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[Trophic niches in calyptrate Diptera in Rio de Janeiro, RJ].

Niche breadth and niche overlap of flies were estimated. The flies were breeding in different environments in Rio de Janerio (rural, urban and forest). It were used as a larvae substrate: banana mashed, mouse carcass, fish (sardine), bovine liver, shrimp and fresh human faeces. It were bred 14,294 flies, belonging to four families: Calliphoridae, Fanniidae, Muscidae and Sarcophagidae. The greater niche overlap values observed were: rural area: Phaenicia cuprina versus Chrysomya megacephala; urban area: Phaenicia eximia versus Sarcodexia innota and P. eximia versus Synthesiomyia nudiseta; forest area: P. eximia versus Hemilucilia flavifacies. The greater niche breadth recorded were: rural area: Peckia chrysostoma; urban area: S. nudiseta and Musca domestica; forest area: Euboettcheria collusor and P. eximia.

Animals↗

[Hygienic conditions of hot dogs sold on the streets, Brazil].

The study objective was to identify the circumstances where there was risk of contamination of food (hot dogs) prepared and sold on the streets and to establish a preventive action through the creation of key surveillance sites. Data were collected from 20 vending sites using interviews, questionnaires, observations of food handling and storage, and temperature and pH measurements of both meat and sauce, respectively. In 30% of the studied sites, hygienic conditions were rated as regular to extremely poor. Mashed potatoes, chicken and beef preparations were of high risk. These findings showed inappropriate hygienic practices of food preparation and lack of basic knowledge regarding food handling - a public health problem. Given the scarcity of literature and official data on food sold in the streets of Brazil, further studies are recommended.

Brazil↗

Better trauma care. How Maryland does it.

In March, 1970, the Maryland State Police, in cooperation with the University of Maryland, started the first statewide airborne transportation system. It was modeled after the army's success in Korea and Vietnam, where battlefield injuries were flown to front-line MASH units. The world's premier statewide medical aviation division was made possible through a cooperative effort between the Maryland State Police Aviation Division and Dr. R Adams Cowley at the University of Maryland Hospital as a public service to the citizens of the state. The Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) has five components: (1) aircraft, (2) state troopers, (3) system communications (SYSCOM) center, (4) ambulance and fire emergency rescue, and (5) Level I adult and pediatric trauma centers and a regional burn center. The Maryland State Police Aviation Division now has 12 Aerospace Dauphin AS365N helicopters that operate out of eight fixed points throughout the state. Each helicopter has a two-person crew that consists of a pilot and a paramedic. Since 1993, the overall coordination of emergency medical services (EMS) has been under the purview of MIEMSS, an independent executive-level state agency that is governed by an appointed board and advisory council. To ensure stable funding for Maryland's world renowned emergency medical services (EMS) system, including med-evac helicopters, ambulances, fire equipment, rescue squads, and trauma units, a "surcharge" of $13.50 per year is collected with the automobile registration fee where applicable. The SYSCOM center in Baltimore coordinates the helicopter transport to the scene of the accident as well as referral to the specialty care facility: Adult Level I Trauma Center, Pediatric Level I Trauma Center, and Regional Burn Center. An on-the-scene evaluation of this exemplary emergency medical system in Maryland provides further convincing evidence of the performance of the Maryland State Police Aviation Division as they transported an injured child to the Johns Hopkins Pediatric Level I Trauma Center. It is our belief that the model emergency medical system in Maryland, if replicated throughout our nation, would save the lives of the critically injured.

Air Ambulances↗

Cultured nestin-positive cells from postnatal mouse small bowel differentiate ex vivo into neurons, glia, and smooth muscle.

Little is known about postnatal enteric nervous system (ENS) development, but some reports suggest that the postnatal bowel may contain neural stem cells. Therefore, we created an in vitro model of desegregation using an enzymatic and mechanical tissue technique. This approach yielded a group of cells from the small intestine of lactating and adult mice, which ex vivo attach to the culture dish; actively proliferate; and express nestin, vimentin, and the pro-neural transcription factors neurogenin-2 (ngn-2), Sox-10, and Mash-1. In the conditions grown, double immunostains suggest that they differentiate into various cell types, particularly neurons, smooth muscle, and glia including 04 protein-positive cells. They also express the neurotrophic-protein tyrosine kinase (Trk) receptors TrkA, TrkB, and TrkC; the low-affinity neurotrophin receptor p75NTR; and the glial-derived neurotrophic factor receptors (GFR)alpha-1, GFRalpha-2, and GFRalpha-3. The neurons expressed several sensory and motor neurotransmitters present in the central and enteric nervous systems, including calcitonin gene-related peptide, neuropeptideY, peptideYY, substance P, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, and galanin; along with glia, these neurons formed elaborate intercellular connections. They also express c-KIT, CD34, CD20, and CD45RO, suggesting they either have a hematogenous origin or may differentiate toward hematogenous lines. These findings suggest that these cells may be enteric neural stem cells (ENSCs); may normally be present in the small intestine; and may have the capacity to proliferate and differentiate into neurons, glia, and smooth muscle. Further identification and purification of intestinal ENSCs will provide a means to study the regulation of their differentiation and should give insight into the mechanisms involved in development and remodeling of the ENS. The possible therapeutic application of postnatal stem cells such as ENSCs needs to be evaluated, including their use for transplantation in the central nervous system.

Animals↗

Effects of Fusarium moniliforme culture material containing known levels of fumonisin B1 on progress of Salmonella Gallinarum infection in Japanese quail: clinical signs and hematologic studies.

To study the individual and combined effects of fumonisin B1 (FB1) toxicity and Salmonella serotype Gallinarum infection, Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were fed Fusarium moniliforme culture material (2.5%), 150 mg FB1/kg ration, and were subsequently challenged orally with Salmonella Gallinarum organisms (2 x 10(4) colony-forming units) at 21 days of age. The chicks were fed culture material containing FB1 from day 5 till the end of the experiment. After being infected with Salmonella Gallinarum, observations were made 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, and 21 days postinfection. The clinical signs of diarrhea with bloody discharges were more pronounced in the Salmonella-infected birds on the FB1 diet. Mortality caused by Salmonella Gallinarum increased by 12% in the presence of FB1. Mean body weights in both the Salmonella-infected and FB1-fed groups were significantly lower than those of the controls at almost all intervals. Mean values of hemoglobin, packed cell volume, and total erythrocyte count were slightly higher in birds fed FB1 but were lower in the Salmonella Gallinarum groups fed FB1 and plain chick mash. Anemia was evident, between 5 and 10 days postinfection, in quail chicks infected with Salmonella Gallinarum alone. Total leukocyte counts were higher in Salmonella-infected and FB1-fed groups because of an increase in the number of heterophils and lymphocytes. However, the increase in lymphocyte response to infection was lower by 4.27%-30.09% between 3 and 21 days postinfection in the FB1-fed chicks compared with chicks infected with Salmonella Gallinarum. Alanine transaminase and total serum protein were slightly higher in both the infected and FB1-fed groups. This study revealed that the continuous presence of fumonisins in the diets of quail chicks might increase the susceptibility to or the severity of Salmonella Gallinarum infection.

Animals↗

Endoscopic balloon dilation of benign esophageal strictures in dogs and cats.

Endoscopic balloon dilation of benign esophageal strictures was performed in 18 dogs and 10 cats with a median age of 4 years. Stricture formation was associated with a recent anesthetic episode in 18 patients. Regurgitation was the most common clinical sign and was present a median of 4 weeks before dilation. Most animals had a single stricture; median diameter was 5 mm, and median length was 1 cm. Esophagitis and mucosal fibrosis were detected in 9 patients each. Dilation was performed with progressively increasing diameter balloons, from 6 to 20 mm. After dilation, mucosal hemorrhage was mild to moderate in most patients. Esophageal perforation was the only serious complication and occurred in 1 patient. Postdilation therapy consisted of administration of cimetidine, metoclopramide, sucralfate, and prednisone in most animals. The median number of dilation procedures performed in each animal was 2, with a range of 1-5. The median interval between dilations was 13 days. Stricture diameter markedly increased with subsequent dilations. Median duration of follow-up was 131 weeks. A successful outcome occurred in 88% of patients, with most animals able to eat canned, mashed, or dry food without regurgitation. Mucosal fibrosis was associated with a better clinical response score, while increasing age was weakly associated with fewer dilations. The dilation protocol used in this group of animals was safe and efficacious.

Age Factors↗

A cost-utility analysis of second-line chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer. Docetaxel versus paclitaxel versus vinorelbine.

The aim of this study was to determine the incremental effectiveness, the incremental health-related quality of life (differences in quality-adjusted progression-free survival between treatments), the incremental cost and the incremental cost-effectiveness and cost-utility ratios, for docetaxel, paclitaxel and vinorelbine, when these drugs were used as second-line treatment in patients with metastatic breast cancer. In the absence of comparative direct evidence of the relative efficacy of docetaxel, paclitaxel and vinorelbine in this setting, a model was designed to determine the effects of the 3 interventions on health outcome and cost. A Markov process model, based on 53 disease states, was thus constructed to evaluate the socioeconomics of the 3 treatment regimens. The model allows assessments from the start of second-line chemotherapy until death. Costs were evaluated from the combined view of the healthcare system and the patient. Direct nonmedical and indirect costs were excluded. Consumption per episode of care was estimated by retrospective analysis of 153 medical reports from 5 different hospitals. Hospital costs were allocated values from the national accounting costs by diagnosis-related group (DRG). The content of the health states was based on the multiattribute health states classification system (MASH). Preference values were assigned by application of a standard reference lottery using 20 oncological nurses as proxies for the patients. The health-related quality-of-life score was used as a quality adjustment weighting factor to calculate quality-adjusted progression-free survival associated with the 3 different regimens. Docetaxel reduces the time spent in progression, decreases the number of complications due to progressive disease and thereby provides better quality of life. It provides a benefit of 57 disease- and discomfort-free days compared with vinorelbine and 22 days compared with paclitaxel. Docetaxel may be thought of as self-financing as a result of savings in hospital admissions, providing net savings of 6800 French francs (FF; 1993 values) compared with expenditure associated with vinorelbine treatment and FF700 compared with the equivalent figures for paclitaxel.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Breeding of flocculent industrial alcohol yeast strains by self-cloning of the flocculation gene FLO1 and repeated-batch fermentation by transformants.

A nonflocculent industrial polyploid yeast strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae 396-9-6V, was converted to a flocculent one by introducing a functional FLO1 gene at the URA3 locus. The flocculent strain FSC27 obtained was a so-called self-cloned strain, having no bacterial DNA. FSC27 cells could be easily recovered for reuse from fermentation mash without any physical energy. The strain produced a concentration of alcohol as high as 396-9-6V, although the fermentation rate of FSC27 was slightly lower than that of 396-9-6V. When uracil was added to the medium or when URA3 was reintroduced into FSC27 (named FSCU-L18), the fermentation rate and the growth rate increased, and the ethanol concentration produced was higher than that produced by the parent strain. The stable flocculation and high ethanol productivity were observed by using FSCU-L18 during 10 cycles of repeated-batch fermentation test.

Journal Article↗

Effects of eating space and availability of water in feeders on productivity and eating behavior of grower/finisher pigs.

Three experiments were conducted to determine the effects of eating space and availability of water within feeders on the productivity and behavior of growing/finishing pigs. In Exp. 1, 12 commercial feeders were classified as being either single-space (SS) or multiple-space (MS), and either as dry (D) or wet/dry (WD), resulting in two SS-D, four MS-D, three SS-WD and three MS-WD models. Each model was evaluated using four pens of 12 pigs, which were fed a mash diet throughout the growing/finishing period (25 to 106 kg). Pigs were videotaped when they were approximately 40 and 80 kg in weight to determine eating behavior. The number of feeding spaces did not affect the productivity of the pigs, but the presence of water within the feeder resulted in increases in ADFI (P < .05) and ADG (P < .05) and a reduction in carcass lean (P < .05). Pigs eating from SS feeders spent 15% less time eating than those fed from two-space feeders (P < .05), and occupancy rate for feeding spaces was increased by 75% (P < .05). The WD feeders also resulted in a reduction (17%) in eatingtime compared to D models (P < .01), and occupancy rate for WD feeders was similarly reduced (P < .05). Pigs spent 16% less time eating when they weighed approximately 80 kg than when they weighed 40 kg (P < .01). In Exp. 2, rate of eating was determined during a short test on the same 12 feeder models for both small (48 kg) and large (90 kg) pigs. Large pigs ate faster than small pigs, but eating rate was not affected by feeding space or presence of water in the feeder. In Exp. 3, eating rate was determined for small amounts of dry or wet feed. Premixing water with the feed (1:1 ratio by weight) increased eating speed (P < .01). We concluded that 12 pigs can be fed from a single-space feeder without affecting productivity. The inclusion of water within a feeder decreases time spent eating, but it increases ADFI and ADG. When pigs are small, they spend more time eating, and feeder occupancy rates are higher than when they are large.

Animal Husbandry↗

Effects of feed physical form and buffering solutes on water disappearance and proximal stomach pH in swine.

The effects of the physical form of feed on water disappearance and the effects of buffered water on proximal stomach pH in swine were determined in two experiments. In Exp. 1, 32 barrows were used to evaluate the water disappearance in pigs fed a finely ground and pelleted diet vs those fed a coarsely ground and mashed diet for ad libitum consumption over a 2-wk interval. There were four replicates with eight pigs per replicate. Average daily water and feed disappearance did not differ (P = 0.06 and P = 0.10, respectively). However, average daily water to feed ratio was higher for pigs on the pelleted diet (4.21+/-0.31 L/kg vs 3.04+/-0.33 L/kg; P = 0.02). The higher ratio for the pelleted diet indicated that this may be the cause of a more fluid digesta allowing reflux of irritants from the distal stomach to damage the pars esophageal region of the proximal stomach. In Exp. 2, four barrows (25+/-2 kg) had gastric cannulas surgically implanted into the proximal region of the stomach. Pigs were given ad libitum access to a finely ground and pelleted diet. The experimental design was a Latin square. Water treatments included water (control), 200 mOsm NaHCO3, 250 mOsm NaHCO3, and 250 mOsm mono-dibasic sodium phosphate. Pigs were given a 4-d adjustment period, and pH measurements began on the morning of the 5th d and continued for 24 h under normal feeding conditions. Feed was removed and measurements were continued for 16 h. Buffered water raised the pH of the proximal region of the stomach compared to the control (P < 0.001). Average pH while consuming the water treatments was 3.65+/-0.11 (n = 4) for water control, 4.86+/-0.11 (n = 4) for the 200 mOsm NaHCO3, 4.63+/-0.11 (n = 4) for the 250 mOsm NaHCO3, and 4.59+/-0.14 (n = 3) for the 250 mOsm mono-dibasic sodium phosphate. Buffers also raised the pH of the proximal region of the stomach for the fed (P < 0.001) and the feed restriction (P < 0.01) phases of the trial. Water disappearance rates in pigs given NaHCO3 were higher than in the control (P < 0.01). Average daily water disappearance for the treatments was 9.13+/-0.74 L for the control, 13.56+/-0.74 L for 200 mOsm NaHCO3, 13.77+/-0.74 L for the 250 mOsm NaHCO3, and 10.33+/-0.95 L for the phosphate buffer. The proximal pH of the stomach was increased by adding buffers to the water supply. Addition of NaHCO3 buffers also caused increased water disappearance.

Animal Feed↗

Postnatal behavioral and physiological responses of piglets from gilts housed individually or in groups during gestation.

Gestational housing of sows remains a controversial issue that may affect the well-being of both sows and piglets. Therefore, 2 types of gestational housing were used to evaluate the stress imposed on pregnant gilts by each system and the effects on the offspring by comparing production, physiology, and behavioral measures of the piglets. Forty-eight Landrace x Yorkshire gilts were randomly assigned to groups (G) of 4 per pen (n = 8 pens; 3.9 m x 2.4 m) or to individual stalls (S; n = 16 stalls; 2.21 m x 0.61 m). Gilts were moved into individual farrowing crates 5 d before the expected farrowing date. Piglets were weighed at birth, d 14, and d 35. Two barrows from each litter were weaned at d 14 (early weaning) and housed together in pens. Maintenance behaviors (head in feeder, drinking, lying, eating mash) were videotaped and observed for the first 3 d after weaning using a 10-min interval scan sampling. Belly nosing and play/fight interactions were recorded from video observations for 3 d postweaning. An isolation test (30-min duration) was performed on one piglet from each pen of barrows on d 35. Time spent lying, the number of jumps against test box walls, and grunts and squeals were recorded in real time. Salivary cortisol was collected at 30-min intervals from baseline, and 0, 30, 60, and 90 min posttest. Jugular blood was collected from 2 barrows from each litter on d 1, 7, 14, 17, 21, and 28. Plasma TNF-alpha was analyzed by ELISA, and haptoglobin, alpha1-acid glycoprotein, and immunoglobulin G were analyzed by radial immunodiffusion. More piglets from the S treatment needed to be fed a liquid feed at weaning and drank more frequently on d 2 postweaning (P < 0.05). Additionally, by d 35 piglets from S gilts had a lighter BW (10.3 kg) than G piglets (12.8 kg; P < 0.01). Piglets from S gilts also grunted more during the 30-min isolation test (number of grunts = 356) than G piglets (number of grunts = 138; P < 0.01). Salivary cortisol and immune measures were not different. These data show some behavioral and production differences between piglets from individually stalled gilts and group-housed gilts. Therefore, there may be production advantages to housing first parity gilts in groups.

Animal Husbandry↗

Total and water-soluble phosphorus excretion from swine fed low-phytate soybeans.

A study was conducted to evaluate the impact of feeding soybean meal (SBM) from low-phytate (LP) or traditional phytate (TP) soybeans on performance and excretions from growing swine. Ninety-six crossbred barrows (initial BW = 18 +/- 0.3 kg) were allocated by BW to 24 pens and fed 1 of 4 treatment diets: TP SBM without supplemental phytase; TP SBM plus 500 phytase units of phytase/kg, as-fed basis [Ronozyme P (CT) 2500; DSM Nutritional Products, Basel, Switzerland]; LP SBM (USDA-ARS breeding line CX1834-1) without supplemental phytase, and LP SBM plus phytase. All diets within a feeding phase were formulated to be isocaloric and have similar available Lys and nonphytin P content. Pens were assigned randomly to treatments at the beginning of each of the 4 feeding phases. An indigestible marker was added to the mash feed. Individual pig weights and fecal samples were collected, and feed disappearance by pen was recorded weekly. No phytase inclusion or SBM source effects were observed for pen ADG, ADFI, or G:F (P > 0.05). Total tract apparent digestibility of DM and OM was not different among treatment groups (P > 0.05). Apparent digestibility of P was greater for pigs fed diets containing the LP SBM (48.9 vs. 42.4%; P < 0.01) and less when diets included phytase (44.3 vs. 47.0%; P < 0.0001). Total P (tP) and water-soluble P (WSP) excreted were affected by dietary treatment (tP: 20.0, 18.0, 16.8, and 13.8 g/kg of feces DM, P < 0.01; and WSP: 10.9, 10.1, 9.1, and 8.5 g/kg, P < 0.01, for TP SBM without supplemental phytase, TP SBM plus 500 phytase units of phytase/kg, LP SBM without supplemental phytase, and LP SBM plus phytase diets, respectively). Inclusion of phytase decreased tP and WSP excreted (P < 0.01), as did use of LP SBM (P < 0.01). Diet effects on the fraction of excreted tP that was WSP were observed (P < 0.01); however, there was not a significant effect of SBM source. Inclusion of exogenous phytase in diets increased the proportion of tP that was excreted as WSP from 55% in diets without phytase to 59% in diets containing phytase. The findings suggest that there is a need for LP soybeans as a dietary component to minimize environmental impacts.

Animal Feed↗

Growth response of broilers to spray-dried plasma in pelleted or expanded feed processed at high temperature.

A series of 4 experiments evaluated effects of mash conditioning temperature from a pellet mill or expander on performance of broilers fed pelleted diets containing spray-dried plasma (SDP). All experiments utilized Ross x Ross 308 male broilers randomly assigned to their respective treatments (6 or 10 broilers/pen and 8 or 10 pens/treatment). Treatments in Exp. 1 consisted of a control (0% SDP), SDP coated postpelleting, or SDP blended into the meal prepelleting. Experiment 2 and 3 included the same 3 treatments as in Exp. 1 but with additional treatments of SDP blended into the meal and conditioned at 90 or 95 degrees C before pelleting. In Exp. 4, treatments consisted of a control (0% SDP) or SDP blended into the meal and pelleted (85 degrees C conditioning temperature) or expanded (149 degrees C final effective temperature) and then pelleted. Corn-soybean meal-based diets were formulated to be equal in lysine and ME in all experiments. Pelleted diets were conditioned for 15 s at 85 degrees C, and expanded diets were conditioned at 95 degrees C, 29.7 MJ/t, 13.95 kg/cm2 cone pressure, exit temperature of 149 degrees C, and then pelleted through a 4 x 32-mm die. In Exp. 1, ADG and feed intake were improved (P < 0.05) for broilers fed SDP from d 1 to 28 of age, with greater BW at d 42. In Exp. 2, both in early (d 1 to 28 of age) phases, and overall (d 1 to 42 of age), broilers fed SDP had improved (P < 0.05) gain and efficiency. In Exp. 3, ADG, feed intake, efficiency of gain, and BW were improved (P < 0.01) for broilers fed SDP from d 1 to 21 of age, regardless of conditioning temperature. In Exp. 4, broilers fed SDP had improved (P < 0.05) gain, BW, and feed intake regardless of processing method. Overall, the results of all of the experiments demonstrated that pellet conditioning temperature from 85 to 95 degrees C and expander temperatures to 149 degrees C did not impair the positive growth effects of SDP in pelleted or expanded broiler feed.

Animal Feed↗

Newcastle disease viral infection in chicken nasal turbinate and maxillary sinus.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) B strain was inoculated intranasally and intrasinusly into unanesthetized chicken which were maintained on a standard commercial mash chicken diet until the age of 21 days after hatch. The lesions induced by NDV following intranasal inoculation usually produced a selective destruction of significant portions of the inner surface of the turbinate scroll, but sinus lesions, though sometimes present in NDV infection, were not common. The chicken sinus was infected by intrasinus inoculation. These results were supported by the amount of virus and mucociliary transport time in the turbinate and sinus. It is suggested that mucus hypersecretion of ostial gland and/or mucociliary activity in the sinus be one of the most important factors in protecting against chicken sinus infection.

Animals↗

Gastrointestinal motility in patients with ulcerative colitis.

In the first study 62 patients with ulcerative colitis and 20 healthy controls were fed a test meal of mashed potatoes and baked beans containing transit markers. Mouth-to-caecum transit was significantly slower in the patients than in controls; gastric emptying, however, was similar. Patients with active colitis had proximal colonic stasis, with rapid transit through the rectosigmoid region. In the patients with quiescent colitis the colonic distribution of markers was normal. Stool weight and frequency were significantly higher in the patients with active colitis. In the second study anorectal function was assessed in 29 patients with ulcerative colitis and in 12 healthy controls by measuring interluminal pressures at multiple sites in the anus and rectum before and during serial distention of a rectal balloon. Overall, resting and maximum squeeze sphincter pressures did not differ in patients with active or quiescent colitis and controls; however, in six patients with moderately severe colitis and incontinence, maximum squeeze pressure was significantly lower than in controls. The rectal volumes required to induce sensations of wind, a desire to defaecate, and pain were significantly lower in the patients with active colitis than patients with quiescent colitis and controls. Rectal pressures in response to rectal distention were higher in patients with active colitis. During disease remission rectal sensitivity decreased and rectal compliance increased. In the third study integrated pressure activity of the sigmoid colon, rectum, and anus was studied in patients with ulcerative colitis and healthy controls before and during provocation by rectal infusion of 1500 ml of warm saline.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Colitis, Ulcerative↗

Ethanol tolerance in yeasts.

It is now certain that the inherent ethanol tolerance of the Saccharomyces strain used is not the prime factor regulating the level of ethanol that can be produced in a high sugar brewing, wine, sake, or distillery fermentation. In fact, in terms of the maximum concentration that these yeasts can produce under batch (16 to 17% [v/v]) or fed-batch conditions, there is clearly no difference in ethanol tolerance. This is not to say, however, that under defined conditions there is no difference in ethanol tolerance among different Saccharomyces yeasts. This property, although a genetic determinant, is clearly influenced by many factors (carbohydrate level, wort nutrition, temperature, osmotic pressure/water activity, and substrate concentration), and each yeast strain reacts to each factor differently. This will indeed lead to differences in measured tolerance. Thus, it is extremely important that each of these be taken into consideration when determining "tolerance" for a particular set of fermentation conditions. The manner in which each alcohol-related industry has evolved is now known to have played a major role in determining traditional thinking on ethanol tolerance in Saccharomyces yeasts. It is interesting to speculate on how different our thinking on ethanol tolerance would be today if sake fermentations had not evolved with successive mashing and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of rice carbohydrate, if distillers' worts were clarified prior to fermentation but brewers' wort were not, and if grape skins with their associated unsaturated lipids had not been an integral part of red wine musts. The time is now ripe for ethanol-related industries to take advantage of these findings to improve the economies of production. In the authors' opinion, breweries could produce higher alcohol beers if oxygenation (leading to unsaturated lipids) and "usable" nitrogen source levels were increased in high gravity worts. White wine fermentations could also, if desired, match the higher ethanol levels in red wines if oxygenation (to provide the unsaturated lipids deleted in part by the removal of the grape skins) were practiced and if care were given to assimilable nitrogen concentrations. This would hold true even at 10 to 14 degrees C, and the more rapid fermentations would maximize utilization of winery tankage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Ethanol↗

Bitter melon malt vinegar increases daily energy turnover in rats.

Vinegar is generally believed to be good for health. A mash consisting of 35% ethanolic extract from bitter melon malt vinegar-water (8:50:42) was subjected to further acetate fermentation and the resulting vinegar was converted to dried vinegar powder by spray drying after adsorption on dextrin, which was mixed with a commercial rat chow (CRF-1) in the ratio of 1:19 so as to prepare an experimental diet. Male 12-wk old rats of LETO and OLETF strains were fed this experimental diet in parallel with CRF-1 (control) and examined for respiratory quotient (RQ) and blood or plasma parameters associated with diabetes mellitus. Administration of the experimental diet increased daily food intake as well as daily energy expenditure in both strains. RQ significantly lessened in the vinegar diet-fed group of LETO strain, which was reflected not only in the increased energy consumption from fat but also in the decreased energy consumption from carbohydrate, while no significant difference was observed between both dietary groups of OLETF strain in this respect. The profiles of diurnal energy expenditure in both dietary groups of LETO strain exerted two peaks before lights-on and lights-off. Nevertheless, there was a clear difference between both dietary groups of OLETF strain: interestingly the reproduction of the two peaks became conspicuous in the vinegar diet-fed group despite the lack of such peaks in the control. As a consequence of blood or plasma inspection, it turned out that there was no change in HbA1c but a significant increase in plasma cholesterol in the vinegar diet-fed OLETF rats. From these results, a long-term administration of bitter melon malt vinegar can be expected to suppress a lowering of energy turnover inherent with aging and thereby improve anorexia rather than to bring about a preventive effect against the manifestation of NIDDM.

Acetic Acid↗

Neural differentiation of pluripotent mouse embryonal carcinoma cells by retinoic acid: inhibitory effect of serum.

In both embryonal carcinoma (EC) and embryonic stem (ES) cells, the differentiation pathway entered after treatment with retinoic acid (RA) varies as it is based upon different conditions of culture. This study employs mouse EC cells P19 to investigate the effects of serum on RA-induced neural differentiation occurring in a simplified monolayer culture. Cell morphology and expression of lineage-specific molecular markers document that, while non-neural cell types arise after treatment with RA under serum-containing conditions, in chemically defined serum-free media RA induces massive neural differentiation in concentrations of 10(-9) M and higher. Moreover, not only neural (Mash-1) and neuroectodermal (Pax-6), but also endodermal (GATA-4, alpha-fetoprotein) genes are expressed at early stages of differentiation driven by RA under serum-free conditions. Furthermore, as determined by the luciferase reporter assay, the presence or absence of the serum does not affect the activity of the retinoic acid response element (RARE). Thus, mouse EC cells are able to produce neural cells upon exposure to RA even without culture in three-dimensional embryoid bodies (EBs). However, in contrast to standard EBs-involving protocol(s), neural differentiation in monolayer only takes place when complex signaling from serum factors is avoided. This simple and efficient strategy is proposed to serve as a basis for neurodifferentiation studies in vitro.

Animals↗