Development of a rapid, non-destructive method for egg content determination in dry pasta using FT-NIR technique

A quick, non-destructive method, based on Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy for egg content determination of dry pasta is presented. Multivariate calibration was carried out by using partial least squares (PLS) regression. A calibration set of 108 samples, a validation set of 22 samples and a prediction set of 11 samples of egg pasta were used. The diffuse reflection spectra of different types of pastas were measured by FT-NIR analyzer in the 800-2500 nm spectral range. The optimal results for egg content (root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) = 0.7; R² = 90.7, Rank = 4) were obtained when the spectra were subjected to the first derivation combined with multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) and smoothing. Egg content was determined from FT-NIR results by introducing a mathematical correction step.     

Untersuchungen zum Einfluss der Holzfeuchte auf ausgewählte Eigenschaften von Spanplatten und MDF

On industrially produced particle boards and MDF, the influence of wood moisture on bending MOE, bending strength and shear modulus G_zx and G_zy was determined. The equilibrium moisture content and the differential swelling of thickness proved to be smaller for MDF than for particle boards. Tensile strength and tensile MOE, shear modulus and bending strength decrease likewise with increasing wood moisture content. Furthermore the Poisson ratio μ₁₂ decreases with increasing wood moisture content.     

A Budding Relationship: Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles in the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis

The discovery of the microbiota-gut-brain axis has revolutionized our understanding of systemic influences on brain function and may lead to novel therapeutic approaches to neurodevelopmental and mood disorders. A parallel revolution has occurred in the field of intercellular communication, with the realization that endosomes, and other extracellular vesicles, rival the endocrine system as regulators of distant tissues. These two paradigms shifting developments come together in recent observations that bacterial membrane vesicles contribute to inter-kingdom signaling and may be an integral component of gut microbe communication with the brain. In this short review we address the current understanding of the biogenesis of bacterial membrane vesicles and the roles they play in the survival of microbes and in intra and inter-kingdom communication. We identify recent observations indicating that bacterial membrane vesicles, particularly those derived from probiotic organisms, regulate brain function. We discuss mechanisms by which bacterial membrane vesicles may influence the brain including interaction with the peripheral nervous system, and modulation of immune activity. We also review evidence suggesting that, unlike the parent organism, gut bacteria derived membrane vesicles are able to deliver cargo, including neurotransmitters, directly to the central nervous system and may thus constitute key components of the microbiota-gut-brain axis.     

HaloTag-Targeted Sirtuin-Rearranging Ligand (SirReal) for the Development of Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) against the Lysine Deacetylase Sirtuin 2 (Sirt2)**

We have discovered the sirtuin-rearranging ligands (SirReals) as a novel class of highly potent and selective inhibitors of the NAD⁺-dependent lysine deacetylase sirtuin 2 (Sirt2). In previous studies, conjugation of a SirReal with a ligand for the E3 ubiquitin ligase cereblon to form a so-called proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) enabled small-molecule-induced degradation of Sirt2. Herein, we report the structure-based development of a chloroalkylated SirReal that induces the degradation of Sirt2 mediated by Halo-tagged E3 ubiquitin ligases. Using this orthogonal approach for Sirt2 degradation, we show that other E3 ligases than cereblon, such as the E3 ubiquitin ligase parkin, can also be harnessed for small-molecule-induced Sirt2 degradation, thereby emphasizing the great potential of parkin to be used as an E3 ligase for new PROTACs approaches. Thus, our study provides new insights into targeted protein degradation in general and Sirt2 degradation in particular.     

Fast Self-Assembly Dynamics of a β-Sheet Peptide Soft Material

Peptide-based hydrogels are promising biocompatible materials for wound healing, drug delivery, and tissue engineering applications. The physical properties of these nanostructured materials depend strongly on the morphology of the gel network. However, the self-assembly mechanism of the peptides that leads to a distinct network morphology is still a subject of ongoing debate, since complete assembly pathways have not yet been resolved. To unravel the dynamics of the hierarchical self-assembly process of the model β-sheet forming peptide KFE8 (Ac-FKFEFKFE-NH₂)_, high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) in liquid is used. It is demonstrated that a fast-growing network, based on small fibrillar aggregates, is formed at a solid–liquid interface, while in bulk solution, a distinct, more prolonged nanotube network emerges from intermediate helical ribbons. Moreover, the transformation between these morphologies has been visualized. It is expected that this new in situ and in real-time methodology will set the path for the in-depth unravelling of the dynamics of other peptide-based self-assembled soft materials, as well as gaining advanced insights into the formation of fibers involved in protein misfolding diseases.     

Clinical features distinguishing patients with Tourette's syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder from patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder without tics

OBJECTIVE: It is not clear whether obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in the context of Tourette's syndrome (TS) is the same as that disorder found in patients with OCD alone. This study evaluated the severity and characteristics of the obsessive-compulsive symptoms in adult patients with OCD and TS compared to adult patients with OCD alone. METHOD: Thirteen subjects with both DSM-III-R TS and OCD and 13 subjects with OCD alone were recruited. Obsessive-compulsive severity was determined by using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale. The Tourette Syndrome Association Unified Tic Rating Scale was administered to determine tic severity, and the adult version of the Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Checklist was used to detect a history of childhood attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). RESULTS: Subjects with OCD alone had very few obsessions and compulsions that were not also experienced by subjects with both TS and OCD. In contrast, subjects with TS and OCD were significantly more likely to report obsessions involving nonviolent images, excessive concern with appearance, and need for symmetry. Touching, blinking or staring, and counting compulsions were also significantly more common in this group. Eight subjects with OCD and TS had a childhood history of ADHD, compared to none of the pure OCD subjects. CONCLUSION: There are subtle but definite differences in symptomatology of subjects with pure OCD compared to those with OCD and TS consistent with putative differences in pathophysiology between the 2 groups, i.e., abnormalities in the serotonergic system in OCD patients and serotonergic and dopaminergic abnormalities in those with OCD and TS. These observations may be consistent with genetic heterogeneity within both OCD and TS.     

A rapid prototyping software infrastructure for user interfaces in ubiquitous augmented reality

Recent user interface concepts, such as multimedia, multimodal, wearable, ubiquitous, tangible, or augmented-reality-based (AR) interfaces, each cover different approaches that are all needed to support complex human–computer interaction. Increasingly, an overarching approach towards building what we call ubiquitous augmented reality (UAR) user interfaces that include all of the just mentioned concepts will be required. To this end, we present a user interface architecture that can form a sound basis for combining several of these concepts into complex systems. We explain in this paper the fundamentals of DWARFs user interface framework (DWARF standing for distributed wearable augmented reality framework) and an implementation of this architecture. Finally, we present several examples that show how the framework can form the basis of prototypical applications.     

A new active position sensing method for ropeless elevator

Traditional cable driven elevators perform poorly in high-rise buildings because the weight of the cable limits the payload, and its elasticity degrades control performance. Further, it is not mechanically possible to include several elevator cars in the same hoistway because of the cable. However such multi-car elevator systems are desirable since they reduce passenger waiting time and reduce the space requirements of the elevator system. A promising solution is to use long armature linear motors spanning the hoistway to directly drive elevator cages. In such applications, the mover position sensing method must be explicitly addressed since most active position sensing methods require traveling cables, which are also an obstacle for multi-car elevator systems.In this paper, the linear-motor active position sensing method is formally introduced and the principle of operation, design and real-time operation methods are presented. The proposed method is used to measure the position of the mover of a long armature permanent magnet linear synchronous motor requiring no active components on the mover, thus traveling cables are eliminated. The principle of operation is inspired by linear variable differential transformer: A magnetic shunt positioned at a fixed distance ahead of the mover deforms the magnetic field created by one of the armature coils. The deformation can be determined by measuring the induced voltages on the neighboring coils, and the position of the shunt, and thus the mover, can be calculated.A design method for the optimal dimensions of the shunt for a given armature to provide long measurement range and small maximum position error is presented, accompanied by a real-time measurement algorithm that will enable the motor to be driven using the method. Finally the method is verified by simulations and experimental results conducted on a full scale linear-motor elevator prototype that was constructed in the laboratory.