Influence of Lipid Composition on the Water and Fat Exudation and Gel Strength of Meat Batters

Blends of lard with eight separate fats or oils (70:30 w/w) were prepared and used as the fat component of meat batters. After cooking, the batters were analyzed for water and fat exudation and gel strength. None differed significantly from the control of 100% lard. Positive correlation coefficients, however, were significant between percent monounsaturated triglycerides and water exudation, polyunsaturated triglycerides and fat exudation and saturated triglycerides and gel strength. Addition of lecithin, cholesterol or methyl palmitate to the lard increased fat exudation and decreased gel strength. Sodium laurate had the opposite effect whether added to the lard or to the aqueous phase.     

Geometry based pre-processor for parallel fluid dynamic simulations using a hierarchical basis

The pre-processing stage of finite element analysis of the Navier–Stokes equations is becoming increasingly important as the desire for more general boundary conditions, as well as applications to parallel computers increases. The set up of general boundary conditions and communication structures for parallel computations should be accomplished during the pre-processing phase of the analysis, if possible, to ensure efficient computations for large scale problems in computational fluid dynamics. This paper introduces a general methodology for geometry based boundary condition application and pre-computing of parallel communication tasks. A. K. Karanam was supported by NSF Grant No. 9985340. C. H. Whiting was supported by a grant from NASA LaRC.     

Buoyancy Optimization for Computational Fabrication

This paper introduces a design and fabrication pipeline for creating floating forms. Our method optimizes for buoyant equilibrium and stability of complex 3D shapes, applying a voxel‐carving technique to control the mass distribution. The resulting objects achieve a desired floating pose defined by a user‐specified waterline height and orientation. In order to enlarge the feasible design space, we explore novel ways to load the interior of a design using prefabricated components and casting techniques. 3D printing is employed for high‐precision fabrication. For larger scale designs we introduce a method for stacking lasercut planar pieces to create 3D objects in a quick and economic manner. We demonstrate fabricated designs of complex shape in a variety of floating poses.     

Data‐Driven Bending Elasticity Design by Shell Thickness

We present a method to design the deformation behavior of 3D printed models by an interactive tool, where the variation of bending elasticity at different regions of a model is realized by a change in shell thickness. Given a soft material to be used in 3D printing, we propose an experimental setup to acquire the bending behavior of this material on tubes with different diameters and thicknesses. The relationship between shell thickness and bending elasticity is stored in an echo state network using the acquired dataset. With the help of the network, an interactive design tool is developed to generate non‐uniformly hollowed models to achieve desired bending behaviors. The effectiveness of this method is verified on models fabricated by different 3D printers by studying whether their physical deformation can match the designed target shape.     

Proteomic analysis of the response of the human neutrophil-like cell line NB-4 after exposure to anthrax lethal toxin

We used 2‐D DIGE to analyze the early response of NB‐4 cells, a human promyelotic leukemia cell line, exposed to lethal toxin from Bacillus anthracis at the proteome level. After a 2 h exposure, cells were still viable and 43% of spots (n = 1042) showed a significant change in protein level. We identified 59 spots whose expression had changed significantly, and these reflected cytoskeleton damage, mitochondrial lysis and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Actin filament assembly was disrupted as evidenced by an increase in both actin subunits and phosphorylated cofilin, whilst levels of tropomyosin, tropomodulin and actin related protein 2/3 complex subunit decreased. Lower levels of ATP synthase subunits and mitochondrial inner membrane protein were identified as markers of mitochondrial lysis. Levels of various stress response proteins rose and, uniquely, levels of Ca²⁺ binding proteins such as translationally controlled tumor protein rose and hippocalcin‐like protein 1 decreased. This response may have mitigated effects brought about by mitochondrial lysis and endoplasmic reticulum stress, and delayed or prevented apoptosis in NB‐4 cells. These results resemble findings of similar proteomics studies in murine macrophages, although quantitative differences were observed.     

The synthesis of oligomers related to poly(ethyleneglycol terephthalate)

Three end-capped oligomers 35, 41 and 45 related to poly(ethyleneglycol terephthalate) have been prepared starting from t-butylthioterephthalic acid 21 and its ethyleneglycol monoterephthalate derivative 25 terminally protected on the glycol moiety (by the tetrahydropyranyl group) and on the carboxylic acid moiety [by the 2-(2-pyridyl)-group].     

Effect of pH on survival, thermotolerance, and verotoxin production of Escherichia coli O157:H7 during simulated fermentation and storage

Heat treatment is increasingly being introduced to fermented meat processing, since the acid tolerance properties of Escherichia coli O157:H7 can permit this organism to survive traditional processing procedures. This study investigated the effect of growth pH and fermentation on the thermotolerance at 55 degrees C of E. coli O157:H7 in a model fermented meat system. E. coli O157:H7 (strain 380-94) was grown at pH 5.6 or 7.4 (18 h at 37 degrees C), fermented to pH 4.8 or 4.4 in brain heart infusion broth, and stored for 96 h. Cells grown at pH 5.6 had higher D values at 55 degrees C (D55 degrees C) than cells grown at pH 7.4 (P < 0.001). Cells fermented to pH 4.8 had higher D55 degrees C than those fermented to pH 4.4 (P < 0.001). Cells fermented to pH 4.8 demonstrated an increase in D55 degrees C during storage (P < 0.001), whereas cells fermented to pH 4.4 showed a decrease in D55 degrees C during the same period (P < 0.001). The effect of growth pH on verotoxin production by E. coli O157:H7 was assessed using the verotoxin assay. Cells grown at pH 5.6 had lower verotoxin production then cells grown at pH 7.4. This effect was not sustained over storage. These results indicate that a lower growth pH can confer cross-protection against heat. This has implications for the production of acidic foods, such as fermented meat, during which a heating step may be used to improve product safety.     

Amino and organic acids of the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica L.)

The amino acids of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus indica L.) proteins, free amino acids and nonvolatile organic acids were determined on fresh and lyophilised young pads. The calculated biological value of prickly pear protein was 72.6, relative to egg protein. Trace amounts of malonic, malic and citric acids in material collected at 1800 hours; traces 0.95 and 0.31 mg g^?1, respectively. In similar material analysed at 0600 hours, the concentrations of those acids were 0.36, 9.85, and 1.78 mg g^?1, respectively. Since there was a significant accumulation of the acids during the evening, crassulacean-type metabolism is suggested.