European consumer response to packaging technologies for improved beef safety

Beef packaging can influence consumer perceptions of beef. Although consumer perceptions and acceptance are considered to be among the most limiting factors in the application of new technologies, there is a lack of knowledge about the acceptability to consumers of beef packaging systems aimed at improved safety. This paper explores European consumers' acceptance levels of different beef packaging technologies. An online consumer survey was conducted in five European countries (n=2520). Acceptance levels among the sample ranged between 23% for packaging releasing preservative additives up to 73% for vacuum packaging. Factor analysis revealed that familiar packaging technologies were clearly preferred over non-familiar technologies. Four consumer segments were identified: the negative (31% of the sample), cautious (30%), conservative (17%) and enthusiast (22%) consumers, which were profiled based on their attitudes and beef consumption behaviour. Differences between consumer acceptance levels should be taken into account while optimising beef packaging and communicating its benefits.     

Timing-synchronization analysis for IEEE 802.11a wireless LANs in frequency-nonselective Rician fading environments

This paper derives and computes the probability of synchronization failure P/sub fail/ for IEEE 802.11a wireless LANs on frequency-flat Rician fading channels. For a frequency offset within /spl plusmn/232 kHz, it is shown that its effect on the synchronization performance is minor. The E/sub ds//N/sub 0/ ratios required to achieve P/sub fail/=10/sup -3/ and 10/sup -4/ are computed, where E/sub ds/ is the data-symbol energy. We find that E/sub ds//N/sub 0/ ratios over 20 dB are generally required for channels with Rician factors K/spl les/6 dB. In particular, E/sub ds//N/sub 0/ ratios that yield P/sub fail/=10/sup -4/ exceed 30 dB for K/spl les/4 dB.     

Sensory and Nutritional Quality of Dehydrated Potato Flakes in Long-Term Storage

ABSTRACT:  The sensory and nutritional quality of dehydrated potato flakes packaged in nr 10 cans held at ambient temperatures up to 30 y was studied. Thirteen samples of dehydrated potato flakes were obtained from donors. A consumer panel evaluated reconstituted product for appearance, aroma, texture, flavor, and overall acceptability using a 9-point hedonic scale. Overall acceptability hedonic scores ranged from 3.7 to 6.6 and declined significantly over time. Sensory shelf-life, based on a cutoff of 80% of initial overall acceptability, was 16 y. Vitamin C levels remained constant over storage time. Headspace hexanal concentrations ranged from 0 to 2.09 μg/g. There was no significant correlation between headspace hexanal of dry flakes and hedonic scores of reconstituted product. Dehydrated potato flakes appear to retain sufficient quality over time to warrant consideration for long-term storage purposes.     

Effect of oxidation on the chemical nature and distribution of low-temperature pyrolysis products from bituminous coal

Two bituminous coals, a high volatile Eastern Canadian and a medium volatile Western Canadian, were used to investigate the effect of oxidation on yields and chemical composition of gases, liquids and chars produced during coal pyrolysis. Pyrolysis experiments were performed at 500 °C using the Fischer assay method. Mild oxidation of coals resulted in a decrease of liquid hydrocarbon yields. Further coal oxidation increased the proportion of aromatic carbon in liquid products as determined by n.m.r., and also increased the content of oxygen in liquid products. The content of oxygen in chars was markedly lower than in corresponding coals. An attempt is made to explain reactions occurring during oxidation and subsequent pyrolysis of coal on the basis of differences in chemical composition of gases, liquids and chars.     

Are neutral chloroacetamide herbicide degradates of potential environmental concern? Analysis and occurrence in the upper Chesapeake Bay

Although laboratory studies have revealed that many different neutral degradates of chloroacetamide herbicides can form during thermochemical, biological, and photochemical transformations, relatively few have been sought in the environment, despite their likely generation in appreciable amounts, relative persistence, and known or potential toxicity. The present paper describes a GC/ MS method for the analysis of 20 neutral chloroacetamide degradates, along with the four parent compounds, three triazine herbicides, and two neutral triazine degradates. Using large volume injections and 300:1 concentration via solid phase extraction, detection limits for most neutral chloroacetamide degradates were in the hundreds of pg/L range (low ng/L range for degradates possessing a hydroxy group). In a depth profile taken in midsummer from the upper Chesapeake Bay, 19 of the 20 neutral chloroacetamide degradates of interest were detected, along with three ionic oxanilic acid derivatives. Of those degradates encountered, eight do not appear to have been previously reported in natural or affected environmental samples. Concentrations of most neutral chloroacetamide degradates exceeded those of the parent compounds, while the total concentration of the neutral chloroacetamide degradates was 20-30 times that of the parents. These micropollutants therefore merit more detailed attention as contaminants of potential environmental concern.     

On the computation and the effectiveness of discrete sine transform

The effectiveness of the discrete sine transform (DST) in terms of residual correlation as developed by Hamidi and Pearl[1] is investigated. Based on this criterion, the DST is compared with other discrete transforms such as cosine (DCT)[2] and Fourier (DFT)[3]. The odd-even property of the DST is established. Based on this, the DST is computed through the Walsh-Hadamard transform (WHT). This development parallels that of Jones et al.[4] for other transforms such as slant (ST), DFT, DCT, etc.     

Repelling the young and attracting the old: Examining age-related differences in saccade trajectory deviations.

In the present study, the authors examined age-related differences in saccade curvature as older and younger adults looked to an X target that appeared concurrently with an O distractor. They used a fixation gap procedure to introduce variance into the saccadic latencies of both groups. Consistent with earlier findings, younger adults' early onset saccades curved toward the distractor (as the distractor competed with the target for response selection), while late-onset saccades curved away from the distractor (as the distractor location became inhibited over time). In contrast, older adults' saccades gradually decreased in curvature toward the distractor, but at no point along the latency continuum did they show deviations away. These results suggest that while the local inhibitory mechanisms responsible for decreases in curvature toward distractors may be preserved with age, aging may lead to a selective decline in the frontal inhibitory mechanisms responsible for deviations away from distractors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The practitioner as researcher: Qualitative case studies in play therapy.

To help clinicians better understand case study research and encourage clinicians to share valuable experiences with others in the field, this article will define case study, identify the components of case studies, review critical considerations in case studies, and provide a recommended template for qualitative case studies. Fifteen case studies published in the International Journal of Play Therapy will be examined to review the process of these case studies, and the potential contribution of the study to illustrate the use of play therapy. Suggestions for further directions in the area of case study methodology in play therapy will be made. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stop versus yield on pedestrian-involved fatal crashes in the United States

In an effort to improve pedestrian safety, several states in the United States changed their pedestrian laws by changing the requirement that drivers yield to pedestrians in crosswalks to a requirement that drivers stop for pedestrians in crosswalks. This study examined whether this change had an effect on pedestrian safety in the United States, with its focus on low-speed roads. To examine the association between changes in pedestrian laws and changes in pedestrian-involved fatal crashes, three approaches were employed: before–after analysis, time-series analysis, and cross-sectional analysis. Pedestrian-involved fatal traffic crashes on low-speed roads were extracted from the U.S. national fatal crash database, the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), from 1980 through 2005. This study found no statistically significant reduction in pedestrian-involved fatal crashes attributable to changes in the laws, yet this finding is not definitive because of study limitations such as the omission of relevant exposure data.