The role of trabecular architecture in the anisotropic mechanical properties of bone

As yet, no unique relationship between mechanical and structural parameters has been established for trabecular bone. A possible explanation for the variability in the relationships obtained so far is that the results of mechanical tests represent more parameters than those of trabecular morphology alone. In the present study, the results of such a mechanical test are compared to results of a numerical experiment, from which the isolated mechanical role of the trabecular architecture of a bone specimen is obtained. A mechanically tested bone specimen was reconstructed in a computer and converted to a microstructural FE-model. The results of experiment and FE-simulation were, obviously, not identical. It is hypothesized that experimental artifacts are the most important factors affecting the mechanical test results, thus causing variability in the relationships. More accurate relationships are expected when these artifacts can be excluded, for example, by using microstructural FE-models

Occurrence and function of enzymes for lignocellulose degradation in commercial Agaricus bisporus cultivation

The white button mushroom Agaricus bisporus is economically the most important commercially produced edible fungus. It is grown on carbon- and nitrogen-rich substrates, such as composted cereal straw and animal manure. The commercial mushroom production process is usually performed in buildings or tunnels under highly controlled environmental conditions. In nature, the basidiomycete A. bisporus has a significant impact on the carbon cycle in terrestrial ecosystems as a saprotrophic decayer of leaf litter. In this mini-review, the fate of the compost plant cell wall structures, xylan, cellulose and lignin, is discussed. A comparison is made from the structural changes observed to the occurrence and function of enzymes for lignocellulose degradation present, with a special focus on the extracellular enzymes produced by A. bisporus. In addition, recent advancements in whole genome level molecular studies in various growth stages of A. bisporus in compost are reviewed.Peer reviewe

Emittance Growth and Energy Loss due to Coherent Synchrotron Radiation in a bunch compressor

Bunches of high charge (10 nC) are compressed in length in the CTF II bunch compressor from 1.2 mm rms to less than 0.4 mm. The short bunches start to radiate coherently, thus affecting the horizontal and longitudinal phase spaces of the beam. This paper reports the results of measurements and simulations concerning the increase of the beam emittance and the impact on the energy distribution. Beam emittances were measured for different bunch compression factors and bunch charges. For each compressor setting, the energy spectrum of the beam was recorded in order to measure the energy loss due to coherent synchrotron radiation. For bunch charges of 10 nC a maximum increase of the horizontal emittance of 50% was observed at full compression, while the mean beam energy decreased by 5% from 39 MeV to 37 MeV. Both effects are correlated with an increase of the energy spread from 2.3% to 8.5% rms. The experimental results are compared with simulations

Coherent Synchrotron Radiation Measurements in the CLIC Test Facility (CTF II)

Bunches of high charge (up to 10 nC) are compressed in length in the CTF II magnetic chicane to less than 0.2 mm rms. The short bunches radiate coherently in the chicane magnetic field, and the horizontal and longitudinal phase space density distributions are affected. This paper reports the results of beam emittance and momentum measurements. Horizontal and vertical emittances and momentum spectra were measured for different bunch compression factors and bunch charges. In particular, for 10 nC bunches, the mean beam momentum decreased by about 5% while the FWHM momentum spread increased from 5% to 19%. The experimental results are compared with simulations made with the code TraFiC4.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, submitted to the LINAC 2000 Conferenc

A novel acetyl xylan esterase enabling complete deacetylation of substituted xylans

Background: Acetylated 4-O-(methyl) glucuronoxylan (GX) is the main hemicellulose in deciduous hardwood, and comprises a beta-(1 -> 4)-linked xylopyranosyl (Xylp) backbone substituted by both acetyl groups and alpha-(1 -> 2)-linked 4-O-methylglucopyranosyluronic acid (MeGlcpA). Whereas enzymes that target singly acetylated Xylp or doubly 2,3-O-acetyl-Xylp have been well characterized, those targeting (2-O-MeGlcpA) 3-O-acetyl-Xylp structures in glucuronoxylan have remained elusive. Results: An unclassified carbohydrate esterase (FjoAcXE) was identified as a protein of unknown function from a polysaccharide utilization locus (PUL) otherwise comprising carbohydrate-active enzyme families known to target xylan. FjoAcXE was shown to efficiently release acetyl groups from internal (2-O-MeGlcpA) 3-O-acetyl-Xylp structures, an activity that has been sought after but lacking in known carbohydrate esterases. FjoAcXE action boosted the activity of alpha-glucuronidases from families GH67 and GH115 by five and nine times, respectively. Moreover, FjoAcXE activity was not only restricted to GX, but also deacetylated (3-O-Araf)2-O-acetyl-Xylp of feruloylated xylooligomers, confirming the broad substrate range of this new carbohydrate esterase. Conclusion: This study reports the discovery and characterization of the novel carbohydrate esterase, FjoAcXE. In addition to cleaving singly acetylated Xylp, and doubly 2,3-O-acetyl-Xylp, FjoAcXE efficiently cleaves internal 3-O-acetyl-Xylp linkages in (2-O-MeGlcpA)3-O-acetyl-Xylp residues along with densely substituted and branched xylooligomers; activities that until now were missing from the arsenal of enzymes required for xylan conversion.Peer reviewe

Сутність і теоретичні підходи до аналізу фінансової нестабільності

У статті розкрито сутність поняття «фінансова нестабільність». Розглянуто найбільш поширені в науковій літературі визначення фінансової нестабільності. Досліджено різні теоретичні підходи до аналізу виникнення явища фінансової нестабільності.В статье раскрыта сущность понятия «финансовая нестабильность». Рассмотрены наиболее распространенные в научной литературе определения финансовой нестабильности. Исследованы различные теоретические подходы к анализу возникновения явления финансовой нестабильности.The article reveals the essence of the concept of financial instability. The most popular definitions of financial instability in the scientific literature are considered. Various theoretical approaches of the phenomenon of financial instability are investigated

Porous titanium manufactured by a novel powder tapping method using spherical salt bead space holders: characterisation and mechanical properties

Porous Ti with open porosity in the range of 70–80% has been made using Ti powder and a particulate leaching technique using porous, spherical, NaCl beads. By incorporating the Ti powder into a pre-existing network of salt beads, by tapping followed by compaction, salt dissolution and “sintering”, porous structures with uniform density, pore and strut sizes and a predictable level of connectivity have been produced, showing a significant improvement on the structures made by conventional powder mixing processes. Parts made using beads with sizes in the range of 0.5-1.0 mm show excellent promise as porous metals for medical devices, showing structures and porosities similar to those of commercial porous metals used in this sector, with inter-pore connections that are similar to trabecular bone. The elastic modulus (0.86GPa) is lower than those for commercial porous metals and more closely matches that of trabecular bone and good compressive yield strength is retained (21MPa). The ability to further tailor the structure, in terms of the density and the size of the pores and interconnections has also been demonstrated by immersion of the porous components in acid

Fungal glycoside hydrolase family 44 xyloglucanases are restricted to the phylum Basidiomycota and show a distinct xyloglucan cleavage pattern

Xyloglucan is a prominent matrix heteropolysaccharide binding to cellulose microfibrils in primary plant cellwalls. Hence, the hydrolysis of xyloglucan facilitates the overall lignocellulosic biomass degradation. Xyloglucanases (XEGs) are key enzymes classified in several glycoside hydrolase (GH) families. So far, family GH44 has been shown to contain bacterial XEGs only. Detailed genome analysis revealed GH44 members in fungal species from the phylum Basidiomycota, but not in other fungi, which we hypothesized to also be XEGs. Two GH44 enzymes from Dichomitus squalens and Pleurotus ostreatus were heterologously produced and characterized. They exhibited XEG activity and displayed a hydrolytic cleavage pattern different fromthat observed in fungal XEGs from other GH families. Specifically, the fungal GH44 XEGs were not hindered by substitution of neighboring glucosyl units and generated various," "XXXG- type,'' "GXXX(G)-type,'' and "XXX-type'' oligosaccharides. Overall, these fungal GH44 XEGs represent a novel class of enzymes for plant biomass conversion and valorization.Peer reviewe

Landau's quasi-particle mapping: Fermi liquid approach and Luttinger liquid behavior

A continuous unitary transformation is introduced which realizes Landau's mapping of the elementary excitations (quasi-particles) of an interacting Fermi liquid system to those of the system without interaction. The conservation of the number of quasi-particles is important. The transformation is performed numerically for a one-dimensional system, i.e. the worst case for a Fermi liquid approach. Yet evidence for Luttinger liquid behavior is found. Such an approach may open a route to a unified description of Fermi and Luttinger liquids on all energy scales.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures included, final version to appear in Phys. Rev. Lett., references updated, slight re-focus on the treatment of all energy scale