Use of compatible blends to fabricate carbon black composite vapor detectors

The aim of this work was the development of materials to be used in the field of gas sensing for the detection of organic vapors. Conductive sensors were prepared with carbon black filled blends of poly(vinyl chloride) and diol‐terminated poly(?‐caprolactone), an oligomeric plasticizer. For comparison, blends with di(2‐ethylhexyl)phthalate, a traditional low‐molecular‐weight plasticizer, were also prepared. All sensors were tested upon exposure to different organic vapors. In general, the plasticizer content affected the response rates of the sensors, and a linear variation of the relative resistance with the analyte concentration was observed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 1816–1821, 2004     

Content of phytoestrogens in soy-based dietary supplements

The isoflavone content of 14 soy-based dietary supplements intended to help alleviate perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms on sale in Italy were analysed using HPLC with UV detection. The aim was to quantify soy isoflavones after hydrolysis as aglycones, which are the bioactive part of isoflavone molecules. In the examined products, the amounts of isoflavones were frequently expressed ambiguously, and none of the products stated whether the isoflavone content of the product was expressed as aglycones or as conjugates. Each product revealed a different aglycone concentration profile. These supplements have different “fingerprints”, probably due to different sources of raw materials and to methods used in processing and preparation of extracts. In more than half the supplements tested, the actual values contained were below those stated and below those expected to help alleviate perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms.     

Algorithm for the calculation of the coefficient of thermal expansion of multicomponent metallic alloys

An algorithm for the calculation of temperature dependent bulk properties of multicomponent systems is introduced and illustrated with the calculation of the coefficient of thermal expansion, equilibrium volume, energy of formation and compressibility of Ni-Ti-Nb shape memory alloys.     

Weaker conditions for innovations informational equivalence in the independent Gaussian case

This paper deals with the problem of establishing conditions under which, in the independent Gaussian case, a stochastic process can be considered to be informationally equivalent to its innovations. In recent years this problem has been considered and, as a result, sufficient conditions implying informational equivalence are now available. On the other hand, these conditions are stronger than the ones implying whiteness of the innovations process. The aim of this paper is to fill the gap between conditions assuring whiteness of the innovations and the ones implying informational equivalence. More specifically, by considering the innovations problem in the context of multiplicity theory of stochastic processes and using the notion of a fully submitted process, a necessary and sufficient condition for informational equivalence of the innovations is established. This condition can be interpreted as a condition of nonsingularity in detection theory and turns out to be weaker than the measure-theoretic equivalence condition that has been used in essentially all of the most recent contributions to the innovations problem.     

Removal of a positive realness condition in minimum variance adaptive regulators by multistep horizons

Convergence properties of a new class of adaptive regulators based on multistep quadratic cost functionals are analyzed by Ljung's ODE method. It is shown that, if the time horizon of the controller is large enough, the MV feedback law is a possible convergence point of the algorithm, even if the plant does not satisfy a positive realness condition.     

On the stabilizing property of SIORHC

It is shown that the stabilizing property of SIORHC (stabilizing I/O receding horizon control) holds for general stabilizable discrete-time linear plants irrespective of the condition that the plant has no poles at the origin.     

Multivariate data analysis of some xenobiotic trace metals in mussels from the Gulf of Trieste

Summary The concentration of Cd, Hg and Pb in the soft part of mussels has been studied by means of bi-and multi-variate statistical approaches. In particular, the principal component analysis has been applied to study the association among these toxic metals in mussels sampled from the gulf of Trieste, which is a critical area as far as mercury pollution is concerned.

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Mehrdimensionale Analyse der Daten einiger xenobiotischer Spurenmetalle in Miesmuscheln aus dem Golf von Triest

Zusammenfassung Der Gehalt von Cd, Hg und Pb in Miesmuschelfleisch wurde nach einer statistischen mehrdimensionalen Analyse untersucht. Besonders wurde die Hauptkomponentenanalyse zum Studium der Assoziationen dieser toxischen Metalle in Miesmuscheln angewandt. Die Miesmuschelproben stammten aus dem Golf von Triest, ein kritisches Gebiet für Quecksilberverunreinigungen.

     

Distribution of NGF and NT-3-like protein immunoreactivity in the teleost kidney

By means of immunochemistry and immunohistochemistry, we investigated in the kidney of freshwater and marine teleostean species for the presence and localization of three neurotrophins: nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and neurotrophin (NT)-3. In both species studied, NGF-like and NT-3-like immunoreactivity were present in the kidney with different distribution patterns, while BDNF-like immunoreactivity was never detected. In goldfish, NGF-like and NT-3-like immunoreactivity were identified extensively in cells along part of the arterial branches adjacent to the afferent arterioles. In scorpion fish, NGF-like and NT-3-like immunoreactive cells were observed both on afferent arterioles and on adjacent secondary branches derived from renal arteries. No immunoreactivity was detected in other renal structures. A staining pattern of immunoreactivity similar to that obtained for NGF and NT-3 was detected utilizing S100 antibody as a juxtaglomerular (JG) cell marker. Double immunolabellings NGF/S100 and NT-3/S100 evidenced the coexistence of neurotrophin-like proteins and S100-like protein in the same immunoreactive cells, thus identifying them as juxtaglomerular cells. Western blot analysis revealed the presence of molecules immunoreactive to NGF and NT-3, whose molecular weights were very similar to those of the corresponding mammalian neurotrophins. These findings extend the presence and distribution of NGF-like and NT-3-like IR in the kidney to teleost species, suggesting a probable participation of these proteins in the renal functions of freshwater and marine teleosts.     

Prevention of bread mould spoilage by using lactic acid bacteria with antifungal properties

The ability of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to inhibit Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium, the main contaminants in bread, was evaluated. Only four strains (Lactobacillus plantarum CRL 778, Lactobacillus reuteri CRL 1100, and Lactobacillus brevis CRL 772 and CRL 796) from 95 strains tested displayed antifungal activity. The major antifungal compounds were acetic and phenyllactic acids. The fermentation quotient (FQ = 2.0) and the leaven volume (80 cm³) of doughs with LB and yeasts were higher than doughs without LB. The inclusion of antifungal LAB strains in the starter culture allowed a reduction in the concentration of calcium propionate by 50% while still attaining a shelf life similar to that of traditional bread containing 0.4% CP.