Need for social approval as a predictor of the strategic and outcome aspects of bargaining behaviour in asymmetric power situations: An interactionist approach.

Investigated the effects of need for social approval (NAP) on the outcome (Exp. I) and strategic (Exp. II) aspects of bargaining in 2 mixed-motive nonconstant sum games. An interactionist approach was adopted in that (a) the possible attenuating effects of a contextual variable (differential bargaining power) were examined; and (b) face-to-face open communication was permitted. Exp. I, with 64 male and female undergraduates, shows that low-NAP Ss obtained higher final outcomes than high-NAP Ss only when the former were in the low-power position. Results of Exp. II, with 32 male Ss, support the following conclusions: (a) in the high power position, high-NAP Ss (as opposed to low-NAP Ss) adopt a softer initial bid strategy, exhibit a higher overall level of offers, and reach agreements that yielded them a smaller dyadic profit difference; and (b) in the low-power position, personality differences in NAP do not, as predicted, have a significant effect on strategies employed or final outcomes attained. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The determination of unsaturation in ethylene propylene terpolymers and butyl rubber with pyridinium bromide perbromide

The reagent pyridinium bromide perbromide (PBPB) has been investigated for the determination of unsaturation in model olefins and in polymers of low total unsaturation. Model olefins give 92%–100% reaction for a 1-hr reaction period. Ethylene propylene terpolymers react quantitatively without substitution or elimination and without second addition reactions when the termonomer unit is 1,4 hexadiene, methylene norbornene, ethylidene norbornene, or cyclooctadiene. Dicyclopentadiene terpolymers react incompletely. These reactions take place in carbon tetrachloride/10% methanol solution, the reagent being added as a methanolic solution. Iodine chloride can also be used under specified conditions for the more reactive termonomer units in this solvent mixture. Under the same conditions the PBPB reagent reacts stoichiometrically with butyl rubber, without second addition or substitution reactions. The unsaturation results also agree with those obtained using bromine or iodine monochloride in carbon tetrachloride solution, but both of these reagents give slight substitution reactions.     

Sodium Reduction and Its Effect on Food Safety,Food Quality,and Human Health

ABSTRACT: Sodium is an essential nutrient with important functions in regulating extracellular fluid volume and the active transport of molecules across cell membranes. However, recent estimates from NHANES III (Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) data show that over 95% of men and over 75% of women exceed the recommended daily tolerable upper intake of sodium. Since these high levels of dietary sodium are associated with a high prevalence of hypertension, prehypertension and, possibly, other adverse effects on health, many national and international health organizations recommend that sodium intake be significantly decreased. Traditionally, salt (sodium chloride) has been used as a food preservative that kills or limits the growth of foodborne pathogens and spoilage organisms by decreasing water activity. Salt also performs other important functions in foods by adding flavor and masking bitter tastes, controlling growth of yeast and fermentative bacteria, and promoting binding of proteins and other components in foods to achieve desired textures. Many processed foods contain high levels of salt and several countries have developed national programs for significantly reducing the sodium chloride content in many processed foods and encouraging a decrease in discretionary salt use. This review considers published data on the apparent adverse health effects of excess salt intake as well as the important functions of salt in different foods and possible strategies for reducing sodium levels in processed foods while still producing safe foods that consumers find acceptable.     

Corrosion and mechanical properties of plasma electrolytic oxidation‐coated AZ80 magnesium alloy

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coatings were produced on AZ80 magnesium alloy in a solution containing silicates and phosphates and working at high current densities with short treatment times. The effect of a sealing treatment in boiling water on corrosion and mechanical properties of the coatings were investigated. Moreover, the corrosion mechanism of the samples with and without the sealing treatment was evaluated. The microstructure of the coatings was characterized with scanning electron microscope observation and X‐ray diffraction analysis. The mechanical properties were evaluated with nanoindentation tests and the corrosion resistance was studied by potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and scanning vibrating electrode technique. The results showed that the sealing did not influence the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the samples and instead produced a remarkable increase in the corrosion resistance. The crevice corrosion, present in the sample without the sealing, was avoided with the treatment in boiling water.     

Metal concentrations in rural topsoil in South Carolina: potential for human health impact

Rural areas are often considered to have relatively uncontaminated soils; however few studies have measured metals in surface soil from low population areas. Many metals, i.e., arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg), have well-documented negative neurological effects, and the developing fetus and young children are particularly at risk. Using a Medicaid database, two areas were identified: one with no increased prevalence of mental retardation and developmental delay (MR/DD) (Strip 1) and one with significantly higher prevalence of MR/DD (Strip 2) in children compared to the state-wide average. These areas were mapped and surface soil samples were collected from 0-5 cm depths from nodes of a uniform grid laid out across the sampling areas. Samples were analyzed for As, barium (Ba), beryllium (Be), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), Pb, manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and Hg. Inverse distance weighting (IDW) was used to estimate concentrations throughout each strip area, and a principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify common sources. All metal concentrations in Strip 2, the MR/DD cluster area, were significantly greater than those in Strip 1 and similar to those found in more urban and highly agricultural areas. Both Strips 1 and 2 had a high number of significant correlations between metals (33 for Strip 1 and 25 for Strip 2), suggesting possible similar natural or anthropogenic sources which was corroborated by PCA. While exposures were not assessed and direct causation between environmental soil metal concentrations and MR/DD cannot be concluded, the high metal concentrations in areas with an elevated prevalence of MR/DD warrants further consideration.     

New crosslinkers for electrospun chitosan fibre mats. I. Chemical analysis

Chitosan (CS), the deacetylated form of chitin, the second most abundant, natural polysaccharide, is attractive for applications in the biomedical field because of its biocompatibility and resorption rates, which are higher than chitin. Crosslinking improves chemical and mechanical stability of CS. Here, we report the successful utilization of a new set of crosslinkers for electrospun CS. Genipin, hexamethylene-1,6-diaminocarboxysulphonate (HDACS) and epichlorohydrin (ECH) have not been previously explored for crosslinking of electrospun CS. In this first part of a two-part publication, we report the morphology, determined by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and chemical interactions, determined by Fourier transform infrared microscopy, respectively. FESEM revealed that CS could successfully be electrospun from trifluoroacetic acid with genipin, HDACS and ECH added to the solution. Diameters were 267 ± 199 nm, 644 ± 359 nm and 896 ± 435 nm for CS–genipin, CS–HDACS and CS–ECH, respectively. Short- (15 min) and long-term (72 h) dissolution tests (T₆₀₀) were performed in acidic, neutral and basic pHs (3, 7 and 12). Post-spinning activation by heat and base to enhance crosslinking of CS–HDACS and CS–ECH decreased the fibre diameters and improved the stability. In the second part of this publication, we report the mechanical properties of the fibres.     

Influence of hysteresis on the transient hygrothermal response of a hemp concrete wall

Building envelopes with bio-materials like hemp concrete are currently undergoing an increasing development due to their low environmental impact and their interesting hygrothermal properties. This kind of hygroscopic material is characterized by a hysteretic behaviour. In this paper, the influence of such behaviour on the hygrothermal response of a building wall is discussed. An experimental facility is designed to measure temperature and relative humidity within a hemp concrete wall submitted to climatic variations. This facility provides a set of experimental data suited for benchmarking. Numerical simulations are performed with a hysteresis model implemented in a heat and moisture transfer model. Comparisons between numerical and experimental results show that hysteresis modelling is relevant to simulate the hygrothermal response of the wall. The discussion is extended to the influence of the initial moisture content.     

Bioactivities of açaí (Euterpe precatoria Mart.) fruit pulp,superior antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to Euterpe oleracea Mart.

There are two predominant palm tree species producing edible fruit known as “açaí” found widely dispersed through the Amazon: Euterpe oleracea Mart. and Euterpe precatoria Mart. They differ from each other in terms of how the plants grow and their phytochemical composition. E. oleracea (EO) has received considerable attention as a “super fruit” because of its high antioxidant capacity, while studies on E. precatoria (EP) remain rare. In this study, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of EP fruit pulps were evaluated by different assays including a series of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) based assays, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, the cell-based antioxidant protection in erythrocyte (CAP-e) assay, as well as the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) secreted embryonic alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) assay. Total phenolics were also measured as an indication of the total phenol content. For comparative purposes, the EO fruit pulp was included. The antioxidant capacity of the EP fruit pulp was determined to be superior to the EO fruit pulp in every chemical based assay. In the cell-based CAP-e assay, the EP fruit pulp showed a dose-dependent inhibition against oxidative damage with an IC₅₀ of 0.167 g/l. In the SEAP reporter assay, the EP fruit pulp polyphenol-rich extracts inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NF-κB activation by 23% (p < 0.05) at 20 μg/ml, whereas the extract of the EO fruit pulp did not show a significant inhibitory effect at comparable doses. In addition, carotenoids were quantified for the first time in EP, since EP has high scavenging capacity against singlet oxygen.     

Sex, temperament, and family context: How the interaction of early factors differentially predict adolescent alcohol use and are mediated by proximal adolescent factors.

Adolescent alcohol use is common and has serious immediate and long-term ramifications. While concurrent individual and context factors are robustly associated with adolescent alcohol use, the influence of early childhood factors, particularly in interaction with child sex, are less clear. Using a prospective community sample of 362 (190 girls), this study investigated sex differences in the joint influence of distal childhood and proximal adolescent factors on Grade 10 alcohol use. All risk factors and two-way early individual-by-context interactions, and interactions of each of these with child sex, were entered into the initial regression. Significant sex interactions prompted the use of separate models for girls and boys. In addition to the identification of early (family socioeconomic status, authoritative parenting style) and proximal adolescent (mental health symptoms, deviant friends) risk factors for both girls and boys, results highlighted important sex differences. In particular, girls with higher alcohol consumption at Grade 10 were distinguished by the interaction of early temperamental disinhibition and exposure to parental stress; boys with higher alcohol consumption at Grade 10 were distinguished primarily by early temperamental negative affect. Results have implications for the timing and type of interventions offered to adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)