Effects of superfine grinding on the quality characteristics of whole-wheat flour and its raw noodle product

Four particle size distributions of whole-wheat flour (WWF) with mean particle sizes (MZ) of 125-μm, 96-μm, 72-μm, and 43-μm were obtained by superfine grinding. Starch damage and Farinograph water absorption were significantly affected by the reduction of particle size, while dough development time, stability, tolerance index and time to breakdown of WWF were little changed. The peak viscosity, trough, and final viscosity of WWF significantly decreased as particle size reduced. Although finer WWFs produced by superfine grinding caused more discoloration of whole-wheat noodle (WWN) after 24 h storage, they still showed brighter noodle appearance (higher L^∗) than coarser WWFs. A significant increase in the cooking yield of WWN was noticed from the 125-μm WWF group to the 43-μm group, perhaps due to increasing damaged starch, while the 72-μm group exhibited the smallest cooking loss of WWN. Additionally, the hardness, cohesiveness, and resilience values of texture profile analysis (TPA) of cooked WWN significantly increased from the 125-μm group to the 72-μm group, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis showed that the 72-μm group revealed the largest coverage of starch granules and degree of protein network connectivity among the WWF groups. The results demonstrated that the superfine grinding technique could improve the quality of WWN by significantly reducing the particle size of WWFs.     

National Park stewardship and ‘vital signs’ monitoring: a case study from Channel Islands National Park,California

• 1. Place‐based conservation strategies require that stewards know and understand the targeted ecosystems, restore impaired resources, protect the ecosystems, and connect people wholeheartedly to the places. Knowledge of ecosystem structure and functioning is the cornerstone of stewardship.
• 2. This paper describes the design, implementation, and application of an ecological monitoring programme in Channel Islands National Park, California, USA. Experience from this programme showed that monitoring ecological ‘vital signs’ was a quick, sure, and inexpensive way to discover and track ecosystem dynamics.
• 3. Monitoring ecological ‘vital signs’ determined status and trends of ecosystem integrity and established limits of normal variation of key ecosystem features. It also provided early warnings of situations that required intervention and helped frame research questions to determine chains of cause and consequence.
• 4. The strong influence and probabilistic nature of biological interactions in ecosystems precluded effective use of deterministic modelling to predict ecosystem behaviour accurately. Therefore, ongoing monitoring was required to increase knowledge of system dynamics reliably. The US National Park Service has begun to identify and monitor the ecological ‘vital signs’ in 32 networks of 270 parks.

Published in 2004 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of Growth Performance and Whole-body Composition of Juvenile Hybrid Striped Bass Morone chrysops × Morone saxatilis and Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus Fed High-protein and High-lipid Diets

To investigate potential use of increasing nutritional density of diets for rapid growth of warm‐water fishes, a feeding trial was conducted in which growth performance, body indexes, and whole‐body composition of juvenile hybrid striped bass fed diets comprising protein (49, 54, and 59%), lipid (16, 20, 23, and 28%), and energy (22.0–25.1 kJ/g) concentrations beyond established minimum levels were compared to those of fish fed a more typical commercial reference diet (37.5% crude protein, 10.5% crude lipid, and 19.6 kJ/g energy on a dry matter basis). A subset of the experimental diets and the commercial reference diet also were fed to juvenile red drum. After 6 wk of feeding, hybrid striped bass fed the high‐protein and high‐lipid diets showed much greater growth performance compared to fish fed the commercial diet. Increasing dietary protein level, but not lipid level, tended (P ≤ 0.1) to enhance weight gain and feed efficiency of hybrid striped bass. Hepatosomatic index (HSI), intraperitoneal fat (IPF) ratio, and whole‐body protein were significantly (P < 0.01) influenced by dietary protein level. The dietary lipid and associated energy level had significant negative linear effects on daily feed intake. Linear regression analysis showed that dietary energy : protein ratio, largely influenced by dietary protein level, moderately but significantly influenced weight gain, HSI, IPF ratio, and whole‐body protein of hybrid striped bass and red drum. Red drum grew very similar to hybrid striped bass in response to the experimental diets. However, significant differences in HSI, IPF ratio, whole‐body protein, lipid, moisture, and ash between hybrid striped bass and red drum were observed, indicating species differences in protein and energy partitioning. In particular, the excessive lipid in the diet increased HSI and whole‐body lipid of red drum but not of hybrid striped bass.     

Formulation of practical diets for rainbow trout based on desired performance and body composition

Rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) with an initial average weight of 1.8 g were fed eight experimental diets with 26 and 35% protein and varying amounts of lipid for 112 days. All experimental diets contained 10% fish meal (the only source of animal protein), as compared to a control diet with 35% fish meal. The energy content of the diet was the most important factor in determining growth rate. The percentage of dietary lipid was the dominant factor in determining the body composition of rainbow trout. Increased amounts of dietary lipid resulted in fish with increased amounts of whole-body fat and reduced amounts of whole-body protein and moisture. Body composition was more closely a function of nutritional history than of fish size. Protein retention and energy retention were negatively associated with the percentage of digestible protein in the diet. Mortality rates did not differ significantly among the groups tested; the general health of all fish examined was good.     

Influences of in-stream habitat and upstream land-use on site occupancy of the Kanawha darter (Etheostoma kanawhae): A narrowly distributed species from the New River (Upper Kanawha Basin)

1. Freshwater communities are threatened by the conversion of natural landscapes for urban and agricultural purposes. Changes to land use may disrupt stream nutrient and geomorphological processes and reduce water quality, increase sedimentation, and decrease habitat heterogeneity eventually leading to species loss and decreases in ecosystem productivity. Endemic species are frequently at greater risk of habitat-mediated fragmentation and extirpation due to their constrained distributions.
2. The Kanawha darter (Etheostoma kanawhae) is an understudied fish endemic to the New River Drainage in North Carolina and Virginia, USA. To investigate the potential effect(s) of land-use change on Kanawha darters, naïve occupancy was modelled using instream habitat characteristics and upstream forest cover.
3. Generalized linear models revealed that instream habitat and forest cover are reliable predictors of Kanawha darter site occupancy. Specifically, models demonstrated that occupancy increased in reaches with reduced stream width, velocity, and bedrock substrate but higher concentrations of coarse woody material. Kanawha darter occupancy was also positively associated with the extent of forest cover in upstream catchments.
4. Although Kanawha darters are not currently considered imperilled, most populations occurred in isolated reaches separated by large sections of unoccupied habitat. Continuing ex-urban development in riparian zones is likely to be the primary threat to Kanawha darters and other endemic species in this catchment. Resource managers and stakeholders should preserve forest cover in headwaters and occupied tributaries and protect or restore riparian zones along the main-stem South and North Forks of the New River to preserve high-quality habitat and enhance connectivity among isolated Kanawha darter populations.
5. As human populations in montane regions continue to grow, there is a need to understand how land-use change affects endemic freshwater species. This study further supports the importance of retaining forest cover as an effective strategy for protecting and restoring populations of endemic fishes in high-gradient streams.

     

“玉米带”改种多年生草类后对农田排水的水文效应模拟

该文针对美国密西西比河上游明尼苏达州农田排水氮素流失严重,近年来又大力发展生物燃料产业的现状,采用田间水文模型——DRAINMOD模拟分析了玉米-大豆轮作区改种多年生草类后对农田排水的水文效应。结果表明改种多年生草后,植物耗水量的增加使得农田排水量明显减少;较深的草根系,尤其是在干旱年份消耗了大量的深层土壤水,降低了地下水位。种草后的生物排水量远远大于其他工程措施（如增加排水间距或潜埋排水管等）,可显著减少农田排水氮素流失对水环境的影响。     

Comparisons of the genomic RNA of Arkansas DPI embryonic passages 10 and 100, Australian T, and Massachusetts 41 strains of infectious bronchitis virus

The genomic ribonucleic acid (RNA) of Arkansas DPI at embryonic passages 10 and 100, Australian T, and Massachusetts 41 strains of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) were compared using two-dimensional, 32PpCp-labeled oligonucleotide fingerprinting. The Arkansas DPI strain embryonic passage 10 was pathogenic for chickens and had one oligonucleotide not present in the attenuated passage 100. The remaining Arkansas DPI oligonucleotides had identical electrophoretic mobility. The fingerprint patterns of the Australian T, Massachusetts 41, and Arkansas DPI IBV genomes were dissimilar, thus indicating they were genetically distinct. The distinctive fingerprint patterns of these virus strains, all identified as IBV by other criteria, indicate considerable genomic variation. Fingerprinting is reliable and sensitive, and should be used in combination with other characterization methods for identifying and differentiating IBV strains.     

Histomoniasis in Leghorn pullets on a Florida farm

Recurrent outbreaks of histomoniasis in flocks of 4-to-6-week-old white leghorn pullets is reported. In a typical outbreak, 5% of the pullets were stunted and listless with unkempt feathers. Mortality ranged from 2 to 3%, and the cull rate was approximately 2%. Ceca of affected chickens contained caseous cores. Histological examination of the ceca revealed fibrinonecrotic ulcerative granulomatous typhlitis associated with numerous histomonad trophozoites in the cecal wall. The outbreaks of histomoniasis were associated with heavy parasitism of pullets by Heterakis gallinarum. Litter had not been completely removed from the houses for the past 10 years, providing a constant source of Histomonas-infected larvated Heterakis ova.     

Causes of mortality in captive Attwater's prairie chickens (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri) at the San Antonio Zoo, 1997-2000.

Necropsy records for 102 Attwater's prairie chickens (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri) that had been captive-reared and had died at the San Antonio Zoo over a 4-yr period were evaluated to determine the causes of mortality. Gross necropsy, histopathology, and bacterial culture findings are summarized. Mortality was highest in young birds (<6 mo) and embryos. Husbandry- and gastrointestinal-related diseases were the most common causes of mortality.