bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Line Authority for Nurse Staffing and Costs for Acute Inpatient Care
Authors: Liu Chuan-Fen , Sharp Nancy D. , Sales Anne E. , Lowy Elliott , Maciejewski Matthew L. , Needleman Jack , Li Yu-Fang
Published: August 2011

There is little empirical evidence evaluating the effects of recent, widespread changes in nurse executive roles and nursing management structures on the costs of patient care. This retrospective cross-sectional study examined the relationship between line authority for nurse staffing and patient care costs (total, nursing, and non-nursing cost) using data from 124 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers. After controlling for patient, facility, and market characteristics, nursing line authority was significantly associated with lower nursing cost per admission. Our results provide some evidence that a reduction in nursing line authority may adversely impact nursing costs.
Clinical Use of a One Hertz Bin Electroencephalography Assessment to Distinguish Elite from Less Elite and Typical from Atypical Athlete Profiles
Authors: Wilson Vietta E , Shaw Lindsay
Published: August 2011

The purpose of this paper was to highlight preliminary research into the use of one electroencephalography (EEG) site (Cz) and 1 Hz bins to identify elite athletes during the assessment process. Eyes-open baseline data from several small groups of athletes (tennis, gymnastics) suggest that elite athletes have a dip in amplitude in very low frequencies and then an increased amplitude at 10 Hz in a single-site EEG spectral display, when compared with less successful teammates. Other clinical sites and research labs will need to replicate the reliability and value of this pattern. Three case studies demonstrate the potential for clinicians to use EEG information analyzed in 1 Hz bins to identify areas for clinical exploration. The authors suggest that the presentation of EEG data related to possible emotional issues makes it possible to discuss more quickly and directly any potential problem areas for athletes.
QEEG Accepted in Death Penalty Trial in Florida v. Nelson
Authors: Gluck Gerald
Published: August 2011

Quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) was accepted for the first time in a Frye Hearing in the death penalty phase of a murder case in Florida. Issues of reliability, validity, and the basic science of QEEG were addressed in the case. Linkages of the defendant's conduct, QEEG results, other testing, and history demonstrated his state of impairment, resulting in a sentence of life without parole. Implications for the future of QEEG and a hierarchy of usage argues that its acceptance in life-and-death decisions makes insurance reimbursement denials for QEEG and neurofeedback, based on the same science, unreasonable.
The Gifts of Illness: A Buddhist Perspective
Authors: Hamilton Erica Shane
Published: August 2011

This article offers a perspective on illness that is based on direct experiences with illness and Buddhist practice. The thesis is that illness actually provides people with many opportunities to wake up patience, mindfulness, and wisdom. The author asserts that people with illness can choose to see the following gifts of illness: the gift of tolerance, the gift of mindfulness, the gift of moving toward embodiment, the gift of contemplation, the gift of transcendence, the gift of letting go, and the gift of developing compassion. These gifts of illness are often overlooked in efforts to rid oneself of illness as soon as possible. The author gained an important insight while she was simultaneously ill with inflammatory bowel disease and contemplated Buddhist teachings: The suffering from illness can be transformed into awareness, compassion, and love.
Neurophysiological Changes in Meditation Correlated with Descriptions from the Ancient Texts
Authors: Telles Shirley , Raghavendra Bhat Ramachandra
Published: August 2011

Meditation is currently considered to be associated with increased awareness. In ancient yoga texts, two separate meditative states have been described. These are meditative focusing (dharana) and a state of mental expansiveness (dhyana). Two more mental states are described in another yoga text. These are random thinking (cancalata) and focusing while not in meditation (ekagrata). The physiological effects of these states have been assessed using autonomic variables, evoked potentials, functional magnetic resonance imaging, and performance in a cancellation task. The findings suggest that dhyana is associated with reduced sympathetic activity and increased vagal tone, whereas dharana does indeed improve performance in an attention task. Hence, correlating findings from ancient texts with contemporary science can be useful.
BCIA Certification by Prior Experience Provides an Alternative Path for Qualified Biofeedback and Neurofeedback Professionals
Authors: Ewing Aubrey K
Published: August 2011

The Biofeedback Certification International Alliance offers a Certification by Prior Experience (CPE) alternative to Board Certification in Biofeedback, Neurofeedback, and Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction Biofeedback. There are also academic and technician certification tracks for Biofeedback and Neurofeedback. The CPE program invites applications from professionals who can demonstrate extensive education and experience, and who have made significant contributions to the field. The CPE process preserves the high standards required by the traditional BCIA program, while offering a more expeditious path to certification. This article details the process and requirements for CPE, and discusses the value of BCIA Board Certification.
The Hidden System Costs of Wind Generation in a Deregulated Electricity Market
Authors: Mount Timothy D. , Maneevitjit Surin , Lamadrid Alberto J. , Zimmerman Ray D. , Thomas Robert J.
Published: August 2011

Earlier research has shown that adding wind generation to a network can lower the total annual operating cost by displacing conventional generation. At the same time, the variability of wind generation and the need for higher levels of reserve generating capacity to maintain reliability standards impose additional costs on the system that should not be ignored. The important implication for regulators is that the capacity payments [“missing money”] for each MW of peak system load are now much higher. Hence, the economic benefits of reducing the peak system load using storage or controllable demand will be higher with high penetrations of wind generation. These potential benefits are illustrated in a case study using a test network and a security constrained Optimal Power Flow (OPF) with endogenous reserves (SuperOPF). The results show that the benefits are very sensitive to 1) how much of the inherent variability of wind generation is mitigated, and 2) how the missing money is determined (e.g. comparing regulation with deregulation). doi: 10.5547/ISSN0195-6574-EJ-Vol33-No1-7
Encapsulation of RNA Molecules in BSA Microspheres and Internalization into Trypanosoma Brucei Parasites and Human U2OS Cancer Cells
Authors: Shimanovich Ulyana , Tkacz Itai Dov , Eliaz Dror , Cavaco‐Paulo Artur , Michaeli Shulamit , Gedanken Aharon
Published: August 2011

RNA was encapsulated in bovine serum albumin (BSA) microspheres using a one‐step sonochemical process from an water–oil solvent biphasic system. Confocal microcoscopy and fluorescence‐activated cell sorting indicate that a CY3‐RNA (RNA labeled with red fluorescent indocarbocyanine Cy3 dye) sphere is encapsulated in the BSA outer sphere. The diameter of the sphere depends on the number of nucleotides of the RNA, ranging from 0.63 to 2.74 μm. Total RNA (t‐RNA) was used as a prototype for the future small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery. A very broad size distribution characterizes the RNA spheres and therefore, among the loaded BSA spheres, there were sufficiently small spheres to be successfully introduced into trypanosoma brucei parasites and human osteosarcoma U2OS cancer cells.
Biomimetic Solid‐Solution Precursors of Metal Carbonate for Nanostructured Metal Oxides: MnO/Co and MnO‐CoO Nanostructures and Their Electrochemical Properties
Authors: Kokubu Takao , Oaki Yuya , Hosono Eiji , Zhou Haoshen , Imai Hiroaki
Published: August 2011

Biomimetic solid solutions of manganese and cobalt carbonates (MnCO3–CoCO3) are used as the precursors for the synthesis of the corresponding metal oxides. The different structures of the metal oxides with porous morphologies, such as pure manganese monoxide (MnO), the solid solution of manganese and cobalt monoxide (MnO–CoO), and the nanocomposite of MnO and metallic cobalt (MnO/Co), are obtained by the appropriate thermal treatments under a reduction atmosphere. The contents of cobalt species can be controlled by the initial cobalt concentration in the MnCO3–CoCO3 precursors. The resultant MnO/Co nanocomposites show the enhanced charge–discharge cycle stability and rate performance as an anode material of lithium‐ion battery.
A new approach for global optimization of a class of MINLP problems with applications to water management and pooling problems
Authors: Faria Débora C. , Bagajewicz Miguel J.
Published: August 2011

One of the biggest challenges in solving optimization engineering problems is rooted in the nonlinearities and nonconvexities, which arise from bilinear terms corresponding to component material balances and/or concave functions used to estimate capital cost of equipments. The procedure proposed uses an MILP lower bound constructed using partitioning of certain variables, similar to the one used by other approaches. The core of the method is to bound contract a set of variables that are not necessarily the ones being partitioned. The procedure for bound contraction consists of a novel interval elimination procedure that has several variants. Once bound contraction is exhausted the method increases the number of intervals or resorts to a branch and bound strategy where bound contraction takes place at each node. The procedure is illustrated with examples of water management and pooling problems. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 58: 2320–2335, 2012
The most general ELKO matter in torsional f(R)‐theories
Authors: Fabbri L. , Vignolo S.
Published: August 2011

We study f(R)‐gravity with torsion in presence of the most general ELKO matter, checking the consistency of the conservation laws with the matter field equations; we discuss some mathematical features of the field equations in connection with a cosmological application.
Preparation and adsorption selectivity of rutin molecularly imprinted polymers
Authors: Fu Yu , Chen Zhenbin , Yu Hui , Yue Yumin , Di Duolong
Published: August 2011

Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for Rutin had been prepared through solution polymerization by redox initiation. The effects of monomers, crosslinker, initiators, polymerization time, and temperature on adsorption selectivity for Rutin were investigated and optimized. The structure and surface morphology of MIP were evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The synthesized MIP under the optimal conditions showed a specific recognition of Rutin from the mixture of Rutin and Isorhamnetin. And the maximal separation degree of Rutin was 5.0. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Synthesis, characterization of new carboxylic acid‐containing benzoxazine and its cocuring behaviors with bisoxazoline
Authors: Li Shengfang , Zou Tao
Published: August 2011

A new benzoxazine‐benzoic acid (BBA) was synthesized and the structure was conformed by 1H‐NMR, 13C‐NMR, FTIR, etc. The cure behavior of BBA and cocure behavior of BBA with phenylene bisoxazoline (1,3‐PBO) were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It was found that BBA showed a single curing exothermic peak at about 217°C. However, all BBA/1,3‐PBO systems exhibited two exothermic peak. One may be attributed to the reaction between carboxyl groups of BBA and 1,3‐PBO. And the other was attributed to the ring‐opening polymerization of oxazine rings and the reaction between phenolic hydroxyl groups generated by the ring opening of benzoxazine ring and 1,3‐PBO. The curing temperature of benzoxazine containing carboxyl groups could be lowered by the copolymerization of 1,3‐PBO. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the incorporation of ester–amide groups had a significant effect on decreasing thermal stability and char yield of the cured resin. SEM results indicated that 1,3‐PBO could toughen BBA benzoxazine resin. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Synthesis, characterization, and ion exchange voltammetry study on 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropane sulphonic acid and N‐(hydroxymethyl) acrylamide‐based copolymer
Authors: Rastogi Pankaj Kumar , Krishnamoorthi S. , Ganesan Vellaichamy
Published: August 2011

A random copolymer of 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) and N‐hydroxymethyl acrylamide (NHMA) was prepared by solution polymerization using ceric ammonium nitrate as an initiator. A grade of poly(AMPS)‐co‐poly(NHMA) (PAMPS‐co‐PNHMA) random copolymer was synthesized with AMPS and NHMA. The homopolymerization of AMPS and NHMA was also carried out by the same way as that of random copolymer. PAMPS‐co‐PNHMA and homopolymers of AMPS and NHMA were characterized by FTIR, rheology, FT‐NMR, scanning electron microscope, thermal analysis, and X‐ray diffaractometry. Cyclic voltammetry is used to explain the ion exchange properties of PAMPS‐co‐PNHMA and its possible application in the trace analysis. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Double metal cyanide complexes synthesized by solvent‐free grinding method for copolymerization of CO2 and propylene oxide
Authors: Zhang Wuyuan , Lin Qiang , Cheng Yi , Lu Lingbin , Lin Bo , Pan Lisha , Xu Nai
Published: August 2011

Two active double metal cyanide (DMC) complexes were successfully synthesized by solvent‐free grinding method. Their structures were characterized by FTIR spectrometer and X‐ray diffractometer. The results showed that Complex 1 (double metal cyanide complex with K3Fe(CN)6 and ZnCl2) and Complex 2 (double metal cyanide complex with K3Fe(CN)6 and Zn(CH3COO)2) had the same structures, crystal forms, and lower crystallinity as both of them synthesized by conventional solvent‐based methods, respectively. Investigations on grinding conditions indicated that Complex 1 ground 14 min at a high grinding strength could achieve low crystallinity and showed substantially amorphous structures. Two speculated structures of DMC were given. The alternating copolymerization of CO2 and propylene oxide with Complex 1 as catalyst obtained anticipated poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) with very high catalytic activity. The PPC produced by optimized Complex 1 has molecular weight (Mn) up to 98,000 and narrow polydispersity of 1.93 with more than 90% carbonate linkages. Compared with Complex 1, Complex 2 displayed low catalytic activity but high selectivity mainly due to the electron atmosphere and strong steric hindrance. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Carbohydrate‐based polyurethanes: A comparative study of polymers made from isosorbide and 1,4‐butanediol
Authors: Marín Romina , Alla Abdelilah , Martínez de Ilarduya Antxon , Muñoz‐Guerra Sebastián
Published: August 2011

A set of linear polyurethanes containing isosorbide units were synthesized by polymerization in solution from HDI and MDI diisocyanates and 1,4‐butanediol (BD), isosorbide (Is) or diisosorbide diurethanes (Is2HDI and Is2MDI) as diols. The thermal transitions, thermal stability, and crystal structure of the polyurethane homopolymers and copolymers containing isosorbide were evaluated and compared with those displayed by their polyurethane analogues entirely made of BD. It was found that incorporation of Is units in the polyurethane chain produced significant changes in Tg, Tm, and Td but no significant differences were noticed between copolymers made from Is or Is2 monomers. Degradation assays revealed that the presence of Is units increased slightly the hydrolysis rate of polyurethanes. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Functionalized poly(ether ether ketone): Improved mechanical property and acellular bioactivity
Authors: Pramanik Sumit , Kar Kamal K.
Published: August 2011

Poly(ether ether ketone), PEEK, was functionalized by addition of pendant functional groups, that is, acetyl, carboxylic, acyl chloride, amide, and amine groups in the benzene ring of polymer backbone without substituting the parent (ether or ketonic) functional groups of polymer to improve the mechanical and surface adhesivity with acellular inorganic biomaterials. The functional groups of virgin PEEK and functionalized PEEK were identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance. The crystallinity was studied by X‐ray diffraction and further supported by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. Similarly, the change in glass transition temperature was confirmed by the DSC and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The improved mechanical property was also evaluated by DMA. The excellent surface adhesivity and bioactivity were revealed by acellular in vitro test using simulated body fluid. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Structural characterization of LDPE/EVA blends containing nanoclay‐flame retardant combinations
Authors: Ramírez‐Vargas Eduardo , Sánchez‐Valdes Saúl , Parra‐Tabla Octavio , Castañeda‐Gutiérrez Sergio , Méndez‐Nonell Juan , Francisco Ramos‐deValle Luis , López‐León Adriana , Lujan‐Acosta Roberto
Published: August 2011

The combination of different types of organo‐modified montmorillonite (MMT) with aluminum hydroxide (aluminum trihydrate—ATH), as a flame retardant system for polyethylene‐ethylene vinyl acetate (LDPE/EVA), blends were studied. Five different types of organically modified montmorillonite clays, each with different modifier, were used. The structural characterization was carried out by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy in transmission mode (STEM). The mechanical and rheological properties were also evaluated. The XRD analysis showed a clear displacement of the d001 signal, which indicates a good degree of intercalation, especially for the MMT‐I28 and MMT‐20, from Nanocor and Southern Clay Products, respectively. The presence of ATH and the compatibilizer did not have any effect on the exfoliation of the studied samples. The thermal stability and flame retardant properties were evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), limiting oxygen index (LOI—ASTM D2863), and flammability tests (Underwriters Laboratory—UL‐94). The effect of different compatibilizers on the clay dispersion and exfoliation was studied. The results indicated that the addition of montmorillonite makes it possible to substitute part of the ATH filler content while maintaining the flame retardant requirements. The thermal stability of MMT/ATH‐filled LDPE/EVA blends presented a slight increase over the reference ATH‐filled LDPE/EVA blend. Compositions with higher clay content (10 wt %) showed better physicochemical properties. The increased stability of the higher clay content compositions results from the greater inorganic residual formation; this material has been reported to impart better performance in flammability tests. The mechanical properties and flame retardancy remained similar to those of the reference compound. The reduced ATH content resulted in lower viscosities and densities, facilitating the processing of the polymer/ATH/clay compounds. Extrusion of these compounds produced a lower pressure in the extrusion head and required reduced electrical power consumption. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Rapid synthesis of new block copolyurethanes derived from L‐leucine‐PEG in ionic liquids under microwave irradiation
Authors: Rafiemanzelat Fatemeh , Abdollahi Elahe
Published: August 2011

This study concerns the synthesis of novel multi block polyurethane (PU) copolymers containing eco‐friendly segments, taking the advantage of ionic liquids (IL)s under microwave irradiation. For this, L‐leucine anhydride cyclodipeptide (LAC) was prepared and then a new class of poly(ether‐urethane‐urea)s (PEUUs) was synthesized with two types of ILs, including room temperature imidazolium (RTIL)s and molten ammonium type ILs. ILs were used as reaction media and PUs were prepared via two‐step polymerization method. Polymerization reaction was also conducted under conventional heating method in N‐methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) as reaction solvent. In the first step, 4,4′‐methylene‐bis(4‐phenylisocyanate) (MDI) was reacted with LAC to produce isocyanate‐terminated poly(imide‐urea) oligomers as hard segment. Chain extension of the resulting prepolymer with polyethyleneglycol (PEG) of molecular weights of 400 (PEG‐400) was the second step to furnish a series of new PEUUs. These multiblock copolymers are optically active, thermally stable and soluble in amide‐type solvents. PEUUs prepared in ILs under microwave irradiation showed more phase separation and crystallinity than PEUU prepared under conventional method. Some structural characterization and physical properties of these PEUUs, prepared under different methods, are reported and compared. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Acoustic emission source location in unidirectional carbon‐fiber‐reinforced plastic plates with virtually trained artificial neural networks
Authors: Caprino G. , Lopresto V. , Leone C. , Papa I.
Published: August 2011

Acoustic emission (AE) source location in a unidirectional carbon‐fiber‐reinforced plastic plate was attempted with artificial neural network (ANN) technology. The AE events were produced by a lead break, and the response wave was received by piezoelectric sensors. The time of arrival, determined through the conventional threshold‐crossing technique, was used to measure the dependence of the wave velocity on the fiber orientation. A simple empirical formula, relying on classical lamination and suggested by wave‐propagation theory, was able to accurately model the experimental trend. On the basis of the formula, virtual training and testing data sets were generated for the case of a plate monitored by three transducers and were adopted to select two potentially effective ANN architectures. For final validation, experimental tests were carried out, with the source positioned at predetermined points evenly distributed within the plate area. A very satisfactory correlation was found between the actual source locations and those predicted by the virtually trained ANNs. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Air‐flow field of the melt‐blowing slot die via numerical simulation and multiobjective genetic algorithms
Authors: Sun Y. F. , Liu B. W. , Wang X. H. , Zeng Y. C.
Published: August 2011

The air‐flow field in melt blowing plays a key role in fiber drawing and nonwoven web performance. A multiobjective optimization using genetic algorithms was proposed to obtain optimum air‐flow field with the lowest velocity decay and temperature decay of the air‐flow field of a melt‐blowing slot die. Four main geometry parameters, including slot width, head width, slot angle, and setback, were studied. The optimal results were achieved in the 50th generation with 20 individuals of each generation. The results also show that a smaller slot angle and larger slot width resulted in a lower air velocity decay and temperature decay. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Functional Morphology of the Tongue in the Domestic Goose (Anser Anser f. Domestica)
Authors: Jackowiak Hanna , Skieresz‐Szewczyk Kinga , Godynicki Szymon , Iwasaki Shin‐ichi , Meyer Wilfried
Published: August 2011

Using LM and SEM methods, the study describes microstructures in particular areas of the tongue of the goose. A thick multilayered keratinized epithelium forms the “lingual nail” and covers small and giant conical papillae, whereby the first functions as an exoskeleton of the tongue apex, and the latter are arranged along the lingual and well‐developed connective tissue cores, and together with the bill lamellae are involved in cutting. The row of conical papillae on the lingual prominence prevents regurgitation of transported food. In the area of the “lingual nail” and in the anterior part of the lingual prominence, Herbst corpuscles are accumulated, which allow to recognize food position. Filiform papillae, as widely distributed between the conical papillae of the body, are responsible for filtering. They can be explained as long keratinized processes of the epithelium and are devoid of connective tissue cores. During food transport, the flattened areas of the lingual body and the lingual prominence are protected by a parakeratinized epithelium, but the root is covered by a nonkeratinized epithelium. The presence of adipose tissue in the tongue probably reduces pressure during food passage, but also promotes mucus evacuation from the lingual glands, thus facilitating food transport. An entoglossal bone with a continuation as cartilage is the stable structural basis of the tongue system. Anat Rec, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The impact of color and role on retention of knowledge: A body‐painting study within undergraduate medicine
Authors: Finn Gabrielle M. , White Pamela M. , Abdelbagi Israa
Published: August 2011

Body painting as a tool for teaching anatomy is becoming increasingly popular as it is fun and diffuses the formal academic context. Students claim bright color plays a significant role in retention of knowledge from painting sessions. Medical students (n = 117) were divided into two conditions: block color (CLR) and black outlines (BLK). Students completed a pre‐test before a body painting teaching session on abdominal referred pain. CLR students used bright block colors, and BLK students mapped outlines in black. Immediately afterward, students sat a mid‐test to compare the conditions. Students completed a post‐test to compare long‐term retention of knowledge four weeks later. There was no difference in knowledge between the two conditions immediately after the teaching (P = 0.653). There was no significant difference in long‐term retention of knowledge between those using black outlines and those using color (P = 0.278). The use of color had no impact on short‐term or long‐term retention of knowledge, despite previously collected qualitative data that color helped memorization. Despite there being no immediate difference in the amount of information retained, the students' enthusiasm for body painting and the use of bold colors warrant body painting's inclusion within the anatomy curriculum. Acceptability plays a significant role in the success of any teaching modality. Additionally, students who undertook the roles of painter or canvas retained similar amounts of information after six weeks (P = 0.505). Students' classification as verbalizer or visualizer did not impact on their test performance. Anat Sci Educ. © 2011 American Association of Anatomists.
Cyanobacteria cultivation in industrial wastewaters and biodiesel production from their biomass: A review
Authors: Balasubramanian Lavanya , Subramanian Geetha , Nazeer Thayiba Thanveer , Simpson Hannah Shalini , Rahuman Shifina T. , Raju Preetha
Published: August 2011

As an alternative fuel biodiesel has become increasingly important due to diminishing petroleum reserves and adverse environmental consequences of exhaust gases from petroleum‐fueled engines. Recently, research interest has focused on the production of biofuel from microalgae. Cyanobacteria appeared to be suitable candidates for cultivation in wastes and wastewaters because they produce biomass in satisfactory quantity and can be harvested relatively easily due to their size and structure. In addition, their biomass composition can be manipulated by several environmental and operational factors to produce biomass with concrete characteristics. Herein, we review the culture of cyanobacteria in wastewaters and also the potential resources that can be transformed into biodiesel successfully for meeting the ever‐increasing demand for biodiesel production.
The coiled coil silk of bees, ants, and hornets
Authors: Sutherland Tara D. , Weisman Sarah , Walker Andrew A. , Mudie Stephen T.
Published: August 2011

In this article, we review current knowledge about the silk produced by the larvae of bees, ants, and hornets [Apoidea and Vespoidea: Hymenoptera]. Different species use the silk either alone or in composites for a variety of purposes including mechanical reinforcement, thermal regulation, or humidification. The characteristic molecular structure of this silk is α‐helical proteins assembled into tetrameric coiled coils. Gene sequences from seven species are available, and each species possesses a copy of each of four related silk genes that encode proteins predicted to form coiled coils. The proteins are ordered at multiple length scales within the labial gland of the final larval instar before spinning. The insects control the morphology of the silk during spinning to produce either fibers or sheets. The silk proteins are small and non repetitive and have been produced artificially at high levels by fermentation in E. coli. The artificial silk proteins can be fabricated into materials with structural and mechanical properties similar to those of native silks. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 97: 446–454, 2012.
Microbially supported synthesis of catalytically active bimetallic Pd‐Au nanoparticles
Authors: Hosseinkhani Baharak , Søbjerg Lina Sveidal , Rotaru Amelia‐Elena , Emtiazi Giti , Skrydstrup Troels , Meyer Rikke Louise
Published: August 2011

Bimetallic nanoparticles are considered the next generation of nanocatalysts with increased stability and catalytic activity. Bio‐supported synthesis of monometallic nanoparticles has been proposed as an environmentally friendly alternative to the conventional chemical and physical protocols. In this study we synthesize bimetallic bio‐supported Pd‐Au nanoparticles for the first time using microorganisms as support material. The synthesis involved two steps: (1) Formation of monometallic bio‐supported Pd(0) and Au(0) nanoparticles on the surface of Cupriavidus necator cells, and (2) formation of bimetallic bio‐supported nanoparticles by reduction of either Au(III) or Pd(II) on to the nanoparticles prepared in step one. Bio‐supported monometallic Pd(0) or Au(0) nanoparticles were formed on the surface of C. necator by reduction of Pd(II) or Au(III) with formate. Addition of Au(III) or Pd(II) to the bio‐supported particles resulted in increased particle size. UV–Vis spectrophotometry and HR‐TEM analyses indicated that the previously monometallic nanoparticles had become fully or partially covered by Au(0) or Pd(0), respectively. Furthermore, Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) and Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) analyses confirmed that the nanoparticles indeed were bimetallic. The bimetallic nanoparticles did not have a core‐shell structure, but were superior to monometallic particles at reducing p‐nitrophenol to p‐aminophenol. Hence, formation of microbially supported nanoparticles may be a cheap and environmentally friendly approach for production of bimetallic nanocatalysts. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012;109: 45–52. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PLGA/hydrogel biopapers as a stackable substrate for printing HUVEC networks via BioLP™
Authors: Pirlo Russell Kirk , Wu Peter , Liu Jinny , Ringeisen Bradley
Published: August 2011

Two major challenges in tissue engineering are mimicking the native cell–cell arrangements of tissues and maintaining viability of three‐dimension (3D) tissues thicker than 300 µm. Cell printing and prevascularization of engineered tissues are promising approaches to meet these challenges. However, the printing technologies used in biofabrication must balance the competing parameters of resolution, speed, and volume, which limit the resolution of thicker 3D structures. We suggest that high‐resolution conformal printing techniques can be used to print 2D patterns of vascular cells onto biopaper substrates which can then be stacked to form a thicker tissue construct. Towards this end we created 1 cm × 1 cm × 300 µm biopapers to be used as the transferable, stackable substrate for cell printing. 3.6% w/v poly‐lactide‐co‐glycolide was dissolved in chloroform and poured into molds filled with NaCl crystals. The salt was removed with DI water and the scaffolds were dried and loaded with a Collagen Type I or Matrigel™. SEM of the biopapers showed extensive porosity and gel loading throughout. Biological laser printing (BioLP™) was used to deposit human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in a simple intersecting pattern to the surface of the biopapers. The cells differentiated and stretched to form networks preserving the printed pattern. In a separate experiment to demonstrate “stackability,” individual biopapers were randomly seeded with HUVECs and cultured for 1 day. The mechanically stable and viable biopapers were then stacked and cultured for 4 days. Three‐dimensional confocal microscopy showed cell infiltration and survival in the compound multilayer constructs. These results demonstrate the feasibility of stackable “biopapers” as a scaffold to build 3D vascularized tissues with a 2D cell‐printing technique. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012;109: 262–273. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A multivariate model of ErbB network composition predicts ovarian cancer cell response to canertinib
Authors: Prasasya Rexxi D. , Vang Kang Z. , Kreeger Pamela K.
Published: August 2011

Identifying the optimal treatment strategy for cancer is an important challenge, particularly for complex diseases like epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) that are prone to recurrence. In this study we developed a quantitative, multivariate model to predict the extent of ovarian cancer cell death following treatment with an ErbB inhibitor (canertinib, CI‐1033). A partial least squares regression model related the levels of ErbB receptors and ligands at the time of treatment to sensitivity to CI‐1033. In this way, the model mimics the clinical problem by incorporating only information that would be available at the time of drug treatment. The full model was able to fit the training set data and was predictive. Model analysis demonstrated the importance of including both ligand and receptor levels in this approach, consistent with reports of the role of ErbB autocrine loops in EOC. A reduced multi‐protein model was able to predict CI‐1033 sensitivity of six distinct EOC cell lines derived from the three subtypes of EOC, suggesting that quantitatively characterizing the ErbB network could be used to broadly predict EOC response to CI‐1033. Ultimately, this systems biology approach examining multiple proteins has the potential to uncover multivariate functions to identify subsets of tumors that are most likely to respond to a targeted therapy. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012;109: 213–224. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Diffusion‐based process for carbon dioxide uptake and isoprene emission in gaseous/aqueous two‐phase photobioreactors by photosynthetic microorganisms
Authors: Bentley Fiona K. , Melis Anastasios
Published: August 2011

Photosynthesis for the generation of fuels and chemicals from cyanobacteria and microalgae offers the promise of a single host organism acting both as photocatalyst and processor, performing sunlight absorption and utilization, as well as CO2 assimilation and conversion into product. However, there is a need to develop methods for generating, sequestering, and trapping such bio‐products in an efficient and cost‐effective manner that is suitable for industrial scale‐up and exploitation. A sealed gaseous/aqueous two‐phase photobioreactor was designed and applied for the photosynthetic generation of volatile isoprene (C5H8) hydrocarbons, which operates on the principle of spontaneous diffusion of CO2 from the gaseous headspace into the microalgal or cyanobacterial‐containing aqueous phase, followed by photosynthetic CO2 assimilation and isoprene production by the transgenic microorganisms. Volatile isoprene hydrocarbons were emitted from the aqueous phase and were sequestered into the gaseous headspace. Periodic replacement (flushing) of the isoprene (C5H8) and oxygen (O2) content of the gaseous headspace with CO2 allowed for the simultaneous harvesting of the photoproducts and replenishment of the CO2 supply in the gaseous headspace. Reduction in practice of the gaseous/aqueous two‐phase photobioreactor is offered in this work with a fed‐batch and a semi‐continuous culturing system using Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 heterologously expressing the Pueraria montana (kudzu) isoprene synthase (IspS) gene. Constitutive isoprene production was observed over 192 h of experimentation, coupled with cyanobacterial biomass accumulation. The diffusion‐based process in gaseous/aqueous two‐phase photobioreactors has the potential to be applied to other high‐value photosynthetically derived volatile molecules, emanating from a variety of photosynthetic microorganisms. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012;109: 100–109. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
LC‐MS/MS method for the quantification of myo‐ and chiro‐inositol as the urinary biomarkers of insulin resistance in human urine
Authors: Kim Byoung‐Hyoun , Park Jin‐Young , Jang Jae Bum , Moon Dong Cheul
Published: August 2011

A simple LC‐MS/MS method has been developed and validated for the quantification of endogenous myo‐ and chiro‐inositol in human urine. myo‐ and chiro‐Inositol were completely resolved from other carbohydrates and there were no interference peaks in human urine. The correlation coefficient (n = 3) was greater than 0.9991 over the range 0.05–25.0 µg/mL with the weighted (1/C2) least square method. Precision (%RSD) and accuracy (%RE) were 0–10.0% and 0–6.0% for the intra‐day assay (n = 5) and 0–14.3% and 0–10.0% for the inter‐day assay (n = 5). myo‐ and chiro‐Inositol have been shown to be stable in human urine stored at room temperature and for three freeze–thaw cycles. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Model‐based analysis on the relationship of signal quality to real‐time extraction of information in bioprocesses
Authors: Wechselberger Patrick , Herwig Christoph
Published: August 2011

Quality by design (QbD) is a current structured approach to design processes yielding a quality product. Knowledge and process understanding cannot be achieved without proper experimental data; hence requirements for measurement error and frequency of measurement of bioprocess variables have to be defined. In this contribution, a model‐based approach is used to investigate impact factors on calculated rates to predict the obtainable information from real‐time measurements (= signal quality). Measurement error, biological activity, and averaging window (= period of observation) were identified as biggest impact factors on signal quality. Moreover, signal quality has been set in context with a quantifiable measure using statistical error testing, which can be used as a benchmark for process analytics and exploitation of data. Results have been validated with data from an E. coli batch process. This approach is useful to get an idea which process dynamics can be observed with a given bioprocess setup and sampling strategy beforehand. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2012
Improved E. coli erythromycin a production through the application of metabolic and bioprocess engineering
Authors: Zhang Haoran , Skalina Karin , Jiang Ming , Pfeifer Blaine A.
Published: August 2011

In this report, small‐scale culture and bioreactor experiments were used to compare and improve the heterologous production of the antibiotic erythromycin A across a series of engineered prototype Escherichia coli strains. The original strain, termed BAP1(pBPJW130, pBPJW144, pHZT1, pHZT2, pHZT4, pGro7), was designed to allow full erythromycin A biosynthesis from the exogenous addition of propionate. This strain was then compared against two alternatives hypothesized to increase final product titer. Strain TB3(pBPJW130, pBPJW144, pHZT1, pHZT2, pHZT4, pGro7) is a derivative of BAP1 designed to increase biosynthetic pathway carbon flow as a result of a ygfH deletion; whereas, strain TB3(pBPJW130, pBPJW144, pHZT1, pHZT2, pHZT4‐2, pGro7) provided an extra copy of a key deoxysugar glycosyltransferase gene. Production was compared across the three strains with TB3(pBPJW130, pBPJW144, pHZT1, pHZT2, pHZT4, pGro7) showing significant improvement in erythronolide B (EB), 3‐mycarosylerythronolide B (MEB), and erythromycin A titers. This strain was further tested in the context of batch bioreactor production experiments with time‐course titers leveling at 4 mg/L, representing an approximately sevenfold increase in final erythromycin A titer. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2012
Timescale analysis of rule‐based biochemical reaction networks
Authors: Klinke David J. , Finley Stacey D.
Published: August 2011

The flow of information within a cell is governed by a series of protein–protein interactions that can be described as a reaction network. Mathematical models of biochemical reaction networks can be constructed by repetitively applying specific rules that define how reactants interact and what new species are formed on reaction. To aid in understanding the underlying biochemistry, timescale analysis is one method developed to prune the size of the reaction network. In this work, we extend the methods associated with timescale analysis to reaction rules instead of the species contained within the network. To illustrate this approach, we applied timescale analysis to a simple receptor–ligand binding model and a rule‐based model of interleukin‐12 (IL‐12) signaling in naïve CD4+ T cells. The IL‐12 signaling pathway includes multiple protein–protein interactions that collectively transmit information; however, the level of mechanistic detail sufficient to capture the observed dynamics has not been justified based on the available data. The analysis correctly predicted that reactions associated with Janus Kinase 2 and Tyrosine Kinase 2 binding to their corresponding receptor exist at a pseudo‐equilibrium. By contrast, reactions associated with ligand binding and receptor turnover regulate cellular response to IL‐12. An empirical Bayesian approach was used to estimate the uncertainty in the timescales. This approach complements existing rank‐ and flux‐based methods that can be used to interrogate complex reaction networks. Ultimately, timescale analysis of rule‐based models is a computational tool that can be used to reveal the biochemical steps that regulate signaling dynamics. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2012
Precipitation of filamentous bacteriophages for their selective recovery in primary purification
Authors: Branston Steven , Stanley Emma , Keshavarz‐Moore Eli , Ward John
Published: August 2011

Filamentous bacteriophages and their derivatives are showing great promise as a whole new class of industrial agents, such as biologically based nano‐materials and viral vectors. This raises challenges for their large‐scale manufacture, principally due to the lack of bioprocessing knowledge. This article addresses what will be a potentially important option in the primary purification of the bacteriophages. Polyethylene glycol (PEG)‐salt dual precipitants, calcium ions, spermidine, and isoelectric precipitation were first examined for their potential suitability for bacteriophage concentration under both pure and broth conditions. Successful precipitants were further studied on the basis of their selective purification ability from DNA and protein contaminants in a clarified broth system. Both PEG‐based and isoelectric precipitations resulted in bacteriophage purity improvements, and PEG‐based precipitations offered the highest selectivities. This work shows that precipitation of bacteriophages can be an effective primary purification step in a large‐scale bioprocess. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2012
Preparation, characterization, and properties of fullerene–vinylpyrrolidone copolymers
Authors: Jiang Guichang , Li Guangtao
Published: August 2011

Water‐soluble fullerene (C60)–N‐vinylpyrrolidone copolymers were prepared by the radical polymerization method. The structures of the copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, UV–Vis, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, gel permeation chromatography, thermogravimetric analyses, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results presented show that C60 and vinylpyrrolidone (VP) can be copolymerized under different conditions. With a constant benzoyl peroxide amount, C60 contents in the copolymers increase with increasing initial C60:VP reactant ratio. The assembly behavior of water‐soluble C60–N‐vinylpyrrolidone copolymers was investigated by SEM. The results show that the copolymers create morphology that is sphere‐like. Fullerene‐containing micro‐/nano‐sized copolymer fibers were prepared, for the first time, by electrospinning. The cytotoxicity to cancer cell lines of the copolymers was evaluated by 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl tetrazolium bromide and confocal laser scanning microscope. The results show that copolymers exhibit better cytotoxicity against HeLa cells and mouse osteogenic sarcoma cells (cytotoxicity of copolymers is better than that of fullerene complex). The mechanism of fullerene–VP copolymerization was investigated for the first time. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2012
Spontaneous Crowding of Ribosomes and Proteins inside Vesicles: A Possible Mechanism for the Origin of Cell Metabolism
Authors: Pereira de Souza Tereza , Steiniger Frank , Stano Pasquale , Fahr Alfred , Luisi Pier Luigi
Published: August 2011

One of the open questions in the origin of life is the spontaneous formation of primitive cell‐like compartments from free molecules in solution and membranes. “Metabolism‐first” and “replicator‐first” theories claim that early catalytic cycles first evolved in solution, and became encapsulated inside lipid vesicles later on. “Compartment‐first” theories suggest that metabolism progressively occurred inside compartments. Both views have some weaknesses: the low probability of co‐entrapment of several compounds inside the same compartment, and the need to control nutrient uptake and waste release, respectively. By using lipid vesicles as early‐cell models, we show that ribosomes, proteins and lipids spontaneously self‐organise into cell‐like compartments to achieve high internal concentrations, even when starting from dilute solutions. These findings suggest that the assembly of cell‐like compartments, despite its low probability of occurrence, is indeed a physically realistic process. The spontaneous achievement of high local concentration might provide a rational account for the origin of primitive cellular metabolism.