Relation among taste-related compounds (phenolics and caffeine) and sensory profile of erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis)

Erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil.) is a native species from temperate regions of South America, such as Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, that is consumed as a beverage known as mate. The objective of this research was to determine the content of caffeic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeine, and gallic acid in mate to explain their influence in beverage taste and sensory differences between native and reforested plants, as well as between beverages from plants of different regions of Brazil (Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul states). Compounds were determined by HPLC and results were related to a sensory evaluation performed by trained tasters. Tasters considered the beverage from reforested plants to be more bitter than the beverage from native plants. Beverages from reforested plants had significantly higher caffeic acid and lower catechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeine, and gallic acid content than native plants. Beverages from plants of Santa Catarina state had significantly higher catechin, caffeine, and gallic acid content than plants from Rio Grande do Sul state.     

Interfacial Energy in Phase-Separated Glasses from Emulsion Rheology

Classical theories of emulsion rheology yield information on the deformation of a liquid drop dispersed into another liquid matrix phase. By connecting the deformation and relaxation, respectively, and the capillary number of the dispersed phase, interfacial energy can be estimated. This was applied to demixing borosilicate and lead borate glasses, which are known to exhibit significant form anisotropy after elongation. Interfacial energies in these two systems were calculated based on graphical data of prior isothermal elongation experiments. The method is discussed in terms of experimental difficulties. It might provide an alternative way to overcome the obvious lack of information on interfacial energies in glasses.     

Do logistic regression and signal detection identify different subgroups at risk? Implications for the design of tailored interventions.

Identifying subgroups of high-risk individuals can lead to the development of tailored interventions for those subgroups. This study compared two multivariate statistical methods (logistic regression and signal detection) and evaluated their ability to identify subgroups at risk. The methods identified similar risk predictors and had similar predictive accuracy in exploratory and validation samples. However, the 2 methods did not classify individuals into the same subgroups. Within subgroups, logistic regression identified individuals that were homogeneous in outcome but heterogeneous in risk predictors. In contrast, signal detection identified individuals that were homogeneous in both outcome and risk predictors. Because of the ability to identify homogeneous subgroups, signal detection may be more useful than logistic regression for designing distinct tailored interventions for subgroups of high-risk individuals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preoccupied with predictive validity: An alternative perspective.

Psychologists have expressed concern over the problems of empirically establishing the predictive validity of individual assessments, and in particular the lack of empirical evidence for this practice. A case study is used to illustrate the benefits and drawbacks of externally conducted individual assessments to illustrate why predictive validity is only part of the picture. The consulting psychologist and client relationship are compared with the doctor and patient relationship, and this analogy is used to analyze the role of the consulting psychologist, and of the individual assessments that they conduct. Finally, the implications of conducting individual assessments for practicing within a scientist-practitioner model are examined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The mysterious metamorphoses of Bertha Pappenheim: Anna O. revisited.

Re-examines the life of Bertha Pappenheim, also known as J. Breuer and Freud's (1895) Anna O, in an attempt to understand her breakdown at age 21 and her emergence as a creative leader and reformer 8 yrs later. Understanding any life demands a theory that considers the individual's unique biological, familial, and sociocultural background, recognizes continuity over the lifespan, and contains a principle to account for such continuity. Classical drive theory does not meet these criteria. Based in part on J. Lichtenberg's (1989) concept of "self-righting," it is assumed that growth toward a healthy achieving self can occur at any age, given propitious conditions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Constituents and Pharmacological Activities of Myrcia (Myrtaceae): A Review of an Aromatic and Medicinal Group of Plants

Myrcia is one of the largest genera of the economically important family Myrtaceae. Some of the species are used in folk medicine, such as a group known as “pedra-hume-caá” or “pedra-ume-caá” or “insulina vegetal” (insulin plant) that it is used for the treatment of diabetes. The species are an important source of essential oils, and most of the chemical studies on Myrcia describe the chemical composition of the essential oils, in which mono- and sesquiterpenes are predominant. The non-volatile compounds isolated from Myrcia are usually flavonoids, tannins, acetophenone derivatives and triterpenes. Anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, antioxidant, antimicrobial activities have been described to Myrcia essential oils, while hypoglycemic, anti-hemorrhagic and antioxidant activities were attributed to the extracts. Flavonoid glucosides and acetophenone derivatives showed aldose reductase and α-glucosidase inhibition, and could explain the traditional use of Myrcia species to treat diabetes. Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory are some of the activities observed for other isolated compounds from Myrcia.     

Dietary assessment of pre-school children from Federal District Brazil

The objective was to assess food consumption among children attending non-profit nurseries in the Federal District, Brazil.A representative sample was obtained and stratified by income. Food intake among 678 children, between 4 and 82 months old, was analyzed in nine nurseries using the 24-h dietary recall and direct food weighing methods. In children under 13 months old mean intake was above AI between 93.6 to 100% for carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins B1, B2, B12, B6, and zinc. In children from 7-12 months 56.5% presented iron consumption below EAR. Calcium intake was above AI for 35.4% of children over 1 year old. For vitamins with EAR values, the prevalence of inadequate consumption was 53.2% for vitamin E, and 90% for folate for children over 12 months old. Iron and zinc intake was above UL for 6.4% and 32.5% of children under 1 year old, and 1.5% and 5.3% for the remaining children, respectively. Lipid percentage distribution range among children between 13 and 47 months old was within the acceptable range for only 16.2%. Nonetheless, children between 36 and 82 months of both genders presented mean intake below energy requirements. Inadequate consumption observed for some nutrients points to the need for improvements in the standard of meals and nutritional assistance offered to children enrolled in charitably run nurseries in the Federal District.     

Mixture Design and Response Surface Analysis of Densification of Silicon Carbide Ceramics with (SiO2–Dy2O3–Al2O3) Additives

Statistical mixture designs are used to systematically study the densification properties of silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics sintered with SiO₂, Dy₂O₃, and Al₂O₃. Mixture models for percentage theoretical density and SiC weight loss as a function of the SiO₂, Dy₂O₃, and Al₂O₃ oxide proportions have been determined and validated by analysis of variance. The results indicate a region confined by about 0–20 mol% silica, 50–65 mol% dysprosia, and 40–65 mol% alumina, with all samples containing 10% by volume of additives, and simultaneously maximization of density values and minimization of weight loss during SiC-based ceramic sintering.