Effects of Seasonal Variation in Milk Composition on the Quality of Pizza Cheese

End of Project ReportThe main aims of this study were to investigate the effects of diet and lactation stage on the composition and cheesemaking quality of milk produced under controlled conditions. The main conclusions were as follows: These studies clearly demonstrated that the Recommended Moorepark Milk Production System in conjunction with an objectively standardised cheesemaking process provides a model for year round production of quality Mozzarella cheese. Databases have been established on the effects of diet quantity and quality, and stage of lactation on the composition, processability and cheesemaking characteristics of milk from both Spring- and Autumn-calving herds. Increasing the daily herbage allowance from 16 to 24 kgs DM/cow/day during mid-lactation, resulted in increases in the level of milk casein and cheese yield but had little influence on cheese functionality. Similarily improving diet quality in mid-lactation by reducing the stocking density from 4.3 to 3.8 cows/ha combined with concentrate supplementation (3 kgs/cow/day) had the same effect. Using milk from a Spring-calving herd, produced according to the Recommended Moorepark Milk Production System, in conjunction with an objectively-standardised Mozzarella cheesemaking process, no major problems were encountered during the lactation period 170 - 273 days from calving. Extending the lactation period of the Spring-calving herd from ~ 273 to 286 days resulted in higher cheese moisture (by ~ 2%), softer cheese, and lower chewiness in the melted cheese. A sharp decline in both total protein, casein and lactose in the milk was observed during this period. However the blending of this milk with milk of an Autumn-calving herd overcame these cheesemaking problems. The yield of low moisture Mozzarella cheese (using milks from Spring- or Autumn-calved herds) was positively correlated with milk casein level. The yield of cheese from the Spring-calved herd increased concomitantly with increasing casein level to day 273 of lactation and decreased thereafter as the casein concentration declined. In these studies it was found that easy-to-use tests such as lactose level in the milk and rennet coagulation properties as determined by Formagraph were useful indicators of the suitability of milk for cheesemaking. The Recommended Moorepark Milk Production System, as applied in the late lactation period, was characterised by a high plane of nutrition and a drying-off strategy which ensured a minimum daily milk yield per cow of 9 kg. It resulted in milk of good cheesemaking quality - lactose > 4.25%, and casein > 2.6% and satisfactory rennet coagulation properties - curd firming rate of > 0.15 min ¯¹ curd firmness at 60 min of > 45mm - at the end of lactation.Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marin

Summer Active Reading Programme : evaluation report and executive summary

This reports an efficacy trial of a reading for pleasure book-gifting and summer events programme at the transition from primary to secondary school. The trial involved 205 pupils transitioning from 48 primary schools to 10 secondary schools. A process evaluation comprising observations, questionnaires and focus groups examined engagement, stakeholders perspectives and fidelity of implementation

TextNow Transition Programme : evaluation report and executive summary

This reports an efficacy trial of a reading for pleasure coaching programme at the transition from primary to secondary school. The trial involved 501 pupils transitioning from 34 primary schools to 62 secondary schools. A process evaluation comprising observations, questionnaires and focus groups examined engagement, stakeholders perspectives and fidelity of implementation

Rol de conjugados proteína-polisacáridos en la estabilidad de emusliones procesadas con proteína de suero de leche

Recientemente las propiedades bioactivas de los distintos alimentos han despertado un gran interés. En el presente trabajo se pretende establecer una relación entre propiedades bioactivas de emulsiones y la estabilidad de éstas. Para preparar estas emulsiones, se ha empleado proteína de suero de leche conjugada con carragenano, el cual es un hidrocoloide conocido por su capacidad de formar conjugados con proteínas, así como de aumentar la viscosidad de los sistemas donde está presente. Tras establecer una relación tiempo/temperatura óptima para la conjugación. Tras llevar a cabo un diseño de experimento, se seleccionaron cuatro sistemas para establecer aquel que mantuviera las propiedades bioactivas y funcionales en una mejor proporción. Los resultados obtenidos ayudan a determinación de una concentración óptima de proteína de suero de leche y de carragenano (polisacárido) en sistemas las emulsiones empleadas. Además de las propiedades bioactivas logradas con este sistema, estos resultados son fundamentales para la posible encapsulación de ingredientes activos en alimentos funcionales

A novel, essential trans-splicing protein connects the nematode SL1 snRNP to the CBC-ARS2 complex

Open Access via the OUP Agreement Some strains were provided by the Caenorhabditis Genetics Center, which is funded by NIH Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (P40 OD010440). Sequencing was performed by the Centre for Genome-Enabled Biology and Medicine of the University of Aberdeen, and proteomics analysis by the University of Aberdeen Proteomics facility. We thank WormBase for providing the community resource that facilitated the interrogation of C. elegans molecular genetics used in this work. FUNDING Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council [BB/T002859/1]; EASTBIO Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council PhD Studentship [BB/M010996/1 to R.E.B.S.]; University of Aberdeen Elphinstone PhD studentship (to R.Y.F.); University of Aberdeen. Funding for open access charge: Read and publish Agreement Scottish Institutions (SHEDL affiliated).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

An in vivo genetic screen for genes involved in spliced leader trans-splicing indicates a crucial role for continuous de novo spliced leader RNP assembly

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Some strains were provided by the CGC, which is funded by NIH Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (P40 OD010440). We would also like to thank Prof. Shohei Mitani,at the National Bioresource Project for the Experimental Animal ‘Nematode C. elegans’, Japan, for FX3079. We are grateful to Prof. Tom Blumenthal (University of Colorado, Boulder) for suggestions and support of this work; and to Kathrine Wood for her contribution to the initial stages of part of this work. Author contributions. L.P., G.P., R.F., N.H., J.P. and B.M. performed experiments; B.M., J.P. and B.C. designed and lead the study; B.M. and J.P. drafted the manuscript. All authors reviewed the manuscript. FUNDING Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) [Project grant BB/J007137/1]; Medical Research Council (MRC) Confidence in Concept 2014 - University of Aberdeen Award(MC PC 14114v.2); University of Aberdeen Elphinstone Scholarship (to R.F.) and TET Fund support through Adekunle Ajasin University, Nigeria (to R.F.). Funding for open access charge: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and Medical Research Council.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Community research report

University College Cork introduced its first Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) module in 2016. The module was funded and supported by Horizon2020 funding, specifically the EnRRICH project (Enhancing Responsible Research and Innovation through Curricula in Higher Education). The module is a 5-credit module for PhD students from all disciplines in the early stages of their PhD at University College Cork. Following two fruitful partnerships in the areas of social justice / equality, community family support services and older persons, there was a keen interested to explore partnerships in markedly different areas such as environmental sustainability. A dialogue ensued with CEF where the opportunity and feasibility to collaborate on the CBPR module was explored

The impact of the metabotropic glutamate receptor and other gene family interaction networks on autism.

International audienceAlthough multiple reports show that defective genetic networks underlie the aetiology of autism, few have translated into pharmacotherapeutic opportunities. Since drugs compete with endogenous small molecules for protein binding, many successful drugs target large gene families with multiple drug binding sites. Here we search for defective gene family interaction networks (GFINs) in 6,742 patients with the ASDs relative to 12,544 neurologically normal controls, to find potentially druggable genetic targets. We find significant enrichment of structural defects (P≤2.40E-09, 1.8-fold enrichment) in the metabotropic glutamate receptor (GRM) GFIN, previously observed to impact attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and schizophrenia. Also, the MXD-MYC-MAX network of genes, previously implicated in cancer, is significantly enriched (P≤3.83E-23, 2.5-fold enrichment), as is the calmodulin 1 (CALM1) gene interaction network (P≤4.16E-04, 14.4-fold enrichment), which regulates voltage-independent calcium-activated action potentials at the neuronal synapse. We find that multiple defective gene family interactions underlie autism, presenting new translational opportunities to explore for therapeutic interventions

Neuronal cell-based high-throughput screen for enhancers of mitochondrial function reveals luteolin as a modulator of mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum coupling

Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction is a common feature of aging, neurodegeneration, and metabolic diseases. Hence, mitotherapeutics may be valuable disease modifiers for a large number of conditions. In this study, we have set up a large-scale screening platform for mitochondrial-based modulators with promising therapeutic potential. Results: Using differentiated human neuroblastoma cells, we screened 1200 FDA-approved compounds and identified 61 molecules that significantly increased cellular ATP without any cytotoxic effect. Following dose response curve-dependent selection, we identified the flavonoid luteolin as a primary hit. Further validation in neuronal models indicated that luteolin increased mitochondrial respiration in primary neurons, despite not affecting mitochondrial mass, structure, or mitochondria-derived reactive oxygen species. However, we found that luteolin increased contacts between mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER), contributing to increased mitochondrial calcium (Ca2+) and Ca2+-dependent pyruvate dehydrogenase activity. This signaling pathway likely contributed to the observed effect of luteolin on enhanced mitochondrial complexes I and II activities. Importantly, we observed that increased mitochondrial functions were dependent on the activity of ER Ca2+-releasing channels inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs) both in neurons and in isolated synaptosomes. Additionally, luteolin treatment improved mitochondrial and locomotory activities in primary neurons and Caenorhabditis elegans expressing an expanded polyglutamine tract of the huntingtin protein. Conclusion: We provide a new screening platform for drug discovery validated in vitro and ex vivo. In addition, we describe a novel mechanism through which luteolin modulates mitochondrial activity in neuronal models with potential therapeutic validity for treatment of a variety of human diseases

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead