Influence of grape rot on the contents of sulfur binding compounds in wine after automated optical grape sorting

In the last years, climate change has played an important role in some wine growing regions because of the increasing hazard of different kinds of bunch rot. Botrytis cinerea is the most important kind of rot on grapes. Beside sensory effects, this rot can influence the content of yeast nutrients, e.g. thiamine, in the must and thus affect the alcoholic fermentation. To get insight into the influence of Botrytis cinerea on the content of sulfur binding compounds formed during the fermentation process in wine, tons of grapes from the Mosel valley were sorted by an automated optical grape sorter, an innovative possibility of grape sorting, in 2011. Wine samples before sulfurisation of the four sorting fractions, namely control (unsorted berries), free-run (juice from opened berries), positive (healthy, intact berries) and negative (rotten berries) were analysed for the sulfur-binding compounds acetaldehyde, pyruvic acid, 2-oxoglutaric acid and for bound sulfur dioxide. The results show that acetaldehyde concentrations were not affected by rot, while pyruvic acid and 2-oxoglutaric acid levels were significantly higher in the negative fractions and lower in the positive fractions. Accordingly, bound sulfur levels were significantly higher in wines from the negative fraction. In conclusion, it could be shown that fractionation of the berries can efficiently help to reduce sulfur binding compounds in wine and thus reduce the addition of sulfur dioxide

Effect of increased quadriceps tensile stiffness on peak anterior cruciate ligament strain during a simulated pivot landing

ACL injury prevention programs often involve strengthening the knee muscles. We posit that an unrecognized benefit of such training is the associated increase in the tensile stiffness of the hypertrophied muscle. We tested the hypothesis that an increased quadriceps tensile stiffness would reduce peak anteromedial bundle (AM‐)ACL relative strain in female knees. Twelve female cadaver knees were subjected to compound impulsive two‐times body weight loads in compression, flexion, and internal tibial torque beginning at 15° flexion. Knees were equipped with modifiable custom springs to represent the nonlinear rapid stretch behavior of a normal and increased stiffness female quadriceps (i.e., 33% greater stiffness). Peak AM‐ACL relative strain was measured using an in situ transducer while muscle forces and tibiofemoral kinematics and kinetics were recorded. A 3D ADAMS™ dynamic biomechanical knee model was used in silico to interpret the experimental results which were analyzed using a repeated‐measures Wilcoxon test. Female knees exhibited a 16% reduction in peak AM‐ACL relative strain and 21% reduction in change in flexion when quadriceps tensile stiffness was increased by 33% (mean (SD) difference: 0.97% (0.65%), p  = 0.003). We conclude that increased quadriceps tensile stiffness reduces peak ACL strain during a controlled study simulating a pivot landing. © 2013 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 32:423–430, 2014.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/102663/1/jor22531.pd

Establishment and mitotic stability of an extra-chromosomal mammalian replicon

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Basic functions of the eukaryotic nucleus, like transcription and replication, are regulated in a hierarchic fashion. It is assumed that epigenetic factors influence the efficiency and precision of these processes. In order to uncouple local and long-range epigenetic features we used an extra-chromosomal replicon to study the requirements for replication and segregation and compared its behavior to that of its integrated counterpart.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The autonomous replicon replicates in all eukaryotic cells and is stably maintained in the absence of selection but, as other extra-chromosomal replicons, its establishment is very inefficient. We now show that following establishment the vector is stably associated with nuclear compartments involved in gene expression and chromosomal domains that replicate at the onset of S-phase. While the vector stays autonomous, its association with these compartments ensures the efficiency of replication and mitotic segregation in proliferating cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Using this novel minimal model system we demonstrate that relevant functions of the eukaryotic nucleus are strongly influenced by higher nuclear architecture. Furthermore our findings have relevance for the rational design of episomal vectors to be used for genetic modification of cells: in order to improve such constructs with respect to efficiency elements have to be identified which ensure that such constructs reach regions of the nucleus favorable for replication and transcription.</p

Triple-q octupolar ordering in NpO_2

We report the results of resonant X-ray scattering experiments performed at the Np M_4,5 edges in NpO_2. Below T_0 = 25 K, the development of long-range order of Np electric quadrupoles is revealed by the growth of superlattice Bragg peaks. The electronic transition is not accompanied by any measurable crystallographic distortion, either internal or external, so the symmetry of the system remains cubic. The polarization and azimuthal dependence of the intensity of the resonant peaks is well reproduced assuming Templeton scattering from a triple-q longitudinal antiferroquadrupolar structure. Electric quadrupole order in NpO_2 could be driven by the ordering at T_0 of magnetic octupoles of Gamma_5 symmetry, splitting the Np ground state quartet and leading to a singlet ground state with zero dipole magnetic moment.Comment: 4 Pages, 3 Figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. v2: resubmitted after referee report

Magnetic properties of the spin-1 chain compound NiCl3_3C6_6H5_5CH2_2CH2_2NH3_3

We report experimental results of the static magnetization, ESR and NMR spectroscopic measurements of the Ni-hybrid compound NiCl$_3$C$_6$H$_5$CH$_2$CH$_2$NH$_3$. In this material NiCl$_3$ octahedra are structurally arranged in chains along the crystallographic $a$-axis. According to the static susceptibility and ESR data Ni$^{2+}$ spins $S = 1$ are isotropic and are coupled antiferromagnetically (AFM) along the chain with the exchange constant $J = 25.5$ K. These are important prerequisites for the realization of the so-called Haldane spin-1 chain with the spin-singlet ground state and a quantum spin gap. However, experimental results evidence AFM order at $T_{\rm N} \approx 10$ K presumably due to small interchain couplings. Interestingly, frequency-, magnetic field-, and temperature-dependent ESR measurements, as well as the NMR data, reveal signatures which could presumably indicate an inhomogeneous ground state of co-existent mesoscopically spatially separated AFM ordered and spin-singlet state regions similar to the situation observed before in some spin-diluted Haldane magnets

Impact of Face Masks on Audiovisual Word Recognition in Young Children with Hearing Loss During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Objective: To investigate effects of surgical and transparent face masks during the Covid-19 pandemic on audiovisual speech recognition of words for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Design: Recorded Word Intelligibility by Picture Identification test (WIPI) was presented in quiet via a computer monitor to children in a quiet test room. The acoustic power spectra of each mask type were compared to the baseline no mask condition. Percent correct word recognition was recorded for four mask conditions (no mask, surgical mask, transparent apron mask and ClearMask) in counterbalanced order. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to test for significant differences in word recognition scores across mask types. Study Sample: Thirteen children (3 to 7 years) in a private auditory oral school wearing hearing aids, bone-anchored hearing aids or cochlear implants. Children were excluded if English was not their primary language or if they had a severe speech-language delay, uncorrected vision loss, or developmental disorder that would affect the results. No children had been exposed to or had contracted the Covid-19 virus. Results: Acoustic spectra showed a decrease in the 2000-8000 Hz region for the transparent apron mask. The surgical mask and ClearMask showed fewer acoustic effects. Children with hearing aids performed similarly to children with cochlear implants. Word recognition was significantly poorer for surgical masks and transparent apron masks. The ClearMask condition was not significantly worse than the no mask condition for words in quiet. Conclusions: Standard surgical and custom apron shield masks significantly hampered word recognition, even in quiet conditions. The commercially available ClearMask did not significantly affect scores in quiet for young deaf and hard-of-hearing children, but scores were highly variable

Program transformations using temporal logic side conditions

This paper describes an approach to program optimisation based on transformations, where temporal logic is used to specify side conditions, and strategies are created which expand the repertoire of transformations and provide a suitable level of abstraction. We demonstrate the power of this approach by developing a set of optimisations using our transformation language and showing how the transformations can be converted into a form which makes it easier to apply them, while maintaining trust in the resulting optimising steps. The approach is illustrated through a transformational case study where we apply several optimisations to a small program

Surveying national minorities

This guide is for survey practitioners who want to collect information on national minorities. The guide addresses the main concerns with surveying national minorities, points out particularities in Switzerland, and gives some practical recommendations for survey practitioners

How to survey displaced workers in Switzerland ? Sources of bias and ways around them

Studying career outcomes after job loss is challenging because individually displaced worker form a self-selected group. Indeed, the same factors causing the workers to lose their jobs, such as lack of motivation, may also reduce their re-employment prospects. Using data from plant closures where all workers were displaced irrespective of their individual characteristics offers a way around this selection bias. There is no systematic data collection on workers displaced by plant closure in Switzerland. Accordingly, we conducted our own survey on 1200 manufacturing workers who had lost their job 2 years earlier. The analysis of observational data gives rise to a set of methodological challenges, in particular nonresponse bias. Our survey addressed this issue by mixing data collection modes and repeating contact attempts. In addition, we combined the survey data with data from the public unemployment register to examine the extent of nonresponse bias. Our analysis suggests that some of our adjustments helped to reduce bias. Repeated contact attempts increased the response rate, but did not reduce nonresponse bias. In contrast, using telephone interviews in addition to paper questionnaires helped to substantially improve the participation of typically underrepresented subgroups. However, the survey respondents still differ from nonrespondents in terms of age, education and occupation. Interestingly, these differences have no significant impact on the substantial conclusion about displaced workers' re-employment prospects