Malt quality of 4 barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grain varieties grown under low severity of net blotch at Holetta, west Shewa, Ethiopia

Four malt barley varieties (Beka, HB 120, HB 52 and Holker) and 3 fungicide (propiconazole) spray intervals (7, 14, 21 day) and no spray control were arranged in a RCBD in 4 replications to assess net blotch (Pyrenophora teres) effect on malt quality. The varieties were grown at Holetta agricultural research center in 2005, on 12 m2 plot. Grain flour starch pasting and malt qualities were analyzed. Mash odour and colour were evaluated qualitatively. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in malt qualities were observed among varieties and also due to spray intervals in hot water extract (HWE, mean range = 76.6 to 79.7%). The varieties had a pasting- time and -temperature (Ti) of 4.7 to 5.0 min and 64.7 to 66.3°C, respectively. Peak, hot paste, cold paste, breakdown and setback  viscosities were ranged 276.5 to 314.9, 176.3 to 218.3, 294.1 to 333.2, 86.3 to 99.6 and 102.4 to 116.4 BU, respectively. The pasting curves indicate no amylo- or -waxy starches with evidence of no damage by sprout- induced a-amylase activity and spray intervals. The varieties Ti matches mashing temperature (64 to 65°C) used in malt barley brewing. Malts from these grain varieties were prepared under controlled conditions. Malt aroma and flavor was similar with industry malt of sugary sweet taste. Thousand-kernel malting weight loss (TKMWL) was 11 to 13% and is in the range for desirably modified barley grain on malting. The varieties had a malt protein 6.4 to 7.4% and free amino nitrogen (FAN) 124.4 to 140.0 mg/100 g malt (db). The diastatic tendency assessed using malted barley flour as sources of enzymes and refined wheat flour starch as a substrate (1:29) showed a reduction in peak viscosities (mean) of the substrate starch paste from 678.0 to 168.0 BU. The varieties did not show consistent quality requirements in all parameters. Beka and HB 120 were better than HB 52 and Holker in HWE and diastatic tendency. The FAN level was high among HB 120, HB 52 and Holker. The findings indicate that net blotch incidence and severity influenced HWE and filtration time.Key words: Diastatic tendency, malt extract, FAN, malt barley qualities, net blotch, propiconazole, starch flour pastin

Design of Intervention Program for Preventing of Alcohol Misuse in University Students

In the Universidad de Oriente of Santiago de Cuba, recent diagnoses showed there is currently an increase in the rate of young people who consume alcoholic beverages. Therefore, the present research has like General Objective: To design a psychoeducational intervention program to prevent the undue consumption of alcohol in the Student Residence of the University of the East of Santiago de Cuba. Techniques such as Composition, Risk Perception Questionnaire on Alcohol Consumption, Social Skills Questionnaire and Preference Questionnaire for leisure time have used. The main results were that 94% of these young people had a low perception of risk on alcohol consumption and only 15% were able to identify the main negative consequences associated with consumption. 96% had insufficient development of social skills, which is associated with the poor ability to resist the pressure of the group

Comparison of the action of different proteases on virulence properties related to the staphylococcal surface.

AIMS: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of five different proteases belonging to two different families on Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis strains. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used three serine proteases and two metalloproteases in single species biofilm formation assays and in human cell invasion processes. Following each protease incubation with bacterial cells, surface protein patterns were analysed by SDS-PAGE and zymography. Some differently expressed proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of tested proteases on biofilm formation was not related to the protease category but was strain-dependent and was related to the biofilm formation capacity of each staphylococcal strain. Some proteases showed a nonspecific and indiscriminate effect on surface proteins, while others induced a discrete and reproducible action on protein profiles. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The inhibition of the surface-related virulence factors is a promising avenue to overcome persistent infections caused by bacterial biofilms. To this end, we show here that proteases, in particular the metalloprotease serratiopeptidase, can interfere with adhesion and invasion of eukaryotic cells and biofilm formation in staphylococci and their use could represent a viable treatment for the development of novel combination therapie

F4-Neuroprostane Effects on Human Sperm

Swim-up selected human sperm were incubated with 7 ng F4-neuroprostanes (F4-NeuroPs) for 2 and 4 h. Sperm motility and membrane mitochondrial potential (MMP) were evaluated. The percentage of reacted acrosome was assessed by pisum sativum agglutinin (PSA). Chromatin integrity was detected using the acridine orange (AO) assay and localization of the ryanodine receptor was performed by immunofluorescence analysis. Sperm progressive motility (p = 0.02) and the percentage of sperm showing a strong MMP signal (p = 0.012) significantly increased after 2 h F4-NeuroP incubation compared to control samples. The AO assay did not show differences in the percentage of sperm with dsDNA between treated or control samples. Meanwhile, a significantly higher number of sperm with reacted acrosomes was highlighted by PSA localization after 4 h F4-NeuroP incubation. Finally, using an anti-ryanodine antibody, the immunofluorescence signal was differentially distributed at 2 and 4 h: a strong signal was evident in the midpiece and postacrosomal sheath (70% of sperm) at 2 h, whereas a dotted one appeared at 4 h (53% of sperm). A defined concentration of F4-NeuroPs in seminal fluid may induce sperm capacitation via channel ions present in sperm cells, representing an aid during in vitro sperm preparation that may increase the positive outcome of assisted fertilization

Oxygen radical-mediated oxidation reactions of an alanine peptide motif - density functional theory and transition state theory study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Oxygen-base (O-base) oxidation in protein backbone is important in the protein backbone fragmentation due to the attack from reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, an alanine peptide was used model system to investigate this O-base oxidation by employing density functional theory (DFT) calculations combining with continuum solvent model. Detailed reaction steps were analyzed along with their reaction rate constants.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Most of the O-base oxidation reactions for this alanine peptide are exothermic except for the bond-breakage of the C_α-N bond to form hydroperoxy alanine radical. Among the reactions investigated in this study, the activated energy of OH α-H abstraction is the lowest one, while the generation of alkylperoxy peptide radical must overcome the highest energy barrier. The aqueous situation facilitates the oxidation reactions to generate hydroxyl alanine peptide derivatives except for the fragmentations of alkoxyl alanine peptide radical. The C_α-C_βbond of the alkoxyl alanine peptide radical is more labile than the peptide bond.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>the rate-determining step of oxidation in protein backbone is the generation of hydroperoxy peptide radical via the reaction of alkylperoxy peptide radical with HO₂. The stabilities of alkylperoxy peptide radical and complex of alkylperoxy peptide radical with HO₂are crucial in this O-base oxidation reaction.</p

Shape oscillations of an oil drop rising in water: effect of surface contamination

Inertial shape oscillations of heptane drops rising in water are investigated experimentally. Diameters from 0.59 to 3.52 mm are considered, corresponding to a regime where the rising motion should not affect shape oscillations for pure immiscible fluids. The interface, however, turns out to be contaminated. The drag coefficient is considerably increased compared to that of a clean drop due to the well-known. Marangoni effect resulting from a gradient of surfactant concentration generated by the fluid motion along the interface. Thanks to the decomposition of the shape into spherical harmonics, the eigenfrequencies and the damping rates of oscillation modes n = 2, 3, 4 and 5 have been measured. Frequencies are not affected by contamination, while damping rates are increased by a considerable amount that depends neither on drop instantaneous velocity nor on diameter. This augmentation, however, depends on the mode number: it is maximum for mode two (multiplied by 2.4) and then relaxes towards the value of a clean drop as n increases. A previous similar investigation of a drop attached to a capillary has not revealed such an increase of the damping rates, indicating that the coupling between rising motion and surface contamination is responsible for this effect

Decreased Fatty Acid Transporter FABP1 and Increased Isoprostanes and Neuroprostanes in the Human Term Placenta: Implications for Inflammation and Birth Weight in Maternal Pre-Gestational Obesity.

The rise in prevalence of obesity in women of reproductive age in developed and developing countries might propagate intergenerational cycles of detrimental effects on metabolic health. Placental lipid metabolism is disrupted by maternal obesity, which possibly affects the life-long health of the offspring. Here, we investigated placental lipid metabolism in women with pre-gestational obesity as a sole pregnancy complication and compared it to placental responses of lean women. Open profile and targeted lipidomics were used to assess placental lipids and oxidised products of docosahexaenoic (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA), respectively, neuroprostanes and isoprostanes. Despite no overall signs of lipid accumulation, DHA and AA levels in placentas from obese women were, respectively, 2.2 and 2.5 times higher than those from lean women. Additionally, a 2-fold increase in DHA-derived neuroprostanes and a 1.7-fold increase in AA-derived isoprostanes were seen in the obese group. These changes correlated with a 70% decrease in placental FABP1 protein. Multivariate analyses suggested that neuroprostanes and isoprostanes are associated with maternal and placental inflammation and with birth weight. These results might shed light on the molecular mechanisms associated with altered placental fatty acid metabolism in maternal pre-gestational obesity, placing these oxidised fatty acids as novel mediators of placental function

Strengthening mechanisms in an Al-Fe-Cr-Ti nano-quasicrystalline alloy and composites

We report a study of the structure-processing-property relationships in a high strength Al93Fe3Cr2Ti2 nano-quasicrystalline alloy and composites containing 10 and 20 vol% ductilising pure Al fibres. The superimposed contributions of several different strengthening mechanisms have been modelled analytically using data obtained from systematic characterisation of the monolithic alloy bar. An observed yield strength of 544 MPa has been substantiated from a combination of solid solution strengthening, work hardening, precipitation hardening and Hall-Petch grain size dependent effects. These materials have been shown by other authors in previous published work to be highly sensitive to the size distribution of particles in the powder from which they are made, and the subsequent thermomechanical processing conditions. The processing condition employed in this study provided micron-sized grains with a strong [111] preferential orientation along the extrusion direction and a bimodal size distribution of the icosahedral nano-quasicrystalline precipitates. Both were deemed to be a significant contributor to the high yield strength observed. The addition of pure Al fibres was found to decrease the yield strength linearly with increasing Al content, and to augment the ductility of the composites