Trends in Computing with DNA

As an emerging new research area, DNA computation, or more generally biomolecular computation, extends into other fields such as nanotechnology and material design, and is developing into a new sub-discipline of science and engineering. This paper provides a brief survey of some concepts and developments in this area. In particular several approaches are described for biomolecular solutions of the satisfiability problem (using bit strands, DNA tiles and graph self-assembly). Theoretical models such as the primer splicing systems as well as the recent model of forbidding and enforcing are also described. of DNA nanostructures and nanomechanical devices as wellWe review some experimental results of self-assemblyas the design of an autonomous finite state machine.     

Analytical techniques for the study of polyphenol–protein interactions

This mini review focuses on advances in biophysical techniques to study polyphenol interactions with proteins. Polyphenols have many beneficial pharmacological properties, as a result of which they have been the subject of intensive studies. The most conventional techniques described here can be divided into three groups: (i) methods used for screening (in-situ methods); (ii) methods used to gain insight into the mechanisms of polyphenol–protein interactions; and (iii) methods used to study protein aggregation and precipitation. All of these methods used to study polyphenol–protein interactions are based on modifications to the physicochemical properties of the polyphenols or proteins after binding/complex formation in solution. To date, numerous review articles have been published in the field of polyphenols. This review will give a brief insight in computational methods and biosensors and cell-based methods, spectroscopic methods including fluorescence emission, UV-vis adsorption, circular dichroism, Fourier transform infrared and mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction, and light scattering techniques including small-angle X-ray scattering and small-angle neutron scattering, and calorimetric techniques (isothermal titration calorimetry and differential scanning calorimetry), microscopy, the techniques which have been successfully used for polyphenol–protein interactions. At the end the new methods based on single molecule detection with high potential to study polyphenol–protein interactions will be presented. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique will be discussed as well as the thermodynamic, kinetic or structural parameters, which can be obtained. The other relevant biophysical experimental techniques that have proven to be valuable, such electrochemical methods, hydrodynamic techniques and chromatographic techniques will not be described here.     

Experimental and theoretical insight into the electronic properties of 4-aryl-5-arylazo-3-cyano-6-hydroxy-2-pyridone dyes

In this paper, spectroscopic and quantum mechanical investigation of nine 4-aryl-5-arylazo-3-cyano-6-hydroxy-2-pyridone dyes was performed, and obtained density functional theory (DFT) results were compared with experimental data. The structural and spectroscopic properties of azo-2-pyridone dyes were studied by DFT using B3LYP, CAM-B3LYP, and M06-2X methods with a 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. Comparison of results reveals that the scaled theoretical vibrational frequencies of azo dyes are in good agreement with experimental data. The time-dependent DFT calculated and experimental ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectra are also in good agreement. The effect of electron-donating –OCH₃ and electron-withdrawing –NO₂ groups on the structural parameters, vibrational frequencies, UV-vis absorption, and natural bond orbital (NBO) atomic charges were thoroughly analysed. Vibrational, UV-vis, and NBO analyses confirm that investigated dyes exist in the hydrazo tautomeric form in the solid state and ethanol solution. These analyses signify the occurrence of intramolecular charge transfer in these azo-pyridone dyes.     

Ultrasound Pretreatment as an Useful Tool to Enhance Egg White Protein Hydrolysis: Kinetics,Reaction Model,and Thermodinamics

The impact of ultrasound waves generated by probe‐type sonicator and ultrasound cleaning bath on egg white protein susceptibility to hydrolysis by alcalase compared to both thermal pretreatment and conventional enzymatic hydrolysis was quantitatively investigated. A series of hydrolytic reactions was carried out in a stirred tank reactor at different substrate concentrations, enzyme concentrations, and temperatures using untreated, and pretreated egg white proteins (EWPs). The kinetic model based on substrate inhibition and second‐order enzyme deactivation successfully predicts the experimental behavior providing an effective tool for comparison and optimization. The ultrasound pretreatments appear to greatly improve the enzymatic hydrolysis of EWPs under different conditions when compare to other methods. The apparent reaction rate constants for proteolysis (k₂) are 0.009, 0.011, 0.053, and 0.045 min^?1 for untreated EWPs, and those pretreated with heat, probe‐type sonicator, and ultrasound cleaning bath technologies, respectively. The ultrasound pretreatment also decreases hydrolysis activation (E_a) and enzyme deactivation (E_d) energy, enthalpy (ΔH), and entropy (ΔS) of activation and for the probe‐type sonication this decrease is 61.7%, 61.6%, 63.6%, and 32.2%, respectively, but ultrasound has little change in Gibbs free energy value in the temperature range of 318 to 338 K. The content of sulfhydryl groups and ζ potential show a significant increase (P < 0.05) for both applied ultrasound pretreatments and the reduction of particle size distribution are achieved, providing some evidence that the ultrasound causes EWP structural changes affecting the proteolysis rate.     

Performance and Efficiency of Anionic Dishwashing Liquids with Amphoteric and Nonionic Surfactants

Performance and efficiency of anionic [sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) and sodium α-olefin sulfonate (AOS)] and amphoteric [cocamidopropyl betaine (CAB)] as well as nonionic [cocodiethanol amide (DEA), various ethoxylated alcohols (C₁₂–C₁₅–7EO, C₁₀–7EO and C₉–C₁₁–7EO) and lauramine oxide (AO)] surfactants in various dishwashing liquid mixed micelle systems have been studied at different temperatures (17.0, 23.0 and 42.0 °C). The investigated parameters were critical micelle concentration (CMC), surface tension (γ), cleaning performance and, foaming, biodegradability and irritability of anionic (SLES/AOS) and anionic/amphoteric/nonionic (SLES/AOS/CAB/AO) as well as anionic/nonionic (SLES/AOS/DEA/AO, SLES/AOS/C₁₂-C₁₅-7EO/AO, SLES/AOS/C₁₀–7EO/AO and SLES/AOS/C₉–C₁₁–7EO/AO) dishwashing surfactant mixtures. In comparison to the starting binary SLES/AOS surfactant mixture, addition of various nonionic surfactants promoted CMC and γ lowering, enhanced cleaning performance and foaming, but did not significantly affect biodegradability and irritability of dishwashing formulations. The anionic/nonionic formulation SLES/AOS/C₉–C₁₁–7EO/AO shows both the lowest CMC and γ as well as the best cleaning performance, compared to the other examined dishwashing formulations. However, the results in this study reveal that synergistic behavior of anionic/nonionic SLES/AOS/ethoxylated alcohols/AO formulations significantly improves dishwashing performance and efficiency at both low and regular dishwashing temperatures (17.0 and 42.0 °C) and lead to better application properties.     

Robust PCR‐based method for quantification of bovine milk in cheeses made from caprine and ovine milk

To prevent fraud and enhance quality assurance, credible analysis of dairy products is crucial. A common problem is the addition of cheaper bovine milk to caprine and/or ovine dairy products and when not declared addition of bovine milk constitutes fraud. The aim was to develop a rapid, robust and sensitive method for the identification of adulteration of caprine and/or ovine cheeses with bovine milk. New quantitative real‐time polymerase (qPCR) assays were designed for the specific determination of bovine DNA (Cow1) and bovine, caprine and ovine DNA (BoCaOv). These were applied to 17 samples of caprine cheese and 24 of ovine cheese. Results showed that 17% (7/41) of these cheeses contained >5% bovine milk. As bovine milk was not declared as an ingredient in any of the samples, this represents adulteration. Other cheeses that contained detectable bovine milk at ≤5% (22%; 5/41) might pose a health risk to people allergic to bovine milk.     

Removal of Copper from Aqueous Solutions with Zeolites and Possible Treatment of Exhaust Materials

The mechanism of Cu²⁺ loading into commercially available natural HEU-type and synthetic LTA-type zeolites for their possible use in environmental processes, such as water and air treatment applications, was studied. Elemental analysis, SEM/EDXS, XRD, XAS and XPS analyses revealed 4-fold coordination of Cu²⁺ cations with oxygen atoms in the pores, a predominant location of copper atoms on the surface of crystallites and retained crystallinity of zeolites throughout the processes. The post-treatment of Cu²⁺-loaded samples with HCl and/or NaCl solutions confirmed the predominantly reversible sorption of copper on zeolites from aqueous solutions by ion-exchange mechanism and, therefore, excellent regeneration possibilities for both types of zeolites. Furthermore, with the calcination of exhaust metal-loaded zeolites, catalysts for total toluene oxidation reaction, as a model VOC pollutant, were obtained.