Self-Reported News Attention Does Assess Differential Processing of Media Content: An Experiment on Risk Perceptions Utilizing a Random Sample of U.S. Local Crime and Accident News

Evidence for media effects in survey research often depends upon measures of self-reported attention to various types of media content, under the assumption that such attention measures gauge the extent of cognitive processing of content. However, effects associated with self-reports of attention might often be due to reverse causation (the attitude or knowledge tested as the outcome might in fact give rise to self-reports of greater attention) or third variable effects. To better assess whether self-reported attention to content actually measures differential processing of content, an experiment was conducted in the context of media influences on health and safety risk perceptions. A pool of 120 eligible news stories concerning violent crime, car crashes, and other unintentional injuries was randomly selected from a national random sample of such news coverage. These stories were manipulated to contain or not contain reference to alcohol as a contributing factor in the incident. Consistent with predictions and prior cross-sectional survey results, self-reports of attention and the exposure treatment interacted in estimating concern about alcohol-related risks, with the pattern of results suggesting that between-participant differences in self-reports of attention in fact reflected differences in processing of the message. Methodological advantages of using random samples of messages in experiments for inference are also discussed.     

A full-wave analysis of interconnection planar lines applications to structures with finite ground plane

The high integration level associated to the increase of the operating frequency of microelectronic integrated circuits create complex electromagnetic coupling in the interconnection lines which lead to mismatch and frequency dispersion. In the present paper, we propose a full-wave analysis to characterise the electromagnetic behaviour of interconnection planar lines using mixed-potential integral equations technique. The theoretical and numerical treatments of Green’s functions for the specific structures are firstly presented. The calculated results for parallel and coplanar strips are compared to the published ones. The effect of the finite ground plane on the propagation constant and the characteristic impedance is then analysed for different permittivities. The obtained theoretical and experimental results for the reflection coefficient of straight resonators confirm finally the observed effect of the finite ground plane on the frequency dispersion and the scattering characteristics.     

Dropping False Packet to Increase the Network Lifetime of Wireless Sensor Network using EFDD Protocol

In Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) sensors are densely deployed where the intruders can compromise some sensor nodes and inject false data in order to raise false alarms, reduce network lifetime, utilize bandwidth resources and so on. False Data Injection can possibly occur in Data Aggregation (DA) and Data Forwarding (DF). This paper analyses EFDD Protocol-Early False Data Detection Protocol which addresses the two possibilities in a simple and secure way considering the constraints of sensor nodes. The main idea is the selection of the network structure; this protocol will work effectively in Spatial/Semantic Correlation Tree Structure (SCT). False Data Detection in DA is done using some monitoring nodes which will monitor the Data Aggregator. EFDD in SCT structure reduce the counterfeit data transmission when compared to other structure in a better way. The result shows that EFDD reduce data transmission by dropping false data earlier and it also reduces computation when compared to the existing schemes.     

Degradation of cell wall material of apple and wheat bran by human faecal bacteria in vitro

The effect of the structures of plant cell walls and their component polymers on the degradability of dietary fibre by bacteria of the human colon was investigated by inoculating culture media containing cell wall materials of apple and wheat bran with slurries of human faeces which were then incubated for periods of up to 72 h. In the apple substrates the amounts of pectic polysaccharides were extensively depleted after 12 h, and after 24 h over 90% of the initial carbohydrate had been degraded. Material which remained after incubation was probably comprised of highly branched fragments of rhamnogalacturonans, cross-linked by phenolics and proteins, highly branched fragments of cross-linked xyloglucans, and degraded cellulose. In wheat bran the aleurone layer was preferentially degraded, but the glucuronoarabinoxylans, which were cross-linked by phenolic groups, and the lignified outer layers of the bran were very resistant to attack. Bacteria adhered mainly to the broken or damaged surfaces of the plant cell walls, and in the more resistant tissues only penetrated the intercellular regions.     

Applications of laser Raman microprobe spectroscopy to the characterization of coals and cokes

Optical microscopy is widely used in the characterization of coals and cokes. This Paper shows that the laser Raman microprobe (MOLE) which combines an optical microscope and a Raman spectrometer can provide useful additional information. Three main areas were investigated: identification of minerals in coal and coke; structural characterization of coals and cokes; and the interaction of inorganic additives and coal. Where possible, the results were compared with conventional optical microscopy measurements whereby it was shown that the optical texture and Raman spectra of cokes are not closely related. The Raman spectra of high temperature cokes were used to estimate the size of microcrystalline regions.     

Evaluation of ascorbic acid and sugar degradation products during fruit dessert processing under conventional or ohmic heating treatment

The effects of conventional heating (C) or ohmic heating (O) treatment on the degradation of sugar and ascorbic acid (AA) were evaluated in chunky fruit desserts prepared with apple puree (Golden Delicious var.) and chunky peach (Panavi var.) pieces. Concentrations of 5-HMF, furfural (F), 3-hydroxy-2-pyrone (3H2P) and 2-furoic acid (FA) were determined to assess the importance of oxidative and/or thermal reactions during processing. Depending on the thermal processing, 5-HMF and F levels in samples ranged from not detected to 3260 and from not detected to 570 μg/100 g FW respectively. Production of 3H2P and FA ranged from 480 to 2670 and from 84 to 420 μg/100 g FW respectively. Results showed that the impact of final heating treatment on the formation of AA degradation products (3H2P and FA) was minor, if any. Thus, AA degradation during apple products processing mainly depended on oxidative reactions pathway. Likewise, ohmic heating processing had very little effect on the formation of 5-HMF and F, in opposite to conventional heating.     

A comparative study on the antioxidative and anti‐allergic activities of fresh and aged black garlic extracts

The antioxidative and anti‐allergic activities of fresh and aged black garlic extracts were investigated. The garlic samples were extracted with 70% ethanol (v/v) and the total phenolic content was measured. The antioxidant capacity of extracts was assessed by determining the scavenging activities on 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl and hydroxyl radicals, ferricyanide reducing power, ferrous ion‐chelating ability and inhibitory effect on linoleic acid peroxidation. The anti‐allergic activity of extracts was analysed by measuring their inhibitory effects against β‐hexosaminidase release. The aged black garlic exhibited significantly higher phenolic content and greater antioxidative activity than fresh garlic. Both garlic extracts showed strong antioxidant capacity in a dose‐dependent manner. On the other hand, a considerably higher suppression of β‐hexosaminidase release was found in fresh garlic extract at lower concentration compared with that of the black garlic. Results of this study illustrate that ageing of garlic could enhance its antioxidant capacity, but could decrease its anti‐allergic activity.     

Physicochemical Properties and Eating Qualities of Milled Rice from Different Korean Elite Rice Varieties

Physicochemical properties and palatability of rice from six elite varieties in Korea (Chucheongbyeo, Saechucheongbyeo, Mihyangbyeo, Hitomebore, Nampyeongbyeo, and Ilpumbyeo) were analyzed. All samples, which contained 17–18 g/100 g rice starch amylose, belong to low-amylose rice group. Hitomebore variety showed abundant amount of essential amino acids, highest palatability score (82.9), and lowest mineral content. The rice samples contained relatively similar concentrations of saturated (21–24 g/100 g rice) and unsaturated (75–78 g/100 g rice) fatty acids. Mihyangbyeo variety exhibited the highest amount of protein (8.10 g/100 g rice), sugar content, and pasting temperature (82.75°C) and time (3.78 min), but lowest viscosity values. Ribose, rhamnose, and potassium were found to have negative correlations with palatability and breakdown viscosity, indicating that gelatinization characteristics could also be used in evaluating the eating quality of rice. Results of this study could assist plant breeders in developing rice varieties with improved genetic traits and high eating quality.     

Characterisation of phenolic extracts from olive pulp and olive pomace by electrospray mass spectrometry

Methanol extracts of olive pomace (two‐phase olive oil extraction) and olive pulp were analysed by reverse phase HPLC and the eluted fractions were characterised by electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry. This technique allowed the identification of some common phenolic compounds, namely, verbascoside, rutin, caffeoyl‐quinic acid, luteolin‐4‐glucoside and 11‐methyl‐oleoside. Hydroxytyrosol‐1′‐β‐glucoside, luteolin‐7‐rutinoside and oleoside were also detected. Moreover, this technique enabled the identification, for the first time in Olea europaea tissues, of two oleoside derivatives, 6′‐β‐glucopyranosyl‐oleoside and 6′‐β‐rhamnopyranosyl‐oleoside, and of 10‐hydroxy‐oleuropein. Also, an oleuropein glucoside that had previously been identified in olive leaves was now detected in olive fruit, both in olive pulp and olive pomace. With the exception of oleoside and oleuropein, the majority of phenolic compounds were found to occur in equivalent amounts in olive pulp and olive pomace. Oleoside was the main phenolic compound in olive pulp (31.6 mg g^?1) but was reduced to 3.6 mg g^?1 in olive pomace, and oleuropein (2.7 mg g^?1 in the pulp) almost disappeared (<0.1 mg g^?1 in the pomace). Both these phenolic compounds were degraded during the olive oil extraction process. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Electrochemical nucleic acid-based sensors for detection of Escherichia coli and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli—Review of the recent developments

Escherichia coli are a group of bacteria that are a natural part of the intestinal flora of warm-blooded animals, including humans. Most E. coli are nonpathogenic and essential for the normal function of a healthy intestine. However, certain types, such as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), which is a foodborne pathogen, can cause a life-threatening illness. The development of point-of-care devices for the rapid detection of E. coli is of significant interest with regard to ensuring food safety. The most suitable way to distinguish between generic E. coli and STEC is by using nucleic acid-based detection, focusing on the virulence factors. Electrochemical sensors based on nucleic acid recognition have attracted much attention in recent years for use in pathogenic bacteria detection. This review has summarized nucleic acid-based sensors for the detection of generic E. coli and STEC since 2015. First, the sequences of the genes used as recognition probes are discussed and compared to the most recent research regarding the specific detection of general E. coli and STEC. Subsequently, the collected literature regarding nucleic acid-based sensors is described and discussed. The traditional sensors were divided into four categories such as gold, indium tin oxide, carbon-based electrodes, and those using magnetic particles. Finally, we summarized the future trends in nucleic acid-based sensor development for E. coli and STEC including some examples of fully integrated devices.