Storage of lyophilized cultures of Lactobacillus bulgaricus under different relative humidities and atmospheres

The viability of lyophilized cultures of Lactobacillus bulgaricus in skim milk, during storage at different temperatures, relative humidities, and atmospheres was investigated. Survival was greatest at 11% relative humidity and at 5°C. Indirect and direct evidence is presented supporting the hypothesis that membrane damage occurs during storage. Experiments on the lipid composition of the cell membrane demonstrate that changes occur with time that are probably the result of oxidation. A study on the lipid composition of the cell membrane by gas chromatography showed that the unsaturated/saturated fatty acid index changes with time during storage

Analysis on background magnetic field to generate eddy current by pulsed gradient of permanent-magnet MRI

In this paper the analytical expressions for the magnetic field H and induction B in iron-pole plates generated by MRI gradient coil are given using line-current and the multilayer dielectric plate model with the mirror-image method. Eddy current emanates from the magnetic flux in the iron-pole plates. In order to fully suppress the eddy current, this magnetic flux should be fully eliminated. The research results indicate the magnetic permeability of the resist-eddy plate must be bigger than that of magnetic pole material, i.e. pure iron, and that the resist-eddy plate should be thick enough to be far away from its magnetic saturation.Engineering, MultidisciplinaryMaterials Science, MultidisciplinarySCI(E)EI0ARTICLE4886-8915

The effects of the anti-hepcidin Spiegelmer NOX-H94 on inflammation-induced anemia in cynomolgus monkeys

Item does not contain fulltextAnemia of chronic inflammation is the most prevalent form of anemia in hospitalized patients. A hallmark of this disease is the intracellular sequestration of iron. This is a consequence of hepcidin-induced internalization and subsequent degradation of ferroportin, the hepcidin receptor and only known iron-export protein. This study describes the characterization of novel anti-hepcidin compound NOX-H94, a structured L-oligoribonucleotide that binds human hepcidin with high affinity (Kd = 0.65 +/- 0.06 nmol/L). In J774A.1 macrophages, NOX-H94 blocked hepcidin-induced ferroportin degradation and ferritin expression (half maximal inhibitory concentration = 19.8 +/- 4.6 nmol/L). In an acute cynomolgus monkey model of interleukin 6 (IL-6)-induced hypoferremia, NOX-H94 inhibited serum iron reduction completely. In a subchronic model of IL-6-induced anemia, NOX-H94 inhibited the decrease in hemoglobin concentration. We conclude that NOX-H94 protects ferroportin from hepcidin-induced degradation. Therefore, this pharmacologic approach may represent an interesting treatment option for patients suffering from anemia of chronic inflammation