Stabilization of oil-in-water emulsions by enzyme catalyzed oxidative gelation of sugar beet pectin

Enzyme catalyzed oxidative cross-linking of feruloyl groups can promote gelation of sugar beet pectin (SBP). It is uncertain how the enzyme kinetics of this cross-linking reaction are affected in emulsion systems and whether the gelation affects emulsion stability. In this study, SBP (2.5% w/v) was mixed into an oil-in-water emulsion system (4.4% w/w oil, 0.22% w/w whey protein, pH 4.5). Two separate, identically composed, emulsion systems were prepared by different methods of preparation. The emulsions prepared separately and subsequently mixed with SBP (referred as Mix A) produced significantly larger average particle sizes than the emulsions in which the SBP was homogenized into the emulsion system during emulsion preparation (referred as Mix B). Mix B type emulsions were stable. Enzyme catalyzed oxidative gelation of SBP helped stabilize the emulsions in Mix A. The kinetics of the enzyme catalyzed oxidative gelation of SBP was evaluated by small angle oscillatory measurements for horseradish peroxidase (HRP) (EC 1.11.1.7) and laccase (EC 1.10.3.2) catalysis, respectively. HRP catalyzed gelation rates, determined from the slopes of the increase of elastic modulus (G′) with time, were higher (P < 0.05) than the corresponding laccase catalyzed rates, but the final G′ values were higher for laccase catalyzed gels, regardless of the presence of emulsions or type of emulsion preparation (Mix A or Mix B). For both enzymes, rates of gelation in Mix A were higher (P < 0.05) than in Mix B, and higher stress was needed to break the gels in Mix A than in Mix B at similar enzyme dosage levels. These differences may be related to a lower availability of the feruloyl groups for cross-linking when the SBP was homogenized into the emulsion system during preparation.     

Grammatical Evolution for Features of Epileptic Oscillations in Clinical Intracranial Electroencephalograms

This paper presents grammatical evolution (GE) as an approach to select and combine features for detecting epileptic oscillations within clinical intracranial electroencephalogram (iEEG) recordings of patients with epilepsy. Clinical iEEG is used in preoperative evaluations of a patient who may have surgery to treat epileptic seizures. Literature suggests that pathological oscillations may indicate the region(s) of brain that cause epileptic seizures, which could be surgically removed for therapy. If this presumption is true, then the effectiveness of surgical treatment could depend on the effectiveness in pinpointing critically diseased brain, which in turn depends on the most accurate detection of pathological oscillations. Moreover, the accuracy of detecting pathological oscillations depends greatly on the selected feature(s) that must objectively distinguish epileptic events from average activity, a task that visual review is inevitably too subjective and insufficient to resolve. Consequently, this work suggests an automated algorithm that incorporates grammatical evolution (GE) to construct the most sufficient feature(s) to detect epileptic oscillations within the iEEG of a patient. We estimate the performance of GE relative to three alternative methods of selecting or combining features that distinguish an epileptic gamma (~65-95 Hz) oscillation from normal activity: forward sequential feature-selection, backward sequential feature-selection, and genetic programming. We demonstrate that a detector with a grammatically evolved feature exhibits a sensitivity and selectivity that is comparable to a previous detector with a genetically programmed feature, making GE a useful alternative to designing detectors.     

Miniature microbial fuel cells and stacks for urine utilisation

MFCs are becoming a stronger contender in the area of alternative energy sources and show great promise in utilising a wide variety of organic sources. This paper describes the utilisation of neat undiluted urine as the main feedstock for different types of individual MFCs and stacks of small-scale MFCs, for direct electricity production, with conversion efficiencies of >50%. The smallest MFC (1.4 mL total volume) produced equal amounts of power to that produced by larger MFCs (6.25 mL), resulting in increased power densities. Power densities of 4.93 mW/m² (absolute power of 1.5 mW) were recorded when 48 small-scale MFCs were connected as a stack and fed with urine. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using urine as an untreated fuel and that improved power outputs can be achieved through MFC miniaturisation and multiplication into stacks.     

High resolution melting analysis for quantitative detection of bovine milk in pure water buffalo mozzarella and other buffalo dairy products

Identification of buffalo dairy products has become an important issue to ascertain product quality, consumer rights and absence of food-borne allergic reactions. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by a high resolution melting (HRM) analysis was developed and applied for species specific detection of bovine milk in nine different commercial buffalo dairy products. A specific buffalo 12S rRNA and a bovine d-loop primer pair, targeting the mitochondrial genome, were employed in a duplex PCR assay. The analysis developed was found capable of identifying the presence of bovine milk down to 1% in commercial buffalo milk products and also of quantifying the ratio of bovine into buffalo milk. HRM was proven to be a fast and accurate technique for a routine authentication testing of mozzarella and other buffalo milk products.     

Monitoring Charge Exchange in P3HT-Nanotube Composites Using Optical and Electrical Characterisation

Charge exchange at the bulk heterojunctions of composites made by mixing single wall nanotubes (SWNTs) and polymers show potential for use in optoelectronic devices such as solar cells and optical sensors. The density/total area of these heterojunctions is expected to increase with increasing SWNT concentration but the efficiency of solar cell peaks at low SWNT concentrations. Most researchers use current–voltage measurements to determine the evolution of the SWNT percolation network and optical absorption measurements to monitor the spectral response of the composites. However, these methods do not provide a detailed account of carrier transport at the concentrations of interest; i.e., near or below the percolation threshold. In this article, we show that capacitance–voltage (C–V) response of (metal)-(oxide)-(semiconducting composite) devices can be used to fill this gap in studying bulk heterojunctions. In an approach where we combine optical absorption methods with C–V measurements we can acquire a unified optoelectronic response from P3HT-SWNT composites. This methodology can become an important tool for optoelectronic device optimization.     

Dynamic response of reinforced masonry columns in classical monuments

From the mechanical point of view, the particularity of masonry structures stems from the fact that the structural system is hard to be modeled by the classical Continuum Mechanics approach. The problem gets more complicated when imperfections, such as cracks are present. An example of a single multi-drum column, with fractured drums, is studied herein, using the Distinct Element Method (DEM). The purpose of the research is the investigation of the impact of the fractures to the overall stability of the structure. The 3D DEM numerical results are explained on the basis of simple 2D analytical considerations. The shear and normal crack deformation is monitored and the minimum required strength of the crack interface is quantified. An experimental program of direct shear tests is set in order to estimate the strength of the marble–cement interface. The experimental values are compared to the minimum required from the numerical analysis.     

Expression of urokinase plasminogen activator receptor in resting and activated bovine neutrophils

Changes in urokinase-plasminogen activator (u-PA) and u-PA receptor (u-PAR) expression at the protein and mRNA level in resting neutrophils and in neutrophils activated by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) were examined. Low amounts of u-PA were found intracellularly or membrane-bound in resting neutrophils. However, incubation of resting neutrophils with purified exogenous u-PA (10 IU/ml) revealed extensive binding of u-PA to cell membranes. Excess amino-terminal fragment of the u-PA molecule, a proteolytically inactive fragment of u-PA (amino acids 1-135) blocked binding of exogenous u-PA to the cell membrane. These results, collectively, indicate that the binding of u-PA is specific and that resting neutrophils have unoccupied u-PA receptors on their cell membrane. Addition of PMA led to an increase (P < 0.01) in total cell-associated, membrane-bound u-PA activity and u-PA mRNA expression by bovine neutrophils. In contrast. PMA increased u-PAR mRNA levels but this was accompanied by a decrease (2.5-fold; P < 0.01) in free, unoccupied u-PA binding sites. No significant effects on total cell-associated or membrane-bound u-PA were found when neutrophils were treated with 4-phorbol 12,13 didecanoate, a phorbol ester that does not activate protein kinase C (PKC). Furthermore, addition of 1-(5-isoquinolinesylphonyl)-2-methlylpiperazine dihydrochloride (H-7), a potent PKC inhibitor, blocked the effect of PMA on total cell-associated u-PA activity. Thus, PKC plays a role in the modulation of u-PA and u-PAR by PMA in bovine neutrophils.     

Exploring Coevolutionary Relations by Alterations in Fitness Function: Experiments with Simulated Robots

This paper focuses on various coevolutionary robotic experiments where all parameters except for the fitness function remain the same. Initially an attempt to categorize coevolutionary experiments is made and subsequently three experiments of competitive coevolution (hunt, battle and mating) are presented. The experiment concerning implicit competition of two species (mating) is given special attention as it shows emergence of compromise and collaboration through a competitive environment. The co-evolution progress monitoring is evaluated through fitness graphs, CIAO and Hamming maps and the results are interpreted for each experimental setup. The paper concludes that despite the alteration of fitness functions, several evasion–pursuit elements emerge. Furthermore, conciliatory strategies can emerge in implicit competitional cases.