Wide Range Of Physiological Properties Research Articles

Modeling and Evaluation of a Rate-Based Transcutaneous Blood Gas Monitor.

Current methods for transcutaneous blood gas monitoring (TBM) - a common health monitoring method in neonatal care - comes with a suite of challenges like limited attachment opportunities, and risks of infections from burning and tearing of the skin, which limits its use. This study presents a novel system and method for rate-based transcutaneous CO2 measurements with a soft, unheated skin-interface that can address many of these problems. Additionally, a theoretical model for the gas transport from the blood to the system's sensor is derived. By simulating CO2 advection and diffusion through the cutaneous microvasculature and epidermis to the system's skin interface, the effect of a wide range of physiological properties on the measurement has been modeled. Following these simulations, a theoretical model for the relationship between the measured CO2 concentration and that in the blood was derived and compared to empirical data. Applying the model on measured blood gas levels, even when the theory was based solely on the simulations, produced blood CO2 concentrations within ∼35% of empirical measurements from a state-of-the-art device. Further calibration of the framework, also using the empirical data, yielded an output with a Pearson correlation of 0.84 between the two methods. Compared to the state-of-the-art device the proposed system measured the partial CO2 pressure in the blood with an average deviation of 0.04 kPa and 1.97σ of ±1.1 kPa. However, the model indicated that this performance could be hampered by different skin properties. Given its soft and gentle skin interface and lack of heating, the proposed system could significantly decrease health risks like, burns, tears, and pain, currently associated with TBM on premature neonates.

Lipidic extract of whole tomato reduces hyperplasia, oxidative stress and inflammation on testosterone-induced BPH in obese rats.

Tomato is an important source of lycopene, a carotenoid that has been emerging as a natural preventive agent for prostate disease. Moreover, tomato contains other components with a wide range of physiological properties, but their potential beneficial effects on prostatic hyperplasia (PH) during obesity have not been completely established. In this study, we compared the effect of a lipidic extract of tomato saladette (STE) with Serenoa repens (SR) on obese rats with PH. Forty-eight Wistar rats were divided in Control (C) and Obese (Ob) treated without (n = 12) and with (n = 36) testosterone enanthate (TE), once a week for 8weeks to induce PH. After 4weeks, SR and STE were administered. Biochemical parameters, oxidative stress markers and inflammatory cytokines production were determined. TE increased prostate weight and caused prostatic hyperplasia in C group, and these effects were exacerbated by obesity. SR and STE reverted the increase in prostate weight and hyperplasia caused by TE in C and Ob groups. Obesity increased LDL, TGs, NOx and MAD, but decreased HDLc, GSx, SOD and CAT. SR reverted the effects of obesity, but these were significantly reduced and HDLc increased with STE. Obesity and TE increased TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6 levels, but these were partially reverted by STE compared with SR. Excess of fat tissue increases the alterations by PH. STE diminishes these alterations compared with SR, suggesting its beneficial effect to improve prostate function. Whole tomato lipid extract could serve as sole therapy or as an adjunct to pharmacological treatment for PH.

Using Digestate as Fertilizer for a Sustainable Tomato Cultivation

The effects of two digestates split up in liquid and solid fractions were investigated on tomato production. The objectives were (1) to verify if the two digestates different in composition differently affected the growth and the quality of tomato; (2) to assess the effectiveness of the two digestate fractions (liquid and solid) on tomato growth and quality characteristics of the harvested tomato fruit. In short, our results evidenced different effects between the two digestates and also between solid and liquid fractions, suggesting that the type of solid fraction (Uliva or Fattoria) rather than the concentration, or their interaction mainly influenced plant growth parameters. Conversely, the effectiveness of liquid fractions were mostly due to the concentrations rather than to the type of digestate. Results also evidenced positive effects of both digestates on the nutritional values of tomatoes, largely explained by the increase in various health-promoting compounds, including vitamin C, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds. The contemporary increase in these different bio-compounds with a wide range of physiological properties and multi target actions confers to digestate treated tomato a nutraceutical benefit. The use of both fractions of both digestates as fertilizer may represent an effective strategy to obtain, even if in some cases at the expense of growth, high-quality fruit in a sustainable way from an economic and environmental point of view.

Effects of Blue-Light-Induced Free Radical Formation from Catechin Hydrate on the Inactivation of Acinetobacter baumannii, Including a Carbapenem-Resistant Strain.

Catechin is a flavan-3-ol, a derivative of flavans, with four phenolic hydroxyl groups, which exhibits a wide range of physiological properties. Chromatographic analyses were employed to examine the effects of blue light irradiation on the changes of catechin hydrate in an alkaline condition. In particular, the detection of a superoxide anion radical (O2•−), a reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the inactivation of Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii)—including a carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB)—was investigated during the photoreaction of catechin hydrate. Following basification with blue light irradiation, the transparent solution of catechin hydrate turned yellowish, and a chromogenic catechin dimer was separated and identified as a proanthocyanidin. Adding ascorbic acid during the photolytic treatment of catechin hydrate decreased the dimer formation, suggesting that ascorbic acid can suppress the photosensitive oxidation of catechin. When catechin hydrate was irradiated by blue light in an alkaline solution, O2•− was produced via photosensitized oxidation, enhancing the inactivation of A. baumannii and CRAB. The present findings on the photon-induced oxidation of catechin hydrate provides a safe practice for the inactivation of environmental microorganisms.

Using chromatography and mass spectrometry to monitor isomerization of catechin in alkaline aqueous with thermal processing

Polyphenols are associated with a wide range of physiological properties. Catechins are a class of polyphenolic flavonoids predominantly found in foods and beverages that are chemically unstable. This study investigated the effects of thermal processing and pH on the structural changes to catechins and examined how these effects impact the antioxidant capacity of these molecules. The results indicated the total phenolic contents of catechin were increased after alkalifying and thermal processing. The catechin is modified by thermal processing in an alkaline environment. The chromatographic analysis demonstrated that basification and thermal processing reduced catechin, resulting in cleavage of the heterocyclic ring of the flavan-3-ols via oxidation cleavage of the ether bond. A novel reaction intermediate for this transformation is proposed. Practical applications Heating process and pH adjustment are used to meet hygienic requirements and maintain flavor during tea infusion processing in tea beverage manufacturing. Catechins account for the largest sum of polyphenols found in green tea. Basification and heating could catalyze the isomerization of catechin through an opened heterocyclic ring pathway. Catechin remains stable in acidic solutions during thermal processing, thus, avoiding changes of quality.

Photo-catalytic polymerization of catechin molecules in alkaline aqueous

Polyphenols are associated with a wide range of physiological properties. Catechin is a flavan-3-ol with five phenolic hydroxyl groups. After blue light illumination, the transparent solution of catechin became yellowish. The effects of visible light illumination (400–800nm) were investigated on molecular structures and antioxidant capacities of catechin. Under the neutral or alkaline aqueous with the illumination of blue light, the photolysis and polymerization of catechin were observed in this study. A chromogenic catechin dimer was separated and identified as a proanthocyanidin by the chromatographic technique and mass spectrometry. For quantitative evaluation, the signal intensities of the catechin and the photochemical product show a negative correlation in the liquid chromatograms. The oligomer of flavan-3-ols (catechin dimer) is suggested as a dimeric B type proanthocyanidin, which has the molecular formula C30H26O12 and 578.14g/mol in exact mass. The mass spectrum of catechin dimer had characteristic ion signals in m/z 577, 560, 439Da. However, the total phenolic contents and scavenging O2− activity of catechin treated by blue light illumination are not changed significantly at the neutral or alkaline aqueous. Our results of photocatalytic oligomers of catechin provide a novel way to explain the sensory changes of green tea and a biochemical mechanism under the irradiation environments.

Nobiletin: a citrus flavonoid displaying potent physiological activity

Nobiletin [systematic name: 2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-5,6,7,8-tetramethoxy-4H-chromen-4-one; C21H22O8] is a flavonoid found in citrus peels, and has been reported to show a wide range of physiological properties, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antidementia activities. We have solved the crystal structure of nobiletin, which revealed that the chromene and arene rings of its flavone moiety, as well as the two methoxy groups bound to its arene ring, were coplanar. In contrast, the C atoms of the four methoxy groups bound to the chromene ring are out of the plane, making the molecule conformationally chiral. A comparison of the crystal structures of nobiletin revealed that it could adopt a variety of different conformations through rotation of the covalent bond between the chromene and arene rings, and the orientations of methoxy groups bound to the chromene ring.

Genetic and physiological characterization of yeast isolated from ripe fruit and analysis of fermentation and brewing potential

‘Wild’ and spontaneously fermented beers are growing in popularity in the craft beer industry. Most of these beers are fermented by the use of either pure cultures of unconventional yeast and bacteria or spontaneous fermentation using mixed local microflora. This study examined the potential of using pure strains of new isolates of wild yeast in the fermentation of a unique beer. The microbial communities from the fruit of pindo palm, loquat, hackberry and blackberry were collected in liquid culture, then plated for isolation. Ten isolates were selected for further analysis. Strains were identified by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and analysed for growth in a simple liquid media, fermentation in a complex media, alcohol tolerance and acid tolerance. Despite identification of some strains as the same species, they displayed a wide range of physiological properties. All strains were tolerant of pH values as low as 2.4, but none were tolerant of pH 1.9. Alcohol tolerance of different strains varied from 6 to 12%. Several strains had properties that suggest potential as primary fermenters, including the alcohol fermentation of a beer wort. Organoleptic properties of beers fermented with several of the strains demonstrated potential for commercial brewing. Copyright © 2014 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling

Life in the midst of scarcity: adaptations to nutrient availability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Cells of all living organisms contain complex signal transduction networks to ensure that a wide range of physiological properties are properly adapted to the environmental conditions. The fundamental concepts and individual building blocks of these signalling networks are generally well-conserved from yeast to man; yet, the central role that growth factors and hormones play in the regulation of signalling cascades in higher eukaryotes is executed by nutrients in yeast. Several nutrient-controlled pathways, which regulate cell growth and proliferation, metabolism and stress resistance, have been defined in yeast. These pathways are integrated into a signalling network, which ensures that yeast cells enter a quiescent, resting phase (G0) to survive periods of nutrient scarceness and that they rapidly resume growth and cell proliferation when nutrient conditions become favourable again. A series of well-conserved nutrient-sensory protein kinases perform key roles in this signalling network: i.e. Snf1, PKA, Tor1 and Tor2, Sch9 and Pho85-Pho80. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview on the current understanding of the signalling processes mediated via these kinases with a particular focus on how these individual pathways converge to signalling networks that ultimately ensure the dynamic translation of extracellular nutrient signals into appropriate physiological responses.

YIELD, CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF EXTRACTS AND ESSENTIAL OILS OF SAGE AND ROSEMARY DEPENDING ON SEASONAL VARIATIONS

YIELD, CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF EXTRACTS AND ESSENTIAL OILS OF SAGE AND ROSEMARY DEPENDING ON SEASONAL VARIATIONS

The Slow Skeletal Muscle Isoform of Myosin Shows Kinetic Features Common to Smooth and Non-muscle Myosins

Fast and slow mammalian muscle myosins differ in the heavy chain sequences (MHC-2, MHC-1) and muscles expressing the two isoforms contract at markedly different velocities. One role of slow skeletal muscles is to maintain posture with low ATP turnover, and MHC-1 expressed in these muscles is identical to heavy chain of the beta-myosin of cardiac muscle. Few studies have addressed the biochemical kinetic properties of the slow MHC-1 isoform. We report here a detailed analysis of the MHC-1 isoform of the rabbit compared with MHC-2 and focus on the mechanism of ADP release. We show that MHC-1, like some non-muscle myosins, shows a biphasic dissociation of actin-myosin by ATP. Most of the actin-myosin dissociates at up to approximately 1000 s(-1), a very similar rate constant to MHC-2, but 10-15% of the complex must go through a slow isomerization (approximately 20 s(-1)) before ATP can dissociate it. Similar slow isomerizations were seen in the displacement of ADP from actin-myosin.ADP and provide evidence of three closely related actin-myosin.ADP complexes, a complex in rapid equilibrium with free ADP, a complex from which ADP is released at the rate required to define the maximum shortening velocity of slow muscle fibers (approximately 20 s(-1)), and a third complex that releases ADP too slowly (approximately 6 s(-1)) to be on the main ATPase pathway. The role of these actin-myosin.ADP complexes in the mechanochemistry of slow muscle contraction is discussed in relation to the load dependence of ADP release.

Factors influencing the recovery of psychrotrophic, mesophilic and thermophilic Bacillus spp from bulk raw milk

Because of the wide range of physiological properties found in the genus Bacillus one of the main problems in the standard procedure for isolating these organisms from milk and dairy products is the difficulty in defining conditions which are suitable for the activation and outgrowth of all spores present. This study investigated the effects of various raw milk heat treatments, the addition of L‐alanine (a nutrient encouraging germination) to the milk after heat treatment, different incubation temperature‐time combinations and two confirmatory media on the recovery of psychrotrophic, mesophilic and thermophilic Bacillus spp occurring in raw bulked milk. There was no significant difference (p >0.05) between the confirmatory media used, ie, starch milk agar and milk plate count agar. However, it was found that heat treatment, addition of L‐alanine and the incubation period had significant effects on the recovery of the organisms from raw milk. The highest numbers of psychrotrophic and mesophilic spores were recovered after a heat treatment of 80d̀C for 10 min followed by the addition of L‐alanine to the milk at 0.1% wlv, and incubating at 6.5°C for 15 days for the former and 30d̀C for 15 days for the latter. The highest numbers of thermophilic spores were recovered from raw milk by a heat treatment of 80d̀C for 30 min, addition of L‐alanine and incubating at 55°C for 7 days.

Physiological properties of vestibular primary afferents that mediate motor learning and normal performance of the vestibulo-ocular reflex in monkeys

We have used electrical stimulation of the vestibular apparatus to reveal parallels between the physiological responses of the vestibular afferents activated at different currents and the properties of the evoked eye movements before and after magnifying spectacles had been used to cause motor learning in the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). Stimulation with the lowest currents caused little or no eye motion, but activated all the afferents with irregular spontaneous discharge, low sensitivities to head velocity, and highly phasic responses during rapid head turns. Stimulation with moderate currents caused substantial eye motion that was weakly affected by motor learning; these currents activated afferents with a wide range of physiological properties, including many that had intermediate discharge regularity, high sensitivity to head velocity, and clear phasic responses during rapid head turns. Stimulation at still higher currents caused still larger eye movements that were strongly altered by motor learning; these currents activated primarily afferents that had regular spontaneous discharge, lower sensitivities to head velocity, and tonic responses during rapid head turns. Stimulation at the highest currents did not cause any further increment in the amplitude of the evoked eye movement, but activated the afferents with the most regular spontaneous discharge and the lowest sensitivities to head velocity. The data imply that the VOR pathways receive substantial vestibular inputs from afferents with a middle range of thresholds for electrical stimulation. These afferents have a wide range of physiological properties, including a large group that shows substantial phasic responses during rapid head turns. The data also suggest that only a subset of these afferents, primarily those with more regular spontaneous discharge, project into the VOR pathways that are modified in association with motor learning.