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Many techniques for performing the gastrojejunostomy required in the laparoscopic roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) have been described. The current study presents the results of a previously unreported method.A total of 21 patients (2 men and 19 women) with morbid obesity underwent LRYGB over a period of 5 months. The gastrojejunostomy was created by performing a gastric transection to form a 20- to 30-ml pouch using a linear stapler. This was followed by gastrotomy using an ultrasonic scalpel along the anterior surface of the pouch. A purse-string suture then was placed circumferentially using standard laparoscopic intracorporeal suturing with an Endo-stitch device. Finally, a 25-mm circular stapler anvil was placed within the abdomen via the 15-mm left lower quadrant port site. The shaft of the anvil was grasped; the head of the anvil was “dunked” into the gastrotomy; and the purse-string suture was tied intracorporeally.A total of 21 patients have undergone LRYGB at the authors’ institution using this technique. The early results have been excellent in all cases, with no leaks, no strictures, and no obstructions.Gastrotomy with anvil dunk is a reproducible and safe method for constructing the gastrojejunostomy. It is an advanced laparoscopic technique that closely resembles open surgical techniques and provides a safe alternative to existing methods.

In this research, changes during frozen storage in some physicochemical characteristics of coroba (Jessenia polycarpa Karst) pulp, a Venezuelan native palmaceae, were evaluated. The freezing curve was drawn and the value -3°C was established as the initial freezing temperature of coroba pulp. A commercial freezer was used by storage at -18°C for 90 days. Every 15 days were determined: pH, soluble solids (°Brix), titrable acidity (g of citric acid/100 g of pulp), peroxide value and total carotenoids content (mg of β-caroten/Kg of pulp). Then 30 days in stotage, the values of pH, titrable acidity and°Brix showed significant differences (P<0.05). Total carotenoids content showed significant reduction (P<0.05) during all evaluation and total loss of carotenoids was 57.87%. Peroxide value showed significant changes (P<0.05) then 60 days but were lower than maximun limit established by Venezuelan rules for edible fats and oils. © 2005 Altaga. All rights reserved.En esta investigacion se evaluo el comportamiento de algunas caracteristicas fisicoquimicas de la pulpa de coroba (Jessenia polycarpa Karst), una palmaceae autoctona venezolana, durante el almacenamiento congelado sin adicion de preservantes. Se obtuvo la curva de congelacion y de ella se dedujo como temperatura inicial de congelacion de la pulpa de la coroba el valor -3°C. El almacenamiento se realizo en un congelador comercial a -18°C durante 90 dias. A intervalos de 15 dias se determino los siguientes parametros: pH, solidos solubles (°Brix), acidez titulable (g de acido citrico/100g de pulpa), indice de peroxidos y contenido total de carotenoides (mg de β-caroteno/kg de pulpa). A partir del dia 30 se observaron cambios significativos (P<0,05) en los valores de pH, acidez titulable y°Brix. El contenido total de carotenoides disminuyo significativamente (P<0,05) durante el almacenamiento, siendo la perdida total de carotenoides de 57,87% de su valor inicial. El indice de peroxidos se mantuvo sin cambios significativos (P>0,05) hasta el dia 60, luego mostro incrementos significativos (P<0,05) pero los valores estuvieron por debajo del limite maximo permitido por la normativa venezolana para el indice de peroxidos de aceites y grasas comestibles. © 2005 Altaga. Todos los derechos reservados.Palabras clave: Palma coroba, alimentos congelados, aceites y grasas, carotenoides, Caicara del Orinoco.Nesta investigacion avaliouse o comportamiento dalgunhas caracteristicas fisicoquimicas da pulpa de coroba (Jessenia polycarpa Karst), unha palmaceae autoctona venezolana, durante o almacenamento conxelado sen adicion de preservantes. Obtivose a curva de conxelacion y dela deduxose como temperatura inicial de conxelacion da pulpa da coroba o valor -3°C. O almacenamento fixose nun conxelador comercial a -18°C durante 90 dias. A intervalos de 15 dias determinaronse os seguintes parametros: pH, solidos solubles (°Brix), acidez titulable (g de acido citrico/100 g de pulpa), indice de peroxidos e contido total de carotenoides (mg de β-caroteno/kg de pulpa). A partir do dia 30 observaronse significativos (P<0,05) nos valores de pH, acidez titulable e°Brix. O contido total de carotenoides diminuiu significativamente (P<0,05) durante o almacenamento, sendo a perda total de carotenoides de 57,87 % do seu valor inicial. O indice de peroxidos mantivose sen cambios significativos (P>0,05) ata o dia 60, logo mostrou incrementos significativos (P<0,05) pero os valores estiveron por debaixo do limite maximo permitido pola normativa venezolana para o indice de peroxidos de aceites e grasas comestibles. © 2005 Altaga. Todolos dereitos reservados.Palabras chave: Palma coroba, alimentos conxelados, aceites e graxas, carotenoides, Caicara do Orinoco.

An efficient synthetic route to a novel macrocyclic aryl α-diimine ligand bearing C6 hydrocarbon bridges connecting the aryl ortho positions is described. Pd(II) and Ni(II) complexes with the new macrocyclic ligand (10 and 14) were successfully synthesized and characterized. The X-ray crystal structures of complexes 10 and 14 show that the complexes exhibit coordination geometry similar to that of their acyclic analogues and the alkyl bridges do not introduce significant ring strain into the complexes. The preactivated Pd(II) complex 12 and the allyl nickel complex 14 were tested for ethylene polymerization. Potential reasons for the low catalytic activities are discussed.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae cultures growing exponentially and after starvation are distinctly different, as shown by several studies at the physiological, biochemical, and morphological levels. One group of studies attempted to be mechanistic, characterizing a few molecules and interactions, while another focused on global observations but remained descriptive or at best phenomenological. Recent advances in large-scale molecular profiling technologies, theoretical, and computational biology, are making possible integrative studies of biological systems, where global observations are explained through computational models with solid theoretical bases. A case study of the systems biology approach applied to the characterization of baker's yeast cultures in exponential growth and post-diauxic phases is presented. Twenty cell cultures of S. cerevisiae were grown under similar environmental conditions. Samples from ten of these cultures were collected 11 hours after inoculation, while samples from the other ten were collected 4 days after inoculation. These samples were analyzed for their RNA and metabolite composition using Affymetrix chips and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The data were interpreted with statistical analyses and through the use of computer simulations of a kinetic model that was built by merging two independent models of glycolysis and glycerol biosynthesis. The simulation results agree with the exponential growth phase data, while no model is available for the post-diauxic phase. We discuss the need for expanding the number of kinetic models of S. cerevisiae, combining metabolism and genetic regulation, and covering all of its biochemistry.

Herein we describe an efficient synthesis of cyclophanes comprised of intra-annular nitrogen functional groups through a template-promoted cyclization by ring-closing metathesis (RCM). The synthesis proceeds through condensation of meta-styryl anilines with acenaphthenequinone to form the templates, followed by RCM with Grubb's second-generation catalyst to afford cyclophanes with internal α-diimine functionality. Prolonged hydrogenation efficiently removes the template to provide a macrocycle containing the diamine functionality.

•Stretchable supercapacitors were fabricated with silicon elastomers and CNT sheets.•The maximum capacitance observed was 1328 F/g at 50% strain.•The output voltage changed from 1.05 to 0.32 V after stretching the devices from 0 to 100%.•The carboxylic groups and oxygen vacancies served as redox center for the storage of charge.

The advent of large data sets, such as those produced in metabolomics, presents a considerable challenge in terms of their interpretation. Several mathematical and statistical methods have been proposed to analyse these data, and new ones continue to appear. However, these methods often disagree in their analyses, and their results are hard to interpret. A major contributing factor for the difficulties in interpreting these data lies in the data analysis methods themselves, which have not been thoroughly studied under controlled conditions. We have been producing synthetic data sets by simulation of realistic biochemical network models with the purpose of comparing data analysis methods. Because we have full knowledge of the underlying ‘biochemistry’ of these models, we are better able to judge how well the analyses reflect true knowledge about the system. Another advantage is that the level of noise in these data is under our control and this allows for studying how the inferences are degraded by noise. Using such a framework, we have studied the extent to which correlation analysis of metabolomics data sets is capable of recovering features of the biochemical system. We were able to identify four major metabolic regulatory configurations that result in strong metabolite correlations. This example demonstrates the utility of biochemical simulation in the analysis of metabolomics data.

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)-k-carregeenan polymer electrolyte blend was prepared and incorporated as the electrolyte system in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). Polymer blends prepared with different k-carrageenan concentrations and molecular weights were investigated. It was found that the conductivity of the polymer blend increases with higher k-carrageenan concentration, and lowers with degraded k-carregeenan. The polymer blend was incorporated in a DSSC and yielded a solar cell with efficiency (e) of 0.421%.

Allopatric speciation was originally suggested to be the primary mechanism of animal speciation (Mayr, 1942; Figure 1). During allopatric speciation, populations diverge when gene flow is reduced across significant biogeographic barriers. Sympatric speciation, where species diverge while inhabiting the same location, was thought to be essentially impossible. However, the advent of theoretical models followed by new experimental evidence made sympatric speciation more plausible (Via, 2001). The cichlid fishes of Barombi Mbo, a small crater lake in western Cameroon, became one of the most widely accepted examples of sympatric speciation (Schliewen, Tautz, & Paabo, 1994). Although the phylogenetic history of this clade is not quite as simple as originally thought, it remains one of the best examples of sympatric speciation (Richards, Poelstra, & Martin, 2018). However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms contributing to the splitting of these species in situ. In a From the Cover article in this issue of Molecular Ecology, Musilova et al. (2019) focus on the diversity of visual systems among these fishes. They identify genetic changes associated with several aspects of visual adaptation that may have contributed to the ecological specialization and sympatric speciation of cichlids in this lake., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)