Automated targeting for inter-plant water integration

Apart from in-plant water recovery, inter-plant water integration (IPWI) offers another promising mean for the reduction of fresh water and wastewater flowrates for process plants. This paper extends the automated targeting technique that was developed for single water network into IPWI. This optimisation-based technique is based on the concept of pinch analysis, which enables the setting of various network targets prior to detailed design. The automated targeting technique is formulated as a linear programming model for which global optimum is guaranteed. The proposed technique is demonstrated using several industrial and literature examples.     

Memory stages and brain asymmetry in chick learning.

Stages of formation of memory and the roles of different forebrain structures in memory formation were investigated by injecting various agents into the brains of chicks close to the time of peck-avoidance training. With L-glutamate injected bilaterally into the hyperstriatum 5 min pretraining, retention was good 1 min posttraining but significantly impaired at 5 min and each subsequent time point from 10 min to 24 hr. With ouabain, retention declined more slowly, showing significant impairment at 15 min and thereafter. With any of 3 protein synthesis inhibitors, retention was still good 60 min posttraining but significantly impaired at 90 min. The 3 time courses of decline of retention are consistent with hypotheses of 3 sequentially dependent stages of memory formation. It appears that both the medial hyperstriatum and the lateral neostriatum are required for formation of memory. Agents that are specific for a presumed stage of memory formation and whose action is restricted spatially should help reveal the roles of different brain structures in different stages of memory formation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Issues to consider in conducting nonsexist psychological research: A guide for researchers.

Discusses the operation of sexism in all areas of psychological research, from broad conceptual issues to narrow methodological concerns. It is argued that sexism, in the form of unexamined assumptions about the sexes and unequal treatment of males and females may enter psychological research at any phase of a research project. Three major types of barriers to sex-fair research are identified: excessive confidence in traditional methods of research, bias in explanatory systems, and inappropriate conceptualization and operationalization. A series of recommendations are offered to eliminate some of the most common forms of sexist bias in research and to stimulate critical discussion of practices within psychology that encourage or fail to challenge sexist bias. (103 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Universals and cultural differences in the judgments of facial expressions of emotion.

We present here new evidence of cross-cultural agreement in the judgment of facial expression. Subjects in 10 cultures performed a more complex judgment task than has been used in previous cross-cultural studies. Instead of limiting the subjects to selecting only one emotion term for each expression, this task allowed them to indicate that multiple emotions were evident and the intensity of each emotion. Agreement was very high across cultures about which emotion was the most intense. The 10 cultures also agreed about the second most intense emotion signaled by an expression and about the relative intensity among expressions of the same emotion. However, cultural differences were found in judgments of the absolute level of emotional intensity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A New HPLC-MS Method for Measuring Maslinic Acid and Oleanolic Acid in HT29 and HepG2 Human Cancer Cells

Maslinic acid (MA) and oleanolic acid (OA), the main triterpenic acids present in olive, have important properties for health and disease prevention. MA selectively inhibits cell proliferation of the HT29 human colon-cancer cell line by inducing selective apoptosis. For measuring the MA and OA concentration inside the cell and in the culture medium, a new HPLC-MS procedure has been developed. With this method, a determination of the amount of MA and OA incorporated into HT29 and HepG2 human cancer-cell lines incubated with different concentrations of MA corresponding to 50% growth inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀), IC_50/2, IC_50/4, and IC_50/8 has been made. The results demonstrate that this method is appropriate for determining the MA and OA concentration in different types of cultured cells and reveals the specific dynamics of entry of MA into HT29 and HepG2 cells.     

Next-Generation Sequencing Workflow for NSCLC Critical Samples Using a Targeted Sequencing Approach by Ion Torrent PGM? Platform

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a cost-effective technology capable of screening several genes simultaneously; however, its application in a clinical context requires an established workflow to acquire reliable sequencing results. Here, we report an optimized NGS workflow analyzing 22 lung cancer-related genes to sequence critical samples such as DNA from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) blocks and circulating free DNA (cfDNA). Snap frozen and matched FFPE gDNA from 12 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, whose gDNA fragmentation status was previously evaluated using a multiplex PCR-based quality control, were successfully sequenced with Ion Torrent PGM™. The robust bioinformatic pipeline allowed us to correctly call both Single Nucleotide Variants (SNVs) and indels with a detection limit of 5%, achieving 100% specificity and 96% sensitivity. This workflow was also validated in 13 FFPE NSCLC biopsies. Furthermore, a specific protocol for low input gDNA capable of producing good sequencing data with high coverage, high uniformity, and a low error rate was also optimized. In conclusion, we demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining gDNA from FFPE samples suitable for NGS by performing appropriate quality controls. The optimized workflow, capable of screening low input gDNA, highlights NGS as a potential tool in the detection, disease monitoring, and treatment of NSCLC.     

Homoserine Lactones,Methyl Oligohydroxybutyrates,and Other Extracellular Metabolites of Macroalgae‐Associated Bacteria of the Roseobacter Clade: Identification and Functions

Twenty‐four strains of marine Roseobacter clade bacteria were isolated from macroalgae and investigated for the production of quorum‐sensing autoinducers, N‐acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs). GC/MS analysis of the extracellular metabolites allowed us to evaluate the release of other small molecules as well. Nineteen strains produced AHLs, ranging from 3‐OH‐C10:0‐HSL (homoserine lactone) to (2E,11Z)‐C18:2‐HSL, but no specific phylogenetic or ecological pattern of individual AHL occurrence was observed when cluster analysis was performed. Other identified compounds included indole, tropone, methyl esters of oligomers of 3‐hydroxybutyric acid, and various amides, such as N‐9‐hexadecenoylalanine methyl ester (9‐C16:1‐NAME), a structural analogue of AHLs. Several compounds were tested for their antibacterial and antialgal activity on marine isolates likely to occur in the habitat of the macroalgae. Both AHLs and 9‐C16:1‐NAME showed high antialgal activity against Skeletonema costatum, whereas their antibacterial activity was low.     

Factors affecting acceptability of dry-cured ham throughout extended maturation under "bodega" conditions

The evolution of biochemical, instrumental colour and texture, sensory parameters and consumer acceptability of 12-month dry-cured hams maintained up to 26 months under “bodega” conditions (18 °C, 75% relative humidity) was assessed, in order to investigate the influence of extended ripening on their sensory characteristics and acceptability. Results demonstrated that ham acceptability showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) from 12 to 22 months, while it decreased significantly (p < 0.05) until 26 months. Principal component analysis of all data brought about a comprehensive explanation of the biochemical, instrumental and sensory parameters involved in the acceptability decrease. In fact, high pastiness and adhesiveness values, as measured by both sensory and instrumental methods, appeared to be most related to decreasing acceptability. Those attributes were the result of an excessive proteolysis, as revealed by biochemical maturation indices.     

Substrate constructed by an array of split ring resonators for a THz planar antenna

Metamaterials are artificial materials offering unique properties which render them useful for various applications. In the present paper, we examine whether it is possible to design a split ring resonators’ (SRRs) based metamaterial substrate for enhancing the performance of planar antennas operating at THz frequencies. Initially, the radiating characteristics of a simple rectangular patch antenna over two well-known SRR substrates are studied. The yielded results are then compared to those of two novel designs of metamaterial antenna substrate with SRRs of decreasing size which are proposed to improve the antenna’s performance.