Comparison of the yeast microbiota of different varieties of cool-climate grapes by PCR-RAPD

The yeast microbiota occurring on different varieties of grapes grown in cool-climate is not completely researched. Therefore, its identification is important to research. On the other hand, yeasts occurring in these fruits can be potentially used as starter cultures to obtain particularly demanded features in the production of wine. In addition, rapid methods for yeast identification allow to eliminate the contamination with pathogenic yeasts, which could cause the loss of wine production. The aim of the study was to isolate and identify the yeasts occurring on the surface of the different varieties of white and red grapes, grown in cool-climate of Poland. Also, the aim was to compare the qualitative and quantitative composition of yeasts on the tested grapes. The 84 cultures of yeasts were isolated, that were initially macroscopic and microscopic analyzed and the purity of cultures was rated on the WL medium. Identification of yeasts by PCR-RAPD was carried using the M13 primer. In the PCR-RFLP method ITS1 and ITS4 primers, as well as restriction enzymes HhaI, HinfI, HaeIII, were used. Preliminary identification of yeasts by standard methods produced results very different from the results obtained by molecular methods. Among the isolated microorganisms yeasts were dominating, but bacteria and molds were also present. Using the PCR-RAPD method most strains of yeasts were identified. Yeast microflora of different varieties of white and red grapes was very similar as the same species of yeasts were identified. Yeasts of the genus Saccharomyces were present in all varieties of grapes. The Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Rhodotorula minuta, Pichia kluyveri, Hanseniaspora uvarum and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa were identified by PCR-RAPD. 4 of the 33 tested strains of yeasts were identified by PCR-RFLP. By PCR-RAPD only Hanseniaspora uvarum was identified. The quantity and quality of microorganisms living on the surface of grape fruits is very important for the process of winemaking. Yeasts influence the course of alcoholic fermentation, the flavor, aroma, and thus the quality of the produced wine. To a large extent their presence depends on the condition of the surface of the fruit. Many researchers reported significant differences between yeast microflora in grapes of Mediterranean and cool-climate vineyards. As they are expected to affect the final wine properties precise researching of the microflora of cool-climate grapes may lead to the isolation of new species of yeasts and thus the wines with unique characteristics can be obtained

Ochrona środowiska w wycenie przedsiębiorstwa na przykładzie wykorzystania opcji rzeczywistych

Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie możliwości wykorzystania narzędzi ochrony środowiska do zarządzania i wyceny przedsiębiorstwa. W artykule zaprezentowano istotę opcji rzeczywistych oraz ich podstawową klasyfikację. Sposób wykorzystania prostych opcji rzeczywistych zaprezentowano na przykładzie przedsiębiorstwa produkującego energię elektryczną i cieplną w kogeneracji. Możliwość wykorzystania opcji opóźnienia przedstawiono na przykładzie elektrowni atomowej. Został również zaprezentowany sposób wykorzystania złożonych opcji rzeczywistych na przykładzie zbywalnych jednostek do emisji gazów cieplarnianych przy finansowaniu restrukturyzacji przedsiębiorstwa.The purpose of the paper is to present the possibilities to use environmental protection tools to manage and evaluate an enterprise. The paper presents the essence of real options and their basic classification. The way of using simple real options has been presented on the example of an enterprise which produces electricity and heating in co-generation. The potential to use the retard option has been presented on the example of a nuclear energy plant. The manner to use complicated real options has been also shown on the example of transferable units for the greenhouse gas emission while financing an enterprise restructuring

The potential of acetylsalicylic acid and vitamin E in modulating inflammatory cascades in chickens under lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation

International audienceAbstractDistinct enzymes, including cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 (COX-1 and COX-2), lipoxygenase (LOXs), and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP450), produce different stress mediators and mediate inflammation in birds. Bioactive agents such as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and vitamin E (vE) may affect enzyme activities and could be used in poultry production to control the magnitude of acute phase inflammation. Here, we characterized COX, LOX, and CYP450 mRNA expression levels in chicken immune tissues in response to Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge and investigated whether ASA and vE could alter gene expression. Additionally, for the first time in chickens, we evaluated oxygen consumption by platelet mitochondria as a biomarker of mitochondria function in response to ASA- and vE. LPS challenge compromised bird growth rates, but neither dietary ASA nor vE significantly ameliorated this effect; however, gradually increasing dietary vE levels were more effective than basal levels. ASA regulated arachidonic acid metabolism, providing an eicosanoid synthesis substrate, whereas gradually increasing vE levels evoked aspirin resistance during challenge. Gene expression in immune tissues was highly variable, indicating a complex regulatory network controlling inflammatory pathways. However, unlike COX-1, COX-2 and CYP450 exhibited increased mRNA expression in some cases, suggesting an initiation of novel anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving signals during challenge. Measuring oxygen consumption rate, we revealed that neither the ASA nor vE levels applied here exerted toxic effects on platelet mitochondria

Possibilities of applying a combination of targeted molecular therapies and immunotherapy in NSCLC patients

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) advanced or metastatic with driver mutations (EGFR, ALK, ROS1) is treated with ty­rosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), respectively anti-EGFR, anti-ALK or anti-ROS1. Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors (anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1) alone or in combination with TKIs was considered as a treatment option in several studies, but results are not promising, furthermore the toxicity profile of such a combination is potentially unacceptable. The initial findings suggest that combination therapy has failed to demonstrate clinically meaningful efficacy and there are no strong signals of its future development

Inhibition of thrombin generation by simvastatin and lack of additive effects of aspirin in patients with marked hypercholesterolemia

AbstractOBJECTIVESTo assess the effects of aspirin compared with simvastatin on thrombin generation in hypercholesterolemic men, and to establish whether the reduction of elevated blood cholesterol by simvastatin would affect the action of aspirin on thrombin formation.BACKGROUNDAspirin inhibits thrombin formation, but its performance is blunted in hypercholesterolemia. By virtue of altering lipid profile, statins could be expected to influence thrombin generation.METHODSThirty-three men, aged 34 to 61 years, with minimal or no clinical symptoms, serum total cholesterol >6.5 mmol/liter and serum triglycerides <4.6 mmol/liter, completed the study consisting of three treatment phases. First, they received 300 mg of aspirin daily for two weeks (phase I), which was then replaced by simvastatin at the average dose of 24 mg/d for three months (phase II). In phase III, aspirin, 300 mg/day, was added for two weeks to simvastatin, the dose of which remained unchanged. Thrombin generation was assessed: 1) in vivo, by measuring levels of fibrinopeptide A (FPA) and prothrombin fragment 1+2 (F1+2) in venous blood; and 2) ex vivo, by monitoring the rates of increase of FPA and F1+2 in blood emerging from standardized skin incisions of a forearm. A mathematical model was used to describe the kinetics of thrombin formation at the site of microvascular injury.RESULTSTwo-week treatment with aspirin had no effect on thrombin markers in vivo, while ex vivo it depressed the total amount of thrombin formed, though not the reaction rate. After simvastatin treatment, serum cholesterol decreased by 31% and LDL cholesterol by 42%, while thrombin generation became markedly depressed. In venous blood, FPA was significantly reduced. Concomitantly, the initial thrombin concentration and total amount of thrombin generated decreased significantly. Addition of aspirin to simvastatin (phase III) had no further effect on any of these parameters.CONCLUSIONSIn men with hypercholesterolemia, lowering serum cholesterol level by a three-month simvastatin treatment is accompanied by a marked reduction of thrombin generation both at basal conditions in venous blood and after activation of hemostasis by microvascular injury. Once blood cholesterol became reduced, adding aspirin to simvastatin did not enhance dampening of thrombin formation

Renal denervation in patients with symptomatic chronic heart failure despite resynchronization therapy : a pilot study

Introduction: Renal denervation (RD) has been shown to decrease sympathetic function in patients with hypertension. Its efficacy in symptomatic chronic heart failure (CHF) patients not responding to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has not been evaluated. Aim: To assess whether a less invasive treatment method – renal denervation – is safe in symptomatic heart failure patients despite optimal medical treatment and resynchronization therapy and whether it is associated with an improvement in clinical status, exercise capacity and hemodynamic parameters. Material and methods: The study was an open-label, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Patients were divided into an intervention (RD) and a control group. Clinical data collection, blood pressure (BP) measurements, echocardiography, 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and laboratory tests were performed before, 6 and 12 months after RD. The patients were followed-up to 24 months. Results: We included 20 patients aged 52.0 to 86.0 years (median age: 71.5 years), 15 males and 5 females with median left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 32.5%, body mass index 31.3 kg/m2. Renal denervation was safe, no significant adverse effects were registered. There were no significant differences in LVEF, BP, 6MWT and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentration 6 and 12 months after RD or control. Conclusions: Our results indicate that RD in CHF patients not responding to CRT is safe and does not worsen exercise capacity and hemodynamic parameters