A cartographic approach to visualizing conference abstracts

A cartographic approach to mapping nongeographic information helps to manage graphic complexity in visualizations. It aids domain comprehension by forcing us to use the same cognitive skills we use when viewing geographic maps. The author presents a distinctly cartographic approach to mapping nongeographic information. Focusing on the text content of a set of conference abstracts, we can derive 2D visualizations of information spaces that address complexity and automation     

Isolation and properties of trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitors from barley grits after storage

The occurrence of antiproteolytic activity in albumins of barley grits has been shown. As a result of storage lasting 6 months at a temperature of ?10 °C the freeze-dried albumin of barley grits lost its antiproteolytic activity and a proteolytic activity appeared. The antiproteolytic activity was partially regained after dissociation of the enzyme–inhibitor complex which had formed. From the reactivated freeze-dried albumins of stored barley grits two thermolabile protease inhibitors were isolated and partially purified. The first trypsin–chymotrypsin inhibitor B_7.1 inhibits, at a concentration of 2.5 μg, 1 μg of crystalline trypsin and 1.9 μg of this inhibitor inhibits 1 μg of crystalline alpha-chymotrypsin. Lower activity was demonstrated for the second inhibitor of chymotrypsin B_7.4; 4.8 μg of this inhibitor is needed to inhibit the activity of 1 μg of crystalline alpha-chymotrypsin. The occurrence of both inhibitors has been confirmed by means of starchgel electrophoresis. Their specific activity was small in comparison with that of some commercial crystalline preparations of inhibitors. The capacity to inhibit native proteases shows their important physiological function, based mainly on the control of proteolytic activity of endogenous enzymes. However it seems unlikely that they could have a negative influence on the nutritive value of proteins in barley grains or grits.     

Critical evaluation of the current studies on pangamic acid - vitamin B15

The research on pangamic acid (vitamin B₁₅) has been conducted by specialists in many fields of science for a long time. This, however, has not put an end to controversies around the problem of its therapeutic effect. The solution to the basic problems, i.e. defining the compound structure, finding an explicit method of its determination and identification as well as the evidence of its biochemical and physiological functions in the human organism appears as distant as ever. It has been found out, however, that either some preparations referred to as pangamic acid (vitamin B₁₅) or their components may be detrimental to man's health.     

Some biochemical properties of trypsin inhibitor type antinutrients derived from extracts of wheat grain, Beta variety

Trypsin inhibitors were isolated and partially purified from wheat grain, Beta variety. The procedure for determination of the inhibitory activity was simplified. This pertains shortening of the reaction time as well as quantitative decrease of components in the incubation mixture. The inhibitory fraction was salted out at 30-65% ammonium sulfate saturation. The experimental material has not been initially defatted. For isolation of the inhibitors pH 4.4 was demonstrated to be optimal. The trypsin inhibitor was characterized by relatively low activity against trypsin (1.5% of soya inhibitory activity). Preparations showing inhibitory properties when stored at -18 degrees C retained their original activity for 40 days, whereas at 4 degrees C only for 10 days, respectively. Storage at 18 degrees C for 10 days resulted in 50% loss of the original activity. Among various factors stabilizing the inhibitory activity being studied, 2-mercaptoethanol at 0.01% final concentration was found to be most effective. Study on the effect of temperature on the antitrypsin activity revealed that the preparation retained its initial activity up to 80 degrees C. It has been demonstrated by wheat proteins fractionation that both albumin and globulin fractions were accompanied by the antitrypsin activity. Moreover gluten was also shown to exhibit some inhibitory activity. Variations in the inhibitory activity were evidenced during germination of wheat grain. After 2 days period of germination it tended to decrease, disappearing completely at the fifth day, respectively. The inhibitory activity appeared in coleoptile and root at fourth day of germination, being higher in coleoptile than in the roots.     

The Contribution of Microglia to Neuroinflammation in Parkinson’s Disease

With the world’s population ageing, the incidence of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is on the rise. In recent years, inflammatory processes have emerged as prominent contributors to the pathology of PD. There is great evidence that microglia have a significant neuroprotective role, and that impaired and over activated microglial phenotypes are present in brains of PD patients. Thereby, PD progression is potentially driven by a vicious cycle between dying neurons and microglia through the instigation of oxidative stress, mitophagy and autophagy dysfunctions, a-synuclein accumulation, and pro-inflammatory cytokine release. Hence, investigating the involvement of microglia is of great importance for future research and treatment of PD. The purpose of this review is to highlight recent findings concerning the microglia-neuronal interplay in PD with a focus on human postmortem immunohistochemistry and single-cell studies, their relation to animal and iPSC-derived models, newly emerging technologies, and the resulting potential of new anti-inflammatory therapies for PD.     

Video processing for panoramic streaming using HEVC and its scalable extensions

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Panoramic streaming is a particular way of video streaming where an arbitrary Region-of-Interest (RoI) is transmitted from a high-spatial resolution video, i.e....     

Toxicity of ornidazole and its analogues to rat spermatozoa as reflected in motility parameters

Ornidazole, a 5-nitro-imidazole derivative, has contraceptive properties in rats. As some ornidazole passes through the body unmetabolized after administration, the aim of this study was to investigate if ornidazole itself has a direct effect on sperm motility and whether these effects are limited or potentiated by the epididymal epithelium or structural changes to the molecule. Cauda epididymal spermatozoa or cauda epididymal tubules were incubated with ornidazole or ornidazole analogues, and motility parameters were subsequently measured by means of a computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system. Incubation of spermatozoa in 2.5 mmol/L ornidazole for 4 h reduced their motility significantly, whereas incubation of epididymal tubules for 8 h in 10 mmol/L ornidazole was required to alter the velocity parameters of the enclosed spermatozoa upon release, suggesting that extratubular non-metabolized ornidazole can participate in inhibiting the motility in vivo. The in vitro toxicity of ornidazole derivatives depends on the halogen present and on the position of the nitro-group. The putatively inactive (R)- and the active (S)-ornidazole exhibited equivalent depression of sperm motility by direct incubation. This observation, and the differences between the in vitro and the in vivo efficacies of various ornidazole analogues, indicates distinct mechanisms of motility inhibition in the two experimental systems.     

Carbon nanotubes linked with pitavastatin: synthesis and characterisation

The paper presents a study on functionalisation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in the area of lattice defects and an attempt to bind the nanotubes with pitavastatin. Carbon nanotubes were synthesised by alcohol-chemical vapour deposition in the presence of the catalyst Fe-Co/MgO. The nanotubes were purified and the product was subjected to chemical functionalisation. Functional groups were introduced in the reaction of the purified nanotubes with thionyl chloride to obtain acidic chlorides linked to pitavastatin. The properties and structure of the nanotubes were analysed by FT-IR and Raman spectroscopies, transmission electron microscopy and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Photochemical stability of pitavastatin linked with carbon nanotubes has been found to be increased.     

Isolation and identification of trypsin inhibitors from wheat grain,Beta variety

The aim of this study was the identification of trypsin inhibitors in wheat grain, Beta variety. These inhibitors in spite of other functional properties belong to the antinutrient substances. According to the elaborated procedure first, the extract showing inhibitory activity was salted out at 30–80% ammonium sulfate saturation. Subsequently the preparation was purified by affinity chromatography with trypsin bound on Sepharose 4B. As result of this treatment a protein which had inhibitory activity 20-fold stronger than that of the crude extract was obtained. The homogeneity of the preparation was checked by disc electrophoresis. The study showed that the isolated protein was most probably a monomer bound to some carbohydrates.     

The varietal differences in some biological activities of proteins extracted from flours of wheat seeds harvested in 1986

Six wheat seeds varieties taken for experiments showed some differences in crude protein content ranging from 10.4-12.8%. A procedure for protein fractionation by the successive elimination of albumins, globulins and gliadins from the wheat varieties studied was elaborated. In the obtained protein fractions endogenous amylolytic and inhibitory activities tested against bovine pancreas trypsin and alpha-amylases of mammalian and insect origin were determined. The determined biological activities differ considerable among wheat varieties studied and were mainly located in albumins and gliadins while only a small amount were detected in globulins. Extractable proteins were relatively thermostabile and powerful inhibitors of the alpha-amylases examined. As the influence of environmental conditions was the same for all wheat varieties studied the observed differences in biological activities should be rather attributed to the genetic differences.