Selenium content in sea bass of the Adriatic Sea

The present work was aimed at establishing the presence of selenium in the muscle tissue (M. longissimus dorsi) of the sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Free-living sea bass was compared with cage-farmed sea bass, fed with and without selenium feed supplement. The highest levels of selenium in muscle (397.3±18.3 ng/g wet weight) were recorded in the farmed sea bass, at 250–300 g of table weight, aged 28 months and fed with selenium supplement. Selenium contents in the muscle tissue of free-living sea bass of equal weight and/or equal age, and in the cage-farmed sea bass fed on feed without selenium addition were significantly lower i.e. in the range 235.0±25.1 to 286.7±24.4 ng/g (w/w).     

The antioxidant capacity and oxidative stability of virgin olive oil enriched with phospholipids

Virgin olive oil (VOO) enriched with phospholipids (soy lecithin) up to the levels present in seed oils (from 2.5 to 10.0 g/kg) was studied as a potential functional food. Lecithin addition slightly increased the concentration of tocopherols and considerably increased K270 values. In the fatty acid composition, an increase of linoleic and a slight decrease of oleic acid were observed, as the decrease of monounsaturated/polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio. The radical-scavenging activity was evaluated by two methods: electron spin resonance spectroscopy using galvinoxyl free radical and VIS spectroscopy measurement of the disappearance of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical. Results indicate that lecithin addition retards the scavenging activity of VOO that is ascribed to the bipolar character of lecithin and its ability to entrap hydrophilic antioxidants. The effect of lecithin addition on the oxidative stability of VOO was evaluated by the Rancimat method, and a positive linear correlation (r = 0.9849) with induction time was found.     

Use of cognitive diagnostic model to study differential item functioning in accommodations

This study explored potential sources of differential item functioning (DIF) among accommodated and nonaccommodated groups by examining skills and cognitive processes hypothesized to underlie student performance on the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP). Out of 53 released NAEP items in 2007 for grade 8, a total of 25 items were flagged as DIF among the four studied groups (nonaccommodated, accommodated with extra time, accommodated with read aloud, and accommodated with small groups) by a generalized logistic regression method. The Reparameterized Unified Model was fit to the same data using a Q-matrix containing 25 skills that included content-, process-, and item-type attributes. The nonaccommodated group yielded the highest averages of attribute mastery probabilities as well as the largest proportion of mastered examinees among all the groups. The three accommodated groups tended to have similar attribute mastery means, with the group accommodated with small groups yielding a larger proportion of mastery examinees when compared to the other two accommodated groups.

     

Solid Fat Content,Pre-Crystallization Conditions,and Sensory Quality of Chocolate with Addition of Cocoa Butter Analogues

The objective of this study was to determine how the addition of two cocoa butter equivalents and cocoa butter improver affect the physical and sensory properties of chocolate. The laboratory-made chocolate samples were tempered at three different pre-crystallization temperatures (25, 27, and 29°C), using different concentrations (3, 5, and 7%) of two commercial cocoa butter equivalents as well as commercial cocoa butter improver of the chocolate. The nucleation time of the chocolate mass primarly depended on pre-crystallization temperature while the value of maximum torque of chocolate mass were influenced by both, pre-crystallization temperature and concentration of fats. Sensory evaluation revealed that cocoa butter equivalents were acceptable in chocolate formulation without producing a negative impact on the sensory quality, while usage of improver required adjustment of raw formulations or process parameters. The results of the instrumentally measured hardness revealed that addition of cocoa butter improver significantly (p > 0.05) increased hardness of chocolate samples.     

Double-Averaged Open-Channel Flows with Small Relative Submergence

We investigate the turbulent structure of shallow open channel flows where the flow depth is too small (compared with the roughness height) to form a logarithmic layer but large enough to develop an outer layer where the flow is not directly influenced by the roughness elements. Since the log layer is not present, the displacement height d, which defines the position of the zero plane, and the shear velocity u* cannot be found by fitting the velocity data to the log law. However, these parameters are still very important because they are used for scaling flow statistics for the outer and roughness layers. In this paper we propose an alternative procedure for evaluating d in laboratory conditions, where d is found from additional experiments with the fully developed log layer. We also point out the appropriate procedure for evaluating the shear velocity u* for flows with low submergence. These procedures are applied to our own laboratory flume experiments with uniform sphere roughness, where velocities were measured using Particle Image Velocimetry. Results were interpreted within the framework of the double-averaged Navier–Stokes equations and include mean velocities, turbulence intensities, Reynolds stresses, and form-induced normal and shear stresses. The data collapse well and show that in flows without a developed log layer the structure of turbulence in the outer layer remains similar to that of flows with a log layer. This means that even though the roughness layer in the experiments reported herein was sufficiently high to prevent the development of the log layer, influence of the bed roughness did not spread further up into the outer layer. Furthermore, the results show that flow statistics do not depend on relative submergence except for the form-induced stresses which increase when relative submergence decreases.     

不可能的历史 (节选)南斯拉夫的历史前卫运动、新前卫运动和后前卫运动,1918-1991

第一次世界大战深深地将南斯拉夫的认同感印在了斯洛文尼亚，克罗地亚和塞尔维亚等国象人民的心里。每个单独的国家都不能保全自己。所以他们需要建立一个更大的政权。从这时起，卢布尔雅那，萨格勒布和贝尔格莱德同时兴起了前卫艺术运动。     

Characterization of extra virgin olive oils derived from the Croatian cultivar Oblica

The objective of the present research work was the characterization of extra‐virgin olive oils derived from the main cultivar at the Adriatic coast Oblica by the determination of selected organic parameters as well as of the elemental composition. Twenty elements were quantified by inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectrometry (ICP‐OES) after acidic microwave assisted digestion. In all samples the concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Mo, Pb, and V were below the LOD. The mode of production (pressing or centrifugation) is reflected in the contents of Cu, Fe, Ni, and Si. Thus only the contents of Al, Ca, K, Mg, Na, Se, Sn, and Zn ranging from 0.02 – 0.5, 0.8 – 11, 0.1 – 2.5, < LOD – 0.2, 2.7 – 4.2, 0.6 – 2.9, <LOD – 4.8, and 2.5 – 4.0 µg/g oil, respectively, can be used for characterizing the Oblica variety. The organic quality parameters analyzed were free fatty acids (0.1 to 0.6% oleic acid), peroxide value (2.2 to 4.4 mmol O₂/kg) and specific absorbances in the UV range (K₂₃₂ 0.8 to 1.9; K₂₇₀ 0.8 to 1.9; 0.08 to 0.21; and ΔK < 0.003). Practical applications : Oil characterization by organic as well as inorganic parameters is the basis for nutritional and food technological investigations such as adulteration detection and genuineness analysis. Knowing the composition of authentic samples (reference values) is necessary in order to be able to detect differences caused by fraud in products available on the market. Since Croatia is a candidate for entering the European Union the characterization of food stuff coming from this country is of great concern.