Immunomodulatory activity of dietary fiber: arabinoxylan and mixed-linked Beta-glucan isolated from barley show modest activities in vitro

High intake of dietary fiber is claimed to protect against development of colorectal cancer. Barley is a rich source of dietary fiber, and possible immunomodulatory effects of barley polysaccharides might explain a potential protective effect. Dietary fiber was isolated by extraction and enzyme treatment. A mixed-linked β-glucan (WSM-TPX, 96.5% β-glucan, Mw 886 kDa), an arabinoxylan (WUM-BS-LA, 96.4% arabinoxylan, Mw 156 kDa), a mixed-linked β-glucan rich fraction containing 10% arabinoxylan (WSM-TP) and an arabinoxylan rich fraction containing 30% mixed-linked β-glucan (WUM-BS) showed no significant effect on IL-8 secretion and proliferation of two intestinal epithelial cell lines, Caco-2 and HT-29, and had no significant effect on the NF-κB activity in the monocytic cell line U937-3κB-LUC. Further enriched arabinoxylan fractions (WUM-BS-LA) from different barley varieties (Tyra, NK96300, SB94897 and CDCGainer) were less active than the mixed-linked β-glucan rich fractions (WSM-TP and WSM-TPX) in the complement-fixing test. The mixed-linked β-glucan rich fraction from NK96300 and CDCGainer showed similar activities as the positive control while mixed-linked β-glucan rich fractions from Tyra and SB94897 were less active. From these results it is concluded that the isolated high molecular weight mixed-linked β-glucans and arabinoxylans from barley show low immunological responses in selected in vitro test systems and thus possible anti-colon cancer effects of barley dietary fiber cannot be explained by our observations.     

On predicting properties of explosives – detonation velocity

Abstract

A systematic method of representing an explosive, based on its composition, is presented. This method is used to display performance data for existing explosives, and suggests an alternate definition for oxygen balance and determines compositions that might produce high-performance explosives. A new method for predicting the detonation velocity of a proposed explosive is also presented. This is a simple method that also yields insight into which factors are important in predicting performance.     

Robust reduction of graphene fluoride using an electrostatically biased scanning probe

We report a novel and easily accessible method to chemically reduce graphene fluoride （GF） sheets with nanoscopic precision using high electrostatic fields generated between an atomic force microscope （AFM） tip and the GF substrate. Reduction of fluorine by the electric field produces graphene nanoribbons （GNR） with a width of 105-1,800 nm with sheet resistivity drastically decreased from 〉1 TΩ.sq.^-1 （GF） down to 46 kΩ.sq.^-1 （GNR）. Fluorine reduction also changes the topography, friction, and work function of the GF. Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements indicate that the work function of GF is 180-280 meV greater than that of graphene. The reduction process was optimized by varying the AFM probe velocity between 1.2 μm.s^-1 and 12 μm.s^-1 and the bias voltage applied to the sample between -8 and -12 V. The electrostatic field required to remove fluorine from carbon is -1.6 V.nm-1. Reduction of the fluorine may be due to the softening of the C-F bond in this intense field or to the accumulation and hydrolysis of adventitious water into a meniscus.     

Polyols based on isocyanates and melamines and their applications in 1K and 2K coatings

Polyurethane polyols (PUPOs) and melamine polyols (MEPOs), invented by AkzoNobel Coatings, offer valuable alternatives to the commonly used polyester and acrylic polyols and new formulating tools for the development of novel coatings. The resin chemistry is based on the predominantly selective reactivity of α,β- and α,γ-diols with commonly used polyisocyanate and melamine formaldehyde crosslinkers. The resulting low molecular weight, hydroxyl functional resins are suitable for use in low VOC coatings. By choosing the appropriate crosslinker, diol, and modifier, the chemical structures of these resins can be altered to obtain the desired properties of the coatings. Synthesis methods for novel PUPOs and MEPOs and properties of one component and two component coatings containing them are described.     

Hidden dependence in human errors

Two methodological refinements to the technique for human error rate prediction (THERP) for adjusting predictions to accommodate unconsidered sources of dependency are presented. (1) Synchrony adjustment estimates dependencies among errors due to cyclical patterns in performing otherwise unrelated activities. Synchrony adjustments would also be appropriate for modeling repairs and component burn-in in systems which are operated in a cyclical fashion. (2) Common rate adjustment adjusts estimates for multiple errors within an activity to make them consistent with the THERP assumptions about the distribution of error rates. Synchrony adjustment can result in substantial increases in the estimate of joint unavailability. While the effects of rate adjustment are less dramatic they suggest that the probability of events involving very many errors is higher than anticipated. Solutions to these two problems are presented along with numerical examples     

A Novel Design for Medium Voltage (15-35kV) URD Cable Joints

A new concept in heat-shrinkable technology has been developed into a range of medium voltage URD cable joints. The new thermo-elastomeric tubing has been used in a range of cable joints for concentric and jacketed concentric neutral distribution cables for 15 to 35kV voltage classes. These joints were designed with the aid of a computer modeling and finite element analysis technique which predicted the electrical stress and assisted in design optimization. The joints were tested to IEEE 404-1986 and ANSI C119.1-1974. The typical stress plots of the joints and those data relevent to performance are also reported.     

Symptom alleviation in the hyperactive child by dietary modification: a report of two cases

Case reports are presented of two hyperactive preschool boys, one with severe cognitive and one with emotional problems, treated as a last resort with the Kaiser-Permanente elimination diet. Outcomes suggest further study of the effectiveness of the diet in alleviating symptoms of hyperactivity, especially in the preschool child who is unresponsive to medication and whose hyperactivity may be compounded by other developmental and emotional problems.     

How good are ideas identified by an automatic idea detection system?

Online communities can be an attractive source of ideas for product and process innovations. However, innovative user‐contributed ideas may be few. From a perspective of harnessing “big data” for inbound open innovation, the detection of good ideas in online communities is a problem of detecting rare events. Recent advances in text analytics and machine learning have made it possible to screen vast amounts of online information and automatically detect user‐contributed ideas. However, it is still uncertain whether the ideas identified by such systems will also be regarded as sufficiently novel, feasible and valuable by firms who might decide to develop them further. A validation study is reported in which 200 posts from an online home brewing community were extracted by an automatic idea detection system. Two professionals from a brewing company evaluated the posts in terms of idea content, idea novelty, idea feasibility and idea value. The results suggest that the automatic idea detection system is sufficiently valid to be deployed for the harvesting and initial screening of ideas, and that the profile of the identified ideas (in terms of novelty, feasibility and value) follows the same pattern identified in studies of user ideation in general.     

Immobilization of lithium-selective 14-crown-4 on crosslinked polymer supports

The immobilization of octamethyl-14-crown-4 onto crosslinked polymer supports is reported and the selectivity for Li(I) from aqueous solutions quantified. The amount of Li(I) complexed by the crown ether is affected by the polarity of the polymer matrix: Complexation increases with increasing matrix hydrophilicity. Poly(glycidyl methacrylate) is the preferred support matrix for the crown ether.     

Comparison of Crop Contamination by Microorganisms during Subsurface Drip and Furrow Irrigation

This study was conducted to compare subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) with furrow irrigation (FI) in crop contamination with microbial-contaminated water irrigation. Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens, and coliphage PRD-1 were added to water used to irrigate cantaloupe, lettuce, and bell pepper. Samples of produce, surface, and subsurface (10?cm) soil for each irrigation system were collected on Days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 after the application of the study microorganisms. Overall, greater contamination of produce occurred in FI plots than in SDI plots. The microorganisms were detected on the surfaces of cantaloupe and lettuce, but were never recovered on the bell peppers. The greatest amount of contamination occurred with PRD-1 on cantaloupe. The study microorganisms survived longer in the subsurface soil than the soil surface. PRD-1 showed greater persistence than E. coli in soil, while C. perfringens experienced little inactivation during the experiment periods. This study showed that subsurface drip irrigation has great potential to reduce health risks when microbial-contaminated water is used for irrigation water.