Progress towards using the speed of ultrasound for beef leanness classification

Following the observation of a high correlation between the reciprocal of the speed of ultrasound and lean proportion in beef carcasses, commercial equipment (VOSI) was developed and its performance alongside a smaller assembly (Mini G) is reported. The speed of ultrasound was measured through six sites on beef carcasses within 1 h of stunning: three sites with VOSI and three sites with Mini G. Sides were also scored for fatness and conformation using the EAAP system, and subcutaneous fat depth was measured at 25,50 and 75% of the width of M. longissimus thoracis from the midline at the last rib. All sides were dissected into subcutaneous fat, intermuscular fat, muscle and bone. The reciprocal speed averaged over the three VOSI sites (RV346) was the best single predictor of the proportion of lean in the side. Multiple regression analyses, in predicting per cent lean, showed that addition of conformation score improved the precision of fat score and fat depth for a group of 26 sides. It did not provide a significant improvement over RV346. However, in another group of 50 sides showing more variation in side mass and conformation, conformation score did significantly improve RV346. The best prediction of per cent lean, involving RV346 and tissue thicknesses, gave a residual standard deviation of 1·35%, and conformation score did not significantly improve this regression.     

Electrochemical injection of organic corrosion inhibitors into carbonated cementitious materials: Part 1. Effects on pore solution chemistry

This series of investigations was intended to clarify phenomena associated with electrochemical injection of the organic base corrosion inhibitors, ethanolamine and guanidine, into carbonated concrete. In Part 1, experiments were conducted with laminated specimens of carbonated cement paste, that were specially designed to facilitate analysis with adequate spatial resolution to assess changes in their pore solution phase chemistry after they had been subjected to constant current electrolysis between embedded cathodes and external anodes. The anolyte solutions provided sources of ethanolamine or guanidine in contact with the exterior specimen surfaces. Effects of variations in the applied current density and duration of electrolysis on the concentration profiles of the two inhibitors and the other main constituents of the pore solution phase were determined. The results have been used to underpin the development of a mathematical model, which is described in Part 2.     

Effects of experimental endogenous hyperlipemia on circulating leukocytes and erythrocytes

Effects of hyperlipemia on circulating leukocytes and erythrocytes were studied in dogs which were given repeated, intravenous injections of a nonionic detergent, Triton WR-1339. Erythrocyte lipid concentrations increased from 3.6±0.9 mg/10¹⁰ cells in control animals to 9.3±1.5 mg in the hyperlipemic group. This increase was accompanied by a shift in the distribution of total fatty acids toward a higher percentage of saturated and monounsaturated acids. In contrast to the changes observed in erythrocytes, the leukocyte lipid content remained unaltered in dogs with serum cholesterol levels ranging from 500 to more than 2,000 mg/100 ml. Leukocyte counts rose whereas hematocrit values, hemoglobin concentrations, and erythrocyte counts decreased. Oxygen utilization studies showed no significant metabolic differences between leukocytes which were isolated from hyperlipemic or control animals. Circulating leukocytes in dogs with an endogenously induced hyperlipemia were shown therefore to maintain normal lipid concentrations and did not participate in lipophage formation, as reported for certain diet-induced lipemias.     

Honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) queen feces: Source of a pheromone that repels worker bees

When placed in a small observation arena with workers, most young virgin honeybee queens released fecal (hindgut) material during agonistic interactions with workers and with each other. On release of this material, workers moved to the sides of the arena and groomed themselves. Bioassays of virgin queen fecal material demonstrated that it contains pheromone that repels workers and stimulates grooming behavior. Pheromone was present only in the feces of virgin queens that were more than 24 hr old and less than 2 weeks old. Feces of 2- to 4-day-old workers and virgin queens more than 2 weeks old did not elicit an avoidance response by workers. Moreover, the feces of young virgin queens had a strong fragrance, while that of older queens had a rancid odor and that of young workers had no detectable odor.     

Estimation of lamb carcass composition from measurements of the speed of ultrasound in the soft tissues of live animals and carcasses

The application of the velocity of sound (VOS) technique to lamb carcasses in a previous study (Fisher & Page, 1986) measured composition at a hind limb and neck site but was not as precise as fat scores in predicting lean proportion. This study examines VOS measurements made at sites in the hind limbs and along the vertebral column in live sheep and carcasses. A group (A) comprising five breeds of males and females (n = 61) and a sub-group (B) of Scottish Blackface castrated males (n = 34) were studied, and the reciprocal velocity of ultrasound (RV) was measured on the live sheep immediately behind the shoulder and over the last rib using a fixed-distance transducer assembly operating at 5 MHz, and in the hind limbs at 2·25 MHz using the apparatus described by Miles et al. (1984). Corresponding measurements were made on the carcasses which were classified by a Meat and Livestock Commission fatstock officer and then dissected. Standard deviations of lean proportion were 4·48% (A) and 3·39% (B). The residual standard deviations (rsds) for groups A and B respectively were obtained using the following predictors: live mass (LM) 4·27% and 2·96%; LM + breed (B) 3·08% (group A only); LM + mean RV 2·36% and 2·07%; LM + B + mean RV 1·99% (group A only). Using carcass measurements: carcass mass (CM) 4·25% and 2·90%; CM + MLC fat score 2·99% and 2·12%; CM + RV last rib 2·89% and 2·02%. These data show that VOS measurements through dorsal sites of live sheep provide encouragingly precise estimates of carcass lean proportion. For carcasses, dorsal sites provide a less precise estimate of carcass lean but when carcass mass is included in multiple regression the precision of the correlation is comparable with that of multiple regression of fat score with carcass mass.     

Grain-boundary sliding measurements in Al2O3 by machine vision photogrammetry

The nucleation, growth and coalescence of grain-boundary cavities is the primary damage mechanism observed during creep of structural ceramics. Furthermore, grain-boundary sliding (GBS) has been identified as the driving force process. Although the creep characteristics of structural ceramics have been extensively studied, very little is known about the details of GBS during creep and how GBS relates to cavitation kinetics. This paper presents the results of a study using a machine vision system to measure Mode II GBS displacements in a Lucalox Al₂O₃. Specifically, sliding displacements as large as 0.4 m were measured. The measured displacements indicate that some grain boundaries experienced shear strains and strain rates of 4200% and 2.3×10^–2 s^–1, respectively. The techniques utilized for these measurements are described in detail, and data gathered during a 2 1/2 h compressive creep test under a stress of 138 MPa at 1600 °C are presented and discussed.     

Factors affecting the corrosion rate of steel in carbonated mortars

The corrosion of steel in carbonated mortar has been investigated by monitoring polarization resistance, corrosion potential and mortar resistivity. The results suggest that factors such as relative humidity and chloride contamination affect the corrosion rate via their influence on mortar resistivity. To account for the observed electrochemical relationships, most notably the linear correlation between corrosion rate and conductivity, and the exponential increase in corrosion rate with fall in corrosion potential, it is proposed that the corrosion kinetics of steel in carbonated mortar are subject to anodic control with the anodic reaction rate being limited by the resistance of the mortar. In this model, termed anodic resistance control, resistivity is viewed as a factor which may limit a half reaction rate in a similar way to diffusion and activation polarization. It is also shown that, when such a model is operating, the use of polarization resistance to monitor corrosion rate changes may still be justified provided the cathodic reaction rate is an exponential function of potential.     

Axonal regeneration and physiological activity following transection and immunological disruption of myelin within the hatchling chick spinal cord

Transections of the chicken spinal cord after the developmental onset of myelination at embryonic day (E) 13 results in little or no functional regeneration. However, intraspinal injection of serum complement proteins with complement-binding GalC or 04 antibodies between E9-E12 results in a delay of the onset of myelination until E17. A subsequent transection of the spinal cord as late as E15 (i.e., during the normal restrictive period for repair) results in neuroanatomical regeneration and functional recovery. Utilizing a similar immunological protocol, we evoked a transient alteration of myelin structure in the posthatching (P) chicken spinal cord, characterized by widespread "unravelling" of myelin sheaths and a loss of MBP immunoreactivity (myelin disruption). Myelin repair began within 7 d of cessation of the myelin disruption protocol. Long term disruption of thoracic spinal cord myelin was initiated after a P2-P10 thoracic transection and maintained for > 14 d by intra-spinal infusion of serum complement proteins plus complement-binding GalC or 04 antibodies. Fourteen to 28 d later, retrograde tract tracing experiments, including double-labeling protocols, indicated that approximately 6-19% of the brainstem-spinal projections had regenerated across the transection site to lumbar levels. Even though voluntary locomotion was not observed after recovery, focal electrical stimulation of identified brainstem locomotor regions evoked peripheral nerve activity in paralyzed preparations, as well as leg muscle activity patterns typical of stepping in unparalyzed animals. This indicated that a transient alteration of myelin structure in the injured adult avian spinal cord facilitated brainstem-spinal axonal regrowth resulting in functional synaptogenesis with target neurons.     

Plasmon resonant amplification of a hot electron-driven photodiode

Nano Research - We report plasmon resonant excitation of hot electrons in a photodetector based on a metal/oxide/metal (Au/Al2O3/graphene) heterostructure. In this device, hot electrons, excited...