The anthocyanin composition of five purple leaves cultivars of Ocimum basilicum L. was investigated by reversed-phase HPLC with mass-spectrometric detection by ESI mode with ion partial fragmentation as well as preparation of dried differently colored forms of anthocyanins encapsulated into maltodextrinmatrix. Analysis of the mass spectra revealed that according to the chromatographic profile the set of basil cultivar anthocyanins under investigation may be divided into two groups with the common feature being ahigh level of acylation with (mainly) p-coumaric, ferulic and malonic acids of the same base: cyanidin-3-dihexoside-5-hexoside. The presence of acylation with substituted cinnamic acids permits us to obtain solutions not only with a red color (the property of the flavylium form) but also with blue shades of coloration due to quinonoid and negatively charged quinonoid forms. All forms except that of flavylium are not stable in solution but stable enough to prepare dried encapsulated forms by lyophilization. Although the loss of anthocyaninswith drying is not negligible, the final product is characterized with high stability for storage in a refrigerator.
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) form a highly promising class of bioplastics for the transition from fossil fuel-based plastics to bio-renewable and biodegradable plastics. Mixed microbial consortia (MMC) are known to be able to produce PHAs from organic waste streams. Knowledge of key-microbes and their characteristics in PHA-producing consortia is necessary for further process optimization and direction towards synthesis of specific types of PHAs. In this study, a PHA-producing mixed microbial consortium (MMC) from an industrial pilot plant was characterized and further enriched on acetate in a laboratory-scale selector with a working volume of 5 L. 16S-rDNA microbiological population analysis of both the industrial pilot plant and the 5 L selector revealed that the most dominant species within the population is Thauera aminoaromatica MZ1T, a Gram-negative beta-proteobacterium belonging to the order of the Rhodocyclales. The relative abundance of this Thauera species increased from 24 to 40% after two months of enrichment in the selector-system, indicating a competitive advantage, possibly due to the storage of a reserve material such as PHA. First experiments with T. aminoaromatica MZ1T showed multiple intracellular granules when grown in pure culture on a growth medium with a C:N ratio of 10:1 and acetate as a carbon source. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses upon extraction of PHA from the pure culture confirmed polyhydroxybutyrate production by T. aminoaromatica MZ1T.
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BACKGROUND: It is difficult to diagnose constipation for people with severe or profound intellectual disabilities. Definitions for this are ambiguous, and the symptoms and signs are often unnoticed. The aim of this study is to identify clear definitions of constipation for people with different levels of intellectual disabilities and to identify signs and symptoms.METHOD: Guided by the PRISMA statement, a systematic review of the literature was conducted within electronic databases MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane, and PsycINFO. Definitions, signs, and symptoms were extracted and the quality of definitions was assessed.RESULTS: In total, 24 studies were included. Quality of definitions ranged from poor to good quality. Standard and referenced definitions were used in ten studies, a self-composed definition was employed in eleven studies; and three studies did not refer to a source of the definition. The self-composed definitions had not been evaluated after being used for the target group, and no scientific substantiation was available. A broad range of signs and symptoms were described.CONCLUSIONS: No substantiated definition has been ascertained for constipation for people with severe or profound intellectual disabilities. Further research will be necessary to identify which signs and symptoms are important for defining constipation in this target group.
