The effect of mechanical harvesting on wines of Chenin blanc grapes in South Africa

Alternate rows of a Chenin blanc test vineyard in its 9th leaf on the experimental farm of the Oenological and Viticultural Research Institute, Stellenbosch, were harvested by hand and machine. The effects of harvesting temperature, MOG content and holding time of mechanically-harvested grapes on wine quality were evaluated; these wines were compared with wines from hand-harvested grapes. Results showed that increases in the MOG content, harvesting temperature and holding time singly or cumulatively caused an increase in the total polyphenols of the wines. Similarly, increases in MOG content, harvesting temperature and holding time were deleterious to wine quality and the effects were cumulative. Furthermore, a holding time of up to 4 h brought about no significant decrease in wine quality, provided the grapes were harvested at low temperatures. When grapes were harvested at high temperatures, the holding time had to be reduced to 3 h with a low MOG content in order to produce wines of similar quality. With high MOG content the quality significantly lower even with a holding time of only 1 h.Der Einfluß der maschinellen Traubenernte auf den Wein der Sorte Chenin blancin SüdafrikaIn einem Versuchsweinberg des Oenological and Viticultural Research Institute, Stellenbosch, wurden die Rebzeilen abwechselnd maschinell und von Hand gelesen. Der Einfluß der Lesetemperatur, der Wartezeit der Trauben zwischen Lese und Weinbereitung sowie der Verunreinigung (MOG) des maschinell geernteten Lesegutes auf die Weinqualität wurde untersucht; die so gewonnenen Weine wurden mit Weinen aus handgelesenen Trauben verglichen. Es zeigte sich, daß bei einer Steigerung von Lesetemperatur, Wartezeit der Trauben und MOG-Anteil der Gesamtpolyphenolgehalt in den Weinen zunahm. Diese Faktoren wirkten sich auch auf diesensorisch ermittelte Weinqualität nachteilig aus. Bei einer Wartezeit bis zu 4 h war bei niedrigem oder hohem MOG-Anteil kein ungünstiger Einfluß auf die Weinqualität nachweisbar, vorausgesetzt, daß die Trauben bei niedriger Temperatur gelesen wurden. Um bei höheren Lesetemperaturen Weine ähnlich guter Qualität zu erzielen, durfte die Wartezeit 3 h nicht überschreiten und mußte der MOG-Anteil niedrig sein. Bei hohem MOG-Anteil war die Weinqualität dagegen beträchtlich verringert, auch wenn die Wartezeit nur 1 h betrug

Dynamic R&D with spillovers: A comment

Cellini and Lambertini [2009. Dynamic R&D with spillovers: competition vs cooperation. J. Econ. Dyn. Control 33, 568–582] study a dynamic R&D game with spillovers. This comment demonstrates that, contrary to what is claimed in their paper, the game is not state redundant and the open-loop Nash equilibrium is not subgame perfect

Promoting independent learning skills using video on digital language laboratories

This is the author's PDF version of an article published in Computer assisted language learning ©2006. The definitive version is available at http://www.informaworld.com/The article discusses the potential for developing independent learning skills using the digital language laboratory with particular reference to exploiting the increasingly available resource of digital video. It investigates the potential for recording and editing video clips from online sources and digitalising clips from analogue recordings and reflects on the current status quo regarding the complex copyright regulations in this area. It describes two pilot self-access programmes based on video clips which were undertaken with University College Chester undergraduates and reflects on the value of the experience for students in developing a wide range of language skills as well as independent learning skills using their feedback on the experience

Calcium Antagonists and Hypertension: Role of co-existent coronary disease, impaired renal function and diabetes

It is generally accepted that blood pressure lowering drugs improve the prognosis of patients with elevated blood pressure. The dihydropyridine calcium antagonist nifedipine is a widely used blood pressure lowering drug. In the mid-1990ties questions were raised on the safety of the short-acting immediate release formulation of this drug, in particular in patients with coronary disease. To answer these questions in the absence of any prospective safety data from randomised trials, two major studies using a more optimal long-acting GITS (gastro-intestinal therapeutic system) formulation of nifedipine were mounted in the late 1990ties. The Intervention as a Goal in Hypertension Treatment (INSIGHT) randomised double-blind trial compared 30 mg nifedipine GITS (n=3157) to co-amilozide (hydrochlorothiazide 25 μg plus amiloride 2•5 mg; n=3164) in patients aged 55-80 years with hypertension (blood pressure at least150/95 mmHg, or at least 160 mmHg systolic) who had at least one additional cardiovascular risk factor. There was no placebo-treated control group. The main results have been published elsewhere (Brown MJ et al. Lancet 2000; 356: 366–72). Up-titration followed by add-on medication was allowed and resulted in blood pressure control to a similar degree. INSIGHT showed that overall nifedipine GITS based treatment was as e_ ective as co-amilozide based treatment in preventing cardiovascular or cerebrovascular complications. The A Coronary disease Trial Investigating Outcome with Nifedipine GITS (ACTION) study compared randomly assigned 60 mg nifedipine GITS (n=3825) to double-blind placebo (n=3840) in patients aged at least 35 years with stable angina pectoris and proven coronary artery disease. ACTION demonstrated that the addition of nifedipine GITS to the conventional treatment of angina pectoris is safe, has no e_ ect on major cardiovascular event-free survival and reduces the need for coronary angiography and interventions. The main results of ACTION have been published (Poole-Wilson PA et al. Lancet 2004;364:849-57). The report is reproduced in this thesis as chapter 2

Heme Oxygenase, Inflammation, and Fibrosis: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly?

Upon injury, prolonged inflammation and oxidative stress may cause pathological wound healing and fibrosis, leading to formation of excessive scar tissue. Fibrogenesis can occur in most organs and tissues and may ultimately lead to organ dysfunction and failure. The underlying mechanisms of pathological wound healing still remain unclear, and are considered to be multifactorial, but so far, no efficient anti-fibrotic therapies exist. Extra- and intracellular levels of free heme may be increased in a variety of pathological conditions due to release from hemoproteins. Free heme possesses pro-inflammatory and oxidative properties, and may act as a danger signal. Effects of free heme may be counteracted by heme-binding proteins or by heme degradation. Heme is degraded by heme oxygenase (HO) that exists as two isoforms: inducible HO-1 and constitutively expressed HO-2. HO generates the effector molecules biliverdin/bilirubin, carbon monoxide, and free iron/ferritin. HO deficiency in mouse and man leads to exaggerated inflammation following mild insults, and accumulating epidemiological and preclinical studies support the widely recognized notion of the cytoprotective, anti-oxidative, and anti-inflammatory effects of the activity of the HO system and its effector molecules. In this review, we address the potential effects of targeted HO-1 induction or administration of HO-effector molecules as therapeutic targets in fibrotic conditions to counteract inflammatory and oxidative insults. This is exemplified by various clinically relevant conditions, such as hypertrophic scarring, chronic inflammatory liver disease, chronic pancreatitis, and chronic graft rejection in transplantation

Case report: Urolithiasis, nephrolithiasis and a urinary bladder malformation in a seven-month-old alpaca cria

Urolithiasis is a common condition in male small ruminants where predisposing factors have been identified. Occasionally, urolithiasis is diagnosed in South American camelids (SACs). However, nephrolithiasis is rarely diagnosed in ruminants. To our knowledge, this is the first report focusing on a combined appearance of nephrolithiasis and urolithiasis in an alpaca cria. A 7-month-old alpaca cria suffering from impaired urinary flow was presented for examination. On admission, the alpaca had a wet prepuce and showed a standing posture with a wide-based stance. Ultrasonographic examination of the abdomen showed a distended bladder. Clinical chemistry revealed azotemia and hypophosphatemia. After the first examination, repeated urination was observed. Conservative therapy using antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic drugs was started with the suspected diagnosis of urinary calculus. During the first 24 h, plasma concentrations of creatinine and urea decreased, but increased again during the following days. During the second day after admission, urination was not observed for 16 h while the concentration of urea and creatinine further increased. Therefore, the animal was euthanized due to financial concerns of the owner. Necropsy revealed that calculi were located in the left kidney as well as in the urethra. In addition, the animal exhibited uroperitoneum. The urinary bladder was intact, moderately distended with urine and showed a malformation, which was covered with a translucent mucosal membrane. Histologic examination revealed that this malformation was a bladder diverticulum. The extent to which the unilateral nephroliths affected the general condition and renal function of the animal is unclear, since the uroliths also cause azotemia, and abdominal pain. Further studies are needed for a better understanding of obstructive urinary disease in SACs