Secondary Structures of Proteins Follow Menzerath–Altmann Law

This article examines the presence of the empirical tendency known as the Menzerath–Altmann Law (MAL) on protein secondary structures. MAL is related to optimization principles observed in natural languages and in genetic information on chromosomes or protein domains. The presence of MAL is examined on a non-redundant dataset of 4728 proteins by verifying significant, negative correlations and testing classical and newly proposed formulas by fitting the observed trend. We conclude that the lengths of secondary structures are specifically dependent on their number inside the protein sequence, while possibly reflecting the formula proposed in this paper. This behavior is observed on average but is individually avoidable and possibly driven by a latent cost function. The data suggest that MAL could provide a useful guiding principle in protein design.     

Diffusion of ions in an electrostatic stochastic field and a space-dependent unperturbed magnetic field

We calculate the diffusion coefficients for ions moving in a prescribed electromagnetic field. Thefield is considered to be a superposition of an electrostatic stochastic field and a space-dependent and sheared magnetic field. We have considered as parameters involved in the calculation of the diffusion coefficients the shear ion Kubo number K_s~(ion), the electrostatic Kubo number K, the parallel shear ion Kubo number K_(zs)~(ion), and the parallel thermal ion Kubo number K_z~(ion).A geometrical parameter which is the measure of the product of the stochastic perpendicular correlation length and the gradient in the magnetic field strength(see definitions in the text) is found not to be important in our calculation. The results concerning the diffusion coefficients obtained in our model are in agreement with experimental data and with those corresponding to other models, and the neoclassical and anomalous values for the diffusion coefficients are obtained.     

Magnetocaloric and magneto-transport properties of Gd10Co20Si70 alloy

We report the results of magnetic, thermodynamic, transport and magnetocaloric effect (MCE) studies of newly synthesized Gd_(10)Co_(20)Si_(70) alloy. These measurements confirm an antiferromagnetic transition at T_N=9 K. Both MCE and magnetoresistance (MR) show quadratic dependence on the applied magnetic field, indicating the presence of spin fluctuations in the alloy. The maximum values of the magnetic entropy change determined from the isothermal magnetization data for magnetic field change of 7 and9 T are found to be 10.5 and 15.6 J/kg·K, respectively. As a consequence of the spin fluctuations effect, the MCE peaks are pulled towards high temperature side as asymmetrically broadened peak. The MR attains a large positive value of 73%at 2 K in 8 T. The large MR and reversible MCE make this alloy an attractive multifunctional magnetic material.     

Effect of processing on the antioxidant activity of millet grains

Millets are generally dehulled and subjected to a hydrothermal treatment before consumption, thus the hulls can be used as a potential source of antioxidants. Several millet grains, namely kodo, finger (Ravi), finger (local), proso, foxtail, little and pearl millet were studied. Antioxidant activities of phenolic extracts obtained from whole grains, as well as their corresponding dehulled and cooked grains and hulls were studied for their total phenolic content (TPC), radical scavenging capacity, and antioxidant activity in a β-carotene/linoleate emulsion. The phenolics present in whole grains were identified and quantified using HPLC and HPLC/MS and results were expressed as total for each of the phenolic groups. The TPC ranged from 2 to 112 μmol ferulic acid equivalents/g defatted meal. All varieties exhibited effective inhibition of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl, peroxyl and superoxide radicals. Dehulling and cooking affected the TPC and radical scavenging and antioxidant activities of the grains, depending on the variety. In general, the antioxidant activity of phenolic extracts was in the order of hull > whole grain > dehulled grain > cooked dehulled grain With the exception of the two finger millet varieties, hulls of other millet grains had high TPC, thus demonstrating their superior antioxidant activity. Hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonoids in whole grains were identified as contributors to the observed effects. Therefore, dehulling of grain and hydrothermal treatments affect the phenolic content and antioxidant potential of millet grains.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Cationic Surfactants Based on N‐Hexamethylenetetramine as Active Microfouling Agents

Four cationic surfactants of quaternary hexammonium silane chloride based on hexamethylenetetramine and alkyl chloride were synthesized. The chemical structures of the prepared cationic surfactants were elucidated using Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry analysis. The surface and thermodynamic properties of the prepared surfactants were also studied. The performance of these cationic surfactants as microfouling agents against two strains of Gram‐negative bacteria, namely, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, and two strains of Gram‐positive bacteria, namely, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, were evaluated as antimicrobial agents. The results showed that the maximum antimicrobial activity was detected for N‐hexamethylenetetramine‐N‐ethyl silane ammonium trichloride (Ah). The maximum and minimum antimicrobial activities were 73 and 60 % against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively, at a concentration of 5 mg/l, pH 7, and 37 °C.     

Dielectric Constant,Metallization Criterion and Optical Properties of CuO Doped TeO2–B2O3 Glasses

Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials - Copper oxide doped TeO2–B2O3 glass system with empirical formula;...     

PCA3 and PCA3-Based Nomograms Improve Diagnostic Accuracy in Patients Undergoing First Prostate Biopsy

While now recognized as an aid to predict repeat prostate biopsy outcome, the urinary PCA3 (prostate cancer gene 3) test has also been recently advocated to predict initial biopsy results. The objective is to evaluate the performance of the PCA3 test in predicting results of initial prostate biopsies and to determine whether its incorporation into specific nomograms reinforces its diagnostic value. A prospective study included 601 consecutive patients addressed for initial prostate biopsy. The PCA3 test was performed before ≥12-core initial prostate biopsy, along with standard risk factor assessment. Diagnostic performance of the PCA3 test was evaluated. The three available nomograms (Hansen’s and Chun’s nomograms, as well as the updated Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial risk calculator; PCPT) were applied to the cohort, and their predictive accuracies were assessed in terms of biopsy outcome: the presence of any prostate cancer (PCa) and high-grade prostate cancer (HGPCa). The PCA3 score provided significant predictive accuracy. While the PCPT risk calculator appeared less accurate; both Chun’s and Hansen’s nomograms provided good calibration and high net benefit on decision curve analyses. When applying nomogram-derived PCa probability thresholds ≤30%, ≤6% of HGPCa would have been missed, while avoiding up to 48% of unnecessary biopsies. The urinary PCA3 test and PCA3-incorporating nomograms can be considered as reliable tools to aid in the initial biopsy decision.     

A Nondestructive Methodology for the Study of Colored Enamels: Insights into Manufacturing and Weathering Processes

We studied ancient enamels on gilded copper from a collection of archeological horse harness pendants of the Museo Instituto Valencia de Don Juan (Madrid, Spain) to test the benefits of a new, nondestructive analytical methodology based on chemometric analysis (i.e., Principal Component Analysis, PCA) on micro‐ATR‐FTIR spectral data and chemical quantification using SEM‐EDS. The novelty of this approach was threefold: (i) PCA allowed the discrimination of the different harness pendants of known origin and attributed to the 14th and 15th centuries according to the chemical complex composition, nanostructure, glass weathering, and/or coloring mechanisms of each colored enamel, separately (i.e., red, purple, blue, and white), (ii) it is a cheap, easily available and nondestructive methodology that enables us to (iii) draw archeological conclusions about the quality of the manufacturing process, reassess the chronology of these objects and attempt to attribute them to different workshops according to the different traditional recipes identified. In particular, the enamels were made of alkali and/or alkaline earth lead‐glass with a wide range of chemical compounds in the form of pigments or opacifiers. Two types of coloring mechanisms were identified, colloidal particles such as copper‐ruby for red enamels, and ionic mechanisms such as Fe(II) and Co(II) to achieve a blue pigments; Mn(III) in the purple pigment; and two kind of white enamels were identified, i.e., tin oxide as an opacifier and uranium oxide. In addition, we established the reason for the poor state of conservation of some of the enamels by means of the identification of depolymerization and ion exchanges, well‐known harmful effects of glass weathering, and finally a chronology was assigned for some of these pieces according to the enamel composition.     

An empirical evaluation of P system testing techniques

This paper presents the existing techniques for P system testing and performs an empirical evaluation of their fault-detection efficiency. The comparison is performed using mutation testing and, based on the results obtained, some improved testing methodologies are proposed.