1,721,560 research outputs found
Analysis of pineapple [Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.] fruit proteinases by 2-D zymography and direct identification of the major zymographic spots by mass spectrometry.
No full textCysteine proteinases present in pineapple plants are phytotherapeutical agents with anti-edematous, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic and fibrinolytic activities. Active components involved have been only partially identified as bromelain, the major proteinase in pineapple fruits.
In this work, pineapple fruit extracts were analysed by 2-D zymography. Clear spots, corresponding to enzymatic activities, were excised, digested with trypsin and submitted to MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry for enzyme identification. The most representative enzymes were identified as bromelains, including their isoforms and their post-translational modifications. The novelty of the present study is the identification of proteolytic activities by means of direct MALDI-ToF MS analysis of the zymographic spots. Enzymes were identified without the need for 2-D gel electrophoresis or purification.
2-D zymography can offer not only the complete map of the enzymes present in a biological sample or in a food matrix, but it can allow also their direct identification including their isotypes
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe 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
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Anodic alumina membranes as template for the synthesis of 1-D metal oxide and hydroxide nanostructures
No full textAnodic alumina membranes with highly ordered cylindrical pores and tuneable geometry have been prepared (pore diameters=20-200 nm; pore density 10 12-1014 pores/m2; thickness: 20-100 mm) by controlling the anodizing process of aluminum in phosphoric, oxalic and sulphuric acid. The influence of different parameters (initial treatment of aluminium surface, composition of electrolyte, temperature and applied potential) on the final characteristics of the membranes have been investigated. The use anodic alumina membranes as template for the electrosynthesis of some metal hydroxides and oxides 1-D nanostructures (nanowires and nanotubes) will be also proved
Corrosion of stainless steel in food and pharmaceutical industry
No full textStainless steels are widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industry because of their high corrosion resistance and superior mechanical properties. These features are crucial because produced foodstuffs and drugs must comply with high purity and quality standards. Just a proper selection of stainless steel grade can prevent corrosion phenomena that can be detrimental to the whole manufacturing process. Food/drugs production process phases will be here analyzed and discussed with a particular emphasis on the possible corrosion mechanism of stainless steels in those particular operating conditions. Recent advances on the methods to assess corrosion of stainless steels in food and pharmaceutical industries will be disclosed
Anodizing and post-anodizing processes to enhance corrosion resistance of Al alloys
No full textIn this work the dependence of corrosion resistance of Al alloys AA 2024-T3 on sealing treatments was studied. AA 2024-T3 samples were anodized at 14 V in a bath containing sulfuric and tartaric acids. Anodized samples were sealed with four different treatments: hot water, vapour, hot water with salts and stirred hot water. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy measurements were performed to estimate samples' corrosion resistance in a solution simulating sea water environment. Samples sealed in hot water showed the highest corrosion resistance
Comparative genomics: The evolutionary history of the Bcl-2 family
No full textThe Bcl-2 family is a huge family composed of various members, occurring in all animals, which are key regulators of apoptosis, the cell death program critical for cell survival and development, tissue homeostasis, and protection against pathogens. The members of the Bcl-2 family can be divided into pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic proteins. A delicate balance between these members exists in each cell and the regulations of these two groups of proteins determines whether the cell survives or undergoes apoptosis. Bcl-2 family proteins are characterized by distinct domains. All members possess at least one of the four motifs known as Bcl-2 homology domains (BH1 to BH4). Most pro-survival members which can inhibit apoptosis facing a wide variety of cytotoxic insults, contain at least BH1 and BH2 domains; those most similar to Bcl-2 have all four BH domains. All the pro-apoptosis family members possess BH3 domain which is the central domain. For the first time, a global phylogenetic analysis of all Bcl-2 family members is presented here. We have analyzed the genes known so far that have a different composition of the functional domains BH1, BH2, BH3 and BH4. The analyses were performed both on complete sequences (124 sites analyzed) and on single domains. We present the results obtained using both approaches. We have also analyzed the amino acid profile and the degree of conservation of the BH3 domains of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins. The results of our phylogenetic analyses show that a clear-cut clustering into pro- and anti-apoptotic products, reproducible with different evolutionary methods, could also be obtained by analyzing restricted areas such as the BH1 and BH2 domains. It is noteworthy that even when the analysis is performed only on the BH3 domain, we have two clear-cut clusters. The evolutionary analysis of gene family members is a valuable tool to predict their functions and guide experimental assays to validate predictions. Once the functions of all the components are known, it will be possible to study the process in a holistic way. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved
Comments on 'formation and characterization of nanotubes of La(OH) 3 obtained using porous alumina membranes'
No full textNew experimental evidence concerning the formation of La(OH)3 nanowires on anodic alumina membranes by cathodic polarization in 0.05M lanthanum nitrate solution is provided to further support the conclusions previously reached in our work (Bocchetta et al 2007 Electrochem. Commun. 9 683-8) and recently criticized by Gonzlez-Rovira et al (Nanotechnology 2008 19 495305). Some unconvincing aspects of the paper of Gonzlez-Rovira et al, according to which the same electrochemical process should lead to the formation of hydroxycarbonate nanotubes, are also discussed
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