Coffee polyphenols protect human plasma from postprandial carbonyl modifications

The antioxidant capability of coffee polyphenols to inhibit red‐meat lipid peroxidation in stomach medium and absorption into blood of malondialdehyde (MDA) in humans was studied. Roasted‐ground coffee polyphenols that were found to inhibit lipid peroxidation in stomach medium are 2‐ to 5‐fold more efficient antioxidant than those found in instant coffee. Human plasma from ten volunteers analyzed after a meal of red‐meat cutlets (250 g) revealed a rapid accumulation of MDA. The accumulation of MDA in human plasma modified low‐density lipoprotein is known to trigger atherogenesis. Consumption of 200 mL roasted coffee by ten volunteers during a meal of red‐meat cutlets, resulted after 2 and 4 h in the inhibition by 80 and 50%, respectively, of postprandial plasma MDA absorption. The results obtained in vitro simulated stomach model on MDA accumulation were predictive for the amount of MDA absorbed into circulating human plasma, in vivo. Timing the consumption of coffee during the meals may make it a very active functional food.     

Numerical estimate of the temperature measurement errors of a platinum resistance thermometer

Measurement Techniques -     

Alcohol cue reactivity and mood induction in male and female alcoholics

The purpose of this study was twofold: to investigate gender differences in alcohol cue reactivity, and to study the effect of individualized mood induction on cue reactivity. Male (n = 38) and female (n = 19) alcoholics were exposed to an alcoholic beverage before and after mood induction to assess their reactivity to the beverage cues. The mood induction was based on a situation the subject had identified as being high risk for relapse. Subjects showed urge and salivary reactivity in response to alcohol beverage cues prior to mood induction, and the induction of mood enhanced urge reactivity in both men and women. Analyses with alcohol urge reactors (subjects that demonstrate an increased urge to drink alcohol in response to an alcoholic beverage cue) suggested that women show more urge reactivity in response to negative moods than do men. No gender differences were seen in reactivity to beverage cues alone. These results identify an important gender difference in the effect of negative moods on cue reactivity and suggest that negative mood situations may place women at a higher risk for relapse than men.     

Intracapsular foldable posterior chamber lens implantation in eyes with posterior capsule tears or zonular fiber instability

A surgical technique is described for foldable posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation in the capsular bag in the presence of a posterior capsule tear or weakened zonular fiber support. Haptics are compressed by suturing before endocapsular insertion, minimizing capsular and zonular fiber stress.     

Resolution and estimation of group sets with different arrival time delays in case of reception of signals sequences in spaced-separated radio monitoring systems

There are considered algorithms of resolution of sequences of measurements of frequency-temporal signals parameters by their belong to separate radio radiation source with simultaneous estimation of group set of position line parameters, realizing the principles of sequential extraction of the most informative and contrast data fragments. Results of statistical simulations are represented.     

About the thermodynamics of excited states

Conditions for the appearance of thermodynamically unstable states and changes in the stored energy, in the effective characteristic temperature, and in the moduli of uniform compression upon energy excitation of condensed phase are considered. Topics of the energy threshold of metastability and local energy excitation upon formation of a chemical bond, diffusion activation energy, pressure of the vapor of energy-excited substance, and energy excitation and formation of metastable phases are discussed.     

Role of internal stresses in the localization of plastic flow of irradiated materials

The collective behavior of dislocations in irradiated materials is studied using the kinetic equation for the dislocation density, taking account of a Burgers-type nonlinearity. It is shown that the degree of dislocation localization in slip bands is higher in the irradiated materials than in the unirradiated materials. Pis’ma Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 25, 86–90 (September 26, 1999)     

Electrical conductivity and thermoelectric power of LaCo<Subscript>1 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Ga<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> solid solutions

Increasing the degree of Ga³⁺ substitution for Co³⁺ ions in LaCo_{1 − x} Ga _x O₃ solid solutions (x = 0–1) considerably reduces their electrical conductivity: at T= 850 K, from 190.5 S/cm in LaCoO₃ to 1.32 × 10⁻⁵ S/cm in the x = 0.95 solid solution. The anomaly in the temperature-dependent conductivity of the solid solutions, due to the broad semiconductor-metal transition, decreases with increasing x. For x ≥ 0.8, there is a very weak or no anomaly. The activation energies for conduction in the samples with x = 0.90 and 0.95 are 0.89 and 0.92 eV, respectively. At room temperature, the materials with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3 have a negative thermoelectric power. With increasing temperature, it increases, crosses zero between 435 and 530 K, reaches a maximum in the range 500–650 K, and decreases at higher temperatures.     

Mechanical and hydrodynamic analyses of helical strake-like ridges in a glass sponge

From the discovery of functionally graded laminated composites, to near-structurally optimized diagonally reinforced square lattice structures, the skeletal system of the predominantly deep-sea sponge Euplectella aspergillum has continued to inspire biologists, materials scientists and mechanical engineers. Building on these previous efforts, in the present study, we develop an integrated finite element and fluid dynamics approach for investigating structure–function relationships in the complex maze-like organization of helical ridges that surround the main skeletal tube of this species. From these investigations, we discover that not only do these ridges provide additional mechanical reinforcement, but perhaps more significantly, provide a critical hydrodynamic benefit by effectively suppressing von Kármán vortex shedding and reducing lift forcing fluctuations over a wide range of biologically relevant flow regimes. By comparing the disordered sponge ridge geometry to other more symmetrical strake-based vortex suppression systems commonly employed in infrastructure applications ranging from antennas to underwater gas and oil pipelines, we find that the unique maze-like ridge organization of E. aspergillum can completely suppress vortex shedding rather than delaying their shedding to a more downstream location, thus highlighting their potential benefit in these engineering contexts.