Changes in Monomeric and Polymeric Pigments during Chokeberry Juice Processing

Chokeberry consumption has been increasing due to research exposing great potential of health-promoting compounds. However, chokeberries are highly astringent and are typically consumed in processed forms in which product heating is applied. Processing chokeberries has been reported to degrade bioactive compounds, thus limiting the potential for consumers to obtain their health-promoting benefits. The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of chokeberry juice processing and storage on anthocyanin, flavonol, proanthocyanidin, hydroxycinamic acid, and polymeric pigment content, as well as percent polymeric color. In addition, new analytical methodologies were explored to better understand possible outcomes of polymeric pigments due to juice processing and storage. Chokeberries were processed into nonclarified juice with sampling at each stage of processing. Levels of anthocyanins, flavonols, proanthocyanidins, hydroxycinamic acids, and percent polymeric color were also analyzed each month throughout a 6 month storage period at ambient temperature. It was determined that anthocyanins readily degrade during juice processing, especially with heat applications during blanching and pasteurization. Comparatively, other compounds, such as proanthocyanidins were better retained during processing than anthocyanins, with significant levels remaining in the presscake. After pasteurization, lower levels of anthocyanins (7%), flavonols (52%), proanthocyanidins (55%), and hydroxycinamic acids (63%) remained in the juice. Alternatively, polymeric color values increased to 29% throughout processing. During juice storage, polyphenolic levels continued to decrease over 6 months while percent polymeric color values increased further to 44.5%. Little change occurred in levels of total flavonols (447.8 to 406 mg/100g), proanthocyanidins (19.7 to 16.5 mg/100g), and hydroxycinamic acids (72.7 to 48.9 mg/100g) over 6 months of storage. After observing a 55% reduction in anthocyanins due to blanching frozen chokeberries, standard juice processing was altered by removing the blanch step and its effect on polyphenolics was evaluated. The effect of two different juice processes (with and without blanching) on anthocyanin, proanthocyanidin, flavonol, and hydroxycinnamic acid contents as well as percent polymeric color was evaluated at each stage of processing. Juice pasteurization times and temperatures were also evaluated to develop a statistical model that would predict optimal anthocyanin retention. In comparison of the two processes, there were no significant differences in anthocyanin content after pasteurization; however, samples receiving no blanch had higher levels of anthocyanins after enzyme treatment. Pasteurized juice samples receiving a blanch treatment had 37% and 16% higher levels of total proanthocyanidins and flavonols, respectively than pasteurized juice receiving no blanch treatment. A response surface model was designed for the prediction of anthocyanin retention with optimum pasteurization conditions of 74°C for 2.02 minutes. MALDI-TOF-MS was used to identify large molecular weight proanthocyanidins and polymeric pigments throughout each stage of processing and over six months of juice storage. Proanthocyanidins and polymeric pigments having up to a degree of polymerization (DP) of 16 and 14, respectively, were identified in frozen berries, samples obtained throughout juice processing, and stored juices. In attempt to separate polymeric pigments, both normal phase and reverse phase TLC plates with various solvent systems were evaluated. However, only monomeric and polymeric fractions could be separated on a single plate, rather than separating each polymeric pigment by degree of polymerization. Further research is needed in order to isolate and purify polymeric pigments so that quantification methods can be developed and help explain the fate of anthocyanins during juice processing and storage

Examining first year students' preparedness for studying engineering

The purpose of this paper is to report on initial descriptive data of this longitudinal project which will examine the knowledge, motivation, personality, and learning approaches of first year engineering students and how well they each predict subsequent retention and academic performance. These outcomes are yet to be achieved and are beyond the scope of this paper

Lung transplantation: Chronic allograft dysfunction and establishing immune tolerance

Despite significant medical advances since the advent of lung transplantation, improvements in long-term survival have been largely unrealized. Chronic lung allograft dysfunction, in particular obliterative bronchiolitis, is the primary limiting factor. The predominant etiology of obliterative bronchiolitis involves the recipient’s innate and adaptive immune response to the transplanted allograft. Current therapeutic strategies have failed to provide a definitive treatment paradigm to improve long-term outcomes. Inducing immune tolerance is an emerging therapeutic strategy that abrogates allograft rejection, avoids immunosuppression, and improves long-term graft function. The aim of this review is to discuss the key immunologic components of obliterative bronchiolitis, describe the state of establishing immune tolerance in transplantation, and highlight those strategies being evaluated in lung transplantation

Adding Value to the IS’97… Curriculum Models: An Interactive Visualization and Analysis Prototype

Several efforts have been undertaken in the information systems (IS) arena to develop a model IS curriculum. Most notable of these is the IS’97 model that contains not only a list of suggested IS courses but also other sub-course and super-course constructs such as presentation areas, learning units, knowledge elements, and knowledge levels. The richness of this model is intended to enhance its usefulness in understanding the details of a curriculum. However, this richness adds a level of complexity that makes it difficult for all but the dedicated scholar to understand the intricacies of the model beyond the course construct level when reading the IS’97 document. This paper describes the development of an interactive prototype based on IS’97 that captures the details of the model within a relational database in an attempt to make it more useful and readily applicable to a variety of curriculum-related activities. Various forms, queries, and reports were developed to make understanding the model easier and to provide interactive capabilities to help faculty, students, and others experiment with the model. Efforts at utilizing the prototype for curriculum visualization and analysis are presented which help to add value to the existing IS’97 document. Finally, the paper concludes with a proposal to extend the IS’97 model constructs into a curriculum management system for an academic institution

Poverty and Social Exclusion in North and South

The debate on ‘social exclusion’ has mostly taken place in developed countries, but closely mirrors the debate on ‘poverty’ in developing countries: both stress the problem of multiple deprivation, the psycho-social factors, and the importance of agency and participation in the widest sense. There are important connections to make between these separate debates, and across geographical boundaries between North and South. The Institute of Development Studies and the Poverty Research Unit, both at the University of Sussex, convened a workshop to explore the connections and draw conclusions for both theory and policy; this is the report. There were papers on new approaches to deprivation, and on sectoral issues in the areas of food, health, child poverty and labour markets. Access, personal security, vulnerability and other issues are firmly on the agenda in both North and South. There are many new connections to make

The Regulation of Pulmonary Immunity

This article is made available for unrestricted research re-use and secondary analysis in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for the duration of the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic.No evidence has emerged which suggests that the principles of immunity derived from studies on cells from other body sites are contradicted in the lung and its associated lymphoid tissue. What is clear, however, is that the environment dictates the types of cells, their relationship to one another, and what perturbing events will set in motion either the development of an "active" immune response or tolerance. Investigating mechanisms for the development of lung immunity has increased our understanding of how human diseases develop and is continuing to suggest new ways to manipulate pulmonary immune responses. Demonstration that lung cells regulate both nonspecific inflammation and immunity through the expression of adhesion molecules and the secretion of cytokines offers hope for ways to design more effective vaccines, enhance microbial clearance in immunosuppressed hosts, and to suppress manifestations of immunologically mediated lung disease. Important lung diseases targeted for intensive research efforts in the immediate future are tuberculosis, asthma, and fibrotic lung disease. Perhaps even the common cold might be conquered. Considering the pace of current research on lung immunity, it may not be too ambitious to predict that these diseases may be conquered in the next decade