Simplified gravimetric determination of total fat in food composites after chloroform-methanol extraction

A modification of Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) method 983.23 for the quantitative determination of total lipid in food composites was evaluated for the measurement of total fat. The procedure is based on the Bligh and Dyer chloroform/methanol total lipid extraction. Relative to AOAC 983.23, the proposed method is less labor-intensive and is applicable to batch analysis of a larger number of samples, thus reducing the cost of analysis and increasing sample throughput. Total lipid values from the proposed method are comparable to those from AOAC 983.23 and slightly higher than total fat determined by acid hydrolysis (AOAC 954.02, 945.44, or 922.06). Recoveries of standard additions of different food-grade oils from a mixed food composite were essentially quantitative, ranging from 96 to 101%. Total lipid measured in Total Diet Standard Reference Material 1548 (SRM 1548, National Institute of Standards and Technology) was 101% of the certified mean total fat content and within the certified range. The method is to be suitable for analysis of food composites with between 0.15 and 1.5 g total fat (3 to 30% by weight). More than 600 samples of a variety of total diet composites were collected and assayed as diet quality control samples for two National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute-sponsored multicenter clinical feeding trials: DELTA (Dietary Effects on Lipoproteins and Thrombogenic Activity) and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). The mean coefficient of variation was 1.2% for duplicate assays of these samples over the course of two years and multiple analysts. In addition, total lipid values for more than 200 samples of a diet composite quality control material, used in this laboratory over a two-year period, had a 3.99% coefficient of variation. Although the accuracy of all gravimetric total fat methods with respect to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Nutritional Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) definition of total fat as the sum of triglycerides remains to be determined, the reported modification of AOAC 983.23 yields a total fat content of acceptable accuracy relative to other gravimetric methods, and with proper quality control the method has excellent precision.     

Heißgasfiltration im Synthesegas aus Biomasse

During thermochemical conversion of biological material in a fluidized bed reactor the nutrients are remaining as dust in the product gas. Hot gas filtration represents a possibility to recover these minerals. The characteristics of this gas add up new technical tasks. The following article gives an account of long lasting experience of operation and optimization in a pilot plant.     

Reduced affinity of iodinated forms of Tyr0 C-type natriuretic peptide for rat natriuretic peptide receptor B

Tyr(O)CNP is an analogue of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) with a tyrosine residue added to the NH2 terminus to allow its iodination. In the present study, the suitability of iodinated Tyr(O)CNP as a ligand was tested, and its potency was compared with that of other natural rat natriuretic peptides or structural analogues by radioligand binding experiments. Binding studies were performed on membranes of COS-1 cells transfected with expression plasmids for either rat natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR)-A, rat NPR-B, or bovine NPR-C. 125I-ANP(99-126) was used as a ligand to assess the binding characteristics of NPR-A and -C, and 125I-Tyr(O)CNP was used to study NPR-B. Binding associated to membranes of nontransfected COS cells was always < 3% of the total binding observed in membranes from cells transfected with receptor expression plasmids. Receptor densities in transfected cells ranged from 500 to 2500 fmol/mg of protein. High performance liquid chromatography and ionspray mass spectrometry analyses revealed that the reagents used in the course of iodination (lactoperoxidase, chloramine T, or N-chloromorpholine altered the structure of Tyr(O)CNP, most likely by changing the thiol of the Met17 residue into a sulfoxide. To further evaluate the usefulness of forms of iodinated Tyr(O)CNP on the cGMP responses in cells transfected with NPR-B. In conclusion, the suitability iodinated forms of Tyr(O)CNP as radioligands, we performed iodination of the peptide with cold iodine (Na-127I-). After purification by high performance liquid chromatography, three different modified peptides (i.e. Tyr(O)Met(O)17CNP, 127I-Tyr(O)Met(O)17CNP, and 127I2-Tyr(O)Met(O)17CNP) were recovered, and they were compared with CNP-22, Tyr(O)CNP, ANP(99-126), BNP-32, and des[Gin18, Ser19, Gly20, Leu21, Gly22]ANP(4-23) NH2 (c-ANP) for their ability to bind to transfected receptors. The binding affinity of Tyr(O)CNP for NPR-A and -B receptors is similar to that of CNP. However, oxidation of the Met17 residue into methionine sulfoxide reduces the affinity of the compound for NPR-B by > 10-fold, whereas the addition of one or two iodines did not further reduce its affinity. Similar results were obtained on evaluation of the ability of the oxidized form of monoiodinated Tyr(O)CNP on the cGMP responses in cells transfected with NPR-B. In conclusion, the suitability of iodinated forms of Tyr(O)CNP as radioligands for binding studies on rat NPR-B is not optimal, and the results of studies using such compounds for the detection, identification, and quantification of this receptor should be interpreted with caution.     

An ESDIRK method with sensitivity analysis capabilities

A new algorithm for numerical sensitivity analysis of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) is presented. The underlying ODE solver belongs to the Runge–Kutta family. The algorithm calculates sensitivities with respect to problem parameters and initial conditions, exploiting the special structure of the sensitivity equations. A key feature is the reuse of information already computed for the state integration, hereby minimizing the extra effort required for sensitivity integration. Through case studies the new algorithm is compared to an extrapolation method and to the more established BDF based approaches. Several advantages of the new approach are demonstrated, especially when frequent discontinuities are present, which renders the new algorithm particularly suitable for dynamic optimization purposes.     

Neurotoxicity of CI-980, a novel mitotic inhibitor

PURPOSE: To compare the simulated keratometric results of the PAR CTS and the EyeSys corneal imaging systems with Javal keratometer readings in keratoconus eyes, in eyes after corneal grafting, and in healthy eyes. SETTING: Cornea Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. METHODS: This prospective study evaluated 69 patients divided into three groups (keratoconus; 6 to 12 months postkeratoplasty; normal corneas) treated at the cornea service. The eyes were measured with each of the three instruments. Keratometry results and number of attempts needed to obtain the results were collected. RESULTS: Thirty keratoconus, 18 transplanted, and 21 normal corneas were examined. The PAR CTS Imaged all corneas and the EyeSys, 86% (P = .000627). The PAR CTS and Javal flat and steep K-readings in all three groups were the same. The EyeSys simulated keratometry results were lower than those of Javal keratometer in the flat K (P < .00001) and steep K (P < .00001) in the normal group and in the steep K in the transplanted cornea group (P = .00823). The EyeSys also measured less astigmatism than the Javal in the normal (P = .00124) and transplanted cornea groups (P = .00376). CONCLUSION: The PAR CTS was better able than the EyeSys to provide keratometric values that agreed with those obtained with the Javal keratometer.     

Reconceptualizing Team Identification: New Dimensions and Their Relationship to Intergroup Bias.

In 2 studies framed within social identity theory, the authors examined the relationships among cognitive, affective, and evaluative dimensions of team identification. They also sought to determine relationships between team identification and intergroup bias. Factor analyses in both investigations revealed similar findings. Items corresponding to cognitive identification and affective identification loaded on 1 factor. Items intended to measure evaluative identification loaded on 2 factors that depicted self-evaluations and evaluations perceived by others. Consistent with expectations, the cognitive-affective dimension of team identification was the strongest predictor of intergroup bias in both investigations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Quantitative microstructural examination of RTM fabrics designed for enhanced flow

The resin transfer moulding (RTM) process involves the long-range flow of resin through a mould packed with dry reinforcement. The process can be considered as similar to the flow of fluids through porous media, and hence the situation can be modelled by the Darcy and Kozeny-Carman equations. The Kozeny-Carman equation predicts the effect of changes in the pore structure of the reinforcement on flow rate, through a parameter known as hydraulic radius, which is itself a function of the wetted surface in any given volume. Laminates have been manufactured, from fabrics which include flow-enhancing tows, in a transparent RTM mould. The cured laminates were sectioned for quantitative microscopy and image analysis. An analysis of the effect of substituting spiral-wound flow-enhancing tows for conventional tows in the reinforcement fabric is presented.     

The cooccurrence of DSM-III-R personality disorders

The distinction between personality disorder diagnoses is often unclear because of the frequent cooccurrence of one or more of the diagnoses. To date, studies using sample sizes large enough to evaluate the rates of cooccurrence in the less prevalent personality disorders have not been conducted. The Structured Interview for Diagnosis of Personality-Revised, a semistructured instrument designed to yield reliable personality disorder diagnoses, was used to evaluate 1116 subjects for the presence of DSM-III-R personality disorder diagnoses. Cooccurrence rates and odds ratios were calculated for each pair of diagnoses. There was a high degree of cooccurrence between the cluster A personality disorders, between the cluster C personality disorders, and between narcissistic, borderline, and histrionic disorders. In addition, there was also a high frequency of avoidant personality disorders within the cluster A personality disorder diagnoses. Possible explanations for the high degree of cooccurrence and the potential implications for the DSM-IV personality disorder diagnoses are discussed.     

First report of the isolation of an adult worm of the genus Brachylaima (Digenea: Brachylaimidae), from the gastrointestinal tract of a human

A 78-year-old woman presented with an 18-month history of intermittent diarrhoea. Examination of her stools revealed brachylaimid eggs, which were present in three separate specimens over a week. After treatment with praziquantel a degenerate adult Brachylaima species was recovered from her faeces. She lived in a rural area of South Australia and ate vegetables grown in her own garden which had been infested with helicid snails. In south Australia these introduced European helicid snails are commonly infected with brachylaimid intermediate larval stages and are considered to be the source of the human infection.