Structural Basis for Antimicrobial Activity of Lasiocepsin

Lasiocepsin is a unique 27‐residue antimicrobial peptide, isolated from Lasioglossum laticeps (wild bee) venom, with substantial antibacterial and antifungal activity. It adopts a welldefined structure consisting of two α‐helices linked by a structured loop. Its basic residues form two distinct positively charged regions on the surface whereas aliphatic side chains contribute to solvent‐accessible hydrophobic areas, thus emphasising the amphipathic character of the molecule. Lasiocepsin structurally belongs to the ShK family and shows a strong preference for anionic phospholipids; this is further augmented by increasing concentrations of cardiolipin, such as those found at the poles of bacterial cells. The membrane‐permeabilising activity of the peptide is not limited to outer membranes of Gram‐negative bacteria. The peptide interacts with phospholipids initially through its N terminus, and its degree of penetration is strongly dependent on the presence of cardiolipin.     

Theoretical and Experimental Analysis of Moisture-Dependent Thermal Conductivity of Lightweight Ceramic Bricks

The moisture-dependent thermal conductivity of two types of lightweight ceramic brick body is analyzed using both theoretical and experimental approaches. The basic physical properties are determined at first. Then, an impulse method is applied for the thermal-conductivity measurement. Initially, the material samples are dried, after that, they are exposed to liquid water for specific time intervals, and finally the moisture content is allowed to homogenize within the whole volume. The thermal-conductivity measurement is performed for different moisture contents achieved in this way. In the theoretical part, the homogenization principles are used for the calculation of the moisture-dependent thermal conductivity, utilizing the distribution functions based on the pore-size distribution measurement. Finally, a comparison of the measured and calculated data is done, and the validity of the applied effective media treatment is assessed.     

New Approach to Inter‐domain Multicast Protocols

IPTV broadcast channels and video content distribution are increasingly saturating network paths. New solutions based on inter‐domain multicast protocols could contribute to the enhancement of multimedia content distribution over the Internet. The aim of this paper is to propose new capabilities for an existing inter‐domain multicast protocol, the Protocol Independent Multicast‐Sparse Mode. We describe the modified protocol and analyze its behavior using newly developed tools based on an open‐source software simulator. The resulting protocol does not require topology information, which is advantageous for easier deployment. In addition, the adopted solution avoids inherent problems with inter‐domain multicast routing, such as multiple paths and path asymmetries.     

Evidence of Oxygen Ferromagnetism in ZnO Based Materials

Discoveries of room‐temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) in semiconductors hold great promise in future spintronics technologies. Unfortunately, this ferromagnetism remains poorly understood and the debate concerning the nature, carrier‐mediated versus defect‐mediated, of this ferromagnetism in semiconducting oxides is still open. Here, by using X‐ray absorption (XAS) and X‐ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), it is demonstrated that the oxygen ions have a ferromagnetic response in different ZnO‐based compounds showing RTFM behavior: ZnO nanoparticles capped with organic molecules and ZnO/ZnS heterostructures. These results demonstrate the intrinsic occurrence of RTFM in these systems, and point out that it is not related to the metallic cation but it relays on the conduction band of the semiconductor.     

Shrimp processing assessed by low field nuclear magnetic resonance, near infrared spectroscopy, and physicochemical measurements--the effect of polyphosphate content and length of prebrining on shrimp muscle

The effect of using polyphosphates during prebrining and the effect of prebrining time of cold water shrimp (Pandalus borealis) was studied with low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) transverse relaxation time measurements (benchtop and unilateral) and near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy with the aim of improving shrimp processing. Strong calibrations were obtained for moisture content and water-holding capacity (WHC) using the NIR technique. Multivariate analysis indicated significant correlations between benchtop NMR parameters and moisture content and WHC, as measured with physicochemical methods and NIR spectroscopy. Significant correlations were also observed between NMR parameters and muscle pH, protein content, and phosphate content. The study showed that LF-NMR contribute to improved understanding of the shrimp brining process and to improved process control on-line or at-line, especially in combination with NIR measurements. However, optimization of the unilateral device is necessary.     

Volatile composition of pomegranates from 9 Spanish cultivars using headspace solid phase microextraction

Fruits of 9 Spanish pomegranate cultivars were analyzed for quality parameters, volatile composition, and sensory profile. Volatile compounds were extracted using headspace solid phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and flame ionization detector (GC-FID). Twenty-one compounds were found in the headspace of fresh pomegranate juices, including aldehydes, monoterpenes, and alcohols. The most abundant compounds were hexanal, limonene, trans-2-hexenal, and cis-3-hexenol. Fruits from the cultivars Mollar Elche(ME) ME14, ME1, and ME2 presented the highest values of overall liking by the consumer panel; however, their total volatiles concentration were low compared to the other pomegranate cultivars and their color intensity was intermediate. Overall consumer liking of pomegranate juices was mainly associated with the presence of monoterpenes (α-terpineol); however, high aldehydes (trans-2-hexenal) concentrations were correlated with poor overall consumer liking. Fruits from sour-sweet cultivars (PTO7 and ADO4) could improve the quality of ME pomegranate juices due to their intense color, high monoterpenes concentrations, and their moderate sourness. Practical Application: The information provided in this study proves that sour-sweet pomegranate fruits can be used in the manufacturing of pomegranate juices and will improve the sensory quality and the volatile composition of this product.     

Smart Enhancement of TCP Performance Over Lossy WLAN Channels Through the Combined Use of Link Layer Techniques

This paper shows an important enhancement of TCP behavior over the IEEE 802.11b Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) if a combination of a Forward Error Correction (FEC) scheme and a Snoop agent is added to the idle Repeat reQuest (RQ) mechanism inherently used by such technology. The FEC scheme has been improved with some smart cross-layer optimizations, and its operation adapts to the channel conditions. Besides, the aim of the Snoop agent is to back up the FEC, overcoming the deficiencies of its adaptation, which are mainly due to the high variability of the channel inside a typical office environment. A complete experimental approach has been followed, and exhaustive measurement campaigns have been carried out over a real platform to derive a large number of performance parameters. Both methods have been implemented as modules belonging to a generic layer-two Performance Enhancing Proxy (PEP).