Soaking Conditions During Brown Rice Parboiling Impact the Level of Breakage‐Susceptible Rice Kernels

If properly executed, parboiling, a hydrothermal treatment consisting of soaking, steaming, and drying of rice, substantially reduces its milling breakage susceptibility. Here, brown rice was soaked at 40, 55, or 65°C for different times (150 s to 240 min) and subsequently parboiled under standardized steaming and drying conditions. The moisture absorption during initial soaking induced fissures in more than 90% of the rice grains, which disappeared with further soaking. The fissuring incidence in the soaked rice samples was related to that of the parboiled rice samples. The extent of starch gelatinization during steaming increased with the moisture content of the soaked grains. In addition, as a result of starch gelatinization, the level of white bellies (i.e., parboiled grains with translucent outer layers and an opaque center) decreased from over 90% to less than 3%. Rice grains need to absorb sufficient moisture during soaking to minimize the level of breakage‐susceptible white bellies and fissured rice grains in the parboiled end product.     

Changes in Mercury Deposition in a Mining and Smelting Region as Recorded in Tree Rings

The adsorption of lead onto date palm fibers (palm fibers) and leaf base of palm (petiole) has been examined in aqueous solution by considering the influence of various parameters such as contact time, solution pH, adsorbent dosage, particle sizes, ionic strength, and temperature. The adsorption of Pb(II) increased with an increase of contact time. The optimal range of pH for Pb(II) adsorption is 3.0?C4.5. The linear Langmuir and Freundlich models were applied to describe the equilibrium isotherms, and both models fitted well. The monolayer adsorption capacity of Pb(II) on palm fibers and petiole was found as 18.622 and 20.040 mg/g, respectively, at pH 4.5 and 25°C. Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherm model was also applied to equilibrium data. The mean free energy of adsorption (2.397 and 4.082 kJ/mol) onto palm fibers and petiole, respectively, may be carried out via physisorption mechanism. Pseudo-first-order rate equation and pseudo-second-order rate equation were applied to study the adsorption kinetics. In comparison to first-order kinetic model, pseudo-second-order model described well the adsorption kinetics of Pb(II) onto palm fibers and petiole from aqueous solution. From the results of the thermodynamic analysis, Gibbs free energy ??G, enthalpy change ??H, and entropy ??S were determined. The positive value of ??H suggests that interaction of Pb(II) adsorbed by palm fibers is endothermic. In contrast, the negative value of ??H indicates that interaction of Pb(II) ions by petiole is exothermic. The negative value of ??G indicates that the adsorption of Pb(II) ions on both palm fibers and petiole is a spontaneous process.     

Assessing the uncertainty of estimated annual totals of net ecosystem productivity: A practical approach applied to a mid latitude temperate pine forest

Values for annual NEP of micrometeorological tower sites are usually published without an estimate of associated uncertainties. Few authors quantify total uncertainty of annual NEP. Moreover, different methods to assess total uncertainty are applied, usually addressing only one aspect of the uncertainty. This paper presents a robust and easy to apply method to quantify uncertainty of annual totals of Net Ecosystem Productivity (NEP), related to multiple factors involved therein. The method was applied to NEP observations for a Scots pine forest (Loobos) in the Netherlands. Total uncertainty of annual NEP for the Loobos site was on average ±32 g C m⁻² a⁻¹ (±8% of NEP), which is a quarter of the standard deviation of annual NEP (127 g C m⁻² a⁻¹).     

Analysis of the early stages of lipid oxidation in freeze-stored pork back fat and mechanically recovered poultry meat

An analytical method that can detect low levels of oxidation in food earlier than a sensory panel would be a valuable tool for food manufacturers as well as research institutes. Two model matrixes, pork back fat and mechanically recovered poultry meat (MRPM), were freeze-stored in air at -20 degrees C for 26 weeks. Peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, volatiles analyzed with dynamic headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and a gas-sensor array technique (electronic nose), chemiluminescence, and front-face fluorescence were evaluated against sensory analysis with regard to detection of early oxidation and correlation with sensory data. Fluorescence and GC-MS could detect oxidative changes in pork back fat earlier than the sensory panel and the electronic nose at the same time. The three methods were highly correlated with sensory attributes (r = 0.8-0.9). GC-MS gave the best results with regard to detection of small oxidative changes in MRPM.     

The effect of acidification,liming and reacidification on macrophyte development,water quality and sediment characteristics of soft-water lakes

Rapid expansion of Juncus bulbosus L. and the concomitant suppression of isoetid plant species has often been observed in acidifying soft water lakes in Western Europe. Experimental studies have shown that this mass development of J.bulbosus was caused by changes in the carbon and nitrogen budgets in these ecosystems. Acidification leads to temporarily strongly increased carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels in the slightly calcareous sediment and to accumulation of ammonium as a result of a reduced nitrification rate in acidifying waters. Many acidifying Scandinavian soft water lakes, however, have a well developed macrophyte vegetation. It is suggested that this is related with the non-calcareous sediments of these lakes. After liming, however, mass development of J. bulbosus and/or Sphagnum spec. has been observed in Swedish and S.W. Norwegian lakes. From field experiments it has become clear that part of the lime is deposited on the sediments leading to an increase of mineralisation rates, CO₂ production, sediment pore water levels of phosphate and ammonium and to a decrease of the nitrate concentrations in the sediment. These changes have been earlier observed in acidifying West European waters. Rooted species like J.bulbosus can only benefit from the higher nutrient levels in the sediment when the CO₂ level of the water layer is relatively high as this species is adapted to leaf carbon uptake. It is demonstrated that gradual reacidification by the acid water from the catchments and the increased flux of carbonic acid from the limed sediments to the overlying water leads to increased CO₂ levels in the water layer of the limed lakes already a few months after liming.     

Aluminium and sulphate in acidic soils and groundwaters on the Swedish west coast

Acidic groundwaters and soils in Halland County (Hailands län), southwest Sweden, have been investigated with respect to conditions of soluble aluminium (Al) and sulphate (SO₄ ^2?. Basic Al-sulphate, Fe-oxide, Al-oxide, Al-hydroxide and clay minerals, are discussed and evaluated in their roles for governing Al and SO₄ ^2? in the groundwaters. Based on this investigation, it is suggested that Al³⁺ solubility is controlled by amorphous Al-hydroxide. The SO₄ ^2? in the groundwaters will depend primarily on the H₂SO₄ input. The H₂SO₄ load enhances soil mineral weathering which enhances the production of Fe-oxides, i.e. anion exchange surface sites, to which groundwater SO₄ ^2? attain adsorption equilibra. The factors that control solubility of Al and SO₄ ^2? are both influenced by the acidity in the soil catenas which in the area largely depend on the H₂SO₄ input. Clay minerals such as illite, smectites, halloysite, and variable composition Al-silicates do not exert strong control on Al in the groundwaters investigated.     

Intestinal translocation of Streptococcus suis type 2 EF+ in pigs

Sepsis with subsequent multisystem organ failure after translocation of bacteria from the gut is a serious risk associated with stress situations. We showed that intestinal bacterial translocation could be one of the pathways for pathogenic Streptococcus suis infections in the pig. In 24 piglets weighing 10-14 kg, free of the extracellular factor (EF+) producing phenotype of S. suis serotype 2, a silicon canula was placed in the proximal jejunum to enable intestinal inoculation and bypassing the upper alimentary tract. The pigs were individually housed. After stress induction in 18 pigs by means of a truck drive in individual cages for 1h, pigs were inoculated through the intestinal canula either with S. suis type 2 EF+ or with growth medium only, and put back in their original housing. The six not transported pigs were also inoculated with the same strain. To prevent oral self-infection, faeces were collected in a bag that was glued around the anus. Clinical and behavioral symptoms were recorded for 72 h post inoculation, and then the animals were sacrificed for pathological and bacteriological examination. In three animals, the inoculation strain was re-isolated from mesenterial lymph nodes and typically affected organs. No S. suis type 2 EF+ was detected by specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in any of the tonsil-swabs and -homogenates. We concluded that infection of the organs had taken place after bacterial translocation out of the gut and that the intestinal tract can be a porte d'entree for S. suis type 2 EF+.     

Concentration of Selenium in Liver in Relation to Copper Level in Normal and Copper-Poisoned Sheep

Copper absorption, liver accumulation and development of copper toxicosis in sheep are influenced by a variety of other elements, in particular molybdenum, sulphur and zinc (Underwood 1977). In a previous study on liver concentrations of copper, molybdenum and zinc in normal and copper-poisoned sheep, no direct correlation was found between the concentrations of the three metals, but molybdenum was significantly lower in the livers from sheep dead from chronic copper poisoning than in normal animals (Frøslie & Norheim 1976).     

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia as a part of normal oral bacterial flora in captive snakes and its susceptibility to antibiotics

Only little is known about normal oral bacterial flora in captive snakes containing Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. This microbe has been reported as a causative agent of numerous infections in reptiles. Therefore, the goal of the study was to detect its presence in the mouths of a significant number of healthy captive snakes and determining its susceptibility to antibiotics at 30 and 37 degrees C. The isolates were obtained in 1999-2005 from mouth swabs of 115 snakes of 12 genera and 22 species-most often Elaphe guttata (24 individuals; 20.9%). Susceptibility to 24 antibiotics was tested by the microdilution method. The microbe was demonstrated in 34 (29.6%) individuals. Overall, 47 strains of S. maltophilia were acquired. Evaluation using PFGE profiles and antibiograms resulted in confirmation of one strain of S. maltophilia in 23 (20.0%) individuals, two strains in nine (7.8%) and three in two (1.8%) snakes. All tested antibiotics were more effective at 37 degrees C, with the partial exception of cotrimoxazole and cefoperazone/sulbactam. At a temperature of 37 degrees C, the lowest frequency of resistance to levofloxacin (no resistant strains), cotrimoxazole and ofloxacin (97.9% of susceptible strains) was recorded. At 30 degrees C, the most active agents were cotrimoxazole (97.9% of susceptible strains), levofloxacin (91.5%) and ofloxacin (85.1%). In conclusion, S. maltophilia is present in the mouths of about one third of healthy captive snakes, showing good susceptibility to cotrimoxazole, some fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides. The antibiotics (particularly aminoglycosides) are more effective at 37 degrees C.