Microfabrication of high-performance aromatic polymers as nanotubes or fibrils by in situ ring-opening polymerisation of macrocyclic precursors

Melt-phase nucleophilic ring-opening polymerisation of macrocyclic aromatic ethers and thioethers at high temperatures within the cylindrical pores of an anodic-alumina membrane, followed by dissolution of the template, enables replication of the membrane's internal pore structure and so affords high-performance aromatic polymers with well-defined fibrillar or tubular morphologies.

Wheat protein quality in relation to baking performance evaluated by the Chorleywood bread process and a hearth bread baking test

The relationships between wheat protein quality and baking properties of 20 flour samples were studied for two breadmaking processes; a hearth bread test and the Chorleywood Bread Process (CBP). The strain hardening index obtained from dough inflation measurements, the proportion of unextractable polymeric protein, and mixing properties were among the variables found to be good indicators of protein quality and suitable for predicting potential baking quality of wheat flours. By partial least squares regression, flour and dough test variables were able to account for 71-93% of the variation in crumb texture, form ratio and volume of hearth loaves made using optimal mixing and fixed proving times. These protein quality variables were, however, not related to the volume of loaves produced by the CBP using mixing to constant work input and proving to constant height. On the other hand, variation in crumb texture of CBP loaves (54-55%) could be explained by protein quality. The results underline that the choice of baking procedure and loaf characteristics is vital in assessing the protein quality of flours. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of 'APN' naphthenic acids by high temperature gas chromatoagraphy and high performance liquid chromatography

Examination by high temperature GC (HTGC) of the methyl esters of the so-called 'ARN' naphthenic acids from crude oils of North Sea UK, Norwegian Sea and West African oilfields revealed the distributions of resolved 4-8 ring C-80 tetra acids and trace amounts of other acids. Whilst all three oils contained apparently the same the proportions of each differed, possibly reflecting the growth tempe acids, ratures of the archaebacteria from which the acids are assumed to have originated. The structures of the 4, 5, 7 and 8 ring acids are tentatively assigned by comparison with the known 6 ring acid and related natural products and an HPLC method for the isolation of the individual acids is described. ESI-MS of individual acids isolated by preparative HPLC established the elution order of the 4-8 ring acids on the HPLC and HTGC systems and revealed the presence of previously unreported acids tentatively identified as C-81 and C-82 7 and 8 ring analogues.

Elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide impairs the performance of root-feeding vine weevils by modifying root growth and secondary metabolites

Predicting how insect crop pests will respond to global climate change is an important part of increasing crop production for future food security, and will increasingly rely on empirically based evidence. The effects of atmospheric composition, especially elevated carbon dioxide (eCO(2)), on insect herbivores have been well studied, but this research has focussed almost exclusively on aboveground insects. However, responses of root-feeding insects to eCO(2) are unlikely to mirror these trends because of fundamental differences between aboveground and belowground habitats. Moreover, changes in secondary metabolites and defensive responses to insect attack under eCO(2) conditions are largely unexplored for root herbivore interactions. This study investigated how eCO(2) (700 mu mol mol-1) affected a root-feeding herbivore via changes to plant growth and concentrations of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phenolics. This study used the root-feeding vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus and the perennial crop, Ribes nigrum. Weevil populations decreased by 33% and body mass decreased by 23% (from 7.2 to 5.4 mg) in eCO(2). Root biomass decreased by 16% in eCO(2), which was strongly correlated with weevil performance. While root N concentrations fell by 8%, there were no significant effects of eCO(2) on root C and N concentrations. Weevils caused a sink in plants, resulting in 8-12% decreases in leaf C concentration following herbivory. There was an interactive effect of CO(2) and root herbivory on root phenolic concentrations, whereby weevils induced an increase at ambient CO(2), suggestive of defensive response, but caused a decrease under eCO(2). Contrary to predictions, there was a positive relationship between root phenolics and weevil performance. We conclude that impaired root-growth underpinned the negative effects of eCO(2) on vine weevils and speculate that the plant's failure to mount a defensive response at eCO(2) may have intensified these negative effects.

Detection of gyrA mutations in quinolone-resistant Salmonella enterica by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography

Denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) was evaluated as a rapid screening and identification method for DNA sequence variation detection in the quinolone resistance-determining region of gyrA from Salmonella serovars. A total of 203 isolates of Salmonella were screened using this method. DHPLC analysis of 14 isolates representing each type of novel or multiple mutations and the wild type were compared with LightCycler-based PCR-gyrA hybridization mutation assay (GAMA) and single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analyses. The 14 isolates gave seven different SSCP patterns, and LightCycler detected four different mutations. DHPLC detected 11 DNA sequence variants at eight different codons, including those detected by LightCycler or SSCP. One of these mutations was silent. Five isolates contained multiple mutations, and four of these could be distinguished from the composite sequence variants by their DHPLC profile. Seven novel mutations were identified at five different loci not previously described in quinolone-resistant salmonella. DHPLC analysis proved advantageous for the detection of novel and multiple mutations. DHPLC also provides a rapid, high-throughput alternative to LightCycler and SSCP for screening frequently occurring mutations.