An Investigation into Glucose as a Potential Precursor of N-Nitrosothiazolidine in Bacon

The possible involvement of glucose in the formation of N-nitrosothiazolidine (NTHZ) in bacon was investigated by pumping pork bellies with brines containing added glucose (2 and 4%). Raw bacon samples processed with glucose had significantly lower levels of N-nitrosothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid than the smoked control bacons. When the bacon samples with glucose were fried for 6 and 12 min, no NTHZ was detected in the fried products. N-Nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) levels in these samples were much lower than those in the fried control samples. Results of this study demonstrate that the contribution of glucose to NTHZ formation in bacon is minimal relative to that of formaldehyde in the wood smoke.     

Devolving Housing Policy and Practice in Northern Ireland 1998-2002

This paper reviews the effect of devolution on housing policy and practice in Northern Ireland. It outlines the history and context of devolution and housing policy in Northern Ireland, including the legacy and persistence of intense social conflict. Current devolution arrangements are reviewed, including the implications of enforced coalition for policy governance. The paper focuses on three dimensions of housing and housing-related policy development and implementation: social housing, especially the distinctive history and changing organisation of social housing provision; policies affecting the housing market, including the changing regime for spatial planning; and, regeneration and tenant participation. The paper argues that housing policy has tended to converge with policies in England, rather than moving towards a distinctively local agenda. Local political agendas remain dominated by disagreements over constitutional status thus policy formulation is determined more by officials than by elected politicians.     

Theater of Public Space: Architectural Experimentation in the Théâtre de l'espace (Theater of Space), Paris 1937

Architect Edouard Autant and actress Louise Lara used theater to investigate architecture as an art of situation, of placing people in meaningful spatial relationships with one another. Autant designed the Théâtre de l'espace to model the experience of an urban plaza with multiple, simultaneous scenes that both surrounded and were surrounded by the audience. Performances juxtaposed fictional narratives, improvisation, and real situations to propose a paradigm for public space in a modern, collective society. Through theater, Autant and Lara investigated architecture not as form but as action, a practice particularly relevant to design in cities.     

POSSIBLE ROLE OF MUSCLE PROTEINS IN FLAVOR AND TENDERNESS OF MEAT

Evidence suggests that both the myofibrillar proteins and collagen play important roles in meat flavor and tenderness. The probable contributions of the purified proteins to flavor are reviewed in terms of their amino acid composition, especially the sulfur containing and certain other amino acids that have been implicated in meat flavor development. Myofibrils solubilized in sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) undergoproteolysis on warming to room temperature overnight or on storing for several days at 0–4°C as demonstrated by extra protein bands. The extra proteins appear to be due to the presence of indigenous muscle proteases. The implications of some indigenous muscle proteases are reviewed in terms of their probable role in tenderization of postmortem meat.     

Some Factors Influencing Aflatoxin Production in Fermented Sausages

Aspergillus flavus NRRL-6549 and NRRL-6550 were tested for their ability to produce aflatoxins, but only NRRL-6549 produced detectable amounts of B₁. Summer sausages prepared and inoculated with NRRL-6549 were smoked and held at 10 or 30°C for 3 or 6 wk at low or high humidities. Mold growth occurred on both inoculated and uninoculated sausages, the amount increasing with time, temperature and humidity. Smoking delayed but did not prevent mold growth. At 3 wk, aflatoxins were detected only in unsmoked inoculated sausages held at 30°C and high relative humidity. After 6 wk, B₁ was found only in unsmoked inoculated sausages held at 10°C and high humidity, but at 30°C was present at 2.6–6.6 μg/kg in all inoculated samples at both low and high humidities.     

Photo‐ and bio‐physical characterization of novel violet and near‐infrared lipophilic fluorophores for neuronal tracing

Lipophilic fluorescent dyes have been used to trace neuronal connections because of their ability to diffuse laterally within nerve cell membranes. Given the hundreds to thousands of connections that a typical neuron makes with its neighbours, a diffusion‐matched set of spectrally distinct dyes is desirable. To extend a set of these dyes to obtain six independent labels, we have characterized the properties of novel violet and near‐infrared candidates. By combining two‐photon and confocal microscopy all of these candidates can be imaged using a single Titanium Sapphire laser. Here we present measurements of the two‐photon action cross‐sections and diffusion properties of the dyes, using either the relative diffusion distance or fluorescence recovery after photobleaching techniques, and demonstrate six‐colour neuronal tracing within the spinal cord and brain tissue.