Binder Evolution from Powder Compacts: Thermal Profile for Injection-Molded Articles

Binder evolution information generated using thermal analysis techniques is used along with microstructural information to define a thermal cycle for debinderizing injection-molded articles. In addition, the roles of binder chemistry, powder morphology, binder loading, article size, heating rate, and environmental conditions in determining a satisfactory thermal cycle are investigated. Major binder evolution events and types of defects generated are identified. An improved binder removal cycle is developed from this evaluation for organics elimination of a honeycomb structure.     

Yeast/E. coli shuttle vectors with multiple unique restriction sites

Two yeast/E. coli shuttle vectors have been constructed. The two vectors, YEp351 and YEp352, have the following properties: (1) they can replicate autonomously in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in E. coli; (2) they contain the beta-lactamase gene and confer ampicillin resistance to E. coli; (3) they contain the entire sequence of pUC18; (4) all ten restriction sites of the multiple cloning region of pUC18 including EcoRI, SacI, KpnI, SmaI, BamHI, XbaI, SalI, PstI, SphI and HindIII are unique in YEp352; these sites are also unique in YEp351 except for EcoRI and KpnI, which occur twice; (5) recombinant plasmids with DNA inserts in the multiple cloning region of YEp351 and YEp352 can be recognised by loss of beta-galactosidase function in appropriate E. coli hosts; (6) YEp351 and YEp352 contain the yeast LEU2 and URA3 genes, respectively, allowing for selection of these auxotrophic markers in yeast and E. coli; (7) both plasmids are retained with high frequency in yeast grown under non-selective conditions indicative of high plasmid copy number. The above properties make the shuttle vectors suitable for construction of yeast genomic libraries and for cloning of DNA fragments defined by a large number of different restriction sites. The two vectors have been further modified by deletion of the sequences necessary for autonomous replication in yeast. The derivative plasmids YIp351 and YIp352 can therefore be used to integrate specific sequences into yeast chromosomal DNA.     

Scanning Electron Microscopy Studies of Wheat,Potato and Corn Starch during Gelatinization

The gelatinization of a commercial wheat and potato starch and two types of corn starch (Amaizo Amylomaize VII and Amaizo Amioca Pearl starch) was examined by the scanning electron microscope. Concomitantly, the loss of birefringence in the wheat, potato and corn starch was followed with the light microscope. Swelling and deformation of the starch granules observed in the scanning electron microscope correlated with the loss of birefringence in the light microscope. The gelatinization range of the starches was detected with the scanning scope. Swelling of the wheat starch granules was first observed in the larger A-type granules. Amylomaize VII retained granular structure until approximately 95 °C even though birefringence changes were observed as low as 69°C. Some evidence of structural changes were evident at 83°C. Amioca Pearl underwent structural changes at approximately 68°C and abruptly lost granular structure at approximately 71 °C.     

TSAT is a better predictor than ferritin of hemoglobin response to Epoetin alfa in US dialysis patients

Clinical guidelines recommend concurrent treatment of anemia in end‐stage renal disease with erythropoiesis‐stimulating agents (ESAs) and iron. However, there are mixed data about optimal iron supplementation. To help address this gap, the relationship between iron markers and hemoglobin (Hb) response to ESA (Epoetin alfa) dose was examined. Electronic medical records of 1902 US chronic hemodialysis patients were analyzed over a 12‐month period between June 2009 and June 2010. The analysis included patients who had at least one Hb value during each 4‐week interval for four consecutive intervals (k ? 2, k ? 1, k, and k + 1; k is the index interval), received at least one ESA dose during intervals k ? 1 or k, had at least one transferrin saturation (TSAT) value at interval k, and at least one ferritin value during intervals k ? 2, k ? 1, or k. Effect modification by TSAT and ferritin on Hb response was evaluated using the generalized estimating equations approach. Patients had a mean (standard deviation) age of 62 (15) years; 41% were Caucasian, 34% African American, 65% had hypertension, and 39% diabetes. Transferrin saturation, but not ferritin, had a statistically significant (P < 0.05) modifying effect on Hb response. Maximum Hb response was achieved when TSAT was 34%, with minimal incremental effect beyond these levels. Of the two standard clinical iron markers, TSAT should be used as the primary marker of the modifying effect of iron on Hb response to ESA. Long‐term safety of iron use to improve Hb response to ESA warrants further study.     

Electronic payment systems

Trusted electronic payment systems are a key enabler for mass acceptance of electronic commerce over insecure networks such as the Internet. This paper classifies the currently available payment systems on the Internet, and looks at likely payment systems for the future. The need for micropayments is also discussed.     

L-733,060, a novel tachykinin NK1 receptor antagonist; effects in [Ca2+]i mobilisation, cardiovascular and dural extravasation assays

Short RNA species that encompass the psi domain of the retroviral genome spontaneously form dimers in vitro, and the retroviral nucleocapsid protein activates this dimerization in vitro. Addition of gag RNA sequences downstream of the 3' end of the psi domain decreases the level of spontaneous dimerization. Here, we report the effects of RNA length on dimerization in vitro, studied with RNA fragments from Moloney murine leukaemia virus that contain the psi domain and all or part of the gag sequence. Extension of the RNA leads to progressive inhibition of the in vitro dimerization process. Sequences located downstream of the 3' end of the psi domain seem to stabilize the monomeric structures. This stabilization participates in dimerization of the RNA sequences involved in the recognition of two RNA molecules. We studied the ability of nucleocapsid protein 10 to promote dimerization of such long RNA fragments, and found that the protein greatly enhances their dimerization in vitro. We propose that nucleocapsid protein 10 stimulates the overall dimerization process by reduction of the energy barrier that must be overcome to allow dimer formation. Our results show that dimerization of RNA form Moloney murine leukaemia virus in vitro is enhanced by nucleocapsid protein 10. This finding is in agreement with the involvement of the nucleocapsid protein in RNA dimerization in vivo.     

The apolipoprotein E allele epsilon 4 is overrepresented in patients with the Lewy body variant of Alzheimer's disease

We determined apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotypes in 122 autopsied demented patients. The frequency of the ApoE epsilon 4 allele was 39.6% in Alzheimer's disease (AD), 29.0% in the Lewy body variant of AD (LBV), and 6.25% in diffuse Lewy body disease. For AD and LBV patients, the epsilon 4 frequency was significantly higher than that reported in nondemented controls (10 to 15%). Therefore, LBV and AD share ApoE epsilon 4 as a genetic risk factor, providing further evidence that these conditions overlap.     

Studies on the flavor of autoxidized soybean oil

The flavor components of soybean oil in the early stages of autoxidation were isolated by distillation in a molecular still. The distillate consisted of an aqueous layer and an oily film. The oily film did not reproduce the autoxidized flavor when added to freshly deodorized oil. Gas chromatographic and organoleptic analysis indicated that the oily film contained hexanal, vinylamyl ketone, andtrans,cis-2,6-nonadienal. The aqueous layer reproduced the autoxidized flavor when added to freshly deodorized oil, and the flavor had a retention time on butandiol succinate columns between those of pentanal and hexanal. Mixtures of vinylethyl ketone and pentanal gave a flavor to freshly deodorized oil similar to the flavor of oil in the early stages of autoxidation. Vinylethyl ketone was identified in the distillate from autoxidized soybean oil as the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone. Presented at the AOCS Meeting, Minneapolis, 1963.     

Modelling the surface adsorption of methane on carbon nanostructures

Methane (CH₄) adsorption is investigated on both graphite and in the region between two aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes, which we refer to as the groove site. We exploit the Lennard–Jones potential function and the continuous approximation to determine surface binding energies between a single CH₄ molecule and graphite and between a single CH₄ and two aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes. Our modelling indicates that for a CH₄ molecule interacting with graphite, the binding energy of the system is minimized when the CH₄ carbon is 3.83 Å above the surface of the graphitic carbon, while the binding energy of the CH₄–groove site system is minimized when the CH₄ carbon is 5.17 Å away from the common axis shared by the two aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes. Our results confirm the current view that for larger groove sites, CH₄ molecules in grooves are likely to move towards the outer surfaces of one of the single-walled carbon nanotubes. Our results are computationally efficient and are in good agreement with experiments and molecular dynamics simulations, and show that CH₄ adsorption on graphite and groove surfaces is more favourable at lower temperatures and higher pressures.