A non-specific lipid transfer protein from Arabidopsis is a cell wall protein

Lipid transfer proteins (LTPs), mediate the transfer of phospholipids between membranes in vitro. However, the in vivo function of LTPs is not known. To determine the precise location of a non-specific LTP from Arabidopsis, a cDNA clone was used to produce an Arabidopsis LTP:protein A fusion. Antibodies raised against the fusion were used to localize the Arabidopsis LTP by immunoelectron microscopy. LTP was found to be located in the cell wall, mainly in epidermal cells. This location appears to be inconsistent with the proposed role of the protein in intracellular lipid transfer.     

Minimal effects of high-pressure treatment on Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium inoculated into peanut butter and peanut products

About 1.2 billion pounds of peanut butter are consumed annually in the United States. In 2008 to 2009, an outbreak involving Salmonella Typhimurium in peanut butter led to a recall of over 3900 products by over 200 companies. More than 700 people became sick, 100 were hospitalized, and 9 people died from this outbreak. This study examines the efficacy of high-pressure processing (HPP) to decrease S. Typhimurium American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) 53647 inoculated into peanut butter and model systems. The viability of S. Typhimurium in peanut butter stored at room temperature was investigated. A culture of S. Typhimurium (6.88 log CFU/g) was inoculated into peanut butter. Following 28 d at 20 °C there was a 1.23-log reduction. Approximately 10(6) to 10(7) CFU/g S. Typhimurium were inoculated into 4 brands of peanut butter, 3 natural peanut butters and peanut flour slurries at 2, 5, and 10% peanut flour protein in peanut oil and in distilled water. All were treated at 600 MPa for 5 min at 45 °C. While significant differences were found between natural peanut butter and peanut protein mixtures, the reduction was <1.0 log. The peanut flour/oil mixtures had a 1.7, 1.6, and 1.0-log reduction from HPP (2, 5, and 10% protein, respectively) whereas peanut flour/water mixtures had a 6.7-log reduction for all protein levels. Oil had a protective effect indicating HPP may not help the microbial safety of water-in-oil food emulsions including peanut butter. Practical Application: There have been multiple outbreaks of foodborne illness involving peanut butter products. This study looks at the potential use of high-pressure processing to reduce the bacteria that may be in peanut butter.     

Home sweet home: A critical comment on Saunders and Williams

While accepting the need for research which focuses on the social meaning of the home, this article takes issue with some of Saunders’ and Williams’ formulations for a research programme — in particular, the emphasis given to physical and design features of the home at the expense of an understanding of more fundamental gender and generational relations within the home. It attempts to uncover the assumptions lying behind those formulations, to clarify some of the conceptual confusions, and to point out some of the serious theoretical difficulties which such formulations have to resolve. It argues that theoretical advance in this area does not have to depend upon the adoption of a Weberian perspective, but must be situated within a broader theory of the production and maintenance of ideology, and this theory must be explicitly linked with theories of power and kinship. In particular, it is emphasised that power relations within the home, associated mainly with gender and age differences, need to be investigated in greater depth if the social significance of the home is to be properly understood.     

Cloning in silico

Cellulose is a major component of plant cell walls, but identification of the enzymes that synthesize it has proven difficult. Now, however, several candidate proteins with sequence homology to bacterial cellulose synthases have been identified by partial sequencing of anonymous cDNA clones from cotton fibers.     

On-state breakdown in power HEMTs: measurements and modeling

We have carried out a systematic study of on-state breakdown in a sample set of InAlAs/InGaAs HEMT's using a new gate current extraction technique in conjunction with sidegate and temperature-dependent measurements. We find that as the device is turned on, the breakdown voltage limiting mechanism changes from a TFE-dominated process to a multiplication-dominated process. This physical understanding allows the creation of a phenomenological physical model for breakdown which agrees well with all our experimental results, and explains the relationship between BV_on and the sheet carrier concentration. Our results suggest that depending on device design, either on-state or off-state breakdown can limit maximum power     

A comparison of administration procedures for the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure: Flowcharts versus pen switching.

The Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) is commonly used to assess visuospatial skills, visuoconstruction, visual memory, and executive functioning. Two different methods are traditionally used to record the order in which the figure is drawn: the flowchart method and the pen-switching method. Although it has been suggested that pen switching may interfere with performance, to date no research has been conducted to assess whether ROCF performance significantly differs due to administration method. As part of routine neuropsychological evaluation, 100 inpatients and outpatients were randomly assigned to either method. Using the Boston Qualitative Scoring System and the traditional 36-point scoring method, the authors unexpectedly found that the pen-switching group generally performed better than the flowchart group, and productions drawn with pen switching were also significantly faster to score. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)