Dietary fatty acids influence the growth and fatty acid composition of the yellow mealworm <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tenebrio molitor</Emphasis> (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Fat is the second most abundant component of the nutrient composition of the mealworm Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) that represents also an interesting source of PUFA, especially n-6 and n-3 fatty acids, involved in prevention of cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated the possibility of modifying the fat content and the FA composition of yellow mealworms through feeding and how this would be influenced by developmental stages, pupal sex, and generation with the future aim of applying this coleopteran as a diet supplement for human health. Growth rate and cumulative mortality percentage on the different feeding substrates were also evaluated to select the optimal conditions for a mass-raising of this insect species. Despite the different fat content in the six different breeding substrates used, T. molitor larvae and pupae contained a constant fat percentage (>34% in larvae and >30% in pupae). A similar total fat content was found comparing larvae and male and female pupae of the second generation to those of the first generation. On the contrary, FA composition differed both in larvae and pupae reared on the different feeding substrates. However, the exemplars reared on the diets based on 100% bread and 100% oat flour showed SFA, PUFA percentages, and an n-6/n-3 ratio more suitable for human consumption; the diet based on beer yeast, wheat flour, and oat flour resulted in a contemporary diet that most satisfied the balance between a fat composition of high quality and favorable growth conditions.     

Permeation of mixtures of organic liquids through polymeric membranes: Role of liquid–liquid interactions

The permeation of pure organic liquids and mixtures of organic liquids through commercial butyl, neoprene, and nitrile membranes was studied using dynamic material deformation (swelling) and permeation techniques. The derived parameters, the breakthrough time (t_BT), steady‐state permeation rate (SSPR), and initial swelling rate (SR), show deviations from additivity for the mixtures, based on the parameters of the pure liquids on a mol fraction basis. In the majority of cases for the three membranes examined, the deviations are independent of the nature of the membranes, and the signs of the deviations for t_BT are opposite to those for SSPR or SR, provided that the membranes are not degraded by one of the solvents. An approach that considers only solvent–solvent interactions based on the enthalpy of mixing was used to predict deviations for mixtures. For mixtures where the enthalpy of mixing is large and exothermic, the permeation of the mixture is less than expected, while for systems where the enthalpy of mixing is large and endothermic, the permeation is larger than expected. A simple semiempirical model predicts the sign and magnitude of the permeation of 73% of the system–permeation property combinations investigated, which show significant deviations from ideality. It is interesting to note that the wrong predictions are for systems where the predictions are positive, that is, for SSPR and SR rates with endothermic systems and for t_BT with exothermic systems. The exceptions also seem to be for systems that correspond to materials having a high resistance to one of the solvents and a very low resistance to the other solvent. Examples of ternary–mixture permeation data are also given and show that, even if two of the pure components do not permeate through a membrane, the membrane will offer little protection if the third component shows a high affinity for the membrane and if the enthalpies of mixing of this component with the other liquids are endothermic. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 195–215, 2002     

Microwave Irradiation Effect on Hydrotalcite Synthesis

New synthesis method of hydrotalcites using microwave irradiation is presented, which avoids the autoclave high temperature treatment as well as the long crystallization time. The crystallite size of the obtained solids is smaller than in the conventionally prepared hydrotalcites. The highest irradiation time provided the lowest aluminium incorporation to the hydrotalcite network. Diminishing microwave irradiation time produces purer hydrotalcites. If the gel is irradiated only for two minutes a well crystallized hydrotalcite is obtained.     

Morphology studies of multilayered HDPE/PS systems

Films with alternating layers of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polystyrene (PS) were prepared by layer‐multiplying coextrusion, using two HDPEs differing in molecular weight. The crystal structure of extremely thin PE layers confined between PS layers was studied by small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS), wide angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXS), and also by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique including MDSC. The morphology of HDPE in the systems studied is greatly affected by the presence of HDPE/PS interfaces. In the HDPE layers, the texture component was observed with lamellae with their basal planes normal to the interface and (200) crystallographic planes parallel to the interface. Thus, the polymer chains in this texture component are parallel to the interface between both polymers. The small fraction of lamellae parallel to the interface in thicker HDPE layers disappears with the thinning of the layers beyond 100 nm. AFM images show in these samples straight, long lamellae positioned edge‐on at HDPE/PS interface. The thickness and perfection of lamellae decrease with the decrease of individual HDPE layer thickness. Those thinner and less perfect lamellae are more susceptible to reorganization during heating as it is observed by MDSC. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 99: 597–612, 2006     

Do broadband adoption rates impact a community's health?

As broadband Internet access becomes more common, researchers have focused on the ways that it might improve society. As part of this effort, we seek to determine whether increasing levels of broadband adoption have impacted actual health outcomes by assessing changes in aggregate health measures over time. We use data from 92 metropolitan/micropolitan statistical areas in the USA over the time period 2002–2009 and incorporate a first-differenced approach to uncover the relationship between levels of broadband adoption and various self-reported health outcomes. The results show that higher rates of broadband adoption play a statistically significant role in explaining changes in 9 of the 24 health measures considered. In some cases, higher levels of online activity are related to improved health outcomes. This suggests that policies to increase broadband adoption rates may have significant externalities related to health.     

From types to type requirements: genericity for model-driven engineering

Model-driven engineering (MDE) is a software engineering paradigm that proposes an active use of models during the development process. This paradigm is inherently type-centric, in the sense that models and their manipulation are defined over the types of specific meta-models. This fact hinders the reuse of existing MDE artefacts with other meta-models in new contexts, even if all these meta-models share common characteristics. To increase the reuse opportunities of MDE artefacts, we propose a paradigm shift from type-centric to requirement-centric specifications by bringing genericity into models, meta-models and model management operations. For this purpose, we introduce so-called concepts gathering structural and behavioural requirements for models and meta-models. In this way, model management operations are defined over concepts, enabling the application of the operations to any meta-model satisfying the requirements imposed by the concept. Model templates rely on concepts to define suitable interfaces, hence enabling the definition of reusable model components. Finally, similar to mixin layers, templates can be defined at the meta-model level as well, to define languages in a modular way, as well as layers of functionality to be plugged-in into other meta-models. These ideas have been implemented in MetaDepth, a multi-level meta-modelling tool that integrates action languages from the Epsilon family for model management and code generation.     

Reinforcement based mobile robot navigation in dynamic environment

In this paper, a new approach is developed for solving the problem of mobile robot path planning in an unknown dynamic environment based on Q-learning. Q-learning algorithms have been used widely for solving real world problems, especially in robotics since it has been proved to give reliable and efficient solutions due to its simple and well developed theory. However, most of the researchers who tried to use Q-learning for solving the mobile robot navigation problem dealt with static environments; they avoided using it for dynamic environments because it is a more complex problem that has infinite number of states. This great number of states makes the training for the intelligent agent very difficult. In this paper, the Q-learning algorithm was applied for solving the mobile robot navigation in dynamic environment problem by limiting the number of states based on a new definition for the states space. This has the effect of reducing the size of the Q-table and hence, increasing the speed of the navigation algorithm. The conducted experimental simulation scenarios indicate the strength of the new proposed approach for mobile robot navigation in dynamic environment. The results show that the new approach has a high Hit rate and that the robot succeeded to reach its target in a collision free path in most cases which is the most desirable feature in any navigation algorithm.     

Ultrastructure of submandibular salivary glands of mouse: TEM and HRSEM observations

The fine structure of submandibular glands of mouse were analyzed using light microscopy (LM), high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods. For LM, the specimens were embedded in Spurr resin, stained by toluidin blue solutions. For TEM, the tissues of submandibular salivary glands were fixed with modified Karnovsky solution and postfixed with osmium tetroxide. For HRSEM, the tissues were fixed with 2% osmium tetroxide solution in 1/15M sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). The samples were immersed successively in dymethylsulphoxide and freeze cracked. The maceration was made in diluted osmium tetroxide for 24-48 h. The samples were examined by high resolution scanning electron microscopy. The intracellular components of acinar and ductal cells revealed clearly the Golgi apparatus, rough endoplasmic reticulum, secretory granules, and mitochondria. The end bulbs of Golgi lamellae and flattened cisterns of rough endoplasmic reticulum showed the luminal surface. A few mitochondria were identified intermingling between the rough endoplasmic reticulum and the mitochondriales cristae in three-dimensional HRSEM images. Secretory granules were numerous and presented different sizes. Small granules of ribosomes were attached on cistern surface, measuring 20-25 nm in diameter. Numerous arranged microvilli were found on the luminal surface of secretory canaliculus. The contact surfaces of acinar cells revealed complicated interdigitations by cytoplasmic processes. The mitochondria of duct cells were disposed vertically and surrounded by basal infoldings of plasma membranes. Basement membrane showed a spongy-like structure having an irregular surface with various strands and meshes of fine collagen fibrils.     

Cultural Landscape: Stone Towers on Mount Etna

This work reports the findings of an investigation by Etna’s local councils whose publicly owned land has high concentrations of particularly significant towers. The towers are original stone constructions, presumed to have been built between the end of the 1700s and the beginning of the 1900s and so are unrelated to medieval towers, emblems of ancient yet sophisticated building techniques and located in numerous agricultural areas on the slopes of Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano. They are built out of the stones removed from the agricultural land of the soils regenerated from the lava flows wedged in between basalt outcrops. Together with other stone artefacts, they form part of a renewable heritage of great value both for their recognised role in maintaining biodiversity as well as for their cultural, landscape and historical significance. These constructions are in a state of extreme abandonment or are gradually disappearing due to the loss of agriculture or the changeover of agricultural land into building sites. The enquiry used historical documents, censuses of tower characteristics and field data. Four council zones were identified and in each only clearly identifiable towers were considered (total: 19). The field data highlighted considerable architectural complexity in their proportions and construction techniques. Their historico-cultural-landscape validity was confirmed as was the necessity of appropriate and urgent state intervention.     

Repercussions on sarcomeres of the myotendinous junction and the myofibrillar type adaptations in response to different trainings on vertical ladder

The myofibrillary types establish to the skeletal muscle functional and adaptive properties that influence the sarcomeric arrangement during muscle contraction and may have repercussions on an important related force transmission region of the locomotor apparatus, the myotendinous junction (MTJ). This study aimed to describe changes in myofibrillary type and sarcomeric lengths in the belly muscle and MTJ of the soleus and plantaris muscles associated with training protocols in vertical ladder. Thirty adults male Wistar rats were divided into three groups (n = 10): Control (CTR), No‐load Training (NLT), and Load Training (LT). Morphoquantitative analysis of different fibers types and sarcomere lengths were performed in distinct regions of plantaris and soleus muscles. In the plantaris muscle with both trainings, there was an increase in the cross‐sectional area (CSA) in Type I and II fibers (p < .0001) while sarcomeric lengths revealed greater lengths in the proximal and distal sarcomeres of NLT, although in the LT we found greater lengths in the belly and MTJ sarcomeres. The soleus muscle showed an increase in CSA muscle fiber only in the NLT (p < .0001) and revealed alterations in belly and MTJ sarcomere lengths with training. We concluded that plantaris muscle has an adaptive effect directly associated with training load, with hypertrophy in both trainings and sarcomere length inverse from belly and MTJ, in LT associated with increased force generation and transmission at the MTJ, although soleus muscle has a lower adaptive response to training stimuli with variation in the belly and distal sarcomere of the MTJ.