Esterases of the flounder (Platichthys flesus, Pleuronectidae, Teleostei) : development of an identification protocol using starch gel electrophoresis and characterization of loci

Fish esterases are among the most difficult enzymes to identify using starch gel electrophoresis because of the many loci that are simultaneously active, and especially because of duplication phenomena, satellite bands, and stain trails. In an attempt to simplify and clarify electropherograms, various staining and inhibitory methods were tested on esterases from the flounder #Platichthys flesus$. A range of migration and staining buffers and substrates were used, as well as chemical inhibition and heat inactivation. A combination of the methods made it possible to distinguish and characterize the five presumed esterase loci. (Résumé d'auteur

ANALYSE DES NUCLÉONS ÉJECTÉS DANS UNE RÉACTION QUASI ÉLASTIQUE (p, p?) A 400 MeV

Une expérience de coïncidences (p,pγ) a été réalisée avec des protons incidents de 400 MeV sur différentes cibles 24Mg, 27Al, 28Si, 60Ni auprès de 1'accélérateur Saturne

(Breaking) intergenerational transmission of mental health

We estimate health associations across generations and dynasties using information on healthcare visits from administrative data for the entire Norwegian population. A parental mental health diagnosis is associated with a 9.3 percentage point (40%) higher probability of a mental health diagnosis of their adolescent child. Intensive margin physical and mental health associations are similar, and dynastic estimates account for about 40% of the intergenerational persistence. We also show that a policy targeting additional health resources for the young children of adults diagnosed with mental health conditions reduced the parent-child mental health association by about 40%

(Breaking) intergenerational transmission of mental health

We estimate health associations across generations using information on healthcare visits from administrative data for the entire Norwegian population. A parental mental health diagnosis is associated with a 9.3 percentage point (40 percent) higher probability of a mental health diagnosis of their adolescent child. Intensive margin physical and mental health associations are similar, and extended family estimates account for 42 percent of the intergenerational persistence. We also show that a policy targeting additional health resources for the young children of adults diagnosed with mental health conditions reduced the parent–child mental health association by 39 percent.publishedVersio

Prediction of Confidence Limits for Diacetyl Concentration During Beer Fermentation

International audienceA dynamic model for diacetyl production and reduction was developed based on experimental data from 14 laboratory-scale (15-L) lager beer fermentations carried out in various conditions of temperature (10–16°C), top pressure (50−850 mbar), initial yeast concentration (5−20 million cells per milliliter) and initial wort gravity (1,036−1,099 g/L). Uncertainties due to measurement errors, model parameters, and batch-to-batch variability were described in a probabilistic framework. The model predicts a probability distribution for the final diacetyl concentration from which a median value and an upper boundary, at a specified confidence level, are derived. It is demonstrated that in-line diacetyl measurements at early stages of fermentation greatly reduce the uncertainty about the final diacetyl level in each specific batch.Predicción de los Límites de Confianza para la Concentración de Diacetilo en Cerveza Durante la Fermentación Se desarrolló un modelo dinámico para la producción y reducción de diacetilo durante la fermentación, basado en datos experimentales de 14 fermentaciones en el laboratorio (15 L) con cerveza lager; estas fermentaciones se realizaron en diferentes condiciones de temperatura (10-16°C), sobrepresión (50–850 mbar), concentración inicial de levadura (5–20 millones de células por mililitro) y densidad inicial del mosto (1,036–1,099 g/L). Las incertidumbres debido a los errores de medición, los parámetros del modelo y la variabilidad de lote a lote, fueron descritas en un marco probabilístico. El modelo pronostica una distribución de probabilidad para la concentración final del diacetilo, de cual se deriva un valor de la mediana y del límite superior de la concentración, a un nivel de confianza especificada. Se demuestra que las mediciones de diacetilo en línea en las fases iniciales de la fermentación reducen de manera significativa la incertidumbre de la concentración final de diacetilo de cada lote

Growth and adaptation of microorganisms on the cheese surface

Cet article a été publié une nouvelle fois dans le numéro 362 http://femsle.oxfordjournals.org/content/362/1/1.20#sec-1Microbial communities living on cheese surfaces are composed of various bacteria, yeasts and molds that interact together, thus generating the typical sensory properties of a cheese. Physiological and genomic investigations have revealed important functions involved in the ability of microorganisms to establish themselves at the cheese surface. These functions include the ability to use the cheese's main energy sources, to acquire iron, to tolerate low pH at the beginning of ripening and to adapt to high salt concentrations and moisture levels. Horizontal gene transfer events involved in the adaptation to the cheese habitat have been described, both for bacteria and fungi. In the future, in situ microbial gene expression profiling and identification of genes that contribute to strain fitness by massive sequencing of transposon libraries will help us to better understand how cheese surface communities function

Reliable estimation of the key variables and of their rates of change in the alcoholic fermentation

International audienceThe paper establishes a rigorous probabilistic framework for the reconciliation of apparently conflicting data from various physical and chemical measurements related to the key biological variables of alcoholic fermentation: the ethanol and the residual sugar concentrations. The analysis is carried out on a database consisting of 15 beer fermentation experiments, for which off-line determinations of ethanol concentration, fermentable sugar concentration, wort density and refractive index are available, as well as on-line records of evolved CO2. The basic reconciliation method uses mass balance and monotonicity constraints derived from the biological knowledge of the fermentation process. In order to provide interpolated values and rate estimates, smoothness requirements are added. The reconciliation procedure gives more reliable estimates than any given measurement, detects outliers, helps fixing problems in the experimental setting and is also applicable on line

Comparing the impact of environmental factors during very high gravity brewing fermentations

The impact of the initial dissolved oxygen, fermentation temperature, wort concentration and yeast pitching rate on the major fermentation process responses were evaluated by full factorial design and statistical analysis by JMP 5.01 (SAS software) software. Fermentation trials were carried out in 2L-EBC tall tubes using an industrial lager brewing yeast strain. The yeast viability, ethanol production, apparent extract and real degree of fermentation were monitored. The results obtained demonstrate that very high gravity worts at 22°P can be fermented in the same period of time as a 15°P wort, by raising the temperature to 18°C, the oxygen level to about 22 ppm, and increasing the pitching rate to 22 × 106 cell/mL. When diluting to obtain an 11.5°P beer extract, the volumetric brewing capacity increased 91% for the 22°P wort fermentation and 30% using the 15°P wort. After dilution, the fermentation of the 22°P wort resulted in a beer with higher esters levels, primarily the compound ethyl acetate.(undefined

Inactivation of palladium-based oxygen scavenger system by volatile sulphur compounds present in the headspace of packaged food

An oxygen scavenger based on a catalytic system with palladium (CSP) was recently developed to remove oxygen in food packagings. Although the CSP worked with various types of food, with some foods, an inhibition of the CSP was observed. Because such catalytic systems are susceptible to poisoning by sulfurcontaining compounds, the aim of this study was to understand the inactivation of palladium-based catalysts in presence of foods containing volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs). To achieve this, the oxygen scavenging activity (OSA) of the CSP was evaluated in presence of selected food products. Afterwards, VSCs mainly present in these foods were exposed to the CSP, and the influence on the OSA was evaluated. Finally, headspace analysis was performed with the diluted VSCs and with the packaged food products using proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry. It was found that the catalytic activity of the CSP was inhibited when VSCs were present in the headspace in concentrations ranging between 10.8–36.0 ppbv (dimethyl sulfide, DMS), 1.2–7.2 ppbv (dimethyl disulfide), 0.7–0.9 ppbv (dimethyl trisulfide), 2.1–5.8 ppbv methional) and 4.6–24.5 ppbv (furfuryl thiol). It was concluded that in packaged roast beef and cheese, DMS may be the compound mainly responsible for the inactivation of the CSP. In packagings containing ham, the key compounds were hydrogen sulfide and methanethiol; in peanuts, it was methanethiol; and in par-baked buns, an accumulation of methional, DMS, butanethiol and methionol. When potato chips were packaged, it was demonstrated that when VSCs are present in low concentrations, oxygen can still be scavenged at a reduced OSA

Continuous immobilized yeast reactor system for complete beer fermentation using spent grains and corncobs as carrier materials

Despite extensive research carried out in the last few decades, continuous beer fermentation has not yet managed to outperform the traditional batch technology. An industrial breakthrough in favour of continuous brewing using immobilized yeast could be expected only on achievement of the following process characteristics: simple design, low investment costs, flexible operation, effective process control and good product quality. The application of cheap carrier materials of by-product origin could significantly lower the investment costs of continuous fermentation systems. This work deals with a complete continuous beer fermentation system consisting of a main fermentation reactor (gas-lift) and a maturation reactor (packedbed) containing yeast immobilized on spent grains and corncobs, respectively. The suitability of cheap carrier materials for long-term continuous brewing was proved. It was found that by fine tuning of process parameters (residence time, aeration) it was possible to adjust the flavour profile of the final product. Consumers considered the continuously fermented beer to be of a regular quality. Analytical and sensorial profiles of both continuously and batch fermented beers were compared.(Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, Brazil (FAPESPFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FC