High-resolution, human–bovine comparative mapping based on a closed YAC contig spanning the bovine mh locus

A closed YAC contig spanning the mh locus was assembled by STS content mapping with seven microsatellite markers, eight genes or EST, and nine STS corresponding to YAC ends. The contig comprises 27 YACs, has an average depth of 4.3 YACs, and spans an estimated 1.2 Mb. A linkage map was constructed based on five of the microsatellite markers anchored to the contig and shown to span 7 cM, yielding a ratio of 160 kb/1 cM for the corresponding chromosome region. Comparative mapping data indicate that the constructed contig spans an evolutionary breakpoint connecting two chromosome segments that are syntenic but not adjacent in the human. Consolidation of human gene order by means of whole genome radiation hybrids and its comparison with the bovine order as inferred from the contig confirm conservation of gene order within segments. Received: 6 August 1998 / Accepted: 28 October 1998     

Scalable preparation of silCoat‐biocatalysts by use of a fluidized‐bed reactor

SilCoat‐biocatalysts are immobilized enzyme preparations with an outstanding robustness against leaching and mechanical stress and therefore promising tools for technical synthesis. They consist of a composite material made from a solid enzyme carrier and silicone. In this study, a method has been found to enable provision of these catalysts in large scale. It makes use of easily scalable fluidized‐bed technology and, in contrast to the original method, works in almost complete absence of organic solvent. Thus, it is both a fast and safe method. When the Pt‐catalyst required for silicone formation is cast on the solid enzyme carrier before coating, resulting composites resemble the original preparations in morphology, catalytic activity, and stability against leaching and mechanical forces. Only the maximum total content of silicone in the composites lies about 10% w/w lower resulting in an overall leaching stability below the theoretical maximum. When the Pt‐catalyst is mixed with cooled siloxane solution before coating, surficial coating of the enzyme carriers is achieved, which provides maximum leaching stability at very low silicone consumption. Thus, the technology offers the possibility to produce both composite and for the first time also core‐shell silCoat‐particles, and optimize leaching stability over mechanical strength according to process requirements.     

A Statistical Approach to Optimize the Spray Drying of Starch Particles: Application to Dry Powder Coating

This article describes the preparation of starch particles, by spray drying, for possible application to a dry powder coating process. Dry powder coating consists of spraying a fine powder and a plasticizer on particles. The efficiency of the coating is linked to the powder morphological and dimensional characteristics. Different experimental parameters of the spray-drying process were analyzed, including type of solvent, starch concentration, rate of polymer feeding, pressure of the atomizing air, drying air flow, and temperature of drying air. An optimization and screening of the experimental parameters by a design of the experiment (DOE) approach have been done. Finally, the produced spray-dried starch particles were conveniently tested in a dry coating process, in comparison to the commercial initial starch. The obtained results, in terms of coating efficiency, demonstrated that the spray-dried particles led to a sharp increase of coating efficiency value.     

Computation of physicochemical parameters, namely pH, in complex (bio)chemical systems: extension to gas-liquid systems

The first model has been proposed to compute, in complex liquid (bio)chemical systems, a number of physicochemical parameters, namely pH, concentration of one of any chemical species, partition between acid-base forms, global charge, or ionic strength, assuming the physicochemical equilibrium state. The extension of the present model, described here, permits moreover the computation of gas-liquid distributions, specific gas volumes, or total pressures. The model solely requires the knowledge of existing thermodynamic constants and of the concentration of every chemical species other than the species under examination. The model elicits a unique equilibrium state. Computed values agreed with experimental measurements, thereby validating the model. Digital computer programs were prepared to use the proposed algorithms.     

Mutagenicity of several derivatives of dipyrido[1,2-a:2'',3''-d]imidazoles

The mutagenicity of 2-aminofluorene, 4-aminobiphenyl and 3,2'-dimethylaminobiphenyl towards Salmonella typhimurium was studied in the presence of microsomes from liver, kidney and small intestine of untreated and pretreated rats. The aim was to study a possible correlation between the organotropism of these amines and their activation into mutagenic intermediates by these three tissues. Pretreatment of the rats with phenobarbital, Aroclor 1254 and 3-methylcholanthrene injected intraperitoneally increased the liver microsomal-mediated mutagenic activity of the three amines but remained without effect on the activating capacity of microsomes from the kidney and small intestine. However, pretreatment with 3-methylcholanthrene administered intragastrically increased the small-intestine microsomal-mediated mutagenicity of 2-aminofluorene almost 3-fold but remained without effect on the mutagenicity of 4-aminobiphenyl and 3,2'-dimethylaminobiphenyl. No mutagenic effect was observed with 4-aminobiphenyl in the presence of kidney microsomes or with 4-aminobiphenyl and 3,2'-dimethylaminobiphenyl in the presence of small-intestine microsomes, obtained from either untreated or pretreated animals. It is concluded that no relationship exists between the mutagenic activities of the three amines, as detected in the Ames test, and their carcinogenic organotropisms.     

Production of Biodiesel Using Immobilized Lipase—A Critical Review

Increase in volume of biodiesel production in the world scenario proves that biodiesel is accepted as an alternative to conventional fuel. Production of biodiesel using alkaline catalyst has been commercially implemented due to its high conversion and low production time. For the product and process development of biodiesel, enzymatic transesterification has been suggested to produce a high purity product with an economic, environment friendly process at mild reaction conditions. The enzyme cost being the main hurdle can be overcome by immobilization. Immobilized enzyme, which has been successfully used in various fields over the soluble counterpart, could be employed in biodiesel production with the aim of reducing the production cost by reusing the enzyme. This review attempts to provide an updated compilation of the studies reported on biodiesel production by using lipase immobilized through various techniques and the parameters, which affect their functionality.     

TGF-beta receptor-binding proteins: complex interactions

Members of the Smad protein family are fundamental downstream mediators of TGF-β signals. However, the basic, linear Smad signaling pathway is unlikely to be the sole contributor to the plethora of cell type-specific TGF-β responses. Investigators have identified a number of molecules that interact with the TGF-β receptors (TβRs) and may explain, at least in part, the tight regulation of TGF-β effects. Understanding these TβR-interacting molecules is thus a matter of great potential significance for elucidating TGF-β-family signal transduction. The present article reviews our current understanding of the roles and mechanisms of action of this relatively understudied group of molecules.     

Semantic knowledge influences prewired hedonic responses to odors

Background

Odor hedonic perception relies on decoding the physicochemical properties of odorant molecules and can be influenced in humans by semantic knowledge. The effect of semantic knowledge on such prewired hedonic processing over the life span has remained unclear.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The present study measured hedonic response to odors in different age groups (children, teenagers, young adults, and seniors) and found that children and seniors, two age groups characterized by either low level of (children) or weak access to (seniors) odor semantic knowledge, processed odor hedonics more on the basis of their physicochemical properties. In contrast, in teenagers and young adults, who show better levels of semantic odor representation, the role of physicochemical properties was less marked.

Conclusions/Significance

These findings demonstrate for the first time that the biological determinants that make an odor pleasant or unpleasant are more powerful at either end of the life span.