Antioxidant properties and phenolic,isoflavone, tocopherol and carotenoid composition of Maryland-grown soybean lines with altered fatty acid profiles

One cultivar and five experimental lines of Maryland-grown soybeans with improved fatty acid profiles were investigated for their phytochemical and antioxidant properties. Soybean oils were extracted and analyzed for their fatty acid profiles, tocopherols, and carotenoids. Two of the experimental lines were low in α-linolenic acid and another one was low in both α-linolenic and total saturated fatty acids. The defatted flours were extracted in 50% acetone and 70% ethanol, and estimated for isoflavone compositions, total phenolic contents (TPC), and scavenging capacities against peroxyl (ORAC), hydroxyl (HOSC), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. No difference was observed in tocopherols, carotenoids, TPC, and antioxidant properties between soybeans with reduced α-linolenic and/or saturated fats and the ones with ‘normal’ fatty acid profiles. This study indicates the possibility to produce soybeans with reduced linolenic and/or saturated fat and with desirable levels of health beneficial phytochemicals and antioxidant properties.     

PVDF/ZnO composite films for photocatalysis: A comparative study of solution mixing and melt blending methods

Heterogeneous photocatalysis represents a solution for several environmental problems. However, achieving photocatalyst separation from reaction media on a large scale remains a challenge, one that might be overcome by the immobilization of photocatalysts into supports. To this end, composites of polyvinylidene fluoride and zinc oxide (ZnO) were prepared by three different techniques: solution mixing (SM) followed by Nonsolvent Induced Phase Separation; and melt blending at both low- and high-shear rates (LS and HS) in a rheometer and mixing chamber, respectively, to compare the resultant morphology in photocatalysis. Photocatalytic efficiency was assessed by methylene blue (MB) discoloration in a batch reactor liquid phase and by resazurin (RZ) reduction. The changes promoted by nanoparticle inclusion, processing conditions and UV effect were demonstrated by FTIR-ATR, XRD, DSC, and SEM. Results showed that ZnO incorporation was successful under all processing conditions, providing effective photocatalytic composites. However, samples prepared by SM had a twofold increase in discoloration efficiency and fourfold increase in surface photoactivity, when compared with LS or HS-produced samples, explained by its higher porosity of 88% ± 1.3%. The covering of the photocatalyst surface was also evident on SEM analysis for melt blended samples, further contributing to reduction in their photocatalytic activity.     

MOTGA: A multiobjective Tchebycheff based genetic algorithm for the multidimensional knapsack problem

This paper presents a new multiobjective genetic algorithm based on the Tchebycheff scalarizing function, which aims to generate a good approximation of the nondominated solution set of the multiobjective problem. The algorithm performs several stages, each one intended for searching potentially nondominated solutions in a different part of the Pareto front. Pre-defined weight vectors act as pivots to define the weighted-Tchebycheff scalarizing functions used in each stage. Therefore, each stage focuses the search on a specific region, leading to an iterative approximation of the entire nondominated set.     

Prospective predictors of body dissatisfaction in adolescent girls and boys: A five-year longitudinal study.

This study investigated prospective risk factors for increases in body dissatisfaction in adolescent girls and boys in the Eating Among Teens Project. At the time of first assessment (Time 1), participants were a cohort of early adolescent girls (N=440) and boys (N=366) and a cohort of middle adolescent girls (N=946) and boys (N=764). Participants were followed up 5 years later (Time 2). Potential prospective risk factors examined included body mass index, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, parent dieting environment, peer environment, and psychological factors. Predictors of Time 2 body dissatisfaction were Time 1 body dissatisfaction, body mass index, socioeconomic status, being African American, friend dieting and teasing, self-esteem, and depression. However, the profile of predictors differed across the samples. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Professional psychology training in the era of a thousand flowers: Dilemmas and challenges for the future.

As revealed in discussion at the 2009 Presidential Summit on the Future of Psychology Practice, professional psychology training today is involved in a series of choices for its future. This paper outlines some of those major dilemmas and while acknowledging the difficulties inherent in resolving some of these issues, proposes areas of common ground and a series of next steps, which emphasize the importance of research and assessment as identifying marks of the professional psychologist, the requirements for accountability and standards in training, the need to develop behavioral medicine and neuropsychology as the field increases its partnership with health care, the importance of collaboration with school psychologists and international psychologists, the need to emphasize public sector service, and the imperative to develop these goals in a thoughtful way with new technology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Concordance of self- and informant ratings of adults' current and childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms.

Self-informant rating concordance for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms was assessed in 281 adults at the subscale (Inattention, Hyperactivity-Impulsivity) and individual symptom levels. Potential demographic, diagnostic, and informant identity moderators were also investigated. Concordance levels were similar for current and childhood symptoms. Although moderate positive correlations were found between self- and informant ratings on both subscales, informants endorsed more significant inattentive symptom severity. Kappa coefficients were variable, suggesting low concordance for certain symptoms. Sex and ADHD diagnosis moderated concordance, although effect sizes were small. These results have implications for the use of behavior rating scales in diagnosing ADHD, raise questions about the validity of self- and informant ratings, and support the need to investigate individual differences variables that may impact concordance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Combination of nanogel polyethylene glycol-polyethylenimine and 6(hydroxymethyl)-1,4-anthracenedione as an anticancer nanomedicine

Polyethylene glycol-polyethylenimine (PEG-PEI) nanogels have been used to deliver nucleic acids and oligonucleotides into cells. First, we synthesized PEG-PEI nanogels with methylene proton ratios (CH2O:CH2N) in PEG-PEI ranging from approximately 6.8:1 to 4:1 and less, as shown by 1H NMR spectra. We first synthesized various nanogels with varying ratios of CH2O:CH2N (methylene proton) in PEG-PEI as shown by 1H NMR spectra and tested their cytotoxicity using a rodent pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line (Pan 02). We showed that the nanogel PEG-PEI with methylene proton ratio of 4:1 was strongly cytotoxic to Pan 02 cells in vitro, while the nanogel with the methylene proton ratio of 6.8:1 was not toxic. We incorporated a novel anti-cancer drug, 6-(hydroxymethyl)-1,4-anthracenedione (AQ) analogue (AQ10) into nontoxic nanogel PEG-PEI and tested the effect of AQ10 loaded nanogel PEG-PEI (AQ10-nanogel PEG-PEI) and AQ10 dissolved in DMSO on Pan 02 cell growth. The size of this AQ10-nanogel PEG-PEI was characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Our studies showed that the AQ10-nanogel PEG-PEI is readily taken up by Pan 02 cells. Growth attenuation of Pan 02 cells treated with AQ10-nanogel PEG-PEI was three to four times that of cells treated with AQ10 dissolved in DMSO. These results suggest that PEG-PEI, usually used to deliver nucleic acids into cells, can also be used to deliver an insoluble small molecule anticancer drug, AQ10.