Natural caprine whey oligosaccharides separated by membrane technology and profile evaluation by capillary electrophoresis

The functional food market is growing rapidly and membrane processing offers several advantages over conventional methods for separation, fractionation and recovery of bioactive components. The aim of the present study was to select a process that could be implemented easily on an industrial scale for the isolation of natural lactose-derived oligosaccharides (OS) from caprine whey, enabling the development of functional foods for clinical and infant nutrition. The most efficient process was the combination of a pre-treatment to eliminate proteins and fat, using an ultrafiltration (UF) membrane of 25 kDa molecular weight cut off (MWCO), followed by a tighter UF membrane with 1 kDa MWCO. Circa 90% of the carbohydrates recovered in the final retentate were OS. Capillary electrophoresis was used to evaluate the OS profile in this retentate. The combined membrane-processing system is thus a promising technique for obtaining natural concentrated OS from whey. Powered

Persuasive technology and users acceptance of e-commerce: exploring perceived persuasiveness

This paper reviews theories and models of users’ acceptance and use in relation to “persuasive technology”, to justify the need to add consideration of ‘perceived persuasiveness’. We conclude by identifying variables associated with perceived persuasiveness, and highlight important future research directions in this domain.

Persuasive technology and users acceptance of e-commerce: users perceptions of website persuasiveness

Persuasive technologies have been extensively applied in the context of e-commerce for the purpose of marketing, enhancing system credibility, and motivating users to adopt the systems. Recognising that persuasion impacts on consumer behaviour to purchase online have not been investigated previously. This study reviews theories of technology acceptance, and identifies their limitation in not considering the effect of persuasive technologies when determining user online technology acceptance. The study proposes a theoretical model that considers the effect of persuasive technologies on consumer acceptance of e-commerce websites; with consideration of other related variables, i.e. trust and technological attributes. Moreover the paper proposes a model based on the UTAUT2, which contains relevant contributing factors; including the concept of perceived persuasiveness.

Digital technology and creative arts career patterns in the UK creative economy

The creative industries have attracted the attention of academics and policy makers for the complexity surrounding their development, supply-chains and models of production. In particular, many have recognised the difficulty in capturing the role that digital technologies play within the creative industries. Digital technologies are embedded in the production and market structures of the creative industries and are also partially distinct and discernible from it. This paper unfolds the role played by digital technologies focusing on a key aspect of its development: human capital. Using student micro-data collected by the Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA) in the United Kingdom, we investigate the characteristics and location determinants of digital graduates. The paper deals specifically with understanding whether digital skills in the UK are equally embedded across the creative industries, or are concentrated in other sub-sectors. Furthermore, it explores the role that these graduates play in each sub-sector and their financial rewards. Findings suggest that digital technology graduates tend to concentrate in the software and gaming sub-sector of the creative industries but also are likely to be in embedded creative jobs outside of the creative industries. Although they are more likely to be in full-time employment than part-time or self-employment, they also suffer from a higher level of unemployment.

The co-development of technology and new buildings: incorporating building integrated photovoltaics

Current approaches for the reduction of carbon emissions in buildings are often predicated on the integration of renewable technologies into building projects. Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) is one of these technologies and brings its own set of challenges and problems with a resulting mutual articulation of this technology and the building. A Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) approach explores how negotiations between informal groups of project actors with shared interests shape the ongoing specification of both BIPV and the building. Six main groups with different interests were found to be involved in the introduction of BIPV (Cost Watchers, Design Aesthetes, Green Guardians, Design Optimizers, Generation Maximizers and Users). Their involvement around three sets of issues (design changes from lack of familiarity with the technology, misunderstandings from unfamiliar interdependencies of trades and the effects of standard firm procedure) is followed. Findings underline how BIPV requires a level of integration that typically spans different work packages and how standard contractual structures inhibit the smooth incorporation of BIPV. Successful implementation is marked by ongoing (re-)design of both the building and the technology as informal fluid groups of project actors with shared interests address the succession of problems which arise in the process of implementation.

Geography, skills and careers patterns at the boundary of creativity & innovation: digital technology and creative arts graduates in the UK

In the last decades, research on knowledge economies has taken central stage. Within this broader research field, research on the role of digital technologies and the creative industries has become increasingly important for researchers, academics and policy makers with particular focus on their development, supply-chains and models of production. Furthermore, many have recognised that, despite the important role played by digital technologies and innovation in the development of the creative industries, these dynamics are hard to capture and quantify. Digital technologies are embedded in the production and market structures of the creative industries and are also partially distinct and discernible from it. They also seem to play a key role in innovation of access and delivery of creative content. This chapter tries to assess the role played by digital technologies focusing on a key element of their implementation and application: human capital. Using student micro-data collected by the Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA) in the United Kingdom, we explore the characteristics and location patterns of graduates who entered the creative industries, specifically comparing graduates in the creative arts and graduates from digital technology subjects. We highlight patterns of geographical specialisation but also how different context are able to better integrate creativity and innovation in their workforce. The chapter deals specifically with understanding whether these skills are uniformly embedded across the creative sector or are concentrated in specific sub-sectors of the creative industries. Furthermore, it explores the role that these graduates play in different sub-sector of the creative economy, their economic rewards and their geographical determinants.

Sound waves and solitons in hot and dense nuclear matter

Assuming that nuclear matter can be treated as a perfect fluid, we study the propagation of perturbations in the baryon density. The equation of state is derived from a relativistic mean field model, which is a variant of the non-linear Walecka model. The expansion of the Euler and continuity equations of relativistic hydrodynamics around equilibrium configurations leads to differential equations for the density perturbation. We solve them numerically for linear and spherical perturbations and follow the propagation of the initial pulses. For linear perturbations we find single soliton solutions and solutions with one or more solitons followed by ""radiation"". Depending on the equation of state a strong damping may occur. We consider also the evolution of perturbations in a medium without dispersive effects. In this case we observe the formation and breaking of shock waves. We study all these equations also for matter at finite temperature. Our results may be relevant for the analysis of RHIC data. They suggest that the shock waves formed in the quark gluon plasma phase may survive and propagate in the hadronic phase. (C) 2009 Elseiver. B.V. All rights reserved.

Technology and innovation at university libraries: IE Library as a case (part 1 and part 2)

Trabalho apresentado na conferência Os Desafios das Bibliotecas Digitais realizado na Fundação Getulio Vargas em agosto 2014

The economy of technology and adaptation (Dublado)

Video feito pela WWV

Evaluation of the shear bond strength of a composite resin in sound, demineralized and hypermineralized bovine dentin after irradiation with Er:YAG and Nd:YAG lasers, employing a self-etching adhesive system

Background and Objectives. The adhesion of dental materials is important for the success of treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the bond strength of a composite resin applied with a self-etching adhesive system in different dentins after irradiation with Er:YAG and Nd:YAG lasers, observing their morphologic pattern using Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM). Materials and Methods. The buccal surface of 72 bovine incisors was worn until exposure of medium depth dentin. The specimens were divided into three groups; GI: normal, GII: demineralized and GIII: hypermineralized dentin. These were also divided into two subgroups; A-irradiated for 30 s with Er:YAG laser in noncontact mode at 40 mJ and 6 Hz and B- irradiated for 30 s with Nd:YAG laser in contact mode at 60 mJ and 10 Hz. The adhesive system Clearfil SE. Bond (Kuraray) and composite resin Tetric Ceram (Vivadent) were applied on the irradiated area by the incremental technique. After storage for 24 h in distilled water at 37 degrees C, the specimens were submitted to the shear strength test in a universal testing machine (EMIC) at a crosshead speed of 1.0 mm/min. Other specimens were made to be analyzed by SEM. Results. The results were statistically analyzed by Analysis of Variance and the Tukey test. Regardless of the type of dentin, the bond strength of specimens irradiated with the Nd:YAG laser (8,94 +/- 2,07) was higher compared to specimens irradiated with the Er:YAG laser (7,03 +/- 2,47); the highest bond strength was obtained for the group of hypermineralized dentin irradiated with the Nd:YAG laser. The SEM analysis showed that the Er:YAG laser caused opening of tubules and the Nd:YAG laser produced areas of fusion as well as regions of opening of dentinal tubules. Conclusions. The dentin showed different morphological patterns and the laser promote alterations on their surfaces, influencing the bond strength of the composite resin. (C) 2010 Laser Institute of America.

Estimation of electrical machine speed using sensorless technology and neural networks

The use of sensorless technologies is an increasing tendency on industrial drivers for electrical machines. The estimation of electrical and mechanical parameters involved with the electrical machine control is used very frequently in order to avoid measurement of all variables related to this process. The cost reduction may also be considered in industrial drivers, besides the increasing robustness of the system, as an advantage of the use of sensorless technologies. This work proposes the use of a recurrent artificial neural network to estimate the speed of induction motor for sensorless control schemes using one single current sensor. Simulation and experimental results are presented to validate the proposed approach. ©2008 IEEE.

Effect of bleaching on sound enamel and with early artificial caries lesions using confocal laser microscopy

The aim of this study was to evaluate effect of bleaching agents on sound enamel (SE) and enamel with early artificial caries lesions (CL) using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Eighty blocks (4 × 5 × 5 mm) of bovine enamel were used and half of them were submitted to a pH cycling model to induce CL. Eight experimental groups were obtained from the treatments and mineralization level of the enamel (SE or CL) (n=10). SE groups: G1 - unbleached (control); G2 - 4% hydrogen peroxide (4 HP); G3 - 4 HP containing 0.05% Ca (Ca); G4 - 7.5% hydrogen peroxide (7.5 HP) containing amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP). CL groups: G5 - unbleached; G6 - 4 HP; G7 - 4 HP containing Ca; G8 - 7.5 HP ACP. G2, G3, G6, G7 were treated with the bleaching agents for 8 h/day during 14 days, while G4 and G8 were exposed to the bleaching agents for 30 min twice a day during 14 days. The enamel blocks were stained with 0.1 mM rhodamine B solution and the demineralization was quantified using fluorescence intensity detected by CLSM. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Fisher's tests (α=0.05). For the SE groups, the bleaching treatments increased significantly the demineralization area when compared with the unbleached group. In the CL groups, no statistically significant difference was observed (p>0.05). The addition of ACP or Ca in the composition of the whitening products did not overcome the effects caused by bleaching treatments on SE and neither was able to promote remineralization of CL.