Antimicrobial treatment of grapes using sodium hypochlorite in winemaking and its effects on the chemical and sensory characteristics of wines

This study was performed to examine the use of NaOCl as an alternative antimicrobial compound in winemaking because of the potential health problems that may arise as a result of the use of SO2. For this, the blank (non-treated), control (SO2-added), and sample (NaOCl-treated) wines were made, and microbial and chemical changes including sensory characteristics were analyzed during the fermentation periods. Treatment of grapes with NaOCl decreased the initial contaminating microbial population in grape must, resulting in higher growth of yeast and lactic acid bacteria. After 200 days of fermentation, the chemical analysis of sample wine revealed that it had higher ethanol content, redness (a*), and concentrations of fruity ester compounds and lower total acidity than the control. In the sensory analyses, the sample wine obtained a higher overall acceptability score (5.70) than the control (4.26). This result reveals that NaOCl can be used as an alternative to SO2 in winemaking for inhibiting the growth of contaminating microorganisms.     

Effects of Partial Replacement of Corn with Glycerin on Ruminal Fermentation in a Dual-Flow Continuous Culture System

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of partially replacing dry ground corn with glycerin on ruminal fermentation using a dual-flow continuous culture system. Six fermenters (1,223 ± 21 ml) were used in a replicated 3x3 Latin square arrangement with three periods of 10 d each, with 7 d for diet adaptation and 3 d for sample collections. All diets contained 75% concentrate and three dietary glycerin levels (0, 15, and 30% on dry matter basis), totaling six replicates per treatment. Fermenters were fed 72 g of dry matter/d equally divided in two meals/d, at 0800 and 2000 h. Solid and liquid dilution rates were adjusted daily to 5.5 and 11%/h, respectively. On d 8, 9, and 10, samples of 500 ml of solid and liquid digesta effluent were mixed, homogenized, and stored at -20°C. Subsamples of 10 ml were collected and preserved with 0.2 mL of a 50% H₂SO₄ solution for later determination of NH₃-N and volatile fatty acids. Microbial biomass was isolated from fermenters for chemical analysis at the end of each experimental period. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure in SAS with α = 0.05. Glycerin levels did not affect apparent digestibility of DM (P _Lin. = 0.13; P _Quad. = 0.40), OM (P _Lin. = 0.72; P _Quad. = 0.15), NDF (P _Lin. = 0.38; P _Quad. = 0.50) and ADF (P _Lin. = 0.91; P _Quad. = 0.18). Also, glycerin inclusion did not affect true digestibility of DM (P _Lin. = 0.35; P _Quad. = 0.48), and OM (P _Lin. = 0.08; P _Quad. = 0.19). Concentrations of propionate (P < 0.01) and total volatile fatty acids (P < 0.01) increased linearly and concentrations of acetate (P < 0.01), butyrate (P = 0.01), iso-valerate (P < 0.01), and total branched-chain volatile fatty acids, as well as the acetate: propionate ratio (P < 0.01) decreased with glycerin inclusion. Linear increases on NH₃-N concentration in digesta effluent (P < 0.01) and on NH₃-N flow (P < 0.01) were observed due to glycerin inclusion in the diets. Crude protein digestibility (P = 0.04) and microbial N flow (P = 0.04) were greater in the control treatment compared with the other treatments and responded quadratically with glycerin inclusion. Furthermore, the inclusion of glycerin linearly decreased (P = 0.02) non-ammonia N flow. Glycerin levels did not affect the flows of total N (P _Lin. = 0.79; P _Quad. = 0.35), and dietary N (P _Lin. = 0.99; P _Quad. = 0.07), as well as microbial efficiency (P _Lin. = 0.09; P _Quad. = 0.07). These results suggest that partially replacing dry ground corn with glycerin may change ruminal fermentation, by increasing total volatile fatty acids, and propionate concentration without affecting microbial efficiency, which may improve glucogenic potential of beef cattle diets.     

Sequence analysis of genomic DNA (680 Mb) by GS-FLX-Titanium sequencer in the monogonont rotifer, Brachionus ibericus

The monogonont rotifer, Brachionus ibericus (S type), is considered to be a promising model species for developmental biology, evolution, and environmental genomics. In an attempt to accelerate the molecular understanding of B. ibericus, we sequenced 680.5 Mb of genomic DNA using the genome sequencer GS-FLX-Titanium. We obtained 2,062,621 reads (average read length 329.9 bp) and 145,418 contigs (total contigs length 125.7 Mb) after excluding small reads (less than 200 bp) from the assembly, and finally obtained 10,133 unigenes (E value ?? 9.00E?04) after non-redundant (NR) BLAST search. In this article, we summarize the genomic DNA sequences of B. ibericus and discuss their potential use in the study of reproductive biology, endocrinology, environmental genomics, and ecotoxicological studies, and for providing insight into the genetic basis of mechanisms such as egg formation, antioxidant stress defense, and xenobiotic metabolism.     

Genetic diversity and differentiation of the Korean starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus) between and within cultured stocks and wild populations inferred from microsatellite DNA analysis

The Korean starry flounder, Platichthys stellatus, is economically valuable coastal resident fish species. However, the annual catch of this fish has fluctuated and suffered major declines in Korea. We examined the genetic diversity and population structure for four wild populations and three hatchery stocks of Korean starry flounder to protect its genetic integrity using nine microsatellites. A group of 339 genotypes belonging to seven populations were screened. High degrees of polymorphism at the microsatellite loci were observed within both the wild and hatchery populations. Compared to the wild populations, genetic changes, including reduced genetic diversity and highly significant differentiation, have occurred in cultured stocks. Significant population differentiation was also observed in wild starry flounder populations. Similar degrees of inbreeding and significant Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium deviations were detected in both the wild and the hatchery populations. The genetic connectivity pattern identified four distinct metapopulations of starry flounder in Korea by clustering in the phylogenetic tree, Bayesian analyses, molecular variance analysis, PCA and multidimensional scaling analysis. A pattern of isolation-by-distance was not significant. This genetic differentiation may be the result of the co-effects of various factors, such as historic dispersal, local environment or anthropogenic activities. These results provide useful information for the genetic monitoring of P. stellatus hatchery stocks, for the genetic improvement of this species by selective breeding and for designing suitable management guidelines for the conservation of this species.     

Proteomic and cytokine plasma biomarkers for predicting progression from colorectal adenoma to carcinoma in human patients

In the present study, we screened proteomic and cytokine biomarkers between patients with adenomatous polyps and colorectal cancer (CRC) in order to improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind turmorigenesis and tumor progression in CRC. To this end, we performed comparative proteomic analysis of plasma proteins using a combination of 2DE and MS as well as profiled differentially regulated cytokines and chemokines by multiplex bead analysis. Proteomic analysis identified 11 upregulated and 13 downregulated plasma proteins showing significantly different regulation patterns with diagnostic potential for predicting progression from adenoma to carcinoma. Some of these proteins have not previously been implicated in CRC, including upregulated leucine‐rich α‐2‐glycoprotein, hemoglobin subunit β, Ig α‐2 chain C region, and complement factor B as well as downregulated afamin, zinc‐α‐2‐glycoprotein, vitronectin, and α‐1‐antichymotrypsin. In addition, plasma levels of three cytokines/chemokines, including interleukin‐8, interferon gamma‐induced protein 10, and tumor necrosis factor α, were remarkably elevated in patients with CRC compared to those with adenomatous polyps. Although further clinical validation is required, these proteins and cytokines can be established as novel biomarkers for CRC and/or its progression from colon adenoma.     

A role for Rho kinase in vascular contraction evoked by sodium fluoride

Agonist and depolarization-induced vascular smooth muscle contractions involve the activation of Rho-kinase pathway. However, there are no reports addressing the question whether this pathway is involved in NaF-induced vascular contractions. We hypothesized that Rho-kinase plays a role in vascular contraction evoked by sodium fluoride in rat aortae. In both physiological salt solution and calcium-free solution with 2 mM EGTA, cumulative addition of NaF increased vascular tension in concentration-dependent manners. Effects of Rho-kinase inhibitor (Y27632) on phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC20) and myosin targeting subunit (MYPT1(Thr696)) of myosin light chain phosphatase as well as NaF-induced contractions were determined using isolated tissue and the Western blot experiments. Y27632 inhibited NaF-induced contractions in a concentration-dependent manner. NaF increased phosphorylation of MLC20 and MYPT1(Thr696), which were also inhibited by Y27632. However, MLCK inhibitor (ML-7) or PKC inhibitor (Ro31-8220) did not inhibit the NaF-induced contraction. These results indicate that activation of Rho-kinase and the subsequent phosphorylation of MYPT1(Thr696) play important roles in NaF-induced contraction of rat aortae.     

Role of a reaction coordinate in free energy calculations

Abstract

The free energy calculation method emerges as a viable technique for ‘in-silico’ calorimetry. Efficient sampling techniques and the good choice of a reaction path connecting the reactant and the product state enable accurate computations of the free energy differences. We argue that in many cases the thermodynamic integration technique has the lowest variance when the transformation between the reactant and the product state proceeds along the natural path of the studied chemical reaction. We provide examples of free energy calculations for the fragmentation of the charged clusters and the swapping reaction of oligomer formation in proteins that follow a tentative reaction mechanism.