Nanocrystal core high-density lipoproteins: a multimodality contrast agent platform

High density lipoprotein (HDL) is an important natural nanoparticle that may be modified for biomedical imaging purposes. Here we developed a novel technique to create unique multimodality HDL mimicking nanoparticles by incorporation of gold, iron oxide, or quantum dot nanocrystals for computed tomography, magnetic resonance, and fluorescence imaging, respectively. By including additional labels in the corona of the particles, they were made multifunctional. The characteristics of these nanoparticles, as well as their in vitro and in vivo behavior, revealed that they closely mimic native HDL.     

Compliance Guide for a Proposed Highway Project to Meet National Environment Protection Act Requirements

The National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) requires that, prior to construction of a highway, the head of the federal agency that is committing funds to the project must evaluate the effect of the project on the human environment; the effect of the project on the habitat of an endangered species, which implicates provisions of the Endangered Species Act, the effect of the project on any historic properties in the vicinity of the project, which implicates provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act, and the effect of the project on minority or low-income populations, called environmental justice, which implicates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In this paper, we provide an example guide for transportation planners to follow as they comply with NEPA and the related acts in the beginning planning stages for a highway project.     

Effects of lipid-encapsulated conjugated linoleic acid supplementation on milk production, bioenergetic status and indicators of reproductive performance in lactating dairy cows

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduces mammary milk fat synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. Our objective was to determine the effects of lipid-encapsulated CLA (LE-CLA) supplementation on milk production, reproductive performance and metabolic responses in lactating dairy cows fed a grass silage-based diet. Seventy-two Holstein-Friesian cows (32 primiparous and 40 multiparous) were used in a completely randomized block design. Cows received either 80 g of LE-CLA daily or 60 g of calcium salts of palm fatty acids daily (control) from parturition until 60 days in milk. LE-CLA contained a 50:50 mix of cis-9,trans-11 CLA and trans-10,cis-12 CLA, resulting in a daily intake of 6 g of each isomer. Milk production and dry matter intake were recorded daily, and blood samples were collected 3-times a week. Blood samples were analysed for circulating concentrations of glucose, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). Progesterone was measured in blood samples collected after the first post-partum insemination. Ovarian ultrasound examinations commenced at 8-10 d post partum and were carried out 3-times a week until first ovulation. LE-CLA treatment resulted in decreased milk fat concentration, with consequent improvements in energy balance and body condition score (BCS). The peak concentration of NEFA in blood was reduced by LE-CLA, but circulating concentrations of insulin, glucose, IGF-I, BHBA and progesterone were not affected. There was no effect of LE-CLA supplementation on the post-partum interval to first ovulation. Services per conception tended to be reduced. The reduction in milk energy output and improvement in energy status and BCS in LE-CLA-supplemented cows provides a strong rationale for further studies with greater cow numbers to test effects on reproductive performance.     

The potential role of milk-derived peptides in cardiovascular disease

Bioactive peptides derived from milk proteins are of particular interest to the food industry due to the potential functional and physiological roles that they demonstrate, particularly in relation to cardiovascular disease (CVD). By 2020 it is estimated that heart disease and stroke will become the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Acute and chronic cardiovascular events may result from alterations in the activity of the renin-angiotensin aldosterone system and activation of the coagulation cascade and of platelets. Medications that inhibit angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) are widely prescribed in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease. ACE inhibitory peptides are of particular interest due to the presence of encrypted inhibitory peptide sequences. In particular, Ile-Pro-Pro and Val-Pro-Pro are fore runners in ACE inhibition, and have been incorporated into commercial products. Additionally, studies to identify additional novel peptides with similar bio-activity and the ability to withstand digestion during transit through the gastrointestinal tract are ongoing. The potential sources of such peptides in cheese and other dairy products are discussed. Challenges to the bio-availability of such peptides in the gastro intestinal tract are also reviewed. Activation of platelets and the coagulation cascade play a central role in the progression of cardiovascular disease. Platelets from such patients show spontaneous aggregation and an increased sensitivity to agonists which results in vascular damage and endothelial dysfunction associated with CVD. Peptide sequences exhibiting anti-thrombotic activity have been identified from fermented milk products. Studies on such peptides are reviewed and their effects on platelet function are discussed. Finally the ability of food derived peptides to decrease the formation of blood clots (thrombi) is reviewed. In conclusion, due to the widespread nature of cardiovascular disease, the identification of food derived compounds that exhibit a beneficial effect in such widespread areas of CVD regulation will have strong clinical potential. Due to the perception that food derived products have an acceptable risk profile they have the potential for widespread acceptance by the public. In this review, selected biological effects relating to CVD are discussed with a view to providing essential information to researchers.     

Bacterial survival and adhesion for formulating new oral probiotic foods

Abstract

Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms, which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer health benefits to the host. Traditionally, probiotic food research has heavily focused on the genera Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli, along with their benefits for gut health. Recently with the identification of new probiotic strains specifically intended for oral health applications, the development of probiotic foods for oral health benefits has garnered interest, with a renewed focus on identifying new food formats for delivering probiotics. The development of novel oral probiotic foods is highly complex, as the composition of a food matrix dictates: (1) bacterial viability during production and shelf life and (2) how bacteria partition with components within a food matrix and subsequently adhere to oral cavity surfaces. At present, virtually no information is available on oral probiotic strains such as Streptococcus salivarius; specifically, how orally-derived strains survive under different food parameters. Furthermore, limited information exists on the partition behavior of probiotics with food components, governed by physico-chemical interactions and adhesion phenomena. This review aspires to examine this framework by providing a foundation with existing literature related to the common probiotic genera, in order to inform and drive future attempts of designing new oral probiotic food formats.     

Universal response in liquid chromatography using charged aerosol detection

A new, empirical approach is introduced to correct for the varying response of aerosol-based detectors with the varying composition of the mobile phase during gradient elution in HPLC. A Corona charged aerosol detector was used in the experiments. The detector is characterized by a nearly universal response at a given, constant mobile-phase composition for sufficiently nonvolatile analytes. A second pump was used to deliver an exactly inverse gradient compared to the analytical HPLC system, and both flows were mixed in a tee piece before introduction to the Corona detector. The approach proposed made it possible to extend the universal response from isocratic to gradient elution conditions in HPLC, vastly improving the usefulness of this detection technique. The constant response of the detector obtained in this way was first demonstrated in flow injection analysis. Very similar calibration curves were obtained for six sulfonamide drugs after mobile-phase compensation. The approach was also applied to gradient elution with excellent results. The data were characterized by good precision ranging from 4% RSD at 10 mg/L to 1.6% RSD at 780 mg/L. The average limit of detection with a 2-microL injection was 0.5 mg/L, corresponding to 1 ng injected on the column. The approach proposed allows quantification of unknown compounds, e.g., in pharmaceutical mixtures. Measurement of analytes at a relative concentration of 0.05% versus the main component is demonstrated.     

Interpretation of 3-D permeability measurements for RTM modeling

The resin transfer molding (RTM) technique often utilizes reinforcement with a complex fiber architecture. Several parameters, including the permeability tensor, are necessary to characterize the flow behavior in these intricate fibrous porous media. In this paper, a general procedure for extracting three-dimensional permeability tensors from data is presented. A general procedure is warranted if the permeability tensor lies out of the material plane. An approximate solution to Darcy's law was employed to relate the components of the permeability tensor to experimental measurements. The procedure requires inverting six nonlinear equations with a robust binary search algorithm. The accuracy of the approximate solution to Darcy's law was checked and found to be in close agreement with a nearly exact solution to Darcy's law obtained by finite element methods.     

Partially automated driving has higher workload than manual driving: An on-road comparison of three contemporary vehicles with SAE Level 2 features

Vehicles with SAE Level 2 automated features are already in active use on the road, and vehicles with Level 3 or 4 will be with us soon. Although the vehicles provide support for longitudinal and lateral control, partially automated driving experience is sometimes more demanding than manual driving. However, the effects of automated driving on workload in naturalistic conditions have not been extensively investigated, as most studies have been undertaken in driving simulators. This study aims to extend the current understanding about workload in partially automated driving on public roads. Drivers' perceived workload was assessed after conducting manual and automated driving activities using a small sample (N = 8). They performed driving tasks in three contemporary vehicles with SAE Level 2 features, in highway and urban environments. The comparative findings revealed that drivers' perceived workload was higher in partially automated driving than manual driving. Furthermore, perceived workload was higher in urban environments than highway environments and in less experienced drivers than more experienced drivers. Although the findings may need to be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size, they provide a future research agenda that can be built upon.