Molecular detection of meat animal species targeting MT 12S rRNA gene

The efficacy of PCR-RFLP analysis of mt 12S rRNA gene in identification of animal species from meat samples of known and unknown origin and adulterated meat samples was evaluated. In PCR, all the samples generated an amplicon of 456 bp. Restriction enzyme digestion of the PCR product with AluI, HhaI, BspTI and ApoI revealed characteristic RFLP patterns. Of the samples of unknown origin few were identified as cattle, few as buffalo and some were admixtures of two, suggesting adulteration. The RFLP pattern of one did not match any of species included in the study, which on sequencing was confirmed as camel meat. Application of this technique on adulterated meat samples could detect both animal species in proportion of 50:50 and 75:25 (except in case of goat+cattle). The technique however could not detect any of the two species when proportion of mixture was 90:10 (except in case of cattle+buffalo).     

Emotional Reactions to the Outcomes of Decisions: The Role of Counterfactual Thought in the Experience of Regret and Disappointment

Children's phonological sensitivity is a strong predictor of the development of reading skills. Recent evidence indicates that phonological sensitivity and reading are reciprocally related. That is, phonological sensitivity facilitates the development of early reading and early reading facilitates the development of phonological sensitivity. Whereas evidence for this reciprocal relation has come from studies with school-age children, this study examined the relation between phonological sensitivity and letter knowledge in 97 middle-income 4- and 5-year-old children in a 1-year longitudinal study. Multiple regression analyses revealed that phonological sensitivity predicted growth in letter knowledge, and letter knowledge predicted growth in phonological sensitivity when controlling for children's age and oral language abilities. These results indicate that the reciprocal relation between reading and phonological sensitivity is present relatively early in the development of literacy skills, prior to the onset of formal reading instruction.     

Quality changes in soup from deboned chicken frames at refrigerated (4 ± 1 °C) and frozen (−18 ± 1 °C) storage

Chicken soup was made from the broth collected after the pressure cooking of deboned chicken frames (bones). The quality of stored chicken soup (S1) was compared with the soup prepared from the stored chicken broth (S2) at refrigerated (4 ± 1 °C) and frozen (−18 ± 1 °C) storage up to 12 and 90 days, respectively. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values and microbial counts were significantly ( P  < 0.01) higher in stored soup (S1) compared with fresh soup (S2). Psychrotrophs and coliforms were not detected. Appearance and odour scores of broth were satisfactory throughout the storage. Sensory attributes were rated better for fresh soup (S2) made from stored broth than stored soup (S1) but all the attributes were decreased with increasing storage period. The stored soup was acceptable up to 9 and 90 days in refrigeration and frozen storage respectively, while the soup made from refrigerated stored broth was acceptable for 12 days.     

Design,optimization and evaluation of poly-ɛ-caprolactone (PCL) based polymeric nanoparticles for oral delivery of lopinavir

Lopinavir (LPV)-loaded poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by emulsion solvent evaporation technique. Effects of various critical factors in preparation of loaded NPs were investigated. Box–Behnken design (BBD) was employed to optimize particle size and entrapment efficiency (EE) of loaded NPs. Optimized LPV NPs exhibited nanometeric size (195.3?nm) with high EE (93.9%). In vitro drug release study showed bi-phasic sustained release behavior of LPV from NPs. Pharmacokinetic study results in male Wistar rats indicated an increase in oral bioavailability of LPV by 4-folds after incorporation into PCL NPs. From tissue distribution studies, significant accumulation of loaded NPs in tissues like liver and spleen indicated possible involvement of lymphatic route in absorption of NPs. Mechanistic studies using rat everted gut sac model revealed endocytosis as a principal mechanism of NPs uptake. In vitro rat microsomal metabolism studies demonstrated noticeable advantage of LPV NPs by affording metabolic protection to LPV. These studies indicate usefulness of PCL NPs in enhancing oral bioavailability and improving pharmacokinetic profile of LPV.     

Scolecite as a Novel Heterogeneous Acid Catalyst for an Efficient Synthesis of 3,4-Dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones Via Multi-component Biginelli Reaction

Scolecite is one kind of natural zeolite. A three component Biginelli reaction using scolecite as a novel heterogeneous acid catalyst is demonstrated. The short reaction time, clean reaction conditions, consistent yields and minimum environmental effects are important features of the reaction.     

Reconsidering the Relation between Regret and Responsibility

Recently Connolly, Ordó?ez, and Coughlan challenged the view that regret is partly determined by perceived responsibility for the regretted outcome [Connolly, T. Ordó?ez, L. D., & Coughlan, R. (1997). Regret and responsibility in the evaluation of decision outcomes. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 70, 73-85]. In a series of experiments they manipulated whether actors arrived at an outcome through their own decision or through a "computer assignment" over which they had no influence. This decision agency manipulation did not affect their "regret measure." We show in two experiments that this null-effect is due to the fact that regret was measured by means of a general happiness assessment. In the present research we replicated the basic design of their experiments and also found no effects of decision agency on the happiness assessment. However, the results showed the predicted effects of decision agency when regret was directly measured. Moreover, a measure of disappointment seemed to indicate the opposite effect: People are more disappointed when a negative outcome is caused by a computer assignment than when caused by their own choice. The role of regret and disappointment in decision making is discussed. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.     

Blends of nylon with polyethylene: Effect of compatibilization on mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties

Blends of Nylon 6 with very low density polyethylene (VLDPE) have been studied. The blends exhibit two phase morphology wherein VLDPE is dispersed in the form of spherical domains in Nylon 6 matrix. The water absorption of the blends decreased with increasing VLDPE content. The mechanical properties of these blends show loss in tensile and impact strength due to poor adhesion at the interface. Addition of a compatibilizer containing MAH groups was found to result in improved properties. The tensile strength increased significantly whereas impact testing showed no break confirming better stress transfer across the interface. The dynamic mechanical analysis showed presence of microheterogeneity resulting into merging of tan delta peaks as a result of compatibilization. The observed results are ascribed to the possible reaction between reactive groups in Nylon 6 and the compatibilizer leading to compatibilization through copolymer formation. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 69: 161–168, 1998     

Effect of full-fat soy paste and textured soy granules on quality and shelf-life of goat meat nuggets in frozen storage

Goat meat nuggets were prepared using commercially available textured soy granules and reduced beany flavour full-fat soy paste (FFSP) made by simple processing technology to compare the performance of these proteins in a comminuted meat system. Addition of soy proteins (soy paste and soy granules) did not significantly affect the product yield, pH, moisture and fat percentage whereas protein content and water holding capacity (% expressible water) were significantly (p>0.05) lower in nuggets with 15% soy paste. Lower force was required to compress or shear the sample as hardness, springiness, gumminess and chewiness decreased in soy paste incorporated nuggets. Soy proteins either paste or granules, did not affect sensory attributes except flavour and overall acceptability. Nuggets with soy paste and control ones did not differ significantly for flavour and overall acceptability whereas nuggets with soy granules were rated significantly (p>0.05) lower. The nuggets remained stable with minor changes in physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory quality during frozen storage (-18±1°C) for 90days. It is concluded from this study that FFSP could be successfully incorporated in comminuted meat systems for producing quality products similar to commercially available soy granules.     

Effect of comminution temperature on the quality and shelf life of buffalo meat nuggets

Buffalo meat nuggets were prepared after equilibrating the ingredients to temperatures of 4, 10, 25 and 37 °C. Following comminution for 6 min, the temperatures of the batters were 16.3, 19.3, 27.4 and 34.8 °C and their pH and emulsion stability ranged from 6.18 to 6.29 and 88.76 to 95.33%, respectively. Increasing temperature of comminution led to increased cooking losses and TBARS values. However, even at 37 °C, complete emulsion breakdown did not occur as the cooking losses were still only about 12%. Texture profile analysis revealed an inverse relationship between chopping temperature and shear force. Sensory evaluation indicated that, at least up to comminution temperatures of 27.4 °C, the nuggets were acceptable. The aerobic mesophilic bacterial counts were higher for the nuggets made from batters with higher temperatures but, even at the 21st day of storage, the counts were well below the levels likely to cause spoilage in meat products. Results suggested that comminuted buffalo meat products can be manufactured in conditions where refrigeration is not available, by a preservation system (mostly chemical) to decrease microbial and chemical spoilage and also by devising an efficient marketing system for their early distribution (preferably 14 days).     

Batch and continuous biooxidation of sulphide by Thiomicrospira sp. CVO: reaction kinetics and stoichiometry

Aqueous phase biooxidation of sulphide by the novel sulphide-oxidizing bacterium Thiomicrospira sp. CVO was studied in batch and continuous systems. CVO was able to oxidize sulphide at concentrations as high as 19 mM. Sulphide biooxidation occurred in two distinct phases, one resulting in the formation of sulphur and possibly other dissolved sulphur compounds rather than sulphate, followed by sulphate formation. The specific growth rate of CVO in the first and second phases were 0.17-0.27 and 0.04-0.05 h(-1), respectively. Nitrite accumulated in the culture during the first phase and was consumed during the second phase. The composition of end-products was influenced by the ratio of sulphide to nitrate initial concentrations. At a ratio of 0.28, sulphate represented 93% of the reaction products, while with a ratio of 1.6 the conversion of sulphide to sulphate was only 9.3%. In the continuous bioreactor, complete removal of sulphide was observed at sulphide volumetric loading rates as high as 1.6mM/h (residence time of 10h). Overall sulphide removal efficiency decreased continuously upon further increases in volumetric loading rate. However, the volumetric removal rate increased until a maximum value of 2.4mM/h was obtained at a loading rate of 3.2mM/h. The corresponding sulphide conversion and residence time were 76% and 5.6h, respectively. As expected from the high ratio of sulphide to nitrate loading rates (1.7-1.9 mM/h), no sulphate was formed in the continuous reactor. Using the experimental data the value of maximum specific growth rate, saturation constant, decay coefficient, maintenance coefficient and yield were determined to be 0.36 h(-1), 1.99 mM sulphide, 0.0014 h(-1), 0.078 mmol sulphide/mg ATPh and 0.018 mg ATP/mmol sulphide, respectively.