Effect of Roasting on Physicochemical Properties of Wild Almonds (Amygdalus scoparia)

Roasting enhances sensory quality of wild almonds (Amygdalus scoparia). The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of microwaves (480 W for 3 or 4 min) in roasting of wild almonds in comparison with traditional Spanish (165 °C for 20 min) and Iranian (soaking in 20 % NaCl in water for 30 min, drying at 60 °C for 2 h and roasting at 135 °C for 20 min) hot‐air processes. The influence of roasting wild almonds on moisture and oil contents, crispness, fatty acid profile, volatile compounds, and odour intensity was investigated. Roasting causes changes in appearance, texture and flavour, due to dehydration, browning, lipid oxidation, and diverse structural changes. The moisture content and hardness of the samples significantly decreased with all roasting methods. Roasting resulted in higher amounts of characteristics aroma compounds and only microwave roasting increased the oil content. The final recommendation is that microwave roasting at 480 W for 4 min led to roasted almonds of high physicochemical [dark and intense colour (L*44.9, a*8.4, and b*19.6), the highest content of total volatile compounds (132 mg kg^?1), 85.2 % of unsaturated fatty acids], and sensory (high intensity of “roasted almond” aroma) quality. Microwaves can be used for roasting wild almond as a quick, safe, and economical method.     

Inline electron holography and VEELS for the measurement of strain in ternary and quaternary (In,Al,Ga)N alloyed thin films and its effect on bandgap energy

We present the use of (1) dark‐field inline electron holography for measuring the structural strain, and indirectly obtaining the composition, in a wurtzite, 4‐nm‐thick InAlGaN epilayer on a AlN/GaN/AlN/GaN multinano‐layer heterosystem, and (2) valence electron energy‐loss spectroscopy to study the bandgap value of five different, also hexagonal, 20–50‐nm‐thick InAlGaN layers. The measured strain values were almost identical to the ones obtained by other techniques for similarly grown materials. We found that the biaxial strain in the III‐N alloys lowers the bandgap energy as compared to the value calculated with different known expressions and bowing parameters for unstrained layers. By contrast, calculated and experimental values agreed in the case of lattice‐matched (almost unstrained) heterostructures.     

Titanium diffusion in shinbone of rats with osseointegrated implants

Dental implants are composed of commercially pure Ti (which is actually an alloy of titanium, and minor or trace components such as aluminium and vanadium). When the implant is inserted, its surface undergoes a number of chemical and mechanical processes, releasing particles of titanium to the medium. The metabolism of free ions of titanium is uncertain; the uptaking processes in the body are not well known, nor their toxic dose. In addition, physical properties of newly formed bone, such as diffusivity and activation energy, are scarce and rarely studied. In this study, we analysed the diffusion of titanium in the titanium‐implanted shinbones of six adult male Wistar rats by spatially resolved micro x‐ray fluorescence. The measurements were carried out at the microfluorescence station of the x‐ray fluorescence (XRF) beamline of the Brazilian synchrotron facility LNLS (from Portuguese ‘Laboratorio Nacional de Luz Sincrotron’). For each sample, XRF spectra were taken by linear scanning in area near the new bone formed around the Ti implant. The scanning line shows a clear effect of titanium diffusion whereas calcium intensity presents a different behaviour. Moreover, a clear correlation among the different structures of bones is observed in the Ti and Ca intensities. The results obtained in these measurements may allow determining quantitatively the parameters of diffusion rates and other physical properties of new bone like diffusion coefficients.     

Minimizing photodecomposition of flavin adenine dinucleotide fluorescence by the use of pulsed LEDs

Dynamic alterations in flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) fluorescence permit insight into energy metabolism‐dependent changes of intramitochondrial redox potential. Monitoring FAD fluorescence in living tissue is impeded by photobleaching, restricting the length of microfluorimetric recordings. In addition, photodecomposition of these essential electron carriers negatively interferes with energy metabolism and viability of the biological specimen. Taking advantage of pulsed LED illumination, here we determined the optimal excitation settings giving the largest fluorescence yield with the lowest photobleaching and interference with metabolism in hippocampal brain slices. The effects of FAD bleaching on energy metabolism and viability were studied by monitoring tissue pO₂, field potentials and changes in extracellular potassium concentration ([K⁺]_o). Photobleaching with continuous illumination consisted of an initial exponential decrease followed by a nearly linear decay. The exponential decay was significantly decelerated with pulsed illumination. Pulse length of 5 ms was sufficient to reach a fluorescence output comparable to continuous illumination, whereas further increasing duration increased photobleaching. Similarly, photobleaching increased with shortening of the interpulse interval. Photobleaching was partially reversible indicating the existence of a transient nonfluorescent flavin derivative. Pulsed illumination decreased FAD photodecomposition, improved slice viability and reproducibility of stimulus‐induced FAD, field potential, [K⁺]_o and pO₂ changes as compared to continuous illumination.     

Novel Redox-Dependent Esterase Activity (EC 3.1.1.2) for DJ-1: Implications for Parkinson’s Disease

Mutations the in human DJ-1 (hDJ-1) gene are associated with early-onset autosomal recessive forms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). hDJ-1/parkinsonism associated deglycase (PARK7) is a cytoprotective multi-functional protein that contains a conserved cysteine-protease domain. Given that cysteine-proteases can act on both amide and ester substrates, we surmised that hDJ-1 possessed cysteine-mediated esterase activity. To test this hypothesis, hDJ-1 was overexpressed, purified and tested for activity towards 4-nitrophenyl acetate (pNPA) as µmol of pNPA hydrolyzed/min/mg·protein (U/mg protein). hDJ-1 showed maximum reaction velocity esterase activity (V_max = 235.10 ± 12.00 U/mg protein), with a sigmoidal fit (S_0.5 = 0.55 ± 0.040 mM) and apparent positive cooperativity (Hill coefficient of 2.05 ± 0.28). A PD-associated mutant of DJ-1 (M26I) lacked activity. Unlike its protease activity which is inactivated by reactive oxygen species (ROS), esterase activity of hDJ-1 is enhanced upon exposure to low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (<10 µM) and plateaus at elevated concentrations (>100 µM) suggesting that its activity is resistant to oxidative stress. Esterase activity of DJ-1 requires oxidation of catalytic cysteines, as chemically protecting cysteines blocked its activity whereas an oxido-mimetic mutant of DJ-1 (C106D) exhibited robust esterase activity. Molecular docking studies suggest that C106 and L126 within its catalytic site interact with esterase substrates. Overall, our data show that hDJ-1 contains intrinsic redox-sensitive esterase activity that is abolished in a PD-associated mutant form of the hDJ-1 protein.     

Spread or backwash: The impact on population dynamics and business performance of a new road in a rural county of Galicia (Spain)

The natural experiment provided by the opening of a section that completed the A8 motorway in Mariña de Lugo, a rural area in Galicia (Spain), offers an opportunity to identify whether spread or backwash effects in economic activity are observed. The new section directly affects only a small strip of the territory—where the transition from the inland rural areas to the more dynamic coastal area takes place. This allows us to test a separate dual inner-coastal socio-economic performance after the opening of the new road—an analysis that has rarely been performed for rural areas in developed countries. We study the impact over population growth, employment and business financial results, using the differences-in-differences approach. The results we obtain are consistent with the spread hypothesis for the nearest municipality to the new road section, while the spread effects did not disseminate to the neighbouring municipalities. These global results hide a different performance at the sector level, positive for transport and manufacturing companies, and negative for retail firms and hospitality.     

Production of Ag−ZnO powders by hot mechanochemical processing

Ag–CdO composites are still one of the most commonly used electrical contact materials in low-voltage applications owing to their excellent electrical and mechanical properties. Nevertheless, considering the restriction on using Cd due to its toxicity, it is necessary to find alternative materials that can replace these composites. In this study, the synthesis of Ag?ZnO alloys from Ag?Zn solid solutions was investigated by hot mechanochemical processing. The hot mechanochemical processing was conducted in a modified attritor mill at 138 °C under flowing O₂ at 1200 cm³/min for 3.0 h. The microstructure and phase evolution were investigated using X-ray diffractometry, field emission gun scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results suggest that it is possible to complete the oxidation of Ag?Zn solid solution by hot mechanochemical processing at a low temperature and short time. This novel synthesis route can produce Ag?ZnO composites with a homogeneous distribution of nanoscale ZnO precipitates, which is impossible to achieve using the conventional material processing methods. Considering the fact that the fundamental approach to improving electric contact material performance resides in obtaining uniform dispersion of the second-phase in the Ag matrix, this new processing route could open the possibility for Ag?ZnO composites to replace non-environmentally friendly Ag?CdO.     

Effect of Silicon and Graphite Degeneration on High-Temperature Oxidation of Ductile Cast Irons in Open Air

Oxidation of Metals - The use of high silicon ductile irons is increasing as they offer some advantages with respect to conventional pearlitic–ferritic grades such as high elongation at...     

Chemical Ecology of the host searching behavior in an Egg Parasitoid: are Common Chemical Cues exploited to locate hosts in Taxonomically Distant Plant Species?

Parasitoids are known to exploit volatile cues emitted by plants after herbivore attack to locate their hosts. Feeding and oviposition of a polyphagous herbivore can induce the emission of odor blends that differ among distant plant species, and parasitoids have evolved an incredible ability to discriminate them and locate their hosts relying on olfactive cues. We evaluated the host searching behavior of the egg parasitoid Cosmocomoidea annulicornis (Ogloblin) (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) in response to odors emitted by two taxonomically distant host plants, citrus and Johnson grass, after infestation by the sharpshooter Tapajosa rubromarginata (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), vector of Citrus Variegated Chlorosis. Olfactory response of female parasitoids toward plants with no herbivore damage and plants with feeding damage, oviposition damage, and parasitized eggs was tested in a Y-tube olfactometer. In addition, volatiles released by the two host plant species constitutively and under herbivore attack were characterized. Females of C. annulicornis were able to detect and significantly preferred plants with host eggs, irrespectively of plant species. However, wasps were unable to discriminate between plants with healthy eggs and those with eggs previously parasitized by conspecifics. Analysis of plant volatiles induced after sharpshooter attack showed only two common volatiles between the two plant species, indole and β-caryophyllene. Our results suggest that this parasitoid wasp uses common chemical cues released by many different plants after herbivory at long range and, once on the plant, other more specific chemical cues could trigger the final decision to oviposit.