Unified theory of structures based on micropolar elasticity

Meccanica - This paper intends to establish a unified theory of structures based on the micropolar elasticity (ME). ME allows taking into consideration the microstructure of the material, through...     

On the nature and the practical relevance of the molecular modifications induced in wheat proteins by high pressure treatment

Abstract

Modifications induced by the combined application of pressure (up to 800 MPa) and temperature (up to 80° C) were studied on wet and dry semolina, and on fresh pasta as such and after cooking. Rheological and immunochemical properties of the treated products were investigated, along with parameters indicating the extent of protein denaturation. No modification occurs in semolina treated at less than 45% water, below 60°C/800MPa for 10min. Egg noodles prepared from pressure/heat treated semolina had increased protein digestibility and low recognition by anti-gliadin antibodies either before or after cooking. The same effects were observed in heat/pressure treated pasta, but were lost upon subsequent cooking, although we found decreased immunochemical reactivity after heat/pressure treatment of cooked pasta. No sensory difference was found between cooked and pressure-treated semolina products.     

Structural and Dynamic Characterization of the Molecular Hub Early Region 1A (E1A) from Human Adenovirus

The small‐DNA human adenovirus encodes one of the most versatile molecular hubs, the E1A protein. This protein is essential for productive viral infection in human cells and a vast amount of biologically relevant data are available on its interactions with host proteins. Up to now, however, no high‐resolution structural and dynamic information on E1A is available despite its important biological role. Among the different spliced variants of E1A, two are expressed at high level in the early stage of infection. These are 243 and 289 residues isoforms. Herein, we present their NMR characterization, showing that they are both highly disordered, but also demonstrate a certain heterogeneous behavior in terms of structural and dynamic properties. Furthermore, we present the characterization of the isolated domain of the longer variant, known as CR3. This study opens the way to understanding at the molecular level how E1A functions.     

Langmuir–Blodgett films of pyridinium-dicyanomethanide dyes mixtures with photobleachable absorption bands

We report on Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films characterization of 4-[5-dicyanomethanido)thien-2-y1]-N-(n-hexadecyl)pyridinium (C₁₆H₃₃-PDCNT), and 1-(N-(n-hexadecy]-4-pyridinio)-2-[5-(dicyanomethanido)thien-2-yl]ethene (C₁₆H₃₃-PDCNTE); LB films of the pure compounds and of the mixtures of the two compounds were prepared at 291 K: UV-vis investigation revealed the presence of photobleachable absorption bands, the ones at about 530 nm and 640 nm were due to charge transfer transitions of the monomer of C16H33-PDCNT and C₁₆H₃₃-PDCNTE, respectively; the sharp, photobleachable ones shifted to shorter wavelengths were due to H-aggregates of the two compounds. By changing the molar ratios of the two compounds in the mixtures and in other cases by annealing the LB films, the absorption maxima of the sharp, photobleachable bands due to H-aggregates could be tuned in the range 415–467 nm. These LB films are thus very promising in view of optical data storage applications.     

Evolution of two concentrated vortices in a two-dimensional bounded domain

We prove that two initially concentrated vortices with opposite vorticity of an incompressible ideal fluid moving in a two-dimensional bounded domain, remain concentrated during the time. The motion of their centers converges to the solution of the point vortex model with the corresponding initial conditions.     

Exact dynamic stiffness elements based on one-dimensional higher-order theories for free vibration analysis of solid and thin-walled structures

In this paper, an exact dynamic stiffness formulation using one-dimensional (1D) higher-order theories is presented and subsequently used to investigate the free vibration characteristics of solid and thin-walled structures. Higher-order kinematic fields are developed using the Carrera Unified Formulation, which allows for straightforward implementation of any-order theory without the need for ad hoc formulations. Classical beam theories (Euler–Bernoulli and Timoshenko) are also captured from the formulation as degenerate cases. The Principle of Virtual Displacements is used to derive the governing differential equations and the associated natural boundary conditions. An exact dynamic stiffness matrix is then developed by relating the amplitudes of harmonically varying loads to those of the responses. The explicit terms of the dynamic stiffness matrices are also presented. The resulting dynamic stiffness matrix is used with particular reference to the Wittrick–Williams algorithm to carry out the free vibration analysis of solid and thin-walled structures. The accuracy of the theory is confirmed both by published literature and by extensive finite element solutions using the commercial code MSC/NASTRAN^®$\mathrm{MSC}/{\mathrm{NASTRAN}}^{\circledR }$.     

Vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cell culture on NaOH-treated poly(epsilon-caprolactone) films: a preliminary study for vascular graft development

Tissue engineering offers the potential of providing vessels that can be used to replace diseased and damaged native blood vessels. The endothelization of a synthetic vascular graft minimizes the failures associated with blood clotting and platelet activation. The aim of this study was to culture vascular-derived endothelial and smooth muscle cells on both untreated and NaOH-treated poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) films, a biocompatible and bio-resorbable polymer, and to evaluate the behavior of both cell types as a preliminary study for vascular graft development. PCL films were prepared by hot pressing; characterized by DSC, IR, SEM, and scanning force microscopy; and treated with NaOH to increase the surface hydrophilicity before cell culture. Endothelial and smooth muscle cells, isolated from pig cava vein, were characterized by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy studies of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and alpha-smooth muscle actin. Good adhesion, growth, viability and morphology of both the endothelial and smooth muscle cells on PCL films were obtained, but a light stimulation of mitochondrial activity was observed during short culture times. NaOH treatment improved the adhesion and enhanced the proliferation in both cell types. This verified the possible use of this modified polymer as a support in the preparation of a synthetic vascular graft. [Diagram: see text] SEM micrograph of smooth muscle cells cultured on NaOH-treated PCL film. (Original magnification: 1000x).     

High-density lipoproteins contribute to the alpha-1-globulin zone in capillary electrophoresis of human serum proteins

Alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) and alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) are reported to be the main proteins contributing to the alpha-1-globulin capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) zone, but the sum (AAT + AAG) showed lower than the alpha-1-globulin. We investigated the role of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), an additional protein migrating in the alpha-1-globulin zone, as a possible cause for such a gap. In a set of 98 sera we measured the alpha-1-globulin with a dedicated clinical capillary electrophoresis system, and AAT, AAG and apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA) by immunonephelometry. The alpha-1-globulin were consistently higher than the sum (AAT + AAG), by (mean value +/- standard deviation) 1.70 +/- 0.88 g/L in 49 sera with low ApoA, and by 3.59 +/- 0.75 g/L in 49 sera with high ApoA. Corresponding figures in the comparison alpha-1-globulin/(AAT + AAG + ApoA) were reduced to 1.08 +/- 0.77 g/L and 1.67 +/- 0.70 g/L. It is concluded that HDL significantly contribute to the CZE alpha-1-globulin zone, but do not completely explain the differences between the electrophoretic and the immunochemical measurements. However, CZE alpha-1-globulin measurements give information about increases of the two major acute phase proteins comparable to specific protein measurements.