Monitoring cheese ripening by single-sided nuclear magnetic resonance.

The noninvasive, longitudinal study of products and food processing is of interest for the dairy industry. Here, we demonstrated that single-sided nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) can be used for noninvasive monitoring of the cheese ripening process. The maturation of soft-ripened Camembert-like molded cheese samples was monitored for 20 d measuring 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional NMR relaxation and diffusion data at various depths, ranging from the hard surface layer to the soft center. Gelation and gel shrinkage were observed throughout ripening, and a complete loss of free water signal was observed at the cheese rind. Transversal (T2) relaxation distributions include 3 components that evolve with ripening time and position, corresponding to water inside the casein gel network, water trapped in casein, and fat. Two-dimensional T1-T2 relaxation experiments provided enhanced resolution of the 3 components, allowing quantification of the relative proportions of each phase. Furthermore, diffusion (D)-T2 relaxation correlation experiments revealed the bimodal size distribution of fat globules. The study demonstrated that single-sided NMR can provide spatially resolved signal intensity, relaxation, and diffusion parameters that reflect structural changes during the ripening process and can be exploited to understand and monitor the ripening of cheeses.

Serum rantes, transforming growth factor-ß1 and interleukin-6 levels correlate with cardiac muscle fibrosis in patients with aortic valve stenosis.

Regulated on Activation Normal T Expressed and Secreted (RANTES) chemokine is involved in the initiation of inflammation and immune-cell recruitment. Interleukin -6 (IL-6) is used as a general index of severity of the chronic inflammatory process. Finally, transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) is an immune biomarker potentially involved in the regulation of valve fibrosis and calcification. The aim of this study was to analyze selected biomarkers associated with the different stages of immune-pathogenesis in aortic stenosis. Forty consecutive patients with moderate to severe aortic stenosis (AS) and without previous myocardial infarction history were included in the study and divided into two groups. Two imaging techniques, echocardiography and magnetic resonance, were used to estimate the degree of AS and left ventricular muscle function. Inflammatory biomarker serum levels including CCL5/RANTES, IL-6, and TGF-ß1 were determined based on ELISA measurements. Mean levels of RANTES, IL-6, and TGF-ß1 did not significantly differ between both groups. A negative correlation was found between RANTES serum level and left ventricle (LV) mass as assessed by MRI (r = -0.3358, P = 0.0341). A positive correlation (r = 0.3283, P = 0.0387) was found between IL-6 serum levels and LV mass as measured by MRI. In addition, a positive correlation (r = 0.6803, P = 0.01) was seen between IL-6 serum levels and LV muscle mass with positive late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). There was a positive correlation between TGF-ß1 serum level and ejection fraction as measured by echocardiography (r = 0.3217, P = 0.043). The relationship between selected inflammatory biomarkers, LV ejection fraction, LV mass, and LV muscle mass with LGE appeared to be independent of valvular pathobiologic process severity, as we did not observe differences in IL-6, RANTES, or TGF-ß1 between groups differing in severity. On the contrary, these markers appear to be linked to myocardial function and remodeling, which may provide valuable insights into the pathobiology of AS and provide a basis for future detection strategies of AS.

Optical biopsy using spectral camera in BCC and oral leukoplakia.

Basal cell carcinoma is one of the most common neoplasmatic diseases of the skin. Oral leukoplakia is precancerous stage. Early diagnosis of both diseases gives very good treatment results. Fluorescence spectroscopy is a new modality of diagnostics using excitation of absorbed PPIX in tumor. Spectroscopy is an objective method showing concentration and emission spectrum of protoporphyrin IX. In fluorescence spectroscopy with PPIX we used diode light 405 nm to induce fluorescence and observed significant emission peak at 630 nm. Fluorescence spectroscopy is based on searching of emission peaks of photosensitizer in areas of BCC and oral leukoplakia. In our study we used spectral camera measuring spectrum from pictures taken in different wavelengths between 570 nm and 650 nm. The pictures taken with this camera were compared with the pictures captured with Xillix Onco Life system. 20 patients with histopathologically confirmed BCC and 10 with oral leukoplakia were examinated with spectral camera and with Xillix Onco Life system 8h after local instillation of delta aminolevulinic acid. Our spectral camera made pictures with different filters for wavelength between 570 nm and 650 nm showing highest fluorescence intensity in 630 nm. Captured spectral lines were compared with NCV (numerical color value) from Xillix Onco Life. All of spectral lines taken from neoplasmatic tissues were compared with spectral lines taken from healthy tissues in symmetrical areas of body. Results were statistically processed. All of spectral lines taken from neoplasmatic tissues showed significant peak at 630 nm in the area of BCC and oral leukoplakia in all of the examinated patients. Spectral lines taken from healthy tissues were significantly different. There was no peak in 630 nm and fluorescence intensity was decreasing from 570 nm to 630 nm. Intensity of fluorescence in 630 nm was in high correlation with NCV from Xillix Onco Life.

Sensor properties of lead phthalocyanine in a surface acoustic wave system.

The paper presents experimental results of the interaction of thin layers (83 and 310 nm) of lead phthalocyanine (PbPc) with trace amounts of toxic gas NO2 in a system with an acoustic surface wave on a LiNbO3 Y-Z substrate. PbPc films were prepared according to the usual vacuum evaporation method. Measurements of the sensor properties rely on changes in the differential frequency, deltaf, of the dual-delay line configuration, in one of which the investigated PbPc layer has been placed. Special stress has been put on the temperature dependence of the reversibility in the medium range, i.e. between 27 degrees C and 95 degrees C. Besides, one simple method for thin PbPc film regeneration in a low NO2 concentration range has been presented.

Hemagglutinins of Beauveria bassiana strains: the effect of growth conditions on their production.

Forty strains of Beauveria bassiana were screened for their ability to produce hemagglutinins. It has been found that majority of mycelial extracts but not cultural broth display non specific hemagglutinating activity toward animal and human type AB and A, B, O erythrocytes when microorganisms are cultivated on rich in amino acids media supplemented with saccharose. The formation of hemagglutinins in mycelia is strongly dependent on composition of medium and associated with a production of extracellular lipases, chitinases and amylases. No monosaccharide binding specificity of obtained hemagglutinins toward glucose/mannose, N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine/galactose, L-fucose and sialic acid was observed.

Formation of beauvericin by selected strains of Beauveria bassiana.

Various strains of Beauveria bassiana were cultivated in submerged cultures and examined for their abilities to produce beauvericin, cyclodepsipeptide antibiotic displaying antibacterial and insecticidal properties. It has been found that among twenty four strains of Beauveria bassiana only three produced beauvericin. Apparently, the striking differences among tested strains concerning several secondary product formations have been observed.

Production of beauvericin by Beauveria bassiana on L-methionine enriched medium.

Beauveria bassiana strain isolated from curculionid beetle (Coleoptera) was cultivated in fermentation tank on the medium composed of protein hydrolysate and glucose. It has been found that L-methionine addition to the medium increases significantly the yield of beauvericin biosynthesis. Apparently, for the optimal antibiotic production, low aeration conditions are preferable.

[Use of a noninvasive parameter of early diastolic ventricle function for the detection of graft rejection following heart transplantation]. / Nutzen eines nichtinvasiven Parameters der frühdiastolischen Ventrikelfunktion zur Erkennung einer Abstossungsreaktion nach Herztransplantation.

Since changes in left ventricular early diastolic time intervals can be expected as one of the first detectable functional alterations indicating acute rejection in cardiac transplant patients, time-constant Te, a parameter derived from digitized M-mode echocardiogram, was proved as a marker of acute rejection. Echo results of 30 transplant patients (5-63 yrs) were correlated with myocardial biopsy results (48 rejection negative, 16 rejection positive) of the same day. In transplant patients the M-mode echo parameter Te is prolonged even in phases without rejection (79.0 +/- 12.5 ms vs 64.0 +/- 7.9 ms of healthy controls; p less than 0.0001). Te of transplant patients during rejection were significantly longer than Te of patients without rejection (97.8 +/- 17.9 ms vs 79.0 +/- 12.5 ms; p less than 0.0001). Individual courses demonstrate that rejection is associated with further prolongation of Te and that Te returns to individual basic value in response to treatment. So, Te may prove as a useful noninvasive marker of acute cardiac rejection.