Frying Performance of No-<Emphasis Type="Italic">trans</Emphasis>, Low-Linolenic Acid Soybean Oils

Two extruded-expelled physically refined soybean oils with reduced contents of linolenic acid, ultra-low- linolenic acid (ULL, 1.5%) and low-linolenic acid (LL, 2.6%), and a extruded-expelled physically refined control oil (control, 5.3% linolenic acid) were evaluated by frying French fries in a commercial-like setting for 6 h day⁻¹ during 23 days. The oils became darker, increased in yellow color at the beginning, and became redder and less green throughout the process. Free fatty acids levels were not different among the oils until day 14, after which, ULL was different from the control for the remainder of frying. The conjugated dienoic acid values were greatest in the control. Generally, ULL and LL oils had lower percentages of polar compounds than did the control, providing a frying life 2 days longer than the control and ~30% increase in frying time. A trained sensory panel evaluated the French fries on days 2, 5, and 6. Buttery and potato flavors decreased, and rancid and painty flavors increased over frying time for all products. Rancid flavor was highest in the fries from the control oil. Overall, the ULL and LL oils performed better than did the control oil and ULL tended to perform better than the LL.     

Oxidative stability of soybean oils with altered fatty acid compositions

The oxidative stabilities of one canola oil and six soybean oils of various fatty acid compositions were compared in terms of peroxide values, conjugated dienoic acid values and sensory evaluations. Two of the soybean oils (Hardin and BSR 101) were from common commercial varieties. The other four soybean oils were from experimental lines developed in a mutation breeding program at Iowa State University that included A17 with 1.5% linolenate and 15.2% palmitate; A16 with 2% linolenate and 10.8% palmitate; A87-191039 with 2% linolenate and 29.6% oleate; and A6 with 27.5% stearate. Seed from the soybean genotypes was cold pressed. Crude canola oil was obtained without additives. All oils were refined, bleached and deodorized under laboratory conditions with no additives and stored at 60°C for 15 days. The A17, A16, A87-191039 and A6 oils were generally more stable to oxidation than the commercial soybean varieties and canola oil as evaluated by chemical and sensory tests. Canola oil was much less stable than Hardin and BSR 101 oils by both chemical and sensory tests. The peroxide values and flavor scores of oils were highly correlated with the initial amounts of linolenate (r=0.95, P=0.001). Flavor quality and flavor intensity had negative correlations with linolenate, (r=−0.89, P=0.007) and (r=−0.86, P=0.013), respectively.     

Laboratory study of submerged metal-mine tailings 1: Effect of solid-liquid contact time and aeration on contaminant concentrations

The dissolution of metals from various metal-mine tailings has been studied through a series of submerged tailings batch tests at U.S. Bureau of Mines laboratories. Tailings selected for this study included both reactive (as determined by column leaching studies) and benign tailings. Metal mobilization in aerated (97 pct saturated with oxygen) samples appeared to be consistently greater than metal dissolution from stagnant (79 pct or 70 pct saturated with oxygen) waters. In the early weeks of the study, sulfate concentrations increased with solid-liquid contact time, while calcium dissolution remained nearly constant. Metal concentrations varied in relation to solid-liquid contact time and aeration. Leachate pH appeared to be nearly independent of solid-liquid contact time for basic tailings. Reactive tailings having both a submerged and a surface component demonstrated increased metal mobility.     

The effect of adding devulcanized rubber on the thermomechanical properties of recycled polypropylene

This work aims to investigate the effect of adding vulcanized or partially devulcanized rubbers on recycled polypropylene (PPr), considering thermomechanical and morphological properties. The study proposes to better understand how structural changes underwent by rubber (after the devulcanization) contributed to improving the mechanical properties of the PPr. The PPr/rubber blends were prepared by a co-rotating twin-screw extruder and then were injected. The blends composed of the most devulcanized rubbers by microwaves with refined microstructure showed higher values of elongation at break and toughness. Data showed that the devulcanization process applied to the rubber interfered positively in its adhesion to the PPr. Data from dynamic mechanical analysis and atomic force microscopy indicated that the most devulcanized rubbers presented an interface more connected to PPr. These chemical interactions possibly impacted the mechanical properties of the PPr. Moreover, dilatation processes favored the fracture mechanisms of the PPr when rubber was added to it.     

Automatic eye fixations identification based on analysis of variance and covariance

Eye movement is the simplest and repetitive movement that enables humans to interact with the environment. The common daily activities, such as reading a book or watching television, involve this natural activity, which consists of rapidly shifting our gaze from one region to another. In clinical application, the identification of the main components of eye movement during visual exploration, such as fixations and saccades, is the objective of the analysis of eye movements: however, in patients affected by motor control disorder the identification of fixation is not banal. This work presents a new fixation identification algorithm based on the analysis of variance and covariance: the main idea was to use bivariate statistical analysis to compare variance over x and y to identify fixation. We describe the new algorithm, and we compare it with the common fixations algorithm based on dispersion. To demonstrate the performance of our approach, we tested the algorithm in a group of healthy subjects and patients affected by motor control disorder.     

Best practices for preventing musculoskeletal disorders in masonry: stakeholder perspectives

Brick masons and mason tenders report a high prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), many of which can be prevented with changes in materials, work equipment or work practices. To explore the use of "best practices" in the masonry industry, NIOSH organized a 2-day meeting of masonry stakeholders. Attendees included 30 industry representatives, 5 health and safety researchers, 4 health/safety specialists, 2 ergonomic consultants, and 2 representatives of state workers' compensation programs. Small groups discussed ergonomic interventions currently utilized in the masonry industry, including factors affecting intervention implementation and ways to promote diffusion of interventions. Meeting participants also identified various barriers to intervention implementation, including business considerations, quality concerns, design issues, supply problems, jobsite conditions and management practices that can slow or limit intervention diffusion. To be successful, future diffusion efforts must not only raise awareness of available solutions but also address these practical concerns.     

Modelling of the lignin peroxidase LIII of Phlebia radiata: use of a sequence template generated from a 3-D structure

A model of the lignin peroxidase LIII of Phlebia radiata wasconstructed on the basis of the structure of cytochrome c peroxidase(CCP). Because of the low percentage of amino acid identitybetween the CCP and the lignin peroxidase LIII of Phlebia radiata,alignment of the sequences was based on the generation of atemplate from a knowledge of the 3-D structure of CCP and consensussequences of lignin peroxidases. This approach gave an alignmentin which all the insertions in the lignin peroxidase were placedat loop regions of CCP, with a 21.1% identity for these twoproteins. The model was constructed using this alignment andthe computer program COMPOSER, which assembles the model asa series of rigid fragments derived from CCP and other proteins.Manual intervention was required for some of the longer loopregions. The -helices forming the structural framework, andespecially the haem environment of CCP, are conserved in theLIII model and the core is close packed without holes. A possiblesite of the substrate oxidation at the haem edge of LIII isdiscussed.     

Interacting with computer technology in secondary schools

In this article I reflect on my teaching and scholarship with computers in secondary schools during the past 20 years. I chart how changing technology and changing expectations for technology shaped my teaching and student learning in the writing centers and classrooms where I have worked.