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The Pro‐Pro ligated tripeptides Ile‐Pro‐Pro 4 (IPP) and Val‐Pro‐Pro 5 (VPP) isolated from the fermented milk exhibit marked anti‐hypertension activity. Additionally, the naturally occurring Pro‐Pro ligated tripeptide Gly‐Pro‐Pro 6 (GPP) exhibits antioxidant properties. These peptides have enormous potential to be used as dilatory supplements. In the present study, we achieved a scalable, convenient, and high‐yielding synthesis of IPP, VPP, and GPP along with two more hydrophobic Pro‐Pro ligated tripeptides (APP 7, LPP 8) by employing the TAG technique. We used acid labile (2,4‐bis(octadecyloxy)phenyl)methanol as the TAG. We demonstrated synthesis of one of IPP at molar scale. We think that our method has the potential to be escalated to an industrial scale without much difficulty and they become available for general use as dietary supplements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxyl dicarboxylic acids (OHDCA) are ubiquitous in the atmosphere as an important constituent of secondary organic aerosol, yet the formation mechanisms remain unclear. At an urban background site on the coast of South China, we observed notable levels of OHDCA, with the highest concentration of malic acid (a typical OHDCA species) reaching 533 ng m−3. In the coastal air, the correlation between OHDCA and sulfate was better (R2 = 0.48) in the period when the relative humidity was higher and the sulfate size distribution was in a droplet mode, fitting the features of aqueous formation. In the short‐range continental air, a significant rise in OHDCA levels from morning through early afternoon (588 ng m−3) was observed under marked daytime increment of ozone that was corrected for titration loss (O3_corr, sum of ozone and nitrogen dioxide). In addition, good correlation between OHDCA and O3_corr was identified in this period, illuminating the role for gas‐phase photochemistry in regulating OHDCA formation. Therefore, the elevated OHDCA was likely attributed to aqueous photooxidation, and the dominant factors varied under different atmospheric conditions. The precursors of OHDCA could be derived from biogenic emissions, as indicated by the correlations of OHDCA with 2‐methylglyceric acid (bihourly data) and isoprene and monoterpenes (daily average data). However, anthropogenic aromatics might also be involved in OHDCA formation, especially in the short‐range continental air. The formation mechanisms probed through observational evidence will be an important reference for rectifying simulations of OHDCA and its impact on air quality and climate. Plain Language Summary: Organic aerosol, a vital component of fine particulate matter, is suspended in the atmosphere. It is of widespread concern due to health and climate effects. In a coastal area generally considered clean, we observed remarkably high levels of climate‐relevant hydroxyl dicarboxylic acids in organic aerosol. Different factors dominated the aqueous photochemical formation of hydroxyl dicarboxylic acids between air masses arriving at the measurement site. This provides a scientific basis for mitigating organic aerosol and its climate effects. Key Points: The concentrations of hydroxyl dicarboxylic acids (OHDCA) in Hong Kong's air were among the highest in the worldAqueous and photochemical processes dominated OHDCA formation in the coastal and short‐range continental air, respectivelyAromatic compounds were likely one of the precursors of OHDCA in continental outflows [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilization of marine photovoltaic energy is primarily focused on surface harvesting with limited photovoltaic cell implementations in submarine environments. Potential applications include marine wildlife telemetry devices, autonomous underwater vehicles, or remote sensing assets. In these applications, understanding the power at depth is critical, but there has yet to be a long‐term study of cell performance in a realistic marine environment that spans time, geographic location, and depth. In this paper, we present photovoltaic assessments carried out by devices mounted to adult female northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) during their spring migrations in the Pacific Ocean with deployment times between 76 and 107 days. Encompassing a large geographic area between Santa Cruz, California, and the Aleutian Islands of Alaska during their migrations, elephant seal behavior allows for repeated depth profiles each day, making them an ideal host for subsurface power assessments. This paper presents the first longitudinal study of photovoltaic cell performance in the marine environment that spans location, time, and depth. This work discusses the calibration, data time alignment, and power calculations of these oceanic deployments. Deployment results, including power results and energy predictions from the data record, are presented up to 22 m in depth. We highlight how the recorded power data of these cells compares to previously published results and how depth impacts subsurface power and energy harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the Trans‐Atlantic Geotraverse hydrothermal field, metalliferous sediments cover extinct hydrothermal mounds and the surrounding seafloor. Here, we report the morphological, mineralogical and geochemical processes that deposit these sediments, remobilize their metals, and affect their preservation. We found that the initial sediment metal tenor is controlled by physical transport of hydrothermal material from its source, followed by diagenetic redistribution and potentially diffuse fluid flow after high‐temperature hydrothermal activity has ceased. We distinguished three different environments: (a) proximal metalliferous sediments on top of extinct mounds are mainly derived from oxidative weathering of primary sulfide structures and are predominantly composed of Fe oxyhydroxides with low contents of Cu, Co, and Zn; metal enrichments in specific layers are likely related to upward flow of low‐temperature hydrothermal fluids; (b) medial distant metalliferous sediments found at the base of the mounds, deposited by mass transport, contain cm‐thick layers of unsorted sulfide sands with high base metal contents (e.g., up to 28% Cu); these buried sulfides continue to undergo dissolution, resulting in metal release into porewaters; (c) distal metalliferous sediments, found in depositional basins a few hundreds of meters from the extinct mounds, include fining‐upwards sequences of thin sulfide sand layers with Fe oxyhydroxides and were deposited by recurrent turbiditic flows. Dissolved metals (e.g., Cu2+ and Mn2+) diffuse upwards under reducing conditions and precipitate within the sediment. Hence, when using hydrothermal sediments to construct reliable geochronological records of hydrothermal activity, distance from source, local seafloor morphology, mass‐transport and depositional, and diagenetic modification should all be considered. Plain Language Summary: The seafloor massive sulfide mounds at the TAG hydrothermal field (Mid‐Atlantic Ridge) are surrounded by metalliferous sediments. These sediments can be used to understand the history of the hydrothermal activity; however, the evolution of these sediments can be complex. The aim of this study is to understand the processes that lead to the accumulation and alteration of these sediments. For this, we identified the mineralogical, geochemical and physical processes that affect the sediments. Our results show that sediments found on mound tops are mainly composed of iron and manganese oxides and hydroxides, and are low in other metal contents compared to other environments. Medial distant sediments at the base of the mounds have thick beds of sulfide‐rich sediments that contain the highest concentrations of metals and are currently undergoing dissolution. In depositional channels, several hundreds of meters distal from the mounds, metalliferous sediment have accumulated in several meters thick layers that contain high concentrations of dissolved metals. This study reveals that the metal content of hydrothermal sediments is strongly controlled by their physicochemical environment and processes after deposition, and we suggest these processes should be considered when using metalliferous sediments as records of the evolution and activity of hydrothermal systems. Key Points: TAG hydrothermal field sediments have high metal contents that vary distinctly between different seafloor depositional environmentsLowest metal contents are found in sediments on top and highest in those at the base of extinct hydrothermal moundsDeposition, remobilization, and preservation of metals in hydrothermal sediments lead to distinctively different sediment characteristics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity‐associated insulin resistance plays a major role in the pathogenesis of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The accumulation of diacylglycerol (DAG), ceramides and inflammation are key factors that cause NAFLD. In recent years, the ketogenic diet (KD) has emerged as an effective non‐pharmacological intervention for the treatment of NAFLD and other obesity‐related metabolic disorders. What remains undetermined is how the KD affects DAG and ceramide content and insulin sensitivity in the liver. Thus, this research was designed to assess these variables, as well as glucose and fat metabolism and markers of inflammation in livers of rats exposed for 8 weeks to one of the following diets: standard chow (SC), obesogenic high‐fat, sucrose‐enriched diet (HFS) or a KD. Despite having a higher fat content than the HFS diet, the KD did not cause steatosis and preserved hepatic insulin signalling. The KD reduced DAG content and protein kinase C‐ε activity, but markedly increased liver ceramide content. However, whereas the KD increased ceramide synthase 2 (CerS2) expression, it suppressed CerS6 expression, an effect that promoted the production of beneficial very long‐chain ceramides instead of harmful long‐chain ceramides. The KD also enhanced the liver expression of key genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and fatty acid oxidation (Pgc‐1α and Fgf21), suppressed inflammatory genes (Tnfα, Nf‐kb, Tlr4 and Il6), and shifted substrate away from de novo lipogenesis. Thus, through multiple mechanisms the KD exerted anti‐steatogenic and insulin‐sensitizing effects in the liver, which supports the use of this dietary intervention to treat NAFLD. Key points: The accumulation of diacylglycerol (DAG), ceramides and inflammation are key factors that cause insulin resistance and non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study provides evidence that a ketogenic diet (KD) rich in fat and devoid of carbohydrate reduced DAG content and preserved insulin signalling in the liver.The KD shifted metabolism away from lipogenesis by enhancing genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and fatty acid oxidations in the liver.The KD also promoted the production of beneficial very long‐chain ceramides instead of potentially harmful long‐chain ceramides.Through multiple mechanisms, the KD exerted anti‐steatogenic and insulin‐sensitizing effects in the liver, which supports the use of this dietary intervention to treat NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High feedstock cost and low oil yields per unit of land from temperate oilseed crops limit the growth of commercial‐scale biodiesel production. Recently, highly productive crops, such as sugarcane and energycane, have been engineered to accumulate triacylglycerides (TAGs) that allow the production of far more industrial vegetable oil than previously possible. A proof‐of‐concept suggests that biodiesel production from engineered energycane will be possible. However, before making efforts for scale‐up, it is critical to understand the commercial feasibility and economic competitiveness of this process. This study performs techno‐economic analysis of a unique biorefinery processing energycane to co‐produce biodiesel and ethanol. Comprehensive process simulation models were developed for two scenarios: (i) biodiesel from TAGs and ethanol from fermentation of sugars in juice and (ii) biodiesel from TAGs and ethanol from fermentation of sugars in juice and hydrolysis of carbohydrates in bagasse. Based on the target levels, the analysis was performed for energycane containing 0%, 5%, and 7.7% TAGs (d.b.). The biodiesel from engineered energycane was found economically viable and competitive to soybean biodiesel. Although the capital investment is higher compared to the soybean biodiesel plant, the biodiesel production costs ($0.66–$0.9/L) were lower than soybean biodiesel ($0.91/L). Biorefinery‐scenario‐1 processing energycane containing 7.7% TAG produces biodiesel with profitability (IRR 7.84) slightly lower than soybean biodiesel (IRR 8.3), but yields five times of biodiesel per unit land and is self‐sustainable for energy requirements. The surplus electricity can displace fossil electricity and provide environmental benefits. Monte Carlo simulation indicated that biorefinery is profitable with a 29%–65% probability (NPV > 0) which is largely controlled by feedstock composition and biodiesel market price. It is important to note that energycane can be grown on the marginal rainfed lands in S.E. USA, where soybean would not be viable. Biodiesel from engineered energycane would therefore be complementary to soydiesel in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The giant European catfish, Silurus glanis (total length = 200 cm; total weight ≈ 80 kg) was caught downstream of Iron Gate II hydropower dam (Danube River, 863 rkm) and tagged with an ultrasonic transmitter (V16TP; Vemco Ltd.) equipped with depth and temperature sensors. Changes in catfish diving behavior and temperature exposure were monitored over a period of roughly 2 years. Transmitter detections were recorded by nine autonomous receivers (VR2W, installed in 2015 between Serbia and Romania, as well as near Romanian shiplock and upstream Romanian turbines). The first signals were recorded on April 28, 2015 and the last on February 13, 2017. Altogether 59,355 and 59,175 detections of the catfish depth and water temperature were recorded, respectively. The greatest number of signals were recorded by the two receivers closest to the location where the catfish was caught, 72.3% and 27.1%, while only 0.6% of signals were recorded by other receivers. The mean catfish depth was 8.4 m, while minimum and maximum depths were 1.2 and 16.2 m. Results obtained showed that this catfish exhibited high site fidelity, while changes in depth at certain periods are possibly related to its search for prey and upstream migration during the spawning period. Hydropower dam and shiplock were obstacles on its migration upstream and telemetry studies could ensure habitat requirements and meet the development of restoration and conservation strategies for the fish resources in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overall, the reaction time of the liquid-phase synthesis is similar to that of the solid-phase synthesis in a microwave reactor. Keywords: Peptoid; Peptide; Tag; Liquid-phase synthesis; Large-scale synthesis EN Peptoid Peptide Tag Liquid-phase synthesis Large-scale synthesis 376 379 4 03/22/21 20210301 NES 210301 GLO:1CJF/01mar21:bkcs12223-toc-0001.jpg PHOTO (COLOR): . gl Optimized reaction conditions for the tag-assisted liquid-phase synthesis of peptoids are reported. Although peptoids have been mainly synthesized via the solid-phase submonomer method because of the advantages of these methods in discovery research, where increased chemical diversity is important, alternative synthetic methods will offer more options to peptoid researchers, especially those studying on peptoids entering the development phase. One of the most frequently used peptoid monomers is ( I S i )- I N i -(1-phenylethyl)glycine ( I N i spe or ( I S i )-(-)-1-phenylethylamine), which contains a bulky -chiral aromatic side chain and induces helical secondary structure.24,32 Therefore, we attempted the synthesis of a heptameric peptoid composed of I N i spe using the tag-assisted liquid-phase synthesis. [Extracted from the article]

In this work, we demonstrate a capacitive coupled data transfer with flexible thin‐film electronics using touchscreen as ubiquitous reader interface. The capacitive communication to the touchscreen is proven using a 64‐bit metal‐oxide thin‐film capacitive‐coupled identification tag. The tag is powered by a thin film battery or thin‐film photovoltaic cell that is converting the light of the screen. The thin‐film integrated tag has on‐chip monolithic electrodes (0.8cm2), and the integrated circuit employs 409 transistors and dissipates only 140nW of power at 600mV supply voltage. The asynchronous data rate of the chip is up to 35bps, strictly limited by the touchscreen readout electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel compact ultra‐high frequency (UHF) tag antenna for radio frequency identification is presented. This tag uses the Monza‐X from Impinj as a differential radio frequency integrated circuit. A wideband circular polarization was achieved. The frequency range covered for an axial ratio (AR) < 3 dB is from 830 to 903 MHz. The designed antenna is simulated by using the electromagnetic software ansys high frequency structure simulator. The tag antenna is printed on 50 × 50 mm2 of Roger 4350B substrate with a dielectric constant (Ԑr) of 3.66 and thickness of 1.52 mm. The manufactured tag antenna performance has been tested by measuring the reading distance. The measurement results show good values of reading range (RR) especially in the EU Radio Frequency IDentification band. The tag has a maximum RR of about 13.3 m at 865 MHz with an Effective Isotropic Radiated Power of 2 W. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tracking devices have become small enough to be widely applied to arthropods to study their movement. However, possible side effects of these devices on arthropod performance and behaviour are rarely considered.We performed a systematic review of 173 papers about research in which tracking devices—radio frequency identification (RFID), harmonic radar and radio telemetry tags—were attached to terrestrial arthropods. The impact of such tags was quantified in only 12% of the papers, while in 40% the potential impact was completely disregarded. Often‐cited rules of thumb for determining appropriate tag weight had either no empirical basis or were misconstrued.Several properties of a tracking device (e.g. weight, balance, size, drag) can affect different aspects of an arthropod's life history (e.g. energy, movement, foraging, mating). The impact can differ among species and environments. Taken together, these tag effects can influence the reliability of obtained movement data and conclusions drawn from them. We argue that the impact of tracking devices on arthropods should be quantified for each (a) study species, (b) tag type, and (c) environmental context. As an example, we include a low‐effort impact study of the effect of an RFID tag on a digger wasp.Technological advancements enable studying the movement of arthropods in unprecedented detail. However, we should adopt a more critical attitude towards the use of tracking devices on terrestrial arthropods. The benefits of tracking devices should be balanced against their potential side effects on arthropods and on the reliability of the resulting data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drag force acting on swimming marine mammals is difficult to measure directly. Researchers often use simple modeling and kinematic measurements from animals, or computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to estimate drag. However, studies that compare these methods are lacking. Here, computational simulation and physical experiments were used to estimate drag forces on gliding bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). To facilitate comparison, variable drag loading (no‐tag, tag, tag + 4, tag + 8) was used to increase force in both simulations and experiments. During the experiments, two dolphins were trained to perform controlled glides with variable loading. CFD simulations of dolphin/tag geometry in steady flow (1–6 m/s) were used to model drag forces. We expect both techniques will capture relative changes created by experimental conditions, but absolute forces predicted by the methods will differ. CFD estimates were within a calculated 90% confidence interval of the experimental results for all but the tag condition. Relative drag increase predicted by the simulation vs. experiment, respectively, differed by between 21% and 31%: tag, 4% vs. 33%; tag + 4, 47% vs. 68%; and tag + 8, 108% vs. 77%. The results from this work provide a direct comparison of computational and experimental estimates of drag, and provide a framework to quantify uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Lysophosphatidate acyltransferase (LPAAT) catalyses the second step of the Kennedy pathway for triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis. In this study we expressed Trapaeolum majus LPAAT in Brassica napus (B. napus) cv 12075 to evaluate the effects on lipid synthesis and estimate the flux control coefficient for LPAAT.We estimated the flux control coefficient of LPAAT in a whole plant context by deriving a relationship between it and overall lipid accumulation, given that this process is a exponential.Increasing LPAAT activity resulted in greater TAG accumulation in seeds of between 25% and 29%; altered fatty acid distributions in seed lipids (particularly those of the Kennedy pathway); and a redistribution of label from 14C‐glycerol between phosphoglycerides.Greater LPAAT activity in seeds led to an increase in TAG content despite its low intrinsic flux control coefficient on account of the exponential nature of lipid accumulation that amplifies the effect of the small flux increment achieved by increasing its activity. We have also developed a novel application of metabolic control analysis likely to have broad application as it determines the in planta flux control that a single component has upon accumulation of storage products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) acts as a powerful modulator of PGC‐1α activation and therefore regulates multiple pathways involved in cellular energy homeostasis. In the present study, we assessed the effects of L6 myotubes incubation with 0.5, 1, and 3 μM PQQ solution for 2 and 24 hr with respect to the cells' lipid metabolism. We demonstrated that PQQ significantly elevates PGC‐1α content in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner with the highest efficiency for 0.5 and 1 µM. The level of free fatty acids was diminished (24 hr: −66%), while an increase in triacylglycerol (TAG) amount was most pronounced after 0.5 μM (2 hr: +93%, 24 hr: +139%) treatment. Ceramide (CER) content was elevated after 2 hr incubation with 0.5 µM and after prolonged exposure to all PQQ concentrations. The cells treated with PQQ for 2 hr exhibited decreased sphinganine (SFA) and sphinganine‐1‐phosphate (SFA1P) level, while 24 hr incubation resulted in an elevated sphingosine (SFO) amount. In summary, PGC‐1α activation promotes TAG and CER synthesis. Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) acts as a powerful modulator of PGC‐1α activation and therefore regulates multiple pathways involved in cellular energy homeostasis. Data reported herein reinforce a role for PQQ/PGC‐1α in lipid storage into ceramide (CER) and triacylglycerol (TAG) lipid pools, in addition to an increment of cellular oxidative potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seafloor massive sulfide (SMS) deposits are of increasing economic interest in order to satisfy the relentless growth in worldwide metal demand. The Trans‐Atlantic Geotraverse (TAG) hydrothermal field at 26°N on the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge hosts several such deposits. This study presents new controlled source electromagnetic, bathymetric, and magnetic results from the TAG field. Potential SMS targets were selected based on their surface expressions in high‐resolution bathymetric data. High‐resolution reduced‐to‐the‐pole magnetic data show negative anomalies beneath and surrounding the SMS deposits, revealing large areas of hydrothermal alteration. Controlled source electromagnetic data, sensitive to the electrical conductivity of SMS mineralization, further reveal a maximum thickness of up to 80 m and conductivities of up to 5 S/m. SMS samples have conductivities of up to a few thousand Siemens per meter, suggesting that remotely inferred conductivities represent an average of metal sulfide ores combined with silicified and altered host basalt that likely dominates at greater depths. Plain Language Summary: Seafloor massive sulfide deposits, formed by high‐temperature hydrothermal activity, provide a potential resource for metals including copper, zinc, lead, gold, and silver. Here, we report the results of a geophysical study to estimate the distribution and size of seafloor ore deposits at the Trans‐Atlantic Geotraverse hydrothermal field, located south of the Azores, on the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge. The Trans‐Atlantic Geotraverse field hosts numerous deposits, all but one of which are hydrothermally inactive. Inactive deposits are economically more valuable but difficult to detect. Our solution is a combination of high‐resolution seafloor and subseafloor mapping techniques. By focusing on exploration using ship‐towed electromagnetic sensing and autonomous underwater vehicle‐based mapping and characterization of their magnetic field, we exploit unique signatures identifying these deposits from their surrounding volcanic rock. These data enable us to delineate the extent of the deposits and provide a first estimate of their thickness. We integrate physical and chemical properties of ore and host rock samples, recovered by drilling, into our interpretation in order to estimate the full economic potential of the deposits. Our results reveal a deposit geometry consisting of a sulfide ore body that is mixed with an increasing amount of silica and altered volcanic rocks at depth. Key Points: Seafloor massive sulfide deposits can be detected/mapped on a large scale with controlled source electromagnetic methodsMultidisciplinary geophysical data analysis and local probing lead to a rigorous interpretation of deposit dimensions and resource potentialSulfide ore content reduces with depth down to a few tens of meters into the deposit's altered basalt and silica‐dominated root [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following study aimed to develop a fatty liver model in primary hepatocytes isolated from Atlantic salmon. In order to induce the fatty liver, oleic acid (OA) at 0.2 or 0.4 mM was used. Metformin, known to prevent and cure fatty liver in mammalian cells, was used at 1 or 10 mM for 24 hr before addition of OA to test possible prevention effect of metformin on the OA‐induced fatty liver phenotype. Cells grown in 0.2 mM OA did not increase the mean number of lipid droplets, while cells grown in 0.4 mM OA increased the number of lipid droplets within the liver cells (p < 0.0001). Metformin pretreatment prior to OA supplementation reduced the mean number of lipid droplets. Gene expression of ApoB100, CD36 and PPARa increased in cells treated with metformin and most so at 10 mM. On the other hand, gene expression of LXR, SREBP2 and CPT‐1 decreased at both concentrations of metformin, while OA treatment did not affect these genes. Gene expression of IL‐8 increased by 0.4 mM OA (p = 0.002). Metformin reduced the gene expression of IL‐8. Thus, metformin efficiently enhanced the expression of genes related to transport and oxidation of lipids in hepatic cells of salmon, but required higher concentrations of OA and metformin than those required in rodent models to increase and prevent lipid accumulation, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent data indicate that the Simian virus 40 (SV40) infection appears to be transmitted in humans independently from early SV40‐contaminated antipolio vaccines. Serum antibodies against SV40 large T antigen (Tag) were analyzed in children/adolescents and young adults. To investigate antibodies reacting to SV40 Tag antigens, serum samples (n = 812) from children and young adults were analyzed by indirect ELISAs using specific SV40 Tag mimotopes. Mimotopes were synthetic peptides corresponding to SV40 Tag epitopes. In sera (n = 412) from healthy children up to 17 years old, IgG antibodies against SV40 Tag mimotopes reached an overall prevalence of 15%. IgM antibodies against SV40 Tag were detected in sera of children 6–8 months old confirming and extending the knowledge that SV40 seroconversion occurs early in life. In children/adolescents affected by different diseases (n = 180) SV40 Tag had a prevalence of 18%, being the difference no significant compared to healthy subjects (n = 220; 16%) of the same age. Our immunological data indicate that SV40 circulates in children and young adults, both in healthy conditions and affected by distinct diseases. The IgM detection in sera from healthy children suggests that the SV40 infection/seroconversion occurs early in life (>6 months). Our immunological data support the hypothesis that SV40, or a closely related still unknown polyomavirus, infects humans. The SV40 seroprevalence is lower than common polyomaviruses, such as BKPyV and JCPyV, and other new human polyomaviruses. In addition, our immunological surveillance indicates a lack of association between different diseases, considered herein, and SV40. Antibodies reacting to SV40 Tag antigens were investigated in serum samples (n = 812) from children and young adults by indirect ELISAs using specific SV40 Tag mimotopes. IgG had an overall prevalence of 15% and 18% in healthy subjects and young patients, respectively. IgM antibodies against SV40 Tag were detected in sera of children 6–8 months old confirming and extending the knowledge that SV40 seroconversion occurs early in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal‐borne data loggers (ABDLs) or "tags" are regularly used to elucidate animal ecology and physiology, but current literature highlights the need to assess associated deleterious impacts including increased resistive force to motion. Previous studies have used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to estimate this impact, but many suffer limitations (e.g., inaccurate turbulence modeling, neglecting boundary layer transition, neglecting added mass effects, and analyzing the ABDL in isolation from the animal). A novel CFD‐based method is presented in which a "tag impact envelope" is defined utilizing simulations with and without transition modeling to define upper and lower drag limits, respectively, and added mass coefficients are found via simulations with sinusoidally varying inlet velocity, with modified Navier‐Stokes conservation of momentum equations enforcing a shift to the animal's noninertial reference frame. The method generates coefficients for calculating total resistive force for any velocity and acceleration combination, and is validated against theory for a prolate spheroid. An example case shows ABDL drag impact on a harp seal of 11.21%–16.24%, with negligible influence on added mass. By considering the effects of added mass and boundary layer transition, the approach presented is an enhancement to the CFD‐based ABDL impact assessment methods previously applied by researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We estimated the effect of the gill‐net fisheries targeted at whitefish (Coregonus sp.) on anadromous sea trout, Salmo trutta, in the Gulf of Bothnia, Baltic Sea using separate data for fish species. The analysis of sea trout captures was based on tagging and recapture data collected in 1998–2011, while whitefish data were derived from individual samples of commercial fisheries from the same period. The mesh sizes used in gill‐net fishing and the seasonal and temporal distributions of recaptured sea trout and sampled whitefish were compared in the northern and southern Gulf of Bothnia. The trout had typically spent 1–2 years at sea, and they were mainly immature with a median body length of 40–43 cm at the time of recapture in gill nets. Despite the increase in the minimum permitted landing size from 40 to 50 cm in 2008, the median length of recaptured trout remained unchanged during the study period. Most (59%) of the gillnetted trout were caught in the southern Gulf of Bothnia in gill nets with mesh sizes of 40–45 mm, which were also used in the whitefish fishery (72%). In the northern Gulf of Bothnia, nets with a smaller mesh size of 25–39 mm took 83% of the whitefish catch and 39% from recaptured trout. In both areas, the overlap in mesh sizes used to gill‐net catch whitefish and sea trout increased during the study period. There were clear seasonal and areal differences in the relative probability of sea trout being captured in gill nets, suggesting that carefully tailored spatial and temporal restrictions on gill‐net fisheries could provide a tool to protect young sea trout without causing intolerable difficulties for the fisheries targeting other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The use of biologging devices continues to increase with technological advances yielding remarkable ecological insights and generating new research questions. However, as devices develop and are deployed more widely, there is a need to update our knowledge of the potential ethical impacts to allow scientists to balance these against the knowledge gained. We employed a suite of phylogenetically controlled meta‐analyses on a dataset comprising more than 450 published effect sizes across 214 different studies to examine the effects of biologger tagging on five key traits in birds. Overall, we found small but significant negative effects of tagging on survival, reproduction, parental care. In addition, tagging was positively associated with foraging trip duration, but had no effect on body mass. Meta‐regressions revealed that flying style, migration distance and proportional tag mass were significant influences producing these deleterious effects, with attachment type and position additionally important covariates influencing survival‐ and reproduction‐based effect sizes. There was a positive correlation between the effects of tagging on survival and reproduction, highlighting that effects may be cumulative, with the full effects of tagging not necessarily apparent in studies focused on single traits. We discuss the tradeoff between these negative effects and the advances gained through the use of biologgers. Finally, given the number of studies from our initial literature search that lacked sufficient data for inclusion in analyses, we provide recommendations on the essential information that all biologging studies should report in order to facilitate future assessments of impacts on animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental procedure for the accurate characterization of the impedance of balanced tag antennas for RFID applications is reintroduced. The balanced devices that are characterized are modeledas 2-port networks and their impedance is derived from network parameters, through a rarely used equation that is preferred because it accounts for the losses of non-reciprocal structures such as imperfect test fixtures or baluns. The measurements are conducted using a test fixture for the proper excitation of the balanced devices, and its effects are removed by shifting the measurement plane to the plane of the device under test. The accuracy of the proposed method is demonstrated through the measurement of the impedance of a balanced dipole antenna, and is complemented by the measurement of the RFID ASIC chip. The experimental characterization of the impedance of an RFID tag antenna constitutes a secure way to achieve conjugate matching between the 2 devices (ie, the antenna and the RFID chip), and finally enhance the reading range of the RFID tags. Also, since RFID tags are designed to be placed directly on different surfaces, the proposed procedure is further evaluated by mounting the antenna onto 2 more surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A practical and relatively simple method to identify molecularly imprinted polymers capable of binding proteins via the molecular tagging (epitope-like) approach has been developed. In our two-step method, we first challenge a previously obtained anti-tag molecularly imprinted polymer with a small molecule including the said tag of choice (a biotin derivative as shown here or other) connected to a linker bound to a second biotin moiety. An avidin molecule partially decorated with fluorescent labels is then allowed to bind the available biotin derivative associated with the polymer matrix. At the end of this simple process, and after washing off all the low-affinity binding molecules from the polymer matrix, only suitable molecularly imprinted polymers binding avidin through its previously acquired small molecule tag (or epitope-like probe, in a general case) will remain fluorescent. For confirmation, we tested the selective performance of the anti-biotin molecularly imprinted polymer binding it to biotinylated alkaline phosphatase. Residual chemical activity of the enzyme on the molecularly imprinted polymer solid support was observed. In all cases, the corresponding nonimprinted polymer controls were inactive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tb3Al5O12 ( TAG) transparent ceramics were prepared by a reactive sintering method using presintering in a muffle furnace combined with hot isostatic pressing ( HIP) sintering. The dilatometric, differential scanning calorimetry-thermogravimetric ( DSC- TG) curves and optical quality were investigated. The microstructure evolution of the TAG ceramic samples was clarified. Two successive transformations were found to generate a TAG phase, as observed in the dilatometric and DSC- TG curves and XRD patterns of TAG ceramics sintered at different temperature. The changes in average grain size and densification suggest that a 1600°C presintering temperature is suitable for HIP. The optical transmittance of the obtained 0.4 wt% TEOS: TAG transparent ceramics, which were fabricated by a new two-step sintering of presintering at 1600°C in a muffle furnace followed by HIP at 1650°C, can reach above 80% in the visible (vis) and near-infrared ( NIR) regions. Its transmittance was very close to the theoretical limit. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that TAG transparent ceramics with ideal optical quality were obtained without vacuum sintering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eight farmed Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus were tagged with temperature and depth transmitters inserted in chub mackerels Scomber colias to characterize their digestive activity, feeding physiology and behaviour in captivity. Results obtained in the experiment can be used to optimize daily T. thynnus feeding strategy in farms, reducing the early regurgitation of food and thus the environmental effects of inappropriate feeding practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgal neutral lipids [mainly in the form of triacylglycerols ( TAGs)], feasible substrates for biofuel, are typically accumulated during the stationary growth phase. To make microalgal biofuels economically competitive with fossil fuels, generating strains that trigger TAG accumulation from the exponential growth phase is a promising biological approach. The regulatory mechanisms to trigger TAG accumulation from the exponential growth phase ( TAEP) are important to be uncovered for advancing economic feasibility. Through the inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase by sodium dichloroacetate, acetyl-CoA level increased, resulting in TAEP in microalga Dunaliella tertiolecta. We further reported refilling of acetyl-CoA pool through branched-chain amino acid catabolism contributed to an overall sixfold TAEP with marginal compromise (4%) on growth in a TAG-rich D. tertiolecta mutant from targeted screening. Herein, a three-step α loop-integrated metabolic model is introduced to shed lights on the neutral lipid regulatory mechanism. This article provides novel approaches to compress lipid production phase and heightens lipid productivity and photosynthetic carbon capture via enhancing acetyl-CoA level, which would optimize renewable microalgal biofuel to fulfil the demanding fuel market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palmitic acid (C16:0) already makes up approximately 25% of the total fatty acids in the conventional cotton seed oil. However, further enhancements in palmitic acid content at the expense of the predominant unsaturated fatty acids would provide increased oxidative stability of cotton seed oil and also impart the high melting point required for making margarine, shortening and confectionary products free of trans fatty acids. Seed-specific RNAi-mediated down-regulation of β-ketoacyl- ACP synthase II ( KASII) catalysing the elongation of palmitoyl- ACP to stearoyl- ACP has succeeded in dramatically increasing the C16 fatty acid content of cotton seed oil to well beyond its natural limits, reaching up to 65% of total fatty acids. The elevated C16 levels were comprised of predominantly palmitic acid (C16:0, 51%) and to a lesser extent palmitoleic acid (C16:1, 11%) and hexadecadienoic acid (C16:2, 3%), and were stably inherited. Despite of the dramatic alteration of fatty acid composition and a slight yet significant reduction in oil content in these high-palmitic ( HP) lines, seed germination remained unaffected. Regiochemical analysis of triacylglycerols ( TAG) showed that the increased levels of palmitic acid mainly occurred at the outer positions, while C16:1 and C16:2 were predominantly found in the sn-2 position in both TAG and phosphatidylcholine. Crossing the HP line with previously created high-oleic ( HO) and high-stearic ( HS) genotypes demonstrated that HP and HO traits could be achieved simultaneously; however, elevation of stearic acid was hindered in the presence of high level of palmitic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetrasubstituted thieno[3,2- b]pyridin-5(4 H)-one derivatives were selected as a highly functionalized heterocyclic scaffold for a multisite-specific tagging process utilizing a previously devised fluorous fluorescent tag system. A suitable synthetic method was established for the 7-alkoxy-2,4,6-trisubstituted-thieno[3,2- b]pyridin-5(4 H)-one derivatives, and incorporating t-butoxycarbonyl-functionalized building blocks into the reaction sequence produced precursors that could be used in the tagging process. Fluorous solid-phase extraction facilitated the purification of the tagged target compounds after a series of reactions, including t-Bu deprotection/ N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester formation/amidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In intestinal and pyloric epithelia, leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 ( Lgr5)-expressing cells represent long-lived adult stem cells that give rise to all epithelial cell types, including endocrine cells. Ablation of the Apc gene in Lgr5-expressing cells leads to intestinal and pyloric adenomas. To assess whether all epithelial tumours of the gastrointestinal tract are derived from LGR5-positive stem cells, we crossed Lgr5- EGFP-IRES-creERT2 mice, which express EGFP and Cre recombinase driven by the Lgr5 promoter, with CEA424-SV40-TAg mice, which develop pyloric neuroendocrine carcinomas of epithelial origin. In 19 day-old mice, single SV40 T antigen ( TAg)-positive cells were identified preferentially at the the bases of pyloric glands, close to the stem cell compartment. However, contrary to previous publications describing subpopulations of LGR5-positive cells in gastrointestinal neoplasia, we could not detect Lgr5- EGFP-positive tumour cells in malignant lesions. The lack of expression of the Wnt target gene Lgr5 is probably not caused by suppression of Wnt signalling by TAg, since β-catenin-mediated Wnt signalling, as measured by the TOPflash assay, was not inhibited. To determine the cellular origin of CEA424-SV40-TAg tumours, we performed tracing experiments using Lgr5- EGFP-IRES-creERT2: CEA424-SV40-TAg: ROSA26-tdRFP mice. Following tamoxifen induction, it was possible to efficiently trace the progeny of Lgr5-expressing cells in gastrointestinal tissue via red fluorescent protein ( RFP) expression. No RFP-positive tumour cells were detected, even when RFP gene activation occurred in 7 day-old mice well before the appearance of TAg-positive tumour cells. Hence, we conclude that Lgr5-expressing stem cells probably do not constitute the cells of origin in CEA424-SV40-TAg mice. Consequently, not all epithelial tumours in the pyloric region are initiated by transformation of LGR5-positive stem cells. Thus, additional long-lived LGR5-negative stem cells or progenitor cells with a low turnover rate might exist in the pyloric region, which could give rise to tumours. Copyright © 2015 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We revisit the problem of basing signcryption (SC) (tag) key encapsulation mechanism (KEM) on standard assumptions and standard model and present direct constructions of SC-KEM/tag-KEM, which satisfy confidentiality and unforgeability with respect to adversarially chosen keys where the adversary is given more advantageous attack environment than existing models in the literature;, are based on the standard decisional bilinear Diffie-Hellman and computational Diffie-Hellman assumptions without random oracle;, do not use strongly unforgeable signature schemes as building blocks; and, provide comparable performance to existing SC-KEM/tag-KEM schemes., Both constructions do not require the knowledge about the recipient's private keys to verify the validity of the ciphertexts and thus can be used in applications where a ciphertext needs to be validated by any third party that only knows the public key of the sender as in usual signature scheme. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal ageing of triacylglycerides (TAG) at high temperatures produces films which resist removal using aqueous surfactant solutions. We used a mass loss method to investigate the removal of thermally aged TAG films from hard surfaces using aqueous solutions of surfactants of different charge types. It was found that cationic surfactants are most effective at high pH, whereas anionics are most effective at low pH and a non-ionic surfactant is most effective at intermediate pH. We showed that the TAG film removal process occurs in several stages. In the first 'lag phase' no TAG removal occurs; the surfactant first partitions into the thermally aged film. In the second stage, the TAG film containing surfactant was removed by solubilisation into micelles in the aqueous solution. The effects of pH and surfactant charge on the TAG removal process correlate with the effects of these variables on the extent of surfactant partitioning to the TAG film and on the maximum extent of TAG solubilisation within the micelles. Additionally, we showed how the TAG removal is enhanced by the addition of amphiphilic additives such as alcohols which act as co-surfactants. The study demonstrates that aqueous surfactant solutions provide a viable and more benign alternative to current methods for the removal of thermally aged TAG films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crystallization of shea stearin was investigated both before and after pre-treatment with silica to remove a small amount (0.7 wt%) of diacylglycerols (DAGs) and oxidized material. NMR (for solid fat content), X-ray diffraction (XRD), polarized light microscopy, confocal Raman microscopy, and non-isothermal, isothermal and 'stop-and-return' differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques were used. Four major polymorphs previously found with 1,3-distearoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycerol (StOSt) were detected: α, γ, β′, and β; whilst evidence for a further (δ) polymorph was found by DSC and possibly XRD but not Raman spectroscopy. Isothermal crystallization of shea stearins by DSC at 20°C produced α and δ forms within 5 min which then transformed to γ. Microscope images showed that after 1 day these had transformed into β′ with a few crystals of β, with further conversion to β after one week. Silica treated samples showed a faster initial crystallization, with faster transformation or direct crystallization into δ and then γ and β′ forms. Non-isothermal DSC also showed a faster transformation into γ from α on the subsequent remelt. However, further transformation into β appeared to occur at reasonably similar rates for both types, suggesting that DAGs have less influence on this transformation and may be excluded from higher forms. Practical applications: This paper has two main practical applications: (i) Provides knowledge and understanding of the crystallization and polymorphic behavior of commercial shea stearin, which is a widely used fat in the confectionery, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. (ii) The presence of small amounts of DAGs significantly delays the crystallization process of shea stearin, particularly of the lower polymorphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tagging animals is essential to evaluate animal population dynamics and behaviour. Using unique marks requires that tags must last for the duration of the study and not affect animal behaviour and health. Echinoderms, especially smaller species, are usually considered intractable for tagging because they readily discard both internal and external tags., We compared the utility of two tagging techniques for marking the small starfish Parvulastra exigua: (i) branding with a soldering iron, and (ii) injection of visible implant elastomer ( VIE) of different colours. The efficiency of these techniques was evaluated by assessing (i) the effects of the tag on the mortality, growth and mobility of P. exigua; and (ii) the persistence of the tags over 30 days., VIE had no detectable effect on any variable tested, whereas brand marks caused a decrease in mobility. In addition, 95% of the starfish tagged with VIE were still tagged after 1 month., This technique will facilitate research on the ecology of this and other small asteroid species, and is also relevant for ecological studies of other small soft-bodied invertebrates. The combination of VIE colours plus the viability to track individuals offers a wide range of opportunities to investigate the ecology and behaviour of small invertebrates in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] AtDGAT2 is confirmed as a functional acyl-CoA dependent acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase. [•] Expression of AtDGAT2 results in higher TAG accumulation in leaf than AtDGAT1. [•] AtDGAT2 shows higher DAG to TAG conversion rate than AtDGAT1. [•] AtDGAT2 displays different substrate preference than AtDGAT1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A chronically entangled North Atlantic right whale, with consequent emaciation was sedated, disentangled to the extent possible, administered antibiotics, and satellite tag tracked for six subsequent days. It was found dead 11 d after the tag ceased transmission. Chronic constrictive deep rope lacerations and emaciation were found to be the proximate cause of death, which may have ultimately involved shark predation. A broadhead cutter and a spring-loaded knife used for disentanglement were found to induce moderate wounds to the skin and blubber. The telemetry tag, with two barbed shafts partially penetrating the blubber was shed, leaving barbs embedded with localized histological reaction. One of four darts administered shed the barrel, but the needle was found postmortem in the whale with an 80º bend at the blubber-muscle interface. This bend occurred due to epaxial muscle movement relative to the overlying blubber, with resultant necrosis and cavitation of underlying muscle. This suggests that rigid, implanted devices that span the cetacean blubber muscle interface, where the muscle moves relative to the blubber, could have secondary health impacts. Thus we encourage efforts to develop new tag telemetry systems that do not penetrate the subdermal sheath, but still remain attached for many months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In line with the sustainable development objectives of the Claryssime® research programme, a by-product of Salvia sclarea concrete (low sclareol by-product) obtained from industrial sclareol purification, was subjected to full chemical fractionation, characterization and assessment of its economic potential as a by-product synergy candidate. Fractionation and intensive semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography isolation led to the characterization of several compounds that belong to different metabolite families, including flavonoids [salvigenin (3), 1.8%], diterpenoids [sclareol (6), 4.6%] and triterpenoids [oleanolic acid (10), 6.2%], and triacylglycerols (60.8%). The triacylglycerol fraction was further studied: its total fatty acid content was analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and all the triacylglycerols were described by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QToF) analysis. The reproducibility of the low sclareol by-product chemical composition was assessed and validated by quantitative high-performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detector analysis and its evolution during the process was investigated via the analysis of a rich sclareol by-product. Such an analytical approach, from the improved fractionation to the triacylglycerol analysis via UPLC-QToF, can be applied to many industrial concretes or other by-products from natural ingredient extraction. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semisolid fats obtained from oils and fats through enzymatic interesterification have interesting applications. The effect of certain reaction parameters (enzyme concentration, moisture content, reaction time, substrate ratio, temperature, and agitation level) over the enzymatic interesterification of fully hydrogenated soybean oil (FHSO) and refined soybean oil (SO) using two immobilized enzyme types (Lipozyme RM IM and Lipozyme TL IM), was studied with a fractional factorial design (FFD). The reaction products were analyzed with respect to melting point (mp), by-products content and triacylglycerols (TAG) composition. It was found that substrate ratio, reaction time, and their interaction presented the most significant contributions to mp, varying this from 43.4 to 61.5 °C. The highest contributions to by-product content were presented by time and its interaction with the amount of molecular sieves, mainly for Lipozyme TL IM. Through the models obtained, theoretical conditions to achieve minimal by-product generation and mp were found, being 5.0 % (w/w) of any of both lipases, 24 h, 70:30 (oil:fat, % w/w), 65 °C, 230 rpm, and absence of molecular sieves. Regression models for TAG groups as a function of significant factors and interactions were constructed, offering useful information to establish the reaction conditions for obtaining a product with a target mp or chemical composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)-enriched triacylglycerol (TAG) of 90 wt% was successfully synthesized in 10 h by direct esterification of glycerol and CLA using an immobilized lipase from Candida antarctica under vacuum. The best operating conditions for the synthesis of TAG were investigated according to the three parameters of temperature, enzyme loading, and vacuum. The synthesis of TAG increased with increasing temperature but it did not significantly change above 60°C ( p>0.05). The increase of enzyme loading lead to an enhanced conversion of TAG, but enzyme loading of more than 10% (based on the total weight of the substrates) was not effective. Moreover, when vacuum increased, the conversion of TAG increased, but the conversion rate decreased when the vacuum level was too high. The best combination of temperature, enzyme loading, and vacuum level were 60°C, 10% of the total weight of the substrates, and 0.4 kPa, respectively. During the initial 6 h of reaction, Candida antarctica lipase had more selectivity for 10 t,12 c-CLA than 9 c,11 t-CLA onto the glycerol backbone, and a preference for the incorporation at the sn-1,3 positions of glycerol rather than at the sn-2 position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new multiband, small size antenna for passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tags is presented. Placement of three U-shaped slots can create three independent resonances within the RFID range: 0.953, 2.45, and 5.8 GHz, whereas in each resonance, particular inductive input impedance will be achieved by a simple technique to be conjugately matched with the capacitive impedance of the chosen electronic chip. The proposed simple structural antenna is flexibly tunable to be matched with other chips in RFID frequencies. It is shown that the matching and forward patterns of tag antenna in each band are desirable, simultaneously. Details of the proposed antenna design and measured results are presented. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:1975-1978, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26949 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work the molecular fatty components of Pecorino Sardo Protected Designation of Origin (PS PDO) cheese were characterized through an exhaustive investigation of the H- and C-NMR spectra of the extracted lipids. Several fatty acids (FA), such as long chain saturated, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, butyric, capric, caprylic, caproic, trans vaccenic, conjugated linoleic acid ( cis9, trans11-18:2), and caproleic (9-10:1) were unambiguously detected. The positional isomery of some acyl groups in the glycerol backbone of triacylglycerols (TAG) was assessed. Furthermore, the NMR signals belonging to sn-1,2/2,3, sn-1,3 diacylglycerols (DAG), and free fatty acids (FFA) were analysed as a measure of lipolytic processes on cheese. Lastly, H-NMR resonances of saturated aldehydes and hydroperoxides were detected, their very low intensity indicating that the lipid oxidation process can be considered to be of minor relevance in Pecorino Sardo cheese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this letter, we propose a wideband rectangular loop tag antenna for ultra-high frequency radio frequency identification library management systems.The proposed antenna has a small matching loop for conjugate impedance matching with the impedance of a tag IC. The impedance bandwidth of the proposed antenna is broadened by lengthening the vertical sides of a rectangular loop. We considered the effects of books in designing the tag antenna. The optimized tag antenna, which is 35 mm × 90 mm in size, has a wide impedance bandwidth of 170 MHz for S11 less than -10 dB. The maximum reading distance of a single tag is about 5 m, and the concurrent reading distance of 19 arranged tags is 1 m. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 1439–1445, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.25219 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcein marking via osmotic induction and overnight immersion was compared in saltwater fishes. Immersion in a salt solution for 10 min followed by 30 min in a 500 mg l−1 calcein solution produced the highest fluorescent mark in 40 min with no effect on survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combination of radio and acoustic telemetry was used to monitor the out-migration of hatchery-reared Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in the River Testebo, its estuary and coastal system. As with many other Baltic rivers, the hydropower regulated River Testebo once had a self-sustaining salmon population that is now extinct. Substantial losses of smolts in the river (48–69%) and inner part of the estuary (43–47%) were found, but after leaving the estuary, the success of post-smolts moving out of the Bay was sufficiently high (83–89%) to conclude that habitat within the bay is not a factor limiting initial marine survival. The results suggest that hatchery-based recovery of a wild salmon population in the river will not be successful unless other actions, such as habitat improvement, are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An active radio frequency identification (RFID) system has the advantages of a long identification distance and a good identification rate, overcoming passive RFID drawbacks. Therefore, interest in the development of active RFID systems has been gradually increasing in areas of harbor logistics and national defense. However, some identification failures between active RFID systems developed under the same standards have been reported, presumably due to a lack of development of accurate evaluation methods and test equipment. We present a realization of the hardware and software of an emulator to evaluate the standard conformance of an active RFID system in a fully anechoic chamber. The performance levels of the designed emulator are analyzed using Matlab/Simulink simulations, and the applicability of the emulator is verified by evaluating the standard conformance of a real active RFID tag. Finally, we propose a new evaluation method by incorporating a self-running test mode environment into the RFID tags to reduce testing time and increase testing accuracy. The application of the suggested method to actual tags improves measurement uncertainty by 0.56 dB over that obtained using existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonal variation in body size and nutritional condition of juvenile walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma was examined to elucidate the mechanism underlying their first-winter survival on the continental shelf of the Doto area, northern Japan, based on monthly samples collected over 2 years. Stored lipid mass was highest during autumn, but 93% (2004) and 80% (2005) of lipids were exhausted by the onset of winter. Lipid levels in the winter of 2004 remained low (7–14% of the autumnal maximum), and there was reduced growth rate until the spring, whereas in 2005 lipid levels were higher and more variable (10–46% of the maximum) and some growth occurred. An analysis of the allometric relationships between body size and stored energy showed that larger individuals accumulated disproportionately more energy in the autumn, but the advantage disappeared prior to the winter. In January 2004, stored lipid energy was low throughout the Doto continental shelf relative to the continental slope area. These results suggest that winter feeding opportunities on the shelf are severely limited but not completely absent. Previous studies have shown that winter temperatures on the shelf are lower than those in the slope area. It is possible that juvenile T. chalcogramma survive winter on the shelf without a high level of pre-winter lipid storage because the occasional feeding in the cold shelf water benefits energy conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) is a powerful technique to study gene expression at the genome level. However, a disadvantage of the shortness of SAGE tags is that it prevents further study of SAGE library data, thus limiting extensive application of the SAGE method in gene expression studies. However, this problem can be solved by extension of the SAGE tags to 3′ cDNAs. Therefore, several methods based on PCR have been developed to generate a 3′ longer fragment cDNA corresponding to a SAGE tag. The list of modified methods is extensive, and includes rapid RT-PCR analysis of unknown SAGE tags (RAST-PCR), generation of longer cDNA fragments from SAGE tags for gene identification (GLGI), a high-throughput GLGI procedure, reverse SAGE (rSAGE), two-step analysis of unknown SAGE tags (TSAT-PCR), etc. These procedures are constantly being updated because they have characteristics and advantages that can be shared. Development of these methods has promoted the widespread use of the SAGE technique, and has accelerated the speed of studies of large-scale gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biosynthesis and storage of triglyceride (TG) is an important cellular process conserved from yeast to man. Most mammalian cells accumulate TG in lipid droplets, most prominent in adipocytes, which are specialized to store large amounts of the TG over long periods. In this study, we followed TG biosynthesis and targeting by fluorescence imaging in living 3T3-L1 adipocytes and COS7 fibroblasts. Key findings were (i) not only TG but also its direct metabolic precursor diacylglycerol, DG, accumulates on lipid droplets; (ii) the essential enzyme diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 associates specifically with lipid droplets where it catalyzes the conversion of DG to TG and (iii) individual lipid droplets within one cell acquire TG at very different rates, suggesting unequal access to the biosynthetic machinery. We conclude that at least part of TG biosynthesis takes place in the immediate vicinity of lipid droplets. In vitro assays on purified lipid droplets show that this fraction of the biosynthetic TG is directly inserted into the growing droplet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]