A study of the large strain deformation and failure behaviour of mixed biopolymer gels via in situ ESEM

A mixed biopolymer gel, consisting of a protein (gelatin) and polysaccharide (maltodextrin) mixture has been investigated. By controlling the composition it was possible to construct an ‘emulsion-like’ structure, with included spherical particles of one phase (maltodextrin) within a continuous matrix of the second (gelatin). Large strain deformation and failure behaviour of this system has been examined via in situ environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). ESEM has been employed to explore the changes in the structure of the material, whilst allowing the sample to stay hydrated as it was subjected to tensile strain, thereby allowing simultaneous imaging and determination of stress-strain data of the native sample. Ductile behaviour was observed, which has been attributed to the stretching, tearing and fracture of gelatin ligaments and debonding at the interface between the maltodextrin particles and continuous gelatin matrix. Deformation and fracture of the maltodextrin particles during tensile testing was also observed. The interfacial fracture energy of the composite has been calculated following an elastomer composite-debonding model, although there are several limitations to this approach for the mixed gel. It was found in samples tested after different ageing times that the debonding stress and strain was decreasing with ageing leading to a lower interfacial fracture energy. Samples were also tested after successive loading cycles, which resulted in a mechanical strength decrease after each cycle.     

The partial testing design: a less costly way to test equivalence for sensitivity and specificity

We propose a new, less costly, design to test the equivalence of digital versus analogue mammography in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Because breast cancer is a rare event among asymptomatic women, the sample size for testing equivalence of sensitivity is larger than that for testing equivalence of specificity. Hence calculations of sample size are based on sensitivity. With the proposed design it is possible to achieve the same power as a completely paired design by increasing the number of less costly analogue mammograms and not giving the more expensive digital mammograms to some randomly selected subjects who are negative on the analogue mammogram. The key idea is that subjects who are negative on the analogue mammogram are unlikely to have cancer and hence contribute less information for estimating sensitivity than subjects who are positive on the analogue mammogram. To ascertain disease state among subjects not biopsied, we propose another analogue mammogram at a later time determined by a natural history model. The design differs from a double sampling design because it compares two imperfect tests instead of combining information from a perfect and imperfect test.     

Structures stabilizing the dimer interface on human 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase types 1 and 2 and human 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase and their homologs

Human 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-types 1 and 2 and human 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase belong to a large family of oxidoreductases that includes human dihydropteridine reductase and Streptomyces hydrogenans 20 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, for which 3D structures are available. Almost all of these enzymes are either dimers or tetramers. The dimer interface of rat dihydropteridine reductase consists of alpha-helices E and F from each monomer arranged in a four alpha-helix bundle [Varughese et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 6080-6084]. Alpha-helix F contains tyrosine-146 and lysine-150, residues that are highly conserved in this protein superfamily and have been proposed to be at the catalytic site. We have examined the dimer interface between alpha-helix F in human and rat dihydropteridine reductase and Streptomyces hydrogenans 20 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase as well as modeled 3D structures of steroid and prostaglandin dehydrogenases and homologs for stabilizing interactions. We find a site in the middle of alpha-helix F that stabilizes the dimer. This anchor is adjacent to conserved lysine on alpha-helix F. Our analysis suggests that sequence variation in the anchor may be important in substrate specificity.     

Large purely refractive nonlinear index of single crystal P-toluenesulphonate (PTS) at 1600 nm

Z-scan measurements at 1600 nm on single-crystal PTS (p-toluene sulfonate) with single, 65 ps pulses gave a complex nonlinear refractive index coefficient of n₂=2.2(±0.3)×10^-12 cm²/W at 1 GW/cm² and α₂<0.5 cm/GW. This is the first highly nonlinear, organic material to satisfy the conditions imposed by the figures of merit     

When is the shape of a scene unique given its light-field: a fundamental theorem of 3D vision?

The complete set of measurements that could ever be used by a passive 3D vision algorithm is the plenoptic function or light-field. We give a concise characterization of when the light-field of a Lambertian scene uniquely determines its shape and, conversely, when the shape is inherently ambiguous. In particular, we show that stereo computed from the light-field is ambiguous if and only if the scene is radiating light of a constant intensity (and color, etc.) over an extended region.     

Estrous synchronization and establishment of pregnancy in bovine embryo transfer recipients

Characteristics of donors, embryos, recipients, and transfer procedures were examined for relationships with establishment of pregnancy. Data were from records of 1202 embryos transferred by the professional staff of a large embryo transfer company. Average pregnancy rate was 74.6%. Variables affecting establishment of pregnancy were service sire, embryo quality, stage of estrous cycle in recipient, quadratic effect of synchrony, and transfer quality. Because the direct or indirect effect of sire must be established at conception, these data demonstrate a latent effect of sire on pregnancy. One would expect the highest pregnancy rate among excellent quality embryos transferred with no delays or complications into recipients that had displayed estrus at the same time or prior to the donor yet were relatively early in their estrous cycles. There also was a tendency for pregnancy rate to decrease with advancing maturity of the embryo.     

An integral theorem prover and the role of proof planning

An investigation is made into the ways proof planning can enhance the capability of a rule based prover for the theory of integration. The integrals are of the Riemann type and are defined in a way to maximize the theorem proving methods of predicate calculus. Approximately fifty theorems have been proved and several examples are discussed. A major shortcoming was found to be the inability of the system to work with or produce a proof plan. As a result, a planning scheme based on the idea of subgoals or milestones was considered. With user defined plans, there was a substantial increase in performance and capability of the system and, in some cases, proofs which were previously unsuccessful were completed.     

Integrating research on the microcounseling program: A meta-analysis.

Subjected research on Ivey's (1971) microcounseling program to a comprehensive meta-analytic review. A multistage sampling procedure resulted in the identification of 81 admissible studies. Glass's (1976) effect size (ES) statistic was used to estimate average effects for each study and across all studies, and the relation between ES and the sampling distribution of several important methodological and substantive characteristics was assessed. The most conservative overall ES statistic fell in the large-effect category. ESs were influenced differentially by the populations from which Ss were drawn and by the type of client the Ss interviewed when data for ratings on dependent measures were acquired. There was some evidence that the dependent measures used in microcounseling research are limited, which led to a conclusion that research on the teaching of more complex skills may be delayed. The microcounseling program has made a contribution to counseling training and may have pointed the way to new training models. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

SOLUBILISATION OF NITROGENOUS CONSTITUENTS OF BREWERS' SPENT GRAIN

The extraction of nitrogenous material from Brewers' spent grain (BSG) by solvents (water, sodium chloride solution, aqueous alcohol, acidic and alkaline solutions) commonly used to extract cereal proteins, resulted in the relatively low (0·2 to 8·5%) recovery of the total nitrogen. The recovery of nitrogenous material by the use of aqueous alkaline solutions was increased from 3–4% to 41% when the BSG was subjected to cellulase incubation prior to extraction. Approximately 75% of the nitrogen was solubilized with trifluoracetic acid. Detergent solutions (acid, neutral) solubilized more than 80% of the total nitrogen of the BSG. The low solubility of the nitrogenous constituents by conventional protein solvents could be the result of association between cellulosic material and protein.     

Majority and minority influence: Source-position imbalance as a determinant of message scrutiny.

Two experiments addressed the issue of whether endorsement of a position by a numerical majority or a minority leads to greater scrutiny of the information presented in a persuasive message. In Exp 1, a counterattitudinal position was endorsed by a majority or a minority and was supported by strong or weak arguments. Argument quality had a larger impact on attitudes with majority than with minority endorsement. In Exp 2, a proattitudinal or a counterattitudinal message was endorsed by a majority or a minority and was supported by strong or weak arguments. When the source and message position were unexpected (i.e., majority-counter and minority-pro messages), argument quality had a larger impact on attitudes than when the source and message position were expected (i.e., majority-pro and minority-counter messages). Thus, either majority or minority endorsement can enhance message scrutiny if the source-position pairing is surprising. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)