Application of multiple sensory evaluations to produce fermented beverages made from sole whey using Kluyveromyces marxianus

Various fermented whey-based beverages have been developed to reduce waste. However, approaches to increase the preference of whey-based beverages are required because of the low sensory acceptability of whey. Here, we identified the better starting material (whey type), between raw whey (RW) and demineralised whey (DMW), and determined the optimal initial concentration using multiple sensory evaluations to develop acceptable fermented beverages made from sole whey with pure cultured Kluyveromyces marxianus (i.e. without additional ingredients and processing methods). Acceptance tests showed that fermented beverages made from DMW were superior to RW as the starting material. The amounts of ethanol produced were 5.0%, 7.6% and 9.5% v/v from the different initial DMW concentrations of 10%, 15% and 20% w/v, respectively. We observed a significant positive correlation (r_s = 0.32, P < 0.05) between the assessment attributes, strength of taste as alcohol beverage and overall acceptability, indicating that higher concentrations of DMW yielded a more desirable product.     

An assay method for nitric oxide-related compounds in whole blood

The tibialis anterior muscle and soleus muscle of apolipoprotein-E-deficient mice were examined by light and electron microscopy. By light microscopy, sarcoplasmic inclusions were seen in tibialis anterior muscle and 40% of type 2 myofibers were affected in all animals over 8 months of age. These inclusions reacted for nonspecific esterase, cytochrome oxidase, and myoadenylate deaminase and were also periodic acid Schiff positive and stained basophilic with hematoxylin. Moreover, they reacted immunocytochemically with an antibody specific to fragment 17 to 24 of the published sequence of Alzheimer's cerebrovascular amyloid peptide. Immunoreactivity was lost when the antibody was adsorbed with the appropriate synthetic peptide. Ultrastructurally, the inclusions consisted of tubular arrays and were similar to those observed in human muscle in several pathological conditions. In type 1 myofibers of both tibialis anterior and soleus muscle, however, mitochondrial abnormalities including an increase in their number and size were detected, but tubular aggregates were not seen. These large mitochondria possessed an electron-dense inner chamber with an increased number of tightly packed cristae. The results obtained suggest that in these mice there is a disturbed lipid metabolism in skeletal muscle fibers that manifests itself with an accumulation of phospholipid in the form of sarcoplasmic reticulum tubules in the type 2 fibers and enlarged mitochondria with tightly packed cristae in the type 1 fibers. In addition, beta-amyloid protein was closely associated with the accumulated tubules and vesicles of sarcoplasmic reticulum and may represent dysregulation of amyloid precursor protein metabolism.     

The spatial distribution of Zn during galvanic corrosion of a Zn/steel couple

The spatial distribution of Zn²⁺ during galvanic corrosion of a model Zn/steel couple in 0.01 M NaCl was investigated using a scanning zinc disk electrode. The couple had a coplanar arrangement of a steel substrate with an electroplated zinc layer at the center. During galvanic corrosion, the marked changes in the Zn²⁺ concentration were confined to a thin solution layer ca. 1.0 mm thick above the couple surface. In this thin solution layer above the zinc layer, a higher concentration region of Zn²⁺ in the range of 5-18 mM extended around the zinc layer in the solution during galvanic corrosion. Conversely, above the steel surface distant from the zinc layer, the surface concentration of Zn²⁺ was almost zero during galvanic corrosion. On this surface, the precipitation of zinc corrosion products due to the hydrolysis reaction of Zn²⁺ was observed. The distribution of the Zn²⁺ concentration supported that Zn²⁺ acted as a buffer that suppressed the increased pH due to the cathodic reaction on the steel surface near the zinc layer and almost no corrosion products formed there. The spatial distribution of Zn²⁺ is discussed in relation to the distributions of potential and pH and the surface morphology of the galvanic couple.     

A 45 nm 2-port 8T-SRAM Using Hierarchical Replica Bitline Technique With Immunity From Simultaneous R/W Access Issues

We propose a new 2-port SRAM with a single read bit line (SRBL) eight transistors (8 T) memory cell for a 45 nm system-on-a-chip (SoC). Access time tends to be slower as a fabrication is scaled down because of threshold voltage (V_t) random variations. A divided read bit line scheme with shared local amplifier (DBSA) realizes fast access time without increasing area penalty. We also show an additional important issue of a simultaneous read and write (R/W) access at the same row by using DBSA with the SRBL-8T cell. A rise of the storage node causes misreading. A read end detecting replica circuit (RER) and a local read bit line dummy capacitance (LDC) are introduced to solve this issue. A 128 bit lines - 512 word lines 64 kb 2-port SRAM macro using these schemes was fabricated by a 45 nm bulk CMOS low-standby-power (LSTP) CMOS process technology [1]. The memory cell size is 0.597 mum². This 2-port SRAM macro achieves 7 times faster access time without misreading.     

Nano-strip grating lines self-organized by a high speed scanning CW laser

After a laser annealing experiment on Si wafer, we found an asymmetric sheet resistance on the surface of the wafer. Periodic nano-strip grating lines (nano-SGLs) were self-organized along the trace of one-time scanning of the continuous wave (CW) laser. Depending on laser power, the nano-trench formed with a period ranging from 500 to 800 nm with a flat trough between trench structures. This simple method of combining the scanning laser with high scanning speed of 300 m min(-1) promises a large area of nanostructure fabrication with a high output. As a demonstration of the versatile method, concentric circles were drawn on silicon substrate rotated by a personal computer (PC) cooling fan. Even with such a simple system, the nano-SGL showed iridescence from the concentric circles.     

Aortic valve prolapse and aortic regurgitation associated with subpulmonic ventricular septal defect

The natural development of aortic valve deformity was studied in 315 patients with subpulmonic ventricular septal defect. The patients with early development of aortic regurgitation had a pulmonary-to-systemic flow ratio of > 1.5, normal right ventricular pressure, and severe aortic regurgitation.     

A 28 μm water-vapor laser interferometer for plasma diagnostics

A high-power CW 27.972 μm water-vapor laser has been developed for interferometric and polarimetric measurements of plasmas. The maximum output power and the power density in the cavity of the laser with 2.0 cm bore and 220 cm length reach 85 mW and 109 μW/cm³, respectively. An interferometer using this laser is constructed and its performance is examined as a study on polarimetric method of magnetic field measurement. Preliminary interferometric experiments are also carried out on a compact toroidal plasma with field-reversal configuration.     

A case of severe cytomegalovirus infection after the repair of coarctation of aorta

We report a 2-month-old boy without any immuno-compromised diseases, who suffered from the severe cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection after the subclavian flap aortoplasty and pulmonary artery banding for coarctation complex. He underwent the operation at 2 months old and received 2 units of irradiated packed red blood cells before and after the surgery. His postoperative course was uneventful but the interstitial pneumonitis, until he developed watery diarrhea 10 days after the surgery following hepatitis with the marked hepatomegaly 3 weeks after. Since CMV infection was confirmed as the cause of the pneumonitis, enterocolitis and hepatitis, he was initially treated by gamma-globulin with the high CMV titer at a dose of 200 mg/kg/day for 2 days and ganciclovir at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day for 14 days. Because of the persistent CMV infection, he needed two more treatments of ganciclovir at the same dosage and gamma-globulin once a week for 2 months. He finally recovered from severe CMV infection 5 months after the above treatments. In conclusion, the severe CMV infection can occur by blood transfusion even in the surgical case with normal immune system. If one finds pneumonitis, hepatitis or enterocolitis after any type of surgery with history of blood transfusion, CMV infection should be suspected as the cause of these diseases.