Ascorbic Acid and Folic Acid Content and Sensory Characteristics of Dehydrated Green Peppers

Moisture content, water activity, ascorbic and folic acid content, and color of blanched and unblanched green peppers, dried for 8 or 9 hr at 60°C or 12 hr at 49°C, were determined before and after 8 wk storage at room temperature. Sensory characteristics of the peppers were evaluated after storage. Blanching influenced ascorbic acid content, color, firmness, and intensity of green pepper, sweet and bitter flavor. Time and temperature of drying influenced water activity and some texture attributes.     

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF ORIGANUM SACCATUM L.

The chemical constituents of essential oil isolated by hydrodistillation of aerial parts of Origanum saccatum L. growing wild of 39 constituents were identified accounting for 99.11% of the oil of O. saccatum. The oil of O. saccatum contained, as main components, p -cymene (82.8%), γ-terpinene (6.2%), p -cymene-8-ol (1.5%) and carvacrol (1.2%). The essential oil of O. saccatum was characterized by its high content of p -cymene.
Preliminary experiment was carried out in vitro using the diffusion method to investigate antimicrobial activity of the O. saccatum oil. The oil exerted varying levels of antimicrobial effects on the growth of all microorganisms (except for 100 ppm which belongs to Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus aureus ). The antimicrobial activity of the O. saccatum oil was established by using agar diffusion method. The results showed that antimicrobial activity increased depending on the concentration degree used. The highest sensitive bacteria had Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. As a result, inhibitory effect of oil was weak on tested bacteria compared with fungi. The extent of inhibition of tested microorganism growth was dependent on the concentrations of essential oil used.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Some investigations showed that the use of spices in place of chemicals and synthetics has become indispensable because of their antimicrobial effects and also because of the increasing risk of the side effects of chemical and synthetic preservatives on health. Also, spices and derivatives have been used since ancient times to preserve foods, make foods tastier, cure diseases and produce aromatic substances. Many species of aromatic plants belonging to the Labiatae family grow wild in the east Mediterranean basin. Dried oregano leaves are well known not only in the herb industry mainly but also for other appetizing applications, and as a source of essential oils     

Detection of hepatitis A virus in oysters

A digoxigenin-labelled RNA probe with a sensitivity of 800 50% tissue culture infectious dose (TCID₅₀) was used to detect Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) in oysters. We studied the influence of extraction methodology on riboprobe detection. Oyster samples obtained by four methods of extraction and extraction-concentration were spiked with HAV (CF53 strain). There was no correlation between protein concentration and turbidity of samples, and anti-digoxigenin antibodies showed a non specific reaction. Background noise was independent of protein concentration and disappeared when HAV RNA isolation by phenol/chloroform extraction was introduced, but HAV RNA could not be detected by this technique. In the presence of Acid Guanidinium Thiocyanate (AGT), RNA from HAV suspension was detected following phenolic extraction with a detection threshold of 8.10⁴ TCID₅₀ of spotted virus. HAV detection in oyster extract by a digoxigenin-labelled riboprobe appeared useful in shellfish virology, at least for a primary screening of samples.     

The technology of low-fat cheese manufacture

Growth in the low-fat cheese market has been slower than would be anticipated on the basis of increased consumer awareness of dietary fat intake. Consumer dissatisfaction with the quality of first-generation low-fat products has highlighted the need for improved technology. Significant advances in understanding the biochemical and physicochemical characteristics of low-fat variants in the past decade have led to novel technological developments. Approaches that have the potential to improve the flavour, texture and functionality of reduced- and low-fat cheese are reviewed here. Topics include the control of processing variables, the selection of appropriate starter and adjunct bacteria, and the use of fat mimetics to improve texture. Factors influencing flavour and texture development in low-fat variants are also considered.     

A note of the convergence of infeasible dynamical hierarchical controllers

In this note, a brief study is made of the convergence characteristics of infeasible dynamical hierarchical controllers. An. attempt is made to provide qualitative guidelines on the necessary degree of accuracy required for the resolution of the problems on each level in order for the overall optimal control to be achieved. It is shown that it is much more important to achieve a high degree of accuracy on the first level than on the second. Some experimental verification is provided for this assertion by studying the convergence characteristics of a non-linear dynamical system comprising two subsystems.     

DO TRANSIT‐DEPENDENT NEIGHBORHOODS RECEIVE INFERIOR BUS ACCESS? A NEIGHBORHOOD ANALYSIS IN FOUR U.S. CITIES

ABSTRACT: Intrajurisdictional delivery of publicly provided services often results in observable service level differences that vary by spatial subunit (neighborhood). These variations are related to the sociodemographic characteristics of neighborhoods and have been hypothesized in prior literature to be the result of bias against or favoritism toward certain neighborhoods. Using path regression, this paper examines publicly provided bus service in four cities—Asheville, North Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; Mobile, Alabama; and Richmond, Virginia—to examine whether the socioeconomic character of a neighborhood is related to the share of municipal bus service it receives. With this analysis, we test an expanded version of Lineberry's underclass hypothesis. Specifically, do transit‐dependent neighborhoods, or those with a high percentage of non‐Caucasian, low‐income, elderly, or student residents receive inferior bus service? Findings confirm prior research that both standard rules and bias are present in service delivery decisions.     

Cloning and Characterization of the KlDIM1 Gene from Kluyveromyces lactis Encoding the m26A Dimethylase of the 18S rRNA

The KlDIM1 gene encoding the m₂⁶A rRNA dimethylase was cloned from a Kluyveromyces lactis genomic library using a PCR amplicon from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae ScDIM1 gene as probe. The KlDIM1 gene encodes a 320-amino acid protein which shows 81% identity to ScDim1p from S. cerevisiae and 25% identity to ksgAp from Escherichia coli. Complementation of the kasugamycin-resistant ksgA-mutant of E. coli lacking dimethylase activity demonstrates that KlDim1p is the functional homologue of the bacterial enzyme. Multiple alignment of dimethylases from prokaryotes and yeasts shows that the two yeast enzymes display distinctive structural motives including a putative nuclear localization signal. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cosmetics considered in the context of physical attractiveness: a review

This review demonstrates the importance of outward appearance (especially of the face and head) in physical attractiveness and describes the methodology and results of objective experiments which assess interpersonal attraction, others' perceptions of the physically attractive and self-perception.
It shows that, although cosmetics have been used, inter alia , to manipulate physical attractiveness in some of these experiments, there are little data showing benefit of cosmetics per se to the individual.
Consequently, the review is a first step in designing objective studies to test the hypothesis that cosmetics are of demonstrable benefit to the user.
Les produits cosmetiques et l'attrait physique     

THE ROLE OF LANGUAGE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ABSTRACT THINKING: A COMPARISON OF HARD-OF-HEARING AND NORMAL-HEARING CHILDREN ON LEVELS OF CONCEPTUAL THINKING.

STUDIED 59 HARD-OF-HEARING CHILDREN WITH MINIMAL LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT AND 59 NORMAL HEARING CHILDREN MATCHED ON AGE AND SEX. THE STUDY AIMED TO (1) DEMONSTRATE THAT HIGHER LEVELS OF CONCEPTUAL THINKING ARE MORE DEPENDENT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF LANGUAGE THAN ARE LOWER LEVELS, AND (2) PROVIDE A MEANS OF MEASURING VARYING DEVELOPMENTAL LEVELS OF THINKING IN A MANNER THAT IS NOT DEPENDENT ON THE S HAVING RECEPTIVE OR EXPRESSIVE SPEECH. QUANTITATIVELY AND QUALITATIVELY, THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THE HARD-OF-HEARING CHILDREN ON THE PETTIFOR PICTURE SORTING TEST RESEMBLED THAT OF YOUNGER NORMAL CHILDREN. THE LACK OF LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT WAS CONSIDERED TO INTERFERE WITH THE NORMAL DEVELOPMENT OF CONCEPTUAL THINKING. (FRENCH SUMMARY) (24 REF.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)