Chemical analysis of meat products

Meat, particularly muscle tissue, is basically a 3-component system of protein, moisture, and fat. Although this seems a simple analytical system in which to monitor product composition for regulatory compliance, the simplicity quickly erodes when meat is formulated into the broad variety of products commercially available today. Alternative protein sources, as well as preservatives, binders, extenders, emulsifiers, spices, and other flavoring ingredients, add to the analytes of concern and highlight the need for analytical methods suitable to support inspection and labeling requirements to ensure product compliance. Some key issues are noted which involve protein quality analysis, rapid compositional analysis, isolated soy protein analysis, and minced fish in meat products.     

A conceptual framework and an empirical test of complementarity and facilitation with respect to phosphorous uptake by plant species mixtures

Plant species have different traits for mobilizing sparingly soluble phosphorus (P) resources, which could potentially lead to overyielding in P uptake by plant species mixtures compared to monocultures due to higher P uptake as a result of resource (P) partitioning and facilitation. However, there is circumstantial evidence at best for overyielding as a result of these mechanisms. Overyielding (the outcome) is easily confused with underlying mechanisms because of unclear definitions. We aimed to define a conceptual framework to separate outcome from underlying mechanisms and test it for facilitation and complementarity with respect to P acquisition by three plant species combinations grown on four soils. Our conceptual framework describes both mechanisms of complementarity and facilitation and outcomes (overyielding of mixtures or no overyielding) depending on the competitive ability of the species to uptake the mobilized P. Millet/chickpea mixtures were grown in pots on two calcareous soils mixed with calcium-bound P (CaP) and phytate P (PhyP). Cabbage/faba bean mixtures were grown on both acid and neutral soils mixed with P-coated iron (hydr)oxide (FeP) and PhyP. Wheat/maize mixtures were grown on all four soils. Rhizosphere carboxylate concentration and acid phosphatase activity (mechanisms) as well as plant P uptake and biomass (outcome) were determined for monocultures rhizosphere and species mixtures. Facilitation of P uptake occurred in millet/chickpea mixtures on one calcareous soil. We found no indications for P acquisition from different P sources, neither in millet/chickpea, nor in cabbage/faba bean mixtures. Cabbage and faba bean on the neutral soil differed in rhizosphere acid phosphatase activity and carboxylate concentration, but showed no overyielding. Wheat and maize, with similar root exudates, showed overyielding (the observed P uptake being 22% higher than the expected P uptake) on one calcareous soil. We concluded that although differences in plant physiological traits (root exudates) provide necessary conditions for complementarity and facilitation with respect to P uptake from different P sources, they do not necessarily result in increased P uptake by species mixtures, because of the relative competitive ability of the mixed species.     

Cecotrophy behavior and use of urea as non-protein nitrogen (NPN) source for capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)

Fifteen female adult capybaras, with initial average body weight (BW) of 32.7 (±?5.8) kg, were kept in individual pens to evaluate effect of supplementation of concentrate feed and its supply time on cecotrophy behavior frequency. The animals were allocated in a completely randomized design, with five animals per treatment, receiving three diets: grass only, grass and grain corn offered in a single meal, and grass and grain corn offered in two daily meals; all cecotrophy acts were recorded. Later, in a second experiment, five capybaras received five levels of urea in their diet: 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 g urea/100 kg BW, replacing soybean meal as true protein source, in a 5?×?5 Latin square design. The animals were weighed and their blood was collected every 2 weeks. The frequency of cecotrophy (Ps?<?0.05) was higher when the capybaras were fed grass only (0.5?±?0.07 acts/h) than when they received grass and corn in a single meal (0.3?±?0.05 acts/h) and grass and corn supplied in separate meals (0.1?±?0.03 acts/h). With increased urea in their diet, the capybaras showed initial signs of chronic intoxication, together with increments in serum urea (r?=?0.87, P?<?0.05) and a decreasing trend in daily weight gain (r?=??0.38, P?=?0.06). Therefore, when including concentrate feeds in capybara diet, these must be mixed with roughage in a single meal to avoid high decrease in the frequency of cecotrophy behavior and increase in dry matter intake. The replacement of soybean meal with urea in capybara diet is not recommended.     

基于EDA技术的自动立木整枝机无线遥控发射系统

立木整枝是优质工业用材林定向抚育的重要环节,采用自动立木整枝机是实现高效、高质量和安全可靠整枝的有效途径。本文综合运用电子电路设计及优化技术、无线遥控及通信编解码技术,创造性地研制了基于CPLD的无线数字编码抗干扰自动立木整枝机无线遥控发射系统,通过优化CPLD内部逻辑电路有效消除了逻辑竞争冒险、降低了噪声干扰,确保了系统逻辑设计的正确性。该系统具有可靠、节能、抗干扰、工作效率高等优点。本研究成果及方法为推进其他林业机械的自动化与智能化进程提供了一种有效的新思路。     

Light-stimulated 14CO2 uptake and acetylene reduction by bacteriochlorophyll containing stem nodule isolate BTAi 1

Summary Bradyrhizobial strain BTAi 1 nodulates both stems and roots of Aeschynomene spp. Previous work has shown that it contains bacteriochlorophyll a and forms photosynthetic reaction centers, and has provided indirect evidence of photosynthesis by bacteroids within stem nodules. Here we report physiological and biochemical characteristics of BTAi 1 ex planta, which also suggest the presence of photosynthetic activity. Light-stimulated uptake of ¹⁴CO₂ by BTAi 1 was detected at all stages of growth. Inhibitors of photosynthesis, 1,10-orthophenanthroline and 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU), and the uncoupler NH₄Cl, immediately suppressed light-driven ¹⁴CO₂ uptake and increased O₂ uptake. BTAi 1 is strictly aerobic and was unable to grow without organic C even in the light; also, it was unable to grow chemoautotrophically in an atmosphere enriched with H₂ and CO₂. In micro-aerobic conditions, strain BTAi 1 expressed acetylene reducing activity ex planta in an N-free medium. The highest rates of light-stimulated ¹⁴CO₂ uptake and acetylene-reducing activity occurred during the exponential and early stationary phases of growth. Acetylene-reducing rates at a low glucose concentration were increased following a light-dark cycle in comparison with continuous dark conditions.     

Re-analysis of species associational data using bootstrap significance tests

Re-analysis with the bootstrap technique of species associational data obtained in 1973 at a waste discharge site showed that stations previously accepted as apparently similar could actually be significantly different. Two station pairs with almost identical similarities (Bray-Curtis Coefficients of 0.85 and 0.84) were found to be significantly different (P 0.040) in the first case, but not significantly different in the second (P 0.78). The significantly different pair reflected differences that can arise between sampling stations impacted by light deposits of mine tailings. The other clustered pair (not significantly different) comprised two depauperate stations that had received heavy tailings deposition. A similarity of 0.67 between samples obtained using two types of samplers (Van Veen and Ponar) at one station showed a significant difference (P 0.0002). This supported previous suspicion that the samplers were collecting differently, although this had not been demonstrated by the cluster analysis used in 1973. However the use of either sampler's data in the cluster analysis had only trivial effect on similarity levels, and no effect on the significance tests.     

Quantum-confined stark effect in single CdSe nanocrystallite quantum dots

The quantum-confined Stark effect in single cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanocrystallite quantum dots was studied. The electric field dependence of the single-dot spectrum is characterized by a highly polarizable excited state ( approximately 10(5) cubic angstroms, compared to typical molecular values of order 10 to 100 cubic angstroms), in the presence of randomly oriented local electric fields that change over time. These local fields result in spontaneous spectral diffusion and contribute to ensemble inhomogeneous broadening. Stark shifts of the lowest excited state more than two orders of magnitude larger than the linewidth were observed, suggesting the potential use of these dots in electro-optic modulation devices.