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In this work, we explore the processes involving food in contact with food contact materials (FCMs), and the subsequent changes in these materials. We delve into the historical context of "economic poisons", the development of food safety concerns, the regulation of food additives, and the rise of harmful chemicals in food. The focus is placed on mass spectrometry-based analyses of FCMs. We have examined substances, like bisphenols, and the chemical migration from various materials into food, highlighting the difficulty in identifying and managing these substances, especially unknown ones. This work further cements the inadequacy of current regulations in effectively controlling FCMs and mitigating associated risks. We conclude that despite the information provided by mass spectrometry, challenges persist in fully comprehending and regulating the interplay between FCMs and food under actual cooking conditions, emphasising the need for ongoing research and improved regulations to protect consumer health from these evolving chemical threats. • Historical context of food safety and "economic poisons". • Role of mass spectrometry in identifying chemicals in food contact materials. • Limitations of current regulations associated with food contact materials. • High-resolution mass spectrometry is a potent tool in food evaluations. • This technology has allowed to identify new substances of potential concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seafood consumption is a major route for human exposure to environmental contaminants of emerging concern (CeCs). However, toxicological information about the presence of CeCs in seafood is still insufficient, especially considering the effect of cooking procedures on contaminant levels. This study is one among a few who evaluated the effect of steaming on the levels of different CeCs (toxic elements, PFCs, PAHs, musk fragrances and UV-filters) in commercially relevant seafood in Europe, and estimate the potential risks associated with its consumption for consumers. In most cases, an increase in contaminant levels was observed after steaming, though varying according to contaminant and seafood species (e.g. iAs, perfluorobutanoate, dibenzo(ah)anthracene in Mytilus edulis , HHCB-Lactone in Solea sp., 2-Ethylhexyl salicylate in Lophius piscatorius ). Furthermore, the increase in some CeCs, like Pb, MeHg, iAs, Cd and carcinogenic PAHs, in seafood after steaming reveals that adverse health effects can never be excluded, regardless contaminants concentration. However, the risk of adverse effects can vary. The drastic changes induced by steaming suggest that the effect of cooking should be integrated in food risk assessment, as well as accounted in CeCs regulations and recommendations issued by food safety authorities, in order to avoid over/underestimation of risks for consumer health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of trace elements, REE and iAs was investigated in macroalgae collected from Giglio Island (Grosseto, Italy), 3 years after the Costa Concordia shipwreck recovery operations. There was a high variability of metals and REE between species, even those belonging to the same phylum. Arsenic level was found within the range of the Tuscany marine environment; the inorganic fraction was from 9% to 31%. Al, Be, Pb and Zn levels in seaweeds from Giglio Island were found to be significantly higher than in macroalgae from other islands of the Tuscany archipelago. REE were double the values found in the Tuscan islands of Elba and Capraia. We suggest that concentrations of metals and REE were influenced by the 3-year-long naval operations carried out for the Costa Concordia shipwreck rescue, and that macroalgae could be suitable bioindicators of perturbations in metal concentrations in the marine environment. Capsule Inorganic contaminants in seaweeds for Giglio Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO 2 /CH 4 mixture adsorption is very important in different fields like, for example, a biogas purification. Using a comprehensive experimental approach based on volumetric and in-situ FTIR measurements the new results of CO 2 /CH 4 mixture separation on a carbon film are reported. The application of this experimental approach makes it possible to elaborate the effect of enhanced CH 4 adsorption at low CO 2 concentrations in the adsorbed phase. The presence of this effect is proved experimentally for the first time. This effect is responsible for the deviation of Ideal Adsorption Solution model from the experimental data. To discuss separation mechanism the activity coefficients at constant spreading pressure values are calculated. At low spreading pressure, CO 2 activity coefficient is strongly disturbed by the presence of CH 4 molecules in the surface mixture. In contrast, the CH 4 activity coefficients are remarkably influenced by adsorbed CO 2 only at higher CO 2 surface concentrations. The obtained activity coefficients are successfully described by a new modification of the Redlich-Kister equation. This modification takes into account the interaction between binary mixture components and an adsorbent. Finally we show that the studied carbon possesses very good CO 2 /CH 4 mixture separation properties, comparable to those reported for other adsorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To summarise current knowledge of Internal anal sphincter.Background: The internal anal sphincter (IAS) is the involuntary ring of smooth muscle in the anal canal and is the major contributor to the resting pressure in the anus. Structural injury or functional weakness of the muscle results in passive incontinence of faeces and flatus. With advent of new assessment and treatment modalities IAS has become an important topic for surgeons. This review was undertaken to summarise our current knowledge of internal anal sphincter and highlight the areas that need further research.Method: The PubMed database was used to identify relevant studies relating to internal anal sphincter.Results: The available evidence has been summarised and advantages and limitations highlighted for the different diagnostic and therapeutic techniques.Conclusion: Our understanding of the physiology and pharmacology of IAS has increased greatly in the last three decades. Additionally, there has been a rise in diagnostic and therapeutic techniques specifically targeting the IAS. Although these are promising, future research is required before these can be incorporated into the management algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Revegetation of roadsides is an opportunity for grassland restoration, yet these habitats are prone to be colonised by invasive alien plant species (IAS). Therefore, the selection of seed mixtures for revegetation should consider potential competition with IAS present in the soil seed bank or arriving by traffic-related seed rain. We investigated whether the limiting similarity hypothesis, in terms of plant seed-size-output strategy, could be used to design native grassland communities resistant to IAS. In a greenhouse experiment, a small- or a large-seeded IAS was sown into factorial combinations of two native communities with small or large seed-size-output strategies at two sowing densities. Height and aboveground biomass of the IAS were measured after four and eight weeks, respectively. Small-seeded native communities at high density were highly effective in suppressing the small- and large-seeded IAS, mostly controlled by a density effect. Thus, limiting similarity in seed-size-output strategy only partly explained resistance to IAS, while density-driven suppression was more effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) have been emerging as the second biggest threat to global biodiversity after habitat destruction. They intervene in environmental services offered by ecosystems and negatively impact flood control, water supply, water assimilation, nutrient recycling, conservation and regeneration of soils. Due to these threats better IAS management is needed for a biodiversity rich nation like India. To date very few examples of successful eradications of IAS exist. However, some studies have pointed out several economic benefits rendered by IAS which include fodder, food, manure, bio-fuels and medication values which make them interesting from a commercial point of view which could led to an increase in demand for these IAS species by certain industries (pharmaceutical, botanical sectors) in the future driving IAS to the verge of extinction in the wild this way. This review presents an overview of IAS existing in India and their possible medicinal potential which could, if proven useful, lead to an alternative way of controlling the proliferation of IAS and to conserve nature diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IAS 41 Agriculture sets out the accounting for agricultural activities and makes differentiation between biological assets (living plants and animals), agricultural produce (harvested product of the company's biological assets) and products that are the outcome of processing that followed harvest. The standard generally requires biological assets to be measured at fair value less estimated costs to sell, but this method can be applied only if the fair value can be estimated reliably. If this requirement does not stand, the asset is measured at cost decreased by the depreciation and the losses of impairment that accumulated. At the point of harvest the value of agricultural produce is its fair value less estimated costs to sell, and at that time this value is considered the cost of the produce(for the purposes of IAS 2 Inventories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archives of Cardiovascular Diseases is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: This study examines eight IFRS implementation choices available to European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) member countries under the EU's 2002 IAS Regulation. Great disparities in IFRS implementation exist among the countries covered under the Regulation, including statistically significant differences in the IFRS elections for financial and non-financial firms. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, a classification of EU and EEA member countries according to similarities and differences in their IFRS implementation is developed, which identifies an IFRS antagonistic, an IFRS leaning, and an IFRS integrated group. These groupings may provide a springboard for future studies on effects of IFRS implementation differences. Following Meek and Thomas (2004) call to study the continuing relevance of taxonomies of accounting systems in the IFRS era, the study also provides evidence for a survival of the traditional micro-based vs. macro-uniform, strong vs. weak equity market, and outsider vs. insider economy classifications of accounting systems into the IFRS implementation decisions of EU and EEA member countries. These results suggest that traditional accounting system classifications remain important in the post-IFRS era. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Isobaric multiplets can be used to provide reliable mass predictions through the Isobaric Multiplet Mass Equation (IMME). Isobaric Analogue States (IAS) for isospin multiplets from T=1/2T = 1/2 to T=3T = 3 to 3 have been studied within the 2012 Atomic Mass Evaluation (Ame2012). Each IAS established from published experimental reaction data has been expressed in the form of a primary reaction Q-value and, when necessary, has been recalibrated. The evaluated IAS masses are provided here along with the associated IMME coefficients. Quadratic and higher order forms of the IMME have been considered, and global trends have been extracted. Particular nuclides requiring experimental investigation have been identified and discussed. This dataset is the most precise and extensive set of evaluated IAS to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAS) is commonly used in process simulation for predicting multicomponent adsorption equilibrium. However, this model requires a significant computational effort which translates in time consuming simulations. A methodology using surface B-splines fitting was developed for speeding the prediction of the multicomponent equilibrium with IAS theory. As a case study, a breakthrough of an enantiomer bi-component mixture in a fixed bed was simulated and a speed-up of 57.9% was achieved while maintaining the accuracy of IAS multicomponent equilibrium prediction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this contribution is to verify whether there exists a reaction of financial markets to the new accounting method for goodwill introduced by SFAS 142 and IAS 36. Our research hypothesis is that financial markets should have no significant reaction to the goodwill write-off following the impairment test, since the latter''s outcome represents an economic estimate without financial significance. The hypothesis was checked by the analysis of the companies added to the Standard & Poor''s Europe 350 index over a three-year period, taking note of goodwill write-off announcements and relating them with the stock market prices and their volatility. The results demonstrate a correlation between the goodwill write-off and the behaviour of financial markets, while the same connection cannot be evinced for prices volatility. Also, what comes out from our analysis is that markets need a relatively long period, over one semester, before absorbing in full the effects resulting from the write-off announcement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The floatation of niobite has been studied using different collectors at various reagent dosages and solution pHs. The collectors used in this study included octyl diphosphonic acid (ODA), benzyl arsenic acid (BAA), C7–9 alkyl hydroxamic acid (AHA), α-styrolphosphonic acid (SPA), and diisobutyl sulfosuccinate (DSS). Octyl diphosphonic acid was found to be an effective collector for niobite flotation with good selectivity. A flotation recovery of 91.17% was obtained with 140 mg/l octyl diphosphonic acid at pHs less than 5.0. Zeta potential measurements, infrared absorption spectroscopy (IAS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the interactions of niobite with octyl diphosphonic acid. Species distribution diagram of octyl diphosphonic acid and concentrations of various solution species for niobium were determined based on equilibrium constants for various chemical species. A chemical adsorption mechanism of niobite with octyl diphosphonic acid has been proposed. The flotation behavior of niobite with this collector was consistent with the proposed mechanism and the distribution of octyl diphosphonic acid species in aqueous solution as a function of pH. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The adsorption of 3-chlorophenol (3-CP) and 3,5-dichlorophenol (3,5-CP) on two Italian soils was studied at 20°C. Experiments on the pure components showed that 3,5-CP was more strongly adsorbed than 3-CP, and that the adsorption capacity could be related to the organic carbon fraction of the soil. Competitive adsorption data were described by the fully predictive ideal adsorbed solution (IAS) theory. To this end, the Langmuir parameters determined from pure component adsorption data were used. Results showed that at low 3,5-CP concentration (up to 5–10mM) the model describes satisfactorily the binary system behavior, whereas at higher concentrations predictions fail, suggesting that non ideality effects in the adsorbed phase should be accounted for. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The flotation of synthetic fersmite has been studied using different collectors including benzyl arsenic acid, α-styrolphosphonic acid, diphosphonic acid, cyclic alkyl hydroximic acid, and alkyl hydroximic acid. The experimental results show that diphosphonic acid is an effective and selective flotation collector for fersmite. Flotation recovery of fersmite ranged from 83.27% to 85.10% with 20 mg/l diphosphonic acid at pH 2.5–5.0. Infrared Absorption Spectrum (IAS) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) were used to analyze the interactions of fersmite with diphosphonic acid. The XPS results indicated that the binding energy of P2p of fersmite changed by 3.85 eV after treatment with diphosphonic acid, indicating that diphosphonic acid was chemically adsorbed on the surface of fersmite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

: ObjectivesCurrently, the interatrial septum (IAS) pacing site is indirectly selected by fluoroscopy and P-wave analysis. The aim of the present study was to develop a novel approach for IAS pacing using intracardiac echocardiography (ICE).: BackgroundInteratrial septum pacing may be beneficial for the prevention of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.: MethodsCross-sectional images are acquired during a pull-back of the ICE transducer from the superior vena cava into the inferior vena cava by an electrocardiogram- and respiration-gated technique. Both atria are then reconstructed using three-dimensional (3D) imaging. Using an “en face” view of the IAS, the desired pacing site is selected. Following lead placement and electrical testing, another 3D reconstruction is performed to verify the final lead position.: ResultsTwelve patients were included in this study. The IAS pacing was achieved in all patients including six suprafossal (SF) and six infrafossal (IF) lead locations all confirmed by 3D imaging. The mean duration times of atrial lead implantation and fluoroscopy were 70 ± 48.9 min and 23.7 ± 20.6 min, respectively. The IAS pacing resulted in a significant reduction of the P-wave duration as compared to sinus rhythm (98.9 ± 19.3 ms vs. 141.3 ± 8.6 ms; p < 0.002). The SF pacing showed a greater reduction of the P-wave duration than IF pacing (59.4 ± 6.6 ms vs. 30.2 ± 13.6 ms; p < 0.004).: ConclusionsThree-dimensional ICE is a feasible tool for guiding IAS pacing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this paper is to estimate the levels of arsenic (As) ingestion through cooked foods consumed in an arsenic endemic area and the assessment of their dietary intake of As. The study was conducted in two villages: a population chronically exposed to a high concentration of As via drinking water (410±35 μg/l) and to a low-exposure group (12±4 μg/l). A 24-h dietary recall questionnaire was applied to about 25 adult participants in each community. Samples of cooked food, ready for intake, were collected separately from each family''s participants. To obtain the As estimate for each food item consumed, the mean quantity of food ingested in grams (wet weight) was calculated and the concentrations of total arsenic (TAs) in each cooked food were determined. The estimations of TAs intake were based on the sum over mean of As ingested from each food item consumed during the 24-h period for each participant. For the estimation of total daily As intake, we summed the mean obtained from food, plain water and hot beverage intakes. The TAs average intakes calculated for low-As-exposure group were 0.94 and 0.76 μg/kg body weight/day, for both summer and winter exposure scenarios, respectively. These values are 44.7 and 36% of the provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) for inorganic arsenic (2.14 μg/kg body weight/day), established by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1989. The WHO reference value was obtained on a weekly basis intake estimation assuming an average body weight of 68 kg in adults. In contrast, for the high-exposure group the TAs average intakes were 16.6 and 12.3 μg/kg body weight/day for summer and winter, respectively. Ingestion via cooked food represented 32.5 and 43.9% of the total daily As intake in the high-exposure group; for summer and winter, respectively. None the less, the bioavailability of As through food can be different than via drinking water. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The polypropylene samples were submitted to forced contamination and recycling. • 45 different volatile compounds were identified by SPME-GC-O-MS. • 9 compounds presented distinct odoriferous activities. • Predominant odors in the samples for food applications were plastic scent derived. Nowadays, polypropylene is one of the most common polymers used in the food packaging industry due to its good functionality and relatively low cost. Nevertheless, usage of plastic disposable packaging can be a generator of plastic pollution having negative environmental effects. A feasible solution for this issue would be to recycle. The polypropylene samples were submitted to two processes, forced contamination, and recycling, and they were analyzed by solid-phase microextraction gas chromatograph-olfactometry-mass spectrometry. 45 different volatile compounds were identified and 9 of them presented distinct odoriferous activities. Among them, two important markers were detected: diethyl phthalate (probably coming from the catalyst of PP polymerization, intentionally added substance (IAS)), and glycerine (a marker of non-intentionally added substances (NIAS)). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel multistage probabilistic methodology called the RBST is proposed. • The RBST was examined on three benchmark structures by taking uncertainties. • Results show that the proposed technique has strong noise immunity and robustness. • The RBST shows a good performance in terms of the probability of damage existence. A novel multistage probabilistic methodology called the "Reliability-Based Sieve Technique (RBST)" is presented in this paper for the reliable assessment of the functionality of structures. In this method, the structural damage detection problem is defined as a multistage probabilistic optimization problem. The Holistic Objective Function (HOF) based on the combination of the inherent characteristics of the structure (i.e., the vibration frequencies and mode shapes) is incorporated into the Interactive Autodidactic School (IAS) optimization algorithm, for the first time, to solve the problem. In addition, the Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) technique is used to simulate and analyze the probabilistic damage assessment problem. In each stage of the proposed methodology, the Probability of Damage Existence (PDE) is computed in each of the structural elements through a probabilistic damage detection analysis. According to the results of the PDE in the structural elements in each stage, the elements with low PDEs are gradually sieved in the subsequent steps. The sifted elements in each stage are considered as intact ones in the next stage. This systematic filtration of the design variables can simultaneously decrease the dimensions and increase the speed of the optimization problem. To improve the performance of the RBST, the sizes of the sieves are regularly reduced for the next stages. This multistage procedure is continued until convergence to a precise structural damage location diagnosis and intensity prognosis is achieved. Finally, to investigate the efficiency and robustness of the proposed technique, it is examined on three benchmark structures by taking the high level of uncertainties associated with both finite element modeling errors and vibration data noises into account. The obtained results confirmed that the proposed technique correctly identifies the damage indices and has consummate capability compared with the single-stage probabilistic analysis. Likewise, it is observed that the RBST accurately sieves the intact elements from the vector of the design variables in highly noisy conditions. Consequently, in the presence of both mentioned uncertainty sources, the RBST not only assesses the damage site and extent properly, but also shows a reliable performance in terms of PDE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for high quality recycled polymers in the European plastic industry is on the increase, likely due to the EU's Plastic Strategy intended to implement the circular economy model in this sector. The problem is that there is not enough recycled plastic in the market. In terms of volume, post-consumer plastic waste could be key to meet the current and future demand. Nevertheless, a high level of contamination originated during the product's life cycle restricts its use. The first step to change this must be identifying the undesired substances in post-consumer plastics and performing an effective risk assessment. The acquired knowledge will be fundamental for the development of innovative decontamination technologies. In this study, 134 substances including volatile and semi-volatile compounds have been identified in recycled LDPE and HDPE from domestic waste. Headspace and solvent extraction followed by GC/MS were used. The possible origin of each substance was studied. The main groups were additives, polymer and additives breakdown products, and contamination from external sources. The results suggest that recycled LDPE contains a broader number of additives and their degradation products. Some of them may cause safety concerns if reused in higher added value applications. Regarding recycled HDPE, the contaminants from the use phase are predominant creating problems such as intense odors. To reduce the number of undesired substances, it is proposed to narrow the variety of additives used in plastic manufacturing and to opt for separate waste collection systems to prevent cross-contamination with organic waste. Image 1 • 134 substances were tentatively identified in HDPE and LDPE recycled pellets. • The origin of each substance was studied, and four main groups were established. • The variety of additives used in LDPE manufacturing should be reduced. • Separate collection and decontamination should be implemented for rigid HDPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]