OGSA/Globus Evaluation for Data Intensive Applications

We present an architecture of Globus Toolkit 3 based testbed intended for evaluation of applicability of the Open Grid Service Architecture (OGSA) for Data Intensive Applications.Comment: To be published in the proceedings of the XIX International Symposium on Nuclear Electronics and Computing (NEC'2003), Bulgaria, Varna, 15-20 September, 200

Brazilian cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the List of Threatening Events Questionnaire (LTE-Q)

Objective: To perform a construct validation of the List of Threatening Events Questionnaire (LTE-Q), as well as convergence validation by identifying its association with drug use in a sample of the Brazilian population. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the Second Brazilian National Alcohol and Drugs Survey (II BNADS), which used a cross-cultural adaptation of the LTE-Q in a probabilistic sample of 4,607 participants aged 14 years and older. Latent class analysis was used to validate the latent trait adversity (which considered the number of events from the list of 12 item in the LTE experienced by the respondent in the previous year) and logistic regression was performed to find its association with binge drinking and cocaine use. Results: The confirmatory factor analysis returned a chi-square of 108.341, weighted root mean square residual (WRMR) of 1.240, confirmatory fit indices (CFI) of 0.970, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) of 0.962, and root mean square error approximation (RMSEA) score of 1.000. LTE-Q convergence validation showed that the adversity latent trait increased the chances of binge drinking by 1.31 time and doubled the chances of previous year cocaine use (adjusted by sociodemographic variables). Conclusion: The use of the LTE-Q in Brazil should be encouraged in different research fields, including large epidemiological surveys, as it is also appropriate when time and budget are limited. The LTE-Q can be a useful tool in the development of targeted and more efficient prevention strategies.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES)Univ Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Inst Nacl Pesquisa Alcool & Outras Drogas INCT IN, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Psiquiatria, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Municipal Sao Caetano USCS, Escola Saude, Sao Caetano do Sul, SP, BrazilPacific Inst Res & Evaluat, Oakland, CA USAUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Inst Nacl Pesquisa Alcool & Outras Drogas INCT IN, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Psiquiatria, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Capacidad enzimática de tres poligalacturonasas para la solubilización de pectina a partir de orujo de manzanas y peras del alto valle de Río Negro

Las pectinasas poseen varias aplicaciones en diversas industrias, pero la que más se ha beneficiado es la alimentaria, particularmente la procesadora de frutas y vegetales. La acción de estas enzimas sobre protopectina permite su aplicación para la extracción de pectina del tejido vegetal, el cual es un aditivo alimenticio altamente usado como gelificante y estabilizante. Los métodos convencionales consisten en una hidrólisis ácida y en caliente, llevando consigo algunos inconvenientes, manejo de altas temperaturas y reactivos corrosivos, que deterioran los equipos y generan contaminación. Por ello, es importante el diseño de tratamientos alternativos. Se decidió trabajar con tres pectinasas (PGI de Aspergillus kawachii, PPasaSE de Geotrichum klebahnii y PGzyme de Apergillus sojae) con el fin de comprobar su potencial aplicación para la solubilización de pectina a partir de orujo de manzanas y peras del alto valle de Río Negro. Para realizar la evaluación, se compararon los rendimientos de dichas enzimas con los obtenidos por pectinasas comerciales (BA,J1 y J2) y por extracción química. Se realizó la mezcla de orujo de pera (WinterBartlett) y manzana (GrannySmith) con solución buffer y cada enzima diluida correctamente. Luego se agitaron en un shaker a 150 golpes/min durante 6hs a 37°C. La extracción química se efectuó por hidrólisis en medio ácido, con pH final 1,5. A las pectinas obtenidas, se les determinó el grado de esterificación utilizando un método titulométrico. En manzanas PGI, extrajo aproximadamente un 20% más que la extracción química, un 50% más que BA, y un 80% más que J1 y J2. Y en peras un 60% más que BA y que la extracción química, y un 80% más que J1 y J2. PPasaSE extrajo en manzanas aproximadamente un 20% más que BA, y un 70% más que J1 y J2. PGzyme extrajo un 50% más que J1 y J2 en manzanas. Y en peras, estas dos enzimas extrajeron lo mismo que J1 y J2. Se observa que PGI posee mejor capacidad para la extracción de pectina, extrayendo en manzanas un 40% y un 60% más que PPasaSE y PGzyme, respectivamente. Y en peras extrajo un 80% más que ambas enzimas. El grado de esterificación de las pectinas en todos los casos fue de alto metoxilo. Quedó demostrado que las enzimas estudiadas se comportaron de igual o mejor forma que las comerciales. Mediante su utilización se conseguiría disminuir los costos de los productores ya que actualmente las mismas se importan lo cual se traduce en un mayor gasto productivo.Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriale

Revisiting the 'Missing Middle' in English Sub-National Governance

In the light of the new Coalition Government’s proposed ‘rescaling’ of sub-national governance away from the regional level, it is an opportune time to re-consider the strength and weaknesses of the city or sub-regional approach to economic development and to search, once more, for the ‘missing middle’ in English Governance. In this context, the article initially assesses the case for city or sub regions as tiers of economic governance, before examining the lessons to be learnt from the experiences of the existing city regions in the North East of England. It argues that while contemporary plans to develop Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) can be usefully considered within the context of the emerging city regional developments under the previous Labour Governments, a number of important challenges remain, particularly in relation to ensuring accountable structures of governance, a range of appropriate functions, adequate funding, and comprehensive coverage across a variety of sub-regional contexts. While the proposals of the new Government create the necessary ‘space’ to develop sub-regional bodies and offer genuine opportunities for both city and county LEPs, the scale of the sub-regional challenge should not be underestimated, particularly given the context of economic recession and major reductions in the public sector

ARABIDOPSIS DEHISCENCE ZONE POLYGALACTURONASE 1 (ADPG1) releases latent defense signals in stems with reduced lignin content

There is considerable interest in engineering plant cell wall components, particularly lignin, to improve forage quality and biomass properties for processing to fuels and bioproducts. However, modifying lignin content and/or composition in transgenic plants through down-regulation of lignin biosynthetic enzymes can induce expression of defense response genes in the absence of biotic or abiotic stress. Arabidopsis thaliana lines with altered lignin through down-regulation of hydroxycinnamoyl CoA:shikimate/quinate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HCT) or loss of function of cinnamoyl CoA reductase 1 (CCR1) express a suite of pathogenesis-related (PR) protein genes. The plants also exhibit extensive cell wall remodeling associated with induction of multiple cell wall-degrading enzymes, a process which renders the corresponding biomass a substrate for growth of the cellulolytic thermophile Caldicellulosiruptor bescii lacking a functional pectinase gene cluster. The cell wall remodeling also results in the release of size- and charge-heterogeneous pectic oligosaccharide elicitors of PR gene expression. Genetic analysis shows that both in planta PR gene expression and release of elicitors are the result of ectopic expression in xylem of the gene ARABIDOPSIS DEHISCENCE ZONE POLYGALACTURONASE 1 (ADPG1), which is normally expressed during anther and silique dehiscence. These data highlight the importance of pectin in cell wall integrity and the value of lignin modification as a tool to interrogate the informational content of plant cell walls

Fluorescent detection of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) through the formation of pyrene excimers enhances H2S quantification in biochemical systems

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is produced endogenously by several enzymatic pathways and modulates physiological functions in mammals. Quantification of H2S in biochemical systems remains challenging because of the presence of interferents with similar reactivity, particularly thiols. Herein, we present a new quantification method based on the formation of pyrene excimers in solution. We synthesized the probe 2-(maleimido)ethyl 4-pyrenylbutanoate (MEPB) and determined that MEPB reacted with H2S in a two-step reaction to yield the thioether-linked dimer (MEPB)2S, which formed excimers upon excitation, with a broad peak of fluorescence emission centered at 480 nm. In contrast, we found that the products formed with thiols showed peaks at 378 and 398 nm. The difference in emission between the products prevented the interference. Furthermore, we showed that the excimer fluorescence signal yielded a linear response to H2S, with a limit of detection of 54 nM in a fluorometer. Our quantification method with MEPB was successfully applied to follow the reaction of H2S with glutathione disulfide and to quantify the production of H2S from cysteine by Escherichia coli. In conclusion, this method represents an addition to the toolkit of biochemists to quantify H2S specifically and sensitively in biochemical systems.MEC: I/FVF2017/069ANII: FCE_1_2017_1_136043CSIC: I+D 2017; I+D 202

Open and Hidden Charm Production in 920 GeV Proton-Nucleus Collisions

The HERA-B collaboration has studied the production of charmonium and open charm states in collisions of 920 GeV protons with wire targets of different materials. The acceptance of the HERA-B spectrometer covers negative values of xF up to xF=-0.3 and a broad range in transverse momentum from 0.0 to 4.8 GeV/c. The studies presented in this paper include J/psi differential distributions and the suppression of J/psi production in nuclear media. Furthermore, production cross sections and cross section ratios for open charm mesons are discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 9 figures, to be published in the proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Hyperons, Charm & Beauty Hadrons (BEACH04), Chicago, IL, June 27 - July 3, 200

Search for the Flavor-Changing Neutral Current Decay D0→μ+μ−D^0 \to \mu^+\mu^- with the HERA-B Detector

We report on a search for the flavor-changing neutral current decay $D^0 \to \mu^+\mu^-$ using $50 \times 10^6$ events recorded with a dimuon trigger in interactions of 920 GeV protons with nuclei by the HERA-B experiment. We find no evidence for such decays and set a 90% confidence level upper limit on the branching fraction $Br(D^0 \to \mu^+\mu^-) <2.0 \times 10^{-6}$.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures (of which 1 double), paper to be submitted to Physics Letters