scholarly journals Phenotyping Green and Roasted Beans of Nicaraguan Coffea Arabica Varieties Processed with Different Post-Harvest Practices

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 11779
Author(s):  
Gaia Meoni ◽  
Claudio Luchinat ◽  
Enrico Gotti ◽  
Alejandro Cadena ◽  
Leonardo Tenori
Keyword(s):  
Geographical Area ◽  
Coffee Bean ◽  
Proof Of Concept ◽  
Roasted Coffee ◽  
Fermentation Time ◽  
Post Harvest ◽  
Comprehensive Information ◽  
Time Type ◽  
Coffee Species

Metabolomics techniques have already been used to characterize two of the most common coffee species, C. arabica and C. canephora, but no studies have focused on the characterization of green and roasted coffee varieties of a certain species. We aim to provide, using NMR-based metabolomics, detailed and comprehensive information regarding the compositional differences of seven coffee varieties (C. arabica) of green and roasted coffee bean batches from Nicaragua. We also evaluate how different varieties react to the same post-harvest procedures such as fermentation time, type of drying and roasting. The study characterises the metabolomic profile of seven different Arabica varieties (Bourbon-typica) enabling us also to assess the possible use of an NMR spectra of bean aqueous extracts to recognize different farms, even from the same geographical area (Nueva Segovia). Here, we also evaluated the effect of post-harvest procedures such as fermentation time and type of drying on green and roasted coffee, suggesting that post-harvest procedures can be responsible for different flavours. This study provides proof of concept for the ability of NMR to phenotype coffee, helping to authenticate and optimise the best way of processing coffee.

scholarly journals Characterization of design grammar of peptides for regulating liquid droplets and aggregates of FUS

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiyoto Kamagata ◽  
Rika Chiba ◽  
Ichiro Kawahata ◽  
Nanako Iwaki ◽  
Saori Kanbayashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Amyloid Fibrils ◽  
Droplet Formation ◽  
Liquid Droplets ◽  
Proof Of Concept ◽  
Aggregate Formation ◽  
Fused In Sarcoma ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

AbstractLiquid droplets of aggregation-prone proteins, which become hydrogels or form amyloid fibrils, are a potential target for drug discovery. In this study, we proposed an experiment-guided protocol for characterizing the design grammar of peptides that can regulate droplet formation and aggregation. The protocol essentially involves investigation of 19 amino acid additives and polymerization of the identified amino acids. As a proof of concept, we applied this protocol to fused in sarcoma (FUS). First, we evaluated 19 amino acid additives for an FUS solution and identified Arg and Tyr as suppressors of droplet formation. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that the Arg additive interacts with specific residues of FUS, thereby inhibiting the cation–π and electrostatic interactions between the FUS molecules. Second, we observed that Arg polymers promote FUS droplet formation, unlike Arg monomers, by bridging the FUS molecules. Third, we found that the Arg additive suppressed solid aggregate formation of FUS, while Arg polymer enhanced it. Finally, we observed that amyloid-forming peptides induced the conversion of FUS droplets to solid aggregates of FUS. The developed protocol could be used for the primary design of peptides controlling liquid droplets and aggregates of proteins.

scholarly journals Chemical Analysis, Toxicity Study, and Free-Radical Scavenging and Iron-Binding Assays Involving Coffee (Coffea arabica) Extracts

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (14) ◽  
pp. 4169
Author(s):  
Nuntouchaporn Hutachok ◽  
Pimpisid Koonyosying ◽  
Tanachai Pankasemsuk ◽  
Pongsak Angkasith ◽  
Chaiwat Chumpun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Free Radical ◽  
Mononuclear Cells ◽  
Radical Scavenging ◽  
Free Radical Scavenging ◽  
Chemical Compositions ◽  
Coffee Bean ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Roasted Coffee ◽  
Instant Coffee ◽  
Radical Scavenging Properties

We aimed to analyze the chemical compositions in Arabica coffee bean extracts, assess the relevant antioxidant and iron-chelating activities in coffee extracts and instant coffee, and evaluate the toxicity in roasted coffee. Coffee beans were extracted using boiling, drip-filtered and espresso brewing methods. Certain phenolics were investigated including trigonelline, caffeic acid and their derivatives, gallic acid, epicatechin, chlorogenic acid (CGA) and their derivatives, p-coumaroylquinic acid, p-coumaroyl glucoside, the rutin and syringic acid that exist in green and roasted coffee extracts, along with dimethoxycinnamic acid, caffeoylarbutin and cymaroside that may be present in green coffee bean extracts. Different phytochemicals were also detected in all of the coffee extracts. Roasted coffee extracts and instant coffees exhibited free-radical scavenging properties in a dose-dependent manner, for which drip coffee was observed to be the most effective (p < 0.05). All coffee extracts, instant coffee varieties and CGA could effectively bind ferric ion in a concentration-dependent manner resulting in an iron-bound complex. Roasted coffee extracts were neither toxic to normal mononuclear cells nor breast cancer cells. The findings indicate that phenolics, particularly CGA, could effectively contribute to the iron-chelating and free-radical scavenging properties observed in coffee brews. Thus, coffee may possess high pharmacological value and could be utilized as a health beverage.

scholarly journals Agronomic and post-harvest characterization of three quality protein maize (QPM) hybrids developed in Ghana

2001 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
E.A. Asiedu ◽  
P.Y.K. Sallah ◽  
S. Twumasi-Afriyie ◽  
K. Obeng-Antwi ◽  
K. Ahenkora ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Protein Maize ◽  
Post Harvest

Area Studies and Desire: Towards a Genealogy

1997 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-65
Author(s):  
Hye-Joon Yoon
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Culture ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Area Studies ◽  
Western Area ◽  
The World ◽  
38Th Parallel ◽  
The One

Area studies, as a newly fashionable field of academic research, needs to recognize its less likely precedents if it is going to secure for itself a fresh start. The question of “desire” is relevant here because it indicates the less value-free aspects in its genealogy. As shown in Emma Bovary's embellished representation of Paris at her provincial home, an understanding of an area often reflects the particular needs and desires of the one who understands that area. Such restricted and restricting views of an area repeats itself outside the world of literary fictions, as is shown by the example of Guizot's picture of Europe in which his own country is given a privileged place as the very center of Western civilization itself. An instructive case showing the thin line between the projected desire of one who strives to know a geographical area and the scientific purity of the labor itself is further offered by Napoleon Bonaparte's heavy reliance on Orientalist scholarship in his invasion of Egypt. Moving further east from Egypt to China, we witness the denigrating remarks on China made by the great German thinkers of the past century, Hegel and Weber. Although their characterization of Chinese culture could find echoes in unbiased empirical research, they reveal all the same the trace of Europeans' desire to affirm their superiority over the supposedly inferior and false civilization of the East. Similarly, the Americans who divided the Korean peninsular at the 38th Parallel, with unquestioning confidence in their knowledge of the area and in the justice of their action, rightfully deserve their place in the tradition of Western area studies of serving the needs to dominate, control and exploit an objectified overseas territory. He assumed that words had kept their meaning, that desires still pointed in a single direction, and that ideas retained their logic; and he ignored the fact that the world of speech and desires has known invasions, struggles, plundering, disguises, ploys. From these elements, however, genealogy retrieves an indispensable restraint: it must record the singularity of events outside of any monotonous finality; it must seek them in the most unpromising places, in what we tend to feel is without history—in sentiments, love, conscience, instincts; it must be sensitive to their recurrence, not in order to trace the gradual curve of their evolution, but to isolate the different scenes where they engaged in different roles. — Michel Foucault, “Nietzsche, Genealogy, History” (Foucault 139–40).

Le rivolte francesi del novembre 2005 nei titoli di ventuno quotidiani italiani. Ricostruzione dei processi rappresentazionali attraverso un'analisi lessicografica

2009 ◽  
pp. 31-58
Author(s):  
Alesssndra Areni ◽  
Gilda Sensales ◽  
Angela Angelastro
Keyword(s):  
Social Representations ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Temporal Distance ◽  
Differential Analysis ◽  
The Social ◽  
Textual Data ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Scree Test

- The tradition of the social representations is the framework of research that is part of a wider project focused on the role of mass media, as part of cultural system, and on processes of anchorage and labelling involved to define the events under observation. We studied the social representations of French riots of November 2005 on headlines of 21 Italian daily newspapers with different cultural and ideological orientation. The aims of research, of comparative character, were the exploration: of consistence of results emerged in previous investigations, and of role played from newspapers and from temporal distance by the events 1) on structural organization of representational field, related to lexicon of headlines, and 2) on differential characterization of the lexicon of headlines 2a) of 21 newspapers and 2b) of two periods, more or less near to the beginning of events. The population, composed by 468 headlines, was collected by October 30 to November 18, 2005. The textual data, related to words of headlines, and the extra-textual data, related to newspapers, to period of publication (I and II week), to signature and sex of journalists, have been processed by different steps of statistical package SPAD-T. According to the scree-test were extracted two factors able to explain 20.40% of total variance. Through the intersection between the two factors we analyzed the factorial plan that, by providing the information more synthetic and exhaustive as possible, highlighted the existence of four areas otherwise characterized by the newspapers, by the two weeks and by the signature and gender of journalists. The differential analysis of lexicographical characterization of each of the 21 newspapers and of two periods, allowed the confirmation and deepening of what emerged in the structural analysis. Overall results showed the non-neutrality of language used by the headlines. It was functional to ideological and cultural profile of source, to its geographical area of reference and to temporal distance from origin of events. Furthermore results showed processes of anchorage and la- beling referable to need to preserve and strengthen specific groupal identity of the source.

scholarly journals Auditory Profile-based Hearing-aid Fitting: A Proof-Of-Concept Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raul Sanchez-Lopez ◽  
Michal Fereczkowski ◽  
Sébastien Santurette ◽  
Torsten Dau ◽  
Tobias Neher
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Proof Of Concept ◽  
Hearing Aid Fitting ◽  
Concept Study ◽  
Pure Tone Audiogram ◽  
Comprehensive Test ◽  
Study Support

AbstractObjectiveThe clinical characterization of hearing deficits for hearing-aid fitting purposes is typically based on the pure-tone audiogram only. In a previous study, a group of hearing-impaired listeners were tested using a comprehensive test battery designed to tap into different aspects of hearing. A data-driven analysis of the data yielded four clinically relevant patient subpopulations or “auditory profiles”. In the current study, profile-based hearing-aid settings were proposed and evaluated to explore their potential for providing more targeted hearing-aid treatment.DesignFour candidate hearing-aid settings were implemented and evaluated by a subset of the participants tested previously. The evaluation consisted of multi-comparison preference ratings carried out in realistic sound scenarios.ResultsListeners belonging to the different auditory profiles showed different patterns of preference for the tested hearing-aid settings that were largely consistent with the expectations.ConclusionThe results of this proof-of-concept study support further investigations into stratified, profile-based hearing-aid fitting with wearable hearing aids.

scholarly journals Incidence and characterization of Fusarium species in crown rot of bananas

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Kumindra Devrajh Ramsunder
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Fusarium Species ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Crown Rot ◽  
Post Harvest ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Adverse Health ◽  
Economic Significance

Fusarium species produce toxic mycotoxins that are known to exert adverse health effects in humans and animals. No attempts have been made to establish mycotoxin-producing capabilities of isolates of Fusarium species from bananas exhibiting symptoms of crown rot. Crown rot is one of the most serious post harvest problems in banana and the disease is caused by different fungal species, principally Fusarium species. Banana, which is of great economic significance in growing countries (i.e. Costa Rica, Cameroon, Ecuador) is seriously affected by crown rot and is a major cause of fruit loss

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