In-line laser holography and video analysis of eroded floc from engineered and estuarine sediments

Microphytobenthic polymers mediate intertidal sediment erosion processes, through biostabilization and modifying the nature of eroded floc material. The latter is of key importance with respect to sediment transport dynamics, including floc aggregation and particle deposition. In this study, eroded floc material was analyzed by video imaging, alongside novel application of in-line laser holography (ILH). The erosion of engineered sediment was compared to that of natural estuarine sediments. Both video and holography showed an increase in floc size eroded from engineered cohesive clay sediment as a function of sediment dewatering and sediment polymer content. Estuarine sediment showed a curvilinear increase in floc size as a function of both microphytobenthic biomass and sediment colloidal polymer content when measured by video analysis. Holography did not show these functions for floc size due to temporal limitations of the current ILH methodology. An interaction of sediment polymer binding and sediment desiccation was observed for engineered sediments and, most notably, for estuarine cohesive sediments. In conclusion, engineered sediments were not accurate analogues for natural intertidal sediments, failing to reproduce eroded floc material similar to that from estuarine cohesive sediment. The size of eroded floc from estuarine sediments is a function of the complex interaction between biological and physicochemical processes, primarily algal colloidal polymer and desiccation. Holography demonstrated an excellent potential for the high-resolution imaging of eroded material but is limited by temporal constraints; the solution to this would be the development of real-time holographic video.     

In vivo synchrotron study of thallium speciation and compartmentation in Iberis intermedia

Thallium (TI) is a metal of great toxicological concern and its prevalence in the natural environment has steadily increased as a result of manufacturing and combustion practices. Due to its low natural abundance and increasing demand, TI is the fourth most expensive metal, thus, recovery and reuse could be a profitable endeavor. The hyperaccumulator Iberis intermedia was examined via in vivo micro-X-ray absorption near edge (micro-XANES) and micro-X-ray fluorescence (micro-XRF) spectroscopies to determine the speciation and distribution of TI within leaves of the plant. I. intermedia plants were cultivated under controlled conditions in 0, 10, and 20 mg TI kg(-1) soil leading to a shoot concentration of up to 13 430 mg TI kg(-1) dry weight plant mass during 10 weeks of growth. Live plant leaves were examined by micro-XANES and micro-XRF which determined aqueous TI(I) to be the model species distributed primarily throughout the vascular network. A direct relationship of vein size to TI concentration was observed. The high uptake of TI and high potential biomass of I. intermedia, combined with knowledge of TI speciation and compartmentation within the plant, are discussed in terms of accumulation/tolerance mechanisms, consequences for potential food chain contamination, and phytomining strategies to reclaim TI-contaminated soils, sediments, and waters.     

Natural-light labeling of tomatoes does not facilitate growth or penetration of Salmonella into the fruit

The survival-growth capacity of Salmonella populations on tomato epidermis labeled by a natural-light labeling system was investigated after persistent fears of such marks serving as possible entryways for the pathogenic organisms, alone and in the presence of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, a soft-rot organism. Different treatments involving natural-light labeling, fruit waxing, and a five-strain cocktail of Salmonella were applied to mature green tomato surfaces in different sequences prior to storage at 4, 12, or 25°C. Fruit was sampled every 3 days, and Salmonella was enumerated from all treatments and unlabeled fruit, which served as controls. There were no significant differences between treatments or between treatments and controls throughout. The results indicate that the cuticle and epidermal interruptions caused by natural-light labeling do not facilitate the penetration and colonization of the tomato pericarp. In a separate set of experiments, the capacity of Salmonella to penetrate tomato in the presence of a potential synergism with P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum was investigated. The addition of P. carotovorum at higher, lower, or equal population densities to Salmonella did not significantly alter the behavior of Salmonella on tomatoes stored at 25°C, regardless of natural-light labeling. The inability of P. carotovorum and Salmonella to colonize natural-light-etched surfaces of tomato fruit indicates that the use of this technology does not adversely compromise the surface of tomatoes.     

Use of durum residue flour,a lower value product of durum milling,by incorporation into wheat flour dough without deterioration in baking quality

BACKGROUND: During the milling of durum wheat to semolina, about 10–15% of total products produced is residue flour, a lower value product than the semolina. This study investigated the potential for using the durum residue flour as an additive in bread‐making to improve its potential commercial value. RESULTS: Incorporation of residue durum flour from 102 breeding lines into a low protein flour and standard bakers' flour at 20% incorporation improved the bake loaf volume with minimal change in Mixograph dough mixing time and peak resistance in many of the lines tested. Loaf yellow b was always increased even with only a 10% incorporation. Baking flours can tolerate 20% incorporation with no deleterious affects on loaf volume and bake score. CONCLUSION: The results show a potential for using the lower value durum residue flour for baking bread of acceptable quality with a slightly higher yellow colour. This would improve the profitability for the miller and provide alternative ingredients to the baker for preparing specialty breads. Copyright © 2008 Crown in the Right of the State of New South Wales and Society of Chemical Industry     

Seasonal and diurnal variation of PM2.5 apparent particle density in urban air in Augsburg, Germany

The apparent particle density of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 microm (rho2.5) was determined at an urban site in Augsburg, Germany and its correlation with chemical composition and meteorological conditions was investigated. rho2.5 showed strong day-to-day variation from 1.05 to 2.36 g cm(-3) (5 to 95% percentile), and nearly 64% of the daily variability could be explained by a multiple variable regression model. A minimum in the morning and afternoon (about 1.5 g cm(-3)), and a maximum (near 1.8 g cm(-3)) during midday was observed. The minima represent fresh primary aerosol emissions, which were related to traffic soot particles with low density due to their agglomerate structure, especially observed in the early morning hours of weekdays. The maximum is likely due to increased secondary particle production and the presence of more aged particles with the built-up of the convectively mixed boundary layer. rho2.5 has the potential to serve as a crude tracer for chemical composition and atmospheric processing and might play an important role when considering the associations between health effects and ambient particles.     

Anammox bacterial abundance, activity, and contribution in riparian sediments of the pearl river estuary

The hypothesis of an anammox hotspot in river riparian zones was put forward based on our investigation on freshwater ecotones for over 25 years and previous anammox research. Here we used a complementary array of methods including isotope-pairing technique, quantitative PCR assays, and 16S rRNA and hydrazine synthase gene (hzsB) clone libraries to document the spatiotemporal evidence for a high abundance zone of anammox bacteria in river riparian sediment with observed abundance of 1.3-12 × 10(6) (summer) and 1.4-20 × 10(8) (winter) hydrazine synthase gene copies g(-1), which is the highest abundance in natural environments recorded so far. Meanwhile high anammox bacterial biodiversity were detected with 'Brocadia' and 'Kuenenia' dominating. However, the high anammox bacterial abundances were not related with high activities and contributions for nitrogen gas generation. The anammox activities ranged from 0.07 to 0.15 nmol N cm(-3) h(-1) (summer) to 1.0-2.6 nmol N cm(-3) h(-1) (winter) with high temporal heterogeneity. The retrieval of archaeal and bacterial amoA sequences indicated that nitrifying microbes might be the major source of nitrite for anammox bacteria in winter, while in summer the anaerobic nitrate reduction is more likely the main source. On the basis of (15)N tracing technology, it was estimated that a total loss of 0.67-9.62 g N m(-2) yr(-1) is linked to anammox in the riparian zone while denitrification contributed 96.2-170.3 g N m(-2) yr(-1) in Pearl River riparian sediments.     

Puff pastry and trends in fat reduction: an update

Puff pastry is a popular nonleavened pastry product with unique textural properties. Puff pastry is processed from laminated dough, comprising alternating and discrete layers of dough and fat. Puff pastry quality can vary substantially depending on the raw material quality and production processes. The high fat content of commercial puff pastry usually containing significant amounts of saturated and trans fats, which are known to be associated with potential health risks, has led to increased demand for lower fat baked products. This review discusses the puff pastry production process and factors affecting puff pastry quality together with strategies to reduce total fat content and improving the fat composition in puff pastries.     

Motivation,commitment and the use of incentives in partnerships and alliances

The use of incentives in partnering and alliancing has been seen as an important way of reinforcing collaboration in the short term and helping to build trust between clients and contractors in the long term. Yet only rarely has the impact of incentives on such relationships been discussed, let alone subjected to systematic investigation. This is despite a wealth of theory and research which brings into question the use of incentives and reinforcers as ways of generating motivation and commitment. Drawing upon this theoretical knowledge base and using evidence from a number of case studies of partnerships and alliances, this paper demonstrates how a number of important cognitive and social dimensions affect the use and impact of incentives, sometimes in ways contrary to those intended. The conclusion drawn is that there are important limitations to the use of incentives as means of reinforcing collaboration and developing commitment and trust, and that this raises questions more generally about the assumptions that underlie many of the practical ‘tools and techniques’ commonly associated with partnering and alliancing.