Editorial

Higher-Order and Symbolic Computation -     

Editorial

Higher-Order and Symbolic Computation -     

Efficacy of a tailored tobacco control program on long-term use in a population of U.S. Military troops.

The authors evaluated the effect of a brief tailored smoking control intervention delivered during basic military training on tobacco use in a population of military personnel (N = 33,215). Participants were randomized to either a tobacco use intervention (smoking cessation, smokeless tobacco use cessation, or prevention depending on tobacco use history) or a health education control condition. Results indicated that smokers who received intervention were 1.16 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04, 1.30) times (7-day point prevalence) and 1.23 (95% CI = 1.07, 1.41) times (continuous abstinence) more likely to be abstinent than controls from smoking cigarettes at the 1-year follow-up (p p     

Specification Diagrams for Actor Systems

Specification diagrams (SD's) are a novel form of graphical notation for specifying open distributed object systems. The design goal is to define notation for specifying message-passing behavior that is expressive, intuitively understandable, and that has formal semantic underpinnings. The notation generalizes informal notations such as UML's Sequence Diagrams and broadens their applicability to later in the design cycle. Specification diagrams differ from existing actor and process algebra presentations in that they are not executable per se; instead, like logics, they are inherently more biased toward specification. In this paper we rigorously define the language syntax and semantics and give examples that show the expressiveness of the language, how properties of specifications may be asserted diagrammatically, and how it is possible to reason rigorously and modularly about specification diagrams.     

Editorial

Higher-Order and Symbolic Computation -     

Juice matrix composition and ascorbic acid fortification effects on the phytochemical,antioxidant and pigment stability of açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.)

The effects of juice matrix composition on the phytochemical stability of açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) were evaluated by contrasting natural clarified juice systems with isolated polyphenolic and anthocyanin fractions, in the presence or absence of ascorbic acid (500 mg/l) under accelerated storage conditions (37 °C). Polyphenolic (anthocyanin and non-anthocyanin polyphenolics) and anthocyanin fractions were isolated using C18 Sep-Pak columns and then re-dissolved in the original aqueous juice matrix (unbound fraction) or in a citric acid buffer (pH 3.5). The isolation of anthocyanins from the açai matrix improved their colour stability but a greater retention of non-anthocyanin polyphenolics and antioxidant properties was favoured by the initial juice composition. The presence of non-anthocyanin polyphenolics exerted a protective effect against ascorbic acid oxidation and enhanced polyphenolic and antioxidant stability in isolates fortified with ascorbic acid. However, all isolates obtained from açai experienced significant colour, polyphenolic, and antioxidant losses during storage and this indicated that optimization of early stages of industrial processing, storage and distribution are necessary to retain the functional properties of açai-containing products.     

Antioxidant phytochemical and fruit quality changes in mango (Mangifera indica L.) following hot water immersion and controlled atmosphere storage

Tropical fruits such as mangoes destined for import into the United States are commonly required to have a thermal treatment against invasive pests, which could be combined with controlled atmosphere (CA) storage to prolong shelf life and preserve fruit quality. Changes in antioxidant phytochemicals and resultant quality during storage and ripening were investigated in fresh mangoes, as influenced by application of CA in combination with a hot water immersion quarantine treatment (46 °C for 75 min). Mature-green mangoes with or without a hot water treatment, were held in air, 3% O₂ + 97% N₂, or 3% O₂ + 10% CO₂ + 87% N₂ and evaluated for external quality and phytochemical differences after storage for 2 weeks at 10 °C and after subsequent ripening in air at 25 °C. Visible appearance of anthracnose during ripening was effectively inhibited by the hot water treatments combined with CA. Concentrations of gallic acid and numerous hydrolysable tannins and their resultant antioxidant capacity were unaffected by the hot water treatment, while total polyphenolics naturally decreased throughout fruit ripening, regardless of hot water treatment or storage atmosphere. However, the overall decline in polyphenolic concentration was inhibited by the CA treatments, as a result of delayed ripening. Quality parameters such as flesh colour and titratable acidity provided supporting evidence that the CA conditions helped to delay fruit ripening.