α-Glucosidase, α-amylase inhibition kinetics,in vitro gastro-intestinal digestion,and apoptosis inducing abilities of Ficus microcarpa L. f. and Ficus racemosa L. fruit polysaccharides

Food Science and Biotechnology - A rich source of nutrients, figs have a number of clinically validated benefits. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion, and...     

Influence of Reaction Parameters on the Hydrogenolysis of Hydroxymatairesinol Over Carbon Nanofibre Supported Palladium Catalysts

The density functional theory (DFT/B3LYP) calculations were applied to investigate the interaction of a Pt₆ particle with the ZSM-5 zeolite framework. The electronic structure of the metal particle is strongly affected by the interaction with basic framework oxygens and acid sites of the zeolite support. Adsorption on basic sites (E_ads = 6 kcal/mol) favors the formation of the electron enriched metal cluster. Interaction of the platinum cluster with the acid site characterized by stabilization energy of 47 kcal/mol results in oxidation of the metal particle and suppression of Brønsted acidity of the support. The hypothesis is put forward that the oxidized platinum particle can function as an active site for the alkane isomerisation on platinum supported high silica zeolites.     

Porphyromonas-like gram-negative rods in naturally occurring periodontitis in dogs

A total of 259 Gram-negative Porphyromonas-like rods isolated from subgingival plaque samples of 16 family-owned dogs with naturally occurring periodontitis were characterized phenotypically by biochemical reactions, metabolic end products and enzymatic activities (API-ZYMTM, RoscoTM). Four distinct groups were found. Group A isolates (63) were asaccharolytic, lipase negative, trypsin positive and produced phenylacetic acid (PAA) from peptone-yeast extract glucose broth. Unlike P. gingivalis strains they were catalase positive. Group B isolates (42) differed from those of group A by a positive lipase reaction and from those of group D by failing to ferment sugars. Group C isolates (88) were asaccharolytic and did not produce PAA. They were alpha-fucosidase, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (beta-NAG) and trypsin negative, resembling P. endodontalis, but unlike human isolates, they were catalase positive. Subgroup C.1 isolates (6) differed from those of parent group C by producing minor amounts of PAA, and subgroup C.2 isolates (12) were beta-NAG positive. Group D isolates (46) were weakly fermentative, lipase, catalase and trypsin positive, and produced PAA. They resembled the B (P.) salivosus type strain which, in our hands, fermented weakly glucose, lactose and mannose. Two isolates could not be assigned to any of the previous groups.     

Hot-rolling simulation and modelling using Gleeble 1500

Using the Gleeble 1500, incremental and continuous hot compression tests, simulating hot rolling, were performed on C-Mn, Nb-T, and Nb steels with test temperatures varying between 875 and 1100°C and strain rates between 0.5 and 20 s^?1. Four models are proposed. The stress peak model allows the prediction of continuous stress-strain curves from incremental curves and vice versa through the use of stress restoration index K. Variation in K for Nb-T₁, C-Mn and Nb steels at strain rates of 3, 12 and 20 s^?1 was found to be negligible. The predicted stress strain curve corresponds to experimental stress strain curve at same temperature and strain rate. The strain history model predicts continuous strain-time curves from incremental stress-strain curves using ‘constant’ ‘negative strain’ restoration index. At 950°C, with holding time 2 s and strain rate 12 s^?1, strain time decay curves obtained for C-Mn, Nb and Nb-T, steels were ε = 1.5e^?05t, ε = 1.2e^?0.36t and ε = e^?0.3t, respectively. The creep model analysis relates creep strain rate to the testing strain rate. For Nb steel at 875°C, and test strain rate of 12 s^?1, ?_creep was found to be 9.5 s^?1. The stress history model predicts continuous stress-time curves from incremental stress-time curves. Stress decay curve for C-Mn steel at 1100°C and ? = 3s^?1 was found to be σ = 181e^?0.04t. Hot rolling characteristics of steels can be accurately predicted using hot compression tests and proposed models.     

Faculty and Student Attitudes Toward Community Service: A Comparative Analysis

The Humanitarian Engineering initiative, sponsored by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, at the Colorado School of Mines, is creating a program that will support engineering students in understanding their responsibility for solving community development problems that exist throughout the world. As part of this effort, data has been collected on faculty and student attitudes using the ‘Community Service Attitudes Scale,” developed and validated by Shiarella, McCarthy, and Tucker. During the fall 2004, 78 students and 34 faculty members responded to this instrument. Statistically significant differences were found between the attitudes of students and faculty, males and females, and among different age groupings with respect to service activities. A general finding was that faculty displayed better attitudes toward community service than the students.     

Maternal depression and early positive parenting predict future conduct problems in young children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at risk for adverse outcomes such as substance abuse and criminality, particularly if they develop conduct problems. Little is known about early predictors of the developmental course of conduct problems among children with ADHD, however. Parental psychopathology and parenting were assessed in 108 children who first met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) criteria for ADHD at 4-7 years old. When demographic variables and baseline ADHD and conduct problems were controlled, maternal depression predicted conduct problems 2-8 years following the initial assessment, whereas positive parenting during the structured parent- child interaction task predicted fewer future conduct problems. These findings suggest that maternal depression is a risk factor, whereas early positive parenting is a protective factor, for the developmental course of conduct problems among children with ADHD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Miscibility and properties of linear poly(l-lactide)/branched poly(l-lactide) copolyester blends

Polymer blends consisting of linear poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) and different proportions of dendritic PLLA-based copolyesters (hb-PLLA) characterized by different degrees of branching (DB) were obtained in melt. The solid-state properties of poly(l-lactide)s and their blends were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and stress-strain measurements. DSC and DMA methods proved miscibility of PLLA/hb-PLLA blends for the studied composition range. AFM indicated that no phase separation occurs in PLLA/hb-PLLA blends and that PLLA and hb-PLLA cocrystallize in one single lamellae type. The mechanical characteristics of PLLA/hb-PLLA blends deteriorated with an increase of the DB and with changing blend composition. Susceptibility of the blends to biodegradation was studied by measuring the weight loss in two different biodegradation media. PLLA/hb-PLLA blends showed more pronounced hydrophilic character and higher susceptibility to biodegradation with an increase in the degree of branching.     

DISCREPANCIES IN THE REGRESSION MODELLING OF RECRYSTALLIZATION RATE AS USING THE DATA FROM PHYSICAL SIMULATION TESTS

The analysis of numerous experimental equations published in the literature reveals a wide scatter in the predictions for the static recrystallization kinetics of steels. The powers of the deformation variables, strain and strain rate, similarly as the power of the grain size vary in these equations. These differences are highlighted and the typical values are compared between torsion and compression tests. Potential errors in physical .simulation testing are discussed.     

Fostering Library as a Place for Distance Students: Best Practices From Two Universities

The concept of library as a place is now in action in many academic libraries: from physical library spaces to Web presences. In the constantly growing market of online and distance learning, however, libraries must foster library as a place for students who may never set foot in the physical building. This article provides a profile of two universities serving two very different bodies of distance students as well as the challenges associated with these populations. These libraries work to provide services to distance students that cultivate the library as a place to go for learning, research, and support by focusing on six categories: access, environment, resources, instruction, availability at the point of need, and “being real.” Tangible examples and best practices are provided throughout. This article is based on a presentation given at the 15th National Conference of the Association of College and Research Libraries in Philadelphia in March 2011.     

Age is more than just a number: implications for an aging workforce in the US transportation sector

The US workforce is aging. At the same time, there are a record number of open positions in the transportation sector, which has traditionally been a well-paying, but stressful and schedule-dependent, occupation. Due to increasing longevity, need, and ability to work, a possible solution to the transportation workforce shortfall may lie within the retention and recruitment of older workers. This paper uses a socio-technical framework to examine the pertinent, though scant, literature and data related to older workforce demographics and operational needs, the regulatory environment, requisite knowledge, skills and abilities, and application of support technology and training. Although there is evidence of age-related changes in physiology and cognition, the current science remains unable to resolve how an older workforce may most appropriately be applied to transportation to maximize system safety and minimize negative impact to worker well-being.