Crop Level and Harvest Date Impact on Four Ontario Wine Grape Cultivars. II. Wine Aroma Compounds and Sensory Analysis

Pinot gris, Riesling, Cabernet franc and Cabernet Sauvignon from a vineyard in Virgil, Ontario, Canada were subjected by cluster thinning to two crop-level treatments (full crop, half crop), combined with threeharvest dates (commercial harvest (T0), three weeks after T0 (T1), six weeks after T0 (T2)) in a randomised experiment in 2011 and 2012, with wines produced from all treatment replicates. We hypothesised that afull crop with substantially delayed harvest date might have a greater impact on wine aroma than reducing crop level. Wine aroma volatile analysis was carried out by GC-MS, with quantification by calibration withanalytical standards prepared in model wine. Delayed harvest overcame the effects of crop reduction for almost all volatiles. Pinot gris and Riesling displayed increases in varietal aromas in the T1 and T2 wines, e.g. monoterpenes and norisoprenoids, and in esters, aldehydes and alcohols. Reduced concentrations of volatile acids and green odour compounds (e.g. 1-hexanol) with delayed harvest were also evident.  Increases in ethanol were related to increased berry sugars, but higher alcohols did not necessarily increase with harvest date. Crop level had little impact on the sensory properties of these cultivars in both seasons.  However, delayed harvest resulted in substantial sensorial changes. Due to these chemical and sensorial effects, delayed harvest is recommended, rather than crop-level reduction, to enhance wine quality in these cultivars. Extended harvest, e.g. T2 treatments, was associated with the production of benzaldehyde, diethyl acetal, and higher concentrations of higher alcohols, e.g. isoamyl alcohol and nonanol, which could be linked to pre-harvest desiccation

Use of Soy-Based Formulas and Cow's Milk Allergy: Lights and Shadows.

oybean (Glycine max) is a species of legume native to East Asia and used in childhood diet for over 2,000 years in the East. Soy protein formulas have been available for almost a century. Nowadays, the increase in cow's milk allergy and vegetarian dietary preferences are driving consumers toward cow's milk alternatives. In this paper, we reviewed the nutritional composition of soy-based infant formula and discussed their possible use in pediatric age, mainly focusing on prevention and treatment of cow's milk allergy. Protein quality is determined by digestibility and amino acid content. Purified or concentrated vegetable proteins (e.g., soy protein and gluten) have high digestibility (>95%), similar to those of animal ones. For some intact vegetable products (e.g., whole cereals and pulses), protein digestibility is lower (80-90%). Food processing and heat treatment also influence protein digestibility. Considering these data, we tried to evaluate the possible use of soybean and derivatives in pediatric age, including the nutritional composition of soy formulas and the clinical indications for their use. Moreover, since plant-based beverages are being perceived as healthy by consumers and their use is growing on the market, we recommend that soy drink should not be used as a substitute for infant formulas or cow's milk in children younger than 24 months

On the aggregation and nucleation mechanism of the monoclonal antibody anti-CD20 near liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS)

The crystallization of Anti-CD20, a full-length monoclonal antibody, has been studied in the PEG400/Na2SO4/Water system near Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation (LLPS) conditions by both sitting-drop vapour diffusion and batch methods. In order to understand the Anti-CD20 crystallization propensity in the solvent system of different compositions, we investigated some measurable parameters, normally used to assess protein conformational and colloidal stability in solution, with the aim to understand the aggregation mechanism of this complex biomacromolecule. We propose that under crystallization conditions a minor population of specifically aggregated protein molecules are present. While this minor species hardly contributes to the measured average solution behaviour, it induces and promotes crystal formation. The existence of this minor species is the result of the LLPS occurring concomitantly under crystallization conditions

Increasing the source/sink ratio in Vitis vinifera (cv Sangiovese) induces extensive transcriptome reprogramming and modifies berry ripening

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cluster thinning is an agronomic practice in which a proportion of berry clusters are removed from the vine to increase the source/sink ratio and improve the quality of the remaining berries. Until now no transcriptomic data have been reported describing the mechanisms that underlie the agronomic and biochemical effects of thinning.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We profiled the transcriptome of <it>Vitis vinifera </it>cv. Sangiovese berries before and after thinning at veraison using a genome-wide microarray representing all grapevine genes listed in the latest V1 gene prediction. Thinning increased the source/sink ratio from 0.6 to 1.2 m²leaf area per kg of berries and boosted the sugar and anthocyanin content at harvest. Extensive transcriptome remodeling was observed in thinned vines 2 weeks after thinning and at ripening. This included the enhanced modulation of genes that are normally regulated during berry development and the induction of a large set of genes that are not usually expressed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Cluster thinning has a profound effect on several important cellular processes and metabolic pathways including carbohydrate metabolism and the synthesis and transport of secondary products. The integrated agronomic, biochemical and transcriptomic data revealed that the positive impact of cluster thinning on final berry composition reflects a much more complex outcome than simply enhancing the normal ripening process.</p

Umanit\ue0 in grata. Riflessioni pedagogiche per la relazione d'aiuto con la persona reclusa

Il volume affronta la condizione delle fragili esistenze in carcere al fine di considerare possibili percorsi di accompagnamento, di rieducazione e di riscoperta della propria interiorit\ue0 da parte della persona reclusa. La riflessione \ue8 inoltre rivolta agli studenti dei corsi di laurea in Scienze dell'educazione interessati ad operare nella relazione d'aiuto nei contesti detentivi.The volume deals with the condition of fragile existences in prison in order to consider possible paths of accompaniment, re-education and rediscovery of one's own interiority by the recluse person. The reflection is also addressed to university students in Science of Education interested in working as help relationship professionals in prison contexts

Cardanol-like co-surfactants solubilized in pegylated micelles keep their antioxidant activity and preserve polyethylene glycol chains from oxidation

Pegylated (PEG) surfactants are widely used for material and biomedical applications. Their use, however, is limited by the radical-mediated oxidation of the OCH2 moieties by atmospheric oxygen, that produces unwanted and toxic products such as hydroperoxides. We show herein that cardanols, natural alkylphenols byproducts of cashew nut processing, are able to form stable co-micellar systems with a model PEG-containing surfactant (Triton X-100, i.e. p-tert-octylphenoxy polyethylene-glycol ether) and display antioxidant activity toward PEG degradation by O2. The cardanols investigated were 6-tert-butyl-3-pentadecylphenol and 4-hydroxy-6-tert-butyl-3-pentadecylphenol. The ability of cardanols to form co-micelles with Triton X-100 was investigated by determining the critical micelle concentration (CMC), the microviscosity, the polarity and the aggregation number. The antioxidant activity of cardanol derivatives in dispersed systems of Triton X-100 was evaluated by studying the reaction with DPPH radical and the protecting activity toward the peroxidation of the polyethylene-glycol tails. The obtained activity of cardanol derivatives was similar or better than that of commercial synthetic antioxidants BHT (2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol) and DTBQ (2,5-di-tert-butylhydroquinone), taken as reference, under the same conditions. This study enlightens the ability of hydrogenated cardanol derivatives to act as radical-trapping agents and/or as protective co-surfactants toward the oxidative degradation PEG-coated nanoaggregates used in food and drug science