Sensory profiles of breast meat from broilers reared in an organic niche production system and conventional standard broilers

BACKGROUND: Breast meat from broilers produced in very different production systems may vary considerable in sensory profile, which may affect consumer interests. In this study the aim was to evaluate differences in the sensory profiles of breast meat from five broiler products: two conventional standard products (A and B) and three organic niche genotypes (I657, L40 and K8) reared in an apple orchard. RESULTS: Thirteen out of 22 sensory attributes differed significantly between the products. The aroma attributes ‘chicken’, ‘bouillon’ and ‘fat’ scored highest and the ‘iron/liver’ aroma lowest for the niche products. The meat was more ‘tender’, ‘short’ and ‘crumbly’ and less ‘hard’ and ‘stringy’ in the standard products than in one or more of the niche products. Product ‘I 657’ was less ‘juicy’ than the rest. Products ‘I 657’ and ‘L 40’ were more ‘cohesive’ and tasted more ‘sourish’ and less of ‘sweet/maize’ than the standard products. The ‘overall liking’ score was significantly higher for the ‘K 8’ product than for the ‘Standard A’ and ‘L 40’ products. The ‘overall liking’ score was significantly correlated with the scores for aroma and taste of ‘chicken’, ‘umami/bouillon’, ‘iron/liver’ and ‘fat’ aroma. CONCLUSION: The sensory profiles differed particularly between conventional standard broilers and organic niche broilers, although differences were also found between breeds. The present study indicates that aroma and taste attributes were more important for the assessors than meat ‘tenderness’ for the overall liking of broiler meat. �c 2011 Society of Chemical Industry

Membrane fusion of secretory vesicles and liposomes Two different types of fusion

Secretory vesicles isolated from adrenal medulla were found to fuse in vitro in response to incubation with Ca2+. Intervesicular fusion was detected by electron microscopy and was indicated by the appearance of twinned vesicles in freeze-fractured suspensions of vesicles and in thin-sectioned pellet. Two types of fusion could be distinguished: Type I, occurring between 10−7 M and 10−4 M Ca2+, was specific for Ca2+, was inhibited by other divalent cations and was abolished by pretreatment of vesicles with glutaraldehyde, neuraminidase or trypsin. Fusion type I was linear with temperature. A second type of intervesicular fusion was elicited by Ca2+ in concentrations higher than 2.5 mM and was morphologically characterized by multiple fusions of secretory vesicles. This type of fusion was found to be similar to fusion of liposomes prepared from the membrane lipids of adrenal medullary secretory vesicles: Ca2+ could be replaced by other divalent cations, the effect of different divalent cations was additive and pretreatments attacking membrane proteins were ineffective. Fusion type II of intact secretory vesicles as well as liposome fusion was discontinuous with temperature. Liposome fusion could be detected within 35 ms and persisted for 180 min. Using liposomes containing defined Ca2+ concentrations we have not found a major influence of Ca2+ asymmetry on fusion. Incorporation of the ganglioside GM3, which is present in the membranes of intact adrenal medullary secretory vesicles did not change the properties of liposomes fusion. Using a Ca2+-selective electrode we have identified in secretory vesicle membranes both high affinity binding sites for Ca2+ (Kd = 1.6 · 10−6M) and low affinity sites (Kd = 1.2 · 10−4M)

Simple one-pot fabrication of ultra-stable core-shell superparamagnetic nanoparticles for potential application in drug delivery

Ultrastable superparamagnetic core-shell nanoparticles of average diameter 80 nm have been fabricated via a simple one-pot method involving superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) core ([similar]50 nm in diameter) and lipid bilayer shell by high energy ultrasonication. The surface charges (zeta potentials) were measured to be between −15 mV and + 16 mV depending on the batch composition. Anticancer drug mitomycin C (MMC) was loaded into four different samples of variable surface charges in aqueous solution (pH = 6.8) and released in PBS buffer (pH = 7.2) at room temperature. The kinetics of drug loading and releasing data indicated that the stable lipid bilayer coated SPIONs (LBCSPIONs) of nearly neutral surface exhibited the highest loading (10.9 μg of MMC/mg of materials), whereas uncoated or partially coated SPIONs of positive zeta potential exhibited the lowest loading (2.8 and 3.5 μg MMC/mg of materials, respectively). The release behavior of MMC was observed to be highest (5.8 μg MMC/mg of materials) from materials of negative zeta potential compared to materials of near neutral surfaces (3.68 μg MMC/mg of materials). The plausible mechanism of MMC loading and releasing behavior has been explained based on the electrostatic interaction and diffusion through the lipid bilayers. To ensure biocompatibility, the interaction of the prepared SPIONs with human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa) was also investigated using an MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and ROS (reactive oxygen species) production assay and the results confirmed the super-compatibility of LBCSPIONs

Physical principles of membrane organization

Membranes are the most common cellular structures in both plants and animals. They are now recognized as being involved in almost all aspects of cellular activity ranging from motility and food entrapment in simple unicellular organisms, to energy transduction, immunorecognition, nerve conduction and biosynthesis in plants and higher organisms. This functional diversity is reflected in the wide variety of lipids and particularly of proteins that compose different membranes. An understanding of the physical principles that govern the molecular organization of membranes is essential for an understanding of their physiological roles since structure and function are much more interdependent in membranes than in, say, simple chemical reactions in solution. We must recognize, however, that the word &lsquo;understanding&rsquo; means different things in different disciplines, and nowhere is this more apparent than in this multidisciplinary area where biology, chemistry and physics meet.<br /

Fusion of secretory vesicles isolated from rat liver

Secretory vesicles isolated from rat liver were found to fuse after exposure to Ca2+. Vescle fusion is characterized by the occurrence of twinned vesicles with a continuous cleavage plane between two vesicles in freeze-fracture electron microscopy. The number of fused vesicles increases with increasing Ca2+-concentrations and is half maximal around 10–6 m. Other divalent cations (Ba2+, Sr2+, and Mg2+) were ineffective. Mg2+ inhibits Ca2+-induced fusion. Therefore, the fusion of secretory vesiclesin vitro is Ca2+ specific and exhibits properties similar to the exocytotic process of various secretory cells. Various substances affecting secretionin vivo (microtubular inhibitors, local anethetics, ionophores) were tested for their effect on membrane fusion in our system. The fusion of isolated secretory vesicles from liver was found to differ from that of pure phospholipid membranes in its temperature dependence, in its much lower requirement for Ca2+, and in its Ca2+-specificity. Chemical and enzymatic modifications of the vesicle membrane indicate that glycoproteins may account for these differences

Barack Obama, President des Etats-Unis d’Amerique

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Fusion of isolated myoblast plasma membranes

Fusion of plasma membranes isolated from myoblasts grown in culture has been investigated. 1. 1. Membrane fusion was specifically dependent on Ca2+ at physiological concentrations. However, at higher concentrations of cations, fusion could be triggered not only by Ca2+, but by Mg2+ and Sr2+ as well. 2. 2. The amount of fusion was directly proportional to temperature. 3. 3. Fusion was found to depend on the state of maturation of the myoblast membranes. 4. 4. Experiments with chemically and enzymatically modified membranes and with membranes derived from myoblasts grown in the presence of inhibitors of protein biosynthesis suggest the participation of proteinaceous membrane components in the fusion mechanism

The organ uptake of intravenously administered colloidal particles can be altered using a non-ionic surfactant (Poloxamer 338)

AbstractSmall polystyrene particles coated with a high Mr non-ionic surfactant (Poloxamer 338) are diverted from the reticuloendothelial system of the liver and spleen to other tissue sites. These results are discussed in terms of the adsorption of the Poloxamer to the particle surface and the implications for drug targeting

Anniversaire de la Naissance de Barack Obama

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