Comparison of Quality Characteristics and Breadmaking Functionality of Hard Red Winter and Hard Red Spring Wheat

Various whole‐kernel, milling, flour, dough, and breadmaking quality parameters were compared between hard red winter (HRW) and hard red spring (HRS) wheat. From the 50 quality parameters evaluated, values of only nine quality characteristics were found to be similar for both classes. These were test weight, grain moisture content, kernel size, polyphenol oxidase content, average gluten index, insoluble polymeric protein (%), free nonpolar lipids, loaf volume potential, and mixograph tolerance. Some of the quality characteristics that had significantly higher levels in HRS than in HRW wheat samples included grain protein content, grain hardness, most milling and flour quality measurements, most dough physicochemical properties, and most baking characteristics. When HRW and HRS wheat samples were grouped to be within the same wheat protein content range (11.4–15.8%), the average value of many grain and breadmaking quality characteristics were similar for both wheat classes but significant differences still existed. Values that were higher for HRW wheat flour were color b*, free polar lipids content, falling number, and farinograph tolerance. Values that were higher for HRS wheat flour were geometric mean diameter, quantity of insoluble polymeric proteins and gliadins, mixograph mix time, alveograph configuration ratio, dough weight, crumb grain score, and SDS sedimentation volume. This research showed that the grain and flour quality of HRS wheat generally exceeds that of HRW wheat whether or not samples are grouped to include a similar protein content range.     

Natural emissions of oxidant precursors

This paper provides an overview of the sources, the estimation methodology, and the relative amounts of natural hydrocarbon and NO_x emissions. The most recent estimate of natural nonmethane hydrocarbon (NMHC) emissions for the United States is 28 Tg yr^?1. This compares with 20 Tg yr^?1 for anthropogenic NMHC sources. The southeastern and southcentral portions of the United States account for approximately 43% of the annual U.S. natural NMHC estimate. These emissions exhibit strong diurnal and seasonal dependencies related to temperature, solar radiation, and active biomass. Forests are the primary vegetative source of hydrocarbons. The major sources of natural NO_X emissions in North America are biomass burning, lightning, and microbial activity in soil. We present a comparison of hourly gridded NO_X emissions from lightning, soil, and man-made sources for the northeastern United States. We also provide results from preliminary investigations of the sensitivity of O₃ predictions from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Regional Oxidant Model to natural NMHC and nitric oxide emissions.     

A unified description of linear and nonlinear polarization in organic polymethine dyes

An internal or external electric field F can drive the chemical structure, bond order alternation, and electronic structure of linear polymethine dyes from a neutral, bond-alternated, polyene-like structure, through a cyanine-like structure, and ultimately to a zwitterionic (charge-separated) bond-alternated structure. As the structure evolves under the influence of F, the linear polarizability alpha, the first hyperpolarizability beta, and the second hyperpolarizability gamma are seen to be derivatives, with respect to F, of their next lower order polarization (for alpha) or polarizability (for beta and gamma). These derivative relations provide a unified picture of the dependence of the polarizability and hyperpolarizabilities on the structure in linear polymethine dyes. In addition, they allow for predictions of structure-property relations of higher order hyperpolarizabilities.     

Residual patterns of alkyl polyoxyethylene surfactant droplets after water evaporation

Using a nonionic, alkyl polyoxyethylene surfactant (X-77) in aqueous solutions, sessile droplet spreading, pinning, evaporation, contraction, and post-evaporation deposits are characterized. X-77 is widely used in the agricultural field as a spreader/adherent, intended to optimize pathenogenic agent coverage. Using a single droplet size under monitored temperature conditions, we control humidity, substrate hydrophobicity, and surfactant concentration to mimic varying agricultural conditions. For hydrophilic surfaces, the droplet spreads, reaching and retaining a maximum, stationary size. At this stage, a ring accretion occurs at the maximum spread diameter. During the final stage, the water film retracts, resulting in deposition of small islands of surfactant residue inside the ring. At lower concentrations of surfactant, we discover ring formations that break-up into "ring islands" at late-stage evaporation, accompanied by a distribution of the smaller islands in the interior portion of the substrate contact area. These are promoted by higher relative humidity. At higher concentrations, only a solid ring of surfactant remains, post-evaporation. Increasing surfactant concentration tends to increase the mean of the interior island size and to broaden the overall island size distribution. On sufficiently hydrophobic surfaces, surfactant-laden droplets do not evidence pinning, ring formations, or post-evaporation interior islands. Interestingly, lower humidity increases spreading at higher surfactant concentrations. Such pattern formations of surfactant deposit are reported for the first time and are of significance in projecting how surfactants such as X-77 distribute pesticides or other chemicals on leaf surfaces.     

Bioaccumulation of Lead, Calcium and Strontium and their Relationships in the Octopus Octopus vulgaris

Octopuses (Octopus vulgaris) landed from commercial fishing were sampled and the concentrations of lead, calcium and strontium, in digestive gland, branchial heart, gills, mantle and arms, were determined using PIXE (particle-induced X-ray emission). Lead was detected in all tissues, although not in samples from all animals analysed. Female octopuses accumulated more lead in digestive gland than did males. The digestive gland index, an indicator of nutritional status, showed a negative correlation with lead concentration in both sexes. There were positive correlations between the concentration of lead and those of calcium and strontium in digestive gland and a negative correlation between lead and calcium in branchial heart tissue. Concentrations of calcium in arms were lower in autumn and spring than in winter and summer. Lead content increased with increasing body weight and mantle length so we can conclude that lead continues to accumulate during the animal’s life. Concentrations of lead in two samples were higher than the maximum legally permitted concentration of lead in food.     

Effect of the route of administration on the mucosal and systemic immune responses to Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine in pigs

In an on‐farm study, 40 weaned piglets aged 3 weeks were vaccinated with Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine orally, IM or IP while a fourth group remained unvaccinated. All vaccinated animals showed increased serum levels of L. intracellularis‐specific IgG antibodies, but significantly elevated concentrations of specific IgG, IgA and cytokines were generated in ileal mucosal secretions from the orally and IP vaccinated pigs when examined at 17 days after vaccination.     

Parasitoids as selective agents in the symbiosis between lycaenid butterfly larvae and ants

The larvae of Glaucopsyche lygdamus (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) secrete substances that attract ants. In two field sites in Colorado, tending ants protect caterpillars of G. lygdamus from attack by braconid and tachinid parasitoids. This protection may have been an important feature in the evolution of the association between lycaenid larvae and ants.