Synergetic-methodological analysis of contemporary geopolitical scenarios and risks / Y. S. Yaskevich

Выявляются философские основания современных геополитических сценариев и рисков в пространстве синергетической методологии. Обосновывается тезис о том, что методологический анализ геостратегий и рискогенности общества постмодерна следует проводить в контексте интеграции национальных государств в мировое экономическое и политическое сообщество с учетом приоритетов национальной безопасности, суверенитета отдельных стран, ответственности за принимаемые решения на глобальном и национальном уровнях. = Substantial models of modern geopolitical scenarios in space of synergetic methodology and a riskiness of modern society are considered. The thesis that the methodological analysis of geopolitical scenarios and risks should be carried out in the context of integration of the national states into world economic and political community taking into account priorities of national security, the sovereignty of the certain countries, responsibility for the made decisions at the global and national levels locates

Relative Roles of the Cellular and Humoral Responses in the Drosophila Host Defense against Three Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections

BACKGROUND: Two NF-kappaB signaling pathways, Toll and immune deficiency (imd), are required for survival to bacterial infections in Drosophila. In response to septic injury, these pathways mediate rapid transcriptional activation of distinct sets of effector molecules, including antimicrobial peptides, which are important components of a humoral defense response. However, it is less clear to what extent macrophage-like hemocytes contribute to host defense. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In order to dissect the relative importance of humoral and cellular defenses after septic injury with three different gram-positive bacteria (Micrococcus luteus, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus), we used latex bead pre-injection to ablate macrophage function in flies wildtype or mutant for various Toll and imd pathway components. We found that in all three infection models a compromised phagocytic system impaired fly survival--independently of concomitant Toll or imd pathway activation. Our data failed to confirm a role of the PGRP-SA and GNBP1 Pattern Recognition Receptors for phagocytosis of S. aureus. The Drosophila scavenger receptor Eater mediates the phagocytosis by hemocytes or S2 cells of E. faecalis and S. aureus, but not of M. luteus. In the case of M. luteus and E. faecalis, but not S. aureus, decreased survival due to defective phagocytosis could be compensated for by genetically enhancing the humoral immune response. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results underscore the fundamental importance of both cellular and humoral mechanisms in Drosophila immunity and shed light on the balance between these two arms of host defense depending on the invading pathogen

Insight on a comprehensive profile of volatile compounds of Chlorella vulgaris extracted by two “green” methods

International audienceSome green extraction methods were selected and tested for the extraction of volatile compounds from different samples of the microalga Chlorella vulgaris: ultrasound-assisted liquid-liquid extraction using environment-friendly solvents (LLE) and solid-phase microextraction (SPME). The obtained profiles of volatile chemical compounds were different. Only one molecule was found in common to both extractions. Using the SPME method, the main chemical classes of identified volatile compounds were sulfuric compounds, aldehydes, and alcohols. Using the LLE method, the volatile profile was more balanced with alkanes, fatty acids, terpenes, alcohols, and aldehydes. Multivariate data analyses permitted discrimination among samples. Additionally, the relationship between the physicochemical properties of identified volatile compounds and the methods of extraction was studied. The results showed that the LLE extraction allowed the extraction of volatile compounds having a high boiling point (>160°C) and a high log P (>3). The SPME method was more effective to extract volatile compounds with a low boiling point (<160°C) and a low log P (<3). It is thus necessary to combine several extraction methods to obtain a complete view of the volatile profile for microalgae samples

Potential Use of Mixed Gels from Konjac Glucomannan and Native Starch for Encapsulation and Delivery of Aroma Compounds: A Review

International audienceMixed gels based on native starch and konjac glucomannan, and their potential to encapsulate aroma compounds, are reviewed. Starch and konjac glucomannan are two carbohydrates, abundant, low cost, soft taste, and used as food grade wall material. After an overview of konjac glucomannan, the structure of mixed gels of native starch and konjac glucomannan and their use for encapsulation and delivery of aroma compounds are described. The advantage of the addition of konjac glucomannan to starch gels is the increase of physical stability of the starch matrices upon storage, and consequently the increase of the shelf life of the product. The second advantage is that the molecular encapsulation of interest molecules by amylose is still possible in the presence of konjac glucomannan. Potato-starch-konjac glucomannan gels may have potential applications for the delivery of aroma compounds in hydrated gels and thus offer opportunities to develop new products

Chapter 7. Physico-chemical properties of konjac glucomannan

International audienceThe konjac flour is obtained from the tuber of the Amorphophallus konjac, a plant of the Araceae family. This plant is found in the wild and cultivated as a vegetable in Thailand, China, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan since the nineteenth century AD (Chua et al. 2012; Li et al. 2005). The major compound of konjac flours is glucomannan, the reserve polysaccharide of konjac. The glucomannans are also present under the same structural type in various plant species: orchid bulbs, lily, and Aloe vera seeds (Dorthe 2005). The konjac flour is obtained by crunching the tubers more or less finely. These are harvested after 2 or 3 years of plant development. The tubers are cut, dried, crushed, and sieved. The resulting flour contains between 51% and 72% dry weight of the konjac glucomannan (Fang and Wu 2004). In order to obtain pure flour containing more than 95% of the konjac glucomannan in dry mass, a purification step by hydroalcoholic washes is essential. Depending on the species, the dried crude konjac flour contains about 10%–30% starch, 2%–5% fibre, 5%–14% protein, 3%–5% reducing sugars, and 3.4%–5.3% ash, it is low in vitamins and fat. The konjac flour production accounts for 25,000 tonnes per year, with China and Japan as leading producers and consumers of the konjac flour. China has become the largest producer of the konjac ahead of Japan, exporting more than half of its production. Japan retains its konjac production for domestic consumption and has specialised in the production of pharmaceutical grade flour for export, which is more limited in volume

Distribution of aroma in a starch–polysaccharide composite gel

International audienceThe location of different aroma compounds in a gel containing sucrose, cross-linked waxy corn starch and carrageenan was investigated. Different systems were designed by varying the carrageenan and the sucrose contents and were flavoured with a mixture of aroma compounds. These systems are described as composite gels formed by a dispersed phase composed of swollen starch granules and a continuous phase containing the other polysaccharide. The separation of the two phases was done by centrifugation. The concentration in aroma compounds was measured in both phases and a partition coefficient was calculated for every compound in the different formulations. When the gel contained only starch, the distribution between the two phases for all aroma compounds was uniform. When carrageenan was present, the aroma compounds were found to be more concentrated in the continuous phase than in the dispersed phase. The addition of sucrose induced the opposite effect with a greater concentration of aroma compounds in the dispersed phase. The combination of these results with those of the gas/matrix partition is finally discussed to understand how the distribution of aroma compounds in a biphasic system influences aroma release in the headspace under equilibrium

Substitution of carcinogenic solvent dichloromethane for the extraction of volatile compounds in a fat-free model food system

International audienceDichloromethane is known as a very efficient solvent, but, as other halogenated solvents, is recognized as a hazardous product (CMR substance). The objective of the present work is to propose substitution solvent for the extraction of volatile compounds. The most important physico-chemical parameters in the choice of an appropriate extraction solvent of volatile compounds are reviewed. Various solvents are selected on this basis and on their hazard characteristics. The selected solvents, safer than dichloromethane, are compared using the extraction efficiency of volatile compounds from a model food product able to interact with volatile compounds. Volatile compounds with different hydrophobicity are used. High extraction yields were positively correlated with high boiling points and high Log Row values of volatile compounds. Mixtures of solvents such as azeotrope propan-2-one/cyclopentane, azeotrope ethyl acetate/ethanol, and mixture ethyl acetate/ethanol (3:1, v/v) gave higher extraction yields than those obtained with dichloromethane

Screening of lactic acid bacteria for fermentation of a mix of cow and pea protein

Screening of lactic acid bacteria for fermentation of a mix of cow and pea protein. Vitagora - 9. international taste-nutrition-health congres

Fermentation of cow milk and/or pea milk mixtures by different starter cultures: Physico-chemical and sensorial properties

International audienceFive mixtures of milk and pea protein (0-40 g pea protein/100 g total protein) were fermented by ten starter cultures of lactic acid bacteria (LAB)(2) to select the cocktails that can lead to products similar to a conventional yoghurt. Generally speaking, an increase in pea concentration leads to products with higher acidity, higher syneresis and lower firmness. From the sensory perspective, up to 30 g pea protein/100 g total protein, starter cultures show either positive or negative effects. A principal component analysis (PCA)(3) and a hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA)(4) carried out on all variables revealed five groups of products. Two groups of products of 0 g or 10 g pea protein/100 g total protein seemed to be the most similar to conventional dairy products. The third group included products fermented with two starters with negative characteristics such as astringency and bitterness. The last two groups included members made of 10 g, 20 g, 30 g and 40 g pea protein/100 g total protein, among them one group showing a positive sensory profile. From this group, four starter cultures seem promising for the fermentation of milk and pea protein mixtures