Studio Arena Program; Having Our Say; 1998

https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/magazines-books/1014/thumbnail.jp

The phenolic complex in flaxseed

Flaxseed is the richest plant source of the lignan secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG). In flaxseed, SDG exists in an oligomeric structure with 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaric acid (HMGA) forming a phenolic complex together with p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid glucosides and herbacetin diglucoside (HDG). Epidemiological and animal studies indicate protective effects of flaxseed and SDG towards hormone-dependent cancers and cardiovascular diseases, and reducing effect toward cholesterol levels in blood. Knowledge about the structural features and properties of the phenolic complex are required to further understand bioavailability, bioconversion and bioactivity of flaxseed lignans in humans and animals, the biosynthesis in flaxseed, as well as if it may affect technology and quality of food products containing flaxseed or the phenolic complex. A new fast and simple high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed for analysing secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), p-coumaric acid glucoside and ferulic acid glucoside, based on direct hydrolysis of defatted flaxseed flour using alkali. Variations in SDG, p-coumaric acid glucoside and ferulic acid glucoside content were reported in flaxseed samples and bread products containing flaxseed. The composition and properties of flaxseed phenolic complex were studied by reversed-phase liquid chromatography and gel filtration fractionation. Results indicate that the phenolic glucosides exist in oligomers with variable molecular sizes. A complicated linkage pattern and/or possibly interactions with other components may contribute to the observed complexity. SDG and the phenolic complex showed similar hydrogen-donating abilities to ferulic acid but higher than α-tocopherol in the DPPH inhibition metod, suggesting that SDG was the only active antioxidant in the phenolic complex. Contradicting results were obtained on the effect of SDG on levels of Vitamin E and cholesterol in two rat studies

VALUING ELECTRICITY ASSETS IN DEREGULATED MARKETS: A REAL OPTIONS MODEL WITH MEAN REVERSION AND JUMPS

Valuation of electricity generating assets is of central importance as utilities are forced to spin-off generators with the introduction of competitive markets. A continuous-time mean reverting price path with stochastic upward jumps is proposed as an appropriate model for long-run competitive electricity prices faced by a generator. A real options model is derived via dynamic programming using infinite series solutions. The derived model produces asset values which are uniformly higher than those produced by existing models, and which accurately predict observed generator sale prices. The model has favorable implications for stranded cost recovery and generator entry in competitive markets.real options, electricity deregulation, mean reversion, jump processes, asset valuation, Marketing,

Bioactive phytochemicals in flaxseed

Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is rich in health-promoting bioactive compounds. Among plant foods, flaxseed has the highest content of lignans, mainly in the form of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG). Flaxseed oil also has a very high concentration of the essential omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). This thesis presents studies on both SDG and ALA. An HPLC method for quantification of SDG in hydrolysed flaxseed extracts was developed and used to compare the SDG content in 29 flaxseed cultivars (6.1-13.3 mg/g seed, dry weight). Full spectroscopic (NMR) data were obtained for two compounds, 4-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-p-coumaric acid (CoAG) and 4-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-ferulic acid, eluting before SDG in the HPLC system developed. NMR analyses provided the first evidence that SDG in flaxseed is bound in a linear oligomeric structure with an average composition of five SDG residues interlinked by four 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaric acid residues (average size 4 kDa). Chromatographic (UHPLC, GPC, SPE) and spectroscopic (MALDI-TOF) analyses of seven different flaxseed cultivars showed that the size of the SDG oligomers differed among cultivars depending on seed SDG/CoAG ratios. In attempts to decrease the use of fish-based feeds in aquaculture, vegetable oils are being assessed as replacements for fish oil. However, this has hitherto resulted in decreased levels of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 HUFA) that make fish a healthy food choice for humans. Previous studies have shown that sesamin, a lignan from sesame seed, is able to increase conversion of ALA to n-3 HUFA in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) but less efficiently than expected when flaxseed oil, given its high ALA content, was used. In order to investigate whether high levels of ALA or possibly minor compounds in flaxseed oil could be responsible for the low n-3 HUFA formation, rainbow trout were fed diets containing purified flaxseed triacylglycerols (PFSO) with and without sesamin. However, it was found that PFSO was unable to increase ALA conversion compared with unaltered flaxseed oil and that PSFO with or without sesamin addition had the opposite effect to unaltered flaxseed oil with or without sesamin addition, respectively. The reasons for these effects are discussed

IMPROVEMENT OF NEW OIL CROPS FOR KENTUCKY

Three oil crops, chia (Salvia hispanica L.), flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), and castor (Ricinus communis L.), were studied because of their nutritional and industrial values. Chia and flax are rich in an ω3 fatty acid, α-linolenic acid, and castor is a very high oil producer and high in a hydroxy fatty acid. Ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) and gamma rays were employed to mutagenize chia seeds to produce early flowering mutants. The M1 population was grown and induced to flower by short-day photoperiods. The M2 population was planted in the field in Lexington, KY in 2008. Early flowering plants were found 55 days after planting while non-mutagenized plants did not produce any flower buds until the 7th of October, 82 days after planting, at a daylength of 11 hours and 32 minutes. 0.012% of the EMS-treated M2 population and 0.024% of the gamma radiation-treated population flowered much earlier than the controls. M3 early flowering mutant lines were able to flower at photoperiods of 12-15 hours in a greenhouse. Selected lines produced flower buds on the 7th of July, 47 days after planting, at a daylength of 14 hours and 41 minutes in the field in Lexington, Kentucky. Different varieties of flax were evaluated for seed yield and field performance in Kentucky. Plant height and yield data were collected from three growing seasons. Yields from 2006 trial varied from 368-1,267 kg/ha. Yields from 2007 and 2008 were much lower due to drought. The variety ‘Carter’ gave the highest yield every season. Flax can be grown in Kentucky but yields are low. Two high-yield castor varieties, ‘Carmencita’ and ‘TTU-LRC’, were crossed in greenhouse. The F1 population was grown in the field. Inflorescences were covered to ensure self-pollination. The F2 population showed a high degree of segregation for plant height, stem color, capsule color and seed yield in the following growing season. Data on plant height, number of branches, color, and yield was collected from 89 F2 individuals. Fifteen lines with the highest yield were selected to plant in the field in spring of 2009. New high-yield castor varieties are being developed for production in Kentucky

Intelligent Systemic/Systematic Innovation and Its Role in Delivering Improvement and Change in the Design of Mission Critical Systems

Mission critical systems (MCS) are complex nested hierarchies of systems, subsystems and components with defined purpose, characteristics, boundaries and interfaces, working in harmony to deliver vital organisational functionalities. Upgrading MCS performance is inevitable when capability enhancement is required or new technologies emerge. Improving MCS however is considered with certain degrees of reluctance due to their sensitive role in organisations and the potential disruptive impact of unexpected consequences of change. Innovation in MCS often appears in small steps that affect the entire system due to their highly interdependent structures. Effective management of innovation introduction in complex systems require systemic/systematic processes that involve process management and collective analysis, scoping, decision-making and R&D which relies on effective information sharing. This approach should run throughout the system and must include all aspects and stakeholders, utilising the skills and knowledge of all involved. This chapter describes the basic concepts and potential approaches that could be utilised to build intelligent systemic/systematic and collaborative environments for MCS innovation. Advances in ICT technologies provide an opportunity to access the wider sphere of knowledge and support the systemic innovation processes. Adopting systemic approaches increases process efficacy, leading to more reliable solutions, shorter development lead times and reduced costs

Michigan Geology: A Bibliography, March 2016

The Michigan Geological Survey produced a historic Index of Michigan Geology with an extensive bibliography in 1956. This current bibliography is an update of the bibliography in the Martin and Straight compilation. It is not comprehensive, but provides a starting place for anyone interested in Michigan Geology. The Michigan Geological Survey plans to update this bibliography periodically with newly published citations as well as other older citations we find

Michigan Geology: A Bibliography, March 2016

The Michigan Geological Survey produced a historic Index of Michigan Geology with an extensive bibliography in 1956. This current bibliography is an update of the bibliography in the Martin and Straight compilation. It is not comprehensive, but provides a starting place for anyone interested in Michigan Geology. The Michigan Geological Survey plans to update this bibliography periodically with newly published citations as well as other older citations we find

Traitement des arythmies cardiaques par ablation micro-onde

A comparative study of four open-ended coaxial probe models for permittivity measurements of lossy dielectric/biological materials at microwave frequencies -- Experimental setup for dielectric measuremetns -- Modeling of the open-ended coaxial probe -- Experimental results on saline solutions -- Sensitivity to the calibration media of the virtual line model and the capacitive model -- Correction des discontinuités lors des mesures de la permittivité complexe à l'aide d'une sonde coaxiale -- Catheter ablation : infarcted myocardium has a higher electrical conductivity at rf frequencies but the same complec permittivity at microwave frequencies in comparison with normal cardiac tissue -- A microwave ablation system to treat cardiac arrhythmia

GEOCHEMISTRY OF AMPHIBOLE FROM ARCHEAN AND EARLY PROTEROZOIC ULTRAMAFIC ROCKS: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SECULAR EVOLUTION OF THE EARTH¿S MANTLE

Since its formation at 4.5 Ga, the Earth underwent a complex evolution that progressively differentiated its original composition into the reservoirs that we presently know. Our knowledge on the composition and differentiation mechanisms active in the Early and Ancient Earth are still fragmentary for the paucity of suitable preserved rock records. The poor knowledge on the Archean mantle composition arises a series of problems spanning from the effective chondritic composition of the Earth to how volatile elements (hydrogen, oxygen, chlorine and fluorine) were added to the Earth. For the unavailability of mantle sectors preserving the Archean geochemical signature, valuable information on the Archean mantle composition can be exclusively extracted from Archean mantle-derived igneous rocks. In the Archean greenstone belts, different products of mantle melting are found as lavas and sills spanning in composition from tholeiites through Fe-picrites to komatiites. All these rocks are generally affected by extensive alteration which prevent the bulk rocks to be fully informative on the primary mantle melt composition and particularly on its volatile element contents. However, in some of these rocks primary igneous mineral phases such as amphibole are preserved that may be useful to constrain the primary melt composition including its volatile budgets. In this thesis amphibole-bearing ultramafic rocks of late Archean and Early Proterozoic age (Stone et al., 2003; Fiorentini et al., 2004; Fiorentini et al., 2008) were selected. For comparison amphibole-bearing ultramafic rocks from different tectonic settings of the Phanerozoic were also considered. The Archean and Early Proterozoic rocks share many petrographic and textural similarities with hornblendites and amphibole-bearing pyroxenites from Phanerozoic orogenic settings. In all studied rocks the crystallisation of amphibole follows that of the early crystallising minerals: olivine + spinel \ub1 orthopyroxene + clinopyroxene. The chemical composition of Archean and Early Proterozoic amphiboles is more similar to that of amphibole from alkaline lavas than that of amphibole in orogenic settings. The geobarometric calculations on Archean and Early Proterozoic rocks yield large uncertainty on the pressure of crystallisation with values between 0 and >3 Kbar, which are not conclusive about the deep or shallow origin of amphibole. In the Archean and Early Proterozoic rocks amphibole is in clear disequilibrium with the early crystallizing clinopyroxene. Modelling of melt differentiation suggests that amphibole crystallized from a melt percolating the cumulate pile. Such melt evolved by crystallization of olivine and pyroxene and subsequently modified its composition in response to olivine assimilation. A major problem in the studied Archean and Early Proterozoic rocks is about the origin of the H2O necessary to stabilize amphibole. The H2O concentrations in the Archean and early Proterozoic amphiboles are comparable to those of either subduction-related or amphibole megacrysts from alkaline lavas, thus suggesting that melts in equilibrium with amphiboles possessed almost the same water contents irrespective of age. According to the composition of amphibole in fluid-mobile elements (e.g., F, Cl, B and Sr) a contribution of seawater-derived fluid in the Archean and Early Proterozoic rocks is unlikely. The range of \u3b4D values of the Archean and Paleoproterozoic amphiboles is between -99.5 \u2030 and -129.8 \u2030, that is slightly lower than the mantle range but still consistent with a magmatic origin for water. The hypothesis of a crustal contribution in the origin of the amphiboles (and in turn a crustal origin of water) contrasts with the oxygen isotope signature of amphibole showing \u3b418O values lighter than those of the mantle. Because the involvement of recycled crustal materials, able to provide the required seawater-like geochemical anomalies, is unlikely for the genesis of the studied amphiboles, the light \u3b418O signature is interpreted as a primary feature of the mantle source. In order to monitor possible changes marked by amphibole in the secular evolution of the Earth\u2019s mantle, the trace element composition of the melt in equilibrium with amphibole from Archean and Early Proterozoic rocks was calculated and compared with that of melts produced nowadays at the different geodynamic settings. Equilibrium melts show increasing Nb/Y ratios from komatiites through tholeiites to Fe-picrites that are in agreement with the increased alkalinity of the parental melt as inferred from the literature. All calculated melts share an incompatible trace element pattern paralleling that of present-day OIB. The comparison of the water content in primary melts calculated from Archean-early Proterozoic amphiboles and present-day primary mantle melts reveals that the mantle source of the Archean komatiites had a much higher water content than that characterizing present day OIB. The highly variable water contents in Fe-picrites however suggest a large heterogeneity in the composition of the mantle source. The comparison between the Archean-early Proterozoic amphiboles and those from the Phanerozoic has also revealed heterogeneities in the Nb/Ta ratios of the mantle through the Earth\u2019s history. Some of the calculated melts (since early Proterozoic) show an enriched Nb/Ta signature that is independent from space (geological setting) and time and that was interpreted as a primary feature of the different mantle sources. The observed heterogeneous Nb/Ta signature of the Earth\u2019s mantle was interpreted as related to the addition of extra-terrestrial material after the mantle-core equilibration prior to 4.4 Ga and to an incomplete equilibration of these domains during the Earth\u2019s evolution. In conclusion, the data of this thesis suggest that the Earth\u2019s mantle is much more heterogeneous than commonly assumed. The occurrence in the Archean and Early Proterozoic of mantle domains enriched in volatile elements but unrelated to subduction processes has been documented. An extra-terrestrial signature for some mantle domains was also reported and I do not exclude that the light oxygen isotope signature of the Archean and Early Proterozoic rocks is also a reminiscence of extra-terrestrial inputs possibly related to the meteoritic Late Veneer