The influence of galvanic field on Saccharomyces cerevisiae in grape must fermentation

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae alcohol fermentation of 'Sauvignon blanc' grape must a low direct electric current (DC) of 1.3, 7.7 and 30 μA was applied. Constant current stimulated wine yeasts metabolic activity by increasing production of glycerol and lactic acid was studied. The results of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC) indicated that by using the direct current at low temperature, similar results as those using higher fermentation temperatures can be achieved. Optical and transmission electron microscopy showed no visible morphological and ultra structural changes in cell morphology. The empirical experience resulting from present laboratory experiments offer a new approach in fermentation of grape musts wine and in wine process control.

Symmetric and antisymmetric exchange anisotropies in quasi-one-dimensional CuSe2_2O5_5 as revealed by ESR

We present an electron spin resonance (ESR) study of single-crystalline spin chain-system CuSe$_2$O$_5$ in the frequency range between 9 GHz and 450 GHz. In a wide temperature range above the N\'{e}el temperature $T_N=17$ K we observe strong and anisotropic frequency dependence of a resonance linewidth. Although sizeable interchain interaction $J_{IC}\approx 0.1 J$ ($J$ is the intrachain interaction) is present in this system, the ESR results agree well with the Oshikawa-Affleck theory for one-dimensional $S=1/2$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet. This theory is used to extract the anisotropies present in CuSe$_2$O$_5$. We find that the symmetric anisotropic exchange $J_c=(0.04 \pm 0.01) \:J$ and the antisymmetric Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction $D=(0.05\pm 0.01)\:J$ are very similar in size in this system. Staggered-field susceptibility induced by the presence of the DM interaction is witnessed in the macroscopic susceptibility anisotropy.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables, published in Phys. Rev.

Antiferromagnetic fluctuations in the normal state of LiFeAs

We present a detailed study of 75As NMR Knight shift and spin-lattice relaxation rate in the normal state of stoichiometric polycrystalline LiFeAs. Our analysis of the Korringa relation suggests that LiFeAs exhibits strong antiferromagnetic fluctuations, if transferred hyperfine coupling is a dominant interaction between 75As nuclei and Fe electronic spins, whereas for an on-site hyperfine coupling scenario, these are weaker, but still present to account for our experimental observations. Density-functional calculations of electric field gradient correctly reproduce the experimental values for both 75As and 7Li sites.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, thoroughly revised version with refined experimental data, accepted for publication as a Rapid Communication in Physical Review B

Integrating organizational research–Individual, team, organizational and multilevel perspectives

Organizations are multilevel social systems (Hedberg, Nystrom, & Starbuck, 1976; Kesler & Kates, 2015) where (1) diverse employees are assigned to various jobs, embedded in multiple dyadic relationships, and expected to play diverse team roles; (2) functional and/or cross-functional teams integrate individual efforts and develop intra- and inter-group dynamics; and (3) multiple departments and business processes nested within or spanning across organizational boundaries deliver value through mutual interaction. Whereas the managerial priority in the globally digitalized world is to execute competitive strategic initiatives and achieve challenging business goals by vigilantly managing and continuously improving dynamic interactions between organizational system levels, the majority of scholars still populate disciplinary, specialized micro- (social psychology, organizational behavior, and organizational psychology), meso- (business process management and project management) or macro- (strategic management, organizational theory and design, and engineering/systems management) research camps (e.g., Hitt, Beamish, Jackson, & Mathieu, 2007; Molloy, Ployhart, & Wright, 2011)..

Angiotensin II causes b-cell dysfunction through an ER stress-induced proinflammatory response

The metabolic syndrome is associated with an increase in the activation of the renin angiotensin system, whose inhibition reduces the incidence of new-onset diabetes. Importantly, angiotensin II (AngII), independently of its vasoconstrictor action, causes b-cell inflammation and dysfunction, which may be an early step in the development of type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine how AngII causes b-cell dysfunction. Islets of Langerhans were isolated from C57BL/6J mice that had been infused with AngII in the presence or absence of taurineconjugated ursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) and effects on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, inflammation, and b-cell function determined. The mechanism of action of AngII was further investigated using isolated murine islets and clonal b cells. We show that AngII triggers ER stress, an increase in the messenger RNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines, and promotes b-cell dysfunction in murine islets of Langerhans both in vivo and ex vivo. These effects were significantly attenuated by TUDCA, an inhibitor of ER stress. We also show that AngII-induced ER stress is required for the increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines and is caused by reactive oxygen species and IP3 receptor activation. These data reveal that the induction of ER stress is critical for AngII-induced b-cell dysfunction and indicates how therapies that promote ER homeostasis may be beneficial in the prevention of type 2 diabetes. © 2017 Endocrine Society

A new model for the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease: Aluminium toxicity is exacerbated by hydrogen peroxide and attenuated by an amyloid protein fragment and melatonin

Objectives. Although Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in developed countries, there is an as yet unexplained lower prevalence of the disease in parts of Africa. AD is characterised by a catastrophic loss of neurons; free radicals (oxidative toxins) have been implicated in the destruction of the cells through the process of lipid peroxidative damage of cell membranes. Previously aluminium (Al) and a fragment of beta amyloid (Aβ 25 - 35) were shown to exacerbate tree-radical damage, while melatonin reduced this effect. The aim of the present study was: (i) to investigate the conditions detennining the toxicity of Al and Aβ 25 - 35; and (ii) to assess whether melatonin could attenuate the damage done by both aluminium and the amyloid fragment, thus suggesting a pathway for the aetiology of AD.Design. An in vitro model system was used in which free radicals were generated, causing lipid peroxidation of platelet membranes, thus simulating the disease process found in the brain.Results. 1. Al and Aβ 25 - 35 caused lipid peroxidation in the presence of the iron (II) ion (Fe2+, Al being more toxic than Aβ 25 - 35. 2. Aβ 25 - 35 attenuated the lipid peroxidation promoted by Al. 3. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 greatly exacerbated the toxicity of Al and Aβ 25 - 35. 4. Melatonin prevented lipid peroxidation by Al and Aβ 25 - 35 in the absence of H2O2, but only reduced the process when H2O2 was present.Conclusions. In the light of the results obtained from the present study, the following hypotheses are formulated. 1. In AD, excessive quantities of Al are taken up into the  brain, where the Al exacerbates iron-induced lipid peroxidatian in the Iysosomes. 2. In response, the normal synthetic pathway of amyloid protein is altered to produce Aβ fragments which attenuate the toxicity of Al. In the process of sequestering the Al and iron, immature plaques are formed in the brain. 3. Microglia are activated, in an attempt to destroy the plaques by secreting reactive oxygen species such as H2O2. At this point in the disease process, lipid peroxidation causes a catastrophic loss of brain cells. 4. Melatonin, together with other free radical scavengers in the brain, reduces the free-radical damage caused by Al and Aβ, except in the latter stages of the disease process. Since melatonin is produced by the pineal gland only in the dark, the excess of electric light in developed countries may help explain why AD is more prevalent in these countries than in rural Africa

National single-step genomic method that integrates multi-national genomic information

The aim of this paper was to develop a national single-step genomic BLUP that integrates multi-national genomic estimated breeding values (EBV) and associated reliabilities without double counting dependent data contributions from the different evaluations. Simultaneous use of all data, including phenotypes, pedigree, and genotypes, is a condition to obtain unbiased EBV. However, this condition is not always fully met, mainly due to unavailability of foreign raw data for imported animals. In dairy cattle genetic evaluations, this issue is traditionally tackled through the multiple across-country evaluation (MACE) of sires, performed by Interbull Centre (Uppsala, Sweden). Multiple across-country evaluation regresses all the available national information onto a joint pedigree to obtain country-specific rankings of all sires without sharing the raw data. In the context of genomic selection, the issue is handled by exchanging sire genotypes and by using MACE information (i.e., MACE EBV and reliabilities), as a valuable source of “phenotypic” data. Although all the available data are considered, these “multi-national” genomic evaluations use multi-step methods assuming independence of various sources of information, which is not met in all situations. We developed a method that handles this by single-step genomic evaluation that jointly (1) uses national phenotypic, genomic, and pedigree data; (2) uses multi-national genomic information; and (3) avoids double counting dependent data contributions from an animal’s own records and relatives’ records. The method was demonstrated by integrating multi-national genomic EBV and reliabilities of Brown Swiss sires, included in the InterGenomics consortium at Interbull Centre, into the national evaluation in Slovenia. The results showed that the method could (1) increase reliability of a national (genomic) evaluation; (2) provide consistent ranking of all animals: bulls, cows, and young animals; and (3) increase the size of a genomic training population. These features provide more efficient and transparent selection throughout a breeding program

ES-Cell Derived Hematopoietic Cells Induce Transplantation Tolerance

Background: Bone marrow cells induce stable mixed chimerism under appropriate conditioning of the host, mediating the induction of transplantation tolerance. However, their strong immunogenicity precludes routine use in clinical transplantation due to the need for harsh preconditioning and the requirement for toxic immunosuppression to prevent rejection and graft-versus-host disease. Alternatively, embryonic stem (ES) cells have emerged as a potential source of less immunogenic hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs). Up till now, however, it has been difficult to generate stable hematopoietic cells from ES cells. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here, we derived CD45 + HPCs from HOXB4-transduced ES cells and showed that they poorly express MHC antigens. This property allowed their long-term engraftment in sublethally irradiated recipients across MHC barriers without the need for immunosuppressive agents. Although donor cells declined in peripheral blood over 2 months, low level chimerism was maintained in the bone marrow of these mice over 100 days. More importantly, chimeric animals were protected from rejection of donor-type cardiac allografts. Conclusions: Our data show, for the first time, the efficacy of ES-derived CD45 + HPCs to engraft in allogenic recipient