Large-scale enzymatic membrane reactors for tetracycline degradation in WWTP effluents.

A mathematical model to simulate the performance of enzymatic membrane reactors was developed. It was applied to investigate the effectiveness of laccase immobilized over ceramic membranes for the degradation of tetracycline, a common antibiotic appearing as micropollutant in effluents of WWTPs. A process based on large-scale enzymatic membrane reactors in series was proposed for the treatment of the effluents from municipal, hospital and industrial wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The obtained results demonstrated the need for high improvements in the amount of enzyme grafted on the membranes or on enzymatic kinetics to afford the technical and economic competitiveness of the investigated designs and the possibility to be implemented within existing installations.

Relating dynamic perception of reformulated cheese pies to consumers' expectations of satiating ability.

Designing satiating food is not an easy task. Food reformulation is normally done by altering the proportion of basic ingredients or by adding new minor ingredients. In general, the texture varies concomitantly with these changes, altering the way the food is processed orally and the complete eating experience. This highlights the interest of discovering how variations in minor ingredients influence texture and how this affects the dynamics of the oral trajectory. Six cheese pie formulations were prepared: basic recipe (Base), no egg (-Egg), no corn starch (-Corn starch) no sugar (-Sugar), added diary cream (+Cream) and extra skimmed milk powder (+Milk powder). Temporal dominance of sensations was used to show that the appearance and disappearance of each texture sensation dominance experienced in the mouth during the eating process differed among the six pies, as did their relation to the consumers' expectation of satiating capacity scores and to the changes in composition. Two extreme behaviors were found: suppression of egg/addition of extra milk powder made the pies initially drier and harder, while suppression of corn starch/addition of cream gave the samples a soft, moist early sensation. The former elicited higher expectations of satiating capacity. In addition, overall liking, liking evolving with time (dynamic liking) and the level of several key texture attributes' divergence from those of an "ideal" cheese pie were evaluated on bipolar just-about-right scales and through penalty analysis to gain insights into potential directions for reformulating acceptable pies.

Relating the effects of protein type and content in increased-protein cheese pies to consumers' perception of satiating capacity.

Since proteins have been shown to have the highest satiation-inducing effects of all the macronutrients, increasing the protein level is one of the main strategies for designing foods with enhanced satiating capacity. However, few studies analyze the effect that protein addition has on the texture and flavor characteristics of the target food item to relate it to the expected satiating capacity it elicits. The present work studied cheese pies with three levels of soy and whey proteins. Since the protein level altered the rheological behavior of the batters before baking and the texture of the baked pies, the feasibility of adding several protein levels for obtaining a range of final products was investigated. A check-all-that-apply questionnaire containing 32 sensory and non-sensory characteristics of the samples was given to consumers (n = 131) who also scored the perceived samples' satiating capacity. The results showed that the type and content of protein contributed distinctive sensory characteristics to the samples that could be related to their satiating capacity perception. Harder and drier samples (high protein levels) were perceived as more satiating with less perceptible sweet and milky cheese pie characteristic flavors. Soy contributed an off-flavour. These results will contribute to a better understanding of the interrelation of all these factors, aiding the development of highly palatable solid foods with enhanced satiating capacities.

Caracterización de la condición periodontal de pacientes adultos con obesidad / Characterization of the periodontal condition in obese adults

La periodontitis es una enfermedad inflamatoria que puede evolucionar hasta la pérdida dentaria. En la presente investigación se caracterizó la condición periodontal de 30 adultos con obesidad, atendidos en el Instituto de Investigaciones en Nutrición (INVESNUT) de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Carabobo y de un grupo control conformado por 15 adultos normo-peso. Los adultos fueron evaluados clínica y odontológicamente, mediante antropometría (Talla, Peso, IMC, circunferencia abdominal) y los índices: índice de higiene oral simplificado (IHOS), índice de gingivitis (IG), índice de sangramiento gingival (IGB "gingival bleeding index"). El grupo de estudio mostró diferencias significativas para IG, IGB IHOS con respecto al control, el análisis de correlación de Pearson para las variables IMC, circunferencia abdominal y las variables sobre la condición periodontal (IG, IGB) mostraron asociación positiva y significativa, aunque se no se observó correlación para las variables IMC y circunferencia abdominal con IHOS. Se concluye que los pacientes obesos presentan una peor condición periodontal y que su higiene oral no corresponde con el estado inflamatorio del periodonto...

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease that may progress to tooth loss. The objective of this research was to characterize the periodontal condition of 30 obese adults treated at the Nutrition Research Institute (INVESNUT), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Carabobo and of a control group of 15 normal-weight adults. All participants were assessed clinically and dentally by anthropometry (Height, weight, BMI, abdominal circumference) and indexes: simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S), gingivitis index (GI) gingival bleeding index (GBI). The study group showed significant differences for GI, GBI, OHI-S relative to the control, and a significant positive association (Pearson correlation analysis) for BMI, abdominal circumference, GI and GBI, showed, although no correlation was observed to the variables BMI, abdominal circumference with OHI-S. It is concluded that obese patients have a worse periodontal condition, but oral hygiene does not correspond to the inflammatory state of the periodontium...

Eschericia coli identificadas en pacientes con infecciones urinarias: sensibilidad antimicrobiana / Eschericia coli identified in patients with urinary infections: antimicrobial sensivity

Eschericia Coli es el microorganismo que con mayor frecuencia ocasiona infecciones del tracto urinario. Se le considera responsable del 90 por ciento de estas infecciones. El diagnóstico de certeza de las infecciones urinarias se efectúa por la identificación de bacteriuria significativa

The effect of using different levels of shrimp meal in broiler diets.

The objective of this study was to measure the effect of substituting different levels of shrimp meal (SM) for soybean meal (SBM) in broiler diets. In Experiment 1, 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40% of the crude protein contributed by the SBM in broiler diets was substituted by crude protein from SM. In Experiment 2, 0, 60, 80, and 100% of the crude protein contributed by SBM in broiler diets was replaced by crude protein from SM. Body weight, cumulative feed consumption, and feed conversion (feed:gain) were determined on a weekly basis for 49 d in Experiment 1 and 42 d in Experiment 2. Mortality was reported daily. Carcass weight and percentage yield were determined on a prechilled basis. In Experiment 1, no significant differences were found for body weight, feed consumption, feed conversion, mortality, carcass weight, or yield. In the second experiment, body weight was found to be significantly higher (P < 0.01) at 21, 28, 35, and 42 d of age in treatments in which SM was introduced at a 100% substitution for SBM. Growth responses to SM were also seen at lower levels of substitution at 21, 28, and 35 d. No significant differences were observed for feed consumption, feed conversion, mortality, or carcass yield for any of the treatments. Carcass weight increased significantly by 12.1% when SM was substituted 100% for SBM. Results of the present study show that the particular SM used in this study could partially or totally replace SBM in broiler diets without negatively affecting performance or carcass quality.

A fully automated flow injection atomic absorption system for the determination of copper traces in waters with on-line pre-concentration in an ion-exchange column.

The paper describes the development of an automatic on-line column pre-concentration technique using a time based-flow injection atomic absorption spectrometry system. A manifold incorporating a micro-column containing 25 mg of Dowex 50W-X8 was used with a time-based injector for the pre-concentration and determination of copper in natural and drinking waters. The system features depend on the alternate positions of a solenoid valve. The 3sigma detection limits, enrichment factors, sampling frequency, relative standard deviations and linear calibration graphs were, respectively, in the range 0.6-1.5 mug/l, 25-60, 15-30 measurements/h, 1.0-3.1% and 1-65 mug/ml for pre-concentration times of 1 min. The procedure was successfully applied to a range of water samples and the accuracy was assessed through recovery experiments, the analysis of certified reference water samples and by independent analysis by atomic absorption spectrometry with electrothermal atomization.

Denervation produces supersensitivity of a serotonergically innervated structure.

The lateral ciliated gill epithelium of Mytilus edulis was denervated physically and chemically with 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine. Lateral ciliary activity which is under excitatory serotonergic control displayed an increased response to superfusion with serotonin after both treatment, as compared to controls. Endogenous serotonin levels were reduced by these treatments. An increase in maximal cilioexcitatory response was also noted.