Effects of Fermentation Conditions Using Lactobacillus plantarum on the Charantin, Stigmasterol Glucoside and ß-sitosterol Glucoside Contents of Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.) Juice.

Bitter gourd fruits contain high amounts of charantin, stigmasterol glucoside and ß-sitosterol glucoside, which have been shown to provide health benefits for humans. However, the bitterness of the fruit means they are rarely consumed. This study aimed to assess the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation, which has previously been reported to effectively reduce bitterness, on the contents of these compounds. The current results suggest that Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation should be considered as a potential approach to enhance the levels of these compounds in bitter gourd juice.

Anomalous cutaneous absorption of allergens as cause of skin prick testing adverse reactions in adult patients. Clinical and experimental evidence.

BACKGROUND: Paediatric age, active eczema and high number of allergens tested in poly-sensitized patients have been pinpointed as possible risk factors of systemic reactions by skin prick testing. As far as atopic eczema concerns, the higher penetration of the allergens into the skin because of the scraping or micro-injuries is an intuitive rationalization. Purpose of the present study is to provide documentary evidence that adverse reactions elicited by anomalous absorption of allergens can occur also in adult patients with apparently normal skin. METHODS: Report of some exemplifying clinical and experimental observations. Measuring the inoculum volume into impaired skin and its variability in relation to the variation of the chemical-physical characteristic of the solutions used for the tests by means of a method of direct assay based on the use of a gamma-camera. RESULTS: Localized impairments of the skin permeability can cause a significant increase in inoculum volume by prick-test. Critical amounts of allergens can be introduced into the skin because of the possibility of direct absorption, also without pricking, of allergy diagnostic solutions. The greater water content of the solutions used for prick-testing can significantly increase the inoculum volume. CONCLUSIONS: This study adds clinical and experimental evidences that localized impairments of permeability can occur in adult patients with apparently normal skin. Special precautions should be taken when a change of the drops' normal shape and cohesion is seen, because allergy prick-testing in such areas is potentially associated with increased risk of large local or systemic reactions.

Process parametric study for COD removal of electroplating industry effluent.

This paper investigated the effects of parameters, like inoculum size (15, 10 and 5% of the working volume of the reactor), gas velocities (0.0027, 0.00342 and 0.0068 m/s), bed heights (0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 m), static bed heights (4.85 and 2.43 cm), sizes of solid media particles (12, 4 mm), and the height to diameter ratio (H/D: 0.25 and 0.5) onto COD reduction process for electroplating effluent (initial COD values: 1140 ppm) using Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida. The authors derived simple mathematical correlations representing the entire COD reduction process. The correlation between the inoculum volume and gas velocities was in the form of an equation Y = ax2 + bx + c, as deduced from nonlinear regressions. The correlations were validated, and percentage errors were found out to infer the effects of all parameters in the COD reduction process. The maximum COD reduction was achieved to 28.30 ppm (97.52%), in a batch mode, at 10% inoculum size, 0.0027 m/s low gas velocity and a static bed height of 2.43 cm.

Yield and rheological properties of exopolysaccharide from a local isolate: Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate gum productivity of a local strain, Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria, isolated from pepper plant, and its rheological behavior for the first time compared to the standard strain, Xanthomonas campestris DSM 19000 (NRRL B-1459). The influence of operational conditions (agitation rate and inoculum volume) on gum production and rheological properties of gums from the Xanthomonas strains were investigated. Results: The isolated strain of Xanthomonas showed similar xanthan yield compared to the standard strain. Furthermore, this study clearly confirmed that gum yield depended on bacterial strain, agitation rate, and inoculum size. The most suitable conditions for the gum production in an orbital shaker in terms of agitation rate and inoculum size were 180 rpm and 5%, respectively, resulting in an average production of 10.96 and 11.19 g/L for X. axonopodis pv.vesicatoria and X. campestris DSM 19000, respectively. Regarding the rheological properties, Ostwald-de-Waele and power law models were used to describe flow and oscillatory behavior of the gum solutions, respectively. Consistency of the novel gum solution remarkably was much higher than the commercial xanthan gum solution. Flow and oscillatory behavior and their temperature ramps showed that weak gel-like structure could be obtained with less gum concentrations when the novel gum was used. Conclusion: Therefore, yield and technological properties of the aqueous solutions of the exopolysaccharide synthesized by X. axonopodis pv. vesicatoria were observed to be more suitable for industrial production.

Influence of Inoculum Preparation and Volume on Growth of Mycotoxigenic Molds.

The influence of the volume and the aw of the inoculum, adjusted or not with glycerol to the aw of the medium, on growth of mycotoxigenic species of fungi was determined for Aspergillus flavus , Aspergillus ochraceus , Penicillium citrinum , Penicillium viridicatum , Fusarium tricinctum and Microdochium nivale . Statistical analysis of the data was based on the application of multivariate techniques. It was seen that at constant volumes (10 µl), P. viridicatum , A. ochraceus and M. nivale show no significant growth differences whether or not the aw of the inoculum is adjusted; but significant differences were observed with A. flavus , P. citrinum and F. tricinctum . Moreover, significant differences in growth between adjusted and unadjusted aw levels are also present when there are different inoculum volumes for A. flavus and P. citrinum . Thus, it is appropriate to adjust the inoculum to the same aw level as that of the medium or the food to be considered. In all cases, where significant differences were present, greater colony diameters were observed when the aw was adjusted. With the same inoculum preparation, different inoculum volumes also affect fungus growth, producing greater colony diameters with increments in the volume.