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Pure Ethanol (pure + ethanol)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	75%
Chemistry	25%

Selected Abstracts

Beer But Not Wine, Hard Liquors, or Pure Ethanol Stimulates Amylase Secretion of Rat Pancreatic Acinar Cells In Vitro

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 9 2009
Andreas Gerloff
Background:, In contrast to pure ethanol, the effect of alcoholic beverages on the exocrine pancreas is greatly unknown. Besides ethanol, alcoholic beverages contain numerous nonalcoholic constituents which might have pathophysiological effects on the pancreas. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether some commonly used alcoholic beverages and pure ethanol influence the main function of rat pancreatic acinar cells, i.e., enzyme output in vitro. Methods:, Rat pancreatic AR4-2J cells were differentiated by dexamethasone treatment for 72 hours and freshly isolated pancreatic acini were prepared from Sprague,Dawley rats using collagenase digestion. After incubation of cells in the absence or presence of 1 to 10% (v/v) beer (containing 4.7% v/v ethanol), 10% (v/v) wine (containing 10.5 to 12.5% v/v ethanol), 10% (v/v) hard liquor (such as whisky, rum, and gin), or of the corresponding ethanol concentrations (4.03 to 80.6 mM) for 60 minutes, protein secretion was measured using amylase activity assay. Results:, Incubation of AR4-2J cells with beer caused a dose-dependent stimulation of basal amylase secretion that was significant at doses of beer above 0.5% (v/v). Stimulation with 10% (v/v) beer induced 92.7 ± 25.2% of maximal amylase release in response to the most effective cholecystokinin (CCK) concentration (100 nM). In contrast, ethanol (up to 80.6 mM) did neither stimulate nor inhibit basal amylase release. Lactate dehydrogenase measurement after treatment of AR4-2J cells with beer for 24 hours indicated that the increase of amylase release was not due to cell membrane damage. Wine and hard liquor had no effect on basal amylase secretion neither diluted to the ethanol concentration of beer nor undiluted. In freshly isolated rat pancreatic acinar cells beer dose-dependently stimulated amylase secretion in a similar manner as in AR4-2J cells. Conclusions:, Our data demonstrate that beer dose-dependently increases amylase output. Since neither ethanol nor the other alcoholic beverages tested caused stimulation of amylase release, our findings indicate that nonalcoholic constituents specific for beer are responsible for this increase. These as yet unknown compounds have to be identified and considered in further studies of ethanol-induced pathological and functional changes of the pancreas. [source]

Alcohol and Russian mortality: a continuing crisis

ADDICTION, Issue 10 2009
David A. Leon
ABSTRACT Background Russia remains in the grip of a mortality crisis in which alcohol plays a central role. In 2007, male life expectancy at birth was 61 years, while for females it was 74 years. Alcohol is implicated particularly in deaths among working-age men. Aims To review the current state of knowledge about the contribution of alcohol to the continuing very high mortality seen among Russian adults Results Conservative estimates attribute 31,43% of deaths among working-age men to alcohol. This latter estimate would imply a minimum of 170 000 excess deaths due to hazardous alcohol consumption in Russia per year. Men drink appreciably more than women in Russia. Hazardous drinking is most prevalent among people with low levels of education and those who are economically disadvantaged, partly because some of the available sources of ethanol are very cheap and easy to obtain. The best estimates available suggest that per capita consumption among adults is 15,18 litres of pure ethanol per year. However, reliable estimation of the total volume of alcohol consumed per capita in Russia is very difficult because of the diversity of sources of ethanol that are available, for many of which data do not exist. These include both illegal spirits, as well as legal non-beverage alcohols (such as medicinal tinctures). In 2006 regulations were introduced aimed at reducing the production and sale of non-beverage alcohols that are commonly drunk. These appear to have been only partially successful. Conclusion There is convincing evidence that alcohol plays an important role in explaining high mortality in Russia, in particular among working age men. However, there remain important uncertainties about the precise scale of the problem and about the health effects of the distinctive pattern of alcohol consumption that is prevalent in Russia today. While there is a need for further research, enough is known to justify the development of a comprehensive inter-sectoral alcohol control strategy. The recent fall in life expectancy in Russia should give a renewed urgency to attempts to move the policy agenda forward. [source]

Liquid,vapour partition of ethanol in bakery products

FLAVOUR AND FRAGRANCE JOURNAL, Issue 1 2006
Paola Pittia
Abstract Ethanol is a common ingredient in formulated foods, naturally present or added in liquid form in order to achieve the desired sensorial properties. In many complex foods this volatile compound could also serve interesting technological functions, as well as extending their shelf-lives, owing to its capacity to inhibit or reduce the rate of microbial growth. At the European level there are no known restrictions regarding the use of ethanol in foods as a preservative, while in Italy, current regulations allow its addition as an anti-moulding agent in pre-packed bread, at a maximum concentration of 2% on a dry weight basis. This research studied the effect of water activity (aw) and water content on the ethanol vapour pressure of sliced white bread, previously equilibrated at various aw values and with 2% ethanol added. Different aw values were obtained by both rehydration from previously freeze-dried bread, and dehydration from the fresh product. The results showed that both aw and moisture affected the vapour pressure of ethanol as a consequence of water,solute and ethanol,solute interactions in the matrix. These interactions varied according to the modality of equilibration (desorption or absorption) at a given aw. The results are discussed in terms of ethanol activity (ae), computed as the ratio between the ethanol vapour pressure in bread and the vapour pressure of pure ethanol at the same temperature. This index, analogous to aw, proved to be useful in evaluating the ,freedom' of the ethanol present in a food matrix to be released in the vapour phase. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Beer But Not Wine, Hard Liquors, or Pure Ethanol Stimulates Amylase Secretion of Rat Pancreatic Acinar Cells In Vitro

Beer-Induced Pancreatic Enzyme Secretion: Characterization of Some Signaling Pathways and of the Responsible Nonalcoholic Compounds

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 9 2009
Andreas Gerloff
Background:, Various alcoholic beverages have different effects on pancreatic enzyme secretion in vivo and in vitro. Recently we demonstrated that beer dose-dependently induces amylase release of rat pancreatic acinar cells, whereas pure ethanol and other alcoholic beverages have no effect. The aims of this study were to: (1) investigate the involved signaling pathways in the beer-induced enzyme secretion of rat pancreatic acinar cells and (2) characterize the responsible nonalcoholic compounds from beer. Methods:, Rat pancreatic AR4-2J cells were differentiated by dexamethasone treatment for 72 hours. After incubation of cells with 1 to 10% (v/v) beer (containing 4.7% v/v ethanol) in the absence or presence of the maximal effective concentration of cholecystokinin (CCK) (100 nM) for 60 minutes, protein secretion was measured using amylase activity assay. To study the involved signaling pathways, cells were pretreated with selective inhibitors or the fluorescent dye Fura2/AM for 15 and 30 minutes, respectively. To characterize the responsible compounds, beer was distilled, lyophilized, dialyzed, or treated with proteases prior stimulation of the cells. Extract of barley was prepared by boiling the crop and subsequent filtration. Results:, Stimulation with 5% and 10% beer (v/v) significantly (p < 0.001) increased maximally CCK-induced amylase by 55 ± 25% and 56 ± 37%, respectively. By using selective antagonists, we found that inhibition of phospholipase C (PLC) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-receptor binding reduced beer-induced amylase release, whereas inhibition of protein kinase C, adenylate cyclase, and protein kinase A had no significant effect. Using the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator Fura-2/AM revealed that beer induces an increase of cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration. Stimulation of AR4-2J cells with preproducts of beer and fermented glucose indicated that the stimulatory substances from beer derived from barley and are not produced during alcoholic fermentation. Furthermore, the stimulants from beer are thermostable, nonvolatile substances with a molecular weight higher than 15 kDa. Conclusions:, Beer-induced enzyme secretion of AR4-2J cells is, at least in part, mediated by the activation of PLC and subsequent Ca2+ release from internal stores. However, the additive effect of beer on CCK-induced amylase release suggests that additional signaling pathways are involved. The yet unknown stimulants of pancreatic enzyme secretion originate from barley and their stimulatory potential is maintained during the process of malting and brewing. [source]

Effects of Light and Dark Beer on Hepatic Cytochrome P-450 Expression in Male Rats Receiving Alcoholic Beverages as Part of Total Enteral Nutrition

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2005
Mats Hidestrand
Background: Alcoholic beverages contain many congeners in addition to ethanol. Therefore, consumption of alcoholic beverages may have considerably different effects on expression of hepatic microsomal monooxygenases than the relatively selective induction of cytochrome P-450 (CYP) 2E1 observed after consumption of pure ethanol. Methods: In the current study, we compared the effects of two beers: lager (a light roasted beer) and stout (a dark roasted beer) with those of an equivalent amount of pure ethanol on hepatic CYP expression. Beer or pure ethanol was part of a complete total enteral nutrition diet that was infused intragastrically into male Sprague Dawley rats for 21 days. At the end of the infusion period, rats were euthanized, and liver and intestinal microsomes were prepared. Expression and activity of CYP1A1/2, CYP2B1, CYP2E1, CYP3A, and CYP4A were assessed by Western immunoblotting and by using CYP enzyme,specific substrates, respectively. Results: mRNA and protein levels of CYP4A1 were elevated only in stout-treated animals. However, lauric acid 12-hydroxylase activity (a CYP4A-specific activity) was reduced (p, 0.05) in microsomes from lager- and stout-fed rats. After oxidation with potassium ferricyanide, this activity was significantly increased in microsomes from stout-fed animals. The relative expression of CYP2E1 and CYP2B1 and the activities toward p -nitrophenol, pentoxyresorufin, or benzyloxyresorufin did not differ between beers or compared with pure ethanol or controls. However, the mean expression of CYP1A2, CYP3A, and CYP4A apoproteins was greater in liver microsomes from stout-infused rats than in those from lager-infused rats, ethanol-infused rats, and diet controls (p, 0.05). In addition, although no significant differences were observed in ethoxyresorufin O-dealkylase (EROD), methoxyresorufin O-dealkylase (MROD), midazolam, or testosterone hydroxylase activities between groups, stout-infused rats had greater hepatic microsomal erythromycin N -demethylase activity than other groups (p, 0.05). Conclusions: Stout contains components other than ethanol that interact in a complex fashion with the monooxygenase system. [source]

Association Between the Functional Polymorphism of Catechol- O -Methyltransferase Gene and Alcohol Consumption Among Social Drinkers

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 2 2000
Jussi Kauhanen
Background: A common functional genetic polymorphism in the catechol- O -methyltransferase (COMT) gene (Val158 Met) results in 3- to 4-fold differences in COMT enzyme activity and dopamine inactivation rate. Previous studies have shown that type I alcoholism is more common among subjects with low activity COMT genotype (LL), compared with high activity (HH) or heterozygotic (LH) genotypes. Methods: We studied alcohol consumption and the COMT genotype in middle-aged Finnish men (n= 896), who represented an unselected ethnically homogenous population sample and reported using alcohol during the past year. Average alcohol use in pure ethanol (grams per week) was compared between subjects with LL genotype and subjects with LH or HH genotypes. Results: Men with LL genotype (30% of all subjects) reported 27% higher weekly alcohol consumption compared with the two other genotype groups (p < 0.05). The difference remained statistically significant after a multivariate adjustment for sociodemographic factors and prior or existing diseases (p= 0.031). Conclusions: The results indicate that COMT polymorphism may contribute significantly to alcohol intake not only in alcoholics but also in a general male population. [source]

Wear of the artificial hip joint material under lubrication

ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 1 2009
E. P. J. Waters
Abstract A study of wear properties of hip-replacement materials, namely high-nitrogen stainless-steel femoral heads and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), was conducted in a non-conforming apparatus using various liquid lubricants. The liquids used were normal saline solution, sodium azide solution, pure ethanol, aqueous hyaluronic acid and aqueous hyaluronic acid/cholesterol and cholesterol palmitate liquid crystal lubricant. Saline solution proved to be unsuitable as a lubricant while sodium azide that was used as a bactericide provided some evidence of mixed lubrication. A bactericide was included to overcome degradation. The aqueous hyaluronic acid exhibited cushion form lubrication as evidenced by retention of the original polymer surface features within the wear indent. Cholesterol addition showed little improvement on the wear properties but massively increased the bacterial activity. Again, inclusion of a bactericide was necessary. Liquid crystal lubricant significantly reduced wear and the atomic force microscope (AFM) showed that the liquid crystal formed protective layers on the counter face surfaces. The sub-surface of the polymer possessed plastic creep under load but low adhesive wear was present. There also was an absence of sub-micron polymer debris. It was concluded that a dramatic reduction in wear could be achieved by incorporation of liquid crystal lubricant in hip-replacement elements. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]