Fracture strength of machined ceramic crowns as a function of tooth preparation design and the elastic modulus of the cement

Objectives: To determine, by means of static fracture testing the effect of the tooth preparation design and the elastic modulus of the cement on the structural integrity of the cemented machined ceramic crown-tooth complex. 
Methods: Human maxillary extracted premolar teeth were prepared for all-ceramic crowns using two preparation designs; a standard preparation in accordance with established protocols and a novel design with a flat occlusal design. All-ceramic feldspathic (Vita MK II) crowns were milled for all the preparations using a CAD/CAM system (CEREC-3). The machined all-ceramic crowns were resin bonded to the tooth structure using one of three cements with different elastic moduli: Super-Bond C&B, Rely X Unicem and Panavia F 2.0. The specimens were subjected to compressive force through a 4 mm diameter steel ball at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min using a universal test machine (Loyds Instrument Model LRX.). The load at the fracture point was recorded for each specimen in Newtons (N). These values were compared to a control group of unprepared/unrestored teeth. 
Results: There was a significant difference between the control group, with higher fracture strength, and the cemented samples regardless of the occlusal design and the type of resin cement. There was no significant difference in mean fracture load between the two designs of occlusal preparation using Super-Bond C&B. For the Rely X Unicem and Panavia F 2.0 cements, the proposed preparation design with a flat occlusal morphology provides a system with increased fracture strength. 
Significance: The proposed novel flat design showed less dependency on the resin cement selection in relation to the fracture strength of the restored tooth. The choice of the cement resin, with respect to its modulus of elasticity, is more important in the anatomic design than in the flat design. © 2013 Academy of Dental Materials.

Molecular Cloning of a Novel Tryptophyllin Peptide from the Skin of the Orange-Legged Monkey Frog, Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis

Tryptophyllins are a group of small (4–14 amino acids), heterogenous peptides, mostly from the skins of hylid frogs from the genera, Phyllomedusa and Litoria. To date, more than forty TPHs have been discovered in species from these two genera. Here, we describe the identification of a novel tryptophyllin type 3 peptide, PhT-3, from the extracts of skin of the orange-legged monkey frog, Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis, and molecular cloning of its precursor-encoding cDNA from a cDNA library constructed from the same skin sample. Full primary structural characterization was achieved using a combination of direct Edman degradation, mass spectrometry and deduction from cloned skin-derived cDNA. The open-reading frame of the precursor cDNA was found to consist of 63 amino acid residues. The mature peptide arising from this precursor contains a post-translationally modified N-terminal pyroglutamate (pGlu) residue, formed from acid-mediated cyclization of an N-terminal Gln (Q) residue, and with the structure: pGlu-Asp-Lys-Pro-Phe-Trp-Pro-Pro-Pro-Ile-Tyr-Pro-Met. Pharmacological assessment of a synthetic replicate of this peptide on phenylephrine preconstricted rat tail artery segments, revealed a reduction in relaxation induced by bradykinin. PhT-3 was also found to mediate antiproliferative effects on human prostate cancer cell lines.

Feleucin-BO1: A Novel Antimicrobial Non-Apeptide Amide from the Skin Secretion of the Toad, Bombina orientalis, and Design of a Potent Broad-Spectrum Synthetic Analogue, Feleucin-K3

Feleucins-BV1 and -BV2 are recently-described prototypes of a novel antimicrobial nonapeptide (AMP) family identified in the skin secretion of the bombinid toad, Bombina variegata. They are encoded on different precursors that also encode a novel bombinin. Here we describe the identification of feleucin-BO1 (FLGLLGSLLamide) which is co-encoded with a different novel bombinin, named feleucin precursor-associated bombinin (FPA-bombinin-BO), from the skin secretion of Bombina orientalis. Synthetic feleucin-BO1 displayed activity against a reference Gram-positive bacterium. Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 34 μM) but was inactive (> 250 μM) against the Gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli, and the yeast, Candida albicans. This pattern of activity was similar to that of the prototypes. Design and synthesis of a cationicity-enhanced analogue, feleucin-K3 (F-K3), in which the amino acid residues at positions 3 (G), 6 (G) and 7 (S) of feleucin-BO1 were substituted with Lys (K) residues, resulted in a peptide with significantly-enhanced potency and spectrum of activity. The MICs of F-K3 against the reference microorganisms were 7 μM (S. aureus), 14 μM (E. coli) and 7 μM (C. albicans). These data indicate that the skin secretions of amphibians can continue to provide novel peptide templates for the rational design of analogues with possible therapeutic utility.

Validation study to compare effects of processing protocols on measured N (ε)-(carboxymethyl)lysine and N (ε)-(carboxyethyl)lysine in blood

Epidemiological studies show that elevated plasma levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are associated with diabetes, kidney disease, and heart disease. Thus AGEs have been used as disease progression markers. However, the effects of variations in biological sample processing procedures on the level of AGEs in plasma/serum samples have not been investigated. The objective of this investigation was to assess the effect of variations in blood sample collection on measured N (ε)-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), the best characterised AGE, and its homolog, N (ε)-(carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL). The investigation examined the effect on CML and CEL of different blood collection tubes, inclusion of a stabilising cocktail, effect of freeze thaw cycles, different storage times and temperatures, and effects of delaying centrifugation on a pooled sample from healthy volunteers. CML and CEL were measured in extracted samples by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Median CML and CEL ranged from 0.132 to 0.140 mM/M lys and from 0.053 to 0.060 mM/M lys, respectively. No significant difference was shown CML or CEL in plasma/serum samples. Therefore samples collected as part of epidemiological studies that do not undergo specific sample treatment at collection are suitable for measuring CML and CEL.

Identification and Functional Analysis of a Novel Tryptophyllin Peptide from the Skin of the Red-eye Leaf Frog, Agalychnis callidryas

Amphibian skin has proved repeatedly to be a largely untapped source of bioactive peptides and this is especially true of members of the Phyllomedusinae subfamily of frogs native to South and Central America. Tryptophyllins are a group of peptides mainly found in the skin of members of this genus. In this study, a novel tryptophyllin (TPH) type 3 peptide, named AcT-3, has been isolated and structurally-characterised from the skin secretion and lyophilised skin extract of the red-eye leaf frog, Agalychnis callidryas. The peptide was identified in and purified from the skin secretion by reverse-phase HPLC. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and MS/MS fragmentation sequencing established its primary structure as: pGlu-Gly-Lys-Pro-Tyr-Trp-Pro-Pro-Pro-Phe-Leu-Pro-Glu, with a non-protonated molecular mass of 1538.19Da. The mature peptide possessed the canonical N-terminal pGlu residue that arises from post-translational modification of a Gln residue. The deduced open-reading frame consisted of 63 amino acid residues encoding a highly-conserved signal peptide of approximately 22 amino acid residues, an intervening acidic spacer peptide domain, a single AcT-3 encoding domain and a C terminal processing site. A synthetic replicate of AcT-3 was found to antagonise the effect of BK on rat tail artery smooth muscle and to contract the intestinal smooth muscle preparations. It was also found that AcT-3 could dose-dependently inhibit the proliferation of human prostate cancer cell lines after 72h incubation.

The Shakespearean Auteur and the Televisual Medium

In the wake offundamental shifts in television, programming and production have seen television creations which rival—even go beyond—standard cinema in scope, length and character development. This essay takes the distinctive approach of applying auteur theory to the small screen, exploring what understandings of the auteur might mean for a new era of television Shakespeare, and, as its case-study, considers the BBC’s Hollow Crown series. Characterized by a feature-film appearance, a multimillion pound budget, and an all-star cast, the series is exemplary of how television is now made; hence, the essay argues, the series needs to be investigated in relation to the most recent understandings of the medium. Central to this investigation is the way in which producer Sam Mendes’s vision imprintsitself upon each of the series’s four episodes, and the first part of the essay is accordingly concerned with his recognizable style and credentials as the series “showrunner.” However, Mendes’s is not the only auteurial stamp on the series, and the essay is equally concerned with how each of Mendes’s three co-directors places his or her auteurial signature on the Shakespearean source material in such a way as to lend each production a unique character. These individualized creative visions, the essay argues, unfold in concert with Mendes’s conceptualization of the series in its entirety. Ultimately, televisual auteurism is understood as a complex phenomenon that allows for more than one creative approach to be entertained.

Predicting forest attributes In southeast Alaska using artificial neural networks

Artificial neural network (ANN) methods are used to predict forest characteristics. The data source is the Southeast Alaska (SEAK) Grid Inventory, a ground survey compiled by the USDA Forest Service at several thousand sites. The main objective of this article is to predict characteristics at unsurveyed locations between grid sites. A secondary objective is to evaluate the relative performance of different ANNs. Data from the grid sites are used to train six ANNs: multilayer perceptron, fuzzy ARTMAP, probabilistic, generalized regression, radial basis function, and learning vector quantization. A classification and regression tree method is used for comparison. Topographic variables are used to construct models: latitude and longitude coordinates, elevation, slope, and aspect. The models classify three forest characteristics: crown closure, species land cover, and tree size/structure. Models are constructed using n-fold cross-validation. Predictive accuracy is calculated using a method that accounts for the influence of misclassification as well as measuring correct classifications. The probabilistic and generalized regression networks are found to be the most accurate. The predictions of the ANN models are compared with a classification of the Tongass national forest in southeast Alaska based on the interpretation of satellite imagery and are found to be of similar accuracy.

Power system performance of offshore wind in the United Kingdom in 2030

At least 34 % of the United Kingdom’s power must come from renewable energy sources to meet planned European Union targets in 2030. Wind power will provide the majority of this renewable electricity with an estimated 36 GW offshore and 21 GW onshore. The success of the Crown Estate’s leasing rounds 1 and 2 in offshore wind has meant the United Kingdom is now one of the world leaders in offshore wind power development. Leasing round 3 will see offshore wind in the United Kingdom surpass 36 GW of installed capacity. This is a significant increase from the current installed offshore wind capacity of 3.6 GW. This research investigates the power system performance of offshore wind power in the United Kingdom in 2030.

pLR-HL: a novel amphibian Bowman-Birk-type trypsin inhibitor from the skin secretion of the broad-folded frog, Hylarana latouchii

In this study, we report a novel heptadecapeptide (LIGGCWTKSIPPKPCLV) of the pLR/ranacyclin family, named pLR-HL, whose structure was deduced from its biosynthetic precursor-encoding cDNA cloned from the skin secretion-derived cDNA library of the broad-folded frog, Hylarana latouchii, by employing a "shotgun" cloning technique. It contains a disulphide loop between Cys5 and Cys15 which is consistent with Bowman-Birk-type protease inhibitors. The primary structure of pLR-HL deduced from the cDNA sequence was confirmed by fractionating the skin secretion using reverse phase HPLC and subsequent analysis using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and LC/MS/MS fragmentation sequencing. On the basis of the establishment of unequivocal amino acid sequence, a synthetic replicate was synthesised by solid-phase Fmoc chemistry, and it displayed a moderately potent trypsin inhibition with a Ki of 143 nM. The substitution of Lys-8 by Phe (Phe8 -pLR-HL) resulted in abolition of trypsin inhibition but generation of modest inhibition on chymotrypsin with a Ki of 2.141 μM. Additionally, both the disulphide loops of pLR-HL and Phe8 -pLR-HL were synthesised and tested. Both of the catalytic loops retained similar inhibitory potencies towards trypsin or chymotrypsin in comparison with the original intact molecules. Thus, the replacement of reactive site residues could alter the specificity of these protease inhibitors, while the canonical reactive loop alone can independently constitute biologically-active moiety.

Fluorescent Signalling of the Brain Neurotransmitter Gamma Amino Butyric Acid and Related Amino Acid Zwitterions

Fluorescent PET (photoinduced electron transfer) sensor 1 with monoaza-18-crown-6 ether and guanidinium receptor units shows a significant fluorescence enhancement with y-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in mixed aqueous solution.

Understanding perception and action in sport:How can virtual reality technology help?

Although technology can facilitate improvements in performance by allowing us to understand, monitor and evaluate performance, improvements must ultimately come from within the athlete. The first part of this article will focus on understanding how perception and action relate to performance from two different theoretical viewpoints. The first will be predominantly a cognitive or indirect approach that suggests that expertise and decision-making processes are mediated by athletes accruing large knowledge bases that are built up through practice and experience. The second, and alternative approach, will advocate a more 'direct' solution, where the athlete learns to 'tune' into the relevant information that is embedded in their relationship with the surrounding environment and unfolding action. The second part of the article will attempt to show how emerging virtual reality technology is revealing new evidence that helps us understand elite performance. Possibilities of how new types of training could be developed from this technology will also be discussed. © 2014 Crown Copyright.

Violence against women in the Irish War of Independence, 1919-1921

This chapter examines the nature and extent of violence experienced by women in Ireland during the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921) at the hands of both the Crown forces and the Irish Republican Army. It argues that targetted killings of women by either side was rare. The most common forms of such violence can be categorised as physical, gendered (cutting of hair) and psychological (intimidation and the killing of male relatives). It argues that there was a difference between gendered and sexual crime, the latter of which appears to have been very uncommon. A considerable part of the chapter uses theoretical literature on violence against women in conflict zones to explain why sexual violence was uncommon, arguing that neither side had much to gain from its employment, that the Crown forces were aware of the damage it could do to Britain's international reputation and that the terror tactics adopted by the Crown forces were sufficient to achieve their ends without resorting to rape. In regard to the IRA, the absence of any evidence of rape or sexual assault being perpetrated could be attributable to their Catholicism, reliance on support from the community, the efforts of the first Dáil to achieve foreign recognition of the Republic and the role of Cumann na mBan women in the guerrilla conflict. The historiography of women in the Irish revolution is also analysed.

Identification and bioactivity evaluation of a novel bradykinin inhibitory peptide from the skin secretion of Chinese large odorous frog, Odorrana livida

A novel peptide was isolated from the skin secretion of Chinese large odorous frog, Odorrana livida, and was named as Rana-BI. The cDNA sequencing was obtained by 'shotgun' cloning. The amino acid sequence of the mature peptide was identified as Gly-Leu-Leu-Ser-Gly-Lys-Ser-Val-Lys-Gly-Ser-Ile-OH by automated Edman degradation, and the molecular weight of the peptide was confirmed to be 1144.68 Da by MALDI-TOF and liquid chromatography/MS. Subsequently, the bioactivity of synthetic peptide was evaluated by smooth muscle assay using isolated rat bladder preparation. It was demonstrated that Rana-BI inhibited the contraction of rat bladder induced by bradykinin. Comparing with other peptides by searching from database, the primary structure of Rana-BI showed high similarity with that of an antimicrobial peptide of Rana family (12/12 residues). These data revealed a novel biological function of this peptide

Growing Up On an Interface: Findings and Implications for the Social Needs, Mental Health and Lifetime Opportunities of Belfast Youth

In this research we aimed to find out what types of risk (if any) affected young people and children growing up in places of high religious segregation or what we normally call interface communities. This is important as we know that risk and experiences of harm and violence can have negative impacts upon development, emotional well-being and future prospects. It is important to understand what types of risk affect young people and children so as we can respond to these in terms of aiding better personal and community development with regard to health, work, education and wider opportunities.

Síntese e potencialidades de aplicação de novos derivados porfirínicos

A presente dissertação colige os resultados obtidos em estudos de funcionalização de porfirinas, nomeadamente de derivados da 5,10,15,20- tetrafenilporfirina. Nestes estudos foram estabelecidas novas rotas sintéticas para a preparação de moléculas adequadamente funcionalizadas e com possíveis aplicações em química medicinal ou em sistemas supramoleculares. Esta dissertação encontra-se dividida em quatro partes: Após uma breve introdução às porfirinas, descrita na primeira parte, segue-se uma segunda parte centrada em reacções em dominó envolvendo 2-aminomeso- tetra-arilporfirinas, meso-(p-aminofenil)porfirinas e éteres enólicos cíclicos. Os resultados obtidos demonstram que porfirinas reagem como heterodienos com dienófilos ricos em electrões tais como os éteres enólicos cíclicos 3,4-di-hidro-2H-pirano e 2,3-di-hidrofurano na presença de triflato de lantânio. Os produtos formados são pirido[2,3-b] porfirinas e meso-quinolin-6- ilporfirinas com dois grupos hidroxilos terminais. A terceira parte desta dissertação é dedicada a estudos de funcionalização da posição β-pirrólica da 5,10,15,20-tetrafenilporfirina com um éter coroa segundo reacções de metátese, reacções de Heck e reacções de ciclo-adição 1,3- dipolar. Nas reacções de ciclo-adição obtiveram-se apenas produtos resultantes do acoplamento de porfirinas ao aminoácido. Para culminar estes estudos usou-se a 2-formil-5,10,15,20-tetra-arilporfirina e diversos aminoácidos como precursores de iletos de azometino porfirínicos. Segundo esta abordagem, verificou-se que a cadeia lateral do aminoácido influencia o tipo de produto formado, tendo-se obtido novas clorinas, β-imidoporfirinas e porfirinas funcionalizadas na posição β-pirrólica com grupos amino. A estrutura dos compostos sintetizados foi estabelecida recorrendo a Espectroscopia de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear (RMN de 1H, 13C, COSY, HSQC, HMBC e NOESY), Espectrometria de Massa em MALDI, UV-Vis e, em alguns casos, Difractometria de raios-X. Já na quarta parte desta dissertação, o leitor é introduzido ao conceito de química supramolecular e à utilização de meso-(p-carboxifenil)porfirinas em sistemas auto-organizados. É descrita a formação de agregados J distintos a partir dos isómeros 5,10-bis-(4-carboxifenil)-15,20-difenilporfirina e 5,15-bis-(4- carboxifenil)-10,20-difenilporfirina e comprova-se que o tipo de arquitectura e a extensão deste sistema são impostas pela estrutura do cromóforo. A avaliação da formação destes sistemas foi efectuada recorrendo a técnicas de UV-vis, Fluorescência, CD, RLS e FLIM.