The Effect of Water Content on the Compaction Behaviour of Potato Starch

This study compares treatments of the compaction and stress transmission data obtained for potato starch at different water contents in the range 5-25% (wet weight basis) compacted in a cylindrical geometry. An increase in water content leads to a greater density for a given pressure, approaching zero porosity at the higher water contents. The limiting gradient of the Heckel plot, which is the reciprocal of a generalised deformation stress, falls with increasing water content due to a plasticisation mechanism. Electron microscopy of granules taken from the compacts revelas greater plastic deformation at the higher water contents. The ratio of transmitted to applied stresses shows irregular variation with water content and degree of compaction. At the higher water contents (> 17%) the stress ratio is however relatively independent of compacted height as predicted by the classical semiparticulate analysis.     

APOE Molecular Spectrum in a French Cohort with Primary Dyslipidemia

Primary hypercholesterolemia is characterized by elevated LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels isolated in autosomal dominant hypercholesterolemia (ADH) or associated with elevated triglyceride levels in familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCHL). Rare APOE variants are known in ADH and FCHL. We explored the APOE molecular spectrum in a French ADH/FCHL cohort of 5743 unrelated probands. The sequencing of LDLR, PCSK9, APOB, and APOE revealed 76 carriers of a rare APOE variant, with no mutation in LDLR, PCSK9, or APOB. Among the 31 APOE variants identified here, 15 are described in ADH, 10 in FCHL, and 6 in both probands. Five were previously reported with dyslipidemia and 26 are novel, including 12 missense, 5 synonymous, 2 intronic, and 7 variants in regulatory regions. Sixteen variants were predicted as pathogenic or likely pathogenic, and their carriers had significantly lower polygenic risk scores (wPRS) than carriers of predicted benign variants. We observed no correlation between LDL-C levels and wPRS, suggesting a major effect of APOE variants. Carriers of p.Leu167del were associated with a severe phenotype. The analysis of 11 probands suggests that carriers of an APOE variant respond better to statins than carriers of a LDLR mutation. Altogether, we show that the APOE variants account for a significant contribution to ADH and FCHL.     

Machine learning model to predict welding quality using air-coupled acoustic emission and weld inputs

Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing - Weld evaluation processes are usually conducted in the post-weld stage. In this way, defects are found after the weld is completed, often resulting in...     

Hydrodynamic Characteristics in Biotrickling Filters as Affected by Packing Material and Hydraulic Loading Rate

Hydrodynamics in biotrickling filters can be strongly influenced by packing material geometry and hydraulic loading rate. While it is generally accepted that increasing wetted area in a biotrickling filter can improve process performance, additional research on synthetic packing materials and parameters that improve hydrodynamics, resulting in increased wetted area, is desirable. For this research, a series of tracer tests was conducted to compare hydrodynamics in bench scale biotrickling filters with three different packing materials under three different flow rates. Results suggest that of the three packing materials, the material with the highest specific surface area resulted in channeling and excessive formation of stagnant zones within the biotrickling filters. Liquid distribution through the biotrickling filters substantially improved at a hydraulic loading rate of 1.9?m/hr for all packing materials, but based on these experiments, improvements were minimal when the hydraulic loading rate was increased further. The presence of a biofilm increased mean residence time in biotrickling filters and the factor by which the increase was observed decreased with increasing hydraulic loading rate.     

A 15-yr follow-up study of graduates of a master's degree program in school psychology.

Of 1,020 persons graduated from a city college program in 1960–1975, 316 returned completed questionnaires. The data suggest that the status of men and women was similar, with women more satisfied than men with their specialty. Though a higher percentage of men were employed in university settings, more women were engaged in school psychology. Ss were found to be a versatile, professionally active, and highly satisfied group. 31% of the men and 14% of the women had obtained a doctoral degree. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sensation seeking in England and America: Cross-cultural, age, and sex comparisons.

Compared the factor structure of the Sensation-Seeking Scale (SSS) in English and American samples, and constructed a new form of the SSS, applicable to both groups. The English Ss consisted of 254 males and 639 females from the Maudsley Twin Register, ages 15–70 yrs. The American sample included 97 male and female undergraduates. Three of the 4 factors showed good cross-national and cross-sex reliability (i.e., significant and reasonably high resemblance between the 4 national and sex symbols). English and American males did not differ on the total SSS score, but American females scored higher than English females. Males in both countries scored higher than females on the total SSS score and on the Thrill and Adventure-Seeking and Disinhibition subscales. Significant age declines occurred for both sexes, particularly on Thrill and Adventure Seeking and Disinhibition. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)