Response control and the execution of verbal rules.

Two-year-olds' difficulty with rule execution is robust and pervasive. In Experiment 1, 120 32-month-olds received 1 of 6 tasks: a task assessing knowledge about a series of items; a deductive card sort requiring children to use their knowledge to sort the items by rules; and 4 modifications of the card sort that provided various types of task support. Children performed better on the knowledge task than the other tasks, which did not differ. Errors increased over trials and were typically perseverative. Experiment 2 replicated the finding that children failed to use rules systematically even when items were labeled by the rules' antecedents. Improvements in rule use seem to reflect emerging control over actions rather than increased representational flexibility. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Fruit‐based functional foods II: the process for identifying potential ingredients

Developing functional food products requires a structured approach for screening potential ingredients. Using the development of a product with antioxidant properties as a model, eight fruit juice concentrates were screened, including New Zealand fruits. The total phenolic content and the antioxidant capacity, using chemical‐based assays (ferric reducing antioxidant power and oxygen radical absorbance capacity assays), were determined. The potential to protect against oxidative stress in Jurkat cells was also determined. Results indicate that the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity in chemical‐based assays were strongly correlated. However, the total phenolic content did not dictate the level of protection from oxidative stress in this cell‐based model, suggesting that the type of phenolic compounds present and interactions between them may be important, although the activity of other compounds, such as vitamin C or carotenoids, may also be implicated. This model for screening ingredients may be used to design synergistic combinations of ingredients, and results may provide supportive evidence in the development of functional foods for this and other health targets.     

Reductive Amination Without the Aldehyde: Use of a Ketolactol as an Aldehyde Surrogate

To overcome stability issues associated with the use of an aldehyde in a catalytic reductive amination reaction, a cyclic ketolactol (ω-hydroxylactone) was employed as an aldehyde surrogate to form a γ-aminoacid. The reaction proceeded most favorably over a Pt/C catalyst. The thermodynamics of each step were evaluated using density functional theory calculations, which correctly predicted the dominance of the ring-closed lactol reactant, yet suggested a preference for a ring-opened iminium intermediate upon the initial, slightly endoergic addition of amine substrate. Exoergic hydrogenation of this intermediate provided the thermodynamic driving force for the overall transformation. During development, the reaction was observed to depend significantly on the volumetric gas to liquid mass transfer coefficient (k_La) and this parameter was optimized to ensure successful scale up in a 400 L stirred tank reactor.     

Unique Crystal Structure of a Novel Surfactant Protein from the Foam Nest of the Frog Leptodactylus vastus

Breeding by releasing eggs into stable biofoams (“foam nests”) is a peculiar reproduction mode within anurans, fish, and tunicates; not much is known regarding the biochemistry or molecular mechanisms involved. Lv‐ranaspumin (Lv‐RSN‐1) is the predominant protein from the foam nest of the frog Leptodactylus vastus. This protein shows natural surfactant activity, which is assumed to be crucial for stabilizing foam nests. We elucidated the amino acid sequence of Lv‐RSN‐1 by de novo sequencing with mass‐spectrometry and determined the high‐resolution X‐ray structure of the protein. It has a unique fold mainly composed of a bundle of 11 α‐helices and two small antiparallel β‐strands. Lv‐RSN‐1 has a surface rich in hydrophilic residues and a lipophilic cavity in the region of the antiparallel β‐sheet. It possesses intrinsic surface‐active properties, reducing the surface tension of water from 73 to 61 mN m^?1 (15 μg mL^?1). Lv‐RSN‐1 belongs to a new class of surfactants proteins for which little has been reported regarding structure or function.     

Arsenic stability in arsenopyrite-rich cemented paste backfills: a leaching test-based assessment

Arsenic (As) is a toxicant in tailings from sulphur deposits. It represents an environmental risk because of its high solubility. Tailings can be mixed with water (typically 25%) and a low proportion of hydraulic binder (3-7%) to produce a cemented paste backfill (CPB), stored in underground mine openings. CPB is a tailings storage technique, but it could also provide environmental advantages by stabilization of polluting elements such as As. Tailings from Casa Berardi mine (QC, Canada) contain As (3800 ppm), mainly in arsenopyrite form. For this study, three different CPBs were synthesized in laboratory using Casa Berardi tailings and three different binders. These pastes were submitted to various leaching tests after 28 days of curing. The results indicate that As is released at higher concentration for a fly ash-based CPB than for slag- and Portland cement-based CPB. However, at lower pH, As is better stabilized in fly ash-based samples. These differences can be explained by a variation of solubility of As-compounds in each CPB. Several mechanisms of As release occur, as diffusion and/or dissolution/precipitation. The accelerated weathering test results show that sulphide reactivity is buffered by the neutralizing minerals contained in CPB, and influence the As release behaviour by decreasing the oxidation of As-bearing sulphides.     

The effectiveness of ozone and acidulant treatments in extending the refrigerated shelf life of fresh-cut potatoes

Abstract: The objective of the study was to determine the effectiveness of acidulant dip treatments (with or without aqueous ozone) to reduce enzymatic browning and to extend the shelf life of fresh‐cut potato slices during refrigerated storage (4 °C) for 28 d. Potato slices subjected to aqueous ozone (2 ppm) had significantly (P≤ 0.05) higher L‐values and lower a‐values, but ozone did not appear to have any effect on aerobic plate counts (APCs) or polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. NatureSeal (NS) and sodium acid sulfate (SAS) were the most effective acidulant treatments in reducing browning (significantly [P≤ 0.05] higher L‐values, lower a‐values, and browning index values) regardless of ozone treatment. NS and SAS also had lower PPO activity compared to other treatments on days 0 and 28, and significantly (P≤ 0.05) lower APCs (≤2.00 log CFU/g) over refrigerated storage. Therefore, the SAS treatment was comparable to NS, a commercially available product, and showed promise as an effective antibrowning dip to reduce browning and spoilage in fresh‐cut potato products. Practical Application: A 1% SAS dip treatment which included 1% citric and 1% ascorbic acid was found to be an effective antibrowning dip for fresh‐cut potatoes along with NatureSeal®'s PS‐10, compared to other treatments. They were both effective in maintaining low microbial counts over refrigerated storage. Additionally, aqueous ozone washes (2 ppm) showed significant benefits to reduce browning; however, ozone did not affect microbial counts or PPO enzyme activity. Therefore, the SAS treatment could have potential use in the fruit and vegetable industry to reduce browning and spoilage in fresh‐cut potato products.     

Testosterone and occupational choice: Actors, ministers, and other men.

Occupational differences in testosterone concentrations, focusing on actors and ministers, were explored in 3 studies. The 1st examined salivary testosterone in 7 occupational groups and an unemployed comparison group and found actors and football players higher than ministers but no other significant differences. The 2nd examined salivary testosterone in 2 kinds of actors (stage actors and comedians) and 2 kinds of ministers (pastoral ministers and missionaries) and found actors high and ministers low but no differences between subgroups within each occupation. The 3rd examined serum testosterone in entertainers and ministers in a archival sample of military veterans and found entertainers high and ministers low. The results are interpreted in terms of dominance and antisocial tendencies, with the conclusion that these variables are complex and can affect occupational preference in subtle ways. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Substituting Symbol Search for Coding on the WISC-III: Canadian normative tables for Performance and Full Scale IQ scores.

A. S. Kaufman (1994) recommends that the Symbol Search, an optional subtest to the WISC-III, be substituted for Coding in the calculation of WISC-III Performance and Full Scale IQ scores. Conversion tables have been published for use with American norms. The authors provide conversion tables for the Canadian-normed WISC-III. The standardization sample consisted of a representative group of 1,100 English-speaking Canadian children. The conversion tables are provided. These tables allow Canadian WISC-III examiners to substitute Symbol Search for Coding in the calculation of the Performance and Full Scale IQ scores. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Environmental Legionella Assessment in Office Buildings Of Continental United States

An environmental assessment of Legionella bacteria was conducted in five office buildings in the continental United States where no legionellosis was reported. The purpose of this investigation was to (i) determine the presence of Legionella bacteria in potable and non-potable water systems, (ii) provide a baseline information for management, and (iii) evaluate the effectiveness of the remedial actions taken. Water samples were collected from all possible water sources in surveyed buildings. The samples were analyzed by both direct fluorescent antibody microscopy (DFA) and the bacterial cultural method for the presence of Legionella species. Legionella bacteria were detected in some samples collected from various water distribution systems in the buildings. Remedial action was taken to eliminate these bacteria, and case-by-case results are presented.     

Water,Energy and Environment Nexus: The California Experience

The paper addresses the local and inter-state connections between water, energy and the environment. Using California and the western USA as a case study, the paper highlights the difficulties of balancing the needs of diverse stakeholders and protecting valuable resources while providing reliable and safe supplies of both water and energy to agricultural, industrial and residential customers. The investigation of these complex relationships is necessary to inform local and national policy decisions regarding the management of water, energy and the environment.