110 research outputs found
A multi-product approach for detecting subjects’ and objects’ covariates in consumer preferences
No full textPurpose – A different framework based on a parametric version of the process generating the hedonic scores is adopted. More precisely, a probability distribution for ordinal responses is proposed as a mixture of two components, denoted as feeling (as expressed preference) and uncertainty component (as inherent indecision). The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effect of covariates on the consumers’ behaviour pattern according to a statistical model. Design/methodology/approach – Sample data come from a multidisciplinary research aimed to improve the quality and marketability of soft fruits. Then, a stochastic model with subjects’ and objects’ covariates is built and the interpretation of significant results is discussed. Findings – The joint effects of personal characteristics and chemical contents of juice on the hedonic scores given by consumers are examined and graphically depicted by means of a significant model. Originality/value – The paper suggests a multi-product approach to expressed hedonic scores by means of a generalization of CUB models
Laboratory implementation of edge illumination X-ray phase-contrast imaging with energy-resolved detectors
No full textEdge illumination (EI) X-ray phase-contrast imaging (XPCI) has potential for applications in different fields of research, including materials science, non-destructive industrial testing, small-animal imaging, and medical imaging. One of its main advantages is the compatibility with laboratory equipment, in particular with conventional non-microfocal sources, which makes its exploitation in normal research laboratories possible. In this work, we demonstrate that the signal in laboratory implementations of EI can be correctly described with the use of the simplified geometrical optics. Besides enabling the derivation of simple expressions for the sensitivity and spatial resolution of a given EI setup, this model also highlights the EI’s achromaticity. With the aim of improving image quality, as well as to take advantage of the fact that all energies in the spectrum contribute to the image contrast, we carried out EI acquisitions using a photon-counting energy-resolved detector. The obtained results demonstrate that this approach has great potential for future laboratory implementations of EI. © (2015) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only
Effects of chiral effective field theory equation of state on binary neutron star mergers
No full textWe present fully general relativistic simulations of binary neutron star mergers, employing a new zero-temperature chiral effective field theory equation of state (EOS), the BL EOS. We offer a comparison with respect to the older GM3 EOS, which is based on standard relativistic mean-field theory, and separately determine the impact of the mass. We provide a detailed analysis of the dynamics, with focus on the postmerger phase. For all models, we extract the gravitational wave strain and the postmerger frequency spectrum. Further, we determine the amount, velocity, and polar distribution of ejected matter and provide estimates for the resulting kilonova signals. We also study the evolution of the disk while it is interacting with the hypermassive remnant and discuss the merits of different disk mass definitions applicable before collapse, with regard to the mass remaining after black hole formation. Finally, we investigate the radial mass distribution and rotation profile of the remnants, which validate previous results and also corroborate a recently proposed stability criterion
Reliability Of Functional Connectivity Measures In Resting-State Test-Retest FMRI Data
No full textThe statistical link between spontaneous fluctuations occurring in different pans of the brain can provide insights into its functional organization. Here, we used high-quality resting-state IMRI (rs-fMRI) data acquired with a test-retest paradigm to assess the reliability of several functional connectivity (IC) metrics, some of which rarely used in the current literature. After applying time/frequency methods to generate EC matrices, we restricted our focus on individual edges through different statistical measures, including but not limited to the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). We found that full correlation and magnitude square coherence yielded more reproducible measurements than the other metrics, as revealed by ICC values. These results have important implications when choosing metrics for quantifying FC in rs-fMRI studies, adding novel information to the current panorama of information on the test-retest reliability topic
Application of a new sensory-instrumental tool for the evaluation of promising apple genotypes
No full textMost frequently, breeding programs adopt instrumental evaluation methods to assess the quality of the selections of interest. Sensory methods, when applied, are employed only at a later stage on fruit of selection chosen on the basis of previous instrumental screenings. Instrumental measurements, however, cannot replace sensory evaluation when a description of perceivable quality is needed. In this work, a detailed protocol, combining sensory and instrumental methods, is applied to define the sensory properties of 11 new apple breeding selections (Malus × domestica Borkh.) and to characterise them from their original parental genotypes. The final aim is to provide to breeders a reliable sensory profile of new selections, and a useful tool to predict sensory properties by instrumental characterisation. Descriptive sensory analysis was performed by a trained sensory panel of 14 judges through a sensory vocabulary composed of 11 attributes related to texture, taste and overall odour and flavour [1]. Simultaneously on the same samples the basic chemical composition and texture properties were assessed by a set of standard and innovative instrumental measurements [2], to allow the interpretation of the sensory description in terms of fruit chemical and physical properties. The collected data permitted to study affinities and specificities of the new selections in comparison to their parental genotypes. Instrumental measurements confirmed the existence of differences between the samples and reflected their sensory description, helping to interpret the perceivable quality in terms of chemical and physical properties. Moreover, the combined analyses allowed the development of effective prediction models, with very good results especially for the texture attributes. This is an important first step in the achievement of a reliable complete sensotyping of apples by rapid instrumental characterisation that can be applied on the large data sets usually needed in the initial phase of breeding programs.
References
[1] Corollaro ML, Endrizzi I, Bertolini A, Aprea E, Demattè ML, Costa F, Biasioli F, Gasperi F. Sensory profiling of apple: Methodological aspects, cultivar characterisation and postharvest changes. Postharvest Biol Technol. 2013;77:111-120.
[2] Costa F, Cappellin L, Longhi S, Guerra W, Magnago P, Porro D, Soukoulis C, Salvi S, Velasco R, Biasioli F, Gasperi F. Assessment of apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) fruit texture by a combined acoustic–mechanical profiling strategy. Postharvest Biol Technol. 2011;61:21-28
Effetto dell’integrazione alimentare di vacche da latte in alpeggio sulle caratteristiche sensoriali di latte e formaggio
No full text
Gender moderates the associations between responsiveness to alarming oral sensations, depressive symptoms, and dietary habits in adolescents
No full textBackground/Objectives: As a peripheral effect of depression-related traits, sensory responses may predispose individuals to depressive symptoms by prompting suboptimal dietary patterns with long-term effects on mood. Mood disturbances in adolescence are strong predictors of adult mental illness, making it crucial to identify factors that may shift transient mood fluctuations into more severe mental health issues during this vulnerable period. Given the substantial gender differences in susceptibility to comorbidities of depression, we examined whether the link between sensory perception and depressive symptoms in nonclinical adolescents varied by gender and was related to dietary habits. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 232 healthy adolescents (41.8% girls, aged 13–17) reported their diet over the past year using the EPIC Food Frequency Questionnaire and rated their liking and perceived intensity of oral sensations from four grapefruit juices and dark chocolate puddings with varying sucrose levels. Additionally, participants completed assessments of anxiety, neuroticism, pickiness, body dissatisfaction, and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to evaluate depressive symptoms. Results: We found that girls exhibited higher levels of depression, anxiety, neuroticism, and pickiness compared to boys (Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test), and that greater responsiveness to bitterness (e.g., β = 0.264, p = 0.037) and astringency (β = 0.269, p = 0.029) predicted higher depressive symptoms exclusively in girls. PHQ-9 scores were positively associated with alcohol use in both girls (ρ = 0.176, p = 0.003) and boys (ρ = 0.148, p = 0.004) and inversely related to the intake of beneficial nutrients (e.g., fiber, polyunsaturated fats), particularly in girls. Intriguingly, moderation analyses suggested that associations between nutrient intake and acuity for alarming oral sensations were largely moderated by depression-related traits in girls, but not in boys. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that gender moderates the links between depressive symptoms, sensory perception, and dietary habits in healthy adolescents, possibly reflecting gender-specific coping strategies for comorbidities of depressio
Production collaborative : quelles pratiques pédagogiques ?
No full textLe service formation de formateurs de l'INRP propose les 17 et 18 janvier prochains un stage de deux jours, animé conjointement par la VST et par EducTice, sur le thème : "La production collaborative de contenus sur internet : quelles pratiques pédagogiques ?". Pour ces journées, nous nous fixons les objectifs suivants : Développer la connaissance des technologies plaçant l’internaute au cœur de la création de contenus (blogs, wikis, et autres sites participatifs) et notamment du phénomène W..
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