Fermentation of a skim milk concentrate with Streptococcus thermophilus and chymosin: structure, viscoelasticity and syneresis of gels

Fermentation of a reconstituted skim milk concentrate (8% protein) was investigated to elucidate the effects of various fermentation parameters on the structural, rheological and visual (wheying-off) properties of the resulting gels (pH 4.60). Fermentation trials were performed with non-exocellular polysaccharide-producing strains of Streptococcus thermophilus at various fermentation temperatures and at various chymosin levels. Oscillatory vane rheometry carried out on the intact gels (at 4 °C) showed that the level of chymosin had a significant impact on the gel strength (storage modulus G′). This can be explained by the arrangement of casein micelles into more compact aggregates and the enhanced fusion of aggregated casein micelles as revealed by transmission electron microscopy for the gels fermented with chymosin. Wheying-off of the stirred gels as measured by a centrifugation test (at 4 °C) and pore size of the intact gel structures investigated by scanning electron microscopy both increased with increasing level of chymosin and increasing fermentation temperature (resulting in an increase in acidification rate). A higher level of syneresis (wheying-off) is explained by the larger pore size, since larger pores present a lower resistance to the outflow of whey from the gel.     

Smenoqualone a novel sesquiterpenoid from the marine sponge Smenospongia sp.

Smenoqualone, a novel quinonic terpenoid with a rearranged drimane skeleton was isolated from a marine sponge Smenospongia sp. The stereostructure was determined by detailed analyses of ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra, ¹H-¹H COSY, ¹H-¹³C correlations via HMQC, HMBC and NOE difference NMR experiments.     

Synthesis of New N‐(5‐Oxo‐2,5‐dihydro)pyrrol‐3‐yl Glycines and N‐(5‐Oxo‐2,5‐dihydro)pyrrol‐3‐yl Glycines Esters

Following our efforts towards the synthesis of new potential inhibitors of Xanthine Dehydrogenase (XDH), we describe here a general method for the preparation of N-(5-oxo-2,5-dihydro)pyrrol-3-yl glycines and N-(5-oxo-2,5-dihydro)pyrrol-3-yl glycine esters from glycine ethyl ester hydrochloride and various 4-hydroxy-5-oxo-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylic acid esters and carbonitriles.     

Selective and Wash-Resistant Fluorescent Dihydrocodeinone Derivatives Allow Single-Molecule Imaging of μ-Opioid Receptor Dimerization

μ-Opioid receptors (μ-ORs) play a critical role in the modulation of pain and mediate the effects of the most powerful analgesic drugs. Despite extensive efforts, it remains insufficiently understood how μ-ORs produce specific effects in living cells. We developed new fluorescent ligands based on the μ-OR antagonist E-p-nitrocinnamoylamino-dihydrocodeinone (CACO), that display high affinity, long residence time and pronounced selectivity. Using these ligands, we achieved single-molecule imaging of μ-ORs on the surface of living cells at physiological expression levels. Our results reveal a high heterogeneity in the diffusion of μ-ORs, with a relevant immobile fraction. Using a pair of fluorescent ligands of different color, we provide evidence that μ-ORs interact with each other to form short-lived homodimers on the plasma membrane. This approach provides a new strategy to investigate μ-OR pharmacology at single-molecule level.     

Prefolded Synthetic G‐Quartets Display Enhanced Bioinspired Properties

A water‐soluble template‐assembled synthetic G‐quartet (TASQ) based on the use of a macrocyclodecapeptide scaffold was designed to display stable intramolecular folds alone in solution. The preformation of the guanine quartet, demonstrated by NMR and CD investigations, results in enhanced peroxidase‐type biocatalytic activities and improved quadruplex‐interacting properties. Comparison of its DNAzyme‐boosting properties with the ones of previously published TASQ revealed that, nowadays, it is the best DNAzyme‐boosting agent.     

Energy band structure of TiO2 and it's dependence on uniaxial stress

The electronic band structure of titanium dioxyde is calculated. The evolution of the levels and of the optical transitions under an uniaxial stress along the c axis has also been calculated.We confirm the existence, of a first order forbidden direct optical gap, and of a maximum along the Δ direction; the theoretical pressure coefficients ?E/?P for the Γ⁺₇ → Γ⁺₆ and Δ₅ (max) → Γ⁺₆ transitions are respectively 0.600 and 0.950 meV kbar^-1 while the corresponding experimental values are 0.625 and 0.985 meV kbar^-1.     

Mechanical relaxations in polypropylene: A new experimental and theoretical approach

Accurate dynamic mechanical measurements have been performed on semicrystalline isotactic polypropylene over wide ranges of temperature and frequency. A mechanical model has been used to analyze experimental results in order to separate the behavior of amorphous and crystalline phases. The two main α and β relaxation processes have been analyzed. The β relaxation, related to the glass-rubber transition of the amorphous fraction, has been studied with the help of a physical model. The behavior is similar to that of a wholly amorphous polymer, with two characteristics: a high rubbery plateau, indicating a crosslinking effect by the crystalline phase, and a strong effect of interfaces in shear strain. Experimental data suggest the α relaxation originates within the crystalline phase and that it can be attributed to diffusion of defects. The amorphous phase plays an important role in this process, because it has to adapt itself by cooperative movements to respect the compatibility of deformations of the two phases. The formalism developed here rationalizes experimental results obtained with samples having different thermal histories.