Combination of freeze drying and molecular inclusion techniques improves the bioaccessibility of microencapsulated anthocyanins from black rice (Oryza sativa L.) and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia L.) essential oils in a model food system

Black rice and lavender are promising sources of bioactives, in terms of anthocyanins and essential oils. Their bioaccessibility were improved by microencapsulation, followed by mixing in order to benefit both from colour and flavour, along with radical scavenging and biological properties. The mixed powder showed a satisfactory anthocyanins of 2.55 mg g⁻¹ DW, leading to a radical scavenging activity of 65.14 mmol g⁻¹ DW. The powder displayed an inhibitory effect against α-glucosidase (~49%) and α-amylase (39%), respectively, with a controlled release in intestinal environment. To further examine the functional properties, the powder was added to a food model system. During storage, a release in anthocyanins and flavonoids were found, leading to an increase in radical scavenging activity. The sensorial analysis showed that supplemented biscuits were appreciated for colour and lavender aroma. The obtained results were promising in tailoring the health benefits of secondary metabolites, underutilised in human’s nutrition due to their low stability and bioavailability.     

The Effect of Electroporation of a Lyotroic Liquid Crystal Genistein-Based Formulation in the Recovery of Murine Melanoma Lesions

A lamellar lyotropic liquid crystal genistein-based formulation (LLC-Gen) was prepared in order to increase the aqueous solubility of the lipophilic phytocompound genistein. The formulation was applied locally, in a murine model of melanoma, with or without electroporation. The results demonstrated that, when the formulation was applied by electroporation, the tumors appeared later. During the 21 days of the experiment, the LLC-Gen formulation decreased the tumor volume, the amount of melanin and the degree of erythema, but when electroporation was applied, all these parameters indicated a better prognosis even (lower tumor volume, amount of melanin and degree of erythema). Although hematoxylin–eosin (HE) staining confirmed the above events, application of the LLC-Gen formulation by electroporation did not lead to a significant effect in terms of the serum concentrations of the protein S100B and serum neuron specific enolase (NSE), or the tissue expression of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor β (PDGFRβ) antibody.     

Betulinic Acid in Complex with a Gamma-Cyclodextrin Derivative Decreases Proliferation and in Vivo Tumor Development of Non-Metastatic and Metastatic B164A5 Cells

Betulinic acid, a very promising anti-melanoma agent, has very low water solubility that causes low bioavailability. To overcome this inconvenience, a highly water-soluble cyclodextrin was used (octakis-[6-deoxy-6-(2-sulfanyl ethanesulfonic acid)]-γ-cyclodextrin). The complex was physico-chemically analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methods and then in vitro tested for its antiproliferative activity by the MTT assay and by cell cycle analysis. Finally, the complex was tested in vivo using an animal model of murine melanoma developed in C57BL/6J mice, where it caused a reduction in tumor volume and weight. The study revealed the beneficial influence of betulinic acid inclusion into the cyclodextrin in terms of antiproliferative activity and in vivo tumor development.     

Does conflict shatter trust or does trust obliterate conflict? Revisiting the relationships between team diversity, conflict, and trust.

This article explores the interplay between trust and conflict as antecedents of team effectiveness. In the first cross-sectional study, two alternative path models are tested in a sample of 174 teams (897 participants) with the emergent states of task conflict, relationship conflict, and trust acting as mediators between team demographic diversity (gender and nationality) on the one hand and perceived team effectiveness on the other. In one model trust is considered as an antecedent for the two types of conflict, while in the other the two types of conflict precede the emergence of trust. Although the fit indices for the model in which trust is considered the antecedent of conflict were slightly better, both models fitted the data well. The interdependence of trust and conflict was further explored in a second longitudinal study (49 teams), and the results showed that trust emerging in the initial team interaction phases is a good predictor for the emergence of both task and relationship conflict in further stages of team development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Impacts of Climate Variables on Residential Water Consumption in the Czech Republic

The paper investigates whether there is a statistically significant impact of short-term climate variables (specifically air temperature and rainfall) on residential water consumption at two selected case sites in the Czech Republic. The analysis is based on a unique time series of daily data from 2004–2009. The statistical methods used are CART methodology and a decomposition of these time series based on a locally weighted regression method. Apart from the data analysis results, the investigation raises several methodological questions regarding the use of daily data and the scope of analysis based on such data sets.     

Sensitivity of static noise margins to random dopant variations in 6-T SRAM cells

The random dopant induced fluctuations of static noise margins (SNM) in 6-T SRAM cells are analyzed by using the formalism of doping sensitivity functions, which show how sensitive the SNM are to variations of the doping concentration at different locations inside the cell. The technique presented in this article is based on a full circuit perturbation theory at the level of each device transport model. It provides important information for the design and optimization of SNM and can capture correlation effects of doping fluctuations inside the same semiconductor device and between more devices. The bias points and the magnitude of random dopant induced fluctuations are computed by solving the Poisson, current continuity, and density–gradient equations for all the devices self-consistently (mixed-mode simulation). Simulation results for a well scaled SRAM cell with 30 nm channel length transistors show that the most sensitive regions to doping fluctuations extend for approximately 10 nm below the oxide/semiconductor interface and are located in the middle of the conduction channels for both the p-channel and n-channel transistors. It is apparent that random dopant induced fluctuations can significantly impinge on the yield and reliability of SRAM circuits and constitute a fundamental limit for further scaling unless these devices are properly optimized.     

Design of random doping fluctuation resistant structures of semiconductor devices

An automated technique is presented for the computation of the doping profiles that minimize the intrinsic fluctuations of various parameters induced by random doping fluctuations in semiconductor devices. The technique is based on the computation of the doping sensitivity functions of the parameters under consideration and the constrained minimization of the standard deviation of fluctuations by using the Lagrange multipliers technique. The technique is then applied to the minimization of the random doping induced fluctuations of the threshold voltage in 40-nm channel length MOSFET device.     

Fault-aware Communication Mapping for NoCs with Guaranteed Latency

As feature sizes shrink, transient failures of on-chip network links become a critical problem. At the same time, many applications require guarantees on both message arrival probability and response time. We address the problem of transient link failures by means of temporally and spatially redundant transmission of messages, such that designer-imposed message arrival probabilities are guaranteed. Response time minimisation is achieved by a heuristic that statically assigns multiple copies of each message to network links, intelligently combining temporal and spatial redundancy. Concerns regarding energy consumption are addressed in two ways. First, we reduce the total amount of transmitted messages, and, second, we minimise the application response time such that the resulted time slack can be exploited for energy savings through voltage reduction. The advantages of the proposed approach are guaranteed message arrival probability and guaranteed worst case application response time.     

The effects of groups' variety and disparity on groups' cognitive complexity.

This study examined the influence of group diversity conceptualized as disparity and as variety on group cognitive complexity. Data on individual cognitive complexity and group cognitive complexity were collected in 44 groups using a conceptual mapping technique. Also data on the quality of teamwork processes and satisfaction were collected using an individual questionnaire. The results indicate that (a) gender variety has a positive impact on group cognitive complexity, (b) cognitive disparity has a negative impact on group cognitive complexity, and (c) groups with a high average individual cognitive complexity have the highest cognitive complexity as a group only if the quality of their interactions is high. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)