Determination of the Degree of Branching in Normal and Amylopectin Type Potato Starch with 1H-NMR Spectroscopy Improved resolution and two-dimensional spectroscopy

Starch from genetically modified potatoes was found to be highly branched compared with normal potato varieties through the use of ¹H-NRM spectroscopy. The average chain length, blue-value, and the wavelength at maximum absorptivity clearly show that the new potato varieties produce amylopectin starch. Correlation between the degree of branching as determined by ¹H-NMR and starch-iodine complexation, expressed as blue-value, was good and the NMR-method gives low standard deviation. For the first time, the anomeric proton, H-1, of a (1→4)-α-linked D-glucose residue and the H-1 of the glucose residue of a non-reducing end have been assigned separate chemical shifts in starch. Assignments were made as determined from two-dimensional homonuclear and ¹H-¹³C heteronuclear spectroscopy (COSY, HMQC, and HMBC). The molecular weight in degraded starch and pullulan were determined by means of NMR-spectroscopy. These results were in accordance with determinations by size exclusion chromatography and with the known molecular weights of pullulan standards.     

Diabetes and Hypertension Consistently Predict the Presence and Extent of Coronary Artery Calcification in Symptomatic Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: The relationship of conventional cardiovascular risk factors (age, gender, ethnicity, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, obesity, exercise, and the number of risk factors) to coronary artery calcification (CAC) presence and extent has never before been assessed in a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: We included only English language studies that assessed at least three conventional risk factors apart from age, gender, and ethnicity, but excluded studies in which all patients had another confirmed condition such as renal disease. Results: In total, 10 studies, comprising 15,769 patients, were investigated in the systematic review and seven studies, comprising 12,682 patients, were included in the meta-analysis, which demonstrated the importance of diabetes and hypertension as predictors of CAC presence and extent, with age also predicting CAC presence. Male gender, dyslipidaemia, family history of coronary artery disease, obesity, and smoking were overall not predictive of either CAC presence or extent, despite dyslipidaemia being a key risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Conclusion: Diabetes and hypertension consistently predict the presence and extent of CAC in symptomatic patients.     

Liquid water permeability of exterior wood coatings-testing according to a proposed european standard method

The proposed European standard method for the assessment of liquid water permeability, prEN 927–5, gives significant differences in water absorption values for different types of paints on wood. The proposed limits in the performance standard for the water absorption values for coatings to be used in different types of construction seem to be at acceptable levels. There is a good correlation between the level of water absorption and outdoor experience of the performance of the paints. Aging can drastically influence the water protection properties of the coating. Some sort of aging of the samples is needed in the assessment of the water absorption properties of coatings. An artificial aging procedure is proposed in this paper. P.O. Box 5609, SE-11486 Stockholm, Sweden 117 83 Stockholm, Sweden     

A Flow Injection System for the Determination of Starch in Starch from Different Origins with Immobilized α-Amylase and Amyloglucosidase Reactors

A heat stable α-amylase (Termamyl) was immobilized on controlled pore glass (CPG) with a pore size of 1 489Å and amyloglucosidase (AMG) was immobilized on a ceramic silica support (Micropil A) with a pore size of 300Å. These enzyme supports were packed into two separate immobilized enzyme reactors (IMERs) which together with a third reactor containing co-immobilized glucose dehydrogenase/mutarotase were incorporated into a flow injection (FI) system for the determination of the total glucose content of starch related poly- and oligosaccharides. Samples of maltose, a maltooligosaccharide mixture, three soluble starches, three amylopectins, two amyloses, glycogen, and native starches from different origins were injected. The degree of hydrolysis was determined by comparing the produced amount of glucose in the FI system with the calculated amount of glucose in the samples and with samples to which had been added and let to react for six hours soluble α-amylase and AMG before injected into the FI system also containing the IMERs. Virtually complete conversion to glucose was obtained for maltose, maltooligosaccharides, two soluble starches and native potato starch. Maximum enzymatic degradation by the starch hydrolyzing enzyme reactors was obtained in most instances except for glycogen (96%), native wheat (88%), rice (93%), and corn starch (83%).     

Use of conifer volatiles to reduce injury caused by carrot psyllid,Trioza apicalis,Förster (Homoptera,Psylloidea)

The feeding and oviposition of the carrot psyllid,Trioza apicalis, were reduced by the application of fresh spruce and pine sawdust along the seedling rows in carrot fields. Turpentine and separate monoterpene hydrocarbons, mixed into old sawdust and/or placed in polyethylene tubes, were also effective. At a dose of 0.5 liter/m, fresh sawdust reduced the damage to 18% of the plants, compared to 100% damage in untreated plants. The sawdust materials were spread on the soil surface at four- or seven-day intervals during the oviposition period. The tubes were placed along the carrot rows before the oviposition started. Turpentine and separate monoterpene hydrocarbons afforded a protective effect of the same order of magnitude as that obtained from fresh sawdust. The volatile profiles of the spruce and pine sawdust as well as of the turpentine used were determined.     

Cognitive color

This report surveys cognitive aspects of color in terms of behavioral, neuropsychological, and neurophysiological data. Color is usually defined as a color stimulus or as perceived color. In this article, a definition of the concept of cognitive color is formulated. To elucidate this concept, those visual tasks are described where it is relevant: in color categorization, color coding, color naming, the Stroop effect, spatial organization of colored visual objects, visual search, and color memory. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 29, 7–19, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/col.10209     

Göteborg,Sweden

The Swedish city of Göteborg, located on the west coast of Sweden, is the country’s western gateway. Göteborg dates back to the 1600s when it was founded to function as both a port and a defensive position. From the beginning the city saw an influx of people from other countries and Göteborg at one point was known as ‘little London’. Soon industries were introduced and the town became an important commercial centre, growing rapidly in both area and population during the second half of the nineteenth century. Town districts subsequently developed different identities and these can still be experienced today. The town’s heavy industry and shipbuilding were important up to recent times but today the city has made the transition to become a knowledge centre and also an attractive city for tourism. Planning for the future aims to consolidate Göteborg as a dynamic regional centre and an attractive place to live with its diversified urban environment enhanced by its natural qualities. The city aims to create a climate of participation among the inhabitants, corporations and organizations in the region. Ultimately, success will be measured in terms of the city’s ability to engage with all sections of the rapidly expanding community.     

Solution behavior of barley β-glucan as studied with asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation

Physicochemical properties of cereal β-glucans, associated with beneficial health effects, are related to their solution behavior and possibly to their propensity to form aggregates. Such properties are often analyzed with methods that may influence the aggregates per se. In this paper, the effect of processing on solution behavior of pure barley β-glucan was studied using asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AsFlFFF), a method which is capable of analyzing the present aggregates. Molar mass distributions were determined by in-line multi-angle light scattering and refractive index detectors. Unprocessed samples had a main fraction of aggregates with a weight-average molar mass of 2.8 × 10⁶ g/mol. Microwave heating to 100 °C reduced the largest aggregates, while heating to 121 °C prominently decreased the molar mass. Frozen storage for 1 week did not influence the aggregation, but repeated freeze-thaw cycles changed the structure of aggregates in a way that suggests cryogelation. The influence of processing conditions on solution behavior might explain why differently processed food products containing β-glucan have given different health effects. Experiments with the aim to eliminate aggregates demonstrated that filtration (0.45 μm) prior to analysis resulted in disruption of the largest aggregates, indicating that these aggregates will not be detected when filtration is used. Dissolution in NaOH solution, one of few solvents reported to eliminate aggregates, resulted in retained molar mass. Using AsFlFFF to study the solution behavior of β-glucans is a gentle method to analyze subtle changes of physicochemical properties.     

Quantification of macrosegregation in continuously cast steel structures

Macrosegregation was investigated in longitudinal sections of continuously cast, experimental slabs of austenitic stainless steel and carbon-manganese steel. The macro-mapping technique was applied to investigate austenitic stainless steel slab sections. The method was based on electron probe microanalysis that was applied in a step-point mode to locally investigate segregation areas. The same stainless steel specimens and carbon-manganese steel specimens were etched to reveal the segregation structure. The macrosegregation in three carbon-manganese steel slabs was represented by etch-prints. The quantitative investigation of structure was performed directly on the macroetched specimens and on the etch-prints. The morphology of macrostructure was characterised by new parameters: segregation factor M, width of a segregation band W_0.5, centreline segregation intensity C and the heterogeneity index H. The segregation factor M was proportional to the inhomogeneity in segregate size distribution and to the segregate area fraction. W_0.5 was defined as the area where the segregate area fraction is greater or equal to half of the maximum value of measured area fractions. Parameter C equal to a ratio M_max/W_0.5, represented the intensity of centreline segregation. The heterogeneity index H was based on the measurements of mean size of segregates and the mean free path within segregate areas. For a homogeneous structure the heterogeneity index is zero and it increases with growing inhomogeneity of a macrostructure.