Brighter Prospects Research Articles

Pungency Perception and the Interaction with Basic Taste Sensations: An Overview.

The perception of pungency can be attributed to the combination of pain and heat, and it has critical impacts on food flavor and food consumption preferences. Many studies have reported a variety of pungent ingredients with different Scoville heat units (SHU), and the mechanism of pungent perception was revealed in vivo and in vitro. The worldwide use of spices containing pungent ingredients has led to an increasing awareness of their effects on basic tastes. However, the interaction between basic tastes and pungency perception based on structure-activity relationship, taste perception mechanism and neurotransmission lacks review and summary, considering its brighter prospects in food flavor. Thus, in this review, common pungency substances and pungency evaluation methods, and the mechanism of pungency perception is presented, and the interaction between basic tastes and pungency perception and the possible factors of their interaction are reviewed in detail. Pungent stimuli are mainly transduced through transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and transient receptor potential fixed hormone isoform (TRPA1) activated by stimulants. Using modern detection techniques combined with sensory standards, different substances produce different degrees of pungent stimulation, ranging from 104 to 107 SHU/g. Pungent stimuli can affect taste receptor or channel protein conformation and regulate taste bud cell sensitivity by producing neurotransmission products. The products of neurotransmission and taste receptor cell activation in turn act on taste perception. When there are simultaneous effects of taste perception, pungency stimulation may enhance the perception of salty at a certain concentration, with a mutual inhibition effect with sour, sweet, and bitter taste, while its interaction with umami taste is not obvious. However, due to the complexity of perception and the uncertainty of many perceptual receptors or channels, the current studies of interactions are still controversial. Based on the understanding of the mechanism and influencing factors, the availability of pungency substances is proposed in the perspective of food industry in order to achieve new development.

Superelastic Carbon Aerogels: An Emerging Material for Advanced Thermal Protection in Extreme Environments

AbstractCarbon aerogels (CAs) are desirable for thermal protection in aerospace because of their lightweight and high‐temperature insulation characteristic; however, their intrinsic brittleness and flaw sensitivity easily trigger catastrophic failure when resisting high‐frequency thermal shocks or complex mechanical stresses. Compression is the predominant load applied on aerogels by aerodynamic pressure and pre‐tightening force; therefore, the structural elasticity and exceptional capability to keep thermal performance under impact stress are crucial in deciding the actual availability of aerogels. This review presents the recent progress in newly resilient CAs for thermal protection, focusing on reliable structural stability, thermal stability, and thermal superinsulation property. The influence law of microstructures on heat transfer behaviors is first investigated, followed by construction strategies for adiabatic CAs, emphasizing the recoverable deformability resulting from increased continuity of building blocks from 0D nanoparticles to 1D nanofibers/nanotubes and then to 2D nanosheets. Moreover, the optimization of thermal stability in high‐temperature aerobic environments and thermal insulation performance are discussed. Finally, it raises current challenges and further opportunities for CAs toward better properties and brighter prospects.

The Rising of Flexible and Elastic Ceramic Fiber Materials: Fundamental Concept, Design Principle, and Toughening Mechanism

AbstractTraditional ceramic materials are suboptimal for use in complex environments because of their brittleness and sensitivity to flaws. As such, developing flexible and elastic ceramic materials is extremely urgent in frontier domains where high‐frequency vibration or high‐intensity bending environments are inevitable. Fibrillation of ceramic materials is an effective way for the transition of brittleness to flexibility and elasticity, due to its ability to absorb and dissipate stresses through large axial deformations. Here, a comprehensive review of the newly emerging flexible and elastic ceramic fiber materials is presented, starting from an introduction to the fundamental concept, followed by an in‐depth analysis of the relationship between their microstructures and mechanical behaviors, laying emphasis on the toughening mechanism of both individual fibers and fiber assemblies. Finally, current challenges and future development are demonstrated. It is expected that this review may provide meaningful guidance for the advancement of ceramic fiber materials toward better performance and brighter prospects.

Recent Advances of Stem Cells in Dentistry

Stem cells (SCs) have an ultimate potential of regenerating tissues and organs due to their salient properties. In the contemporary years, emergence of novel tissue bioengineering therapies and gene editing technologies has been a breakthrough in the field of SC research. A combination of these paradigm-shifting technologies with dental SCs definitely has brighter prospects in the upcoming decades. The goal of the current study of literature is to highlight the latest technologies and regenerative applications of SCs in the field of dentistry.

Benzoquinone-Pyrrole Polymers as Cost-Effective Cathodes toward Practical Organic Batteries.

Organic cathode materials (OCMs) for rechargeable Li and Na batteries show great advantages in resource sustainability and huge potential in electrochemical performance but suffer from dissolution problems and costly synthesis. Herein, for the first time, we investigated the copolymer of benzoquinone (BQ) and pyrrole (Py), namely, poly(benzoquinone-pyrrole) (PBQPy), as an OCM for Li batteries. The low-cost raw materials and solvent-free synthesis provide PBQPy much brighter prospects in large-scale production compared to other carbonyl-based polymer cathode materials. Nevertheless, PBQPy showed one of the best electrochemical performances among all OCMs, including excellent energy density (2.32 V × 255 mAh g-1 = 592 Wh kg-1), rate capability (79%@2000 mA g-1), and cycling stability (81%@1000th cycle). By introducing poly(benzoquinone-methyl pyrrole) for comparison, as well as employing density functional theory calculations and various characterizations for in-depth understanding, the synthesis mechanism, polymer structure, electrochemical behavior, and redox mechanism were clearly clarified. It is believed that this work will encourage more efforts to develop cost-effective OCMs toward practical organic batteries.

Assessment of the Prospects, Successes and Implementation Challenges of Performance Management System at the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho Ghana

This research work was to assess the prospects, successes and implementation challenges of performance management system at University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in the Volta Region of Ghana. The study employed qualitative research design for the study. In-depth Interview method was the chosen research instrument to aid in data collection process. The study employed twenty-five (25) respondents who doubles as employees of the university and serving under various sections and units, like the office of the Vice Chancellor and registrar, human resource, finance, admissions office and staff of various schools or colleges as its unit of analysis. The research found that, performance management at the university has brighter prospects and thus is managed through a system of employee assessment which has resulted in some successes of the system being achieved in relation to human resource management in the areas of accountability, employee needs’ identification, effective human resource management, promotions and efficient service delivery. Again, results showed the absence of feedback, annual system and performance management system conducted for promotional purposes as part of various challenges impeding the effectiveness of the system. As a result, the research recommended the design and implementation of a feedback system, regular employee assessment system and implementation of effective and efficient performance assessment system instead of mere annual appraisal system in the university. Keywords: Performance Management System, Employee Assessment, Human Resource Management, In-depth Interview, Prospects, Implementation Challenges. DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/11-4-04 Publication date: May 31 st 2021

Displaced utopia: on marginalisation, migration and emplacement in Bissau

ABSTRACTThis article looks at the subjectivities of disenfranchised urban men in Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau. Taking its point of departure in an illumination of the ‘thrown’ character of subjectivity, it clarifies the social positions and futures that life in the city is seen to afford. As the city has been caught in a prolonged period of conflict and decline, the retrenchment of the state, economy and social networks has created a setting where people struggle to achieve positive social presence and brighter prospects. The article shows how subjectivities in such situations can become tied to a sense of depreciation and downward mobility. In doing so, it illuminates some of the more common features of social exclusion that affect the urban poor and shows how the processes of decay and deterioration that peoples’ lives are caught in may create a longing for better futures and worthy social emplacement. They spur a striving for socially appreciated being that is imagined as elusively attainable through migration.

Science China Technological Sciences: Taking the great opportunity and embracing much brighter prospects

Science China Technological Sciences: Taking the great opportunity and embracing much brighter prospects

Brighter Prospects? Assessing the Franchise Advantage Using Census Data

This paper uses Census micro data to examine how starting a business as a franchise rather than an independent business affects its survival and growth prospects. We first consider the factors that influence the business owner's decision about being franchised, and then use different empirical approaches to correct for selection bias in our performance analyses. We find that franchised businesses on average benefit from higher survival rates and faster initial growth relative to independent businesses. However, the effects are not large and, conditional on first-year survival, the differences basically disappear. We briefly discuss potential mechanisms to explain these results.

Pakistan and Regional Cooperation Organizations: Towards a Futuristic Approach

Pakistan is member of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) for past more than three decades. It is also an observer of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and expected to get full membership in June 2017. The track record so far and prospects ahead indicate that SAARC will remain hostage to Pak-India tensions, and India's quest for dominance. ECO, while not having recorded a desirable progress either, signals comparatively more potential. Cooperation with China and Russia from ECO's platform seems a bright possibility. SCO, with both security and economic cooperation in its scope, presents even brighter prospects for Pakistan for a broader regional level engagement. Besides, inter-organization cooperation and sub-regional initiatives can be explored and fostered.

Unintended Consequences and Artifacts

DNA and Cell BiologyVol. 32, No. 11 EditorialUnintended Consequences and ArtifactsCarol Shoshkes ReissCarol Shoshkes ReissSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:19 Oct 2013https://doi.org/10.1089/dna.2013.2532AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail View article"Unintended Consequences and Artifacts." , 32(11), p. 621FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 32Issue 11Nov 2013 InformationCopyright 2013, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Carol Shoshkes Reiss.Unintended Consequences and Artifacts.DNA and Cell Biology.Nov 2013.621-621.http://doi.org/10.1089/dna.2013.2532Published in Volume: 32 Issue 11: October 19, 2013PDF download

DEVELOPMENTAL TRENDS IN SPANISH CITRICULTURE CULTIVARS

ISHS VI International Symposium on Banana: XXVIII International Horticultural Congress on Science and Horticulture for People (IHC2010): International Symposium on Citrus, Bananas and other Tropical Fruits under Subtropical Conditions DEVELOPMENTAL TRENDS IN SPANISH CITRICULTURE CULTIVARS

Brighter prospects

One London hospital provides a nursing service dedicated to people who are homeless.

Numerical calculation of the outer thickness of double-solid rotor asynchronous permanent magnetic coupling by finite element method

Double-solid rotor magnetic coupling is a new type of asynchronous permanent magnetic coupling developed on the Electromagnetic Induction Theory. The rare permanent magnets are laid on the outer rotor only. The new-type magnetic coupling can effectively solve the problem of the former magnetic pump's failure to carry high-temperature medium, and thus possesses higher economic value and brighter prospects. The working performance of magnetic coupling depends on the thickness of the outer layer of the inner rotor. The double-solid rotor asynchronous magnetic coupling is analysed using the software ANSYS, and the veracity is demonstrated by experiment.

Always on the child’s side

To provide a title of a speech given at “The Astrid Lindgren Centennial Conference. The liberated child – childhood in the works of Astrid Lindgren” is a phrase very well expected namely Always on the child’s side. There is not much to brood over the theme very long, because we all know, that nobody speaks so persistently for the children of the world, not even the UN conventions, so clearly and so movingly as Astrid Lindgren does – and she speaks so that they themselves can hear, rejoice and be comforted. It could also have been the heading Always on the side of the powerless, the weak, and the feeble. Astrid Lindgren’s compassion for the poor inmates of the workhouse is as great as ever Charles Dickens’, and her concern for the penniless young men and women who toiled long hours for a little pay – or none – with no brighter prospects than that of the asylum is equally great and worth dwelling on. Nonetheless, children are her first and foremost concern, so this article will concentrate on them.

Brighter prospects for graduates

Brighter prospects for graduates

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda: A Paper Umbrella in the Rain? Initial Pitfalls and Brighter Prospects

The tragedy which befell Rwanda in 1994 deserves a special place in the bloodstained pages of history. The Rwandan genocide merits distinction primarily because of its shocking ef ficiency, its scale and its proportional dimensions among the victim population. The Security Council's resolution establishing the ICTR articulates a set of decisions, assumptions, wishes, and objectives. Primarily, the States that voted in favour of the creation of the ICTR indicated that the root of the problem was individual violations of international criminal law. Only one State that voted for the resolution did not equate ipso facto ICTR actions with justice. That State considered the ICTR only one of the many tasks at hand for the international community. The ICTR was merely a vehicle of justice, 'but it is hardly designed as a vehicle for reconciliation . . . Reconciliation is a much more complicated process' (Czech Republic). Interestingly, Rwanda, which voted against the resolution, spoke of the problem in terms of a culture of impunity . The UN paid little to no heed to the subtle, but extremely different way in which the problem was characterized and the implications this would have on the type of tool needed to deal with that problem.

Brighter prospects

Brighter prospects

Brighter Prospects for the World's Coral Reefs?

Just a few years ago, scientists sounded the alarm that coral reefs around the world were seriously ailing. But now, some coral reef biologists are beginning to suspect that reefs may not be quite as widely imperiled as they once thought. Increasingly, researchers think that the decline may be local or regional rather than global in scope. Although reefs in Southeast Asia and the Caribbean are crumbling, for instance, most in the Pacific and Indian Ocean appear to be in good health.

Changing Demograhics and Life Styles: What Are Recent Homebuyers Really like?

: Cross-tabular and cluster analysis are applied to mailed questionnaire samples for Hamilton County (Cincinnati), Ohio, and New Castle County (Wilmington), Delaware, to determine the extent to which recent demographic and life style trends associated with neighborhood revitalization influenced the composition of the homebuying population. In fact, these trends have had only a limited impact. Although Hamilton County contained a homebuyer cluster of upwardly mobile singles and couples without children, neither county had a homebuyer cluster identifiably based on both demographic and attitudinal characteristics. Further, suburban rather than urban values dominated the homebuying populations in these counties. The fact that Hamilton County contains a more cosmopolitan-like cluster than New Castle County highlights the fact that some cities have brighter prospects than others for attracting additional middle income families.