New functional fibre in milk puddings: Effect on sensory properties and consumers' acceptability

The effect of the addition of a new functional fibre (high-amylose maize starch, HAMS, as a source of resistant starch), recently available in the market, on sensory characteristics and consumers' acceptability of milk puddings was studied. Milk puddings containing modified waxy maize starch and κ-carrageenan were produced with different HAMS concentrations (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4%). Higher HAMS concentration caused changes in the sensory characteristics of milk puddings. Particularly, sensory attributes such as some roughness, rough afterfeel and floury taste appeared. Besides, the addition of HAMS caused an increase in manual and oral thickness and a decrease in creaminess, melting, and sweetness. A HAMS enrichment level of 1.4% in this product was estimated as the maximum concentration that does not significantly modify consumers' overall acceptability. Using survival analysis the proportion of consumers who would buy milk desserts containing 1.4 % HAMS was estimated as 71%. Consumers more interested in consuming functional foods enriched with fibre were more tolerant to the sensory changes caused by the addition of HAMS to the milk puddings.     

Large‐scale shaking table test on pile‐soil‐structure interaction on soft soils

The two large‐scale shaking table tests of tall buildings on soft soils in pile group foundations are performed to capture the effect of the seismic pile‐soil‐structure interaction (PSSI) on the dynamic responses of the pile, soil, and structure. The two different model conditions are observed, including a fixed‐base structure and a structure supported by 3‐by‐3 pile group foundation in soft soil, representing the situations excluding the soil‐structure interaction (SSI) and considering the SSI, respectively. In the tests, the superstructure is a tall building with 12‐story reinforced concrete frame. The pile‐soil‐structure system rests in a shear laminar soil container, which is designed to minimize the boundary effects during shaking table tests. The two models are subjected to various intensity seismic excitations of Shanghai bedrock waves, 1995 Kobe earthquake, and 1999 Chi‐Chi earthquake events. According to the experimental and analytical results, SSI systems have longer natural periods than the fixed‐base structure. In addition, soft soil has amplification effect under smaller seismic excitations and isolation effects under larger earthquake intensities. The strain amplitude at the top of pile is large, and the strain at the middle and tip is relatively small. Whereas the contact pressure is small at the top of pile and large at the middle and tip. From the dynamic responses of the superstructure, it is found that the PSSI amplifies the peak displacements and interstory drifts of the structures supported by pile group foundations by comparing with the fixed‐base structure. Whereas the peak acceleration and interstory shear force of the structure are reduced considering seismic PSSI. The results show that the seismic SSI is not always favorable, however, it may increase certain dynamic responses of the structure. Consequently, the seismic SSI should be considered reasonably, providing insight towards the rational seismic design of buildings rested on soft soils.     

Can people really “laugh at themselves?”—Experimental and correlational evidence.

Laughing at oneself is considered a core component of the sense of humor in the theories of several authors. In McGhee's (1996) eight-step-training program of the sense of humor, laughing at oneself constitutes one of the most difficult levels. However, until now, only little empirical evidence on laughing at oneself exists. Using a multimethod approach, in the current study, 70 psychology students and a total of 126 peers filled in the Sense of Humor Scale (SHS, McGhee, 1996), containing as a subscale “Laughing at oneself”. In addition, the participants answered the Trait and State forms of the State-Trait-Cheerfulness-Inventory (STCI, Ruch, K?hler, & van Thriel, 1996; Ruch, K?hler, & van Thriel, 1997). They then were confronted with six distorted images of themselves. Facial responses of the participants were videotaped and analyzed using the Facial Action Coding System (FACS, Ekman, Friesen, & Hager, 2002). Four indicators of exhilaration were examined: (a) experienced funniness, (b) AU12 smiles, (c) Duchenne displays, and (d) laughter. Furthermore, fake and masking smiles were studied. Results demonstrated that self- and peer reports of “laughing at oneself” converged moderately. All four indicators of exhilaration were shown, but funniness and laughter seemed to be the most strongly related indicators. Trait cheerfulness and (low) seriousness, and a cheerful mood state formed further characteristics of persons who laugh at themselves. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Blood lead (Pb) levels: Further evidence for an environmental mechanism explaining the association between socioeconomic status and psychophysiological dysregulation in children.

Objective: The authors recently reported that blood lead (Pb) was a significant mediator for the positive association between socioeconomic status (SES) and peripheral vascular responses to acute stress in children (B. B. Gump et al., 2007). The present study considers the possibility that Pb may also mediate an association between SES and cortisol responses to acute stress. Design: Early childhood Pb exposure was tested as a mediator for cross-sectional associations between SES and cortisol responses. Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was cortisol responses to acute stress in 9.5-year-old children (N = 108). Results: Lower family income was associated with significantly greater cortisol levels following an acute stress task. A mediational analysis confirmed that Pb was a significant mediator for this association. Conclusion: These results reaffirm the importance of considering the chemical environment as well as social and psychological environment when evaluating psychophysiological effects of low SES. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Semiconductor properties and redox responses at a-C:N thin film electrochemical electrodes

The semiconductor capacitances of the nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon (a-C:N) materials with different sp³/sp² C ratios were studied as a function of electrode potential in a-C:N/aqueous electrolyte systems. This dependence of capacitance on electrode potential in aqueous 0.1 M NaOH shows that the investigated a-C:N materials are intrinsic semiconductors. The space-charge layers inside the a-C:N electrodes behave similar to a Helmholtz layer because of the presence of surface states when the electrolytes contain O₂ or anions other than OH⁻. The lower density and mobility of carriers of materials with a higher sp³ C fraction within the a-C:N material causes a suppression of redox reactions, and the lower density of carriers contributes to a lower capacitance.     

Corrugator muscle responses are associated with individual differences in positivity-negativity bias.

Corrugator supercilii muscle activity is considered an objective measure of valence because it increases in response to negatively valenced facial expressions (angry) and decreases to positive expressions (happy). The authors sought to determine if corrugator activity could be used as an objective measure of positivity-negativity bias. The authors recorded corrugator responses as participants rated angry, happy, and surprised faces as “positive” or “negative.” The critical measure of bias was the percentage of positive versus negative ratings assigned to surprised faces by each participant. Reaction times for surprise expressions were longer than for happy and angry expressions, consistent with their ambiguous valence. Participants who tended to rate surprised faces as negative showed increased corrugator activity to surprised faces, whereas those who tended to rate surprise as positive showed decreased activity. Critically, corrugator responses reflected the participants’ bias (i.e., their tendency to rate surprise as positive or negative). These data show that surprised faces constitute a useful tool for assessing individual differences in positivity-negativity bias, and that corrugator activity can objectively reflect this bias. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Impact of asthma,exposure period,and filters on human responses during exposures to ozone and its initiated chemistry products

The impact of asthma, exposure period, and filter condition downstream of the mixing box of air‐conditioning system on building occupants' perceptual response, work performance, and salivary α‐amylase secretion during exposures to ozone and its initiated chemistry products is studied. The experiments were conducted in a field environmental chamber (FEC) (240 m³) simulating an office environment. Experiments were conducted during periods when the air‐handling system operated with new or used pleated panel filters at constant recirculation (7/h) and ventilation (1/h) rates. Average ozone and secondary organic aerosols (ozone‐initiated chemistry products) measured during non‐asthmatic and asthmatic subjects' 3‐h exposures in the FEC were in the ranges approximately 20–37 ppb and approximately 1.6–3 μg/m³, respectively. Asthmatic subjects' perceived odor intensity and sensory (eye, nose, and throat) irritation ratings were generally lower than those of non‐asthmatic subjects, possibly explaining why asthmatic subjects accept perceived air quality more than non‐asthmatic subjects. However, asthmatic subjects' perceived physiological‐like symptom ratings (flu, chest tightness, and headache) and concentrations of secreted salivary α‐amylase were generally higher than those of non‐asthmatic subjects. Asthmatic subjects had significantly lower accuracy than non‐asthmatic subjects in a task that required higher concentration although they had higher work speed. Filter condition did not make any significant difference for subjects' responses.     

Sex differences in electrophysiological and behavioral responses to NaCl taste.

We tested the hypothesis that sex differences in preference for NaCl are attributable to estrogen-mediated alterations in gustatory processing. Electrophysiological responses of the chorda tympani nerve to NaCl were blunted by estrogen treatment in ovariectomized female rats, suggesting that females are less sensitive to concentrated NaCl solutions during high estrogen conditions. In contrast, after a taste aversion was conditioned to 150-mM NaCl, estrogen- and oil-treated ovariectomized rats generalized the aversion to a lower concentration of NaCl than did males, suggesting that females are more sensitive to the taste of dilute NaCl solutions regardless of estrogen. Thus, sex differences in NaCl preferences may be attributable to differences in NaCl taste processing that involve both acute and developmental effects of estrogen. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

设置F-Ved建筑结构空间协同工作控制研究

根据粘弹性阻尼器和摩擦阻尼器各自的特点，提出一种新型粘弹性－摩擦阻尼器（F－Ved）耗能装置，推导了粘弹性－摩擦阻尼器和人字型支撑的阻合层间单元刚度矩阵和控制力向量；并基于框架结构的空间特性，建立了设置（F－Ved）框架结构在考虑空间协同分析的基础上地震反应时程分析的控制方法，应用此方法，对设置F－Ved的钢筋混凝土框架结构进行了在罕遇地震和多遇地震作用下的时程分析，并根据计算结果与其减震效果进行了分析讨论。     

非零初始值非线性系统的求解和传递函数的递推计算

本文给出一种非常简便的初始值全零和初始值非零的非线性系统Volterra响应和传递函数的递推求法,且所得传递函数是一个对称化的频域核。