Electron Microscopy Imaging Applications of Room Temperature Ionic Liquids in the Biological Field: A Review

For biological imaging using electron microscopy (EM), the use of room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) has been proposed as an alternative to traditional lengthy preparation methods. With their low vapor pressures and conductivity, RTILs can be applied onto hard-to-image soft and/or wet samples without dehydration – allowing for a more representative, hydrated state of material and opening the possibility for visualization of in situ physiological processes using conventional EM systems. However, RTILs have yet to be utilized to their full potential by microscopists and microbiologists alike. To this end, this review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of biological applications of RTILs for EM to bridge the RTIL, in situ microscopy, and biological communities. We outline future research avenues for the use of RTILs for the EM observation of biological samples, notably i) RTIL selection and optimization, ii) applications for live cell processes and iii) electron beam and ionic liquid interaction studies.     

The Innate Immune Glycoprotein Lactoferrin Represses the Helicobacter pylori cag Type IV Secretion System

Chronic infection with Helicobacter pylori increases risk of gastric diseases including gastric cancer. Despite development of a robust immune response, H. pylori persists in the gastric niche. Progression of gastric inflammation to serious disease outcomes is associated with infection with H. pylori strains which encode the cag Type IV Secretion System (cag T4SS). The cag T4SS is responsible for translocating the oncogenic protein CagA into host cells and inducing pro-inflammatory and carcinogenic signaling cascades. Our previous work demonstrated that nutrient iron modulates the activity of the T4SS and biogenesis of T4SS pili. In response to H. pylori infection, the host produces a variety of antimicrobial molecules, including the iron-binding glycoprotein, lactoferrin. Our work shows that apo-lactoferrin exerts antimicrobial activity against H. pylori under iron-limited conditions, while holo-lactoferrin enhances bacterial growth. Culturing H. pylori in the presence of holo-lactoferrin prior to co-culture with gastric epithelial cells, results in repression of the cag T4SS activity. Concomitantly, a decrease in biogenesis of cag T4SS pili at the host-pathogen interface was observed under these culture conditions by high-resolution electron microscopy analyses. Taken together, these results indicate that acquisition of alternate sources of nutrient iron plays a role in regulating the pro-inflammatory activity of a bacterial secretion system and present novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of H. pylori-related disease.     

Extrusion cooking of barley flour and process parameter optimization by using response surface methodology

BACKGROUND: The nutritional profile of barley places it in a prime position for development of a new extruded–expanded snack food with health benefits. It was therefore the aim to investigate the effect of extrusion processing variables on system parameters (specific mechanical energy, die pressure and die melt temperature) and physical properties (expansion, bulk density, texture and color) of barley flour extrudates and to optimize processing conditions for production of extruded snack food from barley flour by response surface methodology. RESULTS: Barley flour with 219.7 g kg^?1 moisture content was extruded at different die temperatures (140–160 °C) and screw speeds (150–200 rpm) through a co‐rotating twin‐screw extruder. The system parameters as well as product responses were mainly dependent on temperature, whereas the screw speed imparted a lesser effect. Extrudates produced under extrusion conditions of 160 °C, 150 and 200 rpm and at 164 °C and 150 rpm had higher preference levels of appearance, taste, texture and overall acceptability than that of other selected extrudates for sensory analysis. The optimal conditions for minimum bulk density and desired textural characteristics and color of extrudates correspond to a temperature of 156 °C and screw speed of 166 rpm. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that use of barley flour in extruded snack products offers a desirable variation in diet and can take advantage of the nutritional quality of barley. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Small-scale lacustrine drifts in Lake Champlain,Vermont

High resolution CHIRP (Compressed High Intensity Radar Pulse) seismic profiles reveal the presence of two lacustrine sediment drifts located in Lake Champlain's Juniper Deep. Both drifts are positive features composed of highly laminated sediments. Drift B sits on a basement high while Drift A is built on a trough-filling acoustically-transparent sediment unit inferred to be a mass-transport event. These drifts are oriented approximately north–south and are parallel to a steep ridge along the eastern shore of the basin. Drift A, located at the bottom of a structural trough, is classified as a confined, elongate drift that transitions northward to become a system of upslope asymmetric mudwaves. Drift B is perched atop a structural high to the west of Drift A and is classified as a detached elongate drift. Bottom current depositional control was investigated using Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) located across Drift A. Sediment cores were taken at the crest and at the edges of the Drift A and were dated. Drift source, deposition, and evolution show that these drifts are formed by a water column shear with the highest deposition occurring along its crest and western flank and began developing circa 8700–8800 year BP.     

Survival of Salmonella Enteritidis PT 30 on inoculated almond kernels in hot water treatments

Almonds are blanched by exposure to hot water or steam-injected water to remove the pellicle (skin) from the kernel. This study evaluated the survival of Salmonella Enteritidis PT 30, Salmonella Senftenberg 775W and Enterococcus faecalis on whole raw almond kernels exposed to hot water. Whole, inoculated (7 to 9 log CFU/g) Nonpareil almonds (40 g) were submerged in 25 L of water maintained at 60, 70, 80 and 88 °C. Almonds were heated for up to 12 min, drained for 2 s, and transferred to 80 mL of cold (4 °C) tryptic soy broth. Almonds in broth were stomached at high speed for 2 min, serially diluted, plated onto tryptic soy and bismuth sulfite agars (Salmonella) or bile esculin agar (Enterococcus) and incubated at 37 °C for 24 and 48 h, respectively. D values of 2.6, 1.2, 0.75 and 0.39 min were calculated for exposure of S. Enteritidis PT 30 to water at 60, 70, 80 and 88 °C, respectively; the calculated z value was 35 C°. D values determined for Salmonella Senftenberg 775W and E. faecalis at 88 °C were 0.37 and 0.36 min, respectively. Neither Salmonella serovar could be recovered by enrichment of 1-g samples after almonds inoculated at 5 log CFU/g were heated at 88 °C for 2 min. These data will be useful to validate almond industry blanching processes.     

Vibrio parahaemolyticus growth under low-iron conditions and survival under high-magnesium conditions

Since 1996, Vibrio parahaemolyticus serotype O3:K6 and closely related strains have been associated with an increased incidence of V. parahaemolyticus gastroenteritis worldwide, suggesting the emergence of strains with enhanced abilities to cause disease. One hypothesis for the recent emergence of V. parahaemolyticus O3:K6 and related strains is an enhanced capacity for environmental survival relative to other strains, which might result in increased human exposure to these organisms. Therefore, the objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that survival or growth characteristics of clinical V. parahaemolyticus isolates differ from those of nonclinical isolates under different environmental conditions. Twenty-six V. parahaemolyticus isolates selected to represent either clinical or food sources were monitored for either survival following exposure to high magnesium (300 mM) or growth under iron-limited conditions. Isolates in each category (clinical or food) differed widely in survival capabilities following 24 h of exposure to 300 mM Mg2+. Although 4 of 15 clinical isolates grew better at approximately 0.96 microM Fe2+ (iron-limited conditions) than at 50 microM Fe2+ (iron-rich conditions), as an entire group clinical isolates in this study were not more effective at growing under iron-limited conditions than were strains not associated with disease. Within the diverse collection of strains examined in these experiments, neither growth characteristics in low-iron environments nor survival capabilities following exposure to high magnesium concentrations were uniformly different between clinical and nonclinical V. parahaemolyticus isolates. Therefore, neither phenotypic characteristic can be used to reliably differentiate potentially pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus strains.     

The dependence of natural graphite anode performance on electrode density

The effect of electrode density for lithium intercalation and irreversible capacity loss on the natural graphite anode in lithium ion batteries was studied by electrochemical methods. Both the first-cycle reversible and irreversible capacities of the natural graphite anode decreased with an increase in the anode density though compression. The reduction in reversible capacity was attributed to a reduction in the chemical diffusion coefficient for lithium through partially agglomerated particles with a larger stress. For the natural graphite in this study the potentials for Li (de)insertion shifted between the first and second formation cycles and the extent of this shift was dependent on electrode density. The relation between this peak shift and the irreversible capacity loss is probably due to the decrease in graphite surface area with compression.     

Anthropogenic sources of arsenic and copper to sediments in a suburban lake,Northern Virginia

Mass balances of total arsenic and copper for a suburban lake in densely populated northern Virginia were calculated using date collected during 1998. Mass-balance terms were precipitation; stream inflow, including road runoff; stream outflow; and contributions from leaching of pressure-treated lumber. More mass of arsenic and copper was input to the lake than was output the 1998 lake-retention rates were 70% for arsenic and 20% for copper. The arsenic mass balance compared well with a calculated annual mass accumulation in the top 1 cm of the lake sediments; however, the calculated contribution of copper to the lake was insufficient to account for the amount of copper in this zone. Leaching experiments were conducted on lumber treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) to quantify approximate amounts of arsenic and copper contributed by this source. Sources to lake sediments included leaching of CCA-treated lumber (arsenic, 50%; copper, 4%), streamwater (arsenic, 50%; copper, 90%), and atmospheric deposition (arsenic, 1%; copper, 3%). Results of this study suggest that CCA-treated lumber and road runoff could be significant nonpoint sources of arsenic and copper, respectively, in suburban catchments.     

Effects of the purpose of rating on accuracy in observing teacher behavior and evaluating teaching performance.

Previous research has suggested that ratings used to make administrative decisions are lenient when compared with ratings obtained for research purposes only. The present study examined the effects of the purpose of rating on multivariate measures of accuracy in observing teacher behavior as well as measures of accuracy in evaluating teaching performance. 45 undergraduates viewed and evaluated videotaped lectures under conditions in which they were informed that their ratings would be used for research only or for making important decisions about those being rated. The purpose of rating did not affect measures of accuracy in rating the frequency with which a number of critical behaviors occurred on each tape. The purpose of rating also did not affect multivariate measures of performance rating accuracy. Purpose did, however, affect the relationship between accuracy in observing teacher behavior and accuracy in evaluating teaching performance. It is suggested that purpose affects the way in which raters process behavioral information without necessarily affecting the general level of rating. (40 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)