Response coding and visuomotor transformation in the Simon task: The role of action goals.

Manual responses can be defined by differing response parameters. Any of them may generate a Simon effect. For all those response parameters, the same implementation of the Simon effect (in terms of subserving mechanism) is assumed. In 3 experiments, subjects had to respond with either fingers or sticks. Temporal properties of the Simon effect changed with response parameters relevant in a task. The Simon effect for manual responses decayed. For stick responses, in which the action goal differed from the anatomical mapping of the acting hand, a sustained Simon effect was observed. However, if the action goal for stick responses was not instrumental for selecting the correct response, the Simon effect decayed. The findings are consistent with the notion of different mechanisms involved in generating a Simon effect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On the observation of inductive high-frequency impedance behaviour during the electrodeposition of Au—Sn alloys

Inductive high-frequency impedance behaviour is often observed in metal electrodeposition systems. This behaviour is typically attributed to equipment limitations or non-idealities in the cell set-up and electrical connections. Such instrumental artefacts would nevertheless be relevant to a frequency range which is expected to be well above that in which inductive behaviour is in fact observed (down to a few tens of Hz). In this paper some results on an acidic Au—Sn electrodeposition system are reported. Electrochemical impedance and potentiostatic transients were measured. These results suggest that the high-frequency inductive behaviour may be related to metal nucleation processes. A correlation is proposed between the pseudo-inductive potentiostatic nucleation transients and the pseudo-inductive behaviour of the impedance spectra.     

Differential Expression of Proteins in an Atypical Presentation of Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome

Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) is a rare disease defined as a defect in the lymphocyte apoptotic pathway. Currently, the diagnosis of ALPS is based on clinical aspects, defective lymphocyte apoptosis and mutations in Fas, FasL and Casp 10 genes. Despite this, ALPS has been misdiagnosed. The aim of this work was to go one step further in the knowledge of the disease, through a molecular and proteomic analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from two children, a 13-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy, called patient 1 and patient 2, respectively, with clinical data supporting the diagnosis of ALPS. Fas, FasL and Casp10 genes from both patients were sequenced, and a sample of the total proteins from patient 1 was analyzed by label-free proteomics. Pathway analysis of deregulated proteins from PBMCs was performed on the STRING and PANTHER bioinformatics databases. A mutation resulting in an in-frame premature stop codon and protein truncation was detected in the Fas gene from patient 2. From patient 1, the proteomic analysis showed differences in the level of expression of proteins involved in, among other processes, cell cycle, regulation of cell cycle arrest and immune response. Noticeably, the most down-regulated protein is an important regulator of the cell cycle process. This could be an explanation of the disease in patient 1.     

Viscosity virtual sensor to control combustion in fossil fuel power plants

Thermo-electrical power plants utilize fossil fuel oil to transform the calorific power of fuel into electric power. An optimal combustion in the boiler requires the fuel oil to be in its best conditions. One of fuel's most important properties to consider is viscosity. Viscosity has influence on the optimal combustion between fuel and air. Hardware viscosity meters for fuel oils are expensive and unreliable to operate in power plant conditions. Chemical laboratory measures viscosity accurately with special apparatus, but they cannot be used in a real time process. This paper describes the development of a virtual sensor that estimates fuel oil viscosity in the combustion process of a power plant. A virtual sensor or soft sensor is a computer program that estimates the value of a certain variable based on related measurements and a model of the process where the variable participates. In this project, a probabilistic model is constructed using automatic learning algorithms with historical data and experts' advice. The learning and validation experiments are described and discussed. The virtual sensor is installed in the Tuxpan Power Plant in Veracruz, Mexico.     

Extended preservation of raw beef and pork meat by hyperbaric storage at room temperature

Hyperbaric storage (HS) was evaluated as a new food preservation methodology at room temperature (RT) for beef and pork meat, both minced and in pieces, and compared to refrigeration (RF) storage. The meat samples were stored at 50, 75 and 100 MPa and variable RT up to 60 days. HS at 75 and 100 MPa could not only inhibit microbial growth but also inactivate microorganisms. Regarding physicochemical analyses, an overall equal to better pH maintenance in HS samples was achieved, and similar colour differences between HS and RF were observed. Generally, similarities in moisture content and drip loss between HS (mostly 75 and 100 MPa) and RF were detected (tendency for lower values in the former and higher values in the latter for the higher pressure level). Protein solubility revealed a decrease of sarcoplasmic protein values during storage with a pressure level dependency in some samples.     

Parameter estimation for a morphochemical reaction-diffusion model of electrochemical pattern formation

The process of electrodeposition can be described in terms of a reaction-diffusion partial differential equation (PDE) system that models the dynamics of the morphology profile and the chemical composition. Here we fit such a model to the different patterns present in a range of electrodeposited and electrochemically modified alloys using PDE constrained optimization. Experiments with simulated data show how the parameter space of the model can be divided into zones corresponding to the different physical patterns by examining the structure of an appropriate cost function. We then use real data to demonstrate how numerical optimization of the cost function can allow the model to fit the rich variety of patterns arising in experiments. The computational technique developed provides a potential tool for tuning experimental parameters to produce desired patterns.     

The impact of maturation on concentrations of key odour active compounds which determine the aroma of tequila

Samples of non‐mature and añejo (matured) tequila of the same brand/provenance were analysed using GC–MS and gas chromatography olfactometry (GC‐O)/aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA) to provide quantitative data on the most odour active compounds that contribute to the aroma of these spirits. Extracts of non‐mature tequila were characterized by 26 odour‐active regions, which included ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, 2‐phenylethyl acetate, β‐damascenone, isoamyl alcohol and octanoic acid as the most odour‐active compounds (flavour dilution, FD, factor ≥ 6561). In contrast, extracts of the mature spirit showed 36 odour‐active zones, where the compounds with the highest FD factors (6561) were ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, 2‐phenylethyl acetate, isoamyl alcohol, phenethyl alcohol, guaiacol, 4‐ethyl guaiacol, vanillin, cis/trans whisky lactones, β‐damascenone and octanoic acid. The aromagram of mature tequila was thus differentiated from that of the non‐mature spirit owing to the presence of cask‐extractive compounds and the increased FD factors of certain terpenes, higher alcohols and acetals. This study provides a comprehensive and quantitative understanding of changes in key odourants of tequila as a result of the maturation process and also reveals a further characterization of the likely impact of each compound on overall spirit flavour, in terms of odour activity values. Copyright © 2016 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling     

Study of natural mango juice spoilage and microbial contamination with Penicillium expansum by high resolution H NMR spectroscopy

High resolution ¹H NMR has been applied to monitor the changes in the composition of natural mango juice subjected to spoilage and to microbial contamination with Penicillium expansum. A vast number of compounds undergoing changes upon these processes have been identified and their variations followed throughout time (132 h). Besides the formation of typical fermentation products (e.g. acetate, lactic acid, acetoin and isopropanol/2,3-butanediol) and the utilization of the major sugars (sucrose, glucose and fructose), there were changes in organic acids (e.g. decreases of quinic and shikimic acids with formation of 3,4,5-trihydroxycyclohexane acid in spoiled juice, and decreases of citric and malic acids in contaminated juice), amino acids (decreases of alanine, leucine, isoleucine and valine), and less abundant components such as oligosaccharides and aromatic compounds. The possibility of using these changes as early indicators of natural spoilage or P. expansum contamination is discussed.     

Ripening‐related changes in the cell walls of olive (Olea europaea L.) pulp of two consecutive harvests

Olive fruits, harvested in two consecutive seasons at green, cherry and black stages, were used to study compositional changes in the cell walls during ripening. Ripening‐related changes in both harvests were characterised mainly by an increase in the solubilisation of pectic and hemicellulosic polysaccharides, an increase in the relative amount of arabinose in pectic polysaccharides and a decrease in the degree of methylesterification of pectic polysaccharides. Further to degrading processes, the data obtained suggest the synthesis of new polysaccharides. The analysis of olive cell wall phenolics showed mainly the presence of p‐coumaric acid, which increased in one harvest, whereas in the other the values did not differ. The samples of the second harvest, although presenting green, cherry and black colours, had less distinct ripening characteristics than those of the previous harvest. Different activity levels of polyphenol oxidase, polygalacturonase and pectin methylesterase might have contributed to the differences observed between the two harvests. The results showed the distinct extension of ripening‐related changes in the cell walls of the two harvests, indicating that the olive colour, although characteristic of the stage of ripening, cannot be strictly used for its evaluation and definition. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry