Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the production of fermented beverages

Alcoholic beverages are produced following the fermentation of sugars by yeasts, mainly (but not exclusively) strains of the species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The sugary starting materials may emanate from cereal starches (which require enzymatic pre‐hydrolysis) in the case of beers and whiskies, sucrose‐rich plants (molasses or sugar juice from sugarcane) in the case of rums, or from fruits (which do not require pre‐hydrolysis) in the case of wines and brandies. In the presence of sugars, together with other essential nutrients such as amino acids, minerals and vitamins, S. cerevisiae will conduct fermentative metabolism to ethanol and carbon dioxide (as the primary fermentation metabolites) as the cells strive to make energy and regenerate the coenzyme NAD+ under anaerobic conditions. Yeasts will also produce numerous secondary metabolites which act as important beverage flavour congeners, including higher alcohols, esters, carbonyls and sulphur compounds. These are very important in dictating the final flavour and aroma characteristics of beverages such as beer and wine, but also in distilled beverages such as whisky, rum and brandy. Therefore, yeasts are of vital importance in providing the alcohol content and the sensory profiles of beverages. This Introductory Chapter reviews, in general, the growth, physiology and metabolism of S. cerevisiae in alcoholic beverage fermentations

Promoting Component Reuse by Separating Transmission Policy from Implementation

In this paper we present a methodology and set of tools which assist the construction of applications from components, by separating the issues of transmission policy from component definition and implementation. This promotes a greater degree of software reuse than is possible using traditional middleware environments. Whilst component technologies are usually presented as a mechanism for promoting reuse, reuse is often limited due to design choices that permeate component implementation. The programmer has no direct control over inter-address-space parameter passing semantics: it is fixed by the distributed application's structure, based on the remote accessibility of the components. Using traditional middleware tools and environments, the application designer may be forced to use an unnatural encoding of application level semantics since application parameter passing semantics are tightly coupled with the component deployment topology. This paper describes how inter-address-space parameter passing semantics may be decided independently of component implementation. Transmission policy may be dynamically defined on a per-class, per-method or per-parameter basis.Comment: Submitted to ICDCS 200

On-Air Weather Forecasters\u27 Educational Backgrounds

Weather is important to local television newscasts, so it is becoming important to expand research regarding this area. It is important to understand why certain people are chosen to present the weather on-air. Currently, three different kinds of degrees seem to be the choice for the people who are presenting the weather on television. On-air weather forecasters who work for the local affiliated stations of ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC networks tend to have degrees in meteorology, communications, or broadcast meteorology. Which one of these degree categories is preferred and why? Two predictors come to the forefront to answer this question: severe weather and market size. Market size long has been a defined term due to the A.C Nielsen ranking of television markets in the United States from 1 to 210, then is grouped into categories of large, medium, and small. Severe weather is defined for this research as having the frequent occurrences of blizzards, tornados, or hurricanes. Both severe weather and market size are statistically significant factors associated with the educational degrees on-air weather forecasters possess. Not only are they significant factors correlated with the degree type, they also show that different areas (calm vs. severe weather) may correlate with hiring people with certain types of degrees. The threat of severe weather leads to local-affiliated television stations hiring more meteorologists to present weather on-air. Large markets and medium markets also are significantly more likely than small markets to use meteorologists to deliver the weather. The results of this thesis point to some important areas that describe the educational qualities of the on-air weather forecaster

RAFDA: A Policy-Aware Middleware Supporting the Flexible Separation of Application Logic from Distribution

Middleware technologies often limit the way in which object classes may be used in distributed applications due to the fixed distribution policies that they impose. These policies permeate applications developed using existing middleware systems and force an unnatural encoding of application level semantics. For example, the application programmer has no direct control over inter-address-space parameter passing semantics. Semantics are fixed by the distribution topology of the application, which is dictated early in the design cycle. This creates applications that are brittle with respect to changes in distribution. This paper explores technology that provides control over the extent to which inter-address-space communication is exposed to programmers, in order to aid the creation, maintenance and evolution of distributed applications. The described system permits arbitrary objects in an application to be dynamically exposed for remote access, allowing applications to be written without concern for distribution. Programmers can conceal or expose the distributed nature of applications as required, permitting object placement and distribution boundaries to be decided late in the design cycle and even dynamically. Inter-address-space parameter passing semantics may also be decided independently of object implementation and at varying times in the design cycle, again possibly as late as run-time. Furthermore, transmission policy may be defined on a per-class, per-method or per-parameter basis, maximizing plasticity. This flexibility is of utility in the development of new distributed applications, and the creation of management and monitoring infrastructures for existing applications.Comment: Submitted to EuroSys 200

Individualized developmental reading: a comparison of teaching methods

Individualized Developmental Reading at Gilbert High School, Gilbert, Iowa, is a one semester elective course for students in grades nine through twelve. The course is developmental in that through it a student is helped to improve his reading abilities in the areas of vocabulary, comprehension, speed, and study skills regardless of his abilities when he begins his work. The course is individualized in that each student works independently on materials that will help him develop his reading skills; very little whole class or small group instruction is included. The purpose of this paper is to show the relative value of three different approaches to the teaching of individualized developmental reading at Gilbert High School over a period of three semesters on an experimental basis

Click or clique? Using Educational Technology to Address Students’ Anxieties About Peer Evaluation

Peer bias is recognised as a primary factor in negative student perceptions of peer assessment strategies. This study trialled the use of classroom response systems, widely known as clickers, in small seminar classes in order to actively engage students in their subject’s assessment process while providing the anonymity that would lessen the impact of peer pressure. Focus group reflection on the students’ impressions of the peer evaluation process, the use of clickers, and their anxieties about potential peer bias were analysed in the light of the results of teacher and class evaluations of each individual student presentation. The findings revealed that students recognised the value of peer assessment in promoting class engagement and active learning, despite their ongoing resistance to the practice of peer review. An unexpected finding suggested that the clickers, selected as an educational technology for their appeal and ease of use by the ‘digital native’ student already familiar with a variety of mobile communication and gaming devices, reinforced student perception that the peer review process was akin to a popularity contest