An exploration into aesthetic association of product form

Creating a relevant and pleasing design aesthetic is a fundamental aim designers endeavour to achieve. Perception of aesthetics takes place both during the design process when the designer creates a form, and later, through the users’ interpretation of the form. Within the perception process, association plays a significant role. This paper addresses the stage research results of our exploration into the associative meanings of a product. By analysing the evaluation of a series of top award winning designs, it was found that some associative meanings (represented by descriptive words) are correlated, such as ‘pure-architecturalgeometrical’, ‘delicate-curvaceous-organic’ etc. By conducting a series of workshops, both in the UK and China, we have been able to explore the extent to which young designers are able to manipulate form, style and create an overall perception of a positive aesthetic. One of the main outputs during the workshops was to design a MP3 player with speaker units, styled in line with three topics of aesthetic association: topic 1 – pure, architectural, geometrical and technical; topic 2 – curvaceous, organic, and fun; topic 3 – graceful, cheerful, and powerful. Three non-correlated associative descriptors were deliberately used in topic 3. Results suggest that young designers tend to differ in their ability and success of manipulating form to match different aesthetic targets. When the descriptive words in one aesthetic topic are correlated, student designers seem to find it easier to manipulate the form matching the topic. Comparative analysis between the results from the workshops in the UK (Southampton Solent University) and in China (Tsinghua University) is also presented in the paper

Evaluation morphométrique des chevaux pur-sang Arabe en Algérie: mensurations corporelles et proposition d’équations barymétriques

Cette étude vise à la caractérisation morphobiométrique des chevaux de course pur-sang arabe et à l’estimation d’équations barymétriques adaptées à cette race. La caractérisation a concerné 98 chevaux, dont 44 femelles et 54 mâles, tous âgés de trois ans et plus, auprès de 77 propriétaires-éleveurs dans 3 hippodromes d’Algérie (Zemmouri, Tiaret et Caroubier). Dix-neuf mensurations étaient relevées ainsi que le poids vif (PV). Le poids moyen est de 456,2 +/- 43,0 kg, variant de 335 kg à 545 kg. La sélection des variables à inclure dans les équations barymétriques a été réalisée à l’aide de la procédure stepwise du SAS. Quatre mensurations parmi les 19 réalisées ont été retenues pour la proposition d’équations d’estimation du poids vif des chevaux : le périmètre thoracique (PT), la hauteur à la croupe (HC), la longueur de l’encolure (LE) et le tour de l’encolure (TE). Ainsi, les équations proposées pour les mâles et pour les femelles sont respectivement de : PV= 7,024*PT - 787,119 (R²=0,99); PV=6,207*PT + 0,633*HC + 0,668*TE - 0,878*LE - 746,370 (R²=0,96). Les résultats de cette étude devraient permettre aux propriétaires-éleveurs et entraineurs de suivre aisément le poids de leurs chevaux. Ce suivi est nécessaire pour adapter l’activité et l’alimentation des chevaux et favoriser leur performance en course

Effects of olive and pomegranate by-products on human microbiota : a study using the SHIME (R) in vitro simulator

Two by-products containing phenols and polysaccharides, a "pate" (OP) from the extra virgin olive oil milling process and a decoction of pomegranate mesocarp (PM), were investigated for their effects on human microbiota using the SHIME (R) system. The ability of these products to modulate the microbial community was studied simulating a daily intake for nine days. Microbial functionality, investigated in terms of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and NH4+, was stable during the treatment. A significant increase in Lactobacillaceae and Bifidobacteriaceae at nine days was induced by OP mainly in the proximal tract. Polyphenol metabolism indicated the formation of tyrosol from OP mainly in the distal tract, while urolithins C and A were produced from PM, identifying the human donor as a metabotype A. The results confirm the SHIME (R) system as a suitable in vitro tool to preliminarily investigate interactions between complex botanicals and human microbiota before undertaking more challenging human studies

Use of DNA-based genetic markers in plant breeding

Genetic markers have been used since the beginnings of plant breeding, but the concept of linkage and recently the availability of molecular markers have offered new and powerful tools that can help to perform the traditional tasks of selection or that can change the traditional breeding process. Markers can either be used in a descriptive manner to identify varieties, to study the ‘micro-evolution’ of composite crosses or variety mixtures or to analyse the breeding progress retrospectively in order to learn from the past. The operative use of markers in plant breeding is connected to the selection of parental lines and progeny lines. The possible implementation of these processes stretches from the introgression of specific chromosome fragments to ‘marker-based idiotype breeding’

Improvement of soft soil stiffness using geo-composite cellular mat

The highway construction over sub-grade consisting of problematic soils gives challenges to the engineer due to their weak geotechnical characteristic [1, 2, 3]; High water content, High compressibility, and Low bearing capacity

Microbial β-Glucosidases: screening, characterization, cloning and applications

Cellulose is the most abundant biomaterial in the biosphere and the major component of plant biomass. Cellulase is an enzymatic system required for conversion of renewable cellulose biomass into free sugar for subsequent use in different applications. Cellulase system mainly consists of three individual enzymes namely: endoglucanase, exoglucanase and β-glucosidases. β-Glucosidases are ubiquitous enzymes found in all living organisms with great biological significance. β-Glucosidases have also tremendous biotechnological applications such as biofuel production, beverage industry, food industry, cassava detoxification and oligosaccharides synthesis. Microbial β-glucosidases are preferred for industrial uses because of robust activity and novel properties exhibited by them. This review aims at describing the various biochemical methods used for screening and evaluating β-glucosidases activity from microbial sources. Subsequently, it generally highlights techniques used for purification of β-glucosidases. It then elaborates various biochemical and molecular properties of this valuable enzyme such as pH and temperature optima, glucose tolerance, substrate specificity, molecular weight, and multiplicity. Furthermore, it describes molecular cloning and expression of bacterial, fungal and metagenomic β-glucosidases. Finally, it highlights the potential biotechnological applications of β-glucosidases

Space and biotechnology: An industry profile

The results of a study conducted by the Center for Space and Advanced Technology (CSAT) for NASA-JSC are presented. The objectives were to determine the interests and attitudes of the U.S. biotechnology industry toward space biotechnology and to prepare a concise review of the current activities of the biotechnology industry. In order to accomplish these objectives, two primary actions were taken. First, a questionnaire was designed, reviewed, and distributed to U.S. biotechnology companies. Second, reviews of the various biotechnology fields were prepared in several aspects of the industry. For each review, leading figures in the field were asked to prepare a brief review pointing out key trends and current industry technical problems. The result is a readable narrative of the biotechnology industry which will provide space scientists and engineers valuable clues as to where the space environment can be explored to advance the U.S. biotechnology industry

A quantitative indicator diagram for lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases reveals the role of aromatic surface residues in HjLPMO9A regioselectivity

Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases ( LPMOs) have changed our understanding of lignocellulosic degradation dramatically over the last years. These metalloproteins catalyze oxidative cleavage of recalcitrant polysaccharides and can act on the C1 and/or C4 position of glycosidic bonds. Structural data have led to several hypotheses, but we are still a long way from reaching complete understanding of the factors that determine their divergent regioselectivity. Site-directed mutagenesis enables the investigation of structure-function relationship in enzymes and will be of major importance in unraveling this intriguing matter. In this context, it is crucial to have an enzyme assay or screening approach with a direct correlation with the desired functionality. LPMOs render this search extra challenging due to their insoluble substrates, complex pattern of reaction products and lack of synthetic standards of most oxidized products. Here, we describe a regioselectivity indicator diagram based on the time-course of only 2 HPAEC-PAD signals. The diagram was successfully used to confirm the hypothesis that aromatic surface residues influence the C1/C4 oxidation ratio in Hypocrea jecorina LPMO9A. Consequently, the diagram should become a valuable tool in the search towards better understanding and engineering of regioselectivity in LPMOs

Cloning and expression of the Propionibacterium shermanii methylmalonyl-CoA epimerase gene in Escherichia coli : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biochemistry at Massey University

Genomic DNA was isolated from Propionibacterium shermanii (52W). A 454 bp DNA fragment coding for the methylmalonyl-CoA epimerase (EC 5.1.99.1, subsequently referred to as epimerase) was amplified from genomic DNA by the polymerase chain reaction using primers designed from the known DNA sequence of the gene. The P. shermanii epimerase gene was ligated into the 2.47 kbp expression vector pT7-7. The ligation reaction mixture was transformed into electroporation competent E.coli XL1-Blue cells. Plasmid DNA prepared from several transformants was analysed, by agarose gel electrophoresis of restriction enzyme digestions, and transformed into E.coli SRP84/pGP1-2 cells to identify potential epimerase expression constructs (pTEEX) by heat shock induction. The insert DNA of one of the putative pTEEX epimerase constructs was fully sequenced and shown to be identical to the known DNA sequence of the epimerase gene described by Davis (1987). Using the sequenced expression construct pTEEX, recombinant epimerase was expressed to 20-35% of the total cell protein in the protease deficient E.coli strain SRP84 using the dual plasmid expression system of Tabor and Richardson (1985). The recombinant epimerase was ~95-100% soluble in E.coli. The recombinant epimerase and the 'wild-type' epimerase produced by P. shermanii were purified using the procedures developed for the 'wild-type' epimerase. The addition of a heat-treatment step (70°C for 15 min) early in the purification of the recombinant enzyme successfully exploited the unusually high thermostability of the epimerase protein. The epimerase protein was found to have an anomalously low electrophoretic mobility in a modified Laemmli discontinuous Tris-glycine alkaline buffer system for SDS-PAGE gels compared to the Weber and Osborn continuous phosphate buffer system. Using the latter system, a subunit molecular weight of 16.6 kDa was obtained. This is consistent with the molecular weight of 16.72 kDa (methionine on) calculated from the inferred amino acid sequence. The N-terminal sequence of the purified 'wild-type' and recombinant epimerases were identical although only half of N-terminal methionine residues were removed from the recombinant protein. The subunit molecular weight, specific activity, activation by divalent metal ions and behaviour in crystallization trials of the 'wild-type' and recombinant epimerases were very similar. Recombinant epimerase crystals were grown in a buffer containing 0.2 M ammonium acetate and 0.1 M citrate, pH 5.6, containing 30% PEG 4000 as precipitant. These crystals were relatively poorly ordered and diffracted to only 4.5 Ǻ resolution, but crystals of the recombinant epimerase that diffract to 2.6Ǻ can be grown under appropriate conditions

Florida marine biotechnology: research, development and training capabilities to advance science and commerce

The level of activity and interest in “marine biotechnology” among Florida university faculty and allied laboratory scientists is reported in this document. The information will be used to (1) promote networking and collaboration in research and education, (2) inform industry of possible academic partners, (3) identify contacts interested in potential new sources of funding, and (4) assist development of funding for a statewide marine biotechnology research, training and development program. This document is the first of its kind. Institutions of higher learning were given the opportunity to contribute both an overview of campus capabilities and individual faculty Expressions of Scientific Interest. They are listed in the table of contents. (104pp.