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Background and Aims. Bentonite fining is commonly used in white wine production, which can lead to the loss of wine volume and aroma compounds. Many factors influence the efficacy of bentonite fining. The effect of pH adjustment and timing of bentonite addition were studied for their combined effects on Sauvignon Blanc wine protein haze formation and bentonite requirement at microscale and commercial scale. Methods and Results. Three bentonite addition timings were conducted on a juice pH adjustment trial: before fermentation, during fermentation, and after fermentation. The hot and cold test was utilized to determine the bentonite requirement for protein stabilization. Wine proteins were analyzed using a modified Coomassie brilliant blue (CBB) assay, lithium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (LDS-PAGE), and sodium dodecyl sulphate capillary gel electrophoresis (SDS-CGE). Lower juice pH (2.80 and 3.00) resulted in sluggish fermentation, whereas the presence or absence of bentonite during fermentation showed similar fermentation kinetics at each pH. The presence of bentonite remaining in contact with ferment improved the completion of fermentation for the most sluggish ferment (pH 2.80). Commercial wine made from same batch of juice was adjusted to different pH values, and low-pH wines had a lower wine protein content and an increasing protein adsorption efficiency of bentonite fining, leading to lower bentonite requirement. Conclusions. Bentonite addition during fermentation was the most efficient in protein removal but fining after fermentation required the least overall bentonite dosage. The different fermentation scales (i.e., microscale versus commercial scale) slightly affected wine protein contents but not molecular weight (MW) profiles. Protein contents and MW profiles in stabilized wines were affected by the original juice pH with more complex patterns from high-pH juice. Significance of the Study. The findings of this study provide valuable information on optimization of bentonite fining to minimize the dosage so as to reduce the loss of wine volume and quality.

Soy protein isolate and egg white protein were added to cassava-banana gluten-free pasta and the effects on the nutritional quality, digestibility properties, protein digestibility corrected amino acid (PDCAA), and sensory acceptance of the pasta was observed. Banana-cassava composite flour (75:25) was blended with soy protein isolate or egg white protein at the following rates: 0, 5, 10, and 15 g/100 g flour. Cooked pasta samples were analysed for total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, amino acid profiles, protein content, starch digestibility, protein digestibility and protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS). Addition of both proteins decreased starch digestibility, increased protein digestibility, improved the balance of the amino acid profile, and PDCAAS whereas only soy protein isolate enhanced the TPC and antioxidant capacity of the banana-cassava pasta. An egg white protein-fortified banana-cassava pasta had better customer acceptance and purchase intent than soy protein isolate inclusion.

Background: Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) acceptance and shock anxiety are issues that clinicians should address to improve quality of life among device recipients. Previous findings have indicated that younger patients experience poorer device adjustment. The purpose of this study was to examine age and ICD-specific quality-of-life outcomes in a large sample of Canadian ICD patients. We tested the hypothesis that patient age is related to device acceptance and shock anxiety in an Alberta (Canada) ICD population. Methods: The Florida Patient Acceptance Survey (FPAS) and Florida Shock Acceptance Survey (FSAS) were completed by ICD patients attending the Cardiac Implantable Electrical Device Clinics in Alberta. The population was dichotomized into those aged ≤ 65 years (younger) and those aged > 65 years (older). Sex, ICD shock history, and remote monitoring use were also examined. Results: Surveys were completed by 126 younger (53 ± 11 years; 79% male) and 216 older (74 ± 6 years; 85% male) patients. Younger, compared with older, patients had greater device-related distress (P < 0.001) and more body-image concerns (P < 0.001), but no differences in return to function or positive appraisal. Younger patients reported lower total device acceptance (P = 0.001) and greater total shock anxiety (P < 0.001) compared with older patients. Conclusions: ICD patients aged ≤ 65 years reported poorer device acceptance and greater shock anxiety than older patients. Younger patients may require targeted interventions addressing adjustment to the ICD, and impact of the ICD on body image. Moreover, education about the relatively low probability of shocks may alleviate shock anxiety in younger patients. Résumé: Contexte: L’acceptation d’un défibrillateur cardioverteur implantable (DCI) et la crainte des chocs de DCI sont des problèmes auxquels les cliniciens devraient s’attaquer pour améliorer la qualité de vie des patients qui sont porteurs d’un DCI. Selon des observations antérieures, les plus jeunes patients ont davantage de mal à s’adapter au dispositif. L’étude avait pour objet l’examen des paramètres de la qualité de vie particuliers à l’âge et au port d’un DCI dans un vaste échantillon de patients canadiens porteurs de ce dispositif. Nous avons testé l’hypothèse voulant que l’âge du patient soit lié à l’acceptation du dispositif et à la crainte des chocs chez des Albertains porteurs d’un DCI. Méthodologie: Les patients des cliniques de l'Alberta (Canada) des dispositifs cardiaques électroniques implantables qui étaient porteurs d’un DCI ont rempli les questionnaires FPAS (Florida Patient Acceptance Survey) et FSAS (Florida Shock Acceptance Survey). Les patients ont été partagés en deux groupes selon leur âge, soit ceux de 65 ans et moins (plus jeunes patients) et ceux de plus de 65 ans (patients âgés). Nous avons aussi examiné les facteurs suivants : sexe, chocs de DCI antérieurs et utilisation d’une télésurveillance. Résultats: Les questionnaires ont été remplis par 126 plus jeunes patients (53 ± 11 ans; 79 % d’hommes) et 216 patients âgés (74 ± 6 ans; 85 % d’hommes). Chez les plus jeunes patients, par rapport aux patients âgés, la détresse causée par le dispositif était plus grande (p < 0,001) et il y avait davantage de préoccupations liées à l’image corporelle (p < 0001), mais il n’y avait pas de différences pour ce qui est de la reprise des activités ou de l’évaluation positive du dispositif. Chez les plus jeunes patients, l’acceptation totale du dispositif était moindre (p = 0,001) et la crainte des chocs était plus grande (p < 0,001) que chez les patients âgés. Conclusions: Chez les porteurs d’un DCI de 65 ans et moins, le dispositif était moins bien accepté, et la crainte des chocs était plus grande que chez les patients âgés. Chez les plus jeunes patients, des interventions ciblées axées sur l’adaptation au DCI et les répercussions du DCI sur l’image corporelle pourraient être nécessaires. De plus, l’éducation à propos de la probabilité relativement faible de subir des chocs pourrait réduire cette crainte chez les plus jeunes patients.

The effects of egg white protein and soy protein isolate addition on the nutritional and digestibility of gluten-free pasta based on banana flour were studied. The level of protein additions (soy protein or egg white protein) were 0, 5, 10 and 15% of banana flour (w/w). Pasta made from 100% durum wheat semolina was used as a control. Soy protein isolate inclusion into banana pasta increased total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacities, while egg white protein decreased the TPC and antioxidant capacities with the increasing level of addition. Starch digestibility was affected by the type of protein addition. Egg white protein lowered starch digestibility compared to soy protein isolate. Protein inclusion in banana pasta also altered protein digestibility, amino acid profiles and protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS). Soy protein isolate increased protein digestibility of gluten-free pasta compared to egg white protein. Protein enrichment gave better amino acid profiles of banana pasta compared to semolina pasta with egg white protein and performed a better PDCAAS compared to soy protein isolate. These results showed that soy protein isolate and egg white protein addition enhanced nutritional qualities and digestibility properties of gluten-free banana pasta.

In the POLLUX study, daratumumab plus lenalidomide/dexamethasone significantly reduced risk of progression/death versus lenalidomide/dexamethasone alone in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. We provide one additional year of follow up and include the effect on minimal residual disease and in clinically relevant subgroups. After 25.4 months of follow up, daratumumab plus lenalidomide/dexamethasone prolonged progression-free survival versus lenalidomide/dexamethasone alone (median not reached vs. 17.5 months; hazard ratio, 0.41; 95% confidence interval, 0.31-0.53; P

A review of Paul Bennett's recent book which presents a comprehensive analysis of Australia’s Indigenous sentencing courts.

Thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) and chitinases are the main constituents of so-called protein hazes which can form in finished white wine and which is a great concern of winemakers. These soluble pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins are extracted from grape berries. However, their distribution in different grape tissues is not well documented. In this study, proteins were first separately extracted from the skin, pulp and seed of Sauvignon Blanc grapes, followed by trypsin digestion and analysis by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). Proteins identified included 75 proteins from Sauvignon Blanc grape skin, 63 from grape pulp and 35 from grape seed, mostly functionally classified as associated with metabolism and energy. Some were present exclusively in specific grape tissues; for example, proteins involved in photosynthesis were only detected in grape skin and proteins found in alcoholic fermentation were only detected in grape pulp. Moreover, proteins identified in grape seed were less diverse than those identified in grape skin and pulp. TLPs and chitinases were identified in both Sauvignon Blanc grape skin and pulp, but not in the seed. To relatively quantify the PR proteins, the protein extracts of grape tissues were seperated by HPLC first and then analysed by SDS-PAGE. The results showed that the protein fractions eluted at 9.3 min and 19.2 min under the chromatographic conditions of this study confirmed that these corresponded to TLPs and chitinases seperately. Thus, the relative quantification of TLPs and chitinases in protein extracts was carried out by comparing the area of corresponding peaks against the area of a thamautin standard. The results presented in this study clearly demonstrated the distribution of haze-forming PR proteins in grape berries, and the relative quantification of TLPs and chitinases could be applied in fast tracking of changes in PR proteins during grape growth and determination of PR proteins in berries at harvest.

Thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) and chitinases are the two main groups of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins found in wine that cause protein haze formation. Previous studies have found that phenolics are also involved in protein haze formation. In this study, Sauvignon Blanc grapes were harvested and processed in two vintages (2011 and 2012) by three different treatments: (1) hand harvesting with whole bunch press (H-WB); (2) hand harvesting with destem/crush and 3 h skin contact (H-DC-3); and (3) machine harvesting with destem/crush and 3 h skin contact (M-DC-3). The juices were collected at three pressure levels (0.4 MPa, 0.8 MPa and 1.6 MPa), some juices were fermented in 750 mL of wine bottles to determine the bentonite requirement for the resulting wines. Results showed juices of M-DC-3 had significantly lower concentration of proteins, including PR proteins, compared to those of H-DC-3, likely due to the greater juice yield of M-DC-3 and interactions between proteins and phenolics. Juices from the 0.8–1.6 MPa pressure and resultant wines had the highest concentration of phenolics but the lowest concentration of TLPs. This supported the view that TLPs are released at low pressure as they are mainly present in grape pulp but additional extraction of phenolics largely present in skin occurs at higher pressing pressure. Wine protein stability tests showed a positive linear correlation between bentonite requirement and the concentration of chitinases, indicating the possibility of predicting bentonite requirement by quantification of chitinases. This study contributes to an improved understanding of extraction of haze-forming PR proteins and phenolics that can influence bentonite requirement for protein stabilization.