Is it the plate or is it the food? Assessing the influence of the color (black or white) and shape of the plate on the perception of the food placed on it

Our perception of food is affected by the sensory properties of the food itself, together with our expectations about the food and other contextual factors. The latter are especially relevant in the restaurant setting, where appearance factors, such as the presentation of the food on the plates can dramatically affect food liking and consumption. However, to date, not much emphasis has been placed on the effect of the appearance of the accessories on our perception of food.The aims of the present study were therefore to test the extent to which the appearance properties of the plate influence the taste/flavor experiences of the food served on it. Specifically, we investigated the influence of the color (black or white) and shape of the plate on the perception of flavor intensity, sweetness, quality, and liking for identical strawberry mousse desserts.The results demonstrated that while the color of the plate exerted a significant influence on people’s perception of the food, the shape of the plate did not. In particular, when the mousse was served from a white plate, it was perceived as significantly more intense and sweeter, and was also liked more.These results therefore demonstrate the importance of the color (if not the shape) of the plate on people’s perception of food.     

Catalytic performance of a copper–promoted CeO2 catalyst in the CO oxidation: Influence of the operating variables and kinetic study

A study of the CO oxidation reaction was conducted on a CuO–CeO₂ catalyst, with a copper content of 20 at%. The stability, activity and selectivity of this sample were evaluated in the absence of H₂ and also under PROX conditions (i.e. in great H₂ excess). The influence of the reaction temperature and the feed composition was also analyzed. It was found that water and CO₂ have a negative effect on the catalytic activity. Except for the undesired oxidation of hydrogen, the occurrence of other lateral reactions that could be present in the PROX reactor can be discarded. A kinetic study was carried out in order to fit a classical power-law expression for CO oxidation rate. Although this mathematical expression gave a good fit in limited concentration ranges, it was found that the partial reaction orders depend on the reactant molar fractions.     

Intramolecularly crosslinked macromolecules—Formation and structure,characterization and particle properties

Reactive intramolecularly crosslinked macromolecules (RICM) (reactive microgels) have been synthesized by emulsion copolymerization. Besides 1,4-divinylbenzene (1,4-DVB), self-emulsifying unsaturated polyesters (EUP) were used. In copolymerization of EUP and comonomers the diffusion rate of the latter influences the copolymerization rate of the growing species, if the initiator concentration is high and the water solubility of the difunctional comonomer is low. The compact structure of RICM is indicated by low slopes of log [\eta]/log_w. Values of [\eta] of RICM are low and their molar masses high. [\eta] depends on the structure of RICM, e.g. pendent chains and crosslink density. Structures with pendent EUP chains could be confirmed by hydrolytic degradation. RICM may be stabilized electrostatically or sterically. Network chains of RICM from 1,4-DVB are immobile.     

Antibiotic-induced changes of mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerea

The effect of antibiotics and metabolic inhibitors on mycelial growth of Botrytis cinera was followed. Inhibitors of protein synthesis, chloramphenicol, erythromycin and tetracycline inhibit growth or sporulation of Botrytis cinera. Ethidium bromide, 5-fluorouracil, phenylethylalcohol and K 20 cause granulation, vacuolization and undulation of hyphase. 2,4-Dinitrophenol, boromycin, macrotetrolides, monensin, scopathricin and TX2 at subfungistatic concentrations induce intensive branching of hyphal tips i.e. at the site of synthesis of the cell wall. In older hyphase grown in the absence of the antibiotics the branching begins after their addition, particularly in the septum region. When comparing the results referred to here with those obtained previously and on the basis of literature data it may be assumed that the changes in polarity of growth of Botrytis cinerea might be caused primarily or secondarily by impairing membrane functions and formation of cell walls.     

Synthesis and characterization of composite membrane by deposition of acrylic acid plasma polymer onto pre-treated polyethersulfone support

The plasma techniques were explored to deposit a layer of hydrophilic polymer on asymmetric porous membranes used as support material. Microporous membranes were synthesized by the phase inversion technique from polyethersulfone (PES) and submitted to a surface treatment with RF-plasma of non-polymerizable gas. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) was selected to generate this plasma and to increase the surface energy. Further plasma treatment proceeded with acrylic acid (AA) in vapor phase as source for the permanent surface hydrophilic functionalization. The infrared spectra with horizontal attenuated total reflectance (HATR) show that the deposited plasma polymer provides a high concentration of carbonyl and hydroxyl groups. The hydrophilic polymer layer was evenly deposited, with good adhesion to the support, as was observed by electronic microscopy (SEM). The surface free energy (γ_S) was increased through plasma treatments and confirmed by the decrease of contact angle (θ) measurements and increase of adhesion work (W _a). The nitrogen permeability decreased 650 times; after that a dense thin film was deposited by plasma treatment during 40 min (at 5 W and 8 Pa). Final composite membranes show stability, high surface hydrophilicity, and a surface chemical nature very stable with time.     

Children's responses to anomalous scientific data: How is conceptual change impeded?

Four experiments with 4th, 5th, and 6th graders addressed conceptual change in response to anomalous data about empirical regularities in science. Impedance to conceptual change in response to anomalous data could potentially occur at any of 4 cognitive processes: observation, interpretation, generalization, or retention. In the 4 experiments, conceptual change was blocked most strongly at observation. The students had difficulty making accurate observations, but they did not simply observe what they expected to observe. The students usually aligned their conceptions with their observations, evincing an implicit epistemology in which they distinguished conceptions from evidence and changed beliefs in response to evidence. Providing explanations to students promoted conceptual change, evidently because the explanations provided a schema that guided the observation process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Application of Brazilian pine-fruit shell as a biosorbent to removal of reactive red 194 textile dye from aqueous solution kinetics and equilibrium study

The Brazilian pine-fruit shell (Araucaria angustifolia) is a food residue, that was used as biosorbent for the removal of non-hydrolyzed reactive red 194 (NRR) and hydrolyzed reactive red 194 (HRR) forms from aqueous solutions. Chemical treatment of Brazilian pine-fruit shell (PW), with chromium (Cr-PW), with acid (A-PW), and with acid followed by chromium (Cr-A-PW) were also tested as alternative biosorbents for the removal of NRR and HRR from aqueous effluents. It was observed that the treatment of the Brazilian pine-fruit shell with chromium (Cr-PW and Cr-A-PW) leaded to a remarkable increase in the specific surface area and average porous volume of these biosorbents when compared to unmodified Brazilian pine-fruit shell (PW). The effects of shaking time, biosorbent dosage and pH on biosorption capacity were studied. In acidic pH region (pH 2.0) the biosorption of NRR and HRR were favorable. The contact time required to obtain the equilibrium was 24h at 25 degrees C. The equilibrium data were fitted to Langmuir, Freundlich, Sips and Redlich-Peterson isotherm models. For NRR reactive dye the equilibrium data were best fitted to the Sips isotherm model using PW and A-PW as biosorbents, and Redlich-Peterson isotherm model using Cr-PW and Cr-A-PW as biosorbents. For HRR reactive dye the equilibrium data were best fitted to the Sips isotherm model using PW, A-PW and Cr-A-PW and the Redlich-Peterson isotherm model for Cr-PW as biosorbent.     

The role of surfactant in the miniemulsion polymerization of biodegradable polyurethane nanoparticles

The influence of surfactant type and concentration on particle size, formulation yield and stability of the polyurethane (PUR) nanoparticles synthesized by miniemulsion polymerization was investigated. SDS, Tween 80 and Pluronic F68 were employed as surfactants in concentration ranging from 5 to 20% (vs monomer concentration). The surfactant SDS was found not efficient in our system, resulting in a low formulation yield (about 53%), two particle size distributions and zeta potential equal to − 52.3mV. On the other hand, the nonionic surfactants gave monomodal particle size distribution, good yields (> 85%) and zeta potential around to− 24mV. The particles synthesized with Tween 80 or Pluronic F68 were very similar to each other in terms of efficiency, particle size distribution and zeta potential. For instance, the particle diameter slightly decreases from 292nm to 261nm as the amount of Tween 80 surfactant increases from 5 to 20wt.% vs monomer. Moreover, we have observed that a concentration of at least 5wt. % of Tween 80 was necessary to favor particle stability and therefore to avoid aggregation.     

Polyurethane nanoparticles from a natural polyol via miniemulsion technique

Original natural triol (castor oil) was used as a monomer for the synthesis of monodisperse polyurethane nanoparticles (size ranging from 200 to 400 nm) by miniemulsion technique in water. Various parameters such as the concentration of the reactants, the nature of stabilizers and the shear were tuned to control the particle size and its distribution. The polyaddition between the natural triol and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) was conducted at 60 °C, in the absence of catalyst and monitored by infrared spectroscopy. The characterization of these polyurethane latexes was carried out using light scattering measurements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).