Carcass characterisation of seven Spanish beef breeds slaughtered at two commercial weights

A total of 159 bulls representing seven Spanish beef breeds were fed with concentrates, managed in the same conditions and slaughtered at two commercial weights (veal and young-bull). Carcasses were measured and classified in order to characterise the carcass variation in the Spanish beef market and to assess the relationship among carcass measurements and grading. Principal Component Analysis clearly separated commercial types regardless the inclusion of the carcass weight in the input data. Within commercial weights the studied breeds clustered into three groups according to muscular development and carcass classification score: high meat producer breeds (Asturiana de los Valles and Rubia Gallega); medium meat producers (Parda Alpina and Pirenaica); and low meat producers (Avileña, Retinta and Morucha). The perimeter and width of the leg (muscular development) besides the length and width of the carcass basically defined these three carcass types. Conformation was an important trait in explaining variation between breeds because its values were positively correlated with muscular development and carcass compactness.     

Experimental fluorescence tomography of tissues with noncontact measurements

Noncontact optical measurements from diffuse media could facilitate the use of large detector arrays at multiple angles that are well suited for diffuse optical tomography applications. Such imaging strategy could eliminate the need for individual fibers in contact with tissue, restricted geometries, and matching fluids. Thus, it could significantly improve experimental procedures and enhance our ability to visualize functional and molecular processes in vivo. In this paper, we describe the experimental implementation of this novel concept and demonstrate capacity to perform small animal imaging.     

Analysis of window-constrained execution time systems

Feasibility tests for hard real-time systems provide information about the schedulability of the task set. However, this information is a yes or a no answer, that is, whether the task set achieves the test or not. From the real-time system design point of view, having more information available would be useful. For example, how much the computation time can vary without jeopardising the system feasibility. This work specifically provides methods to determine off-line how much a task can increase its computation time, by maintaining the system feasibility under a dynamic priority scheduling. The extra time can be determined not only in all the task activations, but in n of a window of m invocations. This is what we call a window-constrained execution time system. The results presented in this work can be used in all kinds of real-time systems: fault tolerance management, imprecise computation, overrun handling, control applications, etc. Patricia Balbastre is an assistant professor of Computer Engineering. She graduated in Electronic Engineering at the Technical University of Valencia, Spain, in 1998. And the Ph.D. degree in Computer Science at the same university in 2002. Her main research interests include real-time operating systems, dynamic scheduling algorithms and real-time control. Ismael Ripoll received the B.S. degree from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain, in 1992; the Ph.D. degree in Computer Science at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain, in 1996. Currently he is Professor in the DISCA Department of the same University. His research interests include embedded and real-time operating systems. Alfons Crespo is Professor of the Department of Computer Engineering of the Technical University of Valencia. He received the PhD in Computer Science from the Technical University of Valencia, Spain, in 1984. He held the position of Associate professor in 1986 and full Professor in 1991. He leads the group of Industrial Informatics and has been the responsible of several European and Spanish research projects. His main research interest include different aspects of the real-time systems (scheduling, hardware support, scheduling and control integration, …). He has published more than 60 papers in specialised journals and conferences in the area of real-time systems.     

The Role of Ferric Oxide Nanoparticles in Improving Lubricity and Tribo-Electrochemical Performance During Chemical–Mechanical Polishing

The role of ferric oxide nanoparticles on the lubricating characteristics of passivating films formed on stainless steel (SS) was discussed in this study. The tribo-electrochemical behavior of mirror-like polished AISI 304 SS, used as an exemplary material, was evaluated in various electrolytes by means of a simulated chemical–mechanical polishing process in laboratory scale. It was clearly demonstrated that a suitable combination of abrasives (ferric oxide nanoparticles) and an oxidizer (nitric acid) can act as an effective lubricant that lowers the friction and wear of the AISI 304 SS surfaces. The excellent lubricating and anti-corrosion properties shown by a slurry containing a high content of ferric oxide nanoparticles at high nitric acid concentrations were attributed to the formation of a stable and robust passive film that was composed of chromium oxide and a mixture of iron oxides. The lack of ferric oxide nanoparticles in two solutions containing nitric acid of different concentrations led to pitting corrosion and abrasive wear. When low concentrations of both ferric oxide nanoparticles and nitric acid were used, wear-accelerated corrosion became the dominant mechanism that was caused by the presence of third-body wear particles in the contact zone.     

Instrumental meat quality of veal calves reared under three management systems and color evolution of meat stored in three packaging systems

This study evaluated the meat quality of grazing suckling calves (GR), suckling plus supplemented calves (SUP) and weaned calves finished on concentrates (FIN) and the color evolution of meat packaged in film (FILM), modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and vacuum packaging (VAC). Intramuscular fat was quite low for all treatments and GR meat had greater percentages of PUFA and lower SFA, MUFA and n6/n3 than SUP and FIN. FIN and SUP meat had more L* and was more tender when aged than GR. GR meat was tough and dark. The packaging system was more influential on meat color than the feeding management. VAC had the lowest values of metmyoglobin when aged. MAP had the greatest L* and hue angle and the lowest redness after 13 d of aging, thus MAP was the packaging with the shortest shelf life.     

Syngas production by non-catalytic reforming of biogas with steam addition under filtration combustion mode

Biogas conversion to syngas (mainly H₂ and CO) is considered an upgrade method that yields a fuel with a higher energy density. Studies on syngas production were conducted on an inert porous media reactor under a filtration combustion mode of biogas with steam addition, as a non-catalytic method for biogas valorization. The reactor was operated under a constant filtration velocity of 34.4 cm/s, equivalence ratio of 2.0, and biogas concentration of 60 vol% Natural Gas/40 vol% CO₂, while the steam to carbon ratio (S/C) was varied between 0.0 and 2.0. Total volumetric flow remained constant at 7 L/min. Combustion wave temperature and propagation rate, product gas composition, reactants conversion as well as H₂ and CO selectivity were measured as a function of S/C ratio. Chromatographic parameters, method validation and measurement uncertainty were developed and optimized. It was observed that S/C ratio of 2.0 gave optimal results under studied conditions for biogas conversion, leading to maximum concentrations of 10.34 vol% H₂, 9.98 vol% CO and highest thermal efficiency of 64.2% associated with a modified EROI of 46.3%, which considered energy consumption for steam supply. Conclusions indicated that the increment of the steam co-fed with the reactants favored the non-catalytic conversion of biogas and thus resulted in an effective fuel upgrading.     

Close-to-Reality Sliding-Corrosion Test-Rig for Oilfield Application

Sliding-corrosion phenomena play a crucial role in reducing the lifetime of tubings in the oil production industry. The aim of the present work is to develop and apply a close-to-reality test rig to describe the tribological performance of low-alloyed Carbon-steel (C-steel) under sliding-corrosion conditions in O₂-free environment. The proposed test rig is highly relevant for the oil production industry and has been designed at the Austrian Competence Center for Tribology (AC²T). The benefit of this equipment is that it allows the setting of the CO₂ atmosphere at a certain partial pressure while simultaneously varying the pH-value, Cl^? ion concentration, and temperature of the electrolyte solution. Pure corrosion phenomena are investigated within a designed coupon box where conditions of steam, electrolyte injection, static, and dynamic flow are controlled. In addition to the corrosive environment, a tribological reciprocating sliding contact is implemented between tubing segments and coupling samples. Within this study, a commercially available low-alloyed C-steel was selected as base material for the tubing, which was tribologically stressed under reciprocating sliding contact against spray metal coated couplings. The results show a high influence of the steel microstructure on the performance of low-alloyed C-steel tubings under sliding-corrosion. Additionally, the dominant damage mechanisms that are observed in real field applications could be successfully reproduced by experimental simulation using this newly designed close-to-reality test rig.     

The effect of seasonality of the growing–finishing period on carcass,meat and fat characteristics of heavy barrows and gilts

A trial was conducted to study the effect of gender (barrows; gilts) and seasonality of growing–finishing period (S, summer; W, winter) on the carcass and meat characteristics and fatty acid (FA) profile of subcutaneous fat of pigs slaughtered at 131 kg of body weight. No significant gender × seasonality interaction was detected and the differences between genders were scarce. The S pigs had a 13.2% thinner fat depth over the Gluteus medius muscle and a higher yield of shoulders and loins by 10.6% and 10.0%, respectively than W pigs. Meat from S pigs had 32.5% lower intramuscular fat content and higher cooking losses (9.1%) and shear force (6.4%) than meat from W pigs. Subcutaneous fat from S pigs had a 7.8% higher percentage of saturated FA and 4.9% lower monounsaturated FA than that from W pigs. It is concluded that in Spanish natural-environment facilities, the seasonality of the growing–finishing period affects the carcass, and meat and fat quality of heavy pigs.