Characterisation of Hanseniaspora Isolates with Potential Aroma-enhancing Properties in Muscat Wines

The sensorial characteristics of the wines produced with Muscat grapes are related to the level of terpene alcohols, so an improvement of such a level is expected as a result of hydrolytic processes conducted by Hanseniaspora. The aim of this work was to select and identify new strains for this purpose. In a second step, the strains were assayed to evaluate their oenological abilities. H. uvarum H107 and H. vineae G26 and P38 were proven to be good candidates to be used in commercial vinification processes to enhance wine properties. Wine inoculated with yeasts showed an increase in the level of aromatic compounds

El pastor y su rebaño: usos no alimenticios de la fauna en las sociedades campesinas de la península ibérica

En este trabajo se plantean distintas posibilidades de uso de la fauna entre las primeras sociedades campesinas y metalúrgicas, tomando como ejemplo la Península Ibérica y sus islas próximas. El auge experimentado en la última década en las revisiones zooarqueológicas, sumado a un renovado interés en la industria ósea y la incorporación cada vez más frecuente de las alteraciones tafonómicas, dio lugar a un alto número de publicaciones españolas que trata directa o indirectamente el tema de la fauna. Aquí se presenta el registro arqueológico existente comparándolo con los hallazgos de otras zonas, períodos inmediatamente posteriores y registros escritos, para ampliar las discusiones habituales sobre las faunas recuperadas en sitios prehistóricos y abarcar los distintos aspectos sociales en los que los animales pudieron haber participado.This paper discusses different possibilities for the use of animals by early agricultural and metallurgical societies, considering the case of the Iberian Peninsula and neighboring islands. For the last decade, the growth in zooarchaeological revisions, supplemented by a renewed interest in bone industry and the increasing consideration of taphonomic modifications, has resulted in an important number of Spanish publications dealing directly or indirectly with faunal remains. The current archaeological record is presented here against findings from other areas, immediately his paper discusses different possibilities for the use of animals by early agricultural and metallurgical societies, considering the case of the Iberian Peninsula and neighboring islands. For the last decade, the growth in zooarchaeological revisions, supplemented by a renewed interest in bone industry and the increasing consideration of taphonomic modifications, has resulted in an important number of Spanish publications dealing directly or indirectly with faunal remains. The current archaeological record is presented here against findings from other areas, immediately.Sociedad Argentina de Antropologí

El pastor y su rebaño: usos no alimenticios de la fauna en las sociedades campesinas de la península ibérica

En este trabajo se plantean distintas posibilidades de uso de la fauna entre las primeras sociedades campesinas y metalúrgicas, tomando como ejemplo la Península Ibérica y sus islas próximas. El auge experimentado en la última década en las revisiones zooarqueológicas, sumado a un renovado interés en la industria ósea y la incorporación cada vez más frecuente de las alteraciones tafonómicas, dio lugar a un alto número de publicaciones españolas que trata directa o indirectamente el tema de la fauna. Aquí se presenta el registro arqueológico existente comparándolo con los hallazgos de otras zonas, períodos inmediatamente posteriores y registros escritos, para ampliar las discusiones habituales sobre las faunas recuperadas en sitios prehistóricos y abarcar los distintos aspectos sociales en los que los animales pudieron haber participado.This paper discusses different possibilities for the use of animals by early agricultural and metallurgical societies, considering the case of the Iberian Peninsula and neighboring islands. For the last decade, the growth in zooarchaeological revisions, supplemented by a renewed interest in bone industry and the increasing consideration of taphonomic modifications, has resulted in an important number of Spanish publications dealing directly or indirectly with faunal remains. The current archaeological record is presented here against findings from other areas, immediately his paper discusses different possibilities for the use of animals by early agricultural and metallurgical societies, considering the case of the Iberian Peninsula and neighboring islands. For the last decade, the growth in zooarchaeological revisions, supplemented by a renewed interest in bone industry and the increasing consideration of taphonomic modifications, has resulted in an important number of Spanish publications dealing directly or indirectly with faunal remains. The current archaeological record is presented here against findings from other areas, immediately.Sociedad Argentina de Antropologí

Sire contribution to fertilization failure and early embryo survival in cattle

peer-reviewedDespite passing routine laboratory tests of semen quality, bulls used in artificial insemination (AI) exhibit a significant range in field fertility. The objective of this study was to determine whether subfertility in AI bulls is due to issues of sperm transport to the site of fertilization, fertilization failure, or failure of early embryo or conceptus development. In experiment 1, Holstein-Friesian bulls (3 high fertility, HF, and 3 low fertility, LF) were selected from the national population of AI bulls based on adjusted fertility scores from a minimum of 500 inseminations (HF: +4.37% and LF: −12.7%; mean = 0%). Superovulated beef heifers were blocked based on estimated number of follicles at the time of AI and inseminated with semen from HF or LF bulls (n = 3–4 heifers per bull; total 19 heifers). Following slaughter 7 d later, the number of corpora lutea was counted and the uteri were flushed. Recovered structures (oocytes/embryos) were classified according to developmental stage and stained with 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole to assess number of cells and accessory sperm. Overall recovery rate (total structures recovered/total corpora lutea) was 52.6% and was not different between groups. Mean (± standard error of the mean) number of embryos recovered per recipient was 8.7 ± 5.2 and 9.4 ± 5.5 for HF and LF, respectively. Overall fertilization rate of recovered structures was not different between groups. However, more embryos were at advanced stages of development (all blastocyst stages combined), reflected in a greater mean embryo cell number on d 7 for HF versus LF bulls. Number of accessory sperm was greater for embryos derived from HF than for LF bulls. The aim of experiment 2 was to evaluate the effect of sire fertility on survival of bovine embryos to d 15. Day 7 blastocysts were produced in vitro using semen from the same HF (n = 3) and LF (n = 3) bulls and transferred in groups of 5–10 to synchronized heifers (n = 7 heifers per bull; total 42 heifers). Conceptus recovery rate on d 15 was higher in HF (59.4%,) versus LF (45.0%). Mean length of recovered conceptuses for HF bulls was not affected by fertility status. In conclusion, while differences in field fertility among AI sires used in this study were not reflected in fertilization rate, differences in embryo quality were apparent as early as d 7. These differences likely contributed to the higher proportion of conceptuses surviving to d 15 in HF bulls

Applying refinement to the use of mice and rats in rheumatoid arthritis research

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a painful, chronic disorder and there is currently an unmet need for effective therapies that will benefit a wide range of patients. The research and development process for therapies and treatments currently involves in vivo studies, which have the potential to cause discomfort, pain or distress. This Working Group report focuses on identifying causes of suffering within commonly used mouse and rat ‘models’ of RA, describing practical refinements to help reduce suffering and improve welfare without compromising the scientific objectives. The report also discusses other, relevant topics including identifying and minimising sources of variation within in vivo RA studies, the potential to provide pain relief including analgesia, welfare assessment, humane endpoints, reporting standards and the potential to replace animals in RA research

Suppression of the Nrf2-Dependent Antioxidant Response by Glucocorticoids and 11β-HSD1-Mediated Glucocorticoid Activation in Hepatic Cells

Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) is a key transcription factor regulating a plethora of detoxifying enzymes and antioxidant genes involved in drug metabolism and defence against oxidative stress. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a ligand-induced transcription factor involved in the regulation of energy supply for metabolic needs to cope with various stressors. GR activity is controlled by glucocorticoids, which are synthesized in the adrenal glands and regenerated mainly in the liver from inactive cortisone by 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 (11β-HSD1).; Using transfected HEK-293 cells and hepatic H4IIE cells we show that glucocorticoids, activated by 11β-HSD1 and acting through GR, suppress the Nrf2-dependent antioxidant response. The expression of the marker genes NQO1, HMOX1 and GST2A was suppressed upon treatment of 11β-HSD1 expressing cells with cortisone, an effect that was reversed by 11β-HSD1 inhibitors. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that elevated glucocorticoids lowered the ability of cells to detoxify H(2)O(2). Moreover, a comparison of gene expression in male and female rats revealed an opposite sexual dimorphism with an inverse relationship between 11β-HSD1 and Nrf2 target gene expression.; The results demonstrate a suppression of the cellular antioxidant defence capacity by glucocorticoids and suggest that elevated 11β-HSD1 activity may lead to impaired Nrf2-dependent antioxidant response. The gender-specific differences in hepatic expression levels of 11β-HSD1 and Nrf2 target genes and the impact of pharmacological inhibition of 11β-HSD1 on improving cellular capacity to cope with oxidative stress warrants further studies in vivo

A mathematical model of the link between growth and L-malic acid consumption for five strains of Oenococcus oeni

In winemaking, after the alcoholic fermentation of red wines and some white wines, L-malic acid must be converted into L-lactic acid to reduce the acidity. This malolactic fermentation (MLF) is usually carried out by the lactic acid bacteria Oenococcus oeni. Depending on the level of process control, selected O. oeni is inoculated or the natural microbiota of the cellar is used. This study considers the link between growth and MLF for five strains of O. oeni species. The kinetics of growth and L-malic acid consumption were followed in modified MRS medium (20 °C, pH 3.5, and 10 % ethanol) in anaerobic conditions. A large variability was found among the strains for both their growth and their consumption of L-malic acid. There was no direct link between biomass productivities and consumption of L-malic acid among strains but there was a link of proportionality between the specific growth of a strain and its specific consumption of L-malic acid. Experiments with and without malic acid clearly demonstrated that malic acid consumption improved the growth of strains. This link was quantified by a mathematical model comparing the intrinsic malic acid consumption capacity of the strains