Use of Magnetic Resonance Procedures for Measurement of Oil in French-style Dressings

Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy techniques have been developed for measuring percentage of edible oil in French-style salad dressings. In imaging, one takes advantage of the variations in signal intensities related to differences in relaxation times of the oil and aqueous phases, and of the proportionality of projected frequencies to spatial distribution of sample constituents. In spectroscopy, percentage of oil is determined from standard curves where the integrals of oil/ total spectra are correlated to known amounts of oil in standard preparations. Both procedures permit rapid, nondestructive analysis of commercially packaged dressings in unopened bottles with nonmagnetic closures. Results obtained in imaging or by NMR spectroscopy were within ± 2% of the expected values.     

Pre-Chill Spray of Chicken Carcasses to Reduce Salmonella typhimurium

A test chamber was designed and constructed and prechill chicken carcasses inoculated with Salmonella typhimurium were treated in it. They were sprayed with tap water, 0.85% sodium chloride (NaCl), 5% or 10% trisodium phosphate (TSP), 5% or 10% sodium bisulfate (SBS), 0.1% cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), or 1% lactic acids (LAC) at 207, 345 or 827 kPa pressure for either 30 or 90 sec exposure time. Samples were taken from carcass wash water to determine the most probable number of Salmonella. Compared to tap water spraying, 0.85% NaCl spraying did not significantly reduce Salmonella. The greatest reductions of S. typhimurium, by 10% TSP, 10% SBS, 0.1% CPC or 1% LAC spraying, were 3.7, 2.4, 1.6 or 1.6 log in 90 sec treatments, respectively.     

ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS OF GRASSES AND LEGUMES GROWING ON SOIL COVERING COAL FLY ASH LANDFILL SITES

Forage grasses and legumes growing in the soil covering four coal fly ash landfill sites in Central New York were sampled and analyzed for 20 elements. Selenium, boron and molybdenum were most consistently higher in concentration in these crops than the corresponding control plants sampled from adjacent upwind locations. Legumes absorbed greater amounts of these elements than grasses probably owing to their deep-rooted penetration of the fly ash layer below. Factors affecting the extent of absorption of these elements by the crops and the agricultural significance as related to grazing farm animals are discussed.     

优化车刀大幅度提高生产效率

大量生产有其自身规律.因此对于一、二百万件的批量生产,需要在很长的一段时间内始终保持加工的质量标准.首要考虑的是存在多少影响变量.在很多情况下,机床的温度变化可能完全不同,刀具对加工表面的影响无法预测,不同批次的原材料也不可能完全一样等等.每周七天,一年365天,机床的运行状态也是无法控制的.     

IS THE ST. LOUIS REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FISCALLY BENEFICIAL?

ABSTRACT: St. Louis is one of many U.S. cities suffering from urban decay and fiscal crisis. To resolve these problems, the city has adopted a redevelopment program under Missouri State Statute 353. This Chapter 353 program grants private developers 25 years of tax abatement for making property improvements and permits them to accumulate property through the exercise of eminent domain. The program includes the city's entire central business district and has been extended to cover residential areas. This article discusses the research study on which this Chapter 353 program was based, points out a number of serious problems, and concludes that the program may, in fact, further reduce the city's fiscal integrity.     

Phosphorus detection in vitrified bacteria by cryo‐STEM annular dark‐field analysis

Bacterial cells often contain dense granules. Among these, polyphosphate bodies (PPBs) store inorganic phosphate for a variety of essential functions. Identification of PPBs has until now been accomplished by analytical methods that required drying or chemically fixing the cells. These methods entail large electron doses that are incompatible with low‐dose imaging of cryogenic specimens. We show here that Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) of fully hydrated, intact, vitrified bacteria provides a simple means for mapping of phosphorus‐containing dense granules based on quantitative sensitivity of the electron scattering to atomic number. A coarse resolution of the scattering angles distinguishes phosphorus from the abundant lighter atoms: carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. The theoretical basis is similar to Z contrast of materials science. EDX provides a positive identification of phosphorus, but importantly, the method need not involve a more severe electron dose than that required for imaging. The approach should prove useful in general for mapping of heavy elements in cryopreserved specimens when the element identity is known from the biological context.     

APPLICATION OF AN IN-LINE RHEOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION METHOD TO CHEMICALLY MODIFIED AND NATIVE CORN STARCH

The application of an in‐line ultrasonics‐based rheological characterization method for measuring the rheological properties of 6% (w/v) acid‐thinned and native corn starch suspensions and gels was studied. The measurements were performed in steady, laminar pipe flow using a 5 MHz frequency transducer to determine the radial shear rate distribution. Two pressure transducers were used to measure the pressure drop allowing the shear stress distribution to be calculated through the conservation of linear momentum. It was possible to obtain shear viscosity over a range of shear rates, 1–50 1/s, from a single velocity profile. A comparison of the shear viscosity function at different flow rates showed that this method could be a valid method of process rheometry during the manufacturing of starch‐based products. Both ultrasonics and rotational rheometry results showed that acid‐thinned and native corn starch suspensions exhibited Newtonian behavior before heat treatment and non‐Newtonian behavior after heating. Power law consistency index and flow behavior index of the acid‐thinned corn starch gel at 39°C were 0.60 Pa.s ^0.68 and 0.68, respectively; whereas those of the native corn starch were 5.90 Pa.s ^0.37 and 0.37 at 38C. Their consistency index increased and flow behavior index decreased with cooling and a thermoreversible change in the flow behavior index was observed in the native corn starch after storage.     

ABSORPTION OF VANADIUM, NICKEL, ALUMINUM AND MOLYBDENUM BY SWISS CHARD GROWN ON SOIL AMENDED WITH OIL FLY ASH OR BOTTOM ASH

An appreciable percentage of electric power is generated by oil-fired power plants. The ash resulting from such plants is typically very high in elements such as vanadium, nickel, aluminum and molybdenum. Oil bottom ash and fly ash when disposed or fly ash fallout from such power plants could result in absorption of such metals by agricultural crops. Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L.) was grown in potted soils amended with oil bottom ash and fly ash at 2% and 1% (w/w), respectively. The crop absorbed significantly higher concentrations of each of the metals as compared to those in the control crop grown on soil alone. Higher levels of the ashes in soil resulted in phytotoxicity to the swiss chard .