Beside yeasts, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are the most abundant microbes in must during vinification. Whereas Oenococcos oeni is commercially used as a starter culture for the biological acid ...reduction in wines, other species are responsible for different types of wine spoilage. Members of the genera Pediococcus, Weissella, Leuconostoc, and Lactobacillus are producers of exopolysaccharide slimes, biogenic amines, acetic acid, and other off-flavors. In order to control microbial growth, different procedures such as heating of must and addition of sulfite or lysozyme from egg white are generally applied. Yet, because of health risks, the application of sulfite should be reduced and lysozyme is not effective against all LAB. In this study, we describe exoenzymes from a Streptomyces sp. strain B578 lysing nearly all wine-relevant strains of LAB and Gram-negative acetic acid bacteria. The lytic enzymes were active under wine-making conditions, such as the presence of sulfite and ethanol, low temperatures, and low pH values. The analysis of the exoenzyme composition revealed a synergistic action of different cell wall hydrolases. In conclusion, the lytic cocktail of Streptomyces sp. B578 is a promising tool for the control of wine-spoiling bacteria.
Myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform expression changes with physical training. This may be one of the mechanisms for muscular adaptation to exercise. We aimed to investigate the effects of different ...strength-training protocols on MHC isoform expression, bearing in mind that alpha- MHC(slow) (newly identified MHC isoform) mRNA may be upregulated in response to training. Twelve volunteers performed a 6-wk strength training with maximum contractions (Max group), and another 12 of similar age performed combination training of maximum contractions and ballistic and stretch-shortening movements (Combi group). Muscle samples were taken from triceps brachii before and after training. MHC isoform composition was determined by SDS-PAGE silver staining, and mRNA levels of MHC isoforms were determined by RT-PCR. In Max group, there was an increase in MHC(2A) (49.4 to 66.7%, P < 0.01) and a decrease in MHC(2X) (33.4 to 19.5%, P < 0.01) after training, although there was no significant change in MHC(slow). In Combi group, there was also an increase in MHC(2A) (47.7 to 62.7%, P < 0.05) and a decrease in MHC(slow) (18.2 to 9.2%, P < 0.05) but no significant change in MHC(2X). An upregulation of alpha-MHC(slow) mRNA was, therefore, found in both groups as a result of training. The strength training with maximum contractions led to a shift in MHC isoform composition from 2X to 2A, whereas the combined strength training produced an MHC isoform composition shift from slow to 2A.
The Cologne Apraxia Screening (KAS) was developed to diagnose apraxia following left-hemisphere (LH) stroke. The present study aims at developing a diagnostic tool for patients with right-hemisphere ...(RH) stroke (KAS-R) by modifying the test material of the KAS and reducing the test items based on psychometric analyses.A total of 100 patients with RH stroke and 77 healthy control participants were tested. Psychometric analyses led to the exclusion of 8 KAS items. The final KAS-R, consisting of 12 items, shows good internal consistency (α = 0.795) as well as high sensitivity (79.4 %) and specificity (84.4 %). Applying a cut-off value of ≤ 46 (out of 48) points, 39 RH stroke patients were diagnosed with apraxia. Significant correlations were found between the KAS-R and an imitation test as well as expert ratings, indicating high construct validity. The results suggest that the KAS-R is a reliable and valid diagnostic tool for apraxic deficits after RH stroke.
Strength and speed are 2 major factors that determine a swimmer's sprint performance, especially swim sprint performance and swim starts. This study identified and examined variables that determine ...the influence of maximal strength performance on different swim performance styles and distances in trained adolescent swimmers.
Twenty-one regional swimmers (12males and 9females, 17.5±2years; mass: 69.5±11.4kg; height: 177.3±10.1cm) volunteered to take part in the present study. One-repetition-maximum (1RM) in the back squat, dead lift, bent-over row and sit-up were used to determine maximum strength. Squat jump (SJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ) were evaluated to determine speed-strength performance. Swim performances of 15 to 100meters in freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke were measured in a 25-m indoor pool. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the relationships between strength and power variables and swim variables.
Strong negative correlations between leg strength (1RM squat), speed-strength (SJ and CMJ) and swim performance were found in this investigation, especially for short distances (up to 25m, r=−0.75 to −0.94, P<0.05). Additionally, moderate to mostly strong correlations (r=−0.37 to −0.85, P<0.05) were found between the strength tests of the upper extremities, and non-uniform correlations were found for the trunk strength test (r=−0.05 to −0.68) and swim performance.
The maximal strength parameters of the upper and lower extremities and maximal trunk strength are good predictors of performance in sprint swimming in trained adolescent swimmers in different disciplines.
La force et la vitesse sont les deux facteurs principaux qui déterminent les performances d’un nageur en sprint, ainsi que les départs en natation. Cette étude a pour but d’identifier les variables qui déterminent l’influence des performances maximales dans différents styles de nage et distances de natation chez les nageurs adolescents entraînés.
Vingt et un nageurs de niveau régional (12masculins et 9féminins, âgés de 17,5±2ans ; poids : 69,5±11,4kg ; taille : 177,3±10,1cm) se sont portés volontaires pour participer à la présente étude. La performance sur un test d’une répétition maximum (1RM) en squat, en tirage en position assise a été utilisée pour déterminer la force maximale. Un « squat jump » (SJ) et « countermovement jump » (CMJ) ont été utilisés pour évaluer les performances de type force-vitesse. Les performances de natation sur des distances de 15m à 100m en nage libre, brasse et dos ont été évaluées dans un bassin de 25m. Une analyse de corrélation de type Pearson a été utilisée pour évaluer la relation entre les variables de force et de puissance et les variables de performance en natation.
Des corrélations négatives significatives ont été observées entre la force des membres inférieurs, la performance en SJ et CMJ et les performances en natation, notamment pour les courtes distances (jusqu’à 25m, r=−0,75 à −0,94, p<0,05). Des corrélations modérées à fortes (r=−0,37 à −0,85, p<0,05) ont également été constatées entre les valeurs de force des membres supérieurs et les performances en natation alors que ces corrélations sont non significatives ou faiblement significatives pour la force des muscles du tronc (r=−0,05 à −0,68).
Les paramètres de force maximale des membres supérieurs et inférieurs, ainsi que la force maximale des muscles du tronc constituent de bons indicateurs des performances de natation en sprint chez des nageurs adolescents entraînés.
The characterization of the gas–solids flow inside a circulating fluidized bed, especially the knowledge about the solids distribution in the vertical tubes, is the basis for a optimum reactor design ...as well as for finding suitable operating conditions and for modeling the multiphase flow inside the reactor. To determine data of solids concentration with high spatial resolution an X-ray computer tomography system is used. This system mainly consists of a 60keV X-ray source and an X-ray linear detector with 1024 sensitive elements, which gives eight bit-values representing integral solids concentrations between the X-ray source and the detector. A number of experiments have been carried out both at the upflow and at the downflow of two different circulating fluidized beds containing glass beads of 70μm at superficial gas velocities from 2 to 7m/s. Results show that the X-ray computer tomography system is applicable to average solids concentrations from 1 up to 20vol% of solids concentration in a tube with 0.19m inner diameter.
Overweight and obesity are increasing in preschool children in the US. Policy, systems, and environmental change interventions in childcare settings can improve obesity-related behaviors. The aim of ...this study was to develop and pilot an intervention to train childcare providers to promote physical activity (PA) in childcare classrooms. An evidence scan, key informant ( n = 34 ) and focus group ( n = 20 ) interviews with childcare directors and staff, and environmental self-assessment of childcare facilities ( n = 22 ) informed the design of the training curriculum. Feedback from the interviews indicated that childcare providers believed in the importance of teaching children about PA and were supportive of training teachers to incorporate PA into classroom settings. The Promoting Physical Activity in Childcare Setting Curriculum was developed and training was implemented with 16 teachers. Participants reported a positive experience with the hands-on training and reported acquiring new knowledge that they intended to implement in their childcare settings. Our findings highlight the feasibility of working with childcare staff to develop PA training and curriculum. Next steps include evaluating the curriculum in additional childcare settings and childcare staff implementation of the curriculum to understand the effectiveness of the training on PA levels of children.
Cerebral selenium (Se) deficiency is associated with neurological phenotypes including seizures and ataxia. We wanted to define whether neurons require selenoprotein expression and which ...selenoproteins are most important, and explore the possible pathomechanism. Therefore, we abrogated the expression of all selenoproteins in neurons by genetic inactivation of the tRNASerSec gene. Cerebral expression of selenoproteins was significantly diminished in the mutants, and histological analysis revealed progressive neurodegeneration. Developing interneurons failed to specifically express parvalbumin (PV) in the mutants. Electrophysiological recordings, before overt cell death, showed normal excitatory transmission, but revealed spontaneous epileptiform activity consistent with seizures in the mutants. In developing cortical neuron cultures, the number of PV+ neurons was reduced on combined Se and vitamin E deprivation, while other markers, such as calretinin (CR) and GAD67, remained unaffected. Because of the synergism between Se and vitamin E, we analyzed mice lacking neuronal expression of the Se‐dependent enzyme glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4). Although the number of CR+ interneurons remained normal in Gpx4‐mutant mice, the number of PV+ interneurons was reduced. Since these mice similarly exhibit seizures and ataxia, we conclude that GPx4 is a selenoenzyme modulating interneuron function and PV expression. Cerebral SE deficiency may thus act via reduced GPx4 expression.—Wirth, E. K., Conrad, M., Winterer, J., Wozny, C., Carlson, B. A., Roth, S., Schmitz, D., Bornkamm, G. W., Coppola, V., Tessarollo, L., Schomburg, L., Köhrle, J., Hatfield, D. L., Schweizer, U. Neuronal selenoprotein expression is required for interneuron development and prevents seizures and neurodegeneration. FASEB J. 24, 844–852 (2010). www.fasebj.org
Proteolytic cleavage of thyroglobulin (Tg) for thyroid hormone (TH) liberation is followed by TH release from thyroid follicles into the circulation, enabled by TH transporters. The existence of a ...functional link between Tg-processing cathepsin proteases and TH transporters has been shown to be independent of the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis. Thus, lack of cathepsin K, combined with genetic defects in the TH transporters Mct8 and Mct10, that is the Ctsk-/-/Mct8-/y/Mct10-/- genotype, results in persistent Tg proteolysis due to autophagy induction. Because amino acid transport by L-type amino acid transporter 2 (Lat2) has been described to regulate autophagy, we asked whether Lat2 availability is affected in Ctsk-/-/Mct8-/y/Mct10-/- thyroid glands. Our data revealed that while mRNA amounts and subcellular localization of Lat2 remained unaltered in thyroid tissue of Ctsk-/-/Mct8-/y/Mct10-/- mice in comparison to WT controls, the Lat2 protein amounts were significantly reduced. These data suggest a direct link between Lat2 function and autophagy induction in Ctsk-/-/Mct8-/y/Mct10-/- mice. Indeed, thyroid tissue of Lat2-/- mice showed enhanced endo-lysosomal cathepsin activities, increased autophagosome formation, and enhanced autophagic flux. Collectively, these results suggest a mechanistic link between insufficient Lat2 protein function and autophagy induction in the thyroid gland of male mice.
Chronic activation of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) leads to pathological processes like inflammation and fibrosis during cardiorenal disease. Modulation of immunological processes in the heart ...or kidney may serve as a mechanistic and therapeutic interface in cardiorenal pathologies. In this study, we investigated anti-inflammatory/-fibrotic and immunological effects of the selective nonsteroidal MR antagonists finerenone (FIN) in the deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt model.
Male C57BL6/J mice were uninephrectomized and received a DOCA pellet implantation (2.4 mg/day) plus 0.9% NaCl in drinking water (DOCA-salt) or received a sham operation and were orally treated with FIN (10 mg/kg/day) or vehicle in a preventive study design. Five weeks after the procedure, blood pressure (BP), urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR), glomerular and tubulointerstitial damage, echocardiographic cardiac function, as well as cardiac/renal inflammatory cell content by FACS analysis were assessed.
BP was significantly reduced by FIN. FACS analysis revealed a notable immune response due to DOCA-salt exposure. Especially, infiltrating renal RORγt γδ-positive T cells were upregulated, which was significantly ameliorated by FIN treatment. This was accompanied by a significant reduction of UACR in FIN-treated mice. In the heart, FIN reduced DOCA-salt-induced cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac fibrosis and led to an improvement of the global longitudinal strain. Cardiac actions of FIN were not associated with a regulation of cardiac RORγt γδ-positive T cells.
The present study shows cardiac and renal protective effects of FIN in a DOCA-salt model. The cardiorenal protection was accompanied by a reduction of renal RORγt γδ T cells. The observed actions of FIN may provide a potential mechanism of its efficacy recently observed in clinical trials.
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