Regulation of food intake by mechanosensory ion channels in enteric neurons.

Regulation of food intake is fundamental to energy homeostasis in animals. The contribution of non-nutritive and metabolic signals in regulating feeding is unclear. Here we show that enteric neurons play a major role in regulating feeding through specialized mechanosensory ion channels in Drosophila.

Arsenic and copper stabilisation in a contaminated soil by coal fly ash and green waste compost.

In situ metal stabilisation by amendments has been demonstrated as an appealing low-cost remediation strategy for contaminated soil. This study investigated the short-term leaching behaviour and long-term stability of As and Cu in soil amended with coal fly ash and/or green waste compost. Locally abundant inorganic (limestone and bentonite) and carbonaceous (lignite) resources were also studied for comparison.

Utilizing acid mine drainage sludge and coal fly ash for phosphate removal from dairy wastewater.

This study aims to investigate a new and sustainable approach for the reuse of industrial by-products from wastewater treatment. The dairy industry produces huge volumes of wastewater, characterized by high levels of phosphate that can result in eutrophication and degradation of aquatic ecosystems. This study evaluated the application of acid mine drainage (AMD) sludge, coal fly ash, and lignite as low-cost adsorbents for the removal of phosphate from dairy wastewater.

Soil stabilisation using AMD sludge, compost and lignite: TCLP leachability and continuous acid leaching.

Utilising locally available industrial by-products for in situ metal stabilisation presents a low-cost remediation approach for contaminated soil. This study explored the potential use of inorganic (acid mine drainage (AMD) sludge and zero-valent iron) and carbonaceous materials (green waste compost, manure compost, and lignite) for minimising the environmental risks of As and Cu at a timber treatment site. After 9-month soil incubation, significant sequestration of As and Cu in soil solution was accomplished by AMD sludge, on which adsorption and co-precipitation could take place.

In vitro cross-resistance profile of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) BMS-986001 against known NRTI resistance mutations.

BMS-986001 is a novel HIV nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI). To date, little is known about its resistance profile. In order to examine the cross-resistance profile of BMS-986001 to NRTI mutations, a replicating virus system was used to examine specific amino acid mutations known to confer resistance to various NRTIs.

Real-time detection of concealed chemical hazards under ambient light conditions using Raman spectroscopy.

Current concerns regarding terrorism and international crime highlight the need for new techniques for detecting unknown and hazardous substances. A novel Raman spectroscopy-based technique, spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS), was recently devised for noninvasively probing the contents of diffusely scattering and opaque containers. Here, we demonstrate a modified portable SORS sensor for detecting concealed substances in-field under different background lighting conditions.

Standoff Raman spectrometry for the non-invasive detection of explosives precursors in highly fluorescing packaging.

Noninvasive standoff deep Raman spectroscopy has been utilised for the detection of explosives precursors in highly fluorescing packaging from 15m. To our knowledge this is the first time standoff deep Raman spectroscopy of concealed substances in highly fluorescing coloured packaging is demonstrated. Time-resolved Raman spectroscopy, spatially offset Raman spectroscopy and time-resolved spatially offset Raman spectroscopy have been compared to identify their selectivity towards the deep layers of a sample.

Enhanced phosphoserine insertion during Escherichia coli protein synthesis via partial UAG codon reassignment and release factor 1 deletion.

Genetically encoded phosphoserine incorporation programmed by the UAG codon was achieved by addition of engineered elongation factor and an archaeal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase to the normal Escherichia coli translation machinery (Park et al., 2011) Science 333, 1151). However, protein yield suffers from expression of the orthogonal phosphoserine translation system and competition with release factor 1 (RF-1).

Deep Raman spectroscopy for the non-invasive standoff detection of concealed chemical threat agents.

Deep Raman spectroscopy has been utilized for the standoff detection of concealed chemical threat agents from a distance of 15 m under real life background illumination conditions. By using combined time and space resolved measurements, various explosive precursors hidden in opaque plastic containers were identified non-invasively. Our results confirm that combined time and space resolved Raman spectroscopy leads to higher selectivity towards the sub-layer over the surface layer as well as enhanced rejection of fluorescence from the container surface when compared to standoff spatially offset Raman spectroscopy.

Noninvasive, quantitative analysis of drug mixtures in containers using spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) and multivariate statistical analysis.

In this paper, spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) is demonstrated for noninvasively investigating the composition of drug mixtures inside an opaque plastic container. The mixtures consisted of three components including a target drug (acetaminophen or phenylephrine hydrochloride) and two diluents (glucose and caffeine). The target drug concentrations ranged from 5% to 100%.

Combined time- and space-resolved Raman spectrometer for the non-invasive depth profiling of chemical hazards.

A time-resolved inverse spatially offset Raman spectrometer was constructed for depth profiling of Raman-active substances under both the lab and the field environments. The system operating principles and performance are discussed along with its advantages relative to traditional continuous wave spatially offset Raman spectrometer. The developed spectrometer uses a combination of space- and time-resolved detection in order to obtain high-quality Raman spectra from substances hidden behind coloured opaque surface layers, such as plastic and garments, with a single measurement.

Spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) for the analysis and detection of packaged pharmaceuticals and concealed drugs.

Spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) is a powerful new technique for the non-invasive detection and identification of concealed substances and drugs. Here, we demonstrate the SORS technique in several scenarios that are relevant to customs screening, postal screening, drug detection and forensics applications. The examples include analysis of a multi-layered postal package to identify a concealed substance; identification of an antibiotic capsule inside its plastic blister pack; analysis of an envelope containing a powder; and identification of a drug dissolved in a clear solvent, contained in a non-transparent plastic bottle.

In vitro model of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) synthesis by UV radiation: dose-response relationships.

Vitamin D deficiency is a major health concern worldwide. Very little is understood regarding its production in the human body by exposure to UV radiation. In particular, we have no means of predicting how much vitamin D (cholecalciferol) will be produced in the skin after exposure to sunlight.

Location and vitamin D synthesis: is the hypothesis validated by geophysical data?

The literature reports strong correlations between UV exposure and latitude gradients of diseases. Evidence is emerging about the protective effects of UV exposure for cancer (breast, colo-rectal, prostate), autoimmune diseases (multiple sclerosis, type II diabetes) and even mental disorders, such as schizophrenia. For the first time, the available levels of vitamin D producing UV or "vitamin D UV" (determined from the previtamin D action spectrum) and erythemal (sunburning) UV from throughout the USA are measured and compared, using measurements from seven locations in the USA are measured and compared, using measurements from seven locations in the US EPA's high accuracy Brewer Spectrophotometer network.