Evolution of anthocyanins during vinification of Merlot and Pinot Noir grapes to wines

The evolution of individual anthocyanins during vinification of Merlot and Pinot Noir grapes was studied using two different winemaking procedures for each grape variety. Additionally, the effect of the applied vinification on the anthocyanin composition of the obtained wine at the end of maceration and wine aged 6 months was investigated and compared with the anthocyanin patterns of the original grape. The dynamics of the extraction process was monitored daily during maceration by analysing the anthocyanins in the must using HPLC. The results showed that the anthocyanin composition of young wines was different from that of the grapes. The proportions of malvidin-3- glucoside and malvidin-acetate were higher in wines than in the grape skins, but this was not the case for malvidin coumarate. Application of different vinification procedures to the same raw material resulted in wines with similar anthocyanin patterns. However, the anthocyanin profiles changed with the ageing of the wines

Vastus medialis cross-sectional area is positively associated with patella cartilage and bone volumes in a pain-free community-based population

INTRODUCTION: Although vastus medialis and lateralis are important determinants of patellofemoral joint function, their relationship with patellofemoral joint structure is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine potential determinants of vastus medialis and lateralis cross-sectional areas and the relationship between the cross-sectional area and patella cartilage and bone volumes. METHODS: Two hundred ninety-seven healthy adult subjects had magnetic resonance imaging of their dominant knee. Vastus medialis and lateralis cross-sectional areas were measured 37.5 mm superior to the quadriceps tendon insertion at the proximal pole of the patella. Patella cartilage and bone volumes were measured from these images. Demographic data and participation in vigorous physical activity were assessed by questionnaire. RESULTS: The determinants of increased vastus medialis and lateralis cross-sectional areas were older age (P <or= 0.002), male gender (P < 0.001), and greater body mass index (P <or= 0.07). Participation in vigorous physical activity was positively associated with vastus medialis cross-sectional area (regression coefficient [beta] 90.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] 38.2, 141.7) (P < 0.001) but not with vastus lateralis cross-sectional area (beta 10.1; 95% CI -18.1, 38.3) (P = 0.48). The cross-sectional area of vastus medialis only was positively associated with patella cartilage volume (beta 0.6; 95% CI 0.23, 0.94) (P = 0.001) and bone volume (beta 3.0; 95% CI 1.40, 4.68) (P < 0.001) after adjustment for potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Our results in a pain-free community-based population suggest that increased cross-sectional area of vastus medialis, which is associated with vigorous physical activity, and increased patella cartilage and bone volumes may benefit patellofemoral joint health and reduce the long-term risk of patellofemoral pathology

River water quality assessment using environmentric techniques : case study of Jakara River Basin.

akara River Basin has been extensively studied to assess the overall water quality and to identify the major variables responsible for water quality variations in the basin. A total of 27 sampling points were selected in the riverine network of the Upper Jakara River Basin. Water samples were collected in triplicate and analyzed for physicochemical variables. Pearson product-moment correlation analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationship of water quality parameters and revealed a significant relationship between salinity, conductivity with dissolved solids (DS) and 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and nitrogen in form of ammonia (NH4). Partial correlation analysis (r p) results showed that there is a strong relationship between salinity and turbidity (r p = 0.930, p = 0.001) and BOD5 and COD (r p = 0.839, p = 0.001) controlling for the linear effects of conductivity and NH4, respectively. Principal component analysis and or factor analysis was used to investigate the origin of each water quality parameter in the Jakara Basin and identified three major factors explaining 68.11 % of the total variance in water quality. The major variations are related to anthropogenic activities (irrigation agricultural, construction activities, clearing of land, and domestic waste disposal) and natural processes (erosion of river bank and runoff). Discriminant analysis (DA) was applied on the dataset to maximize the similarities between group relative to within-group variance of the parameters. DA provided better results with great discriminatory ability using eight variables (DO, BOD5, COD, SS, NH4, conductivity, salinity, and DS) as the most statistically significantly responsible for surface water quality variation in the area. The present study, however, makes several noteworthy contributions to the existing knowledge on the spatial variations of surface water quality and is believed to serve as a baseline data for further studies. Future research should therefore concentrate on the investigation of temporal variations of water quality in the basin

Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome DUE to Non-Coding Variation in the Androgen Receptor Gene: Review of the Literature and Case Report of a Patient with Mosaic c.-547C>T Variant

Sexual development (SD) is a complex process with strict spatiotemporal regulation of gene expression. Despite advancements in molecular diagnostics, disorders of sexual development (DSD) have a diagnostic rate of ~50%. Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) represents the most common form of 46,XY DSD, with a spectrum of defects in androgen action. Considering the importance of very strict regulation of the SD, it is reasonable to assume that the genetic cause for proportion of the DSD lies in the non-coding part of the genome that regulates proper gene functioning. Here we present a patient with partial AIS (PAIS) due to a mosaic de novo c.-547C>T pathogenic variant in the 5′UTR of androgen receptor (AR) gene. The same mutation was previously described as inherited, in two unrelated patients with complete AIS (CAIS). Thus, our case further confirms the previous findings that variable gene expressivity could be attributed to mosaicism. Mutations in 5′UTR could create new upstream open reading frames (uORFs) or could disrupt the existing one. A recent systematic genome-wide study identified AR as a member of a subset of genes where modifications of uORFs represents an important disease mechanism. Only a small number of studies are reporting non-coding mutations in the AR gene and our case emphasizes the importance of molecular testing of the entire AR locus in AIS patients. The introduction of new methods for comprehensive molecular testing in routine genetic diagnosis, accompanied with new tools for in sillico analysis could improve the genetic diagnosis of AIS, and DSD in general

Uporaba kemometrije za razvoj i validaciju RP-HPLC metode za simultano određivanje haloperidola i srodnih spojeva

A rapid resolution reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic (RR RP-HPLC) method has been developed and validated for simultaneous determination of haloperidol and six related compounds. Investigated matrix was a laboratory mixture of the therapeutic active substance haloperidol and its six related compounds in a concentration ratio 300:1. Experimental design was used during method optimization (full factorial 23 design) and robustness testing (Central Composite Circumscribed design). Three factors: organic phase variation during gradient elution, flow rate and gradient rise time were independent variables. To estimate the system response during the optimization procedure and robustness testing, resolution (Rs) and a chromatographic response function (CRF) were used. Chromatography was performed with the mobile phase containing phosphate buffer pH 6.5 and acetonitrile as organic modifier. Separation was achieved using gradient elution (organic phase fraction changed linearly from 20 to 72%) over 7 min. A Zorbax Eclipse XDB C18 Rapid Resolution HT 4.6 mm × 50 mm, 1.8 μm particle size, column was used at 25 °C at a flow rate of 1.5 mL min−1. UV detection was performed at 230 nm. The total time for chromatographic separation was 5.5 min with a total analysis time of 7.0 min. The method was validated for its linearity, precision, modal recovery and robustness.Razvijena je i validirana metoda reverzno-fazne tekućinske kromatografije visoke učinkovitosti i brze rezolucije (RR RP-HPLC) za simultano određivanje haloperidola i srodnih spojeva. U tu svrhu ispitivana je smjesa ljekovite tvari haloperidola i šest srodnih spojeva u omjeru 300:1. Za optimiranje metode korišten je eksperimentalni dizajn (23 faktorijalni dizajn) i testiranje robustnosti (Central Composite Circumscribed design). Tri faktora: variranje organske faze za eluaciju, brzina protoka i vrijeme uspostave gradijenta eluensa bile su nezavisne varijable. Za procjenu odgovora sustava za vrijeme optimizacije i testiranje robustnosti, korištene su rrazlučivanje (Rs) i funkcija kromatografskog odziva (CRF). Mobilna faza tijekom kromatografije bila je fosfatni pufer pH 6,5 i acetonitril kao organska faza. Razdvajanje je postignuto pomoću gradijenta eluacije (udio organske faze linearno se mijenjao od 20 do 72%) tijekom 7 min. Za rad je upotrebljena kolona Zorbax Eclipse XDB C18 Rapid Resolution HT kolona, dimenzije 4,6 mm × 50 mm, veličine čestica 1,8 μm. Kromatografija je provedena pri 25 °C, uz protok eluensa 1,5 mL min−1 i UV detekciju na 230 nm. Vrijeme kromatografskog razdvajanja bilo je 5,5 min, a ukupno vrijeme potrebno za kromatografiju 7,0 min. Metoda je u potpunosti validirana