Softness in dry-cured porcine biceps femoris muscles in relation to meat quality characteristics and processing conditions

The aim of the study was to quantify the effect of meat quality characteristics and some processing conditions on the softness of dry-cured biceps femoris (BF) muscles. The BF muscles were dissected from forty hams and classified according to their pH_BF into three groups: LpH (pH < 5.66), MpH (5.66  pH  6.00) and HpH (pH > 6.00). BF muscles within each pH_BF group were distributed into three different Salting levels (1%, 2% or 4% of added NaCl). Muscles were salted, vacuum-packed and stored at 3 °C for 30 days. The post-salting BF muscles were classified into two intramuscular fat (IMF) levels: Low (IMF < 4%) and High (IMF  4%). Thereafter, the muscles were divided into two pieces and dried at two of the three different Drying levels (1.5, 2 and 2.5 g H₂O/g desalted dry matter). Then, each piece was divided into two samples that were packed in N₂ and stored at 5 °C or 30 °C for 1 month. Stress Relaxation was used to evaluate texture. Dry-cured BF muscles with initial pH > 6.0, with IMF > 4% or with added NaCl levels less than 2% were more prone to show soft texture. Softness in dry-cured muscles can be reduced by applying an ageing temperature of 30 °C for 30 days, despite increasing proteolysis. The softness reduction by ageing at 30 °C compared with 5 °C is expected to be higher when applied to drier samples, which show a smaller increase in proteolysis.     

High pressure applied to frozen ham at different process stages. 1. Effect on the final physicochemical parameters and on the antioxidant and proteolytic enzyme activities of dry-cured ham

This paper describes the effect of high pressure (400MPa and 600MPa) applied to frozen hams at early stages of the dry-cured ham process: green hams (GH) and hams at the end of the resting stage (ERS), on some physicochemical parameters and on antioxidant and proteolytic enzyme activities in the final product. No significant differences were observed among treatments either in the drying kinetics or in the physicochemical characteristics. However, when high-pressure was applied to frozen GH hams it produced a superficial denaturation that affected salt absorption and, consequently, the proteolysis index. The high-pressure treatment applied during the processing of previously frozen GH and ERS hams reduced the antioxidant enzyme activities slightly (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) but did not affect the cathepsin B and the cathepsin B+L activities.     

Physico-chemical properties,composition and pollen spectrum of french lavender (Lavandula stoechas L.) honey produced in Spain

The palynological and physico-chemical properties of 26 samples of French lavender (Lavandula stoechas) honey commercially produced in Spain have been defined. Each sample was examined to determine the total pollen content, percentage ofL. stoechas pollen and pollen spectrum. On the basis of the honey pollen analysis, 14 samples were excluded as they were of different botanical origin (Echium spp.). In total 67 different pollen types were identified. The sugar spectrum showed low percentages of trisaccharides and sucrose. The enzymatic activity was lower than that found in other unifloral Spanish honeys. A minimum of 10%L. stoechas pollen and maximum of 30%Echium sp. pollen are the suggested requirements to characterize this honey.     

Silicon–hydroxyapatite bioactive coatings (Si–HA) from diatomaceous earth and silica. Study of adhesion and proliferation of osteoblast-like cells

The aim of this study consisted on investigating the influence of silicon substituted hydroxyapatite (Si–HA) coatings over the human osteoblast-like cell line (SaOS-2) behaviour. Diatomaceous earth and silica, together with commercial hydroxyapatite were respectively the silicon and HA sources used to produce the Si–HA coatings. HA coatings with 0 wt% of silicon were used as control of the experiment. Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) was the selected technique to deposit the coatings. The Si–HA thin films were characterized by Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) demonstrating the efficient transfer of Si to the HA structure. The in vitro cell culture was established to assess the cell attachment, proliferation and osteoblastic activity respectively by, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), DNA and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) quantification. The SEM analysis demonstrated a similar adhesion behaviour of the cells on the tested materials and the maintenance of the typical osteoblastic morphology along the time of culture. The Si–HA coatings did not evidence any type of cytotoxic behaviour when compared with HA coatings. Moreover, both the proliferation rate and osteoblastic activity results showed a slightly better performance on the Si–HA coatings from diatoms than on the Si–HA from silica.     

Impact of molecular structure of polymer in 193 nm resist performance

Miniaturization in microelectronic technologies requests a development of new high-performance materials for microlithography with good resolution of the critical dimension. However, the real impact of polymer structure on lithographic performances is not yet well understood to predict the properties of formulated resist. Our approach is the synthesis and characterization of model resists and the understanding of the relationship between material – properties – processes. In this work we present the influence of the polymer’s molecular weight in lithographic profile of the generated patterns. The limits of the polymer’s molecular weight values based on model terpolymers, consisting of methacrylate matrix, for efficient patterning have been identified. Finally, the ineffective sensitivity and dissolution issue of the polymer resists having an average molecular weight of 30 kg/mol was extensively examined and attributed to the molecular weight of the polymer and more precisely to the radius of gyration of the polymer.     

Reduction of irreversibility generation in sugar and ethanol production from sugarcane

Sugarcane is one of the most important industries of the Brazilian economy, and its main products are sugar and ethanol. Most of the industrial plants produce both products in an integrated process, in which the sugarcane bagasse is a by-product that can be used as a fuel in the cogeneration system. The bagasse is used as the only fuel of the plant, supplying all energy required for the process, and also producing electricity surplus that may be sold to the grid. In this paper, exergy analysis is used to assess an integrated sugar and ethanol plant with its cogeneration system. The plant was divided into eight sub-systems to evaluate the irreversibility generation in each separately. Data from typical sugarcane factories in Brazil, which produce sugar and ethanol, were used in the process simulation. The analysis has shown that the sub-systems with the highest contribution for the total irreversibility generation of the plant were co-generation, juice extraction and fermentation. Some improvements are proposed, including process thermal integration and the introduction of more efficient equipments for prime mover and steam and electricity generation. The analysis indicated that the total irreversibility could be reduced by 10% should those changes be implemented.     

Anionic copolymerization of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A with Meldrum's acid derivatives initiated by 4‐(N,N‐dimethylamino) pyridine

The anionic copolymerization of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A with 2,2,5,5‐tetramethyl‐4,6‐dioxo‐1,3‐dioxane or 6,6‐dimethyl‐(4,8‐dioxaspiro[2.5]octane‐5,7‐dione) with 4‐(N,N‐dimethylamino) pyridine as an initiator to form thermosets was studied with differential scanning calorimetry, and the kinetics were evaluated with isoconversional procedures. The evolution during the curing process of the epoxide, lactone, and linear ester bands was evaluated with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in the attenuated total reflection mode to clarify the reactions taking place. The shrinkage during curing, thermomechanical properties, and thermal degradability of the materials obtained by copolymerization with the different derivatives of Meldrum's acid were evaluated and related to the chemical structure of the final network. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Re-interpretation of traditional architecture for visual comfort

In the history of stone traditional architecture there are constructive solutions which, with the same climatic conditions and materials used, produce a different final result. This result, which apparently is only a formal and figurative one, actually involves different physical–technical implications that inevitably determine, for these solutions, a different system of actions/reactions due to the change of stress of the physical environment they interact with. Starting from a constructive approach, linked to the Mediterranean culture and, in particular, to a specific declination represented by architecture from the Islamic architectural culture, the aim of the research work is to estimate how the logical–formal and physical operation of the walls of the traditional architecture, interacting with the outdoors, can be used and re-interpreted in order to assure a condition of visual comfort into internal spaces. Therefore, the attempt is that of a re-interpretation in a contemporary key, i.e. the possibility to use these solutions with the purpose of pointing out a methodological procedure which, even if referring to particular special configurations and specific visual duty in its experimental application, can be used in all types of environments; a methodology which contemplates and appraises all of the dynamics and problems linked to the sight and comfort of the average user.     

Structural and antigenic preservation of plant samples by microwave-enhanced fixation, using dedicated hardware, minimizing heat-related effects

We explored the use of microwave technology in fixation with the objective of achieving quicker fixation regimes, lower concentrations of toxic and volatile reagents, and enhanced antigen detection. We used a modified domestic microwave oven (900 W) and a low-power (5 W) microwave bench. The work was done on plant materials. The oven was supplemented with a cooling device, a stirring system, and a record of the sample temperature and the time of effective irradiation. The sample, immersed in a fixative solution of 1% paraformaldehyde (PFA) in PBS, was irradiated for only 10 minutes. The sample temperature did not exceed 37 degrees C. In these mild conditions, the quality of the (ultra)structural preservation of the samples, morphometrically assessed, was at the same level as obtained with the same fixative, using conventional methods. On the contrary, samples fixed in the same conditions without irradiation showed a poor structural preservation. The antigenic preservation of the irradiated samples was excellent, since the labeling levels of two nucleolar proteins, detected by immunogold, were three times higher than in conventionally fixed samples. In the so-called microwave bench, the pathway of microwaves is guided, so that low-power microwaves directly hit the sample and there is no dispersion of energy. Temperature of fixative did not increase after microwave irradiation. Fixation in the bench with either 4% PFA, or 1% PFA, for 20 minutes resulted in structural preservation of samples similar in quality as obtained with conventional fixation and in a similar or better level of antigen preservation. Therefore, controlling temperature and effective irradiation is crucial in order to obtain optimal structural and antigen preservation with microwave-enhanced fixation. The dramatic differences observed between microwave-irradiated samples and samples fixed in the same conditions without irradiation, strongly support the existence of specific effects of microwaves on fixation, independent from the mere heating of the samples.