Simple method for determination of dietary fiber in frozen foods

A simple method was developed for the determination of dietary fiber in multicomponent foods. The method involves dispersing the sample into pH 7.4 phosphate buffer and adding bile and pancreatic enzyme as described. Results were comparable to AOAC methods with correlation coefficients of 86% for multicomponent dinners and 89% for breakfast foods. Coefficients of variation ranged from 7.4 to 20.0% for multicomponent foods and 1.0 to 3.6% for single component foods. In addition, blind duplicate samples had a correlation of 0.99. The described method required less time, labor, and manipulation than AOAC methods.     

Distribution and connections of inspiratory premotor neurons in the brainstem of the pigeon (Columba livia)

We have recorded extracellular, inspiratory-related (IR) unit activity in the medulla at locations corresponding to those of neurons retrogradely labeled by injections of retrograde tracers in the lower brachial and upper thoracic spinal cord, injections that covered cell bodies and dendrites of motoneurons innervating inspiratory muscles. Bulbospinal neurons were distributed throughout the dorsomedial and ventrolateral medulla, from the spinomedullary junction through about 0.8 mm rostral to the obex. Almost all of the 104 IR units recorded were located in corresponding parts of the ventrolateral medulla, rostral to nucleus retroambigualis, where expiratory related units are found. Injections of biotinylated dextran amine at the recording sites labeled projections both to the spinal cord and to the brainstem. In the lower brachial and upper thoracic spinal cord, bulbospinal axons traveled predominantly in the contralateral dorsolateral funiculus and terminated in close relation to the dendrites of inspiratory motoneurons retrogradely labeled with cholera toxin B-chain. In the brainstem, there were predominantly ipsilateral projections to the nucleus retroambigualis, tracheosyringeal motor nucleus (XIIts), ventrolateral nucleus of the rostral medulla, infraolivary superior nucleus, ventrolateral parabrachial nucleus, and dorsomedial nucleus of the intercollicular complex. In all these nuclei, except XIIts, retrogradely labeled neurons were also found, indicating reciprocity of the connections. These results suggest the possibility of monosynaptic connections between inspiratory premotor neurons and inspiratory motoneurons, which, together with connections of IR neurons with other brainstem respiratory-vocal nuclei, seem likely to mediate the close coordination that exists in birds between the vocal and respiratory systems. The distribution of IR neurons in birds is similar to that of the rostral ventral respiratory group (rVRG) in mammals.     

V型尾门在河工模型试验中的应用

尾门是河工模型中常见的装置,也是水位控制的关键设备之一.该文作者根据多年的经验,研制了一种新式尾门--V型尾门.该尾门具有调节精度高、稳定性好、操作方便等优点.并在多个模型中应用,取得了良好的控制效果.文章介绍了V型尾门的制作要点,并结合试验数据论述具体应用效果.     

提高20t电弧炉炉衬寿命工艺实践

炉渣碱度、泡沫渣高度、吹氧角度、补炉方式等是影响20t电弧炉炉衬寿命的主要因素。为了提高炉衬寿命,莱钢炼钢厂采取了控制炉渣组成、泡沫渣全程埋弧操作、吹氧、喷补炉衬等多项措施,使炉衬寿命稳定在600炉次以上。