322,887 research outputs found
Gln145Met/Leu changes in HIV-1 RT confer resistance to nucleoside and non-nucleoside analogs and impair virus replication
No full textThe frequencies of multidrug resistance-associated mutations at codons 145, 151, and 69 of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reverse transcriptase (RT) gene in strains from a group of 3,595 highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-experienced patients were 0.22, 2.36, and 0.86%, respectively. Several amino acid substitutions different from the recently reported Gln145Met change (S. Paolucci, F. Baldanti, M. Tinelli, G. Maga, and G. Gerna, AIDS 17:924-927, 2003) were detected at position 145. Thus, amino acid substitutions selected at position 145 were introduced into the wild-type HIV type 1 (HIV-1) RT gene by site-directed mutagenesis, and recombinant HIV strains were assayed for their drug susceptibilities. Only Met and Leu substitutions at position 145 of the HIV-1 RT conferred multidrug resistance, while other amino acid changes did not. Lower levels of replication of the Gln145Met recombinant strain compared with those of both Gln151Met and wild-type recombinant strains were observed. In in vitro inhibition assays, expression and purification of the recombinant Gln145Met HIV-1 RT revealed a strong loss of catalytic efficiency of the mutated enzyme, as well as significant resistance to both zidovudine and efavirenz. Specific amino acid substitutions in the HIV RT nucleotide-binding pocket might affect both antiretroviral drug recognition and binding and decrease the level of virus replication, possibly by interfering with the enzyme activity. This finding may explain the lower frequency of Gln145Met/Leu mutations observed compared with the frequencies of Gln151Met/Leu mutations and the insertion at position 69 in HAART-experienced patients
Strategies for Exploiting Milk Protein Properties in Making Films and Coatings for Food Packaging: A Review
No full textBiopolymers of different natures (carbohydrates, proteins, etc.) recovered from by-products of industrial processes are increasingly being studied to obtain biomaterials as alternatives to conventional plastics, thus contributing to the implementation of a circular economy. The food industry generates huge amounts of by-products and waste, including unsold food products that reach the end of their shelf life and are no longer usable in the food chain. Milk proteins can be easily separated from dairy waste and adapted into effective bio-based polymeric materials. Firstly, this review describes the relevant properties of milk proteins and the approaches to modifying them for subsequent use. Then, we provide an overview of recent studies on the development of films and coatings based on milk proteins and, where available, their applications in food packaging. Comparisons among published studies were made based on the formulation as well as production conditions and technologies. The role of different additives and modifiers tested for the performances of films and coatings, such as water vapor permeability, tensile strength, and elongation at break, were reviewed. This review also outlines the limitations of milk-protein-based materials, such as moisture sensitivity and brittleness. Overall, milk proteins hold great potential as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based polymers. However, their use in food packaging materials at an industrial level remains problematic
INTEGRATED GREEN STRATEGIES FOR THE MANAGEMENT, RECOVERY AND RECYCLING OF EXPIRED MILK.
No full textThe management of food waste and the adoption of biopolymers to replace plastics are crucial challenges for transitioning to a circular economy. This thesis addresses the knowledge gap regarding the reuse of expired pasteurized milk for producing biopolymeric films suitable for food packaging, combining technological innovation and environmental sustainability. Specifically, the research activities focused on the following objectives: optimizing experimental conditions for producing and functionalizing sodium caseinate (NaCas) from expired milk through chemical and physical treatments; developing a NaCas-based packaging prototype and assessing its performance in keeping low-moisture cheese snacks; conducting a life cycle assessment (LCA) of the production process from NaCas powder to the packaging prototype.
In Chapter 1, the study explored the production of NaCas powders from expired milk, managing lipid content, and selecting plasticizers and casting methods to optimize film properties. Various experimental conditions were tested to ensure the quality and functionality of the NaCas films, resulting in a defined experimental protocol that can be used for film production. Chapter 2 focused on preparing film-forming solutions and producing films, investigating the role and characteristics of different amounts of fat in the powder, as well as different sonication techniques for degassing the film-forming solution and dispersing fat. The different films have been characterized for their mechanical, thermal, optical and barrier properties. The detailed analysis included testing different formulations and processing conditions, which demonstrated that converting expired milk can yield films with properties comparable to some synthetic materials Chapter 3 provided for the application of treatments such as LED exposure with photosensitizers and alkaline conditions to promote protein cross-linking, to enhance films properties. These treatments were designed to enhance the structural properties of the films, leading to improved performance in practical applications. Chapter 4 described the development of a NaCas packaging prototype for low-moisture cheese snacks. This activity involved collaborative efforts with Lactalis Italia to optimize the weldability of the NaCas film and the mechanical strength of the welds to obtain a flow-pack. Effectiveness in preserving product quality was evaluated by comparing the experimental prototype with the commercial packaging. Chapter 5 presented an LCA to evaluate the environmental impacts of the production process, from NaCas powder manufacturing to the final packaging prototype.
This comprehensive assessment identified several opportunities to improve sustainability through process modifications, suggesting solutions to reduce environmental impact through scale-up of some production steps and the incorporation of eco-friendly additives.
The results demonstrate the potential of expired milk as a valuable resource for developing sustainable biopolymeric films. By exploiting expired pasteurized milk, this research provides an effective solution for reducing food waste and raw material consumption, contributing to a more circular economy and alignment with SDGs.
Future improvements include investigation of additives to reduce water vapor susceptibility of the film as well as mechanical properties, optimizing techniques for industrial scale-up, and implementing strategies to further reduce the environmental impact of the films. Additionally, exploring alternative production methods and new applications for the NaCas films can lead to broader adoption in the food packaging industry
Diffusive author(s), cohesive author: Analysis of S/N (1994)
No full textThis study indicates the ways in which various aspects of the author(s) are brought forth in Dumb type’s performance art, the S/N production. Previous research has suggested a non-hierarchical organization of Dumb type and the absence of a “privileged author” in Dumb type’s collaborative work, S/N. However, the results that I have investigated from member’s interviews on the creative process of S/N along with my analysis of the recorded images of S/N, indicate a different aspect of the author(s). First, S/N was created through, so to speak, the collective ideas of the members of Dumb type. Further, S/N has at least nine quotations from previous performances, installations, and printed writings, besides the work-in-progress technique. Explicating one of the “author functions” as given by Michel Foucault, each text has plural subjects of the author. However, it has been revealed from members’ interviews that Teiji Furuhashi had a decision-making role in selecting the members’ ideas within the performance. Since then, S/N has had plural subjects of creation; however, Furuhashi is one of the subjects of creation along with the “privileged author.” S/N has plural authors (diffusive authors) yet at the same time, it has a “privileged author,” Teiji Furuhashi (cohesive author)
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
No full textWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
Author's address:
No full textCan archives of audiovisual TV interviews be used to make authors more visible to students, and thereby reduce the learning gap between native and non-native language speakers in college classes? We examined students in a college course who learned about one scholar's ideas through watching an audiovisual TV interview (i.e., visible author format) and about another scholar's ideas through reading a formal text description (i.e., invisible author format). For the invisible author, native language speakers scored significantly higher than the non-native language speakers on a corresponding exam question (i.e., a cognitive measure), generated more words on the exam question (i.e., a motivational measure), and mentioned the author's name more often in answering the exam question (i.e., an affective measure). For the visible author, the groups did not differ on any of these measures. These findings provide evidence for the idea that making the author visible through audiovisual TV interviews can eliminate the learning gap between native and non-native language speakers. 3 Universities around the world serve students who are non-native speakers of th
The vanishing author in computer-generated works: a critical analysis of recent Australian case law
No full textAbstract
The use of software is ubiquitous in the creation of many copyright works, yet the requirement in copyright law that every work have a human author who engages in independent intellectual effort means that its use may prevent copyright subsistence. Several recent Australian cases have refocused attention on authorship as an essential criterion of copyright subsistence, and these cases suggest that much computer-produced output may be authorless and thus lack copyright protection. This article, the first in a two-part series, analyses how each case deals with the question of authorship of computer-produced works and why the use of software diminishes copyright protection for a significant number of computer-generated works. The article critiques the application of conventional notions of human authorship developed in the pre-computer age to modern productions and suggests alternative approaches to authorship that satisfy both the major objectives of copyright policy and the need to adapt to the computer age. The article argues that, without a broader judicial approach to authorship of computer-generated works, Parliament must remedy the lacuna in protection for these ‘authorless’ works. Possible solutions for reform are suggested. In a forthcoming article, the author comprehensively examines those reform proposals
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