Exploring the experience of novelty when viewing creative adverts: An ERP study.

The electrophysiological correlates of experiencing novelty in creative advertising were studied in 28 healthy subjects using event-related potentials. Participants viewed images that were difficult to interpret until a description was presented providing either a creative description (CD) featuring an unexpected description of the image based on the original advertisement, or a normal description (ND), which was a literal description of the image (and served as a baseline condition). Participants evaluated the level of creativity of the description. The results showed that the N2 amplitude was higher for CDs than for NDs across middle and right scalp regions between 240 and 270 ms, most likely reflecting conflict detection. Moreover, CDs demonstrated greater N400 than NDs in a time window between 380 and 500 ms, it is argued that this reflects semantic integration. The present study investigates the electrophysiological correlates of experiencing novelty in advertising with ecologically valid stimuli. This substantially extends the findings of earlier laboratory studies with more artificial stimuli.N/

Effect of Low-Temperature Plasma on Cell Wall Metabolism and Softening Characteristics of Xiaobai Apricot

Objective: To investigate the effect of dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma (DBD) treatment on the cell wall metabolism and softening characteristics of Xiaobai apricot during storage. Methods: Xinjiang-grown Xiaobai apricot fruits were treated with DBD for 40 s (voltage of 90 kV), and stored at 4 ℃ and 95% relative humidity for up to 42 days. The contents of cell wall components, cell wall metabolic enzyme activities, and quality indicators of apricot fruits were measured every seven days. Results: DBD treatment improved the quality of apricot, reduced the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide, and significantly inhibited cell wall-degrading enzymes. It also delayed the dissolution of pectin and the degradation of cellulose, and inhibited the migration and loss of water in apricot fruits. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that DBD treatment helped to maintain the cell wall structure, thus making it more uniform and complete. Conclusion: DBD treatment can effectively inhibit the activities of cell wall-degrading enzymes of apricot fruits during storage, thereby enhancing the cell wall structure and delaying fruit softening

Contamination and health risk assessment of heavy metals in soil surrounding an automobile industry factory in Jiaxing, China

The auto parts industry occupies an important strategic position in our national economy, which brings about the pollution problem in the processing of auto parts, particularly in soil polluted by heavy metals. Soil samples were collected from an automobile parts company in Jiaxing, China, and the data were evaluated using the land accumulation index method. The study found that the heavy metal pollution in the downwind direction of the Automobile Parts Co., Ltd. is mainly As, CD, and Zn mixed heavy metal pollution, and the distribution is uneven. The coefficient of variation of As was the largest, and the regional variation amplitude was large. The coefficient of variation of CD, Cr, and Ni is 50%, that of Zn is 39.38%, and that of PB is the lowest. The accumulative index of AS and CD was 6, which was a very serious pollution level. The content of As was 1994.7 mg/kg, exceeding the standard by more than 44 times, and the distribution of As in soil was uneven. The pollution level of Zn is 3, which belongs to the moderate level. The pollution degree of heavy metals in the soil decreases as the distance from the downwind outlet of the plant increases. According to the health risk assessment, the main route of heavy metals entering the body is through the mouth by breathing. Among exposure routes, oral exposure to heavy metals is the most harmful, so we need to pay special attention to farmland soil heavy metal pollution