Influence of heating,protein and glycerol concentrations of film-forming solution on the film properties of Argentine anchovy (Engraulis anchoita) protein isolate

This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of thermal treatment (74, 82, and 90 °C), glycerol (30%, 35%, and 40%, w/w) and protein concentrations (3.0%, 3.5%, and 4.0% w/w) of film-forming solution on the properties of Argentine anchovy (Engraulis anchoita) protein isolate (API) films produced by casting. The API presented 88.8% of proteins, 5.5% moisture, 1.3% lipids, 1.0% ash and 53.3% of polar amino acids. The DSC of protein isolate was observed at maximum temperature of 62.2 °C and ΔH 6.4 J/g. The thickness, water vapor permeability, color difference and opacity of the films were not affected by the experimental variables studied (p > 0.05). The lowest solubility, elongation, and highest tensile strength of the films occurred at low temperature, low protein and glycerol concentrations (p < 0.05). Micrographs obtained by scanning electron microscopy of the films showed homogeneous surfaces at low temperature.     

Comparative proteomic analysis of low stage and high stage endometrioid ovarian adenocarcinomas

Ovarian cancer, the second most common gynecological malignancy, accounts for 3% of all cancers among women in the United States, and has a high mortality rate, largely because existing therapies for widespread disease are rarely curative. Ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma (OEA) accounts for about 20% of the overall incidence of all ovarian cancer. We have used proteomics profiling to characterize low stage (FIGO stage 1 or 2) versus high stage (FIGO stage 3 or 4) human OEAs. In general, the low stage tumors lacked p53 mutations and had frequent CTNNB1, PTEN, and/or PIK3CA mutations. The high stage tumors had mutant p53, were usually high grade, and lacked mutations predicted to deregulate Wnt/β‐catenin and PI3K/Pten/Akt signaling. We utilized 2‐D liquid‐based separation/mass mapping techniques to elucidate molecular weight and pI measurements of the differentially expressed intact proteins. We generated 2‐D protein mass maps to facilitate the analysis of protein expression between both the low stage and high stage tumors. These mass maps (over a pI range of 5.6–4.6) revealed that the low stage OEAs demonstrated protein over‐expression at the lower pI ranges (pI 4.8–4.6) in comparison to the high stage tumors, which demonstrated protein over‐expression in the higher pI ranges (pI 5.4–5.2). These data suggest that both low and high stage OEAs have characteristic pI signatures of abundant protein expression probably reflecting, at least in part, the different signaling pathway defects that characterize each group. In this study, the low stage OEAs were distinguishable from high stage tumors based upon the proteomic profiles. Interestingly, when only high‐grade (grade 2 or 3) OEAs were included in the analysis, the tumors still tended to cluster according to stage, suggesting that the altered protein expression was not solely dependent upon tumor cell differentiation. Further, these protein profiles clearly distinguish OEA from other types of ovarian cancer at the protein level.     

Adaptive Sustainable Enterprises

Enterprises that want to compete in today’s dynamic markets need to be able to respond to the ever-increasing rates of change. At the same time enterprises strive to be ever more sustainable in terms of economic, environmental, societal, and cultural concerns. Enterprises are being challenged at all levels to meet the demands for sustainability and in a manner that can handle the complexity that is present. In this paper we suggest that enterprises need to integrate sustainability objectives with adaptive approaches to manage complexity and uncertainty. The overarching objective of the research is to explore how an enterprise can become both adaptive and sustainable by interweaving the deliberate and emergent in the context of strategy, organization, process, and information. This research seeks to model and develop several artefacts that assist with responses to complexity and uncertainty while also supporting goals of sustainability. In particular, we propose context aware adaptive and sustainable concepts, framework, lifecycle, architecture, and a prototypical implementation.     

Synthesis and Cytotoxicity of Y<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> Nanoparticles of Various Morphologies

As the field of nanotechnology continues to grow, evaluating the cytotoxicity of nanoparticles is important in furthering their application within biomedicine. Here, we report the synthesis, characterization, and cytotoxicity of nanoparticles of different morphologies of yttrium oxide, a promising material for biological imaging applications. Nanoparticles of spherical, rod-like, and platelet morphologies were synthesized via solvothermal and hydrothermal methods and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), light scattering, surface area analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and zeta potential measurements. Nanoparticles were then tested for cytotoxicity with human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cells, with the goal of elucidating nanoparticle characteristics that influence cytotoxicity. Cellular response was different for the different morphologies, with spherical particles exhibiting no cytotoxicity to HFF cells, rod-like particles increasing cell proliferation, and platelet particles markedly cytotoxic. However, due to differences in the nanoparticle chemistry as determined through the characterization techniques, it is difficult to attribute the cytotoxicity responses to the particle morphology. Rather, the cytotoxicity of the platelet sample appears due to the stabilizing ligand, oleylamine, which was present at higher levels in this sample. This study demonstrates the importance of nanoparticle chemistry on in vitro cytotoxicity, and highlights the general importance of thorough nanoparticle characterization as a prerequisite to understanding nanoparticle cytotoxicity.     

Economics of residential gas furnaces and water heaters in US new construction market

New single-family home construction represents a significant and important market for the introduction of energy-efficient gas-fired space heating and water-heating equipment. In the new construction market, the choice of furnace and water-heater type is primarily driven by first cost considerations and the availability of power vent and condensing water heaters. Few analysis have been performed to assess the economic impacts of the different combinations of space and water-heating equipment. Thus, equipment is often installed without taking into consideration the potential economic and energy savings of installing space and water-heating equipment combinations. In this study, we use a life-cycle cost analysis that accounts for uncertainty and variability of the analysis inputs to assess the economic benefits of gas furnace and water-heater design combinations. This study accounts not only for the equipment cost but also for the cost of installing, maintaining, repairing, and operating the equipment over its lifetime. Overall, this study, which is focused on US single-family new construction households that install gas furnaces and storage water heaters, finds that installing a condensing or power-vent water heater together with condensing furnace is the most cost-effective option for the majority of these houses. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the new construction residential market could be a target market for the large-scale introduction of a combination of condensing or power-vent water heaters with condensing furnaces.     

Comparing price forecast accuracy of natural gas models and futures markets

The purpose of this article is to compare the accuracy of forecasts for natural gas prices as reported by the Energy Information Administration's short-term energy outlook (STEO) and the futures market for the period from 1998 to 2004. The analysis tabulates the existing data and develops a statistical comparison of the error between STEO and US wellhead natural gas prices and between Henry Hub and US wellhead spot prices. The results indicate that, on average, Henry Hub is a slightly better predictor of natural gas prices with an average error of −0.52 and a standard deviation of 1.25 than STEO with an average error of −0.83 and a standard deviation of 1.34. In addition, the results reveal that during the 13–24 months of the 2-year ahead forecast, STEO is a biased predictor of natural gas prices. This analysis suggests that as the futures market continues to report longer forward prices (currently out to 5 years), it may be of interest to economic modelers to compare the accuracy of their models to the futures market. The authors would especially like to thank Doug Hale of the Energy Information Administration for supporting and reviewing this work.     

Glassy Carbon as an Absolute Intensity Calibration Standard for Small-Angle Scattering

Absolute calibration of small-angle scattering (SAS) intensity data (measured in terms of the differential scattering cross section per unit sample volume per unit solid angle) is essential for many important aspects of quantitative SAS analysis, such as obtaining the number density, volume fraction, and specific surface area of the scatterers. It also enables scattering data from different instruments (light, X-ray, or neutron scattering) to be combined, and it can even be useful to detect the existence of artifacts in the experimental data. Different primary or secondary calibration methods are available. In the latter case, absolute intensity calibration requires a stable artifact with the necessary scattering profile. Glassy carbon has sometimes been selected as this intensity calibration standard. Here we review the spatial homogeneity and temporal stability of one type of commercially available glassy carbon that is being used as an intensity calibration standard at a number of SAS facilities. We demonstrate that glassy carbon is sufficiently homogeneous and stable during routine use to be relied upon as a suitable standard for absolute intensity calibration of SAS data.     

Preparation and characterization of a hydroxyapatite–collagen composite as component for injectable bone substitute

The paper presents an improved sol–gel technique for the preparation of hydroxyapatite–atelocollagen composites suitable as precursor for osseous regeneration. This technique includes a premineralization step of atelocollagen providing a suspension of microfibrils in which the synthesis of the inorganic component was conducted at low temperature. The characterization of the composite was performed by FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The particle size distribution and the zeta potential were determined by Zetasizer measurements. The time stability of the composite was evaluated by turbidimetric measurements and macroscopic observation. The composites can be stored for a long time in sterile liquid media without a major risk of aggregation or sedimentation. From the final composite a slurry was obtained by sedimentation in centrifugal field and oscillatory rheological experiments were made to get information about its flow behavior. The slurry could be used as an injectable osteoconductive component, able to act as stock form in orthopaedic kits.