A novel double‐image Fizeau system for accurate investigation of anisotropic polymer fibres

This paper introduces a double‐image multiple‐beam Fizeau fringes system. The introduced system can dynamically determine the variations of the refractive indices for both parallel and perpendicular polarization simultaneously. This is achieved by the simultaneous capturing of two multiple‐beam interference patterns during the mechanical processing of isotactic polypropylene fibre. This parallel determination of the refractive indices of both polarization directions allowed us to determine the full‐field distribution of the stress vector, S . To accomplish this, a mathematical model was deduced to calculate the components of the stress vector, S , i.e. parallel stress component, S₁, and perpendicular stress component, S₂. Double‐image Fizeau fringes system and the deduced mathematical model were used to investigate the variation of the refractive index and stress components of the fibre during the stretching process and propagation of necked regions.     

Accelerated Maturation of Cheddar Cheese: Influence of Added Lactobacilli and Commercial Protease on Composition and Texture

The addition of live and heat-shocked Lactobacillus casei-casei L2A and Neutrase© was tested for its ability to accelerate the maturation of Cheddar cheese. An evaluation of physicochemical and rheological properties showed that cheese pH was decreased by bacterial and enzymatic additives, while fracturability and cohesiveness were influenced principally by Neutrase. The integrated process recommended is composed of three parts: first, the addition of live L. casei-casei L2A to control the undesirable microflora, second, heat-shocked cells of the same species at a concentration of 1.0%, and third, Neutrase at a concentration not higher than 1.0 × 10^-5 AU/g of cheese. This process led to a good-quality sharp Cheddar cheese with 60% increase in flavor intensity compared to control cheese.     

SAFETY ASSESSMENT OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED POTATO SPUNTA: DEGRADATION OF DNA IN GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT AND CARRYOVER TO RAT ORGANS

Diet groups for albino rats were (group 1) control basal, (group 2) control plus 30% freeze‐dried nongenetically modified potatoes Spunta, (group 3) control plus 30% freeze‐dried Spunta genetically modified potato (GMP) G2 and (group 4) control plus 30% freeze‐dried GMP G3. After feeding ad libitum for 30 days, no statistical differences were found in food intake, daily body weight gain and feed efficiency. However, there was a small but significant difference in final body weight between the control (group 1) and experimental treatments (groups 2–4). DNA ingested in feed was partially resistant to the mechanical, chemical and enzymatic activities of the rat gastrointestinal (GI) tract (GIT) and was not completely degraded. Modified and nonmodified potato Spunta DNA survival was comparable during feed passage in the rat GIT. Modified constructs from GMP lines G2 and G3 fragment DNA were not detectable in tissue samples.     

NUTRIENT COMPOSITION OF STUFFED VINE LEAVES: A MEDITERRANEAN DIETARY

Stuffed grape vine leaves, dolma is a well-liked Turkish dish, common to Mediterranean diets. Moisture, ash, energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, calcium, sodium, iron, β-carotene (vitamin A), vitamin C analyses were conducted to determine the nutritional value of dolma. β-carotene level per 100 g serving of dolma (1041 IU) supplies 20.82% of the USRDA (5000 IU) and an INQ (Index of Nutritional Quality) for vitamin A of 2.54. Although the fat content and INQ for fat were found to be high in dolma, it can still be considered a healthy choice due to the type of oil used, namely olive oil, which has been shown to have beneficial effects on health.     

Liposomes as Proteinase Carriers for the Accelerated Ripening of Saint-Paulin Type Cheese

The possibility of accelerated cheese ripening through addition of liposome entrapped proteinase to milk was investigated. Both enzyme encapsulation rate in liposomes and their retention in cheese were evaluated with multilamellar vesicles (MLV) and reverse-phase evaporation vesicles (REV). Using REV in Saint-Paulin type curd, no nitrogen loss was observed to the whey due to the added enzymes in liposomes. In cheese, REV produced a more progressive proteolysis during ripening than MLV did. REV addition did not lead to texture defects. Bitterness development, a critical defect in enzyme added cheese, could be delayed and minimized using REV.     

Greatly enhanced arsenic shoot assimilation in rice leads to elevated grain levels compared to wheat and barley

Paired grain, shoot, and soil of 173 individual sample sets of commercially farmed temperate rice, wheat, and barley were surveyed to investigate variation in the assimilation and translocation of arsenic (As). Rice samples were obtained from the Carmargue (France), Do?ana (Spain), Cadiz (Spain), California, and Arkansas. Wheat and barleywere collected from Cornwall and Devon (England) and the east coast of Scotland. Transfer of As from soil to grain was an order of magnitude greater in rice than for wheat and barley, despite lower rates of shoot-to-grain transfer. Rice grain As levels over 0.60 microg g(-1) d. wt were found in rice grown in paddy soil of around only 10 microg g(-1) As, showing that As in paddy soils is problematic with respect to grain As levels. This is due to the high shoot/soil ratio of approximately 0.8 for rice compared to 0.2 and 0.1 for barley and wheat, respectively. The differences in these transfer ratios are probably due to differences in As speciation and dynamics in anaerobic rice soils compared to aerobic soils for barley and wheat. In rice, the export of As from the shoot to the grain appears to be under tight physiological control as the grain/shoot ratio decreases by more than an order of magnitude (from approximately 0.3 to 0.003 mg/kg) and as As levels in the shoots increase from 1 to 20 mg/kg. A down regulation of shoot-to-grain export may occur in wheat and barley, but it was not detected at the shoot As levels found in this survey. Some agricultural soils in southwestern England had levels in excess of 200 microg g(-1) d. wt, although the grain levels for wheat and barley never breached 0.55 microg g(-1) d. wt. These grain levels were achieved in rice in soils with an order of magnitude lower As. Thus the risk posed by As in the human food-chain needs to be considered in the context of anaerobic verses aerobic ecosystems.     

THERMAL ANALYSIS OF LARGE OIL-IMMERSED TRANSFORMER WINDINGS

ABSTRACT

A method of numerical thermal analysis of large oil-immersed transformer windings is presented. The analysis consists of two steps: first, the leakage magnetic field is solved in the windings; second, the basic and additional losses distribution is calculated simultaneously with temperature rise distribution in the cross-sections of individual coils allowing for special geometries and cooling conditions of different types of windings. An example of the analysis is given and the values calculated are compared with the results of factory tests.     

TOXICITY AND ANTIBACTERIAL EFFECT OF MACE OF MYRISTICA FRAGRANS USED IN MOROCCAN GASTRONOMY: BIOCHEMICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL IMPACT

The aril of the plant Myristica fragrans is one of the most broadly used spices in Moroccan gastronomy. This research demonstrated its antimicrobial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial species. Likewise, its toxicity was investigated on Swiss albino mice. Mice were treated orally with 0.003 and 0.3 mg/day during 7 days. Plasmatic markers and antioxidant defense systems were assessed and histological alterations evaluated. Our results showed a significant increase in creatine phosphokinase level. The microscopic evaluation showed that mace induces morphological perturbation in mice's liver. The results also showed an inhibitory effect of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase and an important increase in the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, succinate dehydrogenase activities and no change in catalase activities. All of these results show that M. fragrans at 0.3 mg/g in mice affects energy metabolism and oxidative stress.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Mace can be used as a natural antioxidant and preservative in the food industry to increase the shelf life of foodstuffs.     

A simplified sequence for observing deoxymyoglobin signals in vivo: myoglobin excitation with dynamic unexcitation and saturation of water and fat (MEDUSA)

This paper describes a new, simplified pulse sequence for observing NMR signals from deoxymyoglobin in vivo. Paramagnetically shifted resonances from deoxymyoglobin can be exploited to noninvasively calculate intracellular oxygen tension in striated muscle. However, special sequences are required to observe these weak signals against the larger water and fat signals encountered in vivo. The pulse sequence described here, which is based on inversion recovery sequences, efficiently suppresses both water and fat resonances and can be implemented with short repetition rates. Moreover, it is perfectly suited for studies with surface coils, where RF inhomogeneities render other popular suppression sequences ineffective.