186,542 research outputs found
Seasonal Variations of Milk Composition of Sarda and Saanen Dairy Goats
Traditionally, in Mediterranean areas the goat population was composed of autochthonous breeds with strong milk production seasonality. In the last decades, high productive alpine breeds were introduced together with more widespread out-of-season milk production practices. This study is a large-scale survey on the seasonal variations of the main compositional characteristics of goat milk obtained from Sarda and Saanen breeds reared on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia (Italy). Analysis of data indicated that milk from the Sarda breed was significantly richer, at p < 0.001, in protein, fat, and lactose, and had a lower urea mean content than Saanen. Throughout the year, fluctuations of mean contents of the milk parameters were similar for the two groups of goats, indicating that, besides genetic intrinsic differences, climate and herbage growth influenced the Sarda as well as the Saanen goats. During the summer, milk from Saanen showed a marked drop in fat and protein contents, with 21% of samples showing a fat-to-protein ratio <1. No significant differences were found for the somatic cell count; however, the Sarda breed showed a higher bacterial count, suggesting improper milk handling and/or storage equipment more frequently encountered in extensive and semi-extensive farm systems
Characterization of the medium infrared spectra of polyphenols of red and white wines by integrating FT IR and UV–Vis spectral data
Infrared spectroscopy is widely applied in the wine sector. The medium infrared (MIR) spectral region between 1800 and 900 cm-1 is very informative for polyphenols. Aim of this work was to perform an in-depth analysis of this spectral region of polyphenolic wine extracts. To this goal evolution of the polyphenolic fractions of white (Vermentino) and red (Cannonau) typical Sardinian wines was studied during wine-making. Wine polyphenolic extracts, obtained by solid phase extraction, were analyzed by Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) and UV–Vis spectroscopy. Spectral data from the two techniques were integrated and results depicted as Heat Map of the correlation coefficient values allowing a more accurate characterization of the MIR fingerprint region. For Cannonau, correlations between absorptions in the 420–650 and 380 nm visible spectral ranges allowed assignment of MIR peaks to anthocyanins (1016 and 1198 cm-1) and flavonols (1159 and 1277 cm-1), respectively. In Vermentino we identified MIR bands due to non-flavonols and others arising from flavonols (1376 and 1407 cm-1), present in this white wine where vinification allows short time contact with grape skins. During time, intensities of MIR bands at lower frequencies assigned to the sugar moiety of glycosylated phenols decreased in both wines
Effect of biventricular pacing on ventilatory and perceptual responses to exercise in patients with stable chronic heart failure
Laveneziana P, O'Donnell DE, Ofir D, Agostoni P, Padeletti L, Ricciardi G, Palange P, Duranti R, Scano G. Effect of biventricular pacing on ventilatory and perceptual responses to exercise in patients with stable chronic heart failure. J Appl Physiol 106: 1574-1583, 2009. First published February 26, 2009; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.90744.2008.-Despite the growing evidence supporting the use of biventricular cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), the mechanisms whereby acute hemodynamic improvements lead to improved exertional dyspnea are not precisely known. We hypothesized that improved cardiac function and ventilation-perfusion relations following CRT would reduce ventilatory demand, thereby improving dynamic operating lung volumes and enhancing tidal volume expansion during exercise. This, in turn, would be expected to reduce perceived exertional dyspnea and contribute to improved exercise performance. In a randomized, double-blind, crossover study, we compared cardiovascular, metabolic, ventilatory responses (breathing pattern, operating lung volumes, pulmonary gas exchange) and exertional symptoms in seven stable CHF patients who undertook incremental cardiopulmonary cycle exercise test with CRT switched to the "on" (CRT(on)) or "off" (CRT(off)) modality. Following CRT(on), peak oxygen uptake was significantly increased by 15%, and dyspnea ratings were lower for a given work rate (at work rate of 40 W, dyspnea = 1 +/- 0.4 vs. 2.5 +/- 0.9 Borg units, P < 0.05) and ventilation (at ventilation of 31 l/min, dyspnea = 2 +/- 0.7 vs. 3.3 +/- 1.1 Borg units, P < 0.05). CRT(on) was associated with improvements in ventilatory threshold, oxygen pulse, and oxygen uptake/work rate relationships (10.2 +/- 1 vs. 7.9 +/- 1.3 ml.min(-1).W(-1), P < 0.05). CRT(on) reduced the ventilatory requirement during exercise as well as the steepness of ventilation-CO(2) production slope (35 +/- 4 vs. 45 +/- 7, P < 0.05). Changes in end-expiratory lung volume during exercise were less with CRT(on) than with CRT(off) (0.12 vs. 0.37 liter, P < 0.05), and breathing pattern was correspondingly slower and deeper. Biventricular pacing improved all noninvasive indexes of cardiac function and oxygen delivery during exercise. The decreased ventilatory demand, improved dynamic operating lung volumes, and the increased ability to expand tidal volume during exercise are potential factors in the reduction of exertional dyspnea
NMR metabolite profiles of dairy: A review
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, which is one of the most powerful “omics” analytical platforms, has been broadly adopted recently in foodomics. 1H NMR has been applied to the study of the metabolite profile of dairy products throughout the supply chain, in relation to different aspects such as animal health, milk quality, geographical origin and cheese ripening process. This review reports and discusses the literature on the topic, also collecting the identified metabolites in a descriptive table and depicting them in a Venn diagram for both milk and cheese; moreover, experimental details of the reviewed papers have been reported. The present review provides an exhaustive state-of-the-art in the field of dairy products, addressing both NMR experts and non-experts to the still unexplored potential applications of NMR in dairy characterisation, and in general in foodomics
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