Geographical characterisation of honeys according to their mineral content and antioxidant activity using a chemometric approach

In this article, discrimination models are presented, relating the origin of honey samples to several variables, being the concentrations of different cations and anions in the honey samples measured by ion chromatography, and parameters that measure/reflect the antioxidant activity of the honey samples. The unsupervised method, principal component analysis, and supervised discrimination methods, such as linear and quadratic discriminant analysis, and classification and regression trees (CART), were applied to evaluate the existence of data patterns and the relationship between geographical origin and the measured parameters. The model with the best predictive ability (%CCR_TEST = 66.67%), the best overall % specificity (80%) and the best overall % sensitivity (67%) was found to be CART. It was proven that the mineral content and parameters analysed can provide enough information for the geographical characterisation and discrimination of honey.     

基于网络结构的暂态势能分布机理分析

深入研究暂态能量在网络中的分布变化规律,可以为电力系统稳定预测,电力系统脆弱环节的识别,以及电力系统的监测、控制装置在网络中的合理布点提供依据。文中通过分析等值两机系统受扰动后支路相角差、电压以及暂态势能的分布变化规律,揭示三者之间的内在联系,并从几何角度证明了支路相角差的变化与网络结构的关系。分析显示,支路势能的分布与相角差的变化是吻合的,在系统受扰动后而使其功角逐渐拉开的过程中,能量并不是均匀或按比例地分布在各支路中,而是随着稳定程度的逐渐恶化,越靠近振荡中心,单位长度电抗暂态势能分布越多,稳定裕度越小。当系统失稳时,包含振荡中心的支路暂态势能分布趋于无界;而所有不包含振荡中心的支路,其势能分布均为有界。对于多机系统网络,能量的散播仍主要取决于网络的拓扑结构和参数。仿真结果验证了所提方法的正确性。     

Homogeneous Liquid–Liquid Extraction of Rare Earths with the Betaine—Betainium Bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide Ionic Liquid System

Several fundamental extraction parameters such as the kinetics and loading were studied for a new type of metal solvent extraction system with ionic liquids. The binary mixture of the ionic liquid betainium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide and water shows thermomorphic behavior with an upper critical solution temperature (UCST), which can be used to avoid the slower mass transfer due to the generally higher viscosity of ionic liquids. A less viscous homogeneous phase and mixing on a molecular scale are obtained when the mixture is heated up above 55 °C. The influence of the temperature, the heating and cooling times, were studied for the extraction of neodymium(III) with betaine. A plausible and equal extraction mechanism is proposed in bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, nitrate, and chloride media. After stripping of the metals from the ionic liquid phase, a higher recovery of the ionic liquid was obtained by salting-out of the ionic liquid fraction lost by dissolution in the aqueous phase. The change of the upper critical solution temperature by the addition of HCl or betaine was investigated. In addition, the viscosity was measured below and above the UCST as a function of the temperature.     

Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Injection Phobia Scale–Anxiety.

The present investigation examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Injection Phobia Scale–Anxiety (IPS-Anx). Principal components analysis of IPS-Anx items in Study 1 (n = 498) revealed a 2-factor structure consisting of Distal Fear and Contact Fear. However, CFA results in Study 2 (n = 567) suggest that a 1-factor structure may be more parsimonious. IPS-Anx scores demonstrated excellent reliability including test–retest over a 12-week period in Study 3 (n = 195). Supportive evidence for convergent and divergent validity of IPS-Anx scores was also found in Study 4 (n = 319), with strong associations with disgust propensity and sensitivity and weak associations with positive affect. Further evidence of validity was found in Study 5 (n = 1,674) because IPS-Anx scores discriminated those who have experienced fainting symptoms or avoided medical procedures from those without a history of such symptoms. In Study 6, data from Studies 2 through 5 were pooled, and the findings of Study 2 were replicated. The 1-factor model also fit the data well for men and women in Study 6. Lastly, IPS-Anx scores differentiated those with blood-injection-injury phobia (n = 39) from those without this phobia (n = 43) in Study 7. These findings suggest that the IPS-Anx has excellent psychometric properties, making it suitable for use in programmatic research on injection phobia. However, future research examining the validity of a short form of the scale with only the Contact Fear items may further improve the efficiency and utility of the IPS-Anx. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treg-Resistant Cytotoxic CD4+ T Cells Dictate T Helper Cells in Their Vicinity: TH17 Skewing and Modulation of Proliferation

Cytotoxic CD4⁺ T cells (CD4 CTL) are terminally differentiated T helper cells that contribute to autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. We developed a novel triple co-culture transwell assay to study mutual interactions between CD4 CTL, conventional TH cells, and regulatory T cells (Tregs) simultaneously. We show that, while CD4 CTL are resistant to suppression by Tregs in vitro, the conditioned medium of CD4 CTL accentuates the suppressive phenotype of Tregs by upregulating IL-10, Granzyme B, CTLA-4, and PD-1. We demonstrate that CD4 CTL conditioned medium skews memory TH cells to a TH17 phenotype, suggesting that the CD4 CTL induce bystander polarization. In our triple co-culture assay, the CD4 CTL secretome promotes the proliferation of TH cells, even in the presence of Tregs. However, when cell−cell contact is established between CD4 CTL and TH cells, the proliferation of TH cells is no longer increased and Treg-mediated suppression is restored. Taken together, our results suggest that when TH cells acquire cytotoxic properties, these Treg-resistant CD4 CTL affect the proliferation and phenotype of conventional TH cells in their vicinity. By creating such a pro-inflammatory microenvironment, CD4 CTL may favor their own persistence and expansion, and that of other potentially pathogenic TH cells, thereby contributing to pathogenic responses in autoimmune disorders.     

Evaluation of two mutliscale models for the simulation of cross-die forming of Dual Phase (DP) steels

Two micro-macro modelling approaches, one based on crystal plasticity and the other on a Mori-Tanaka mean-field model, are presented and used for the simulation of forming operations on dual phase (DP) steels. The material parameters are determined based on bending-unbending experiments while deep-drawing with a cross-shaped die is simulated based on user-defined material laws (UMAT) in the ABAQUS finite element code. It is demonstrated that accurate predictions would require a combination of both modelling approaches.     

Ethylammonium nitrate enhances the extraction of transition metal nitrates by tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP)

Several molecular polar solvents have been used as solvents of the more polar phase in the solvent extraction (SX) of metals. However, the use of hydrophilic ionic liquids (ILs) as solvents has seldomly been explored for this application. Here, the hydrophilic IL ethylammonium nitrate (EAN), has been utilized as a polar solvent in SX of transition metal nitrates by tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP). It was found that the extraction from EAN is considerably stronger than that from a range of molecular polar solvents. The main species of Co(II) and Fe(III) in EAN are likely [Co(NO₃)₄]²⁻ and [Fe(NO₃)₄]⁻, respectively. The extracted species are likely Fe(TBP)₃(NO₃)₃ and a mixture of Co(TBP)₂(NO₃)₂ and Co(TBP)₃(NO₃)₂. The addition of H₂O or LiCl to EAN reduces the extraction because the metal cations coordinate to water molecules and chloride ions stronger than to nitrate ions. This study highlights the potential of using hydrophilic ILs to enhance SX of metals.     

一位收藏家的鹰巢

这位土耳其商人Semiz Vdeat的家再一次证明了:古典与超现代是能完美地共处一室的。他的"鹰巢"俯视Bodrum海湾,是一个成功的室内设计典范,结合了古典与新潮,和他的个性很搭调。     

Influence of putrescine,cadaverine, spermidine or spermine on the formation of N-nitrosamine in heated cured pork meat

The influence of biogenic amines (i.e. putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine and spermine) on the N-nitrosamine formation in heated cured lean meat was studied in the presence or absence of sodium nitrite and at different meat processing temperatures. Experimental evidence was produced using gas chromatography with thermal energy analysis detection (GC–TEA). Concentration of N-nitrosamines was modelled as a function of the temperature and the nitrite concentration for two situations, i.e. presence or absence of added biogenic amines to the meat. The significance of the influence of the changing parameters was evaluated by ANOVA (Analysis of Variance).