Monitoring Cheddar cheese ripening by chemical indices of proteolysis 1. Determination of free glutamic acid, soluble nitrogen, and liberated amino groups

Summary Freel-glutamic acid (Glu), soluble nitrogen (N), and liberated amino groups (amino-N) were evaluated as indicators of proteolysis and maturation in a study of Cheddar cheese ripening. The analytical methods involved standardized extraction and fractionation procedures, enzymatic determination of Glu, the measurement of N by Kjeldahl and amino-N by a rapid spectrophotometric assay witho-phthaldialdehyde. Cheddar cheeses from two different production plants were stored at both 4° C and 10° C for nine months. All cheeses were periodically analyzed for Glu in an aqueous extract and for N and amino-N in citrate extracts soluble at pH 4.6 and in 12% trichloroacetic acid. All indices correlated well with each other and with the age of the cheese at a highly significant level. It was demonstrated that these parameters are well suited to determine the extent of proteolysis as an indication of the degree of maturity of ripening cheese, thus providing an objective measurement for age classification and raw material control. The convenient assays for Glu ando-phthaldialdehyde-reactive amino-N were proved suitable for routine applications, enabling a fast and sensitive check on the degree of proteolysis in cheese without sophisticated equipment.

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Beurteilung des Reifungsverlaufes in Cheddarkäse durch chemische Indikatoren des Eiweißabbaus 1. Bestimmung von freier Glutaminsäure, löslichem Stickstoff und freigesetzten Aminogruppen

Zusammenfassung Freie Glutaminsäure (Glu), löslicher Stickstoff (N) und freigesetzte Aminogruppen (Amino-N) wurden als chemische Indikatoren des Eiweißabbaus und Reifegrades von Cheddarkäse in einer Reifungsstudie bewertet. Zwei verschiedene Cheddarkäse unterschiedlicher Herstellung wurden neun Monate bei 4 °C und 10 °C gelagert. Mit standardisierten Extraktionsund Fraktionierungsverfahren wurden alle Käseproben periodisch auf freie Glu im wasserlöslichen Extrakt mit einer enzymatischen Methode und auf N und Amino-N im pH 4,6- und 12% TCA-löslichem Extrakt mit der Kjeldahl-Methode bzw. mit einem schnellen photometrischen Ortho-Phthaldialdehyd(OPA)-Test analysiert. Alle Indikatoren zeigten eine hochsignifikante Korrelation sowohl zueinander als auch zum Käsealter. Es wurde gezeigt, daß diese Parameter zur Bestimmung des Eiweißabbaus als Maß für die Käsereifung gut geeignet sind. Sie ermöglichen damit objektive Meßverfahren für die Altersklassifizierung und Rohwarenkontrolle. Insbesondere die praktischen und bequemen Analysemethoden für Glu und OPA-Amino-N eignen sich für die Routineanwendung und ermöglichen eine schnelle und empfindliche Abschätzung des Proteolysegrades ohne hochentwikkelte komplizierte Apparaturen.

     

The Architecture of an Integrated Local Network

The DOMAIN system is an architecture for networks of personal workstations and servers which creates an integrated distributed computing environment. Its distinctive features include: a network-wide file system of objects addressed by unique identifiers (UID's); the abstraction of a single level store for transparently accessing all objects, regardless of their location in the network; and a network-wide hierarchical name space. The implementations of these facilities exhibit several interesting approaches to layering the system software. In addition to network transparent data access, interprocess communication is provided as a basis for constructing distributed applications; as a result, we have some experience to guide the choice between these two alternative implementation techniques. Networks utilizing this architecture have been Operational for almost three years; some experience with it and lessons derived from that experience are presented, as are some performance data.     

Freshness characterisation of whiting (Merlangius merlangus) using an SPME/GC/MS method and a statistical multivariate approach

BACKGROUND: The freshness of whiting was studied at five stages of ice storage by comparing the analysis of volatile compounds obtained through solid phase microextraction/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SPME/GC/MS) with two sensory methods. RESULTS: Of the volatile compounds identified, 38 were analysed using a statistical multivariate approach and classified according to their role in the estimation of freshness during storage as markers of freshness or spoilage. Regarding the evolution of the presence or absence of individual compounds, three categories were defined. For example, the volatile compounds propanal, hexanal, 1‐penten‐3‐ol, pentanal, 2,3‐pentanedione, 1‐penten‐3‐one, heptanal, (E)‐2‐pentenal, 2,3‐octanedione, (Z)‐2‐penten‐1‐ol, 1‐pentanol, butanal, octanal, 3,5,5‐trimethyl‐2‐hexene, 1‐hexanol and 4,4‐dimethyl‐1,3‐dioxane appeared highly relevant, because they are found throughout storage and can be divided into several categories that are directly related to the quality of fish. CONCLUSION: SPME/GC/MS combined with a statistical multivariate approach may be a useful method to identify volatile compounds and characterise fish freshness during storage. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

A force-matching method for quantitative hardness measurements by atomic force microscopy with diamond-tipped sapphire cantilevers

We present a new method to improve the accuracy of force application and hardness measurements in hard surfaces by using low-force (<50 μN) nanoindentation technique with a cube-corner diamond tip mounted on an atomic force microscopy (AFM) sapphire cantilever. A force calibration procedure based on the force-matching method, which explicitly includes the tip geometry and the tip-substrate deformation during calibration, is proposed. A computer algorithm to automate this calibration procedure is also made available. The proposed methodology is verified experimentally by conducting AFM nanoindentations on fused quartz, Si(1 0 0) and a 100-nm-thick film of gold deposited on Si(1 0 0). Comparison of experimental results with finite element simulations and literature data yields excellent agreement. In particular, hardness measurements using AFM nanoindentation in fused quartz show a systematic error less than 2% when applying the force-matching method, as opposed to 37% with the standard protocol. Furthermore, the residual impressions left in the different substrates are examined in detail using non-contact AFM imaging with the same diamond probe. The uncertainty of method to measure the projected area of contact at maximum force due to elastic recovery effects is also discussed.     

Porous polymer monolith templated by small polymer molecules

Porous poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) monoliths have been prepared by UV‐initiated polymerization of PEGDA oligomer (M_n = 700 g/mol). In the mean time, the addition of hydrophobic poly(propylene oxide) (PPO, M_n = 725 g/mol) as porogen into an ethanol solution of PEGDA oligomer to form a homogenous mixture, causes a phase separation between PPO and PEGDA following removal of ethanol by UV heating. Porous PEGDA monolith was prepared by immediate heating at 300°C to remove PPO molecules from the as‐synthesized PEGDA/PPO hybrid. The micrometer pores of the PEGDA monolith have relatively concentrated pore size distribution according to the mercury intrusion porosimetry results and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM).     

Einsatz von perowskitischen Hohlfasermembranen in einem Mikrowellenplasma

For the first time the combination of a separation process with a plasma process was successfully tested. In this case, a mixed‐conducting perovskite membrane separates the oxygen. At 1 kW a permeation of 2.24 mL min^?1cm^?2 could be achieved. Corresponding perovskite membranes have been manufactured as hollow fibers with a very good CO₂ stability. The hollow fibers showed a constant permeation over more than 200 h. Furthermore, a spinning process with a sulphur‐free polymer binder has been established.     

Great cities look small

Great cities connect people; failed cities isolate people. Despite the fundamental importance of physical, face-to-face social ties in the functioning of cities, these connectivity networks are not explicitly observed in their entirety. Attempts at estimating them often rely on unrealistic over-simplifications such as the assumption of spatial homogeneity. Here we propose a mathematical model of human interactions in terms of a local strategy of maximizing the number of beneficial connections attainable under the constraint of limited individual travelling-time budgets. By incorporating census and openly available online multi-modal transport data, we are able to characterize the connectivity of geometrically and topologically complex cities. Beyond providing a candidate measure of greatness, this model allows one to quantify and assess the impact of transport developments, population growth, and other infrastructure and demographic changes on a city. Supported by validations of gross domestic product and human immunodeficiency virus infection rates across US metropolitan areas, we illustrate the effect of changes in local and city-wide connectivities by considering the economic impact of two contemporary inter- and intra-city transport developments in the UK: High Speed 2 and London Crossrail. This derivation of the model suggests that the scaling of different urban indicators with population size has an explicitly mechanistic origin.     

Intercomparison exercise of high pressure gas flow test facilities within GERG

Ten of the main European gas Companies decided to carry out the second intercomparison exercise of high pressure test facilities within GERG (Groupe Européen de Recherches Gazières). The survey has compared the performances of 8 high pressure gas flow laboratories in the period autumn 1998–autumn 1999.

The aim was to check to what extent results obtained at the various laboratories are comparable and to reveal possible ways of improving the performances. Tests have been carried out using three transfer standard packages of three different diameters. The considered performance parameters have been: (1) agreement of results between laboratories, (2) short term stability and (3) day to day reproducibility of the reference flow.

The following main conclusions have been drawn:

• The majority of the laboratories involved in the intercomparison produced very accurate results. Despite the involvement of five independent traceability chains, 92.5% of the test results are within a band of ±0.25%.

• For most facilities the short term fluctuations are of the order of ±0.1%. Individual facilities may perform even better.

• This exercise allowed us to confirm the good results of the previous campaign and to identify some items to improve future intercomparisons.