The Size Distribution and Shape of Curd Granules in Traditional Swiss Hard and Semi-Hard Cheeses

Curd granule junction patterns in hard (Emmentaler, Gruyere, Sbrinz) and semi-hard cheeses (Appenzeller , Tilsiter, Raclette) were visualized on slices and examined using light microscopy and digital image analysis. Horizontal and vertical sections were cut in different zones of the loaves, in order to obtain information on the orientation of the flattened curd granules. The frequency histograms of the cross section areas could in most cases adequately be described as a log-normal distribution. The median values ranged from 0.97 to 1.15 mm2 and, from 1.31 to 1.68 mm2 for hard and semi-hard cheeses, respectively. An elliptical form factor was used as a measure of the deformation of the granules. The average ratio of the elliptical axes was in the range of 0 .41 to 0.56 in horizontal and 0.33 to 0.48 i n vertical sections. The difference between the form factors in the orthogonal sections was less pronounced in the Appenzeller and Tilsiter cheeses than in the other varieties. Significantly different junction patterns were observed in regions of the edges and sides of the original billets of curd . The micrographs reveal ed interesting features around the eyes and in the cheese rind. Semi-mechanized and traditionally manufactured Appenzeller and Tilsiter cheeses had different curd granule junction patterns, mainly because of different moulding and pressing arrangements

Agrin isoforms and their role in synaptogenesis

Agrin is thought to mediate the motor neuron-induced aggregation of synaptic proteins on the surface of muscle fibers at neuromuscular junctions. Recent experiments provide direct evidence in support of this hypothesis, reveal the nature of agrin immunoreactivity at sites other than neuromuscular junctions, and have resulted in findings that are consistent with the possibility that agrin plays a role in synaptogenesis throughout the nervous system

The agrin gene codes for a family of basal lamina proteins that differ in function and distribution

We isolated two cDNAs that encode isoforms of agrin, the basal lamina protein that mediates the motor neuron-induced aggregation of acetylcholine receptors on muscle fibers at the neuromuscular junction. Both proteins are the result of alternative splicing of the product of the agrin gene, but, unlike agrin, they are inactive in standard acetylcholine receptor aggregation assays. They lack one (agrin-related protein 1) or two (agrin-related protein 2) regions in agrin that are required for its activity. Expression studies provide evidence that both proteins are present in the nervous system and muscle and that, in muscle, myofibers and Schwann cells synthesize the agrin-related proteins while the axon terminals of motor neurons are the sole source of agrin

Correlated decay of triplet excitations in the Shastry-Sutherland compound SrCu2_2(BO3_3)2_2

The temperature dependence of the gapped triplet excitations (triplons) in the 2D Shastry-Sutherland quantum magnet SrCu$_2$(BO$_3$)$_2$ is studied by means of inelastic neutron scattering. The excitation amplitude rapidly decreases as a function of temperature while the integrated spectral weight can be explained by an isolated dimer model up to 10~K. Analyzing this anomalous spectral line-shape in terms of damped harmonic oscillators shows that the observed damping is due to a two-component process: one component remains sharp and resolution limited while the second broadens. We explain the underlying mechanism through a simple yet quantitatively accurate model of correlated decay of triplons: an excited triplon is long-lived if no thermally populated triplons are near-by but decays quickly if there are. The phenomenon is a direct consequence of frustration induced triplon localization in the Shastry--Sutherland lattice.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate: a useful, effective and safe clinical approach for targeted prevention and individualised treatment of neurological diseases

Neurodegenerative disorders show an increasing prevalence in a number of highly developed countries. Often, these diseases require life-long treatment mostly with drugs which are costly and mostly accompanied by more or less serious side-effects. Their heterogeneous manifestation, severity and outcome pose the need for individualised treatment options. There is an intensive search for new strategies not only for treating but also for preventing these diseases. Green tea and green tea extracts seem to be such a promising and safe alternative. However, data regarding the beneficial effects and possible underlying mechanism, specifically in clinical trials, are rare and rather controversial or non-conclusive. This review outlines the existing evidence from preclinical studies (cell and tissue cultures and animal models) and clinical trials regarding preventive and therapeutic effects of epigallcatechin-3-gallate in neurodegenerative diseases and considers antioxidative vs. pro-oxidative properties of the tea catechin important for dosage recommendations

Couplings of N=1 chiral spinor multiplets

We derive the action for chiral spinor multiplets coupled to vector and scalar multiplets. We give the component form of the action, which contains gauge invariant mass terms for the antisymmetric tensors in the spinor superfield and additional Green-Schwarz couplings to vector fields. We observe that supersymmetry provides mass terms for the scalars in the spinor multiplet which do not arise from eliminating an auxiliary field. We construct the dual action by explicitly performing the duality transformations in superspace and give its component form.Comment: 17 pages, v2 small change

Electromagnon dispersion probed by inelastic X-ray scattering in LiCrO2

Inelastic X-ray scattering with meV energy resolution (IXS) is an ideal tool to measure collective excitations in solids and liquids. In non-resonant scattering condition, the cross-section is strongly dominated by lattice vibrations (phonons). However, it is possible to probe additional degrees of freedom such as magnetic fluctuations that are strongly coupled to the phonons. The IXS spectrum of the coupled system contains not only the phonon dispersion but also the so far undetected magnetic correlation function. Here we report the observation of strong magnon-phonon coupling in LiCrO2 that enables the measurement of magnetic correlations throughout the Brillouin zone via IXS. We find electromagnon excitations and electric dipole active two-magnon excitations in the magnetically ordered phase and heavily damped electromagnons in the paramagnetic phase of LiCrO2. We predict that several (frustrated) magnets with dominant direct exchange and non-collinear magnetism show surprisingly large IXS cross-section for magnons and multi-magnon processes

Could dark energy be vector-like?

In this paper I explore whether a vector field can be the origin of the present stage of cosmic acceleration. In order to avoid violations of isotropy, the vector has be part of a ``cosmic triad'', that is, a set of three identical vectors pointing in mutually orthogonal spatial directions. A triad is indeed able to drive a stage of late accelerated expansion in the universe, and there exist tracking attractors that render cosmic evolution insensitive to initial conditions. However, as in most other models, the onset of cosmic acceleration is determined by a parameter that has to be tuned to reproduce current observations. The triad equation of state can be sufficiently close to minus one today, and for tachyonic models it might be even less than that. I briefly analyze linear cosmological perturbation theory in the presence of a triad. It turns out that the existence of non-vanishing spatial vectors invalidates the decomposition theorem, i.e. scalar, vector and tensor perturbations do not decouple from each other. In a simplified case it is possible to analytically study the stability of the triad along the different cosmological attractors. The triad is classically stable during inflation, radiation and matter domination, but it is unstable during (late-time) cosmic acceleration. I argue that this instability is not likely to have a significant impact at present.Comment: 28 pages, 6 figures. Uses RevTeX4. v2: Discussion about relation to phantoms added and additional references cite

Spin half fermions with mass dimension one: theory, phenomenology, and dark matter

We provide the first details on the unexpected theoretical discovery of a spin-one-half matter field with mass dimension one. It is based upon a complete set of dual-helicity eigenspinors of the charge conjugation operator. Due to its unusual properties with respect to charge conjugation and parity, it belongs to a non-standard Wigner class. Consequently, the theory exhibits non-locality with (CPT)^2 = - I. We briefly discuss its relevance to the cosmological `horizon problem'. Because the introduced fermionic field is endowed with mass dimension one, it can carry a quartic self-interaction. Its dominant interaction with known forms of matter is via Higgs, and with gravity. This aspect leads us to contemplate the new fermion as a prime dark matter candidate. Taking this suggestion seriously we study a supernova-like explosion of a galactic-mass dark matter cloud to set limits on the mass of the new particle and present a calculation on relic abundance to constrain the relevant cross-section. The analysis favours light mass (roughly 20 MeV) and relevant cross-section of about 2 pb. Similarities and differences with the WIMP and mirror matter proposals for dark matter are enumerated. In a critique of the theory we bare a hint on non-commutative aspects of spacetime, and energy-momentum space.Comment: 78 pages [Changes: referee-suggested improvements, additional important references, and better readability