Effect of Cerium Doping on Microstructure and Dielectric Properties of BaTiO3 Ceramics

A solid state reaction method was used to synthesize barium titanate (BT) and barium cerium titanate (BCT) ceramics at sintering temperature of 1473 K for 4 h. The effect of cerium (Ce) on the structure, microstructure and dielectric properties of BCT was investigated. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations revealed that the grain size increases with increasing Ce content. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed mostly the BT phase, where the lattice parameter decreased with the addition of Ce. The temperature dependence of dielectric constant showed decrease in the phase transition temperature with higher Ce content. The dielectric constant decreased slightly with increasing frequency. The direct current (dc) density-voltage characteristics of the ceramics showed ohmic behavior for both the BT and BCT. As the temperature increased, the dc resistivity of the ceramics decreased. The activation energy increased with increasing Ce content.     

Genetic and other determinants of AMP deaminase activity in healthy adult skeletal muscle

AMPD1 genotype, relative fiber type composition, training status, and gender were evaluated as contributing factors to the reported variation in AMP deaminase enzyme activity in healthy skeletal muscle. Multifactorial correlative analyses demonstrate that AMPD1 genotype has the greatest effect on enzyme activity. An AMPD1 mutant allele frequency of 13.7 and a 1.7% incidence of enzyme deficiency was found across 175 healthy subjects. Homozygotes for the AMPD1 normal allele have high enzyme activities, and heterozygotes display intermediate activities. When examined according to genotype, other factors were found to affect variability as follows: AMP deaminase activity in homozygotes for the normal allele exhibits a negative correlation with the relative percentage of type I fibers and training status. Conversely, residual AMP deaminase activity in homozygotes for the mutant allele displays a positive correlation with the relative percentage of type I fibers. Opposing correlations in different homozygous AMPD1 genotypes are likely due to relative fiber-type differences in the expression of AMPD1 and AMPD3 isoforms. Gender also contributes to variation in total skeletal muscle AMP deaminase activity, with normal homozygous and heterozygous women showing only 85-88% of the levels observed in genotype-matched men.     

Does precontemplation represent a homogeneous stage category? A latent class analysis on German smokers.

The authors examined the subtype structure of smokers classified in the precontemplation stage of change within the transtheoretical model. From a general practice-based sample of 1,499 daily smoking patients from Germany (participation rate 80%), they used a subgroup of 929 smokers who were classified in the precontemplation stage and applied latent class analysis, using the pros and cons of nonsmoking and smoking cessation self-efficacy as the defining variables. Cross-sectional validation of the emerging classes was based on smoking behavior and processes of change variables. For longitudinal validation, generalized estimation equation analyses were used on motivational and abstinence criteria from 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month follow-ups. A 4-class model best represented the data. Three subtypes (labeled progressive, immotive, and disengaged pessimistic) were similar to clusters identified in U.S. studies. The 4th (disengaged optimistic), by contrast, was reminiscent of a type that had previously only emerged in a Dutch study. Cross-sectional and longitudinal validation results confirmed the distinctiveness and predictive power of the classes. The findings highlight the importance of tailoring interventions for smoking behavior change to the needs of different subgroups of precontemplating smokers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Phenolic compounds in olive oil and olive pomace from Cilento (Campania,Italy) and their antioxidant activity

Virgin olive oil (VOO) has nutritional and sensory characteristics that make it unique and a basic component of the Mediterranean diet. Its importance is mainly attributed to its richness in polyphenols, which act as natural antioxidants and may contribute to the prevention of several human diseases. In this paper we report the determination and quantification of oleocanthal, one of the main substances responsible for the bitter taste of olive oil, together with a quali-quantitative analysis by HPLC analytical methods of phenolics from Cilento VOO and olive oil pomace. The total phenolic content was also determined and the in vitro antioxidant and free-radical scavenging activities by DPPH test was evaluated. A superoxide anion enzymatic assay was also carried out and the results were confirmed by the inhibition of xanthine oxidase activity assay. The possible protective role played by VOO secoiridoids on injurious effects of reactive oxygen metabolites on the intestinal epithelium, using Caco-2 human cell line, was investigated.     

Protein and glycerol contents affect physico-chemical properties of soy protein isolate-based edible films

This study was conducted to determine the effect of both soy protein and glycerol contents on physico-chemical properties of soy protein isolate-based edible (SPI) films. The aim of this study was to better understand the influence of SPI and GLY contents on the behavior of the physico-chemical properties of soy protein isolate-based films. Films were casted from heated (70 °C for 20 min) alkaline (pH 10) aqueous solutions of SPI at 6, 7, 8, and 9 (w/w %), glycerol (50%, w/w, of SPI) and SPI at 7 (w/w %), glycerol (40, 60, 70 %, w/w of SPI). Water vapor permeability (WVP), was measured at 25 °C and for four different relative humidities (30–100%, 30–84%, 30–75%, 30–53%). Surface properties and differential scanning calorimetry were also measured. Varying the proportion of SPI and GLY had an effect on water vapor permeability, wetting and thermal properties of SPI films. A synergistic effect of glycerol and protein was observed on the water vapor permeability. Glycerol and RH gradient strongly enhance the moisture absorption rates and permeability of SPI based films. SPI content weakly increases the WVP and does not modify the surface properties. The temperature of denaturation of soy protein decreases glycerol content except for the higher concentration whereas it increases with protein ratio.Industrial relevanceThis topic of research aims to control mass transfers within composite foods or betweenfoods and surrounding media (for instance the headspace in packagings). The targeted applications from this work deals with the food product coating or the coating of paper-based packaging for limiting both the loss of water and flavors by cheese based products. This will allow to maintain the weight of the cheese during “ripening” and commercialization, and also to prevent (off-) flavour dissemination from very odorant cheese as produced in France and Poland.     

Large-scale human metabolomics studies: a strategy for data (pre-) processing and validation

A large metabolomics study was performed on 600 plasma samples taken at four time points before and after a single intake of a high fat test meal by obese and lean subjects. All samples were analyzed by a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) lipidomic method for metabolic profiling. A pragmatic approach combining several well-established statistical methods was developed for processing this large data set in order to detect small differences in metabolic profiles in combination with a large biological variation. Such metabolomics studies require a careful analytical and statistical protocol. The strategy included data preprocessing, data analysis, and validation of statistical models. After several data preprocessing steps, partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was used for finding biomarkers. To validate the found biomarkers statistically, the PLS-DA models were validated by means of a permutation test, biomarker models, and noninformative models. Univariate plots of potential biomarkers were used to obtain insight in up- or downregulation. The strategy proposed proved to be applicable for dealing with large-scale human metabolomics studies.     

Maternal dietary habits and mycotoxin occurrence in human mature milk

During 2006, 82 samples of human mature milk were collected at Italian hospitals and checked for aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) by immunoaffinity column extraction and HPLC. AFM1 was detected in four (5%) of milk samples (ranging from < 7 ng/L to 140 ng/L; mean level: 55.35 ng/L); OTA was detected in 61 (74%) of milk samples (ranging from < 5 ng/L to 405 ng/L; mean level: 30.43 ng/L. OTA levels were significantly higher (p less, not double equals 0.05) in milk of habitual consumers of bread, bakery products and cured pork meat. No other statistically significant differences were observed although habitual consumers of pasta (p = 0.059), cookies (p = 0.061) and juices (p = 0.063) had mean contamination values of OTA higher than the moderate consumer. The very few AFB1 positive samples did not allow statistical comparisons. The present study confirms that the occurrence of OTA in human milk is related to maternal dietary habits. The findings support the possibility of dietary recommendations to woman, during pregnancy and lactation, aimed to tentatively reduce the OTA contamination of human milk.     

Heteroalleles in Common Wheat: Multiple Differences between Allelic Variants of the Gli-B1 Locus

The Gli-B1-encoded γ-gliadins and non-coding γ-gliadin DNA sequences for 15 different alleles of common wheat have been compared using seven tests: electrophoretic mobility (EM) and molecular weight (MW) of the encoded major γ-gliadin, restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns (RFLPs) (three different markers), Gli-B1-γ-gliadin-pseudogene known SNP markers (Single nucleotide polymorphisms) and sequencing the pseudogene GAG56B. It was discovered that encoded γ-gliadins, with contrasting EM, had similar MWs. However, seven allelic variants (designated from I to VII) differed among them in the other six tests: I (alleles Gli-B1i, k, m, o), II (Gli-B1n, q, s), III (Gli-B1b), IV (Gli-B1e, f, g), V (Gli-B1h), VI (Gli-B1d) and VII (Gli-B1a). Allele Gli-B1c (variant VIII) was identical to the alleles from group IV in four of the tests. Some tests might show a fine difference between alleles belonging to the same variant. Our results attest in favor of the independent origin of at least seven variants at the Gli-B1 locus that might originate from deeply diverged genotypes of the donor(s) of the B genome in hexaploid wheat and therefore might be called “heteroallelic”. The donor’s particularities at the Gli-B1 locus might be conserved since that time and decisively contribute to the current high genetic diversity of common wheat.     

Anthropomorphism in social robotics: empirical results on human–robot interaction in hybrid production workplaces

New forms of artificial intelligence on the one hand and the ubiquitous networking of “everything with everything” on the other hand characterize the fourth industrial revolution. This results in a changed understanding of human–machine interaction, in new models for production, in which man and machine together with virtual agents form hybrid teams. The empirical study “Socializing with robots” aims to gain insight especially into conditions of development and processes of hybrid human–machine teams. In the experiment, human–robot actions and interactions were closely observed in a virtual environment. Robots as partners differed in shape and behavior (reliable or faulty). Participants were instructed to achieve an objective that could only be achieved via close teamwork. This paper unites different aspects from core disciplines of social robotics and psychology contributing to anthropomorphization with the empirical insights of the experiment. It focuses on the psychological effects (e.g. reactions of different personality types) on anthropomorphization and mechanization, taking the inter- and transdisciplinary field of social robotics as a starting point.     

Impact of particle morphology on structure,crystallization kinetics,and properties of PCL composites with TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-based particles

Crystallization kinetics of polycaprolactone (PCL) filled with TiO₂-based particles (TiX) was shown to depend on the TiX particle type and concentration, which were associated with a slight polymer matrix degradation. The partially degraded, shorter, and more mobile polymer chains increased the overall crystallization rate at the initial stage of crystallization, while at the later stages, the non-nucleating TiX particles acted as a sterical hindrance, slowing down the crystallization process. The PCL/TiX composites were prepared by melt-mixing and contained 2.5 and 5 wt% of the filler. The investigated TiX particles included isometric anatase microparticles (mTiO₂) and titanate nanotubes with high-aspect ratio (TiNT). Light and electron microscopy showed very homogeneous dispersion of the mTiO₂ particles in the PCL matrix, while the TiNT formed large agglomerates. In situ polarized light microscopy displayed faster isothermal crystallization of all PCL/TiX composites, but the micrographs indicated that the TiX particles did not act as nucleation centres. Isothermal DSC experiments, evaluated in terms of Avrami theory, confirmed the PLM results and showed that the overall rate of isothermal crystallization increased in the following order: PCL <PCL/TiNT <PCL/mTiO₂. Non-isothermal DSC and rheological measurements revealed the correlation between the crystallization rate and the polymer matrix degradation—the well-dispersed mTiO₂ particles with high specific surface caused the highest PCL degradation and, consequently, the earliest start of non-isothermal crystallization as well as the fastest isothermal crystallization. Microindentation hardness measurements confirmed that the partial degradation of the polymer matrix did not have a significant impact on the mechanical performance of PCL/mTiO₂ composites.