Carbohydrate and phenolic constituents in a comprehensive range of rapeseed and canola fractions: Nutritional significance for animals

Cotyledons from 11 varieties of rapeseed and canola seed were extracted with hexane and analysed for tannins, α-amylase inhibition value, starch and available carbohydrate by conventional methods. The sinapine content (total sinapic acid esters plus free sinapic acid) was determined by a spectrophotometric method. Samples of soya bean cotyledons, high-tannin sorghum grain and commercial rapeseed and canola meals were also analysed for comparison. Sinapine in rapeseed and canola cotyledons was measured at mean levels of 2.67 and 2.85% respectively. Tannins were detected in these cotyledons but only at low levels. The α-amylase inhibition values were also low or negative. Starch was detected in negligible amounts, and available carbohydrate at 13–14%. The predicted metabolisable energy (ME) value of commercial rapeseed or canola meal for poultry was found to be numerically close to the determined value when the available carbohydrate value was reduced to 35% of the observed value.     

An analytical solution to a two-dimensional model of the rewetting of a hot dry rod

The model considers a hot dry rod of infinite length cooled by a film of liquid moving along its surface. The heat transfer coefficient is assumed to be constant on the wet side and zero on the dry side of the rewetting front, and the liquid film is assumed to move at constant speed. We derive an analytical formula relating the temperature difference in the rod, the temperature at the rewetting front, the wet side heat transfer coefficient, and the rewetting speed. The formula is thought to apply to the rewetting of a fuel rod during emergency cooling by flooding.     

Low-power double-edge triggered flipflop

Low-power double-edge triggered flipflops are presented using weak feedback transistors which allow purely n-type transmission gates, but without static-power consumption. The switching capacitance of the weak transistors is minimised by using permanently ON transistors in series as resistive devices. Both static and semi-static circuits are presented     

Future multimedia user interfaces

No matter how powerful or elegant the technologies underlying multimedia computing, it is the user interface that ultimately determines how these systems will be used. We provide an overview of two emerging areas of user-interface research that will play major roles in future multimedia systems: virtual environments and ubiquitous computing. We discuss what they are and why they are important, and describe their relationship to current multimedia systems. While mouse and window-based user interfaces provide access to 2D graphics, video, and sound, virtual environments not only involve interactive 3D graphics, but further address all our senses through the use of spatial audio, haptics, and other modalities. While it is still a research goal to provide high-throughput video on demand, ubiquitous computing will require that multimedia network infrastructure also support extremely low-latency interaction among large numbers of mobile wireless users. To arrive at an understanding of the needs, capabilities, and potential of these new paradigms, we introduce their terminology and technology, and explain the basic system architectures being explored, leading up to a discussion of key current research issues and future directions.     

A network interface unit to support continuous media

The combination of high-speed multiservice networks and multimedia workstations offers considerable potential for the development of distributed multimedia applications. A key problem is how to integrate continuous-media types such as audio and video into a distributed workstation environment. An experimental system architecture based on a specialized multimedia network interface that attempts to provide this integration is described. The design and implementation of this system are discussed in depth in terms of workstation enhancement and distributed system support. A new approach to the problem of media synchronization is introduced, and the importance of quality of service in the architecture is highlighted. Experiences encountered during this work are described, comparison with other approaches is made, and likely future developments in multimedia network interfacing are discussed     

Dietary modification of omega 6 fatty acid intake and its effect on urinary eicosanoid excretion

A group of women were fed two separate diets in a crossover study and urinary eicosanoids were quantified. One diet contained 3.1% of total energy (en%) as polyunsaturated fatty acids (3.0 en% linoleic acid) and the other contained 8.4 en% polyunsaturated fatty acids (8.3 en% linoleic acid). Carbohydrate replaced fat in the low-polyunsaturated-fat diet. No changes were observed in the urinary excretion of 6-oxo-prostaglandin F1 alpha, its 2,3-dinor metabolite or thromboxane B2 by subjects on either of the diets. Urinary 2,3-dinor-thromboxane B2 excretion was lower (206.5 ng/24 h) when subjects were fed the high-omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet when compared with the lower-omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet (275.3 ng/24 h). Conversely, urinary prostaglandin E2 was higher (139.2 ng/g creatinine) during the higher-omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet when compared with the lower-omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet (94.4 ng/g creatinine).     

Presentation skills for emergent managers

Presentations are one of the first managerial skills which a junior engineer must acquire. The object is to communicate with the audience without boring them so careful preparation is required. The author looks at how to plan a presentation and how it should be structured. The delivery which includes eye contact, appearance and stance is also described. Finally techniques of speech are discussed     

Automatic and controlled processes in stereotype priming.

The experiments in this article were conducted to observe the automatic activation of gender stereotypes and to assess theoretically specified conditions under which such stereotype priming may be moderated. Across 4 experiments, 3 patterns of data were observed: (1) evidence of stereotype priming under baseline conditions of intention and high cognitive constraints; (2) significant reduction of stereotype priming when a counterstereotype intention was formed even though cognitive constraints were high; and (3) complete reversal of stereotype priming when a counterstereotype intention was formed and cognitive constraints were low. These data support proposals that stereotypes may be automatically activated, as well as proposals that perceivers can control and even eliminate such effects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The olfactory loss that accompanies an HIV infection

Acute low back pain is a common problem in the emergency department (ED). Effective management of acute pain enhances early rehabilitation and recovery. Given the importance of inflammatory mediators in pain generation and the adverse effects associated with opioids, it is logical to expect that a non-opioid agent with antiinflammatory and analgesic properties would provide excellent analgesia with fewer adverse effects. This double-blind, randomized, multicenter clinical trial, performed in six university and community hospital EDs, compares the analgesic efficacy and adverse effects of ketorolac to those of acetaminophen-codeine in ED patients with acute musculoskeletal low back pain. Our hypothesis was that ketorolac would provide superior analgesia with fewer adverse effects. One hundred twenty-three patients with acute low back pain were randomized to receive ketorolac (KET, N = 63) or acetaminophen-codeine (ACOD, N = 60). Most (79%) were males, and the mean age was 34.5 years. After baseline clinical assessment, patients were treated with ketorolac (10 mg every 4 to 6 h as needed, up to four daily doses) or acetaminophen-codeine (600 mg-60 mg, respectively, every 4 to 6 h as needed, up to six daily doses) and followed for one week. Pain intensity was assessed on visual analogue and categorical scales. Functional capacity, overall pain relief, and overall medication rating were assessed on categorical scales. Adverse events were documented. Primary outcomes included: 1) Pain intensity differences, based on visual analogue scores, for the 0 to 6 h treatment phase. 2) Incidence of adverse events. Secondary outcomes included analgesic efficacy, functional capacity, and overall subjective drug evaluation at one week. Both drugs provided substantial pain relief, with maximal effect 2.2 h after oral dosing. There were no significant differences in analgesic efficacy, functional capacity, or overall pain relief between the two groups. Sixteen patients (10 KET vs. 6 ACOD, NS) withdrew prematurely because of drug inefficacy. Patients in the ACOD group reported significantly more adverse drug events and serious adverse drug events. Seven patients--all in the ACOD group--withdrew from the study because of adverse drug events. Based on comparable efficacy and a superior adverse event profile, ketorolac was preferable to acetaminophen with codeine for the treatment of acute low back pain in the ED.