Roundwood pre-grading with longitudinal acoustic waves for production of structural boards

The assessment of timber quality at any stage of the production chain promises to be an advantage for the forest and timber industry. This paper presents results of wood pre-grading by means of the dynamic modulus of elasticity, which was performed along the complete processing chain—from standing trees to sawn timber. The measurements were conducted on 154 forty-year-old trees of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) from two forest experimental stands in Southern Germany. Long logs of about 13 m were bucked into short logs of 4.1 m; the dataset contained 1,820 boards cut out of 332 short logs. Pre-grading was performed at different levels: standing tree, long log, and short log. The boards were machine strength graded by a ViSCAN-COMPACT grading machine. The investigation showed high correlations between different stages in the production chain of timber. For strength classes C24 and C30 an increase in yield of about 10 percentage points by rejecting the 25 % worst logs (short or long) was observed. It did not matter if pre-grading was realized at the stage of long logs or short logs. However, methods of pre-grading at standing tree must be improved to obtain reliable prediction of dry sawn timber quality of managed forest stands (r² = 0.17).     

Conjoint analysis as a tool to identify improvements in the packaging for irradiated strawberries

Consumers have shown aversion for the term “irradiation”, obligatorily present in packages of irradiated food. Through ratings based conjoint analysis (RBCA) and modified-choice based conjoint analysis (MCBCA) we quantified the effect of characteristics of packages of irradiated strawberries on purchase intent and likelihood of choosing this product. The factors “explanatory information” and “radura symbol” affected consumer assessment. The factor called “preservation method information” showed no significant effect (p = 0.405). Thus, the best packaging should present the information “food treated by ionisation process” or “food treated by irradiation process”, “to ensure the freshness and quality for a longer time” and should have the presence of radura symbol. Brazilian and U.S. laws require the use of the term “irradiation”. Therefore, changes in legislation may not be necessary. These results assist in the production of packaging for irradiated strawberries, providing important information for assessing the primary factors that result in a greater intent to select and purchase this product.     

Olive oil adulterated with hazelnut oils: simulation to identify possible risks to allergic consumers

According to European Union Regulation EC 1531/2001, olive oil labelled as “extra-virgin” should be cold-pressed and contain no refined oil or oil from other oleaginous seeds or nuts. Adulteration of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) with hazelnut oil (HAO) is a serious concern both for oil suppliers and consumers. The high degree of similarity between the two fats complicates the detection of low percentages of HAO in EVOO. Many analytical approaches have been developed in recent years to trace HAO in EVOO, principally based on chromatographic analyses, differential scanning calorimetry or nuclear magnetic resonance. In addition adulteration of EVOO with HAO may introduce hazelnut-derived allergens. The aim of this work was to analyse the protein and allergen content of EVOO intentionally spiked with raw cold-pressed HAO or solvent-extracted HAO. SDS–PAGE analysis confirmed the presence of hazelnut proteins in solvent-extracted HAO with molecular masses ranging 10–60 kDa. In contrast, cold-pressed HAO showed no traces of protein. In spiked EVOO, solvent-extracted HAO was still detectable at a 1% contamination level. Several bands on SDS–PAGE migrated at apparent molecular masses coinciding with known allergens, such as Cor a 1 (～17 kDa), Cor a 2 (～14 kDa), Cor a 8 (～12 kDa), oleosin (～17 kDa) and Cor a 9 (～60 kDa). MALDI–TOF MS analysis confirmed the presence of two oleosin isoforms and of Cor a 9. Immunoblotting demonstrated that an allergic patient with known reactivity to Cor a 1 and Cor a 2 recognized a 17-kDa band in solvent-extracted HAO. In conclusion, we have shown that adulteration of extra virgin olive oil with solvent-extracted hazelnut oil can be traced by simple SDS–PAGE analysis, and that adulteration introduces a potential risk for hazelnut allergic patients.     

Numerical simulation of a steam-injection pilot study for a PCP-contaminated aquifer

The following study was focused on the simulation of a steam-injection field pilottest conducted in our past research. The scope of research contained two main subjects: heat transfer and contaminant transport when steam was injected into a pentachlorophenol (PCP)-contaminated aquifer. Numerical simulation of the heat transfer during the field test showed that vertical permeability is more influential to the distribution of water temperature than the horizontal permeability. If the vertical permeability is relatively high, the steam in the aquifer has a higher tendency to migrate upward and cause the aquifer temperature to rise faster. The simulation results also showed that heat convection is very sensitive to the soil permeability. Therefore, high permeability media makes the effect of heat convection more important on applying the steam-injection method. Heat conduction dominates the heat transfer within the hot aqueous zone. However, the hot aqueous zone is relatively smaller than the steam zone when steam is injected into the aquifer. Therefore, heat conduction is not as important as heat convection within the steam zone, which is the same result observed in the field test. Specific heat of soil media is also a sensitive factor. A numerical simulator, T2VOC, was utilized to simulate the PCP transport in the aquifer when steam was injected into the aquifer. The results showed that the shape of PCP distribution was identical to that of steam. It illustrated thatthe steam carried PCP upward and laterally. The high vertical soil permeability causes the steam to migrate upward with PCP easily. A low partitioning coefficient allows PCP to be desorbed easier, also an important factor. A majority of the PCP in the soil was transferred to the aqueous phase as the water temperature increased, showing similar results to those observed in the field test. According to the sensitivity analysis, PCP transport is more sensitive to the vertical permeability than the partitioning coefficient. The steam-injection rate is also an important operation parameter and may determine the success of the remediation work.     

2004年三季度机床工具行业经济运行形势分析

2004年三季度行业经济运行情况和特点 1．1行业经济运行情况 工业总产值和产品销售收入 按国家统计局2004年1～9月份资料,机床工具大行业完成工业总产值779．20亿元和产品销售收入732．55亿元,分别同比增长为34．4％和35．6％,处于高位增长,增幅均比今年一季度高出0．9个百分点,比今年二季度高出1．5个百分点和低3个百分点。从前9个月工业总产值和产品销售收入走势看,工业总产值同比增长保持逐月小幅度上升趋势,     

Metabolic footprinting: a new approach to identify physiological changes in complex microbial communities upon exposure to toxic chemicals

Metabolic footprinting coupled with statistical analysis was applied to multiple, chemically stressed activated sludge cultures to identify probable biomarkers that indicate community stress. The impact of cadmium (Cd), 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), and N-ethyl-maleimide (NEM) shock loads on the composition of the soluble fraction of activated sludge cultures was analyzed by gross biomolecular analyses and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Fresh mixed liquor from four distinct treatment plants was each divided in four different batches and was subjected to no chemical addition (control) and spike additions of the stressors Cd, DNP, or NEM. The results indicate that chemical stress caused a significant release of proteins, carbohydrates, and humic acids from the floc structure into the bulk liquid. Using discriminant function analysis (DFA) with genetic algorithm variable selection (GA-DFA), the samples subjected to the different stress conditions plus control could be differentiated, thereby indicating that the footprints of the soluble phase generated by LC-MS were different for the four conditions tested and, therefore, were toxin-specific but community-independent. These footprints, thus, contain information about specific biomolecular differences between the stressed samples, and we found that only a limited number of m/z (mass to charge) ratios from the mass spectra were needed to differentiate between the control and each stressed sample. Since the experiments were conducted with mixed liquor from four distinct wastewater treatment plants, the discriminant m/z ratios may potentially be used as universal stress biomarkers in activated sludge systems.     

High Performance Index as a tool to identify the best combination of pearled fractions and durum wheat genotypes for semolina and pasta colour improvement

Debranning was applied to six durum wheat genotypes to identify specific fractions rich in carotenoids and lower in enzymatic activities useful for improving pasta colour. Six sequential debranning steps, each of 30 s, were applied. β-carotene, lutein, α-tocopherol and ash content and hydroperoxidation and bleaching activities of lipoxygenase were determined in all pearled fractions. A wide variability among the genotypes regarding the level of all components has been found. Most of the parameters were higher in the pearled fraction at 30 s than wholemeal. Compared to the latter fraction, a significant decreasing trend for both lipoxygenase activities and α-tocopherol and ash content was subsequently observed, while β-carotene decreased more slightly. Lutein content remained quite stable in all subsequent pearled fractions. The pearled fraction of the Ofanto obtained at 90 s of debranning was identified as the best genotype/pearled fraction combination through our High Performance Index tool.     

Numerical simulation of the extrusion process for food materials in a single-screw extruder

A numerical study of extrusion cooking of starch based materials in a single-screw extruder is carried out. The low moisture levels and high temperatures typically encountered in practical circumstances are considered. The starch conversion process is studied in the rheological region of the extruder which is often the last few turns of the screw, where the material is treated as a non-Newtonian fluid. A numerical method based on finite-difference approximation is employed to solve the governing non-linear equations for momentum, energy and mass conservation for a non-Newtonian fluid undergoing physicochemical changes. The initial conditions for the problem are taken from experimental observations. The screw configuration and the operating parameters, such as barrel temperature, screw speed and throughput, are varied to study their influence on the conversion of starch. It is found that 28% conversion is obtained due to viscous dissipation alone, whereas 61% conversion occurs by raising the barrel temperature by about 25 °C above the inlet. It is also observed that, at any screw speed, a smaller flow rate caused by a smaller die diameter leads to a higher degree of conversion. Furthermore, it is found that the compression ratio of the screw has a significant influence on pressure rise, bulk temperature and average residence time. As the compression ratio increases the temperature increases but the residence time decreases. The former effect increases the degree of conversion where as the latter decreases the degree of conversion. Therefore there exists a compression ratio at which a minimum degree of conversion at the die is obtained.     

A novel approach for simulation of curling behavior of knitted fabric based on mass spring model

Edge curling is a unique property of knitted fabrics which affects on fashion such as using upper and side curling in cloth design. The purpose of this research is to present a new method to simulate drape behavior of knitted fabric considering difference between single and double jersey knitted fabrics. To this point, at first the bending and torsion moments that applied on the fabric edges and caused curling in single knitted fabric are determined. Also it demonstrated that these moments will be neutralized in double knitted and as the results, leads to a non-curling structure. Then, using the mass spring model, curling shape in fabric wale and course directions are simulated. To show efficiency of the proposed model, real 3D shape of single knitted fabric is compared with experimental results. Also, using the proposed model, the drape behaviors of single and double jersey knitted fabrics hanging from two fixed corners with different properties are simulated and then extend to simulation of skirt. Results of simulation are compared with 3D shapes of actual drape behavior in fabric samples which are achieved by depth camera. The simulated results show good agreement with 3D shapes of actual fabrics.     

A new approach to the control of autolevelling for drafting process: part 1: theoretical model based on the discrete-event simulation

This paper presents a new approach to control the autollevelling process to decrease the output unevenness. A discrete autolevelling model is set up based on the balance of the fiber distributions in the drafting zone. The relationship between the velocity of rollers and fiber distributions is pointed out in the light of the discrete autolevelling formula. This model can keep the number of fast-floating fiber constant to eliminate the input unevenness and improve the output quality of strands. By autolevelling the input forms of rectangular wave, sinusoidal wave and random wave, the advantages of this model are illustrated. It is shown that this discrete autolevelling model can decline the abrupt, dramatical or sequential input unevenness and lower the value of output CV more effectively.     

Yogurts with an increased protein content and physically modified starch: rheological,structural, oral digestion and sensory properties related to enhanced satiating capacity

Protein is the most effective food macronutrient providing a satiating effect. Thus, formulating dairy foods with increased protein contents can help to modulate food intake. Oral perception cues also contribute an increased perception of satiating capacity when the oral residence time and handling are longer and more laborious. In the present work, yogurts were prepared with double skimmed milk powder (MP) and whey protein (WP), as well as a control (C) without extra protein. Three more samples were prepared by adding 2% of a physically modified starch to each (CS, MPS and WPS, respectively), in order to increase the consistency and impart creaminess. Rheological tests were used to characterize the flow and viscoelastic properties of the samples before and after saliva treatment, and their microstructure was observed. Finally the differences in sensory perceptions elicited by the samples were related to consumers' expected satiating capacity and liking scores. Before in vitro oral digestion, MP showed denser areas than C; in WP, two protein networks could be distinguished. In the samples with added starch, starch granules were embedded in the protein networks. After in vitro oral digestion the protein tended to aggregate; the starch granules maintained their structure indicating that they were not broken down by the saliva. These observations were related to the samples' rheological behavior. The sensory graininess, lumpiness and grittiness detected in the WP samples could be linked to the aggregation of whey protein and the formation of two different protein networks. All the added-starch samples elicited creamier and denser sensations than their counterparts without starch. MP with starch was scored as the most satiating and best-liked yogurt sample.     

A simulation approach to assess the minimal number of real-time PCR replicates for GM quantification

The quantification of genetically modified (GM) ingredients in food and feed typically uses real-time quantitative PCR (RT-QPCR). In recent years a multitude of new RT-QPCR assays have facilitated increased method performance. The level of sample replication within these assays is a fundamental aspect that needs to be considered to produce results with high confidence. In this paper we describe the use of a modelling approach as applied to GM and RT-QPCR data sets, to objectively assesses the effect of different levels of PCR replication in terms of the variability associated with a result, and demonstrate that it is possible to use a reduced level of replication without a subsequent reduction in the confidence of a result. Using an example data set, we show it is possible to reduce the sample level of replication from six to three PCR replicates, without a significant change in the mean value of the result. The use of such an approach can facilitate the use of the minimum number of replicates in order to produce an accurate result, thus saving on important resources involved in quantification assays.     

Development of a biosorbent for arsenite: structural modeling based on X-ray spectroscopy

This work describes a biological route for direct sorption of aqueous As(III) species, which are the most toxic and mobile arsenic species found in soils. Based upon the biochemical mechanisms that explain arsenic toxicity, we propose that a waste biomass with a high fibrous protein content obtained from chicken feathers can be used for selective As(III) adsorption. Prior to adsorption, the disulfide bridges present in the biomass are reduced by thioglycolate. Our investigations demonstrated that As(III) is specifically adsorbed on the biomass and, contrary to the behavior observed with inorganic sorbents, the lower is the pH the more effective is the removal. Arsenic uptake reaches values of up to 270 micromol As(III)/g of biomass. Analyses by synchrotron light techniques, such as XANES, demonstrated that arsenic is adsorbed in its trivalent state, an advantage over conventional techniques for As uptake, which usually require a previous oxidation stage. EXAFS analyses showed that each As atom is directly bound to three S atoms with an estimated distance of 2.26 A. The uptake mechanism is explained in terms of the structural similarities between the As(III)-biomass complex structure and that of arsenite ions and Ars-Operon system encoded proteins and phytochelatins. The biological route presented here offers the perspective of a direct removal of arsenic in its reduced form.     

Inter-Laboratory study to define the temperature interval for a thermoluminescence heating unit used to identify irradiated food

EN 1788:2001 suggests defining the temperature range for the thermoluminescence (TL) heating unit to calculate the TL ratio (TL₁/TL₂). In the present study, practical temperature ranges were established by using well-characterized lithium fluoride (LiF, TLD-100®) at 4 different research institutes in Korea. Temperature ranges differed according to models of TLD heating unit, which were wide in the case of RISØ (160–249°C) as compared with Harshaw (155–232°C) TLD readers. The silicate minerals separated from irradiated turmeric samples were measured to check these intervals on a practical basis. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of separated minerals showed that quartz and feldspar minerals were the main source of well-characterized TL glow curve following irradiation. The TL glow peaks from the separated minerals were narrower in Harshaw than RISØ TLD readers. The TL ratios determined after re-irradiation (1 kGy) for the tested minerals, using the pre-defined temperature intervals, provided the satisfactory results.     

The Compound Characteristics Comparison (CCC) approach: a tool for improving confidence in natural compound identification

ABSTRACT

Compound identification is the main hurdle in LC-HRMS-based metabolomics, given the high number of ‘unknown’ metabolites. In recent years, numerous in silico fragmentation simulators have been developed to simplify and improve mass spectral interpretation and compound annotation. Nevertheless, expert mass spectrometry users and chemists are still needed to select the correct entry from the numerous candidates proposed by automatic tools, especially in the plant kingdom due to the huge structural diversity of natural compounds occurring in plants. In this work, we propose the use of a supervised machine learning approach to predict molecular substructures from isotopic patterns, training the model on a large database of grape metabolites. This approach, called ‘Compounds Characteristics Comparison’ (CCC) emulates the experience of a plant chemist who ‘gains experience’ from a (proof-of-principle) dataset of grape compounds. The results show that the CCC approach is able to predict with good accuracy most of the sub-structures proposed. In addition, after querying MS/MS spectra in Metfrag 2.2 and applying CCC predictions as scoring terms with real data, the CCC approach helped to give a better ranking to the correct candidates, improving users’ confidence in candidate selection. Our results demonstrated that the proposed approach can complement current identification strategies based on fragmentation simulators and formula calculators, assisting compound identification. The CCC algorithm is freely available as R package (https://github.com/lucanard/CCC) which includes a seamless integration with Metfrag. The CCC package also permits uploading additional training data, which can be used to extend the proposed approach to other systems biological matrices.

List of abbreviations: Acidic: acidic moiety; aliph: aliphatic chain; AUC: area under the ROC curve; bs: best glycosidic structure; CCC: Compounds’ Characteristics Comparison; Cees: Carbons estimation errors; CO: Carbon to Oxygen ratio; Het: Heterocyclic moiety; IMD: Isotopic Mass Defect (and Pattern); LC-HRMS: Liquid Chromatography – High Resolution Mass Spectrometry; md: mass defect; MM: Monoisotopic Mass; MS: Mass Spectrometry; MSE: Mean Squared Error; nC: number of Carbons; NN: Nitrogen; pC: percentage of Carbon mass on the total mass; Pho: Phosphate; PLSr: Partial Least Square regression; ppm: parts per million; QSRR: Quantitative structure-retention relationship; RMD: Relative Mass Defect; ROC: Receiver Operating Characteristics; rRMD: residual Relative Mass Defect; RT: retention time; Sul: Sulphur; UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS: Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography – ElectroSpray Ionization –Quadropole – Time of Flight – Mass Spectrometry; VAT: Vitis arizonica Texas     

Development of a nutritional profile predicting tool for fresh and processed tomato‐based products

This study was aimed at developing a tool to represent the evolution of nutritional profile of food during processing with input data mined from previous published papers or database on composition and reactivity of nutrients, and from minimal experimentations. Tomato‐based products, that is tomato sauce, concentrate and paste, were chosen to evaluate the developed model. The SAIN‐LIM system was used to assess the nutritional profile of the tomato products throughout the process steps, including seven constituents: five basic nutrients (i.e. proteins, fibres, vitamin C, calcium and iron) and two microconstituents found in tomato: β‐carotene and lycopene. The SAIN‐LIM nutritional profiles obtained with this model were compared to that calculated from experimental data. Calculated and experimental nutritional scores showed that process steps involved in tomato‐based products did not affect substantially their nutritional quality. Observed differences were mainly attributed to the kinetic parameter selection and raw product variability. The conclusion offers suggestions to extend the model to other product/process combinations.     

Use of fluorescent microspheres as a tool to investigate bacterial interactions with growing plants

Foodborne pathogens may exist as endophytes of growing plants. The internalization of Escherichia coli O157:H7 or other foodborne pathogens in growing lettuce plants may be independent of microbial factors. Mature lettuce plants were surface irrigated with E. coli O157:H7 or with FluoSpheres (fluorescent microspheres) and harvested 1, 3, and 5 days post-exposure. FluoSpheres were utilized as a bacterial surrogate. Microscopic examination of root, stem, and leaf tissue sections revealed that FluoSpheres were internalized into growing plants. Laser scanning confocal microscopy revealed that FluoSpheres were present within the root tissue and leaf stem tissue. The presence of FluoSpheres in internal portions of stem and leaf tissue suggests transport of the spheres from the root upward into the edible tissue. The level of uptake of FluoSpheres and E. coli O157:H7 was quantified using filtration. Numbers of FluoSpheres and E. coli O157:H7 cells in plant tissue were similar. The entry of E. coli O157:H7 into lettuce plants may be a passive event because the concentration of FluoSpheres was similar to that of the pathogen.     

Bulk tank milk antibody ELISA as a biosecurity tool for detecting dairy herds with past exposure to Mycoplasma bovis

In Australia, one of the biosecurity recommendations to help prevent the introduction of Mycoplasma bovis into a dairy herd is to use a PCR assay on bulk tank milk (BTM) samples to evaluate the M. bovis infection status of potential source herds. An alternative approach is to assess the immunological status of the herd with respect to previous exposure to M. bovis via the use of an ELISA that is commercially available for use on cattle milk and serum. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate factors potentially associated with variation in the ELISA BTM optical density coefficient (ODC%) in previously exposed herds, (2) evaluate the association between the proportion of cows that are ELISA positive and the BTM ELISA ODC%, (3) assess agreement between the BTM ELISA and PCR and culture, and (4) compare BTM ELISA ODC% between the “hospital” herd and the main lactating herd on the same farm. Bulk tank milk samples (n = 192) were collected from 19 dairy herds with a history of clinical M. bovis disease and from 6 control herds (herds with no known clinical cases of mycoplasmosis). For 28 of the BTM samples collected, blood was also collected from 50 lactating cows contributing to that bulk tank sample. From 1 herd, concurrent paired BTM samples were collected from the main herd and the hospital herd on 16 occasions. All BTM samples were analyzed by ELISA (Bio-X Bio K 302, Bio-X Diagnostics, Rochefort, Belgium), PCR, and culture. The BTM ELISA ODC% was associated with time since initial M. bovis outbreak and time since the start of the herd's calving period. Following an initial outbreak of M. bovis, the BTM ELISA ODC% was highest in the first 8 mo. In split- and seasonal-calving herds, significantly higher BTM ELISA ODC% results were observed 5 to 8 wk after the commencement of the calving period. A significant association was observed between the within-herd seroprevalence for the lactating herd and BTM ELISA ODC%, but within-herd seroprevalence explained little of the variation in BTM ELISA ODC%. When comparing the BTM ELISA with a multiplex probe PCR and culture followed by 16S to 23S rRNA sequencing, there was virtually no agreement above that expected by chance; prevalence-adjusted bias-adjusted kappa values were 0.22 and 0.25 for ELISA category versus PCR category and culture, respectively. Finally, the hospital herd BTM ELISA ODC% mirrored that for the main herd BTM but was significantly higher. This study demonstrates that this commercially available ELISA used on BTM samples may complement the use of BTM PCR or culture in identifying herds from which purchase of animals may pose a higher biosecurity risk for introduction of M. bovis into noninfected herds.     

Switch: a planning tool for power systems with large shares of intermittent renewable energy

Wind and solar power are highly variable, so it is it unclear how large a role they can play in future power systems. This work introduces a new open-source electricity planning model--Switch--that identifies the least-cost strategy for using renewable and conventional generators and transmission in a large power system over a multidecade period. Switch includes an unprecedented amount of spatial and temporal detail, making it possible to address a new type of question about the optimal design and operation of power systems with large amounts of renewable power. A case study of California for 2012-2027 finds that there is no maximum possible penetration of wind and solar power--these resources could potentially be used to reduce emissions 90% or more below 1990 levels without reducing reliability or severely raising the cost of electricity. This work also finds that policies that encourage customers to shift electricity demand to times when renewable power is most abundant (e.g., well-timed charging of electric vehicles) could make it possible to achieve radical emission reductions at moderate costs.