treated by various concentrations of azadirachtin were observed at different times under light microscopy. Morphological and biochemical analysis indicated that Sf9 cells treated by 1.5 μg/mL azadirachtin showed typical morphological changes, which were indicative of apoptosis and a clear DNA ladder. The flow cytometry analysis showed the apoptosis rate reached a maximum value of 32.66% at 24 h with 1.5 μg/mL azadirachtin in Sf9 cells. The inhibition of Sf9 cell proliferation suggested that the effect of azadirachtin was dose dependent and the EC50 at 48 and 72 h was 2.727 × 10(-6) and 6.348 × 10(-9) μg/mL, respectively. The treatment of azadirachtin in Sf9 cells could significantly increase the activity of Sf caspase-1, but showed no effect on the activity of Topo I, suggesting that the apoptosis induced by azadirachtinin Sf9 cells is through caspase-dependent pathway. These results provided not only a series of morphological, biochemical, and toxicological comprehensive evidences for induction of apoptosis by azadirachtin, but also a reference model for screening insect cell apoptosis inducers from natural compounds. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Mechanism for negative corona current pulse in CO sub 2 -SF sub 6 mixtures

    CERN Document Server

    Zahoranova, A; Simor, M; Cernak, M

    2003-01-01

    Current waveforms of first negative corona pulses have been measured in CO sub 2 -SF sub 6 mixtures over a pressure range extending from 6.65 to 50 kPa and various overvoltages. Effects of changing cathode secondary electron emission were studied using a copper cathode coated by CuI and graphite. For a given set of experimental conditions it is concluded that in the mixtures containing up to 30% of SF sub 6 the negative corona pulse is associated with the formation of a cathode-directed streamer-like ionizing wave in the immediate vicinity of the cathode. This is in contrast to the discharge behaviour in air-SF sub 6 and N sub 2 -SF sub 6 mixtures, where in similar conditions the discharge develops according to a multi-avalanche Townsend mechanism. (rapid communication)

  12. Dynamics of infrared multiphonon dissociation of SF6 by molecular beam method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grant, E.R.; Coggiola, M.J.; Lee, Y.T.; Schulz, P.A.; Shen, Y.R.

    1977-01-01

    A crossed molecular beam apparatus has been adapted to study the dynamics of excitation and dissociation of polyatomic molecules in intense IR laser fields. Initial experiments have involved the study of the dissociation of SF 6 by CO 2 laser radiation at 10.6 μm. A molecular beam of SF 6 was formed by supersonic expansion using three stages of differential pumping. A grating tuned pulsed CO 2 TEA laser was used as the excitation source. The laser beam was focused by a 25 cm focal length ZnSe lens, and crossed the molecular beam near its focal point. The fragments produced by multiphonon dissociation of SF 6 within the small interaction region were detected as a function of recoil angle and velocity. (Auth.)

  13. TRADITIONAL FERMENTED FOODS OF LESOTHO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tendekayi H. Gadaga

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes the traditional methods of preparing fermented foods and beverages of Lesotho. Information on the preparation methods was obtained through a combination of literature review and face to face interviews with respondents from Roma in Lesotho. An unstructured questionnaire was used to capture information on the processes, raw materials and utensils used. Four products; motoho (a fermented porridge, Sesotho (a sorghum based alcoholic beverage, hopose (sorghum fermented beer with added hops and mafi (spontaneously fermented milk, were found to be the main fermented foods prepared and consumed at household level in Lesotho. Motoho is a thin gruel, popular as refreshing beverage as well as a weaning food. Sesotho is sorghum based alcoholic beverage prepared for household consumption as well as for sale. It is consumed in the actively fermenting state. Mafi is the name given to spontaneously fermented milk with a thick consistency. Little research has been done on the technological aspects, including the microbiological and biochemical characteristics of fermented foods in Lesotho. Some of the traditional aspects of the preparation methods, such as use of earthenware pots, are being replaced, and modern equipment including plastic utensils are being used. There is need for further systematic studies on the microbiological and biochemical characteristics of these these products.

  14. Fermentation of sugar-beet molasses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Malchenko, A L; Krishtul, F B

    1956-08-25

    Sugar-beet molasses is fermented with yeast separated from the mash, sterilized, and reactivated. To reduce sugar losses and hasten fermentation, the yeast is removed from the mash as the cells fall to the bottom during the fermentation process.

  15. Structure and equilibria of Ca 2+-complexes of glucose and sorbitol from multinuclear ( 1H, 13C and 43Ca) NMR measurements supplemented with molecular modelling calculations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pallagi, A.; Dudás, Cs.; Csendes, Z.; Forgó, P.; Pálinkó, I.; Sipos, P.

    2011-05-01

    Ca 2+-complexation of D-glucose and D-sorbitol have been investigated with the aid of multinuclear ( 1H, 13C and 43Ca) NMR spectroscopy and ab initio quantum chemical calculations. Formation constants of the forming 1:1 complexes have been estimated from one-dimensional 13C NMR spectra obtained at constant ionic strength (1 M NaCl). Binding sites were identified from 2D 1H- 43Ca NMR spectra. 2D NMR measurements and ab initio calculations indicated that Ca 2+ ions were bound in a tridentate manner via the glycosidic OH, the ethereal oxygen in the ring and the OH on the terminal carbon for the α- and β-anomers of glucose and for sorbitol simultaneous binding of four hydroxide moieties (C1, C2, C4 and C6) was suggested.

  16. Breakdown characteristics of SF6/N2 in severely non-uniform electric fields at low temperatures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Y.; Gao, Z. W.; Li, G. X.; Zhu, X. C.; Yu, C. L.; Liang, J. Q.; Li, L.

    2018-01-01

    SF6 has good electrical insulating properties, which is widely used as an insulating medium of GIS, GIL and other electrical equipment. However, the reliability of electrical equipments´ insulated gas is greatly challenged in cold areas, since SF6 more readily liquefies. To solve the problem, SF6 can be mixed with N2 to maintain the insulating properties, and reduce its liquefaction temperature. Such practice has certain application prospect. In this paper, a breakdown experimental platform was built to study the insulating property of SF6/N2 at low temperature, wherein the temperature of the platform can be adjusted. A severely non-uniform electric field was generated by a rod-plate electrode. The breakdown characteristics of SF6/N2 with different mixing proportions at low pressures and low temperatures were measured. The result showed that the mixed gas was not liquefied within the temperature range. Temperature had insignificant influence on the insulating property thereof. The result in the paper has certain guiding significance for applying SF6/N2 mixed gas in high latitude areas.

  17. [Construction of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains with espF gene deletion and complementation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hua, Ying; Sun, Qi; Wang, Xiangyu; DU, Yanli; Shao, Na; Zhang, Qiwei; Zhao, Wei; Wan, Chengsong

    2015-11-01

    To construct enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 strains with delection espF gene and its nucleotide fragment and with espF gene complementation. A pair of homologous arm primers was designed to amplify the gene fragment of kanamycin resistance, which was transformed into EHEC O157:H7 EDL933w strain via the PKD46 plasmid by electroporation. The replacement of the espF gene by kanamycin resistance gene through the PKD46-mediated red recombination system was confirmed by PCR and sequencing. The entire coding region of espF along with its nucleotide fragment was amplified by PCR and cloned into pBAD33 plasmid, which was transformed into a mutant strain to construct the strain with espF complementation. RT-PCR was used to verify the transcription of espF and its nucleotide fragment in the complemented mutant strain. We established EHEC O157:H7 EDL933w strains with espF gene deletion and with espF gene complementation. Both espF and its nucleotide fragment were transcribed in the complemented mutant strain. The two strains provide a basis for further study of the regulatory mechanism of espF.

  18. Psychometric validation of the SF-36® Health Survey in ulcerative colitis: results from a systematic literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yarlas, Aaron; Bayliss, Martha; Cappelleri, Joseph C; Maher, Stephen; Bushmakin, Andrew G; Chen, Lea Ann; Manuchehri, Alireza; Healey, Paul

    2018-02-01

    To conduct a systematic literature review of the reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness of the SF-36 ® Health Survey (SF-36) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). We performed a systematic search of electronic medical databases to identify published peer-reviewed studies which reported scores from the eight scales and/or two summary measures of the SF-36 collected from adult patients with UC. Study findings relevant to reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness were reviewed. Data were extracted and summarized from 43 articles meeting inclusion criteria. Convergent validity was supported by findings that 83% (197/236) of correlations between SF-36 scales and measures of disease symptoms, disease activity, and functioning exceeded the prespecified threshold (r ≥ |0.40|). Known-groups validity was supported by findings of clinically meaningful differences in SF-36 scores between subgroups of patients when classified by disease activity (i.e., active versus inactive), symptom status, and comorbidity status. Responsiveness was supported by findings of clinically meaningful changes in SF-36 scores following treatment in non-comparative trials, and by meaningfully larger improvements in SF-36 scores in treatment arms relative to controls in randomized controlled trials. The sole study of SF-36 reliability found evidence supporting internal consistency (Cronbach's α ≥ 0.70) for all SF-36 scales and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient ≥0.70) for six of eight scales. Evidence from this systematic literature review indicates that the SF-36 is reliable, valid, and responsive when used with UC patients, supporting the inclusion of the SF-36 as an endpoint in clinical trials for this patient population.

  19. Food Technologies: Fermentation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nout, M.J.R.

    2014-01-01

    Fermentation refers to the use of microorganisms to achieve desirable food properties in the fermented food or beverage. Although the word ‘fermentation’ indicates ‘anaerobic metabolism,’ it is also used in a broader sense to indicate all anaerobic and aerobic microbiological and biochemical

  20. Sugaring-out extraction of acetoin from fermentation broth by coupling with fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, Jian-Ying; Ma, Lin-Hui; Wang, Zhuang-Fei; Guan, Wen-Tian; Xiu, Zhi-Long

    2017-03-01

    Acetoin is a natural flavor and an important bio-based chemical which could be separated from fermentation broth by solvent extraction, salting-out extraction or recovered in the form of derivatives. In this work, a novel method named as sugaring-out extraction coupled with fermentation was tried in the acetoin production by Bacillus subtilis DL01. The effects of six solvents on bacterial growth and the distribution of acetoin and glucose in different solvent-glucose systems were explored. The operation parameters such as standing time, glucose concentration, and volume ratio of ethyl acetate to fermentation broth were determined. In a system composed of fermentation broth, glucose (100%, m/v) and two-fold volume of ethyl acetate, nearly 100% glucose was distributed into bottom phase, and 61.2% acetoin into top phase without coloring matters and organic acids. The top phase was treated by vacuum distillation to remove solvent and purify acetoin, while the bottom phase was used as carbon source to produce acetoin in the next batch of fermentation.

  1. Prediction on dielectric strength and boiling point of gaseous molecules for replacement of SF6.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Xiaojuan; Hou, Hua; Wang, Baoshan

    2017-04-15

    Developing the environment-friendly insulation gases to replace sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) has attracted considerable experimental and theoretical attentions but without success. A computational methodology was presented herein for prediction on dielectric strength and boiling point of arbitrary gaseous molecules in the purpose of molecular design and screening. New structure-activity relationship (SAR) models have been established by combining the density-dependent properties of the electrostatic potential surface, including surface area and the statistical variance of the surface potentials, with the molecular properties including polarizability, electronegativity, and hardness. All the descriptors in the SAR models were calculated using density functional theory. The substitution effect of SF 6 by various functional groups was studied systematically. It was found that CF 3 is the most effective functional group to improve the dielectric strength due to the large surface area and polarizability. However, all the substitutes exhibit higher boiling points than SF 6 because the molecular hardness decreases. The balance between E r and T b could be achieved by minimizing the local polarity of the molecules. SF 5 CN and SF 5 CFO were found to be the potent candidates to replace SF 6 in view of their large dielectric strengths and low boiling points. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Xylose fermentation to ethanol

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McMillan, J.D.

    1993-01-01

    The past several years have seen tremendous progress in the understanding of xylose metabolism and in the identification, characterization, and development of strains with improved xylose fermentation characteristics. A survey of the numerous microorganisms capable of directly fermenting xylose to ethanol indicates that wild-type yeast and recombinant bacteria offer the best overall performance in terms of high yield, final ethanol concentration, and volumetric productivity. The best performing bacteria, yeast, and fungi can achieve yields greater than 0.4 g/g and final ethanol concentrations approaching 5%. Productivities remain low for most yeast and particularly for fungi, but volumetric productivities exceeding 1.0 g/L-h have been reported for xylose-fermenting bacteria. In terms of wild-type microorganisms, strains of the yeast Pichia stipitis show the most promise in the short term for direct high-yield fermentation of xylose without byproduct formation. Of the recombinant xylose-fermenting microorganisms developed, recombinant E. coli ATTC 11303 (pLOI297) exhibits the most favorable performance characteristics reported to date.

  3. The Brewing Process: Optimizing the Fermentation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teodora Coldea

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Beer is a carbonated alcoholic beverage obtained by alcoholic fermentation of malt wort boiled with hops. Brown beer obtained at Beer Pilot Station of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca was the result of a recipe based on blond, caramel and black malt in different proportions, water, hops and yeast. This study aimed to monitorize the evolution of wort in primary and secondary alcoholic fermentation in order to optimize the process. Two wort batches were assambled in order to increase the brewing yeast fermentation performance. The primary fermentation was 14 days, followed by another 14 days of secondary fermentation (maturation. The must fermentation monitoring was done by the automatic FermentoStar analyzer. The whole fermentation process was monitorized (temperature, pH, alcohol concentration, apparent and total wort extract.

  4. Copper-zinc electrodeposition in alkaline-sorbitol medium: Electrochemical studies and structural, morphological and chemical composition characterization

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Almeida, M. R. H.; Barbano, E. P.; de Carvalho, M. F.; Tulio, P. C.; Carlos, I. A.

    2015-04-01

    The galvanostatic technique was used to analyze the electrodeposition of Cu-Zn on to AISI 1010 steel electrode from an alkaline-sorbitol bath with various proportions of the metal ions in the bath: Cu70/Zn30, Cu50/Zn50 and Cu30/Zn70. Coloration of Cu-Zn films were whitish golden, light golden, golden/gray depending on the Cu2+/Zn2+ ratios in the electrodeposition bath, deposition current density (jdep) and charge density (qdep). The highest current efficiency was ∼54.0%, at jdep -1.0 mA cm-2 and qdep 0.40 C cm-2 in the Cu70/Zn30 bath. Energy dispersive spectroscopy indicated that electrodeposits produced from the bath Cu70/Zn30 showed higher Cu content at lower jdep. Also, for same jdep the Cu content increased with qdep. Scanning electron microscopy showed that Cu-Zn electrodeposits of high quality were obtained from the Cu70/Zn30 bath, since the films were fine-grained, except the obtained at jdep -20.0 mA cm-2 and qdep 10.0 C cm-2. Also, these electrodeposits did not present cracks. X-ray analysis of the Cu-Zn electrodeposits obtained at jdep -8.0, -20.0 and -40.0 mA cm-2, in each case, with qdep 2.0 and 10.0 C cm-2, in the Cu70/Zn30 bath, suggested the occurrence of a mixture of the following phases, CuZn, CuZn5 and Cu5Zn8. Galvanostatic electrodeposits of Cu-Zn obtained from sorbitol-alkaline baths exhibited whitish golden color, with good prospects for industrial applications, especially for decorative purposes.

  5. 27 CFR 24.197 - Production by fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Production by fermentation... fermentation. In producing special natural wine by fermentation, flavoring materials may be added before or during fermentation. Special natural wine produced by fermentation may be ameliorated in the same manner...

  6. Interfacial enhancement of polypropylene composites modified with sorbitol derivatives and siloxane-silsesquioxane resin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobrzyńska-Mizera, Monika; Dutkiewicz, Michał; Sterzyński, Tomasz; Di Lorenzo, Maria Laura

    2015-12-01

    Composites based on polypropylene (iPP) modified with a sorbitol derivative (NX8000) and siloxane-silsesquioxane resin (SiOPh) containing maleated polypropylene (MAPP) as compatibilizer were prepared by melt extrusion. Calorimetric investigations were carried out using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), whereas the morphological and mechanical properties were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and static tensile tests. DSC measurements revealed no influence of SiOPh and a slight effect of MAPP addition on the crystallization kinetics of polypropylene. Additionally, the introduction of MAPP into the iPP+NX8000+SiOPh composites increased plastic properties of the samples. All the above was attributed to the compatibilizing effect of MAPP which improved interfacial adhesion between iPP, NX8000 and SiOPh. This phenomenon was also confirmed by the SEM images illustrating more homogenous distribution of the filler in the compatibilized samples.

  7. Protein crowding in solution, frozen and freeze-dried states: small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering study of lysozyme/sorbitol/water systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krueger, Susan; Khodadadi, Sheila; Clark, Nicholas; McAuley, Arnold; Cristiglio, Viviana; Theyencheri, Narayanan; Curtis, Joseph; Shalaev, Evgenyi

    2015-03-01

    For effective preservation, proteins are often stored as frozen solutions or in glassy states using a freeze-drying process. However, aggregation is often observed after freeze-thaw or reconstitution of freeze-dried powder and the stability of the protein is no longer assured. In this study, small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering (SANS and SAXS) have been used to investigate changes in protein-protein interaction distances of a model protein/cryoprotectant system of lysozyme/sorbitol/water, under representative pharmaceutical processing conditions. The results demonstrate the utility of SAXS and SANS methods to monitor protein crowding at different stages of freezing and drying. The SANS measurements of solution samples showed at least one protein interaction peak corresponding to an interaction distance of ~ 90 Å. In the frozen state, two protein interaction peaks were observed by SANS with corresponding interaction distances at 40 Å as well as 90 Å. On the other hand, both SAXS and SANS data for freeze-dried samples showed three peaks, suggesting interaction distances ranging from ~ 15 Å to 170 Å. Possible interpretations of these interaction peaks will be discussed, as well as the role of sorbitol as a cryoprotectant during the freezing and drying process.

  8. Influence of methanol/sorbitol co-feeding rate on pAOX1 induction in a Pichia pastoris Mut+ strain in bioreactor with limited oxygen transfer rate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carly, F; Niu, H; Delvigne, F; Fickers, P

    2016-04-01

    High Pichia pastoris biomass density could be obtained using high co-feeding rate of methanol and sorbitol in a fed-batch or continuous culture, while further higher feeding rate finally leads to oxygen limitation in bioreactor. In the literature, there is lack of report about AOX1 promoter regulation with regard to dissolved oxygen level (DO). Therefore, in this work, chemostat cultures were performed to investigate the cell growth, metabolism and regulation of the AOX1 promoter (pAOX1) regarding co-feeding rate of optimized methanol/sorbitol mixture (methanol fraction 0.60 C-mol/C-mol) using a P. pastoris Mut+/pAOX1-lacZ strain. The oxygen transfer rates (OTR) in bioreactor were kept in the range of typical values of large bioreactor, i.e., 4-8 g/(L h) if DO equals 30 % saturation or 5-10 g/(L h) if DO nears zero. For DO >0, an increase of the carbon fed led to an increase of pAOX1 induction. By contrast, when dissolved oxygen was completely depleted, methanol accumulated, causing a 30 % decrease of pAOX1 induction. However, this decrease is more likely to be lined to methanol accumulation than to low level of dissolved oxygen (sorbitol co-feeding allowed cells to adapt to oxygen transient limitations that often occur at industrial scale with reduced effect on pAOX1 induction. The optimal feeding rate tested here was 6.6 mmol C (DCW h)(-1) at an OTR of 8.28 g O2(L h)(-1) with over fivefold pAOX1 induction (probably directly associated with target protein productivity) compared with previous work.

  9. Anaerobic xylose fermentation by Spathaspora passalidarum

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hou, Xiaoru

    2012-01-01

    A cost-effective conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into bioethanol requires that the xylose released from the hemicellulose fraction (20–40% of biomass) can be fermented. Baker’s yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, efficiently ferments glucose but it lacks the ability to ferment xylose. Xylose-fermenting...... yeast such as Pichia stipitis requires accurately controlled microaerophilic conditions during the xylose fermentation, rendering the process technically difficult and expensive. In this study, it is demonstrated that under anaerobic conditions Spathaspora passalidarum showed high ethanol production...

  10. Fermentation of melon seeds for “Ogiri egusi” as affected by fermentation variables using Bacillus subtilis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ogueke, C. C.

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Aims: Manipulation of fermentation variables during ‘Ogiri egusi’ production using Bacillus subtilis was studied with the view to improving the fermentation process and quality of product. The variables studied were relative humidity (RH, temperature and pore size of wrapping material. Methodology and results: Effect of variables on amino nitrogen, pH and peroxide value was determined on 24 h basis for 96 h. Attempt on optimization of process using response surface method was made. Amino nitrogen increased with fermentation time, the highest value (6.25 mg N/g being obtained from sample fermented at 75% RH, temperature 35 °C and 90 µm pore size of wrapping material. Fermentation attained its peak at 48 h fermentation time. pH increased into the alkaline range within the period, the highest value (7.81 being from sample that gave the highest amount of amino nitrogen. Peroxide values obtained in all samples were far below the recommended value of 30 Meq/kg. However, the highest value (4.16 Keq/kg was obtained in sample fermented at 85% RH, temperature 30 °C and 70 µm pore size of wrapper. Statistical analysis and response surface plots associated with analysis showed that the quadratic effect of variables was significant (p = 0.05. Effects of relative humidity and pore size of wrapping material were also significant and accounted for 99.56% of the amino nitrogen variation. Conclusion, significance and impact study: Manipulation of the fermentation variables significantly improved the process. Thus use of response surface method optimized the fermentation process especially the effects of relative humidity and pore size of wrapping materials. The suggested combination of variables for optimum fermentation is 75% RH, temperature 35 °C and 70 µm pore size of wrapper. This ultimately will improve product quality and reduce fermentation time.

  11. Snit: SF frem, NA og EL under spærregrænsen

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Søren Risbjerg

    2008-01-01

    NYHED: SF fortsætter fremgangen, mens såvel NA som EL er røget under spærregrænsen i det nye vejede snit af meningsmålinger. Udgivelsesdato: 6. januar......NYHED: SF fortsætter fremgangen, mens såvel NA som EL er røget under spærregrænsen i det nye vejede snit af meningsmålinger. Udgivelsesdato: 6. januar...

  12. Fermentative hydrogen production by the new marine Pantoea agglomerans isolated from the mangrove sludge

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu, Daling [College of Marine Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457 (China); Wang, Guangce [College of Marine Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457 (China); Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071 (China); Qiao, Hongjin; Cai, Jinling [Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071 (China)

    2008-11-15

    A new fermentative hydrogen-producing bacterium was isolated from mangrove sludge and identified as Pantoea agglomerans using light microscopic examination, biological tests and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The isolated bacterium, designated as P. agglomerans BH-18, is a new strain that has never been optimized as a potential hydrogen-producing bacterium. In this study, the culture conditions and the hydrogen-producing ability of P. agglomerans BH-18 were examined. The strain was a salt-tolerant facultative anaerobe with the initial optimum pH value at 8.0-9.0 and temperature at 30 C on cell growth. During fermentation, hydrogen started to evolve when cell growth entered late-exponential phase and was mainly produced in the stationary phase. The strain was able to produce hydrogen over a wide range of initial pH from 5 to 10, with an optimum initial pH of 6. The level of hydrogen production was affected by the initial glucose concentration, and the optimum value was found to be 10 g glucose/l. The maximum hydrogen-producing yield (2246 ml/l) and overall hydrogen production rate (160 ml/l/h) were obtained at an initial glucose concentration of 10 g/l and an initial pH value of 7.2 in marine culture conditions. In particular, the level of hydrogen production was also affected by the salt concentration. Hydrogen production reached a higher level in fresh culture conditions than in marine ones. In marine conditions, hydrogen productivity was 108 ml/l/h at an initial glucose concentration of 20 g/l and pH value of 7.2, whereas, it increased by 27% in fresh conditions. In addition, this strain could produce hydrogen using glucose and many other carbon sources such as fructose, sucrose, sorbitol and so on. As a result, it is possible that P. agglomerans BH-18 is used for biohydrogen production and biological treatment of mariculture wastewater and marine organic waste. (author)

  13. Fermentative alcohol production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilke, Charles R.; Maiorella, Brian L.; Blanch, Harvey W.; Cysewski, Gerald R.

    1982-01-01

    An improved fermentation process for producing alcohol which includes the combination of vacuum fermentation and vacuum distillation. Preferably, the vacuum distillation is carried out in two phases, one a fermentor proper operated at atmospheric pressure and a flash phase operated at reduced pressure with recycle of fermentation brew having a reduced alcohol content to the fermentor, using vapor recompression heating of the flash-pot recycle stream to heat the flash-pot or the distillation step, and using "water load balancing" (i.e., the molar ratio of water in the fermentor feed is the same as the molar ratio of water in the distillation overhead).

  14. Normative data and discriminative properties of short form 36 (SF-36 in Turkish urban population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akvardar Yildiz

    2006-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background SF-36 has been both translated into different languages and adapted to different cultures to obtain comparable data on health status internationally. However there have been only a limited number of studies focused on the discriminative ability of SF-36 regarding social and disease status in developing countries. The aim of this study was to obtain population norms of the short form 36 (SF-36 health survey and the association of SF-36 domains with demographic and socioeconomic variables in an urban population in Turkey. Methods A cross-sectional study. Face to face interviews were carried out with a sample of households. The sample was systematically selected from two urban Health Districts in Izmir, Turkey. The study group consisted of 1,279 people selected from a study population of 46,290 people aged 18 and over. Results Internal consistencies of the scales were high, with the exception of mental health and vitality. Physical health scales were associated with both age and gender. On the other hand, mental health scales were less strongly associated with age and gender. Women reported poorer health compared to men in general. Social risk factors (employment status, lower education and economic strain were associated with worse health profiles. The SF-36 was found to be capable of discriminating disease status. Conclusion Our findings, cautiously generalisable to urban population, suggest that the SF-36 can be a valuable tool for studies on health outcomes in Turkish population. SF-36 may also be a promising measure for research on health inequalities in Turkey and other developing countries.

  15. Commercial Biomass Syngas Fermentation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James Daniell

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The use of gas fermentation for the production of low carbon biofuels such as ethanol or butanol from lignocellulosic biomass is an area currently undergoing intensive research and development, with the first commercial units expected to commence operation in the near future. In this process, biomass is first converted into carbon monoxide (CO and hydrogen (H2-rich synthesis gas (syngas via gasification, and subsequently fermented to hydrocarbons by acetogenic bacteria. Several studies have been performed over the last few years to optimise both biomass gasification and syngas fermentation with significant progress being reported in both areas. While challenges associated with the scale-up and operation of this novel process remain, this strategy offers numerous advantages compared with established fermentation and purely thermochemical approaches to biofuel production in terms of feedstock flexibility and production cost. In recent times, metabolic engineering and synthetic biology techniques have been applied to gas fermenting organisms, paving the way for gases to be used as the feedstock for the commercial production of increasingly energy dense fuels and more valuable chemicals.

  16. Influence of aeration in the fermentative activity of Kloeckera apiculata during fermentation of apple juice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Estela Escalante, Waldir D; Rychtera, Mojmir; Melzoch, Karel; Guerrero Ochoa, Manuel R

    2012-01-01

    The influence of aeration on the fermentative activity of Kloeckera apiculata RIVE 9-2-1 was studied in order to evaluate the production of metabolites of the fermentation. To achieve this, the strain was cultured in Erlenmeyer flasks containing sterilized and aroma removed apple juice, and the chemical compounds produced during fermentation in shaken (200 min-1) and static (without agitation) cultivation were determined. The results showed that the agitation of the culture medium increases production of higher alcohols (till 591.0 mg/L) compared to static cultivation, whereas on the contrary, the production of acetic acid, ethyl acetate and glycerol (260.0 ± 11.0 mg/L, 196.0 ± 10.0 mg/L y 2.6±0.2 g/L) were higher compared to shaken cultivation (222.0 ± 8.0 mg/L, 96.0 ± 4.5 mg/L and 1.8 ± 0.2 g/L) respectively. Batch cultivations carried out in bioreactor with air flux of 25 l/h reported a growth rate μ of 0.17 h-1, production of ethanol (12.5 ± 2.0 g/L) and other compounds typically produced during alcoholic fermentation. The concentration of dissolved oxygen in the fermentation medium affects its metabolism thus; insufficient amounts of oxygen would provoke a respirofermentative metabolism. The best results in terms of organoleptic quality of the fermented beverage regarding to aroma, taste and flavor was obtained when fermented in static cultivation. The control of aeration during fermentation can be used to control the synthesis of chemical compounds of sensory impact in the production of fermented beverages.

  17. Screening test of relays used under pressurized sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kutsukake, Kenichi; Matsuda, Makoto; Hanashima, Susumu; Obara, Kenjiro

    2008-01-01

    Many measurement and control devices inside of a high voltage terminal of the JAEA-Tokai tandem accelerator are operated under pressurized sulfur hexafluoride gas (SF 6 ) of 0.5 MPa. This screening test has been carried out to select a relay, which is usable under the pressurized SF 6 for turn on and off a large current of the devices, from commercial relays used in the atmospheric condition. Four kinds of relays were tested: electromechanical relay (EMR), magnet contactor (MAG), solid-state relay (SSR) and hybrid relay (HYB). Temperature and appearance changes of the relay were collected as measurement items. In addition, a reason of contact trouble of the relays was considered from the results of qualitative elementary analysis and observation of the contact surface using the EDS (energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) and the SEM (scanning electron microscope). As a result, the EMR and the MAG showed irregular contact in spite of input voltage and electric current had fed to an operational coil of the relay normally. It is caused by the sulfide or fluoride compounds, which were formed by chemical reaction between metals and sulfur or hydrogen fluoride due to dissociation of SF 6 in electric arcs. On the other hand, the performance of the SSR and the HYB is better than the EMR and the MAG, and it was found that these relays are available in the pressurized SF 6 of 0.5MPa in spite of the standard specification. (author)

  18. PROMIS PF CAT Outperforms the ODI and SF-36 Physical Function Domain in Spine Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brodke, Darrel S; Goz, Vadim; Voss, Maren W; Lawrence, Brandon D; Spiker, William Ryan; Hung, Man

    2017-06-15

    The Oswestry Disability Index v2.0 (ODI), SF36 Physical Function Domain (SF-36 PFD), and PROMIS Physical Function CAT v1.2 (PF CAT) questionnaires were prospectively collected from 1607 patients complaining of back or leg pain, visiting a university-based spine clinic. All questionnaires were collected electronically, using a tablet computer. The aim of this study was to compare the psychometric properties of the PROMIS PF CAT with the ODI and SF36 Physical Function Domain in the same patient population. Evidence-based decision-making is improved by using high-quality patient-reported outcomes measures. Prior studies have revealed the shortcomings of the ODI and SF36, commonly used in spine patients. The PROMIS Network has developed measures with excellent psychometric properties. The Physical Function domain, delivered by Computerized Adaptive Testing (PF CAT), performs well in the spine patient population, though to-date direct comparisons with common measures have not been performed. Standard Rasch analysis was performed to directly compare the psychometrics of the PF CAT, ODI, and SF36 PFD. Spearman correlations were computed to examine the correlations of the three instruments. Time required for administration was also recorded. One thousand six hundred seven patients were administered all assessments. The time required to answer all items in the PF CAT, ODI, and SF-36 PFD was 44, 169, and 99 seconds. The ceiling and floor effects were excellent for the PF CAT (0.81%, 3.86%), while the ceiling effects were marginal and floor effects quite poor for the ODI (6.91% and 44.24%) and SF-36 PFD (5.97% and 23.65%). All instruments significantly correlated with each other. The PROMIS PF CAT outperforms the ODI and SF-36 PFD in the spine patient population and is highly correlated. It has better coverage, while taking less time to administer with fewer questions to answer. 2.

  19. Measuring physical and mental health using the SF-12: implications for community surveys of mental health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Windsor, Timothy D; Rodgers, Bryan; Butterworth, Peter; Anstey, Kaarin J; Jorm, Anthony F

    2006-09-01

    The effects of using different approaches to scoring the SF-12 summary scales of physical and mental health were examined with a view to informing the design and interpretation of community-based survey research. Data from a population-based study of 7485 participants in three cohorts aged 20-24, 40-44 and 60-64 years were used to examine relationships among measures of physical and mental health calculated from the same items using the SF-12 and RAND-12 approaches to scoring, and other measures of chronic physical conditions and psychological distress. A measure of physical health constructed using the RAND-12 scoring showed a monotonic negative association with psychological distress as measured by the Goldberg depression and anxiety scales. However, a non-monotonic association was evident in the relationship between SF-12 physical health scores and distress, with very high SF-12 physical health scores corresponding with high levels of distress. These relationships highlight difficulties in interpretation that can arise when using the SF-12 summary scales in some analytical contexts. It is recommended that community surveys that measure physical and mental functioning using the SF-12 items generate summary scores using the RAND-12 protocol in addition to the SF-12 approach. In general, researchers should be wary of using factor scores based on orthogonal rotation, which assumes that measures are uncorrelated, to represent constructs that have an actual association.

  20. Research in fermentation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mills, A K

    1966-01-01

    The following aspects of the biochemistry of fermentation were discussed: carbohydrate, amino acid, S, and phosphate metabolisms in the yeast cell; pantothenic acid and biotin as the essential growth factors in yeast metabolisms; effects of different aeration conditions on yeast growth, mitochondria development, and lipid contents. Gas chromatographic studies of fermentation products are also discussed.

  1. SF Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund: Projects and Accomplishments

    Science.gov (United States)

    San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund (SFBWQIF) projects listed here are part of an EPA competitive grant program to improve SF Bay water quality focused on restoring impaired waters and enhancing aquatic resources.

  2. Avulsion research using flume experiments and highly accurate and temporal-rich SfM datasets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Javernick, L.; Bertoldi, W.; Vitti, A.

    2017-12-01

    SfM's ability to produce high-quality, large-scale digital elevation models (DEMs) of complicated and rapidly evolving systems has made it a valuable technique for low-budget researchers and practitioners. While SfM has provided valuable datasets that capture single-flood event DEMs, there is an increasing scientific need to capture higher temporal resolution datasets that can quantify the evolutionary processes instead of pre- and post-flood snapshots. However, flood events' dangerous field conditions and image matching challenges (e.g. wind, rain) prevent quality SfM-image acquisition. Conversely, flume experiments offer opportunities to document flood events, but achieving consistent and accurate DEMs to detect subtle changes in dry and inundated areas remains a challenge for SfM (e.g. parabolic error signatures).This research aimed at investigating the impact of naturally occurring and manipulated avulsions on braided river morphology and on the encroachment of floodplain vegetation, using laboratory experiments. This required DEMs with millimeter accuracy and precision and at a temporal resolution to capture the processes. SfM was chosen as it offered the most practical method. Through redundant local network design and a meticulous ground control point (GCP) survey with a Leica Total Station in red laser configuration (reported 2 mm accuracy), the SfM residual errors compared to separate ground truthing data produced mean errors of 1.5 mm (accuracy) and standard deviations of 1.4 mm (precision) without parabolic error signatures. Lighting conditions in the flume were limited to uniform, oblique, and filtered LED strips, which removed glint and thus improved bed elevation mean errors to 4 mm, but errors were further reduced by means of an open source software for refraction correction. The obtained datasets have provided the ability to quantify how small flood events with avulsion can have similar morphologic and vegetation impacts as large flood events

  3. HGF/SF increases number of skin melanocytes but does not alter quality or quantity of follicular melanogenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnieszka Wolnicka-Glubisz

    Full Text Available Melanins are an important factor determining the vulnerability of mammalian skin to UV radiation and thus to UV-induced skin cancers. Transgenic mice overexpressing hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF have extra-follicular dermal melanocytes, notably in the papillary upper dermis, and are susceptible to UV-induced melanoma. Pigmented HGF/SF neonatal mice are more susceptible than albino HGF/SF animals to UVA -induced melanoma, indicating an involvement of melanin in melanoma formation. This raises the question of the effect of transgenic HGF/SF on melanization. We developed a methodology to accurately quantitate both the production of melanin and the efficiency of melanogenesis in normal, and HGF/SF transgenic mice in vivo. Skin and hair shafts of 5 day old and adult (3 week old C57BL/6-HGF/SF and corresponding C57BL/6 wild type mice were investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR to quantitate melanin, by transmission electron microscopy (TEM for the presence of melanosomes, and by standard histology and by Western blotting and zymography to determine the expression and activity of melanogenesis-related proteins. Eumelanin but no phaeomelanin was detected in transgenic C57BL/6-HGF and C57BL/6 wild type mice. Transgenic HGF/SF overexpression did not change the type of melanin produced in the skin or hair, did not affect the terminal content of melanin production in standard samples of hair and did not influence hair cycle/morphogenesis-related changes in skin thickness. No melanocytes were found in the epidermis and no melanosomes were found in epidermal keratinocytes. HGF/SF transgenic mice thus lack the epidermal melanin UV-protection found in constitutively dark human skin. We conclude that melanocytes in the HGF/SF transgenic mouse, particularly in the papillary dermis, are vulnerable to UVA which interacts with eumelanin but not phaeomelanin to induce melanoma.

  4. Psychometric Evaluation of the Hypogonadism Impact of Symptoms Questionnaire Short Form (HIS-Q-SF).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gelhorn, Heather L; Roberts, Laurie J; Khandelwal, Nikhil; Revicki, Dennis A; DeRogatis, Leonard R; Dobs, Adrian; Hepp, Zsolt; Miller, Michael G

    2017-08-01

    The Hypogonadism Impact of Symptoms Questionnaire Short Form (HIS-Q-SF) is a patient-reported outcome measurement designed to evaluate the symptoms of hypogonadism. The HIS-Q-SF is an abbreviated version including17 items from the original 28-item HIS-Q. To conduct item analyses and reduction, evaluate the psychometric properties of the HIS-Q-SF, and provide guidance on score interpretation. A 12-week observational longitudinal study of hypogonadal men was conducted as part of the original HIS-Q psychometric evaluation. Participants completed the original HIS-Q every 2 weeks. Blood samples were collected to evaluate testosterone levels. Participants completed the Aging Male's Symptoms Scale, the International Index of Erectile Function, the Short Form-12, and the PROMIS Sexual Activity, Satisfaction with Sex Life, Sleep Disturbance, and Applied Cognition Scales (baseline and weeks 6 and 12). Clinicians completed the Clinical Global Impression of Severity and Change scales and a clinical form. Item performance was evaluated using descriptive statistics and Rasch analyses. Reliability (internal consistency and test-retest), validity (concurrent and know groups), and responsiveness were assessed. One hundred seventy-seven men participated (mean age = 54.1 years, range = 23-83). Similar to the full HIS-Q, the final abbreviated HIS-Q-SF instrument includes five domains (sexual, energy, sleep, cognition, and mood) with two sexual subdomains (libido and sexual function). For key domains, test-retest reliability was very good, and construct validity was good for all domains. Known-groups validity was demonstrated for all domain scores, subdomain scores, and total score based on the Clinical Global Impression-Severity. All domains and subdomains were responsive to change based on patient-rated anchor questions. The HIS-Q-SF could be a useful tool in clinical practice, epidemiologic studies, and other academic research settings. Careful consideration was given to the

  5. Korean traditional fermented soybean products: Jang

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donghwa Shin

    2015-03-01

    Fermented products are going beyond the boundaries of their use as mere side dishes, and are seeing significant increases in their use as a functional food. Kanjang (fermented soy sauce, Doenjang (fermented soybean paste, and Gochujang (fermented red pepper paste are the most well-known fermented products in Korea. These products occupy an important place in people's daily lives as seasonings and are used in many side dishes. It has been proven through clinical studies that these products have many health benefits, such as their ability to fight cancer and diabetes, and to prevent obesity and constipation.

  6. Evaluación del estado de salud con la Encuesta SF-36: resultados preliminares en México Health status evaluation with the SF-36 Survey: preliminary results in Mexico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel A. Zúniga

    1999-03-01

    Full Text Available Objetivo. Establecer, con la Encuesta SF-36, un perfil multidimensional del estado de salud de una población del sureste de México y analizar las propiedades psicométricas de una traducción de la Encuesta SF-36 autorizada por el Proyecto Internacional de Evaluación de la Calidad de Vida. Material y métodos. La SF-36 se aplicó a 257 participantes voluntarios de una clínica médica y a un grupo control de una institución pública gubernamental. Se utilizó, sin modificar, la metodología de construcción de las escalas de salud propuestas por los autores de la encuesta. Se analizó psicométricamente la validez y la confiabilidad de la adaptación de la SF-36 para su uso en México. Resultados. Se construyeron ocho escalas o conceptos de salud relacionados con función física, rol físico, dolor corporal, salud general, vitalidad, función social, rol emocional y salud mental. En los participantes de los servicios médicos la escala con más bajo promedio fue la de salud general (63, y la más alta, la de rol físico (89. En la población control la escala con promedio más alto fue función física (94.6, y la más baja, salud general (73. La comparación de promedios de escalas en ambos grupos de participantes mostró diferencias estadísticamente significativas en función física, rol físico, dolor corporal, salud general y vitalidad. Conclusiones. Con base en los resultados de la evaluación psicométrica, la SF-36 muestra que es consistente con todos los supuestos de validez y confiabilidad en forma satisfactoria, aunque la traducción de ciertas preguntas se examinará en profundidad para determinar modificaciones subsecuentes.Objective. To establish a multidimensional profile of the health status in a population of southeastern Mexico and analyze the psychometric properties of a translation of the SF-36 survey authorized by the International Quality of Life Assessment Project. Material and methods. The SF-36 was administered to

  7. Fermented Broth in Tyrosinase- and Melanogenesis Inhibition

    OpenAIRE

    Chin-Feng Chan; Ching-Cheng Huang; Ming-Yuan Lee; Yung-Sheng Lin

    2014-01-01

    Fermented broth has a long history of applications in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Recently, the use of fermented broth in skin care products is in ascendance. This review investigates the efficacy of fermented broth in inhibiting tyrosinase and melanogenesis. Possible active ingredients and hypopigmentation mechanisms of fermented broth are discussed, and potential applications of fermented broth in the cosmetic industry are also addressed.

  8. Protein modification by fermentation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barkholt, Helle Vibeke; Jørgensen, P.B.; Sørensen, Anne Dorthe

    1998-01-01

    The effect of fermentation on components of potential significance for the allergenicity of pea was analyzed. Pea flour was fermented with three lactic acid bacteria, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactococcus raffinolactis, and Lactobacillus plantarum, and two fungi, Rhizopus microsporus, var....... oligosporus and Geotrichum candidum. Residual antigenicity against antipea antibodies was reduced to 10% by the three lactic acid bacteria and R. microsporus. Reactions to anti-pea profilin and anti-Bet v I were still detectable after fermentation. The contents of lectin and pea protease inhibitor were...

  9. Quality of Life in rural and urban populations in Lebanon using SF-36 Health Survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Retel-Rude Nathalie

    2003-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Measuring health status in a population is important for the evaluation of interventions and the prediction of health and social care needs. Quality of life (QoL studies are an essential complement to medical evaluation but most of the tools available in this area are in English. In order to evaluated QoL in rural and urban areas in Lebanon, the short form 36 health survey (SF-36 was adapted into Arabic. Methods SF-36 was administered in a cross-sectional study, to collect sociodemographic and environmental variables as well as self reported morbidity. We analysed a representative sample containing 1632 subjects, from whom we randomly picked 524 subjects aged 14 years and over. The translation, cultural adaptation and validation of the SF-36 followed the International Quality of Life Assessment methodology. Multivariate analysis (generalized linear model was performed to test the effect of habitat (rural on urban areas on all domains of the SF-36. Results The rate of missing data is very low (0.23% of items. Item level validation supported the assumptions underlying Likert scoring. SF-36 scale scores showed wide variability and acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha >0.70, factor analysis yielded patterns of factor correlation comparable to that found in the U.S.A and France. Patients resident in rural areas had higher vitality scores than those in urban areas. Older people reported more satisfaction with some domains of life than younger people, except for physical functioning. The QoL of women is poorer than men; certain symptoms and morbidity independently influence the domains of SF-36 in this population. Conclusion The results support the validity of the SF-36 Arabic version. Habitat has a minor influence on QoL, women had a poor QoL, and health problems had differential impact on QoL.

  10. Quality of Life in rural and urban populations in Lebanon using SF-36 Health Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabbah, Ibtissam; Drouby, Nabil; Sabbah, Sanaa; Retel-Rude, Nathalie; Mercier, Mariette

    2003-01-01

    Background Measuring health status in a population is important for the evaluation of interventions and the prediction of health and social care needs. Quality of life (QoL) studies are an essential complement to medical evaluation but most of the tools available in this area are in English. In order to evaluated QoL in rural and urban areas in Lebanon, the short form 36 health survey (SF-36) was adapted into Arabic. Methods SF-36 was administered in a cross-sectional study, to collect sociodemographic and environmental variables as well as self reported morbidity. We analysed a representative sample containing 1632 subjects, from whom we randomly picked 524 subjects aged 14 years and over. The translation, cultural adaptation and validation of the SF-36 followed the International Quality of Life Assessment methodology. Multivariate analysis (generalized linear model) was performed to test the effect of habitat (rural on urban areas) on all domains of the SF-36. Results The rate of missing data is very low (0.23% of items). Item level validation supported the assumptions underlying Likert scoring. SF-36 scale scores showed wide variability and acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha >0.70), factor analysis yielded patterns of factor correlation comparable to that found in the U.S.A and France. Patients resident in rural areas had higher vitality scores than those in urban areas. Older people reported more satisfaction with some domains of life than younger people, except for physical functioning. The QoL of women is poorer than men; certain symptoms and morbidity independently influence the domains of SF-36 in this population. Conclusion The results support the validity of the SF-36 Arabic version. Habitat has a minor influence on QoL, women had a poor QoL, and health problems had differential impact on QoL. PMID:12952543

  11. Ion and electron swarm studies of relevance to plasma processing: positive ion-molecule and electron-molecule studies of SF6 and derivatives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Atterbury, C.; Kennedy, R.A.; Critchley, A.D.J.; Mayhew, C.A.

    2002-01-01

    Many sequential and parallel chemical reactions involving charged species occur in a plasma. Data needed to model plasma's chemical and physical environment includes cross-section, rate coefficients, and product ion distribution of electron-molecule and ion-molecule processes. Such reactions are studied by our group away from the complexity of the plasma environment, with experimental techniques that allow us to concentrate on a single process, where usually only one or two species are involved. A molecule commonly used in plasma etching applications is SF 6 1,2 . We have performed a series of positive ion-molecule and electron attachment studies on SF 6 and related molecules, including SeF 6 , TeF 6 (i.e. XF 6 molecules), SF 5 CF 3 and SF 5 Cl (i.e. SF 5 X molecules) 3- (. The studies of ion reactions with and electron attachment to SF 6 and physically similar molecules are of value when seeking to understand the ion and electron chemistry occurring in SF 6 containing plasma. The result of these studies are presented in this poster. Ion-molecule reactions. Rate coefficients and ion product branching ratios have been determined with the Selected Ion Flow Tube (SIFT) at room temperature (300 K) for reactions of SF 5 X with the following twenty-two cations; Ne + , F + , Ar + , N 2 + , N + , CO + , CO 2 + , O + , N 2 O + , O 2 + , SF 4 + , CF 2 + , SF + , SF 2 + , NO 2 + , SF 5 + , NO + , CF + , CF 3 + , SF 3 + , and H 3 O + (listed in order of decreasing recombination energy). SF 2 + , NO 2 + , NO + , SF 3 + , and H 3 O + are found to be unreacted with both SF 5 CF 3 and SF 5 Cl. The majority of the other reactions proceed with rate coefficients that are close to the capture value. Those found to occur at rates significantly less than the capture mechanism value re the reactions of O 2 + , SF + , SF 5 + , and CF 3 + with SF 5 CF 3 , and SF 4 + and SF 5 + with SF 5 Cl. Several distinction processes are observed among the large number of reactions studied, including

  12. Attentional selection of relative SF mediates global versus local processing: evidence from EEG.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flevaris, Anastasia V; Bentin, Shlomo; Robertson, Lynn C

    2011-06-13

    Previous research on functional hemispheric differences in visual processing has associated global perception with low spatial frequency (LSF) processing biases of the right hemisphere (RH) and local perception with high spatial frequency (HSF) processing biases of the left hemisphere (LH). The Double Filtering by Frequency (DFF) theory expanded this hypothesis by proposing that visual attention selects and is directed to relatively LSFs by the RH and relatively HSFs by the LH, suggesting a direct causal relationship between SF selection and global versus local perception. We tested this idea in the current experiment by comparing activity in the EEG recorded at posterior right and posterior left hemisphere sites while participants' attention was directed to global or local levels of processing after selection of relatively LSFs versus HSFs in a previous stimulus. Hemispheric asymmetry in the alpha band (8-12 Hz) during preparation for global versus local processing was modulated by the selected SF. In contrast, preparatory activity associated with selection of SF was not modulated by the previously attended level (global/local). These results support the DFF theory that top-down attentional selection of SF mediates global and local processing.

  13. Association study of sorbitol dehydrogenase -888G>C polymorphism with type 2 diabetic retinopathy in Caucasian-Brazilians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, Fábio Netto; Crispim, Daisy; Canani, Luís Henrique; Gross, Jorge Luiz; dos Santos, Kátia Gonçalves

    2013-10-01

    Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common chronic complication of diabetes and remains the leading cause of blindness in working-aged people. Hyperglycemia increases glucose flux through the polyol pathway, in which aldose reductase converts glucose into intracellular sorbitol, which is subsequently converted to fructose by sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH). The accelerated polyol pathway triggers a cascade of events leading to retinal vascular endothelial dysfunction and the eventual development of DR. Polymorphisms in the gene encoding aldose reductase have been consistently associated with DR. However, only two studies have analyzed the relationship between polymorphisms in the gene encoding SDH (SORD) and DR. In this case-control study, we investigated whether the -888G > C polymorphism (rs3759890) in the SORD gene is associated with the presence or severity of DR in 446 Caucasian-Brazilians with type 2 diabetes (241 subjects with and 205 subjects without DR). The -888G > C polymorphism was also examined in 105 healthy Caucasian blood donors, and the genotyping of this polymorphism was carried out by real-time PCR. The genotype and allele frequencies of the -888G > C polymorphism in patients with type 2 diabetes were similar to those of blood donors (G allele frequency = 0.16 in both groups of subjects). Similarly, the genotype and allele frequencies in patients with DR or the proliferative form of DR were similar to those of patients without this complication (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). Thus, our findings suggest that the -888G > C polymorphism in the SORD gene is not involved in the pathogenesis of DR in type 2 diabetes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Yeasts Diversity in Fermented Foods and Beverages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamang, Jyoti Prakash; Fleet, Graham H.

    People across the world have learnt to culture and use the essential microorganisms for production of fermented foods and alcoholic beverages. A fermented food is produced either spontaneously or by adding mixed/pure starter culture(s). Yeasts are among the essential functional microorganisms encountered in many fermented foods, and are commercially used in production of baker's yeast, breads, wine, beer, cheese, etc. In Asia, moulds are predominant followed by amylolytic and alcohol-producing yeasts in the fermentation processes, whereas in Africa, Europe, Australia and America, fermented products are prepared exclusively using bacteria or bacteria-yeasts mixed cultures. This chapter would focus on the varieties of fermented foods and alcoholic beverages produced by yeasts, their microbiology and role in food fermentation, widely used commercial starters (pilot production, molecular aspects), production technology of some common commercial fermented foods and alcoholic beverages, toxicity and food safety using yeasts cultures and socio-economy

  15. Fermented Broth in Tyrosinase- and Melanogenesis Inhibition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chin-Feng Chan

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Fermented broth has a long history of applications in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Recently, the use of fermented broth in skin care products is in ascendance. This review investigates the efficacy of fermented broth in inhibiting tyrosinase and melanogenesis. Possible active ingredients and hypopigmentation mechanisms of fermented broth are discussed, and potential applications of fermented broth in the cosmetic industry are also addressed.

  16. M4SF-17LL010302072: The Roles of Diffusion and Corrosion in Radionuclide Retardation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zavarin, Mavrik [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Balboni, E. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Atkins-Duffin, Cindy [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

    2017-09-21

    This progress report (Level 4 Milestone Number M4SF-17LL010302072) summarizes research conducted at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) within the Crystalline Disposal R&D Activity Number M4SF-17LL01030207 and Crystalline International Collaborations Activity Number M4SF-17LL01030208. The focus of this research is the interaction of radionuclides with Engineered Barrier System (EBS) and host rock materials at various physicochemical conditions relevant to subsurface repository environments. They include both chemical and physical processes such as solubility, sorption, and diffusion.

  17. High-strength fermentable wastewater reclamation through a sequential process of anaerobic fermentation followed by microalgae cultivation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Wenqiang; Chen, Taojing; Wang, Liang; Wu, Minghong; Zhao, Quanyu; Wei, Wei

    2017-03-01

    In this study, the sequential process of anaerobic fermentation followed by microalgae cultivation was evaluated from both nutrient and energy recovery standpoints. The effects of different fermentation type on the biogas generation, broth metabolites' composition, algal growth and nutrients' utilization, and energy conversion efficiencies for the whole processes were discussed. When the fermentation was designed to produce hydrogen-dominating biogas, the total energy conversion efficiency (TECE) of the sequential process was higher than that of the methane fermentation one. With the production of hydrogen in anaerobic fermentation, more organic carbon metabolites were left in the broth to support better algal growth with more efficient incorporation of ammonia nitrogen. By applying the sequential process, the heat value conversion efficiency (HVCE) for the wastewater could reach 41.2%, if methane was avoided in the fermentation biogas. The removal efficiencies of organic metabolites and NH 4 + -N in the better case were 100% and 98.3%, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Development and validation of the alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire Short Form (EQ-SF).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mezquita, Laura; Camacho, Laura; Suso-Ribera, Carlos; Ortet, Generós; Ibáñez, Manuel I

    2018-01-15

    Alcohol expectancies are proximal variables to alcohol use and misuse. In recent decades, different measures have been developed to assess this construct. One of the most frequently used and recommended instruments is the Expectancy Questionnaire (EQ; Leigh y Stacy, 1993). Our aim is to develop a short version of the EQ (EQ-SF) for suitable use in time-limited administrations. Two samples, adolescents (N = 514, 57.20% females) and adults (N = 548, 61.50% females), completed the EQ together with alcohol-use measures. Different item selection strategies were applied to select the 24 items. The EQ-SF structure was explored using confirmatory factor analysis, and measurement invariance was tested running a multi-group analysis comparing groups by sex and age. Reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha and omega coefficients. Concurrent validity was investigated with regression analyses. The EQ-SF showed acceptable between-groups measurement invariance. Alphas and omegas ranged from .77 to .93. Positive expectancies predicted both alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Negative expectancies predicted alcohol-related problems. Sex and age moderated these associations. Males with high positive alcohol expectancies showed higher alcohol consumption than females, while adults with high negative alcohol expectancies showed greater alcohol-related problems than adolescents. Different evidence on the validity and reliability of the EQ-SF suggest that it is a suitable instrument to assess alcohol expectancies in the Spanish population.

  19. Nitrifying aerobic granular sludge fermentation for releases of carbon source and phosphorus: The role of fermentation pH.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Jinte; Pan, Jiyang; He, Hangtian; Wu, Shuyun; Xiao, Naidong; Ni, Yongjiong; Li, Jun

    2018-07-01

    The effect of fermentation pH (uncontrolled, 4 and 10) on the releases of carbon source and phosphorus from nitrifying aerobic granular sludge (N-AGS) was investigated. Meanwhile, metal ion concentration and microbial community characterization were explored during N-AGS fermentation. The results indicated that N-AGS fermentation at pH 10 significantly promoted the releases of soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) and total volatile fatty acids (TVFAs). However, SCOD and TVFA released from N-AGS were inhibited at pH 4. Moreover, acidic condition promoted phosphorus release (mainly apatite) from N-AGS during anaerobic fermentation. Nevertheless, alkaline condition failed to increase phosphorus concentration due to the formation of chemical-phosphate precipitates. Compared with the previously reported flocculent sludge fermentation, N-AGS fermentation released more SCOD and TVFAs, possibly due to the greater extracellular polymeric substances content and some hydrolytic-acidogenic bacteria in N-AGS. Therefore, N-AGS alkaline fermentation facilitated the carbon source recovery, while N-AGS acidic fermentation benefited the phosphorus recovery. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  20. Filamentous Fungi Fermentation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nørregaard, Anders; Stocks, Stuart; Woodley, John

    2014-01-01

    Filamentous fungi (including microorganisms such as Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus oryzae) represent an enormously important platform for industrial fermentation. Two particularly valuable features are the high yield coefficients and the ability to secrete products. However, the filamentous...... morphology, together with non-Newtonian rheological properties (shear thinning), result in poor oxygen transfer unless sufficient energy is provided to the fermentation. While genomic research may improve the organisms, there is no doubt that to enable further application in future it will be necessary...... to match such research with studies of oxygen transfer and energy supply to high viscosity fluids. Hence, the implementation of innovative solutions (some of which in principle are already possible) will be essential to ensure the further development of such fermentations....

  1. Characterization of an Sf-rhabdovirus-negative Spodoptera frugiperda cell line as an alternative host for recombinant protein production in the baculovirus-insect cell system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maghodia, Ajay B; Geisler, Christoph; Jarvis, Donald L

    2016-06-01

    Cell lines derived from the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf), are widely used as hosts for recombinant protein production in the baculovirus-insect cell system (BICS). However, it was recently discovered that these cell lines are contaminated with a virus, now known as Sf-rhabdovirus [1]. The detection of this adventitious agent raised a potential safety issue that could adversely impact the BICS as a commercial recombinant protein production platform. Thus, we examined the properties of Sf-RVN, an Sf-rhabdovirus-negative Sf cell line, as a potential alternative host. Nested RT-PCR assays showed Sf-RVN cells had no detectable Sf-rhabdovirus over the course of 60 passages in continuous culture. The general properties of Sf-RVN cells, including their average growth rates, diameters, morphologies, and viabilities after baculovirus infection, were virtually identical to those of Sf9 cells. Baculovirus-infected Sf-RVN and Sf9 cells produced equivalent levels of three recombinant proteins, including an intracellular prokaryotic protein and two secreted eukaryotic glycoproteins, and provided similar N-glycosylation patterns. In fact, except for the absence of Sf-rhabdovirus, the only difference between Sf-RVN and Sf9 cells was SF-RVN produced higher levels of infectious baculovirus progeny. These results show Sf-RVN cells can be used as improved, alternative hosts to circumvent the potential safety hazard associated with the use of Sf-rhabdovirus-contaminated Sf cells for recombinant protein manufacturing with the BICS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Aerobic Stability and Effects of Yeasts during Deterioration of Non-fermented and Fermented Total Mixed Ration with Different Moisture Levels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    W. Hao

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The present experiment evaluated the influence of moisture level and anaerobic fermentation on aerobic stability of total mixed ration (TMR. The dynamic changes in chemical composition and microbial population that occur after air exposure were examined, and the species of yeast associated with the deterioration process were also identified in both non-fermented and fermented TMR to deepen the understanding of aerobic deterioration. The moisture levels of TMR in this experiment were adjusted to 400 g/kg (low moisture level, LML, 450 g/kg (medium moisture level, MML, and 500 g/kg (high moisture level, HML, and both non-fermented and 56-d-fermented TMR were subjected to air exposure to determine aerobic stability. Aerobic deterioration resulted in high losses of nutritional components and largely reduced dry matter digestibility. Non-fermented TMR deteriorated during 48 h of air exposure and the HML treatment was more aerobically unstable. On dry matter (DM basis, yeast populations significantly increased from 107 to 1010 cfu/g during air exposure, and Candida ethanolica was the predominant species during deterioration in non-fermented TMR. Fermented TMR exhibited considerable resistance to aerobic deterioration. Spoilage was only observed in the HML treatment and its yeast population increased dramatically to 109 cfu/g DM when air exposure progressed to 30 d. Zygosaccharomyces bailii was the sole yeast species isolated when spoilage occurred. These results confirmed that non-fermented and fermented TMR with a HML are more prone to spoilage, and fermented TMR has considerable resistance to aerobic deterioration. Yeasts can trigger aerobic deterioration in both non-fermented and fermented TMR. C. ethanolica may be involved in the spoilage of non-fermented TMR and the vigorous growth of Z. bailii can initiate aerobic deterioration in fermented TMR.

  3. Aerobic Stability and Effects of Yeasts during Deterioration of Non-fermented and Fermented Total Mixed Ration with Different Moisture Levels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, W; Wang, H L; Ning, T T; Yang, F Y; Xu, C C

    2015-06-01

    The present experiment evaluated the influence of moisture level and anaerobic fermentation on aerobic stability of total mixed ration (TMR). The dynamic changes in chemical composition and microbial population that occur after air exposure were examined, and the species of yeast associated with the deterioration process were also identified in both non-fermented and fermented TMR to deepen the understanding of aerobic deterioration. The moisture levels of TMR in this experiment were adjusted to 400 g/kg (low moisture level, LML), 450 g/kg (medium moisture level, MML), and 500 g/kg (high moisture level, HML), and both non-fermented and 56-d-fermented TMR were subjected to air exposure to determine aerobic stability. Aerobic deterioration resulted in high losses of nutritional components and largely reduced dry matter digestibility. Non-fermented TMR deteriorated during 48 h of air exposure and the HML treatment was more aerobically unstable. On dry matter (DM) basis, yeast populations significantly increased from 10(7) to 10(10) cfu/g during air exposure, and Candida ethanolica was the predominant species during deterioration in non-fermented TMR. Fermented TMR exhibited considerable resistance to aerobic deterioration. Spoilage was only observed in the HML treatment and its yeast population increased dramatically to 10(9) cfu/g DM when air exposure progressed to 30 d. Zygosaccharomyces bailii was the sole yeast species isolated when spoilage occurred. These results confirmed that non-fermented and fermented TMR with a HML are more prone to spoilage, and fermented TMR has considerable resistance to aerobic deterioration. Yeasts can trigger aerobic deterioration in both non-fermented and fermented TMR. C. ethanolica may be involved in the spoilage of non-fermented TMR and the vigorous growth of Z. bailii can initiate aerobic deterioration in fermented TMR.

  4. New alternatives for the fermentation process in the ethanol production from sugarcane: Extractive and low temperature fermentation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Palacios-Bereche, Reynaldo; Ensinas, Adriano; Modesto, Marcelo; Nebra, Silvia A.

    2014-01-01

    Ethanol is produced in large scale from sugarcane in Brazil by fermentation of sugars and distillation. This is currently considered as an efficient biofuel technology, leading to significant reduction on greenhouse gases emissions. However, some improvements in the process can be introduced in order to improve the use of energy. In current distilleries, a significant fraction of the energy consumption occurs in the purification step – distillation and dehydration – since conventional fermentation systems employed in the industry require low substrate concentration, which must be distilled, consequently with high energy consumption. In this study, alternatives to the conventional fermentation processes are assessed, through computer simulation: low temperature fermentation and vacuum extractive fermentation. The aim of this study is to assess the incorporation of these alternative fermentation processes in ethanol production, energy consumption and electricity surplus produced in the cogeneration system. Several cases were evaluated. Thermal integration technique was applied. Results shown that the ethanol production increases between 3.3% and 4.8% and a reduction in steam consumption happens of up to 36%. About the electricity surplus, a value of 85 kWh/t of cane can be achieved when condensing – extracting steam turbines are used. - Highlights: • Increasing the wine concentration in the ethanol production from sugarcane. • Alternatives to the conventional fermentation process. • Low temperature fermentation and vacuum extractive fermentation. • Reduction of steam consumption through the thermal integration of the processes. • Different configurations of cogeneration system maximizing the electricity surplus

  5. Effectively Coping With Task Stress: A Study of the Validity of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF).

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connor, Peter; Nguyen, Jessica; Anglim, Jeromy

    2017-01-01

    In this study, we investigated the validity of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF; Petrides, 2009) in the context of task-induced stress. We used a total sample of 225 volunteers to investigate (a) the incremental validity of the TEIQue-SF over other predictors of coping with task-induced stress, and (b) the construct validity of the TEIQue-SF by examining the mechanisms via which scores from the TEIQue-SF predict coping outcomes. Results demonstrated that the TEIQue-SF possessed incremental validity over the Big Five personality traits in the prediction of emotion-focused coping. Results also provided support for the construct validity of the TEIQue-SF by demonstrating that this measure predicted adaptive coping via emotion-focused channels. Specifically, results showed that, following a task stressor, the TEIQue-SF predicted low negative affect and high task performance via high levels of emotion-focused coping. Consistent with the purported theoretical nature of the trait emotional intelligence (EI) construct, trait EI as assessed by the TEIQue-SF primarily enhances affect and performance in stressful situations by regulating negative emotions.

  6. Modified Vero cell induced by Bifidobacterium bifidum inhibits enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 cytopathic effect

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tahamtan, Y.

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC, such as E. coli O157:H7, are emerging food-borne pathogens worldwide. This micro-organism can damage the epithelial tissue of the large intestine. The cytotoxic effects can be neutralized by probiotics such as Bifidobacterium bifidum. Probiotics are viable cells that have beneficial effects on the health of the host. The preventing activity of B. bifidum against E. coli O157 was studied using a Vero cell model. Vero cell was pretreated with viable B. bifidum and incubated for either 3 h to 24 h and then collected from the cell to make modified Vero cell (MVC. Indirect antibacterial effects of B. bifidum were demonstrated by reduction of attachment of E. coli O157:H7 to MVC. The maximum reduction was resulted in pretreatment of Vero cell with B. bifidum for 24 h before infection. B. bifidum attenuated E. coli O157:H7 attachment to MVC up to 10 days of incubation. To our knowledge, MCV prevented Vero cell line injury induced by E. coli O157:H7. Therefore, B. bifidum can be used for inhibition of E. coli O157:H7 cytopathic effect (CPE in Vero cell model, even as pretreatment of the cell line.

  7. Magnitude and meaningfulness of change in SF-36 scores in four types of orthopedic surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Buchbinder Rachelle

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Medical Outcomes General Health Survey (SF-36 is a widely used health status measure; however, limited evidence is available for its performance in orthopedic settings. The aim of this study was to examine the magnitude and meaningfulness of change and sensitivity of SF-36 subscales following orthopedic surgery. Methods Longitudinal data on outcomes of total hip replacement (THR, n = 255, total knee replacement (TKR, n = 103, arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM, n = 74 and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL, n = 62 were used to estimate the effect sizes (ES, magnitude of change and minimal detectable change (sensitivity at the group and individual level. To provide context for interpreting the magnitude of changes in SF-36 scores, we also compared patients' scores with age and sex-matched population norms. The studies were conducted in Sweden. Follow-up was five years in THR and TKR studies, two years in ACL, and three months in APM. Results On average, large effect sizes (ES≥0.80 were found after orthopedic surgery in SF-36 subscales measuring physical aspects (physical functioning, role physical, and bodily pain. Small (0.20–0.49 to moderate (0.50–0.79 effect sizes were found in subscales measuring mental and social aspects (role emotional, vitality, social functioning, and mental health. General health scores remained relatively unchanged during the follow-up. Despite improvements, post-surgery mean scores of patients were still below the age and sex matched population norms on physical subscales. Patients' scores on mental and social subscales approached population norms following the surgery. At the individual level, scores of a large proportion of patients were affected by floor or ceiling effects on several subscales and the sensitivity to individual change was very low. Conclusion Large to moderate meaningful changes in group scores were observed in all SF-36 subscales except General Health

  8. Rapid discrimination of strain-dependent fermentation characteristics among Lactobacillus strains by NMR-based metabolomics of fermented vegetable juice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Satoru Tomita

    Full Text Available In this study, we investigated the applicability of NMR-based metabolomics to discriminate strain-dependent fermentation characteristics of lactic acid bacteria (LAB, which are important microorganisms for fermented food production. To evaluate the discrimination capability, six type strains of Lactobacillus species and six additional L. brevis strains were used focusing on i the difference between homo- and hetero-lactic fermentative species and ii strain-dependent characteristics within L. brevis. Based on the differences in the metabolite profiles of fermented vegetable juices, non-targeted principal component analysis (PCA clearly separated the samples into those inoculated with homo- and hetero-lactic fermentative species. The separation was primarily explained by the different levels of dominant metabolites (lactic acid, acetic acid, ethanol, and mannitol. Orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis, based on a regions-of-interest (ROIs approach, revealed the contribution of low-abundance metabolites: acetoin, phenyllactic acid, p-hydroxyphenyllactic acid, glycerophosphocholine, and succinic acid for homolactic fermentation; and ornithine, tyramine, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA for heterolactic fermentation. Furthermore, ROIs-based PCA of seven L. brevis strains separated their strain-dependent fermentation characteristics primarily based on their ability to utilize sucrose and citric acid, and convert glutamic acid and tyrosine into GABA and tyramine, respectively. In conclusion, NMR metabolomics successfully discriminated the fermentation characteristics of the tested strains and provided further information on metabolites responsible for these characteristics, which may impact the taste, aroma, and functional properties of fermented foods.

  9. M4SF-17LL010301071: Thermodynamic Database Development

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zavarin, M. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Glenn T. Seaborg Institute, Physical & Life Sciences; Wolery, T. J. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Akima Infrastructure Services, LLC

    2017-09-05

    This progress report (Level 4 Milestone Number M4SF-17LL010301071) summarizes research conducted at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) within the Argillite Disposal R&D Work Package Number M4SF-17LL01030107. The DR Argillite Disposal R&D control account is focused on the evaluation of important processes in the analysis of disposal design concepts and related materials for nuclear fuel disposal in clay-bearing repository media. The objectives of this work package are to develop model tools for evaluating impacts of THMC process on long-term disposal of spent fuel in argillite rocks, and to establish the scientific basis for high thermal limits. This work is contributing to the GDSA model activities to identify gaps, develop process models, provide parameter feeds and support requirements providing the capability for a robust repository performance assessment model by 2020.

  10. 75 FR 76481 - Notice of Intent To Prepare Environmental Impact Statement for the HOPE SF Development at Alice...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-08

    ... Environmental Impact Statement for the HOPE SF Development at Alice Griffith Public Housing Development, San... Housing as part of its HOPE SF development program. Funding for the project may include HUD funds from... revitalization program under HOPE SF (Cal 118). The proposed development would be located on approximately 20 net...

  11. Catquest-9SF questionnaire: validation of Malay and Chinese-language versions using Rasch analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adnan, Tassha Hilda; Mohamed Apandi, Mokhlisoh; Kamaruddin, Haireen; Salowi, Mohamad Aziz; Law, Kian Boon; Haniff, Jamaiyah; Goh, Pik Pin

    2018-01-05

    Catquest questionnaire was originally developed in Swedish to measure patients' self-assessed visual function to evaluate the benefit of cataract surgery. The result of the Rasch analysis leading to the creation of the nine-item short form of Catquest, (Catquest-9SF), and it had been translated and validated in English. The aim is therefore to evaluate the translated Catquest-9SF questionnaire in Malay and Chinese (Mandarin) language version for measuring patient-reported visual function among cataract population in Malaysia. The English version of Catquest-9SF questionnaire was translated and back translated into Malay and Chinese languages. The Malay and Chinese translated versions were self-administered by 236 and 202 pre-operative patients drawn from a cataract surgery waiting list, respectively. The translated Catquest-9SF data and its four response options were assessed for fit to the Rasch model. The Catquest-9SF performed well in the Malay and Chinese translated versions fulfilling all criteria for valid measurement, as demonstrated by Rasch analysis. Both versions of questionnaire had ordered response thresholds, with a good person separation (Malay 2.84; and Chinese 2.59) and patient separation reliability (Malay 0.89; Chinese 0.87). Targeting was 0.30 and -0.11 logits in Malay and Chinese versions respectively, indicating that the item difficulty was well suited to the visual abilities of the patients. All items fit a single overall construct (Malay infit range 0.85-1.26, outfit range 0.73-1.13; Chinese infit range 0.80-1.51, outfit range 0.71-1.36), unidimensional by principal components analysis, and was free of Differential Item Functioning (DIF). These results support the good overall functioning of the Catquest-9SF in patients with cataract. The translated questionnaire to Malay and Chinese-language versions are reliable and valid in measuring visual disability outcomes in the Malaysian cataract population.

  12. Studies on continuous fermentation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ueda, K

    1958-01-01

    Continuous fermentation of molasses with a combined system of agitated vessel and flow pipe is studied. A new apparatus was designed. The rate of the fermentation was faster with this apparatus than with the former apparatus which was composed of two vessels.

  13. Fermented milk for hypertension

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Usinger, Lotte; Reimer, Christina; Ibsen, Hans

    2012-01-01

    Fermented milk has been suggested to have a blood pressure lowering effect through increased content of proteins and peptides produced during the bacterial fermentation. Hypertension is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease world wide and new blood pressure reducing lifestyle...

  14. Vip3Aa induces apoptosis in cultured Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Kun; Mei, Si-Qi; Wang, Ting-Ting; Pan, Jin-Hua; Chen, Yue-Hua; Cai, Jun

    2016-09-15

    The vegetative insecticidal proteins (Vip) secreted by many Bacillus thuringiensis strains during their vegetative growth stage are regarded as second generation insecticidal proteins, as they share no sequence or structural homology with known crystal insecticidal proteins (Cry) and have a broad insecticidal spectrum. Compared with insecticidal crystal proteins (ICPs), the insecticidal mechanisms of Vips have been little studied. Here we investigated the mechanism responsible for Vip3Aa toxicity in cultured insect cells. Using, flow cytometry analyzes, TUNEL staining and DNA fragmentation assays, we show that Vip3Aa can induce apoptosis in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells and cause cells to arrest at the G2/M phase. We also show that Vip3Aa can disrupt mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), leading to the activation of Sf-caspase-1, suggesting that a mitochondrial mediated and caspase dependent pathway may be involved in Vip3Aa-induced apoptosis in Sf9 cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. SF-36 total score as a single measure of health-related quality of life: Scoping review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lins, Liliane; Carvalho, Fernando Martins

    2016-01-01

    According to the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire developers, a global measure of health-related quality of life such as the "SF-36 Total/Global/Overall Score" cannot be generated from the questionnaire. However, studies keep on reporting such measure. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and to describe some characteristics of articles reporting the SF-36 Total/Global/Overall Score in the scientific literature. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses method was adapted to a scoping review. We performed searches in PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, BVS, and Cochrane Library databases for articles using such scores. We found 172 articles published between 1997 and 2015; 110 (64.0%) of them were published from 2010 onwards; 30.0% appeared in journals with Impact Factor 3.00 or greater. Overall, 129 (75.0%) out of the 172 studies did not specify the method for calculating the "SF-36 Total Score"; 13 studies did not specify their methods but referred to the SF-36 developers' studies or others; and 30 articles used different strategies for calculating such score, the most frequent being arithmetic averaging of the eight SF-36 domains scores. We concluded that the "SF-36 Total/Global/Overall Score" has been increasingly reported in the scientific literature. Researchers should be aware of this procedure and of its possible impacts upon human health.

  16. Changes in physical and chemical characteristics of fermented cocoa(Theobroma cacaobeans with manual and semi-mechanized transfer, between fermentation boxes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro. P. Peláez

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate variation in the physical and chemical properties of fermented cocoa beans with cocoa beans transfer between wooden fermentation boxes manually (M and semi - mechanized (SM way. Mass temperature, moisture, pH, and total acidity of the cotyledon and pulp; the total polyphenol, anthocyanin, reducing sugar, theobromine, and caffeine content in fresh, fermented, and dried beans; and percentage of fermented beans and time required to move beans during fermentation were determined. The cocoa used grew in the Pachiza district of the San Martin region of Peru. Cocoa sampling w as each 0, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, and 168 h of fermentation. The cocoa mass temperature was highest with both removal systems after 96 h of fermentation. M cotyledon and pulp samples had the highest moisture content and titratable acidity, while cotyledon a nd pulp pH with both systems were statistically equal. In contrast, fermented beans had a higher polyphenol, anthocyanin, reducing sugar, theobromine, and caffeine content with SM. SM produced the greatest amount of fermentation (91.67% and required the s hortest amount of time to move beans (78.56 min. In conclusion, the system of fermentation of cocoa beans with SM was faster and produced fermented grains with high chemical quality.

  17. Anaerobic fermentation of beef cattle manure. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hashimoto, A.G.; Chen, Y.R.; Varel, V.H.

    1981-01-01

    The research to convert livestock manure and crop residues into methane and a high protein feed ingredient by thermophilic anaerobic fermentation are summarized. The major biological and operational factors involved in methanogenesis were discussed, and a kinetic model that describes the fermentation process was presented. Substrate biodegradability, fermentation temperature, and influent substrate concentration were shown to have significant effects on CH/sub 4/ production rate. The kinetic model predicted methane production rates of existing pilot and full-scale fermentation systems to within 15%. The highest methane production rate achieved by the fermenter was 4.7 L CH/sub 4//L fermenter day. This is the highest rate reported in the literature and about 4 times higher than other pilot or full-scale systems fermenting livestock manures. Assessment of the energy requirements for anaerobic fermentation systems showed that the major energy requirement for a thermophilic system was for maintaining the fermenter temperature. The next major energy consumption was due to the mixing of the influent slurry and fermenter liquor. An approach to optimizing anaerobic fermenter designs by selecting design criteria that maximize the net energy production per unit cost was presented. Based on the results, we believe that the economics of anaerobic fermentation is sufficiently favorable for farm-scale demonstration of this technology.

  18. Yeast ecology of Kombucha fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teoh, Ai Leng; Heard, Gillian; Cox, Julian

    2004-09-01

    Kombucha is a traditional fermentation of sweetened tea, involving a symbiosis of yeast species and acetic acid bacteria. Despite reports of different yeast species being associated with the fermentation, little is known of the quantitative ecology of yeasts in Kombucha. Using oxytetracycline-supplemented malt extract agar, yeasts were isolated from four commercially available Kombucha products and identified using conventional biochemical and physiological tests. During the fermentation of each of the four products, yeasts were enumerated from both the cellulosic pellicle and liquor of the Kombucha. The number and diversity of species varied between products, but included Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Candida stellata, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Torulaspora delbrueckii and Zygosaccharomyces bailii. While these yeast species are known to occur in Kombucha, the enumeration of each species present throughout fermentation of each of the four Kombucha cultures demonstrated for the first time the dynamic nature of the yeast ecology. Kombucha fermentation is, in general, initiated by osmotolerant species, succeeded and ultimately dominated by acid-tolerant species.

  19. Sf29 Gene of Spodoptera frugiperda Multiple Nucleopolyhedrovirus Is a Viral Factor That Determines the Number of Virions in Occlusion Bodies▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simón, Oihane; Williams, Trevor; Asensio, Aaron C.; Ros, Sarhay; Gaya, Andrea; Caballero, Primitivo; Possee, Robert D.

    2008-01-01

    The genome of Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) was inserted into a bacmid (Sfbac) and used to produce a mutant lacking open reading frame 29 (Sf29null). Sf29null bacmid DNA was able to generate an infection in S. frugiperda. Approximately six times less DNA was present in occlusion bodies (OBs) produced by the Sf29null bacmid in comparison to viruses containing this gene. This reduction in DNA content was consistent with fewer virus particles being packaged within Sf29null bacmid OBs, as determined by fractionation of dissolved polyhedra and comparison of occlusion-derived virus (ODV) infectivity in cell culture. DNA from Sfbac, Sf29null, or Sf29null-repair, in which the gene deletion had been repaired, were equally infectious when used to transfect S. frugiperda. All three viruses produced similar numbers of OBs, although those from Sf29null were 10-fold less infectious than viruses with the gene. Insects infected with Sf29null bacmid died ∼24 h later than positive controls, consistent with the reduced virus particle content of Sf29null OBs. Transcripts from Sf29 were detected in infected insects 12 h prior to those from the polyhedrin gene. Homologs to Sf29 were present in other group II NPVs, and similar sequences were present in entomopoxviruses. Analysis of the Sf29 predicted protein sequence revealed signal peptide and transmembrane domains, but the presence of 12 potential N-glycosylation sites suggest that it is not an ODV envelope protein. Other motifs, including zinc-binding and threonine-rich regions, suggest degradation and adhesion functions. We conclude that Sf29 is a viral factor that determines the number of ODVs occluded in each OB. PMID:18550678

  20. Yeasts are essential for cocoa bean fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Van Thi Thuy; Zhao, Jian; Fleet, Graham

    2014-03-17

    Cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao) are the major raw material for chocolate production and fermentation of the beans is essential for the development of chocolate flavor precursors. In this study, a novel approach was used to determine the role of yeasts in cocoa fermentation and their contribution to chocolate quality. Cocoa bean fermentations were conducted with the addition of 200ppm Natamycin to inhibit the growth of yeasts, and the resultant microbial ecology and metabolism, bean chemistry and chocolate quality were compared with those of normal (control) fermentations. The yeasts Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, Pichia kudriavzevii and Kluyveromyces marxianus, the lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus fermentum and the acetic acid bacteria Acetobacter pasteurianus and Gluconobacter frateurii were the major species found in the control fermentation. In fermentations with the presence of Natamycin, the same bacterial species grew but yeast growth was inhibited. Physical and chemical analyses showed that beans fermented without yeasts had increased shell content, lower production of ethanol, higher alcohols and esters throughout fermentation and lesser presence of pyrazines in the roasted product. Quality tests revealed that beans fermented without yeasts were purplish-violet in color and not fully brown, and chocolate prepared from these beans tasted more acid and lacked characteristic chocolate flavor. Beans fermented with yeast growth were fully brown in color and gave chocolate with typical characters which were clearly preferred by sensory panels. Our findings demonstrate that yeast growth and activity were essential for cocoa bean fermentation and the development of chocolate characteristics. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Efficacy of vinegar, sorbitol and sodium benzoate in mitigation of Salmonella contamination in betel leaf

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Al Asmaul Husna

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The present study was undertaken to mitigate Salmonella from betel leaf in Mymensingh. A total of 35 betel leaf samples were collected from 2 baroujes and 5 local markets in Mymensingh. The samples were sub-divided into two groups: (i phosphate buffer solution (PBS washed, and (ii grinded sample. There was control and treated (with 1.5% vinegar, sorbitol, and sodium benzoate sub-groups in both groups. Mitigation of Salmonella was determined by comparing Total Viable Count (TVC and Total Salmonella Count (TSAC of control with treated groups. No bacterial growth was observed in the betel leaf samples collected directly from barouj level. At market level, when grinded, there was no growth of bacteria in Plate Count Agar (PCA and Salmonella- Shigella (SS or Xylose Lysine De-oxy-chocolate (XLD in both treated and untreated groups. But when the PBS washed samples were used, the TVC (mean log CFU±SD/mL of betel leaf ranged from 5.16±0.82 to 5.96±1.11, whereas the TSAC value ranged from 4.87±0.58 to 5.56±1.00 for untreated group. In vinegar, there was no growth, but when treated with sorbitol, the TVC (mean log CFU±SD/mL value reduced to 5.00±0.54 to 5.66±1.09, and TSAC (mean log CFU±SD/mL value reduced to 4.28±0.71 to 4.78±0.64. When treated with sodium benzoate, the TVC (mean log CFU±SD/mL value reduced to 5.06±0.53 to 5.75±1.02, and TSAC (mean log CFU±SD/mL value reduced to 4.34±0.79 to 4.92±0.64. Data of this study indicates that all the three chemicals were effective in terms of reducing bacterial load but vinegar (1.5% was found to be the most effective against Salmonella as well as some other bacteria when treated for 10 min.

  2. [Effect of products of thermophilous methane fermentation on the fermentation of fruit must by Saccharomyces vini].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikhlin, E D; Kotomina, E N; Pisarnitsky

    1975-01-01

    Experiments were carried out to study the effect of extracts from products of thermophilous methane fermentation at a dose of 0.7+2.0 ml/100 ml on the proliferation and fermentation activity of yeast Saccharomyces vini of the Yablochnaya-7 and Vishnevaya-33 race during their cultivation in the Hansen medium and in the apple and cranberry must with a normal and elevated content of sugar and acid. In some experiments the must was enriched in (NH4)2HPO4 at a dose of 0.3 g/l. Additions of small amounts of products of thermophilous methane fermentation accelerated fermentation of fruit musts with a normal sugar content and to a greater extent musts with an increased sugar content (27%). In the must enriched in (NH4)2HPO4 an almost complete (over 98%) fermentation of sugar developed for 27 days. In the must with an increased acidity (due to citric acid added to bring titrable acidity to 25 g/l) additions of the preparation also accerlerated the begining of the fermentation and increased its intensity.

  3. Influence of nitrogen sources on growth and fermentation performance of different wine yeast species during alcoholic fermentation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kemsawasd, Varongsiri; Monteiro Lomba Viana, Tiago; Ardö, Ylva

    2015-01-01

    -Saccharomyces yeast species (Lachancea thermotolerans, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Hanseniaspora uvarum and Torulaspora delbrueckii) was investigated during alcoholic fermentation. Briefly, the N-sources with beneficial effects on all performance parameters (or for the majority of them) for each yeast species were...... for L. thermotolerans, H. uvarum and M. pulcherrima, single amino acids affected growth and fermentation performance to the same extent as the mixtures. Moreover, we found groups of N-sources with similar effects on the growth and/or fermentation performance of two or more yeast species. Finally...... species under oxygen-limited conditions, which, in turn, may be used to, e.g. optimize growth and fermentation performance of the given yeast upon N-source supplementation during wine fermentations....

  4. Ultrafiltration of hemicellulose hydrolysate fermentation broth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kresnowati, M. T. A. P.; Desiriani, Ria; Wenten, I. G.

    2017-03-01

    Hemicelulosic material is often used as the main substrate to obtain high-value products such as xylose. The five carbon sugar, xylose, could be further processed by fermentation to produce xylitol. However, not only the hemicellulose hydrolysate fermentation broth contains xylitol, but also metabolite products, residual substances, biomass and mineral salts. Therefore, in order to obtain the end products, various separation processes are required to separate and purify the desired product from the fermentation broth. One of the most promising downstream processing methods of fermentation broth clarification is ultrafiltration due to its potential for energy saving and higher purity. In addition, ultrafiltration membrane has a high performance in separating inhibitory components in the fermentation broth. This paper assesses the influence of operating conditions; including trans-membrane pressure, velocity, pH of the fermentation broth solutions, and also to the xylitol concentration in the product. The challenges of the ultrafiltration process will be pointed out.

  5. Magnitude and meaningfulness of change in SF-36 scores in four types of orthopedic surgery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Busija, Lucy; Osborne, Richard H; Nilsdotter, Anna

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The Medical Outcomes General Health Survey (SF-36) is a widely used health status measure; however, limited evidence is available for its performance in orthopedic settings. The aim of this study was to examine the magnitude and meaningfulness of change and sensitivity of SF-36...

  6. Low energy Kombucha fermented milk-based beverages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milanović Spasenija D.

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates manufacturing of fermented beverages from two types of milk (1 % w/w and 2.2 % w/w fat by applying of Kombucha, which contains several yeasts and bacterial strains. The starter was the inoculum produced from previous Kombucha fermentation. The applied starter concentrations were: 10 % v/v, 15 % v/v and 20 % v/v. Also, the traditional yoghurt starter was used to produce the control samples. All fermentations were performed at 42oC and the changes in the pH were monitored. The fermentation process was about three times faster in the control yoghurt than in the Kombucha samples. Influence of Kombucha inoculum concentration on the rate of fermentation appeared not to be significant. All fermentations were stopped when the pH reached 4.4. After the production, the quality of the fermented milk beverages with Kombucha was determined and compared with the quality of the control yoghurt samples. It was concluded that the difference in fat contents in milks affects the difference in quantities of other components in the fermented milk beverages with Kombucha. Sensory characteristics of the beverages manufactured from the partially skimmed milk are much better than those of the fermented beverages produced from the low fat milk.

  7. Asian fungal fermented food

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nout, M.J.R.; Aidoo, K.E.

    2010-01-01

    In Asian countries, there is a long history of fermentation of foods and beverages. Diverse micro-organisms, including bacteria, yeasts and moulds, are used as starters, and a wide range of ingredients can be made into fermented foods. The main raw materials include cereals, leguminous seeds,

  8. Lens subluxation after plasmin and SF6 injections in rabbit eyes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei-Chi Wu

    Full Text Available To investigate the rate of lens subluxation following plasmin and/or SF6 injections in eyes, and whether a subsequent elevated level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF and vitreous tap would aggravate subluxation.Four groups of rabbits were used. Group 1 received an intravitreal injection (IVI of plasmin and SF6 in the right eye; group 2 received an IVI of plasmin in the right eye; group 3 received an IVI of SF6 in the right eye; and group 4 received an IVI of balanced salt solution in the right eye. After treatment, IVIs of VEGF were given and vitreous tap was performed three times, followed by clinical observation of lens subluxation and scanning electronic microscope evaluation of the zonular fibers.After IVIs of plasmin and SF6, and VEGF and vitreous tap had been performed one to three times, lens subluxation was noted in 0%, 43%, 71%, 71%, and 86% of the eyes in group 1. After IVIs of plasmin, VEGF, and vitreous tap had been performed one to three times, lens subluxation was noted in 11%, 22%, 44%, 44%, and 67% of the eyes in group 2. The eyes in group 3 and 4 did not show signs of lens subluxation after VEGF IVIs and vitreous tap. Histology confirmed zonular fiber damage in the eyes treated with plasmin.The incidence of lens subluxation increased following plasmin injections in the eyes, and this was aggravated by the subsequent high VEGF level in the eyes and vitreous tapping. Zonular fibers were disrupted following plasmin treatment. These effects should be kept in mind when using plasmin enzymes in patients with vitreoretinal abnormalities.

  9. Macroscopic modelling of solid-state fermentation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoogschagen, M.J.

    2007-01-01

    Solid-state fermentation is different from the more well known process of liquid fermentation because no free flowing water is present. The technique is primarily used in Asia. Well-known products are the foods tempe, soy sauce and saké. In industrial solid-state fermentation, the substrate usually

  10. Continuous alcoholic fermentation of molasses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kazimierz, J

    1962-01-01

    The first Polish plant for ontinuous alcohol fermentation of molasses is described. Continuous fermentation permits a better use of the installation, automatic control, and shorter fermentation time. It yields more CO/sub 2/ for dry ice manufacture and decreases corrosion of apparatus. From 22 to 24% mash is used, giving a yield of 61.1 of 100-proof alc./kg. sucrose and an average of 37 kg. of dry yeast/1000 l. alcohol

  11. Stability of regularly prescribed oral liquids formulated with SyrSpend® SF.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uriel, M; Gómez-Rincón, C; Marro, D

    2018-04-02

    The purpose of this research was to evaluate the stability of 12 oral liquid formulations frequently compounded in hospital and community settings formulated in a specific vehicle: SyrSpend® SF. The stability of melatonin, glycopyrrolate, ciclosporin, chloral hydrate, flecainide acetate, tiagabine HCl, labetalol HCl, ciprofloxacin HCl, spironolactone/hydrochlorothiazide, hydrocortisone, itraconazole and celecoxib in SyrSpend SF PH4 (liquid) was investigated at 0, 30, 60 and 90 days and stored at both controlled room temperature and refrigerated. Itraconazole samples were also investigated at 15 and 45 days. No change in odor, color or appearance was observed in the formulations during the test period. Based on the results, a beyond-use date of 30 days can be assigned to tiagabine HCl 1.0 mg/ml in SyrSpend SF when stored at controlled room temperature, and 90 days under refrigeration, improving stability data previously published using other vehicles. A beyond-use date of 60 days can be assigned to chloral hydrate 100.0 mg/ml. In this case, stability is not enhanced by refrigeration. With the rest of the formulations, less than 10% API loss occurred over 90 days at either controlled room temperature or under refrigeration. Including for example itraconazole 20.0 mg/ml, thus providing extended stability compared to simple syrup and other oral liquid vehicles. The findings of this study show that SyrSpend SF is an appropriate suspending vehicle to be used for personalized formulations of the APIs studied here.

  12. Parametric investigation on the effect of nitrogen to reduce SF6 content in spark gap

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raj, Avinash; Khaidir, Nur; Ishak, Sanuri; Ghani, Basri Abdul; Chakrabarty, Chandan; Permal, Navitharshaani; Ahmad, Harizan

    2017-03-01

    Almost all the MV and HV switchgears used by power utilities for interrupting faults are Sulphur Hexaflouride SF6 gas circuit breakers as this gas has the best dielectric properties to quench the onset of an arc in the event of fault. However due to strong dissociating properties of this gas when in contact with air that can release fluorine into the atmosphere, the Kyoto protocol has mandated to reduce the usage of SF6 in the future. SF6 is a greenhouse gas and it's about 3000 more severe than CO2. And that's the reason for replacing this gas. A close match in the quenching properties to SF6 that is now being intensively researched is nitrogen N2. This gas is considered to be an inert gas, and its release into the atmosphere has no harmful effects (except for asphyxiation - which can be easily handled with awareness). As the need for a replacement of SF6 becomes critical in the near future, the urgency to find the right gas is immediate. Hence the proposed work in this paper is to make a comprehensive parametric investigation of N2 gas in vacuum spark-gap. The spark-gap is chosen due to flexibility in changing the gap distance and easily be housed in vacuum. The parameters to be investigated are pure N2 and N2/ SF6 mix. The settling-time of the electrical break-down voltage and current are measured using voltage probe and Pearson probe. This time is paramount as it determines the speed of breaking the circuit. A faster breaking time ensures the safety of other HV equipment in the circuit. A comparative study between the various parameters will be conducted to obtain the best recipe (gas mix and gap distance) that gives the shortest settling time the breakdown using N2/ SF6/Mixture gas was successfully conducted and a Paschen curve has been established.

  13. Determination of mannitol sorbitol and myo-inositol in olive tree roots and rhizospheric soil by gas chromatography and effect of severe drought conditions on their profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mechri, Beligh; Tekaya, Meriem; Cheheb, Hechmi; Hammami, Mohamed

    2015-01-01

    This study reports a method for the analysis of mannitol, sorbitol and myo-inositol in olive tree roots and rhizospheric soil with gas chromatography. The analytical method consists of extraction with a mixture of dichloromethane:methanol (2:1, v/v) for soil samples and a mixture of ethanol:water (80:20) for root samples, silylation using pyridine, hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) and trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS). The recovery of mannitol sorbitol and myo-inositol (for extraction and analysis in dichloromethane:methanol and ethanol:water) was acceptable and ranged from 100.3 to 114.7%. The time of analysis was <24 min. Among identified polyols extracted from rhizosphere and roots of olive plants, mannitol was the major compound. A marked increase in mannitol content occurred in rhizosphere and roots of water-stressed plants, suggesting a much broader role of mannitol in stress response based on its ability to act as a compatible solute. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. Northeast Cooperative Research Study Fleet (SF) Program Biological Sampling Data

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Northeast Cooperative Research Study Fleet (SF) Program partners with a subset of commercial fishermen to collect high quality, high resolution, haul by haul...

  15. La fermentation éthanolique. Les microorganismes Ethanol Fermentation. The Microorganisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ballerini D.

    2006-11-01

    Full Text Available Cette étude précise l'état actuel des connaissances concernant la fermentation éthanolique, d'un point de vue microbiologique. Outre les microorganismes utilisés depuis longtemps, sont décrites les nouvelles espèces de levures et de bactéries capables de transformer en éthanol des substrats aussi divers que les composés cellulosiques et hémicellulosiques issus de la biomasse et leurs produits d'hydrolyse. Pour la fermentation des substrats traditionnels tels que les mélasses et les jus d'extraction de plantes sucrières, ou encore l'amidon de maïs, les performances des levures du genre Saccharomyces sont comparées à celles des bactéries du genre Zymomonas. This review gives the state-of-the-art of what is known about ethanol fermentation from the microbiological viewpoint. In addition to the microorganisms that have been used for a long time, it describes new species of yeasts and bacteria capable of transforming, in ethanol, substrates including such different ones as cellulosic and hemicellulosic compounds issuing from biomass and their hydrolysis products. For the fermentation of traditional substrates such as molasses and juices extracted from sugar plants, or cornstarch, the performances of yeasts of the Saccharomyces type are compared to those of bacteria of the Zymomonas type.

  16. Transport mechanisms for synoptic, seasonal and interannual SF6 variations and "age" of air in troposphere

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Miyazaki

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available We use an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM driven chemistry-transport model (ACTM to simulate the evolution of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6 in the troposphere. The model results are compared with continuous measurements at 6 sites over 71° N–90° S. These comparisons demonstrate that the ACTM simulations lie within the measurement uncertainty over the analysis period (1999–2006 and capture salient features of synoptic, seasonal and interannual SF6 variability. To understand transport timescales of SF6 within the troposphere, transport times of air parcels from the surface to different regions of the troposphere ("age" are estimated from a simulation of an idealized tracer. The age estimation error and its sensitivity to the selection of reanalysis meteorology for ACTM nudging or the tracer transport by deep cumulus convection as represented in the model are discussed. Monthly-mean, 2-box model exchange times (τex are calculated from both the observed and simulated SF6 time series at the 6 observing sites and show favorable agreement, suggesting that the ACTM adequately represents large-scale interhemispheric transport. The simulated SF6 variability is further investigated through decomposition of the mixing ratio time-tendency into advective, convective, and vertical diffusive components. The transport component analysis illustrates the role of each process in SF6 synoptic variability at the site level and provides insight into the seasonality of τex.

  17. Alcoholic fermentation under oenological conditions. Use of a combination of data analysis and neural networks to predict sluggish and stuck fermentations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Insa, G. [Inst. National de la Recherche Agronomique, Inst. des Produits de la Vigne, Lab. de Microbiologie et Technologie des Fermentations, 34 - Montpellier (France); Sablayrolles, J.M. [Inst. National de la Recherche Agronomique, Inst. des Produits de la Vigne, Lab. de Microbiologie et Technologie des Fermentations, 34 - Montpellier (France); Douzal, V. [Centre National du Machinisme Agricole du Genie Rural des Eaux et Forets, 92 - Antony (France)

    1995-09-01

    The possibility of predicting sluggish fermentations under oenological conditions was investigated by studying 117 musts of different French grape varieties using an automatic device for fermentation monitoring. The objective was to detect sluggish or stuck fermentations at the halfway point of fermentation. Seventy nine percent of fermentations were correctly predicted by combining data analysis and neural networks. (orig.)

  18. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth May Increase the Likelihood of Lactose and Sorbitol but not Fructose Intolerance False Positive Diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perets, Tsachi Tsadok; Hamouda, Dalal; Layfer, Olga; Ashorov, Olga; Boltin, Doron; Levy, Sigal; Niv, Yaron; Dickman, Ram

    2017-08-01

    Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is defined as a bacterial count of more than 10 5 colony-forming units per milliliter in duodenal aspirate. It shares many symptoms with carbohydrate intolerance, which makes the clinical distinction of the disorders difficult. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between a positive carbohydrate breath test and the presence of SIBO suggested by a positive lactulose hydrogen breath test. The electronic database of the gastroenterology laboratory of a tertiary medical center was searched for all patients clinically tested for SIBO in 2012-2013 for whom previous results for lactose, fructose, and/or sorbitol breath test were available. The correlation between positive findings for carbohydrate intolerance and for SIBO was statistically analyzed. The study group included 349 patients, 231 female and 118 male, of mean age 53±19 years. All had symptoms of abdominal bloating and gas. There was a statistically significant difference in rates of a positive breath test for lactose and sorbitol at ≤90 minutes between patients who were positive and negative for SIBO [χ 2 (1)=12.8, p <0.01 and χ 2 (1)=9.5, p <0.01 respectively]. Findings for fructose were not significant. There was no effect of age or gender. SIBO may represent an important reversible cause of carbohydrate intolerance. It may be especially prudent to exclude SIBO patients with an early peak (≤90 minutes) in H 2 excretion. © 2017 by the Association of Clinical Scientists, Inc.

  19. Discovery and History of Amino Acid Fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashimoto, Shin-Ichi

    There has been a strong demand in Japan and East Asia for L-glutamic acid as a seasoning since monosodium glutamate was found to present umami taste in 1907. The discovery of glutamate fermentation by Corynebacterium glutamicum in 1956 enabled abundant and low-cost production of the amino acid, creating a large market. The discovery also prompted researchers to develop fermentative production processes for other L-amino acids, such as lysine. Currently, the amino acid fermentation industry is so huge that more than 5 million metric tons of amino acids are manufactured annually all over the world, and this number continues to grow. Research on amino acid fermentation fostered the notion and skills of metabolic engineering which has been applied for the production of other compounds from renewable resources. The discovery of glutamate fermentation has had revolutionary impacts on both the industry and science. In this chapter, the history and development of glutamate fermentation, including the very early stage of fermentation of other amino acids, are reviewed.

  20. Changes in physical and chemical characteristics of fermented cocoa (Theobroma cacao beans with manual and semi-mechanized transfer, between fermentation boxes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro. P. Peláez

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate variation in the physical and chemical properties of fermented cocoa beans with cocoa beans transfer between wooden fermentation boxes manually (M and semi-mechanized (SM way. Mass temperature, moisture, pH, and total acidity of the cotyledon and pulp; the total polyphenol, anthocyanin, reducing sugar, theobromine, and caffeine content in fresh, fermented, and dried beans; and percentage of fermented beans and time required to move beans during fermentation were determined. The cocoa used grew in the Pachiza district of the San Martin region of Peru. Cocoa sampling was each 0, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, and 168 h of fermentation. The cocoa mass temperature was highest with both removal systems after 96 h of fermentation. M cotyledon and pulp samples had the highest moisture content and titratable acidity, while cotyledon and pulp pH with both systems were statistically equal. In contrast, fermented beans had a higher polyphenol, anthocyanin, reducing sugar, theobromine, and caffeine content with SM. SM produced the greatest amount of fermentation (91.67% and required the shortest amount of time to move beans (78.56 min. In conclusion, the system of fermentation of cocoa beans with SM was faster and produced fermented grains with high chemical quality.

  1. 77 FR 26025 - Notice of Intent To Prepare a Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the HOPE SF Development at...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-02

    ... a Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the HOPE SF Development at Potrero Terrace and Potrero... Statement (EIR/EIS) for the HOPE SF Development at the Potrero Terrace and Potrero Annex Public Housing Development (Potrero HOPE SF Master Plan Project). The EIR/EIS will be a joint National Environmental Policy...

  2. Electrospun nanofibrous SF/P(LLA-CL) membrane: a potential substratum for endothelial keratoplasty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Junzhao; Yan, Chenxi; Zhu, Mengyu; Yao, Qinke; Shao, Chunyi; Lu, Wenjuan; Wang, Jing; Mo, Xiumei; Gu, Ping; Fu, Yao; Fan, Xianqun

    2015-01-01

    Cornea transplant technology has progressed markedly in recent decades, allowing surgeons to replace diseased corneal endothelium by a thin lamellar structure. A thin, transparent, biocompatible, tissue-engineered substratum with corneal endothelial cells for endothelial keratoplasty is currently of interest. Electrospinning a nanofibrous structure can simulate the extracellular matrix and have beneficial effects for cell culture. Silk fibroin (SF) has good biocompatibility but poor mechanical properties, while poly(L-lactic acid-co-ε-caprolactone) (P(LLA-CL)) has good mechanical properties but poor biocompatibility. Blending SF with P(LLA-CL) can maintain the advantages of both these materials and overcome their disadvantages. Blended electrospun nanofibrous membranes may be suitable for regeneration of the corneal endothelium. The aim of this study was to produce a tissue-engineered construct suitable for endothelial keratoplasty. Five scaffolds containing different SF:P(LLA-CL) blended ratios (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, 0:100) were manufactured. A human corneal endothelial (B4G12) cell line was cultured on the membranes. Light transmission, speed of cell adherence, cell viability (live-dead test), cell proliferation (Ki-67, BrdU staining), and cell monolayer formation were detected on membranes with the different blended ratios, and expression of some functional genes was also detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Different blended ratios of scaffolds had different light transmittance properties. The 25:75 blended ratio membrane had the best transmittance among these scaffolds. All electrospun nanofibrous membranes showed improved speed of cell adherence when compared with the control group, especially when the P(LLA-CL) ratio increased. The 25:75 blended ratio membranes also had the highest cell proliferation. B4G12 cells could form a monolayer on all scaffolds, and most functional genes were also stably expressed on all scaffolds. Only two genes

  3. Safety assessment of the biogenic amines in fermented soya beans and fermented bean curd.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Juan; Ding, Xiaowen; Qin, Yingrui; Zeng, Yitao

    2014-08-06

    To evaluate the safety of biogenic amines, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to evaluate the levels of biogenic amines in fermented soya beans and fermented bean curd. In fermented soya beans, the total biogenic amines content was in a relatively safe range in many samples, although the concentration of histamine, tyramine, and β-phenethylamine was high enough in some samples to cause a possible safety threat, and 8 of the 30 samples were deemed unsafe. In fermented bean curd, the total biogenic amines content was more than 900 mg/kg in 19 white sufu amples, a level that has been determined to pose a safety hazard; putrescine was the only one detected in all samples and also had the highest concentration, which made samples a safety hazard; the content of tryptamine, β-phenethylamine, tyramine, and histamine had reached the level of threat to human health in some white and green sufu samples, and that may imply another potential safety risk; and 25 of the 33 samples were unsafe. In conclusion, the content of biogenic amines in all fermented soya bean products should be studied and appropriate limits determined to ensure the safety of eating these foods.

  4. Continuous alcoholic fermentation of blackstrap molasses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Borzani, W; Aquarone, E

    1957-01-01

    The sugar concentration and the fermentation-cycle time can be related by an equation, theoretically justified, if it is assumed that the sugar consumption has a reaction rate of -1. Agitation is probably the rate-determining factor for continous alcohol fermentation. Penicillin increases the efficiency by preventing contamination. After 30 hours of fermentation, the penicillin concentration was 25 to 60% of the initial antibiotic concentration. Laboratory and plant-scale fermentations with 1.0 unit/ml of penicillin were studied and found favorable. An increase in the alcohol yield (4.8 to 19.5%) and a reduction of the acid production (17.0 to 66.6%) were observed. Penicillin did not affect the final yeast count or the fermentation time, and Leuconostoc contamination was inhibited by 8.0 units/ml.

  5. Effect of propionic acid on citric acid fermentation in an integrated citric acid-methane fermentation process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jian; Bao, Jia-Wei; Su, Xian-Feng; Zhang, Hong-Jian; Zeng, Xin; Tang, Lei; Wang, Ke; Zhang, Jian-Hua; Chen, Xu-Sheng; Mao, Zhong-Gui

    2016-03-01

    In this study, an integrated citric acid-methane fermentation process was established to solve the problem of wastewater treatment in citric acid production. Citric acid wastewater was treated through anaerobic digestion and then the anaerobic digestion effluent (ADE) was further treated and recycled for the next batch citric acid fermentation. This process could eliminate wastewater discharge and reduce water resource consumption. Propionic acid was found in the ADE and its concentration continually increased in recycling. Effect of propionic acid on citric acid fermentation was investigated, and results indicated that influence of propionic acid on citric acid fermentation was contributed to the undissociated form. Citric acid fermentation was inhibited when the concentration of propionic acid was above 2, 4, and 6 mM in initial pH 4.0, 4.5 and, 5.0, respectively. However, low concentration of propionic acid could promote isomaltase activity which converted more isomaltose to available sugar, thereby increasing citric acid production. High concentration of propionic acid could influence the vitality of cell and prolong the lag phase, causing large amount of glucose still remaining in medium at the end of fermentation and decreasing citric acid production.

  6. Kinetics model development of cocoa bean fermentation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kresnowati, M. T. A. P.; Gunawan, Agus Yodi; Muliyadini, Winny

    2015-12-01

    Although Indonesia is one of the biggest cocoa beans producers in the world, Indonesian cocoa beans are oftenly of low quality and thereby frequently priced low in the world market. In order to improve the quality, adequate post-harvest cocoa processing techniques are required. Fermentation is the vital stage in series of cocoa beans post harvest processing which could improve the quality of cocoa beans, in particular taste, aroma, and colours. During the fermentation process, combination of microbes grow producing metabolites that serve as the precursors for cocoa beans flavour. Microbial composition and thereby their activities will affect the fermentation performance and influence the properties of cocoa beans. The correlation could be reviewed using a kinetic model that includes unstructured microbial growth, substrate utilization and metabolic product formation. The developed kinetic model could be further used to design cocoa bean fermentation process to meet the expected quality. Further the development of kinetic model of cocoa bean fermentation also serve as a good case study of mixed culture solid state fermentation, that has rarely been studied. This paper presents the development of a kinetic model for solid-state cocoa beans fermentation using an empirical approach. Series of lab scale cocoa bean fermentations, either natural fermentations without starter addition or fermentations with mixed yeast and lactic acid bacteria starter addition, were used for model parameters estimation. The results showed that cocoa beans fermentation can be modelled mathematically and the best model included substrate utilization, microbial growth, metabolites production and its transport. Although the developed model still can not explain the dynamics in microbial population, this model can sufficiently explained the observed changes in sugar concentration as well as metabolic products in the cocoa bean pulp.

  7. Direct determination of sorbitol and sodium glutamate by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) in the thermostabilizer employed in the production of yellow-fever vaccine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Castro, Eduardo da S G; Cassella, Ricardo J

    2016-05-15

    Reference methods for quality control of vaccines usually require treatment of the samples before analysis. These procedures are expensive, time-consuming, unhealthy and require careful manipulation of the sample, making them a potential source of analytical errors. This work proposes a novel method for the quality control of thermostabilizer samples of the yellow fever vaccine employing attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (ATR-FTIR). The main advantage of the proposed method is the possibility of direct determination of the analytes (sodium glutamate and sorbitol) without any pretreatment of the samples. Operational parameters of the FTIR technique, such as the number of accumulated scans and nominal resolution, were evaluated. The best conditions for sodium glutamate were achieved when 64 scans were accumulated using a nominal resolution of 4 cm(-1). The measurements for sodium glutamate were performed at 1347 cm(-1) (baseline correction between 1322 and 1369 cm(-1)). In the case of sorbitol, the measurements were done at 890cm(-1) (baseline correction between 825 and 910 cm(-1)) using a nominal resolution of 2 cm(-1) with 32 accumulated scans. In both cases, the quantitative variable was the band height. Recovery tests were performed in order to evaluate the accuracy of the method and recovery percentages in the range 93-106% were obtained. Also, the methods were compared with reference methods and no statistical differences were observed. The limits of detection and quantification for sodium glutamate were 0.20 and 0.62% (m/v), respectively, whereas for sorbitol they were 1 and 3.3% (m/v), respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Construct validation of SF-36 Malay version among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yap, Bee Wah; Jannoo, Zeinab; Razali, Nornadiah Mohd; Ghani, Nor Azura Md.; Lazim, Mohamad Alias

    2015-02-01

    The Short Form 36 (SF-36) is one of the most widely used generic health status measure. This study used the SF-36 Health Survey instrument to investigate the functional health and well-being of Malay Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients in Malaysia. The survey was carried out in three local hospitals in Selangor. The method of questionnaire administration was both self-administered and interviewer administered. A total of 354 questionnaires was returned, but only 295 questionnaires with no missing data were analyzed. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was used to confirm the first-order and third-order CFA models. The higher order analyses included a third-order CFA models with two second-order factors (physical and mental component) and three second-order factors (physical, general well-being and mental health) and both showed satisfactory model fit indices. This study confirmed the multidimensional factor structure of the SF-36.

  9. Analysis of factors affecting baseline SF-36 Mental Component Summary in Adult Spinal Deformity and its impact on surgical outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mmopelwa, Tiro; Ayhan, Selim; Yuksel, Selcen; Nabiyev, Vugar; Niyazi, Asli; Pellise, Ferran; Alanay, Ahmet; Sanchez Perez Grueso, Francisco Javier; Kleinstuck, Frank; Obeid, Ibrahim; Acaroglu, Emre

    2018-03-01

    To identify the factors that affect SF-36 mental component summary (MCS) in patients with adult spinal deformity (ASD) at the time of presentation, and to analyse the effect of SF-36 MCS on clinical outcomes in surgically treated patients. Prospectively collected data from a multicentric ASD database was analysed for baseline parameters. Then, the same database for surgically treated patients with a minimum of 1-year follow-up was analysed to see the effect of baseline SF-36 MCS on treatment results. A clinically useful SF-36 MCS was determined by ROC Curve analysis. A total of 229 patients with the baseline parameters were analysed. A strong correlation between SF-36 MCS and SRS-22, ODI, gender, and diagnosis were found (p baseline SF-36 MCS (p baseline SF-36 MCS in an ASD population are other HRQOL parameters such as SRS-22 and ODI as well as the baseline thoracic kyphosis and gender. This study has also demonstrated that baseline SF-36 MCS does not necessarily have any effect on the treatment results by surgery as assessed by SRS-22 or ODI. Level III, prognostic study. Copyright © 2018 Turkish Association of Orthopaedics and Traumatology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Measuring health-related quality of life: psychometric evaluation of the Tunisian version of the SF-12 health survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Younsi, Moheddine; Chakroun, Mohamed

    2014-09-01

    The 12-item short-form health survey (SF-12) was developed as a shorter alternative to the SF-36 for use in large-scale studies as an applicable instrument for measuring health-related quality of life. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Tunisian version of the SF-12. A stratified representative sample (N = 3,582) of the general Tunisian population aged 18 years and over was interviewed. SF-12 summary scores were derived using the standard US algorithm. Factor analysis was used to confirm the hypothesized component structure of the SF-12 items. Reliability was estimated using internal consistency, and construct validity was investigated with "known groups" validity testing and via convergent and divergent validity. SF-12 summary scores distinguished well, and in the expected manner, between groups of respondents on the basis of gender, age, education and socioeconomic status, thus providing evidence of construct validity. Mean scores in the total sample were 50.11 (SD 8.53) for the physical component summary (PCS) score and 47.96 (SD 9.82) for the mental component summary (MCS) score. The results showed satisfactory internal consistency and acceptable convergent validity for both summary scores. Cronbach's α coefficient for PCS-12 and MCS-12 was 0.73 and 0.72, respectively. Known groups comparison showed that the SF-12 discriminated well between groups of respondents on the basis of gender, age, education and socioeconomic status. In addition, no floor or ceiling effects at baseline were observed. The PCA confirmed the two-factor structure of the SF-12 items. Items belonging to the physical component correlated more strongly with the PCS-12 than those with the MCS-12. Similarly, items belonging to the mental component correlated more strongly with the MCS-12 than those with the PCS-12. The findings suggest that the SF-12 appears to be a valid and reliable measure that can be used for measuring of population health

  11. fermentation

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user

    2012-05-17

    May 17, 2012 ... genes in glycolysis pathway, trehalose and steroid biosynthesis and heat shock proteins (HSP) in .... com) and prepared for microarray construction and analysis. .... a single time point of the late stage of VHG fermentation.

  12. Effect of mixing during fermentation in yogurt manufacturing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aguirre-Ezkauriatza, E J; Galarza-González, M G; Uribe-Bujanda, A I; Ríos-Licea, M; López-Pacheco, F; Hernández-Brenes, C M; Alvarez, M M

    2008-12-01

    In traditional yogurt manufacturing, the yogurt is not agitated during fermentation. However, stirring could be beneficial, particularly for improving heat and mass transport across the fermentation tank. In this contribution, we studied the effect of low-speed agitation during fermentation on process time, acidity profile, and microbial dynamics during yogurt fermentation in 2 laboratory-scale fermenters (3 and 5 L) with different heat-transfer characteristics. Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus were used as fermenting bacteria. Curves of pH, lactic acid concentration, lactose concentration, and bacterial population profiles during fermentation are presented for static and low-agitation conditions during fermentation. At low-inoculum conditions, agitation reduced the processing time by shortening the lag phase. However, mixing did not modify the duration or the shape of the pH profiles during the exponential phase. In fermentors with poor heat-transfer characteristics, important differences in microbial dynamics were observed between the agitated and nonagitated fermentation experiments; that is, agitation significantly increased the observable specific growth rate and the final microbial count of L. bulgaricus.

  13. Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry applied to historical imagery: plug & play?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakker, Maarten; Lane, Stuart N.

    2017-04-01

    The development of Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry has led to a vast increase and expansion of geomorphological applications. Highly detailed Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) can be efficiently generated from a variety of platforms that cover a large range of spatial scales. For the application of DEMs in geomorphic change analysis, precision and spatial resolution are not of sole importance, but also their accuracy, temporal resolution and temporal coverage. The use of archival imagery may substantially lengthen temporal coverage, allowing quantification of annual to decadal scale landform change. Whilst archival photogrammetry is not new, a question arises as to how applicable SfM methods are as a more cost-effective and straightforward alternative to the conventional approach. Here, we studied a relatively extreme case where we applied SfM techniques to archival aerial imagery, to investigate the decadal evolution of a low relief braided river. The Borgne is an Alpine river in south-west Switzerland which is strongly affected by flow abstraction for hydropower, allowing the fairly straightforward application of photogrammetry on the near-dry river bed. For 8 sets of scanned historical aerial images in the period 1959-2005 we performed Ground Control Point (GCP) assisted bundle adjustment using both classical archival digital photogrammetry (used as a reference dataset) and SfM based photogrammetry. For the SfM method, no further data were used to constrain camera or exterior orientation parameters a priori, but instead we used these for a posteriori verification. The resulting densified point clouds were registered onto a reference surface based on stable areas, allowing the correction for any systematic error in DEMs that may arise from (random) error in the bundle adjustment. The obtained results show that the quality of the SfM based bundle adjustment is similar to that of the classical photogrammetric approach. Next to image scale, the quality is

  14. SF6 ventilation study at Agnew Lake Mines, Ontario

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1979-03-01

    In September 1978, James F. MacLaren Limited was awarded a contract by the Canada Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology (CANMET) to undertake a ventilation study at an underground uranium mine using sulphur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) as a tracer gas. The mine selected for the study was that of Agnew Lake Mines Limited in Northern Ontario. This is a relatively new mine with the combined mine/mill facilities first operational in mid-1977. Uranium is recovered from broken ore by in-situ leaching. The ventilation study was divided into two phases. A laboratory study was undertaken to develop a practical sampling technique, provide an evaluation of the logistics of long range sample transport and develop a laboratory analytical technique. Field programmes demonstrated the SF 6 tracer gas technique for mine ventilation trouble-shooting with the intent of providing information which will lead to more efficient use of existing mine ventilation capacity. This report outlines the findings of the laboratory study and the two field programmes

  15. The Human Splicing Factor ASF/SF2 can Specifically Recognize Pre-mRNA 5' Splice Sites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuo, Ping; Manley, James L.

    1994-04-01

    ASF/SF2 is a human protein previously shown to function in in vitro pre-mRNA splicing as an essential factor necessary for all splices and also as an alternative splicing factor, capable of switching selection of 5' splice sites. To begin to study the protein's mechanism of action, we have investigated the RNA binding properties of purified recombinant ASF/SF2. Using UV crosslinking and gel shift assays, we demonstrate that the RNA binding region of ASF/SF2 can interact with RNA in a sequence-specific manner, recognizing the 5' splice site in each of two different pre-mRNAs. Point mutations in the 5' splice site consensus can reduce binding by as much as a factor of 100, with the largest effects observed in competition assays. These findings support a model in which ASF/SF2 aids in the recognition of pre-mRNA 5' splice sites.

  16. Predicting SF-6D utility scores from the Oswestry disability index and numeric rating scales for back and leg pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carreon, Leah Y; Glassman, Steven D; McDonough, Christine M; Rampersaud, Raja; Berven, Sigurd; Shainline, Michael

    2009-09-01

    Cross-sectional cohort. The purpose of this study is to provide a model to allow estimation of utility from the Short Form (SF)-6D using data from the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Back Pain Numeric Rating Scale (BPNRS), and the Leg Pain Numeric Rating Scale (LPNRS). Cost-utility analysis provides important information about the relative value of interventions and requires a measure of utility not often available from clinical trial data. The ODI and numeric rating scales for back (BPNRS) and leg pain (LPNRS), are widely used disease-specific measures for health-related quality of life in patients with lumbar degenerative disorders. The purpose of this study is to provide a model to allow estimation of utility from the SF-6D using data from the ODI, BPNRS, and the LPNRS. SF-36, ODI, BPNRS, and LPNRS were prospectively collected before surgery, at 12 and 24 months after surgery in 2640 patients undergoing lumbar fusion for degenerative disorders. Spearman correlation coefficients for paired observations from multiple time points between ODI, BPNRS, and LPNRS, and SF-6D utility scores were determined. Regression modeling was done to compute the SF-6D score from the ODI, BPNRS, and LPNRS. Using a separate, independent dataset of 2174 patients in which actual SF-6D and ODI scores were available, the SF-6D was estimated for each subject and compared to their actual SF-6D. In the development sample, the mean age was 52.5 +/- 15 years and 34% were male. In the validation sample, the mean age was 52.9 +/- 14.2 years and 44% were male. Correlations between the SF-6D and the ODI, BPNRS, and LPNRS were statistically significant (P < 0.0001) with correlation coefficients of 0.82, 0.78, and 0.72, respectively. The regression equation using ODI, BPNRS,and LPNRS to predict SF-6D had an R of 0.69 and a root mean square error of 0.076. The model using ODI alone had an R of 0.67 and a root mean square error of 0.078. The correlation coefficient between the observed and estimated

  17. Two-temperature thermodynamic and transport properties of SF6–Cu plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Yi; Chen, Zhexin; Yang, Fei; Rong, Mingzhe; Sun, Hao; Cressault, Yann; Murphy, Anthony B; Guo, Anxiang; Liu, Zirui

    2015-01-01

    SF 6 and Cu are widely adopted in electrical equipment as a dielectric medium and for conductive components, respectively. SF 6 –Cu plasmas are frequently formed, particularly in high-voltage circuit breaker arcs and fault current arcs, due to erosion of the Cu components. In this paper, calculated values of the thermodynamic and transport properties of plasmas in SF 6 –Cu mixtures are presented for both thermal equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions. The composition is determined by the two-temperature Saha equation and Guldberg–Waage equation in the form derived by van de Sanden. The composition and the thermodynamic properties are evaluated through a classical statistical mechanics approach. For the transport coefficients, the simplified Chapman–Enskog method developed by Devoto, which decouples the electrons and heavy species, has been applied using the most recent collision integrals. The thermodynamic and transport properties are calculated for different electron temperatures (300–40 000 K), ratios of electron to heavy-species temperature (1–10), pressures (0.1–10 atm) and copper molar proportions (0–50%). It is found that deviations from thermal equilibrium strongly affect the thermodynamic and transport properties of the SF 6 –Cu plasmas. Further, the presence of copper has different effects on some of the properties for plasmas in and out of thermal equilibrium. The main reason for these changes is that dissociation reactions are delayed for non-thermal equilibrium plasmas, which in turn influences the ionization reactions that occur. (paper)

  18. Taste and chemical characteristics of low molecular weight fractions from tofuyo - Japanese fermented soybean curd.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lioe, Hanifah Nuryani; Kinjo, Ayano; Yasuda, Shin; Kuba-Miyara, Megumi; Tachibana, Shinjiro; Yasuda, Masaaki

    2018-06-30

    Tofuyo, a Japanese traditional food, is a fermented soybean curd manufactured in Okinawa region. Due to its original cheese-like flavor, the current study was designed to evaluate the sensory and chemical characteristics of three stepwise ultrafiltration fractions, using 10,000, 3000 and 500 Da membranes and further chromatographic fractions from tofuyo. The results showed that umami, sweet and salty were the characteristic tastes of all fractions, with umami intensity evaluated for the fraction with MW less than 500 Da (F-500) as the most prominent among the three fractions. Subsequent Sephadex G-25 SF fractions and RP-HPLC fractions were subjected to sensory and chemical analyses. The tastiest fraction contained sodium chloride, sugars, organic acids, umami and sweet free amino acids, at concentrations above their thresholds. The abundant presence of umami and sweet free amino acids with certain concentrations of sodium chloride and glucose might provide the typical savory taste of tofuyo. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Effects of rare sugar D-allulose on acid production and probiotic activities of dairy lactic acid bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimoto-Nira, H; Moriya, N; Hayakawa, S; Kuramasu, K; Ohmori, H; Yamasaki, S; Ogawa, M

    2017-07-01

    It has recently been reported that the rare sugar d-allulose has beneficial effects, including the suppression of postprandial blood glucose elevation in humans, and can be substituted for sucrose as a low-calorie food ingredient. To examine the applications of d-allulose in the dairy industry, we investigated the effects of d-allulose on the acid production of 8 strains of yogurt starter (Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus) and 4 strains of lactococci, including potential probiotic candidates derived from dairy products. Acid production by 2 L. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus yogurt starter strains in milk was suppressed by d-allulose, but this phenomenon was also observed in some strains with another sugar (xylose), a sugar alcohol (sorbitol), or both. In contrast, among the dairy probiotic candidates, Lactococcus lactis H61, which has beneficial effects for human skin when drunk as part of fermented milk, was the only strain that showed suppression of acid production in the presence of d-allulose. Strain H61 did not metabolize d-allulose. We did not observe suppression of acid production by strain H61 with the addition of xylose or sorbitol, and xylose and sorbitol were not metabolized by strain H61. The acid production of strain H61 after culture in a constituted medium (tryptone-yeast extract-glucose broth) was also suppressed with the addition of d-allulose, but growth efficiency and sugar fermentation style were not altered. Probiotic activities-such as the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity of H61-fermented milk and the superoxide dismutase activity of H61 cells grown in tryptone-yeast extract-glucose broth-were not affected by d-allulose. d-Allulose may suppress acid production in certain lactic acid bacteria without altering their probiotic activity. It may be useful for developing new probiotic dairy products from probiotic strains such as Lactococcus lactis H61. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science

  20. Impact of 10% SF6 Gas Compared to 100% Air Tamponade in Descemet's Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rickmann, Annekatrin; Szurman, Peter; Jung, Sacha; Boden, Karl Thomas; Wahl, Silke; Haus, Arno; Boden, Katrin; Januschowski, Kai

    2018-04-01

    To compare the clinical outcomes following Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) with 100% air tamponade versus 10% sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) tamponade. Retrospective analysis of 108 consecutive DMEK cases subdivided by anterior chamber tamponade with 54 eyes receiving 10% SF 6 and 54 eyes receiving 100% air injection. A post-hoc matched analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between the groups. The main outcome measurements were the complication rate, including intra- and postoperative complications and graft detachment rate requiring re-bubbling. Clinical outcome included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), endothelial cell count (ECC), and central corneal thickness (CCT) measured 1, 3, and 6 months after DMEK surgery. The graft detachment rate with consecutive re-bubbling was 18.5% in the air group and 22.2% in the SF 6 group (p = 0.2). Remaining small peripheral graft detachments with a clear cornea occurred more often in the 100% air group (air: 22.2%; 12/54, 6/12 inferior compared to SF 6 : 7.4%; 4/54, 2/4 inferior; p = 0.06). The primary graft failure rate was comparable between the two groups. No complete graft detachment occurred. Outcome results for BCVA, ECC, and CCT at all follow-up time points were comparable between the two groups. The clinical outcomes (including re-bubbling rate, primary graft failure rate, and endothelial cell loss) were comparable with 100% air versus 10% SF 6 tamponade, whereas other studies suggest that a higher SF 6 concentration (20%) may result in a lower re-bubbling rate.