Composition and properties of seeds and pods of the tree legume Prosopis juliflora (DC)

Seeds and whole pods of Prosopis juliflora were analysed for proximate composition, fatty acids, minerals and soluble sugars. Crude protein constituted 35 % and 10 % of the seeds and whole pods, respectively. Nitrogen free extracts (NFE) comprised approximately 45 % of the seeds and whole pods. In the case of the pods, sucrose represented approximately 75 % of the soluble sugars. The lipid of both the seeds and whole pods contained a relatively large proportion of unsaturated fatty acids with linoleic acid as the predominant fatty acid. Levels of the macronutrients Ca, Mg, K and P were relatively low in comparison with cultivated legumes. Alkaline extraction of the seeds and whole pods showed that more than 70 % of the proteins were extractable. Maximum precipitation of the proteins was observed in the pH range 4.0-4.5. Amino acid analysis of the isolated proteins showed relatively high levels of lysine (312mg g^?l N for the seed and 438 mg g^?l N for the pod protein) and adequate levels of valine, leucine, tyrosine and phenylalanine. Methionine was the most limiting amino acid. The in vitro enzymic digestibility of the proteins of Prosopis seed was comparable to that of proteins of other legume seeds.     

White cell-reduced red cells prepared by filtration: a critical evaluation of current filters and methods for counting residual white cells

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is reported to dilate a major coronary artery in both experimental animals and humans. Spasm of a major coronary artery is the cause of variant angina pectoris and can be induced by hyperventilation. The effect of the ANP infusion on anginal attack induced by hyperventilation was studied in patients with variant angina pectoris. The study was performed in the early morning on 3 consecutive days in 11 patients with variant angina pectoris in whom the attacks were reproducibly induced by hyperventilation. On days 1 and 3 (saline solution infusion), and day 2 (ANP infusion), hyperventilation was started 14 minutes after beginning infusion of ANP (0.1 microgram/kg/min) or saline solution for 6 minutes. The attacks were induced in all 11 patients by hyperventilation on days 1 and 3. However, the attacks were not induced in any patient on day 2 of the ANP infusion. The plasma ANP level increased from 33 +/- 7 pg/ml to the peak level of 2,973 +/- 479 pg/ml (p < 0.01) at the end of the ANP infusion, and the plasma level of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) increased from 5 +/- 1 pmol/ml to the peak level of 58 +/- 6 pmol/ml (p < 0.01) 5 minutes after the ANP infusion. The plasma levels of ANP and cGMP did not change after hyperventilation on days 1 and 3. It is concluded that the ANP infusion suppresses the attacks induced by hyperventilation in patients with variant angina pectoris, and cGMP is related to the mechanisms of suppression of the attacks.     

Crystalline stability of self-assembled fibrillar networks of 12-hydroxystearic acid in edible oils

The stability of organogels differs based on the organogelator concentration, storage temperature, and solvent type. Organogel post-crystallization annealing was monitored at 5 °C, 15 °C, 20 °C or 30 °C for up to 1 month. Gels, stored at 5 °C, had highly immobilized oil, as judged from large T₂ relaxation peaks at 50–70 ms determined by pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance (pNMR) and visual observations. When the gels were stored at 30 °C, the 50–70 ms T₂ relaxation peak shifted to longer relaxation times, indicating that the oil was more mobile than at 5 °C. Along with the increase in syneresis at 30 °C, the 12HSA network’s crystallinity was also greater, having fewer inclusions of liquid oil, as determined by pNMR. The highly branched network observed at 5 °C changed more in time with regards to crystallinity although it entrained the oil to a much greater extent than the gels stored at 30 °C.     

Functionality and physical properties of interesterified high oleic shortening structured with stearic acid

A zero-trans fat shortening was prepared by chemical interesterification (CI) of high oleic sunflower oil, fully hydrogenated canola oil, and fully hydrogenated soybean oil (FHSO) in a weight ratio of 70:17:13. The product was crystallized in a votator and tested by baking chewy brownie cookies. The CI process produced a fat with comparable plasticity, solid fat content profile, melting point and morphology as the commercial shortening, and was appropriate for use as a high stability shortening. Interestingly, the CI material was predominantly in the β polymorph, and did not seem to be influenced by the mechanical and cooling treatment. Moreover, small crystallites in the range of <5 μm were observed. Cookies containing 30% FHCO showed the same hardness, but a higher spread ratio than cookies made using a commercial shortening. The results of sensory analysis showed the same acceptability for the two types of cookies.     

Effect of compressed fluids treatment on the activity,stability and enzymatic reaction performance of β-galactosidase

The present work investigates, as a first step, the influences of pressure, exposure time and depressurisation rate on the β-galactosidase activity of permeabilized cells of Kluyveromyces marxianus CCT 7082 submitted to treatment with compressed carbon dioxide, propane and n-butane. In general, results showed that the enzyme activity changes significantly, depending on the experimental conditions investigated, allowing the selection of proper operating conditions for advantageous application of this biocatalyst in hydrolysis reactions. Further, the stability of the enzyme, after high-pressure pre-treatment, was also experimentally monitored, and the results demonstrated that the activities of this biocatalyst were always higher than those of the non-treated one. Finally, evaluation of synthesis of galactooligosaccharides (GOS), using β-galactosidase without treatment and after treatment in compressed fluids, was carried out. Results indicated promising possibilities since the use of n-butane-pre-treated enzyme led to very satisfactory reaction conversions and selectivity.     

Cross-phase modulation due to a cascade of quadratic interactions in a PPLN waveguide

The cross-phase modulation of a weak signal has been obtained in a periodically poled lithium-niobate waveguide as a result of the quadratic interaction of the signal with the second harmonic of an intense pump field. The nonlinear phase acquired by the signal has been measured as a function of the pump field intensity and of the phase mismatch with the second harmonic field. The measurements have been performed with a properly designed experimental setup based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometric scheme, which proved to be quite insensitive to slow mechanical and thermal drifts. Numerical simulations are in good agreement with experimental results.     

Review of Attachment, play and authenticity: A Winnicott primer.

Reviews the book, Attachment, play and authenticity: A Winnicott primer by Steven Tuber (2008). Based on Tuber’s lectures in the doctoral program in clinical psychology at the City University of New York at City College, and his clinical work for the past 30 years or so, this book is the culmination of countless hours of playing with Winnicott—after all, becoming “real...takes a long time”—and Tuber makes no bones about his perspective. His admiring immersion in Winnicott is unabashed, unapologetic, and unencumbered by an allegiance to any particular overarching school of psychoanalytic thinking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Residence Time Distribution Models Derived from Non‐Ideal Laminar Velocity Profiles in Tubes

The theoretical E‐curve for the laminar flow of non‐Newtonian fluids in circular tubes may not be accurate for real tubular systems with diffusion, mechanical vibration, wall roughness, pipe fittings, curves, coils, or corrugated walls. Deviations from the idealized laminar flow reactor (LFR) cannot be well represented using the axial dispersion or the tanks‐in‐series models of residence time distribution (RTD). In this work, four RTD models derived from non‐ideal velocity profiles in segregated tube flow are proposed. They were used to represent the RTD of three tubular systems working with Newtonian and pseudoplastic fluids. Other RTD models were considered for comparison. The proposed models provided good adjustments, and it was possible to determine the active volumes. It is expected that these models can be useful for the analysis of LFR or for the evaluation of continuous thermal processing of viscous foods.     

Organogels: An Alternative Edible Oil-Structuring Method

Structuring liquid oils has become an active area of research in the past decade, mainly due to pressures to reduce saturated fat intake and eliminate trans fats from our diets. However, replacing hard fats with liquid oil can lead to major changes in the quality of food products. Recent strategies to impart solid-fat functionality to liquid oils include the addition of unusual compounds to oil, leading to its gelation. These include small-molecule organogelators such as phytosterols and 12-hydroxystearic acid, which self-assemble into crystalline fibers which trap oil. Other crystalline additives include waxes, ceramides, monoacylglycerides, and other surfactants. Recently, the polymer ethyl cellulose was reported to form a polymer gel in triacylglyceride (TAG) oils. Other non-conventional strategies also include the formation of protein-stabilized cellular solids with oil trapped within the cells. In this review, we summarize the research on each one of these components in order to provide a comprehensive overview of the state of the area in oleogel research and provide future perspectives.