Bioelectrochemical determination of lactic and malic acids in wine

Electroanalytical methods based on biosensor technology and differential pH measurement for the determination of l-lactic and l-malic acids in wine were developed. Lactic acid was determined according to two procedures consisting of the use of two lactate electrochemical biosensors, one based on a Clark O(2) probe and the other based on the H(2)O(2) probe. The two probes were assembled employing a polymeric membrane where the enzyme lactate oxidase was previously immobilized. Both sensors exhibited high storage and operational stabilities, and good reproducibility when used in wine matrix. Measurement of lactate was carried out using two different flow-through cells assembled with the lactate probes. The low detection limit of these probes and the relatively high concentration of lactate in wine samples required a serial dilution in the range 1:100 to 1:200, thus eliminating all potential electrochemical or enzyme interferences present in the sample. Malic acid was determined using a differential commercially available pH-meter and an enzymatic procedure. For this analysis, we employed the malic enzyme (EC 1.1.1.40) and the NADP(+) cofactor. The pH variation due to the action of this enzyme on malic acid was found to be proportional to the malic acid present in the sample. Experimental parameters such as pH, temperature, and co-factor concentration were optimized, resulting in malate determination in less than 1 min with good reproducibility. Various samples of wine and wine musts were assayed for lactate with the two biosensor procedures, and for malate with differential pH-metry. The results when compared with those obtained with the commonly used spectrophotometric procedure correlated well.     

Highly enantioselective Mannich reactions with α-aryl silyl ketene acetals and imines

Mannich reactions with chiral silicon Lewis acid activated acylhydrazones and α-aryl silyl ketene acetals and α-aryl,α-alkyl silyl ketene imines proceed efficiently and with good to excellent levels of both diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity. The reactions provide access to α-aryl,β-hydrazido esters and α-aryl,α-alkyl,β-hydrazido nitriles, which are valuable analogs of β-amino acids.     

Kinetic resolution of alpha-acetoxy N-acyl oxazolidinethiones by a chiral O-nucleophilic acyl transfer catalyst

The kinetic resolution of alpha-acetoxy N-acyl oxazolidinethiones using the chiral, nonracemic O-nucleophilic acyl transfer catalyst 8 is described. The reaction proceeds on a variety of substrates in excellent yields, with s-factors ranging from 17 to 31.     

A proteomic approach to study protein variation in GM durum wheat in relation to technological properties of semolina

Genetic manipulation of durum wheats by tobacco rab-1 genes influence the trafficking of gluten proteins through the secretory system by up- or down-regulating the transport step from the ER to the Golgi apparatus which may in turn modify functional performance of the grain. Gluten proteins were extracted from two genetically manipulated lines - Svevo B730 1-1 and Ofanto B688 1-2 - and their control lines and were analyzed by two dimensional gel electrophoresis. When the two-dimensional maps were compared by image analysis no significant differences between the GM line with an up-regulated trafficking containing the wild type tobacco rab1 (Svevo B730 1-1) and its control (Svevo control). By contrast, significant differences were found between the GM line with a down-regulated trafficking due to the tobacco rab1 mutant form (Ofanto B688 1-2) and its control (Ofanto control). Of the new protein spots detected in the down-regulated Ofanto B688 1-2 map, only a beta-amylase was identified. The remaining spots were susceptible to chymotripsin action but not to trypsin one, as in the case of the gluten protein. Rheological measurements showed that gluten quality was enhanced in the down-regulated Ofanto B688 1-2 without an increase in the amount of gluten. Proteomics is a useful and powerful tool for investigating protein changes in GMOs and in understanding events in food science and technology.     

Simple Zeros of the Riemann Zeta-Function

Assuming the Riemann Hypothesis, Montgomery showed by meansof his pair correlation method that at least two-thirds of thezeros of Riemann's zeta-function are simple. Later he and Taylorimproved this to 67.25 percent and, more recently, Cheer andGoldston increased the percentage to 67.2753. Here we proveby a new method that if the Riemann and Generalized LindelöofHypotheses hold, then at least 70.3704 percent of the zerosare simple and at least 84.5679 percent are distinct. Our methoduses mean value estimates for various functions defined by Dirichletseries sampled at the zeros of the Riemann zeta-function. 1991Mathematics Subject Classification: 11M26.     

Klein–Gordon and Dirac Equations in de Sitter Space–Time

We present and discuss the Klein–Gordonand Dirac wave equations in the de Sitter universe. Toobtain the Dirac wave equation we use the factorizationof the second-order invariant Casimir operatorassociated to the Fantappie–de Sitter group. Boththe Klein–Gordon and Dirac wave equations arediscussed in terms of the spherical harmonics with spinweight. A particular case of Dirac wave equation issolved in terms of a new class of polynomials.