bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Improvement of palm oil and sunflower oil blends by enzymatic interestrification
Authors: Yazdi Zahra Kouchak , Alemzadeh Iran 
Published: March 2011

SummaryPalm oil (PO) and sunflower oil (SFO) blends with varying proportions were subjected to enzymatic interesterification (EIE) using a 1,3‐specific immobilised lipase. The interesterified blends were evaluated for their slip melting point (SMP), solid fat content (SFC) at 10–40 °C, p‐anisidine value, peroxide value, free fatty acids (FFA), induction period of oxidation at 110 °C (IP110) and composition of fatty acids by gas chromatography. Under EIE treatment, the blends of PO and SFO in different proportions (20:80, 40:60, 50:50, 60:40 and 80:20) had saturated and unsaturated fatty acid content in the range of 37.6–52.0% and 48.0–62.4%, respectively. The blends showed a considerable reduction in their SFC, SMP, peroxide value and oxidative stability at 110 °C, but presented increase in FFA and p‐anisidine value. The optimum condition for minimising the fatty acid in oil was obtained, at 64 °C, using 8.9% enzyme and 3 h reaction time.
Evaluation of volatile compounds and antioxidant capacity of some commercial rums from Dominican republic
Authors: Da Porto Carla , Decorti Deborha , Tubaro Franco 
Published: March 2011

SummarySome Dominican ‘heavy’ rums, of a single brand, available commercially and labelled as 8, 15, 18, 21 and 25 year‐old have been evaluated and compared. Headspace solid‐phase microextraction (HS‐SPME) coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was used to analyse volatile compounds and crocin kinetic competition test to evaluate their antioxidant capacity. The alcohols and esters profiles of rums labelled as 21‐ and 25 year‐old were similar. The alcohols and fatty acids profiles of rums labelled as 15 and 18 year‐old were similar. The esters profile of rums labelled as 8 and 15 year‐old was similar. Significant differences were found for aldehydes and volatile phenols between all the rum samples. The antioxidant capacity resulted significantly higher in the older rums (21 and 25 year‐old) than in the younger ones (8, 15 and 18 year‐old).
Formulation optimisation of gluten‐free functional spaghetti based on quinoa, maize and soy flours
Authors: Mastromatteo Marcella , Chillo Stefania , Iannetti Mariapia , Civica Valentina , Del Nobile Matteo Alessandro 
Published: March 2011

SummaryIn this work, the formulation of non‐conventional gluten‐free fresh and dry pasta based on quinoa, maize and defatted soy was optimised. Results showed that the dough samples with high content of maize had the higher value of elongation and shear viscosity and then increased dough firmness. The pre‐gelatinised maize content also affected the rheological properties by increasing the dough firmness. Regarding the dry spaghetti sensorial properties, the surface response plot showed that the overall acceptability of both non‐cooked and cooked spaghetti increases with the increase of the pre‐gelatinised maize content and the decrease of the quinoa flour, whereas the soy flour did not affect the overall quality. In particular, the pre‐gelatinised maize improved the resistance to break and the taste of non‐cooked and cooked spaghetti, respectively. Regarding the fresh spaghetti, results showed that the overall acceptability for fresh non‐cooked spaghetti increases with the increase of the pre‐gelatinised maize content and with the decrease of the quinoa flour; whereas, only the pre‐gelatinised maize content affected the overall acceptability of fresh cooked spaghetti.
Drying of plums (Prunus sp, c.v Gulfblaze) treated with KCl in the field and subjected to pulsed vacuum osmotic dehydration
Authors: Fante Camila , Corrêa Jefferson , Natividade Mariana , Lima Juliana , Lima Luiz 
Published: March 2011

SummaryThe pulsed vacuum osmotic dehydration (PVOD) promotes more homogeneous concentration profiles in the product and quality improvement of several fruits. The objective of this work was to study the drying of plums submitted to treatments of plants manure with KCl and PVOD (5” c.a., 10 min). Experimental planning was done with the following independent variables: doses of KCl (400, 700 and 1000 g/plant), concentration of sucrose solution (40; 50 and 60 ºBrix) and drying temperature (50, 60 and 70C). The tested variables were: color, shrinkage, visual quality and rehydration. Temperature leads to a skin browning at fruit pulps and lower visual quality. The treatment with KCl leads to final products with lower moisture content. The higher the values of all the independent variables, the lower the shrinkage and the rehydration capacity. Plums submitted to convective drying with previous PVOD promote a new product with good visual quality and satisfactory shrinkage.
The unfolding story of anthrax toxin translocation
Authors: Thoren Katie L. , Krantz Bryan A. 
Published: March 2011

SummaryThe essential cellular functions of secretion and protein degradation require a molecular machine to unfold and translocate proteins either across a membrane or into a proteolytic complex. Protein translocation is also critical for microbial pathogenesis, namely bacteria can use translocase channels to deliver toxic proteins into a target cell. Anthrax toxin (Atx), a key virulence factor secreted by Bacillus anthracis, provides a robust biophysical model to characterize transmembrane protein translocation. Atx is comprised of three proteins: the translocase component, protective antigen (PA) and two enzyme components, lethal factor (LF) and oedema factor (OF). Atx forms an active holotoxin complex containing a ring‐shaped PA oligomer bound to multiple copies of LF and OF. These complexes are endocytosed into mammalian host cells, where PA forms a protein‐conducting translocase channel. The proton motive force unfolds and translocates LF and OF through the channel. Recent structure and function studies have shown that LF unfolds during translocation in a force‐dependent manner via a series of metastable intermediates. Polypeptide‐binding clamps located throughout the PA channel catalyse substrate unfolding and translocation by stabilizing unfolding intermediates through the formation of a series of interactions with various chemical groups and α‐helical structure presented by the unfolding polypeptide during translocation.
From hormones to secondary metabolism: the emergence of metabolic gene clusters in plants
Authors: Chu Hoi Yee , Wegel Eva , Osbourn Anne 
Published: March 2011

SummaryGene clusters for the synthesis of secondary metabolites are a common feature of microbial genomes. Well‐known examples include clusters for the synthesis of antibiotics in actinomycetes, and also for the synthesis of antibiotics and toxins in filamentous fungi. Until recently it was thought that genes for plant metabolic pathways were not clustered, and this is certainly true in many cases; however, five plant secondary metabolic gene clusters have now been discovered, all of them implicated in synthesis of defence compounds. An obvious assumption might be that these eukaryotic gene clusters have arisen by horizontal gene transfer from microbes, but there is compelling evidence to indicate that this is not the case. This raises intriguing questions about how widespread such clusters are, what the significance of clustering is, why genes for some metabolic pathways are clustered and those for others are not, and how these clusters form. In answering these questions we may hope to learn more about mechanisms of genome plasticity and adaptive evolution in plants. It is noteworthy that for the five plant secondary metabolic gene clusters reported so far, the enzymes for the first committed steps all appear to have been recruited directly or indirectly from primary metabolic pathways involved in hormone synthesis. This may or may not turn out to be a common feature of plant secondary metabolic gene clusters as new clusters emerge.
Genome‐level and biochemical diversity of the acyl‐activating enzyme superfamily in plants
Authors: Shockey Jay , Browse John 
Published: March 2011

SummaryIn higher plants, the superfamily of carboxyl‐CoA ligases and related proteins, collectively called acyl activating enzymes (AAEs), has evolved to provide enzymes for many pathways of primary and secondary metabolism and for the conjugation of hormones to amino acids. Across the superfamily there is only limited sequence similarity, but a series of highly conserved motifs, including the AMP‐binding domain, make it easy to identify members. These conserved motifs are best understood in terms of the unique domain‐rotation architecture that allows AAE enzymes to catalyze the two distinct steps of the CoA ligase reaction. Arabidopsis AAE sequences were used to identify the AAE gene families in the sequenced genomes of green algae, mosses, and trees; the size of the respective families increased with increasing degree of organismal cellular complexity, size, and generation time. Large‐scale genome duplications and small‐scale tandem gene duplications have contributed to AAE gene family complexity to differing extents in each of the multicellular species analyzed. Gene duplication and evolution of novel functions in Arabidopsis appears to have occurred rapidly, because acquisition of new substrate specificity is relatively easy in this class of proteins. Convergent evolution has also occurred between members of distantly related clades. These features of the AAE superfamily make it difficult to use homology searches and other genomics tools to predict enzyme function.
The RLK/Pelle family of kinases
Authors: Gish Lindsey A. , Clark Steven E. 
Published: March 2011

SummaryThe RLK/Pelle class of proteins kinases is composed of over 600 members in Arabidopsis. Many of the proteins in this family are receptor‐like kinases (RLK), while others have lost their extracellular domains and are found as cytoplasmic kinases. Proteins in this family that are RLKs have a variety of extracellular domains that drive function in a large number of processes, from cell wall interactions to disease resistance to developmental control. This review will briefly cover the major subclasses of RLK/Pelle proteins and their roles. In addition, two specific groups on RLKs will be discussed in detail, relating recent findings in Arabidopsis and how well these conclusions have been able to be translated to agronomically important species. Finally, some details on kinase activity and signal transduction will be addressed, along with the mystery of RLK/Pelle members lacking kinase enzymatic activity.
From nucleosome to chromosome: a dynamic organization of genetic information
Authors: Fransz Paul , de Jong Hans 
Published: March 2011

SummaryGene activity is controlled at different levels of chromatin organization, which involve genomic sequences, nucleosome structure, chromatin folding and chromosome arrangement. These levels are interconnected and influence each other. At the basic level nucleosomes generally occlude the DNA sequence from interacting with DNA‐binding proteins. Evidently, nucleosome positioning is a major factor in gene control and chromatin organization. Understanding the biological rules that govern the deposition and removal of the nucleosomes to and from the chromatin fiber is the key to understanding gene regulation and chromatin organization. In this review we describe and discuss the relationship between the different levels of chromatin organization in plants and animals.
Organisation of the plant genome in chromosomes
Authors: Heslop‐Harrison J. S. (Pat) , Schwarzacher Trude 
Published: March 2011

SummaryThe plant genome is organized into chromosomes that provide the structure for the genetic linkage groups and allow faithful replication, transcription and transmission of the hereditary information. Genome sizes in plants are remarkably diverse, with a 2350‐fold range from 63 to 149 000 Mb, divided into n = 2 to n = approximately 600 chromosomes. Despite this huge range, structural features of chromosomes like centromeres, telomeres and chromatin packaging are well‐conserved. The smallest genomes consist of mostly coding and regulatory DNA sequences present in low copy, along with highly repeated rDNA (rRNA genes and intergenic spacers), centromeric and telomeric repetitive DNA and some transposable elements. The larger genomes have similar numbers of genes, with abundant tandemly repeated sequence motifs, and transposable elements alone represent more than half the DNA present. Chromosomes evolve by fission, fusion, duplication and insertion events, allowing evolution of chromosome size and chromosome number. A combination of sequence analysis, genetic mapping and molecular cytogenetic methods with comparative analysis, all only becoming widely available in the 21st century, is elucidating the exact nature of the chromosome evolution events at all timescales, from the base of the plant kingdom, to intraspecific or hybridization events associated with recent plant breeding. As well as being of fundamental interest, understanding and exploiting evolutionary mechanisms in plant genomes is likely to be a key to crop development for food production.
Diagnosis of undifferentiated type early gastric cancers by magnification endoscopy with narrow‐band imaging
Authors: Okada Kazuhisa , Fujisaki Junko , Kasuga Akiyoshi , Omae Masami , Hirasawa Toshiaki , Ishiyama Akiyoshi , Inamori Masahiko , Chino Akiko , Yamamoto Yorimasa , Tsuchida Tomohiro , Nakajima Atsushi , Hoshino Etsuo , Igarashi Masahiro 
Published: March 2011

AbstractBackground and Aims:  The diagnostic use of magnification endoscopy with narrow‐band imaging (ME‐NBI) to assess histopathologically undifferentiated‐type early gastric cancers (UD‐type EGCs) is not well elucidated. The purpose of this study was to examine the comparative relationship between ME‐NBI images and histopathological findings in UD‐type EGCs.Methods:  We analyzed 78 consecutive cases of UD‐type EGCs ≤ 20 mm in diameter that underwent ME‐NBI ≤ 2 weeks prior to resection. The ME‐NBI images were compared with histopathological findings following either endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) or surgery. Applying the comparative results, we prospectively evaluated the success of identifying the lateral extent of UD‐type EGCs resected by ESD in additional consecutive cases.Results:  Lesions with preserved but irregular surface microstructures (S‐type based on ME‐NBI) showed mucosal atrophy and corresponded histologically to the non‐whole‐layer type of intramucosal cancer (24/24, 100%). Lesions with an irregular microvasculature type (V‐type, for example, corkscrew pattern) or mixed type upon ME‐NBI corresponded histopathologically to the non‐whole‐layer type of intramucosal cancer (15/54, 27.8%), the whole‐layer type of intramucosal cancer (27/54, 50.0%) or submucosal (sm) invasion cancer (12/54, 22.2%). Applying these comparative results, we used ME‐NBI to successfully predict the lateral extent of cancer, which corresponded to the histopathological lateral extent in all 18 additional consecutive UD‐type EGCs resected by ESD.Conclusions:  ME‐NBI images of UD‐type EGCs were very closely related to the histopathological findings. Thus, ME‐NBI can be useful in the pretreatment assessment of the histopathological patterns of cancer development and the lateral extent of such lesions.
Increased Golgi protein 73 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma tissue correlates with tumor aggression but not survival
Authors: Sun Yongliang , Yang Huayu , Mao Yilei , Xu Haifeng , Zhang Jinchun , Li Guangbing , Lu Xin , Sang Xinting , Zhao Haitao , Zhong Shouxian , Huang Jiefu , Zhang Hongbing 
Published: March 2011

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Serum Golgi protein 73 (sGP73) is a novel and promising biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, there are few reports on the pattern of GP73 expression in HCC and the relationship of this expression to clinicopathologic features of patients. This study aimed to investigate the expression of GP73 and it correlation with clinical parameters.Methods:  We examined GP73 expression in HCC and adjacent paracarcinomatous liver (PCL) tissue in 36 HCC patients, and took 14 normal liver (NL) samples from hepatic hemangioma patients. Western blot analysis and quantitative real‐time reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) were used for analyses.Results:  GP73 expression in HCC was significantly higher than in the corresponding PCL and NL samples at both protein and mRNA levels (P < 0.001). The elevated level of GP73 protein was strongly associated with tumor size, vein invasion, and tumor differentiation, suggesting augmented tumor invasion and metastasis. However, there was no association between GP73 expression and patient survival.Conclusion:  Significant overexpression of GP73 at both protein and mRNA levels along with overexpression of GP73 protein is associated with aggressive behavior of HCC, but not overall patient survival. Further research is needed to determine the potential of GP73 as a therapeutic target.
Hospitalizations and testing in gastroparesis
Authors: Dudekula Anwar , O'Connell Michael , Bielefeldt Klaus 
Published: March 2011

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Gastroparesis significantly impairs the quality of life in affected individuals and may lead to repeat hospitalizations due to refractory symptoms. We hypothesized that pain is a key reason for emergency encounters and diagnostic testing.Methods:  Using the ICD9 code 536.3, electronic medical records were analyzed retrospectively. Multivariate regression was used to determine predictors of hospital stays and use of diagnostic testing.Results:  In total, 326 patients (80% women, age: 44.1 ± 0.8 years) were identified. During 504 patient‐years of follow up, patients were hospitalized on average slightly more than once annually for about 8 days and underwent 320 endoscopies, 366 computed tomography scans, 390 abdominal X‐rays, 90 upper gastrointestinal contrast studies and 163 gastric emptying studies; 37 patients exceeded an annual radiation exposure of 20 mSv at least once. The majority of tests were confirmatory, with results not altering treatment. Vomiting and pain were the most common cause for emergency encounters and diagnostic testing. Age and comorbidity, but not opioid use (present in 25%) or the presence of chronic pain disorders (present in 32%) correlated with increased hospital days.Conclusions:  While surrogate markers of pain do not predict repeat hospitalizations, pain was the primary reason for emergency encounters and frequent diagnostic testing. Repeated testing had a limited impact on treatment and outcome, but certainly contributes to the cost and even risk of care. Concerted efforts are needed to not only improve the care and quality of life of patients with gastroparesis, but also to reduce the number of potentially unnecessary or even harmful interventions.
Kinetics of glucose stimulatory effect on silica deposition and growth of natural populations of Fragilaria crotonensis
Authors: Znachor Petr , Nedoma Jičí , Rychtecký Pavel 
Published: March 2011

SUMMARYDiatoms are known to exploit organic substrates for growth; however, convincing evidence that they can utilize dissolved organic carbon under natural conditions is not available. In 2008–2009, we performed in situ experiments examining the effect of glucose addition on silica deposition kinetics and growth rates of Fragilaria crotonensis in the eutrophic Římov Reservoir (Czech Republic). Silica deposition kinetics was measured at 4‐h intervals over a 24‐h incubation with PDMPO [2‐(4‐pyridyl)‐5{[4‐dimethylaminoethyl‐aminocarbamyl)‐methoxy] phenyl}oxazole] fluorescence probe. A significant stimulatory effect of glucose supplemented at the concentration of 10−4 M on Fragilaria silification was observed at 20 and 24 h. Fragilaria growth rates almost doubled upon glucose enrichment compared with the untreated control at 24 h. In addition, we conducted a dose‐response experiment testing the glucose additions from 10−8 to 10−3 M in a 24‐h incubation. Glucose stimulated both Fragilaria silification and growth at concentrations >10–7 M, which might occasionally occur in a reservoir as a result of accidental contamination of water by organic pollution.
Semen quality after extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy for the management of lower ureteric stones: a review of the literature
Authors: Gulur Dev Mohan , Philip Joe 
Published: March 2011

What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add?ESWL is effective in treating distal ureteric stones. However, the effect of lithotripsy on semen parameters and the testis has not been reviewed.This review reports that lithotripsy to distal ureteric stones causes a transient oligoasthenozoospermia for up to three months after lithotripsy. We have highlighted this important after‐effect to be discussed while counselling men with a procreative intent before lithotripsy.Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy has long been an important tool in the urologists’ armamentarium for the treatment of distal ureteric stones. Several studies have been conducted on the morbidity and adverse effects of ESWL on human tissues but the effect of lithotripsy on semen and testes remains inconclusive. Impact on semen analysis and testes is important because the seminal vesicles and testes are exposed to the shock waves due to their anatomical proximity to the distal ureter. This article has reviewed all the published literature in English language on semen analysis after lithotripsy.