Repeated impact response of hand lay-up and vacuum infusion thick glass reinforced laminates

Vacuum infusion (VI) is being considered as a viable alternative to more traditional hand lay-up (HL). Main reason in favor of the more costly technique is the cleaner and friendlier work environment. Moreover, VI potentially offers another important benefit over HL in that prepreg levels of resin may be achieved, resulting in stronger and lighter laminates. The present paper compares the two manufacturing techniques on the basis of the response to repeated impact loading. The laminate is a thick non-symmetric glass-fiber-reinforced plastics intended for nautical application. Four impact velocities (1.5, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.8 m/s) were considered, and a minimum of four specimens for any given velocity were subjected to 40 repeated impacts or up to perforation. The impact response was evaluated in terms of damage progression by visual observation of the impacted specimens, evolution of the peak force and of the bending stiffness with the number of impacts and by calculating the Damage Index (DI), a damage variable recently proposed by the authors to monitor the penetration process in thick laminates. Results point out that for impact velocities for which no perforation occurs within test duration, the experimental data essentially overlap. On the contrary, for perforation tests, HL specimens survived more impacts before perforating absorbing more total energy than VI specimens. Plots of the DI variable against the number of impacts were observed to exhibit an initial linear portion, owing to a stable process of damage accumulation within the laminate, and to undergo an unstable growth a few impacts before perforation. When comparing the VI and HL specimens it was observed that, given an impact energy, the level of damage at first impact as well as the rate of stable damage accumulation is alike for the two sets of specimens. On the contrary, it is the number of impacts of the stable damage accumulation region which is lower for VI specimens.     

Hardiness and optimism as expressed in coping patterns.

These studies focused on the differences between hardiness (HAR) and optimism in their relationship to transformational coping ([TC]; e.g., problem solving, planning) and regressive coping (e.g., disengagement, stoicism). Specifically, it was hypothesized that the pattern of involvement in TC and avoidance coping is clearer in HAR than in optimism. In the first study, participants reported their usual coping efforts when confronted with stressful circumstances. The second study required participants to identify a significant current stressor and report on their ongoing efforts to cope with it. In both studies, HAR related to more coping efforts than did optimism. Furthermore, although both HAR and optimism related positively to signs of TC, only HAR related negatively to signs of regressive coping. The third study involved participants confronted with life-threatening stressor. Here, optimism increased to the level of HAR in the number of coping efforts used. But the pattern for optimism combined transformational coping with stoicism (regressive coping), whereas the pattern for HAR was the same as in the two previous. studies. Results of the three studies suggest that the hypothesis is accurate and that HAR involves less complacency than does optimism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

CDK4, CDK6/cyclin-D1 Complex Inhibition and Radiotherapy for Cancer Control: A Role for Autophagy

The expanding clinical application of CDK4- and CDK6-inhibiting drugs in the managements of breast cancer has raised a great interest in testing these drugs in other neoplasms. The potential of combining these drugs with other therapeutic approaches seems to be an interesting work-ground to explore. Even though a potential integration of CDK4 and CDK6 inhibitors with radiotherapy (RT) has been hypothesized, this kind of approach has not been sufficiently pursued, neither in preclinical nor in clinical studies. Similarly, the most recent discoveries focusing on autophagy, as a possible target pathway able to enhance the antitumor efficacy of CDK4 and CDK6 inhibitors is promising but needs more investigations. The aim of this review is to discuss the recent literature on the field in order to infer a rational combination strategy including cyclin-D1/CDK4-CDK6 inhibitors, RT, and/or other anticancer agents targeting G1-S phase cell cycle transition.     

Variability in the content of soluble sugars and cell wall polysaccharides in red‐ripe cherry and high‐pigment tomato cultivars

BACKGROUND: Soluble sugars and cell wall polysaccharides are well known for contributing to a range of ‘quality’ characteristics of fresh vegetables such as flavour, texture and healthy properties. Red‐ripe berries of 14 cultivars of cherry tomatoes and four cultivars of high‐pigment tomato hybrids, cultivated in the south of Italy, were analysed for their content of these important qualitative parameters. RESULTS: Sakura appeared to be the cultivar with the highest amount of soluble sugars (53 g kg^?1 fresh weight (f.w.)), mainly glucose and fructose, and, hence the ‘sweetest’ among cherry tomatoes. High‐pigment tomatoes, especially HLY02 and HLY13, showed a soluble sugar content much lower than cherry tomatoes, as expected for industrial, normal‐size tomatoes. Variations in the fructose/glucose ratio, of between 0.68 and 1.48, were evidenced among the different tomato cultivars. Cell wall polysaccharides isolated from whole fresh red‐ripe berries of each cultivar were analysed chemically. The amount of matrix polysaccharides (0.9–3.4 g kg^?1 f.w.) and cellulose (0.16–1.86 g kg^?1 f.w.), as well as their glycosidic composition, showed significant differences among the different cultivars. Cellulose to matrix polysaccharide ratio was highly variable and ranged between 0.06–1.44 and 0.17–0.77 in cherry and high‐pigment tomato cultivars, respectively. CONCLUSION: The differences evidenced in the total soluble sugar and cell wall polysaccharide composition, not only among different types of tomatoes but also different cultivars within the same typology, may play a fundamental role in the quality of tomatoes and deserve further investigations. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Characteristics and treatment of high-anger drivers.

A client analogue of angry drivers reported more frequent and intense anger, aggressive and risky behavior, and accidents (generally, minor accidents, close calls, etc.) than low-anger drivers. Groups did not differ on major accidents or moving violations. High-anger drivers reported more trait anger and anxiety; anger suppression; and outward, less controlled forms of anger expression. Compared with an untreated control, relaxation and cognitive-relaxation interventions lowered driving anger; although the relaxation intervention was superior on some measures of driving anger, cognitive-relaxation was superior on risky behavior. Interventions did not influence trait anger, anxiety, or general anger expression. Findings support state-trait anger theory, construct validity of the trait driving anger measure, and feasibility of driving anger reduction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Survey of Bunsen reaction routes to improve the sulfur–iodine thermochemical water-splitting cycle

A large excess of water and iodine is typically employed in the Bunsen reaction step of the sulfur–iodine thermochemical cycle in order to induce liquid–liquid phase separation of the two acid products. This paper presents an overview of some alternative routes for carrying out the Bunsen reaction. The use of a reaction solvent other than water is first discussed, and experimental results obtained with tributylphosphate are presented. Another approach is separation of the product acids by selective precipitation of insoluble salts, and the addition of lead sulfate as the precipitating agent is discussed in detail. Finally, the electrochemical Bunsen reaction route is investigated. All of these methods have the potential to reduce the iodine and/or water requirement of the sulfur–iodine cycle.     

Residues of the quinone outside inhibitor fungicide trifloxystrobin after postharvest dip treatments to control Penicillium spp. on citrus fruit

The effectiveness of postharvest dip treatment with trifloxystrobin (TFX) or imazalil (IMZ) was compared for controlling green and blue mold (caused by Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum, respectively) of citrus fruit. Residues retained by fruit were determined as a function of treatment time, dip temperature, and storage conditions. Trials on 'Avana apireno' mandarin oranges artificially inoculated with P. digitatum or P. italicum revealed that treatments with 200 to 600 mg/liter active ingredient TFX at 20 degrees C were less effective than 100 mg/liter TFX at 500C for controlling P. digitatum but equally effective for controlling P. italicum. IMZ treatments with 200 mg/liter IMZ at 20 degrees C or 25 mg/liter IMZ at 50 degrees C resulted in more than 98% reduction of P. digitatum and ca. 93% reduction of P. italicum compared with untreated fruit. Total suppression of pathogens was achieved when higher IMZ doses were applied. Studies on artificially wounded lemons, oranges, clementines, and mandarins revealed that treatment with 100 mg/liter TFX at 50 degrees C effectively controlled decay development (mainly due to P. digitatum) after 7 days of storage at 20 degrees C. These results were confirmed on nonwounded oranges of cv. Tarocco and on grapefruits of cvs. Marsh Seedless and Star Ruby during 3 weeks of simulated quarantine at 1 degrees C, storage (5 weeks at 8 degrees C for oranges and 8 weeks at 11degrees C for grapefruits), and an additional 1 week of simulated marketing conditions at 20 degrees C. IMZ at 50 degrees C was highly effective for controlling decay during storage and the simulated marketing period. TFX treatment at 50 degrees C was as effective as IMZ for controlling decay in most samples. After treatment with 100 mg/liter TFX at 20 degrees C, fungicide residues in 'Tarocco' oranges doubled from 0.15 mg/kg to 0.30 mg/kg when dip time increased from 0.5 to 3 min, whereas when treatments were performed at 50 degrees C TFX residues were not related to dipping time. Residues of TFX were significantly correlated with dip temperature. A 3-min dip treatment at 50 degrees C resulted in a deposition of TFX that was approximately twofold higher than that obtained when treatments were carried out at 20 degrees C.     

Evaluation of microbial diversity during the manufacture of Fior di Latte di Agerola, a traditional raw milk pasta-filata cheese of the Naples area

Microbial diversity of the raw milk for the production of Fior di Latte di Agerola and its changes during cheesemaking were studied. Viable counts showed that at the end of curd ripening, loads of lactic acid bacteria, both mesophilic and thermophilic rods and cocci, higher than those commonly evidenced in similar cheeses produced by using natural or commercial starters, were detected. Identification of 272 isolates, supported by molecular diagnostic aids, evidenced representative cultures of a high number of bacterial taxa of interest as participating in the process, although most of the isolates belonged to Lactococcus lactis and Lactobacillus helveticus species. RAPD-PCR and REA-PFGE biotyping were performed for the isolates of the above species and it was shown that most of the strains isolated from the raw milk occurred during the whole cheesemaking process, and an active role of these strains in the fermentation was supposed. The results offer further proof of the importance of the raw milk as source of technologically interesting strains of lactic acid bacteria capable of driving the fermentation of traditional cheeses.     

Survey of the occurrence of Aflatoxin M1 in ovine milk by HPLC and its confirmation by MS

During the period of October-July 2000, 240 samples of dairy ewes milk, obtained from farms of Enna (Sicily, Italy), were checked for Aflatoxin M(1) (AFM(1)) by HPLC using a fluorimetric detector. The limit of detection and the limit of quantification were 250 ng/L for AFM(1). All the positive milk samples for AFM(1) were confirmed by LC-MS. AFM(1) was detected in 81% of milk samples, ranging from 2 to 108 ng/L. Three samples were over the legal limits (50 ng/L). Mean contamination of samples obtained from stabulated ewes was higher than that from grazing ewes (35.27 vs. 12.47 ng/L). Furthermore, samples collected in the period September-October showed higher contamination than samples collected during the other months (42.68 vs. 10.55 ng/L). Both differences are related to the administration of compound feed. Based on current toxicological knowledge we concluded that the AFM(1) contamination levels recorded in ewe milk did not present a serious human health hazard. However, as ewe milk is exclusively used to produce cheese due to its higher protein content, and also considering the preferential binding of AFM(1) to casein during coagulation of milk, a potentially high concentration effect could occur, thus the surveillance of contamination levels should be more continuous and widespread.     

Total antioxidant capacity of spices, dried fruits, nuts, pulses, cereals and sweets consumed in Italy assessed by three different in vitro assays

With the aim to expand the Italian total antioxidant capacity (TAC) database, the TAC values of 11 spices, 5 dried fruits, 7 sweets, 18 cereal products, 5 pulses, and 6 nuts were determined using three different assays and considering the contribution of bound antioxidant compounds in fiber-rich foods (i. e. cereals, legumes, and nuts). Among spices, saffron displayed the highest antioxidant capacity, whereas among dried fruits, prune exhibited the highest value. The TAC values of all the chocolates analyzed were far higher than the other sweet extracts measured. Among cereal products, whole meal buckwheat and wheat bran had the greatest TAC. Among pulses and nuts, broad bean, lentil and walnuts had the highest antioxidant capacity, whereas chickpeas, pine nuts and peanuts were less effective. The contribution of bound phytochemicals to the overall TAC was relevant in cereals as well as in nuts and pulses. The complete TAC database could be utilized to properly investigate the role of dietary antioxidants in disease prevention.