CE-MS-based proteomics in biomarker discovery and clinical application

CE-MS is applied in clinical proteomics for both the identification of biomarkers of disease and assessment of biomarkers in clinical diagnosis. The analysis is reproducible, fast, and requires only small sample volumes. However, successful CE-MS analysis depends on several critical steps that can be consolidated as follows: (i) proper sample preparation and fractionation, (ii) application of suitable capillary coating and appropriate CE-MS interfaces, to ensure the reproducibility and stability of the analysis, and (iii) an optimized clinical and statistical study design to increase the chances for obtaining clinically relevant results. In this review, we cover all these aspects, and present several examples of the application of CE-MS in clinical proteomics.     

Individuality and Social Influence in Groups: Inductive and Deductive Routes to Group Identity.

A distinction between forms of social identity formation in small interactive groups is investigated. In groups in which a common identity is available or given, norms for individual behavior may be deduced from group properties (deductive identity). In groups in which interpersonal relations are central, a group identity may also be induced from individual group members' contributions, making individuality and individual distinctiveness a defining feature of the group (inductive identity). Two studies examined the prediction that depersonalization produced by anonymity has opposite effects for groups in which social identity has been induced or deduced. Results confirmed the prediction that depersonalization increases social influence in groups whose identity was more deductive. In contrast, depersonalization decreases social influence in inductive identity groups. Implications for the role of social identity in small groups are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Modeling and Analysis of Non-functional Properties in Component-based Systems

This paper discusses methodologies for the specification and analysis of performance related properties of components and assemblies of components, and outlines an original approach, called the CB-SPE, for component-based software performance engineering. The proposed approach relies on, and adapts to a CB framework, the concepts and steps of the SPE technology, and uses for modeling the standard RT-UML profile, reshaped according to the CB principles.     

Lactic acid production and rheological properties of yogurt made from milk acidified with carbon dioxide

The influence of milk acidification up to pH 6.0 with CO₂ on D ‐ and L ‐lactic acid production and lactose consumption by yogurt starter, changes in the pH, and rheological and sensory properties of yogurt were studied. A slight influence of CO₂ on lactic acid production during yogurt manufacture was detected. No significant changes in lactic acid concentration were observed during storage, although the final concentration was significantly lower in control than in pH 6.2 and 6.0 acidified samples. A great influence of CO₂ on D ‐lactic acid production was not observed. Yogurt manufactured from milk with lower pH values showed lower final pH values after 7 days of storage. The viscosity was similar in all analysed samples. No significant differences in sensory characteristics between unacidified and acidified yogurts were detected. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Preventing untestedness in data‐flow based testing

A large number of path‐oriented testing criteria have been proposed in the last twenty years. Surprisingly, almost all of them suffer from a serious weakness, which is called the untestedness syndrome: even though a criterion is satisfied, some statements of the program under test may remain ‘untested’, i.e., the observed test output does not depend on them. A new data‐flow based testing criterion is introduced which does not suffer from untestedness, called the All Program Function (APF) criterion. Intuitively, it requires that each possible computation to every output statement in a program be covered by some test; but for lots of programs APF would require an infinite number of tests. A second, applicable criterion is thus introduced, derived from APF and called the Basic Program Function (BPF) criterion. BPF leaves no statement untested and yields finite test suites. Some examples show the application of BPF and investigate the failure‐detection capability of the proposed criterion. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of monomers derived from resorcinol as eluents of bisphenol A glycidyl dimethacrylate for the formulation of dental composite resins

The objective of this work was to synthesize two bio-based monomers, using the resorcinol as raw material, and its effect as bisphenol A glycidyl dimethacrylate (Bis-GMA) eluents on different chemical–physical and biological properties of experimental photopolymerizable composite resins. The acrylic 1,3-phenylen diacrylic (1,3-FDA) and methacrylic 1,3-phenylen dimethacrylic (1,3-FDMA) monomers were synthesized and fully characterized through FTIR and ¹H-NMR spectroscopies. Experimental photopolimerizable composites were formulated using Bis-GMA/1,3-FDA or Bis-GMA/1,3-FDMA as organic matrix. The materials were compared with a Bis-GMA/TEGDMA resin-based composite used as control. Polymerization kinetics was evaluated by means of FTIR spectroscopy. Polymerization stress was directly measured through a polymerization stress tester. The cell viability of the composites was evaluated using the MTT assay. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's test were used for statistical analysis. The materials formulated with the 1,3-FDA monomer showed higher Rp_max values and lower polymerization stress values (p < 0.05), while the flexural strength, water sorption, and solubility remained similar to the TEGDMA composite. Conversely, the materials formulated with the 1,3-FDMA monomer showed a lower degree of conversion and statistically lower flexural strength (p < 0.05). All materials exhibited a cellular viability close to 100%. Concerning the study conditions, the acrylic 1,3-FDA monomer could be considered an alternative to TEGDMA in the formulation of photopolymerizable dental composite resins. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48576.     

Gamma Irradiation of in-Shell and Blanched Peanuts Protects against Mycotoxic Fungi and Retains Their Nutraceutical Components during Long-Term Storage

Peanut samples were irradiated (0.0, 5.2, 7.2 or 10.0 kGy), stored for a year (room temperature) and examined every three months. Mycotoxic fungi (MF) were detected in non-irradiated blanched peanuts. A dose of 5.2 kGy was found suitable to prevent MF growth in blanched samples. No MF was detected in in-shell peanuts, with or without irradiation. The colors of the control in-shell and blanched samples were, respectively, 44.72 and 60.21 (L *); 25.20 and 20.38 (Chroma); 53.05 and 86.46 (°Hue). The water activities (Aw) were 0.673 and 0.425. The corresponding fatty acids were 13.33% and 12.14% (C16:0), 44.94% and 44.92% (C18:1, ω9) and 37.10% and 37.63% (C18:2, ω6). The total phenolics (TP) were 4.62 and 2.52 mg GAE/g, with antioxidant activities (AA) of 16.97 and 10.36 μmol TEAC/g. Storage time negatively correlated with Aw (in-shell peanuts) or L *, linoleic acid, TP and AA (in-shell and blanched peanuts) but positively correlated with Aw (blanched peanuts), and with oleic acid (in-shell and blanched peanuts). Irradiation positively correlated with antioxidant activity (blanched peanuts). No correlation was found between irradiation and AA (in-shell samples) or fatty acids and TP (in-shell and blanched peanuts). Irradiation protected against MF and retained both the polyunsaturated fatty acids and polyphenols in the samples.