The catabolic capacity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is preserved to a higher extent during carbon compared to nitrogen starvation.

A comparison of catabolic capacity was made between S. cerevisiae cells subjected to 24 h carbon or nitrogen starvation. The cells were shifted to starvation conditions at the onset of respiratory growth on ethanol in aerobic batch cultures, using glucose as the carbon and energy source. The results showed that the catabolic capacity was preserved to a much larger extent during carbon compared to nitrogen starvation. Nitrogen starvation experiments were made in the presence of ethanol (not glucose) to exclude the effect of glucose transport inactivation (Busturia and Lagunas, 1986). Hence, the difference in catabolic capacity could not be attributed to differences in glucose transport capacity during these conditions. In order to understand the reason for this difference in starvation response, measurement of protein composition, adenine nucleotides, inorganic phosphate, polyphosphate and storage carbohydrates were performed. No clear correlation between any of these variables and catabolic capacity after starvation could be obtained. However, there was a positive correlation between total catabolic activity and intracellular ATP concentration when glucose was added to starved cells. The possible mechanism for this correlation, as well as what determines the ATP level, is discussed.     

Optimisation of extraction conditions and thermal properties of protein from the Andean pseudocereal cañihua (Chenopodium pallidicaule Aellen)

Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimise alkaline protein extraction from cañihua grain meal as to maximise protein extraction yield. Different factors (temperature, extraction time, solvent/meal ratio, pH and NaCl molar concentration) were screened, and their significant influence on the extracted protein yield was evaluated. The first four factors were selected and studied by RSM using a central composite design (CCD). The obtained model produced a satisfactory fitting of the results (R² = 0.801). Optimal cañihua protein extraction conditions corresponded to a temperature of 21 °C, time extraction of 5 min, solvent/meal ratio of 37/1 (v/w) at pH 10 resulting in a protein yield of 80.4 ± 1.3%, which closely agree with the predicted value of 81.4%. Moreover, protein degradation was studied via differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) obtaining a denaturation temperature of 93.4 °C and an enthalpy value of 1.22 ± 0.05 J g^?1. These results are interesting from a technological point to help in designing an optimal protein extraction process and cañihua food processing strategies.     

Nanocomposite films and coatings produced by interaction between graphite oxide and Congo red

Nanocomposite films and coatings were produced from the aqueous solutions containing different proportions of graphite oxide (GO) and Congo red by filtering through a polycarbonate membrane filter into alkaline media. They were examined by electron microscopy, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, XRD, contact angle, and electrical conductivity measurements. It was established that the Congo red is able to interact through its amino groups with different functional groups of GO to form larger moieties composed of the nanoplatelets of GO. Raman spectroscopy revealed quinoid-like ring structure for dye adhering to the GO. In the case when the interaction occurs with the terminal functional groups located on the edges of the nanoplateletes of GO, larger crystallites in the nanocomposite are formed. The interaction between the Congo red and functional groups of GO situated in a basal plane leads to more compact structure of the nanocomposite. Pulsed laser treatment was used to reduce GO to graphene. Raman spectra of laser treated areas show positive effect of addition of the Congo red on the graphene yield in nanocomposite coatings after the laser treatment.     

Unraveling the Interaction between the LPS O‐Antigen of Burkholderia anthina and the 5D8 Monoclonal Antibody by Using a Multidisciplinary Chemical Approach,with Synthesis,NMR, and Molecular Modeling Methods

The interaction between the O‐chain from the lipopolysaccharide from Burkholderia anthina and a lipopolysaccharide‐specific monoclonal antibody (5D8) has been studied at high resolution by NMR spectroscopy. In particular, the 5D8‐bound epitope of the saccharide entity has been unraveled by a combination of saturation transfer difference (STD) and transferred NOESY (tr‐NOESY) experiments performed on the 5D8/polysaccharide complex. To dissect the fine details of the molecular recognition events, further experiments with simpler carbohydrate ligands were carried out. Thus, experiments were also performed with ad hoc synthesized trisaccharide and hexasaccharide O‐antigen repeating units. By using this multidisciplinary approach (chemical synthesis, NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulation), determination of the binding epitope and the contribution to the binding of the sugar units composing the O‐chain have been determined.     

Carbon emission offsets for aviation-generated emissions due to international travel to and from New Zealand

International air transport emissions are not subject to liability under the Kyoto Protocol. However, pressure is mounting globally for international aviation to be included in post-Kyoto arrangements. In the absence of international collective action, a number of so-called carbon offsetting schemes have emerged that allow individual travellers and companies to compensate for their international air travel emissions. These schemes offer technological solutions, such as planting sink forests to sequester emissions. To consider the implications of future collective action, this paper presents a case study assessment of the physical feasibility of five schemes for all short duration journeys to and from New Zealand. This is the first comprehensive national-level case study assessment of competing offsetting options for international aviation emissions in the peer-reviewed literature. The CO₂-e emissions produced by the air travel of international visitors to New Zealand, and for New Zealand residents travelling overseas, is calculated in this paper to be 7893 and 3948 Gg, respectively, in 2005. It is then shown that no single offsetting scheme targeted inside the country appears physically and/or politically realistic. This indicates the sheer size of these emissions, and the challenge that the international community faces for collective action on this matter.     

消费和工业应用中的低功耗考量

消费和工业市场要求在新产品设计中提高能源效率.便携产品需要新一代技术来延长电池使用寿命,而大型产品(如白色家电)则需要提高能源效率来保持竞争优势.很多情况下,利用电子组件替换机械组件可以降低板卡功耗,附加的软件控制能够精确调整应用的功率性能.     

Performance evaluation of emergency department physicians using robust value-based additive efficiency model

We propose a novel variant of the value-based additive data envelopment analysis model. It conducts a comprehensive robustness analysis of efficiency outcomes for all feasible input and output weights using mathematical programming and the Monte Carlo simulation. We also introduce the original procedures for selecting a common vector of weights and an approach for investigating the stability of results in a multiscenario setting. The presented framework is applied to evaluate the performance of emergency department physicians using data from the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa. Our focus is on the physicians' performance when dealing with groups of patients' complaints related to abdominal pain and constipation, fever, extremity injury, head injury, and laceration/puncture. The obtained results emphasize the strong dependence of the physicians' performances on the selected weight vectors. However, they prove helpful in pointing out overall good performers who can serve as universal benchmarks or niche performers being markedly better in providing care to a given complaint group. They also offer a basis for developing an improvement plan for the underperforming physicians, identifying the priorities for a practice-oriented model, and recognizing the most challenging patients' complaints.     

Interaction between graphite oxide and Congo red in aqueous media

Interaction between graphite oxide and Congo red, a diazo dye containing NH₂ and SO₃ functional groups, was studied using UV–vis, FTIR, capillary electrophoresis and potentiometric methods. UV–vis experiments managed to elicit a colorful set of reactions, which were dependent on the sonication of solution. It was established that the molecules of Congo red after sonication are able to penetrate through the hydration shell and extract the protons attached to the functional groups on the surface of graphite oxide. Interaction between the graphite oxide particles and Congo red molecules is suggested to stabilize the aqueous suspensions of single-layer graphite oxide sheets. Potentiometric titration data show that the Congo red molecules adsorbed on the surface of graphite oxide are able to prevent the penetration of OH⁻ ions to reach the acidic functional groups inside the graphite oxide stacks. Electrostatic repulsion among these functional groups is quite high. Ionization of the graphite oxide colloidal particles with adsorbed Congo red molecules leads to the significant changes in their conformation.     

Geographical Origin Identification of Moldavian Wines by Neutron Activation Analysis

To get more data regarding the elemental transfer from soil to wine, the neutron activation analysis was used to determine 35 elements in vineyard chernozem soil and 18 elements in wines from Romanesti and Cricova, Republic of Moldova. Soil elemental content allowed evidencing more similarities between considered soils and the Upper Continental Crust and the World Average Soil as well as to calculate the soil-to-wine transfer factor for 18 of investigated elements. From all 28 trace elements evidenced in soil, only 13, the soluble ones, were found in all wine samples, which finally allowed determining the corresponding transfer factors whose values varied between 0.02 mg/l (U) and 38 mg/l (K). In this regard, all sorts of wines showed a significant concentration of potassium, varying from 370 to 700 mg/l. A subsequent discriminant analysis allowed discriminating all wine samples according to their types: red and white as well as their origin.