1H-NMR Spectroscopy as an Alternative Tool for the Detection of ��-ray Irradiated Meat

The effect of γ-ray irradiation on the fatty acid profile of chicken meat was examined at doses of 0.5, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0, and 15.0 kGy by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy. NMR spectral results revealed a dose-dependent effect of irradiation on the fatty acid profile. A trend toward an increase in the amount of saturated fatty acids and a decrease in the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the triacylglycerol composition of the irradiated meat samples compared with the non-irradiated one was established with increasing the irradiation dose. The trend of decreasing polyunsaturated fatty acyl groups was associated with a decrease in oxidative stability of meat fat after application of γ-ray irradiation.     

Antisense Peptide Technology for Diagnostic Tests and Bioengineering Research

Antisense peptide technology (APT) is based on a useful heuristic algorithm for rational peptide design. It was deduced from empirical observations that peptides consisting of complementary (sense and antisense) amino acids interact with higher probability and affinity than the randomly selected ones. This phenomenon is closely related to the structure of the standard genetic code table, and at the same time, is unrelated to the direction of its codon sequence translation. The concept of complementary peptide interaction is discussed, and its possible applications to diagnostic tests and bioengineering research are summarized. Problems and difficulties that may arise using APT are discussed, and possible solutions are proposed. The methodology was tested on the example of SARS-CoV-2. It is shown that the CABS-dock server accurately predicts the binding of antisense peptides to the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain without requiring predefinition of the binding site. It is concluded that the benefits of APT outweigh the costs of random peptide screening and could lead to considerable savings in time and resources, especially if combined with other computational and immunochemical methods.     

Wind turbine overspeed protection based on polytopic robustly invariant sets

Complex mechanical systems, such as wind turbines, often include safety constraints which should not be violated in order to avoid high risk of structural damage. Adherence to the safety constraints is ensured with a well‐designed operating envelope protection. In this paper, we present an invariant set‐based protection concept with the application to the wind turbine overspeed protection. The approach is model‐based and operates without wind‐preview measurements. Instead, it is based on the evolution model of the wind disturbance in the worst‐case scenario manner. Accurate system estimation utilizing the blade root in‐plane measurement is proposed, along with the efficient algorithm for the hard real‐time operation of the protection system. The overspeed protection system is validated in extensive simulations on extreme turbulent wind, performed in GH Bladed. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed concept compared with the baseline controller performance. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrospun PEO/rGO Scaffolds: The Influence of the Concentration of rGO on Overall Properties and Cytotoxicity

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is one of the graphene derivatives that can be employed to engineer bioactive and/or electroactive scaffolds. However, the influence of its low and especially high concentrations on scaffolds’ overall properties and cytotoxicity has yet to be explored. In this study, polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based scaffolds containing from 0.1 to 20 wt% rGO were obtained by electrospinning. Morphological, thermal and electrical properties of the scaffolds were characterized by SEM, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, DSC and electrical measurements. The diameter of the fibers decreased from 0.52 to 0.19 µm as the concentration of rGO increased from 0.1 wt% to 20 wt%. The presence of rGO above the percolation threshold (5.7 wt%) resulted in a significantly reduced electrical resistivity of the scaffolds. XRD and Raman analysis revealed delamination of the graphene layers (interlayer spacing increased from 0.36 nm to 0.40–0.41 nm), and exfoliation of rGO was detected for the samples with an rGO concentration lower than 1 wt%. In addition, an evident trend of increasing cell viability as a function of the rGO concentration was evidenced. The obtained results can serve as further guidance for the judicious selection of the rGO content incorporated into the PEO matrix for constructing electroactive scaffolds.     

Ultrasensitive proteomics using high-efficiency on-line micro-SPE-nanoLC-nanoESI MS and MS/MS

Ultrasensitive nanoscale proteomics approaches for characterizing proteins from complex proteomic samples of <50 ng of total mass are described. Protein identifications from 0.5 pg of whole proteome extracts were enabled by ultrahigh sensitivity (<75 zmol for individual proteins) achieved using high-efficiency (peak capacities of approximately 10(3)) 15-microm-i.d. capillary liquid chromatography separations (i.e., using nanoLC, approximately 20 nL/min mobile-phase flow rate at the optimal linear velocity of approximately 0.2 cm/s) coupled on-line with a micro-solid-phase sample extraction and a nanoscale electrospray ionization interface to a 11.4-T Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometer (MS). Proteome measurement coverage improved as sample size was increased from as little as 0.5 pg of sample. It was found that a 2.5-ng sample provided 14% coverage of all annotated open reading frames for the microorganism Deinococcus radiodurans, consistent with previous results for a specific culture condition. The estimated detection dynamic range for detected proteins was 10(5)-10(6). An improved accurate mass and LC elution time two-dimensional data analysis methodology, used to both speed and increase the confidence of peptide/protein identifications, enabled identification of 872 proteins/run from a single 3-h nanoLC/FTICR MS analysis. The low-zeptomole-level sensitivity provides a basis for extending proteomics studies to smaller cell populations and potentially to a single mammalian cell. Application with ion trap MS/MS instrumentation allowed protein identification from 50 pg (total mass) of proteomic samples (i.e., approximately 100 times larger than FTICR MS), corresponding to a sensitivity of approximately 7 amol for individual proteins. Compared with single-stage FTICR measurements, ion trap MS/MS provided a much lower proteome measurement coverage and dynamic range for a given analysis time and sample quantity.     

Semantic-aided automation of interface mapping in enterprise integration with conflict detection

In enterprise integration, one of the most complex tasks is to map elements of various interfaces to each other. These interfaces often transport data in different ways. This means that some form of data transformation is needed. We present an approach where structural and semantic models of the interfaces can be used together to automate or semi-automate this otherwise tedious and error prone manual process. Some of the possible criteria for interface element mapping are shown, along with semantic conflicts and how they are detected and resolved. We also present a prototype tool, including an overview of its architecture, that enables us to test our approach and have a real-world runnable implementation that is deployable on an enterprise service bus runtime. Finally, we show how some of the steps in the mapping and conflict resolution process could be made configurable by the user, making the integration developer agnostic with respect to the technical implementation of the involved systems.     

Basic problems of photochemical and photoelectrochemical hydrogen production from water

Some basic problems of feasible photochemical and photoelectrochemical methods for hydrogen (and/or oxygen) production from water by solar energy utilization were briefly discussed. The subject of the discussion is focused on the hybrid, homogeneous and heterogeneous water splitting systems. Considering the present stage of knowledge, an attempt has been made to present the weak points with respect to their reaction mechanisms, instability based on side reactions, corrosion effects of solid components, etc. It is hoped that this treatment will contribute to the improvement of existing systems and also initiate the search for new ones. Though not one of the known photochemical and photoelectrochemical methods is presently applied on a large scale some, however, show promise of realization in the near future, e.g. the hybrid photothermal-electrochemical device, Yokohama Mark 6.     

Mapping chromosomes of Erwinia carotovora subsp. Atroseptica 3-2

Two Hfr-like donor strains of bacteria Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica (Eca) 3-2 were developed by integration into the chromosome of the conjugative plasmid R471a via homology with transposon Tn9. Using these and two donor strains created earlier, we constructed the genetic map of a fragment of the chromosome of strain Eca 3-2. The location of 14 loci is shown in this map.     

Einwilligungsfähigkeit: inhärente Fähigkeit oder ethisches Urteil?

Definition of the problem

Because determining a patient’s decision-making competence has far-reaching ethical and legal implications, the concept of competence must be clearly understood. The criteria for competence are commonly defined in terms of mental abilities; more basic questions as to whether competence refers to an inherent ability or to an ethical judgment are rarely discussed in more detail.

Arguments

A central aspect of this distinction between ability and judgment concerns the significance of ethical considerations relating to paternalism and its legitimacy. Where competence is conceived as inherent ability, such considerations follow a determination of competence; where it is conceived as ethical judgment, these matters become constitutive of understanding and determining competence.

Conclusion

Despite the observed tendency to understand competence ideally as an inherent ability, actual practice suggests that, to the contrary, competence is conceived as a matter of ethical judgment. These conflicting tendencies may account for associated conceptual controversies, especially with regard to risk-relative evaluations. Moreover, conceived as judgment, determinations of competence need not adhere rigidly to definitions of autonomy, and so are better able to deal with the inherent ambiguity of this notion.