The characterisation of some mushroom volatiles

A steam-volatile extract, possessing a strong mushroom-like odour, has been isolated from Agaricus bisporus, the cultivated white mushroom of the mushroom grower. The major volatile components present, viz., 3-methylbutanal, 3-octanone, oct-1-en-3-one, 3-octanol, oct-1-en-3-ol, furfural, benzaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde and benzyl alcohol, were identified by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and several other components were either positively or tentatively identified. The properties of the mushroom-like odour of oct-1-en-3-one and of the corresponding alcohol in dilute aqueous solution were examined.     

Effect of irradiation on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) nanofiber conductivity

Conducting nanofibers of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)/polyvinyl alcohol (PEDOT:PSS/PVA) were fabricated at room temperature and via electrospinning with diameters ranging from 100 to 300 nm. The nanofibers were irradiated with Gamma and X-rays for varying lengths of time and the change in conductivity was evaluated. Raman and Electron Spin Resonance spectroscopy of X-ray irradiated nanofibers were obtained to determine the mechanism of conductivity degradation. A decrease in molecular ordering as well as chain scission via chain cross-linking and free radical formation are the two most likely mechanisms for change in conductivity. These nanofibers are promising candidates for use in highly sensitive, real-time electrically based sensor for radiation detection.     

Influence of clays on the rheology of cement pastes

The fresh state of concrete is becoming increasingly important in furthering the types of applications of today's construction world. Processing techniques have resulted in technologies such as self-consolidating concrete and depend on the microstructural changes that take place during and immediately after mixing and placing. These changes to the microstructure reflect the flocculation behavior between the particles in suspension. The ability to modify this behavior allows control over the balance among flowability and shape-stability of concrete. This study investigates how clay admixtures affect the microstructure of cement pastes from a rheological stand point. Shear and compressive rheology techniques are used to measure how the solids volume fraction of suspensions with different admixtures evolves with stress. Based on these relationships, the effectiveness of clays on the balance between flowability and shape-stability is measured. Results are consistent with green strength tests performed on concrete mixes derived from the cement paste mixes.     

Effects of ultrahigh speed twin screw extrusion on the thermal and mechanical degradation of polystyrene

This article characterizes a novel twin screw extrusion (TSE) process with the capability of rotating at speeds up to 4500 rpm. The resulting extreme high shear rate is expected to result in molecular weight changes due to thermomechanical degradation of the polymeric materials being extruded, polystyrene (PS) in this case. In order to differentiate between mechanical and thermal factors affecting degradation of PS running at ultrahigh speeds and also to evaluate the relative importance of the two mechanisms, PS has been extruded at different screw speeds and different barrel temperatures with corresponding melt temperatures. Viscosity measurements and size exclusion chromatography measurements show the extent of degradation due to mechanical stress as a result of high screw rotational speeds. Furthermore, through analyzing the kinetics of PS depolymerization, the reaction rate and hypothetical apparent temperatures at each screw speed have been calculated. All results support the idea that the mechanical shear stress can be considered as the controlling factor of polymer degradation in ultrahigh speed TSE. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 56:743–751, 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Differential Effects of Estrogen and Progestin on Apolipoprotein B100 and B48 Kinetics in Postmenopausal Women

The distinct effects of the estrogen and progestin components of hormonal therapy on the metabolism of apolipoprotein (apo) B‐containing lipoproteins have not been studied. We enrolled eight healthy postmenopausal women in a placebo‐controlled, randomized, double‐blind crossover study. Each subject received placebo, conjugated equine estrogen (CEE, 0.625 mg/day) and CEE plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA, 2.5 mg/day) for 8 weeks in a randomized order, with a 4‐week washout between phases. Main outcomes were the fractional catabolic rate (FCR) and production rate (PR) of apo B100 in triglyceride‐rich lipoproteins (TRL), intermediate‐density lipoproteins (IDL) and low ‐density lipoprotein (LDL) and of apo B48 in TRL. Compared to placebo, CEE increased TRL apo B100 PR (p = 0.04). CEE also increased LDL apo B100 FCR (p = 0.02), but this effect was offset by a significant increase in LDL apo B100 PR (p = 0.04). Adding MPA to CEE negated the CEE effects resulting in no significant changes in TRL apo B100 PR and LDL apo B100 FCR and PR relative to placebo. Relative to placebo, during CEE there was a trend toward a reduction in plasma apo B48 concentrations and PR (p = 0.07 and p = 0.12, respectively). Compared with CEE, CEE + MPA significantly increased TRL apo B48 FCR (p = 0.02) as well as apo B48 PR (p = 0.01), resulting in no significant changes in apo B48 concentration. Estrogen and progestin have independent and opposing effects on the metabolism of the atherogenic apo B100‐ and apo B48‐containing lipoproteins.     

Prototypic typology and the Borderline Personality Disorder.

Based on interview data from 76 18–45 yr old outpatients, the implications of a prototypic rather than a classical model of personality-disorder classification were demonstrated for DSM-III Axis II Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Heterogeneity of membership is described, and conditional probabilities are used to demonstrate the relative efficiency of single diagnostic criteria and combinations of criteria and the degree of overlap among BPD and other personality disorders. The conditional probability approach can be used to determine empirically the covariation of symptoms and to link the study of prototypicality to the individual patient rather than to the group. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

High-Speed Tools for Global Information Management.II. Specifications and Uses of the Transparent Query Language (TQL) Part IIF. Additional Uses of TQL, Data Structures, Concise Definitions, Conclusions and Acknowledgments

This part, PART IIF [6], concludes the document HIGH-SPEED TOOLS FOR GLOBAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT. II. Specifications and Uses of the Transparent Query Language (TQL) [1–6]. It describes novel applications of TQL, the key data structures, and contains a dictionary of Transparent Query Language terms. PART IIF references PART IIA [1], PART IIB [2], PART IIC [3], PART IID [4], and PART IIE [5] and contains Conclusions and Acknowledgements.     

Towards the Remote Sensing of Matorral Vegetation Physiology: Relationships between Spectral Reflectance, Pigment, and Biophysical Characteristics of Semiarid Bushland Canopies

This study investigates the relationships between the spectral reflectance characteristics and the concentrations of photosynthetic pigments and biophysical attributes of a structurally complex, spatially heterogeneous vegetation canopy with varying background properties. A field experiment was performed in the Guadalentin basin, Spain using matorral vegetation canopies dominated by Rosmarinus officinalis, Cistus albidus, and Anthyllis cytosoides. A spectroradiometer was used to record the reflectance of a series of sites at which measurements were made of the concentrations per unit ground area and per unit leaf mass of chlorophyll a and b and the carotenoids, together with leaf area index and percent canopy cover. A range of spectral characteristics was examined which have been found previously to be related to pigment concentrations and biophysical properties of vegetation. For matorral vegetation many of these spectral characteristics were unrelated or only weakly related to canopy properties. However, it was found that pigment concentrations per unit ground area were related to ratios of reflectance in narrow spectral bands within the near-infrared region, ratios of bands within the red region, and characteristics of the amplitude of first derivative spectra in the red edge region. Pigment concentrations per unit leaf mass were correlated with ratios of bands around the nearinfrared “shoulder” and the amplitude of the first derivative in certain visible wavelengths. LAI and percent cover were related to ratios of reflectance in narrow bands on the near-infrared plateau and red edge features of canopy reflectance spectra, as well as with the amplitude of the first derivative in the red edge and visible regions respectively.     

Ergonomic evaluation of slide boards used by home care aides to assist client transfers

Home care aides risk musculoskeletal injury because they lift and move clients; the body weight of most adults exceeds the NIOSH recommended limit for lifting. Methods to reduce manual patient lifting in institutional settings are often technically or economically infeasible in home care. Our goal was to identify suitable, safe, low-technology transfer devices for home care use. Sixteen experienced home care aides performed client transfers from wheelchair to bed (upward) and bed to wheelchair (downward) in a simulated home care environment (laboratory), using four different slide boards and by hand without a device. Aides’ hand forces were measured during client transfers; aides also evaluated usability of each board. Hand forces exerted while using slide boards were mostly lower than in manual transfer, and forces were lower in downward versus upward transfers. Aides judged a board with a sliding mechanism easier to use than boards without a sliding mechanism.

Practitioner Summary: This paper provides quantitative biomechanical measurements showing that slide boards reduced the hand forces needed by home care aides to transfer clients from bed to wheel chair and vice versa, compared to manual lifting. Using a semi-quantitative usability survey, aides identified boards with a sliding mechanism easiest to use.     

The Impact of Serial Solutions’ Summon™ on Information Literacy Instruction: Librarian Perceptions

Web-scale discovery systems, such as Serial Solutions’ Summon? Service, are replacing older federated search technologies as the tool for users to access library resources quickly and easily. The impact of Web-scale discovery systems on instruction is not known. This study of instruction librarian perceptions of Summon's impact on instruction and student information literacy skills is based on a survey. The survey reveals librarians’ ambivalence toward Summon. While some librarians agree that Summon has the potential to change the way librarians teach information literacy skills, it has not been fully integrated into the classroom.