Prediction of phosphate requirements of Swedish turnips from soil phosphate values

Yields from 199 field experiments, extending over about 15 seasons and covering six soil groups in northeast Scotland, were used to calculate correlation coefficients between the responses of Swedish turnips to 120 1b P₂O₅/acre and readily soluble phosphate values for the soils, determined by six methods. There were marked effects of soil parent material and drainage on the correlations, which ranged from ?0.05 to ?0.74. the Morgan and bicarbonate methods were inferior to the NH₄F-HCl, Truog, acetic and lactate methods; the last method was usually the best. By fitting a Mitscherlich equation to the yields the optimum economic phosphate dressings were calculated for four combinations of fertiliser and crop prices. the average profit from these was about 30 shillings/acre greater than from using the mean optimum rate for the soil group or from using a standard rate of 120 1b P₂O₅. Calculations and adjustments tested so far have shown no convincing benefit from using the soil values to recommend phosphate dressings for individual soils. Neither inclusion of other soil properties nor use of the logarithms of the soil phosphate values in multiple regressions produced any appreciable improvement in response predictions. The main reason for the generally rather poor correlations seems to be variations in site characteristics and agricultural factors, rather than soil chemical and textural properties, coupled with the fact that the optimum rates are not well defined. the present indications are that the main practical usefulness of the soil P values is in monitoring of the phosphate status to guide rotational manuring and ensure that adequate dressings can be given for sensitive crops, rather than in the precise prediction of optimum dressings for individual fields.     

'A clinging Liberty tea-gown instead of a magenta satin': The Colour Red in ArtisticDress by Liberty & Co.

Abstract

This article addresses questions about the use of strong colours, particularly red, in aesthetic fashions of the late nineteenth century. Contrary to our perception of the Aesthetic Movement, there are actually images, surviving textile patterns and literature which show that strong reds were used in dress, despite the fact that there appear to be no surviving Liberty garments in these colours. Rather than because of a disdain for cheap dyes, it is due rather to practical matters: ideas about the unhealthy aspects of certain dyes and the unreliability of their colour fastness seem stronger than class-bound feelings of contempt.     

What determines consumer attention to nutrition labels?

To identify the key determinants of consumer attention to nutrition labels, visual search tasks (present –absent; one – two targets) were used as an effective experimental tool. The main manipulation concerned: set size (number of labels on front of pack); label characteristics (display size, position of the label on front-of-pack, colour scheme); and familiarity with type of the label and its location on the front of pack.Attention capture was faster and more accurate when the label was present rather than absent, with doubled rather than standard display size, and with mono- rather than polychromatic colouring. There was performance benefit when the type of label and its location on the package did not change in two consecutive exposures, suggesting that nutrition logos should be printed in a consistent location on the package.The results confirm our hypotheses that display size, colour scheme, familiarity with the label and its location on the front of the pack are key determinants of consumer attention to labels. These findings are crucial to better understanding consumer attention to labels and thus the impact of nutrition information on healthy food choice.     

Pseudopolarographic determination of Cd2+ complexation in freshwater

Pseudopolarography was used to detect Cd2+ complexes in samples collected at several locations along the Potomac River in June and September, 2004. Irrespective of site and sampling time, no weak inorganic Cd2+ species were present. However, up to two stable Cd(2+)-organic complexes were detected at each site. These unknown Cd2+ complexes were characterized by their half-wave potential (E1/2). The E1/2 values indicated certain Cd2+ complexes were common at different sites during each sampling but different complexes were observed in June and September. A Cd2+ chelate scale, generated from model ligands, was used to estimate the thermodynamic stability constants (K(THERM)) of the unknown complexes, which ranged from log K(THERM) = 21.5-32.0. Pseudopolarography did not recover all Cd2+ in the samples. This was partly attributed to highly stable Cd-sulfide species; owing to the presence of acid volatile sulfide at concentrations greater than total dissolved Cd2+. These electrochemically inert species may be multinuclear Cd-sulfide clusters and/ or nanoparticles with K(THERM) values that exceed the detection window of pseudopolarography (log K(THERM) > 34.4).     

Color Quality of Blackcurrant Syrups During Storage Evaluated by Hunter L', a', b'Values

Free anthocyanin and Hunter a'value deterioration in blackcurrant syrups during storage followed fist order reaction kinetics. Half-life of Hunter a'values were 3-4 times higher than half-life values of free anthocyanins. Syrups from various cultivars. differed in color stability. Degassing of syrups prior to storage did not enhance color stability. Day-light storage of syrups lowered half-life of Hunter a'values by 10-30% compared with dark storage. Storage in oxygen permeable packaging materials reduced Hunter a'half-life values up to 90%. Hue values should be used rather than absorbance ratios A₅₀₂A₄₂₀ to judge color quality. Hunter a'values should be above 50 and hue values below 40–45' to ascertain acceptable color.     

Modified method for the determination of pyruvic acid with dinitrophenylhydrazine in the assessment of onion pungency

Modifications to the commonly used Schwimmer and Weston procedure for determining pyruvic acid in onions are proposed. These modifications involve changes in the concentrations and volumes of the reagents and the use of 515 rather than 420 nm as the wavelength for measurements. These changes improve both the linearity and the sensitivity of the assay and eliminate interference from coloured material found in yellow onions. With these changes, more reliable determinations of pyruvic acid and thus of onion pungency should be possible. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

A look to the future of processing

The dairy industry can no longer be complacent, and it must be prepared to invest in new methods to maintain and expand its market. Doorstep delivery must be maintained, but the keeping quality of products must be improved to weeks rather than days. New products, with new packaging, should be developed. Microchip control should be used in all stages of processing, and energy should be conserved and re-used throughout the processing chain .     

The effects of cultivar and physiological age on quality and shelf-life of coleslaw mix packaged in modified atmospheres

Two cultivars of ‘Dutch’ cabbage were used to determine conditions whereby coleslaw made from them could be stored under modified atmospheres (MA) with minimal deterioration. The cabbage was sliced and mixed (4:1) with shredded carrot. The effects of storing the cabbages prior to processing, the cultivar identity, and use of low temperatures and MA storage on the quality and storage life were investigated. Quality in terms of appearance and aroma were measured as well as bacterial contamination before and during storage. Cultivar (cv.) Marathon rather than cv. Lennox gave a product of higher quality, with a better shelf‐life, particularly when packaged under micro‐perforated PA‐160 film rather than oriented polypropylene (OPP). Long‐term storage of cabbage prior to processing had detrimental effects on the acceptability of MA packaged coleslaw. Attempts were made to explain the findings in terms of differences in microbial counts. Guidelines were established that could be used in the production of high quality coleslaw mix packaged in MA.     

Storage and lyophilization effects of extracts of Cynara cardunculus on the degradation of ovine and caprine caseins

Clotting and proteolytic activities are important parameters when evaluating rennets for cheesemaking. Both these activities were determined for extracts of the plant Cynara cardunculus in fresh form and after lyophilization followed by reconstitution, either in water or in citrate buffer (pH 5.4) and stored for up to 4 weeks at 4°C. The patterns of degradation of ovine and caprine caseins were followed by urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in attempts to qualitatively differentiate the activity of the enzyme extracts as storage time elapsed. Storage at 4°C significantly decreased the clotting power of the extracts but lyophilization retarded this decrease; β- and α_s-casein breakdown generally increased with storage time, via patterns that depend on caseinate type and extract used, but lyophilized extracts reconstituted in citrate buffer were significantly less proteolytic than the other extracts. Therefore, it is suggested that lyophilized extracts (reconstituted with citrate buffer) of flowers of C. cardunculus be used rather than fresh extracts.     

A comparison of the effects of storage of raw milk at 2°C and 6°C on the yield and quality of Cheddar cheese

The advantages of storing raw milk, which is to be used for Cheddar cheese manufacture, at 2°C rather than at 6°C was examined. Storage of milk at the lower temperature effectively reduced the level of psychrotroph growth, and after 4 days the psychrotroph counts in samples stored at 2°C were 100-fold lower than those found in samples stored at 6°C. There was no advantage in terms of cheese yield in storing milks at the lower temperature, but an overall improvement in cheese quality was noted in samples produced from milk stored at 2°C.     

Relationships between urea dilution measurements and body weight and composition of lactating dairy cows

The objective of the present study was to investigate the potential of the urea dilution technique, coupled with live animal measures to predict the body components of dairy cattle. The study involved 104 lactating Holstein-Friesian cows offered grass silage-based diets. Urea space volume (USV) was calculated from 2 collection periods of blood samples following infusion of urea at 12 (USV₁₂, kg) and 30 (USV₃₀, kg) min after infusion, and then as a proportion of live weight (LW) or empty body weight (EBW). All cows were slaughtered within 2 d of the USV trials. Large ranges existed in EBW and empty body concentrations of water, crude protein (CP), lipid, ash, and gross energy (GE). The USV₁₂ and USV₃₀ were both positively related to LW, EBW, and empty body component weights. The r² values for USV₁₂ were greater than USV₃₀. The r² values in the relationships of EBW and empty body composition with USV, however, were smaller than those with LW. Nevertheless, the relationships were improved when both USV and LW were used as predictors, rather than using either alone. Adding milk yield and body condition score as supporting predictors to prediction equations using USV and LW data for EBW, lipid, and GE contents further improved the relationships (r² = 0.93, 0.66, and 0.77, respectively). Internal evaluation of one-third of the present data using equations developed from two-thirds of the present data indicated that using USV, live weight, and other live animal variables as predictors, rather than using USV alone, considerably improved the prediction accuracy. It was concluded that USV can be used to predict body composition, but the relationships with USV were poorer than those with LW. The USV can only be used as a supporting variable to live weight for prediction of body components in lactating dairy cows.     

Effect of acrylic emulsions on tannin-based adhesives for exterior plywood

Acrylic emulsions were used to modify tannin-based adhesives for plywood. Glue mix flow was improved, allowing also improved ease of spread at higher viscosities, longer life of the glue mix and tighter moisture content control. More consistent bond quality was also obtained. The effect appears to be mainly of a physical rather than a chemical nature. Only small amounts of acrylic emulsion could be successfully used as larger amounts tend to promote deterioration in water of the cured adhesive network.     

Effect of acrylic emulsions on tannin-based adhesives for exterior plywood

Acrylic emulsions were used to modify tannin-based adhesives for plywood. Glue mix flow was improved, allowing also improved ease of spread at higher viscosities, longer life of the glue mix and tighter moisture content control. More consistent bond quality was also obtained. The effect appears to be mainly of a physical rather than a chemical nature. Only small amounts of acrylic emulsion could be successfully used as larger amounts tend to promote deterioration in water of the cured adhesive network.     

Interpretation of predictive data on safety-in-use of toiletry products

Toiletries are the subgroup of cosmetics mainly used for cleansing and personal hygiene of the skin, the hair or the dentition. Some of these preparations may be considered also to have medicinal characteristics and are liable to be placed in a 'borderline'category which may have regulatory implications.
Predictive safety testing is designed to ensure as far as possible that new toiletries may be used without harm to health. Attention to the severity of adverse effects rather than their numerical incidence is necessary when assessing risks associated with toiletry use. Benefits derived from using toiletries are primarily concerned with personal hygiene and grooming, to give increased self-assurance and social acceptance. The relationship between benefit and risk is not easily described in mathematical terms, mainly because benefits from using toiletries are hard to quantify. However, other ways of studying risk in relation to benefit may be considered.
Évaluation des risques du produits d'hygiène corporelle     

Thermal inactivation kinetics of alkaline phosphatase in equine milk

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is widely used as an indicator of proper pasteurization in bovine milk. Due to interest in the use of equine ALP as a time/temperature integrator (TTI) for evaluation of the efficacy of thermal processing of equine milk, its inactivation kinetics were evaluated in whole and skimmed equine milk. Experimentally determined decimal reduction times showed that equine ALP is more readily inactivated in equine milk than its bovine counterpart. Thus, considering the required 6 D reduction of pathogens and the rather low enzyme level present in equine milk, equine ALP will not be suitable as indicator for correct pasteurization of equine milk under the conditions currently used in the reference method for the determination of ALP in milk-based products.     

Kinetic studies of the acetylation reaction of small Pinus radiata blocks

The reaction kinetics between acetic anhydride and small Pinus radiata blocks was found to be diffusion controlled over the temperature range examined (80–120?°C), with an activation energy of 34?kJ/mol obtained from initial rate constants. The rate-limiting diffusion appeared to be through the wood cell wall layers, rather than through to the cell lumen. It was possible to mathematically model the wood block reaction based on reaction time and temperature, and this model could be used to predict acetylation level for similar sized softwood samples. In addition, a technique for estimating extent of reaction of acetylated wood blocks was proposed using solid state carbon NMR spectroscopy. Overall, this study demonstrated the critical importance of the wood ultra-structure, sample size and reaction conditions in determining the rate of acetylation (diffusion- or activation-controlled) in wood and wood-based substrates.     

Domestic wastewater treatment as a net energy producer--can this be achieved?

In seeking greater sustainability in water resources management, wastewater is now being considered more as a resource than as a waste-a resource for water, for plant nutrients, and for energy. Energy, the primary focus of this article, can be obtained from wastewater's organic as well as from its thermal content. Also, using wastewater's nitrogen and P nutrients for plant fertilization, rather than wasting them, helps offset the high energy cost of producing synthetic fertilizers. Microbial fuel cells offer potential for direct biological conversion of wastewater's organic materials into electricity, although significant improvements are needed for this process to be competitive with anaerobic biological conversion of wastewater organics into biogas, a renewable fuel used in electricity generation. Newer membrane processes coupled with complete anaerobic treatment of wastewater offer the potential for wastewater treatment to become a net generator of energy, rather than the large energy consumer that it is today.     

K+ and Cl- transport by mammary secretory cell apical membrane vesicles isolated from milk.

The transport of K+ (Rb+) and Cl- by membrane vesicles isolated from bovine milk has been studied using ion-exchange column chromatography. K+ (Rb+) and Cl- accumulation by the vesicles was time-dependent and was almost abolished by 0.1% Triton X-100, suggesting that uptake represents 'real' transport rather than binding. K+ (Rb+) uptake was influenced by the anion in solution in a manner suggesting that influx is sensitive to changes in vesicle membrane potential. Similarly, Cl- uptake was found to be sensitive to vesicle electrical potential: Cl- influx was enhanced by inside positive potentials. Cl- uptake was not saturable with respect to external Cl-. The results suggest that K+ (Rb+) and Cl- cross the apical membrane by way of conductance pathways. The similarity between ion transport by skim milk membrane vesicles and that of the apical aspect of the intact mammary epithelium suggests that the former may be a good model to study solute transport by the apical membrane of mammary secretory cells.     

红麻纤维及其造纸基本特征（下）

红麻纤维及其造纸基本特征（下）邝仕均王菊华薛崇昀王锐林茹（中国制浆造纸工业研究所，北京，１０００２０）４红麻纤维的超微结构为进一步研究纤维形态对成纸物理性能的影响，笔者对红麻纤维的超微结构进行了研究。４１红麻木质部纤维超微结构图４红麻木质部纤维横切...     

Isolation and characterisation of a Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus mutant with low H+‐ATPase activity

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus is an acid‐tolerant species used in yoghurt production and considered important in postacidification reductions in palatability of yoghurt during storage. In this study, a variant (ND06‐2) of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus ND06 was selected using neomycin sulphate. ND06‐2 exhibited sensitivity to acids and lower H⁺‐ATPase activity compared with ND06. High‐pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to demonstrate that the capacity of ND06‐2 to produce lactic acid was significantly lower than for ND06 during fermentation or storage. These results suggest that the L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus variant could be used in yoghurt starters and have a lower tendency to cause postacidification.