The Perceived Authenticity of Iconic Heritage Sites in Urban Tourism: the Case of Constitutional Hill,Johannesburg, South Africa

Cultural heritage sites play multiple roles in the development of urban tourism. Amongst these roles, the authentic properties of cultural heritage generate a sense of place, are the main source of authentic tourist experience and assume an important role in reaffirming cultural and national identity. This paper provides a contribution to authenticity discourse both theoretically and empirically. The study examines and re-evaluates the main sources of authenticity of tourist experience generated from South African iconic places which serve a dual function, as ‘must-see’ tourist attractions and as places of new post-1994 national African identity building. The focus is the Constitution Hill heritage site in Johannesburg. The research explores how authentic is the individual tourist experience of the site and whether differences exist in the way domestic and international tourists perceive the authenticity of the iconic place as representative of new South African identity. The results show that the majority of tourists perceive the place as authentic and derive an authentic experience from the visit. No statistically significant differences are observed between the experience of domestic versus international tourists’ experience of the site which was measured by four variables of authentic experience, namely, attraction, attention, outcomes and feelings.     

Osteoporosis Preclinical Research: A Systematic Review on Comparative Studies Using Ovariectomized Sheep

Sheep ovariectomy (OVX) alone or associated to steroid therapy, deficient diet, or hypothalamic–pituitary disconnection has proven to be of critical importance for osteoporosis research in orthopedics. However, the impact of specific variables, such as breed, age, diet, time after OVX, and other variables, should be monitored. Thus, the design of comparative studies is mandatory to minimize the impact of these variables or to recognize the presence of unwanted variables as well as to better characterize bone remodeling in this model. Herein, we conducted a systematic review of the last 10 years on PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Knowledge considering only studies on OVX sheep where a control group was present. Of the 123 records screened, 18 studies were included and analyzed. Results showed that (i) Merino sheep are the most exploited breed; (ii) 5–6 years of age is the most used time for inducing OVX; (iii) ventral midline laparotomy is the most common approach to induce OVX; (iv) OVX associated to steroid therapy is the most widely used osteoporosis model; and (v) success of OVX was mostly verified 12 months after surgery. In detail, starting from 12 months after OVX a significant decline in bone mineral density and in microarchitectural bone parameters as well as in biochemical markers were detected in all studies in comparison to control groups. Bone alteration was also site-specific on a pattern as follows: lumbar vertebra, femoral neck, and ribs. Before 12 months from OVX and starting from 3–5 months, microarchitectural bone changes and biochemical marker alterations were present when osteoporosis was induced by OVX associated to steroid therapy. In conclusion, OVX in sheep influence bone metabolism causing pronounced systemic bone loss and structural deterioration comparable to the situation found in osteoporosis patients. Data for treating osteoporosis patients are based not only on good planning and study design but also on a correct animal use that, as suggested by 3Rs principles and by ARRIVE guidelines, includes the use of control groups to be directly contrasted with the experimental group.     

Flaxseed gums and their adsorption on whey protein-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions

The effect of the addition of flaxseed gum on the physicochemical properties of whey protein-stabilized (WPI) oil-in-water emulsions at pH 3.5 was investigated. Two different varieties (Emerson and McDuff) were tested at concentrations ranging from 0% to 0.33% (w/v), by measuring droplet size, ζ-potential, phase separation behavior, microstructure and apparent viscosity. With addition of flaxseed gum the ζ-potential of the droplets decreased from around +30 mV to a negative value (−10 mV) at concentrations >0.2%. These results indicated that the negatively charged polysaccharide fraction from flaxseed interacted with the protein adsorbed at the interface. An increase in apparent particle size was also noted with increasing flaxseed concentration, with destabilization becoming visually evident at concentrations higher than 0.1% (w/v). Microscopy, rheological data and size distribution analysis demonstrated for the first time that flaxseed gum interacts with protein-stabilized oil droplets at low pH, causing bridging flocculation. No significant differences were noted between flaxseed gums extracted from the Emerson and McDuff varieties. This research demonstrated that the electrostatic interactions between flaxseed gums and protein-stabilized emulsions need to be controlled when designing novel acidic beverages containing these polysaccharides.     

Prolonging the viability of Lactobacillus plantarum through the addition of prebiotics into the medium

Abstract: This article reports on the effects of prebiotics on the growth/death kinetics, metabolism, and biomass production by 2 strains of Lactobacillus plantarum (c19 and DSMZ 2601, isolated from table olives and purchased from a Public Collection, respectively). The research was divided into 3 different steps, in order to highlight the optimal combination for cell viability and experiments were performed under the conditions of an accelerated shelf life test; thus, 3 combinations were pointed out (fructooligosaccharides [FOS], 5 g/L; glucose + inulin, 2.5 + 2.5 g/L; glucose + FOS, 2.5 + 2.5 g/L). A sample containing only glucose was used as control. The results highlighted that the 3 combinations aforementioned prolonged cell viability over the time both under low and high inoculum conditions (3 and 9 log CFU/mL, respectively); however, FOS alone caused a reduction of biomass production, even if cell number was not affected by this compound. Therefore, as a final result of this research, the combination glucose + FOS could be proposed as a suitable mean to achieve an optimal production of biomass and prolong cell viability over the time. Practical Application: Food producers require a prolonged viability of probiotic bacteria in functional foods; this goal is usually achieved by refrigeration. In this article, the prolongation of cell viability through the addition of prebiotics was proposed.     

Artificial aging of Uva di Troia and Primitivo wines using oak chips inoculated with Penicillium purpurogenum

BACKGROUND: Two red wines (Primitivo and Uva di Troia) treated with oak chips inoculated with Penicillium purpurogenum were analysed in order to assess their contents of furfural, cis‐β‐methyl‐γ‐octalactone, syringol, eugenol, vanillin and 4‐vinylguaiacol. Two different sizes of oak chips (small and big, of length 2 and 8 mm respectively) and two different degrees of toasting (low and high) were used in the study. Aroma compounds were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to determine differences among samples after 15 days of chip contact time. RESULTS: Big oak chips inoculated with P. purpurogenum increased the level of 4‐vinylguaiacol, while small oak chips inoculated with P. purpurogenum, in some conditions, increased the level of eugenol. Chip size and degree of toasting also played an important role in the content of eugenol. CONCLUSION: The use of oak chips inoculated with mould might be a promising alternative to barrel aging. Moreover, different fungal inocula could contribute to the enrichment of wine with specific compounds (e.g. 4‐vinylguaiacol and eugenol). Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Mercury,selenium, PCBs and fatty acids in fresh and canned fish available on the Slovenian market

In order to contribute to the general understanding of the risks and benefits of consuming fish and fish products, total mercury (THg), monomethylmercury (MeHg), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), selenium (Se), n-3 and n-6 fatty acids were determined in fresh and canned fish on the Slovenian market. Furthermore, the mercury exposure of pregnant women in Slovenia was assessed by determining total mercury (THg) in hair, and through fresh and canned fish consumption obtained by a food frequency questionnaire. Based on the frequency of fish consumption and levels of MeHg, THg and PCBs determined in the present study, it can be concluded that fish available on the Slovenian market do not represent a health risk. It was also confirmed that fish are important sources of selenium and n-3 fatty acids.