Recent biogenic phosphorite: concretions in mollusk kidneys

Phosphorite concretions have been detected in the kidneys of two widespread species of mollusks, Mercenaria mercenaria and Argopecten irradians, which have relatively high population densities. These concretions are the first documentation of the direct biogenic formation of phosphorite grains. The concretions are principally amorphous calcium phosphate, which upon being heated yields an x-ray diffraction pattern which is essentially that of chlorapatite. These concretions appear to be a normal formation of the excretory process of mollusks under reproductive, environmental, or pollutant-induced stress. Biogenic production of phosphorite concretions over long periods of time and diagenetic change from amorphous to crystalline structure, coupled with secondary enrichment, may account for the formation of some marine phosphorite desposits which are not easily explained by the chemical precipitation-replacement hypothesis.     

Phase behavior and component partitioning in low water content amorphous carbohydrates and their potential impact on encapsulation of flavors

The compositions at which amorphous ethanol-maltose-water mixtures exhibit liquid-liquid separation have been determined in the temperature range from 20 to 80 degrees C. At water contents below approximately 20% w/w two phases were observed, with the maltose-rich phase slightly richer in water. Partition coefficients of organic nonelectrolytes ranging in hydrophobicity from 1, 2-ethanediol and 1,2-propanediol to benzyl alcohol and propyl acetate have been measured for octanol/sorbitol, benzyl alcohol/sorbitol, and 1-butanol/sorbitol mixtures. Linear correlations were found between the log partition coefficients in the various solvent systems. Replacing water with sorbitol results in more organic partitioning into the octanol. Replacing octanol with benzyl alcohol or 1-butanol also results in more organic partitioning into the hydrophobic phase. The results establish a relationship with partition coefficients for octanol/water mixtures, which are well studied experimentally and for which predictive approaches exist. The implications of these results for flavor retention and encapsulation are discussed.     

Factors affecting the release of flavor encapsulated in carbohydrate matrixes

The effects of water content and temperature variation on the release of flavor components into the headspace over flavors, encapsulated by an extrusion process, in low water content carbohydrate matrixes is studied. The largest amounts of release occurred when the matrix was above its glass transition temperature, whether this was due to increased water content or elevated temperature. Under these conditions up to 70% of the sucrose in the matrix crystallized over a period of 10 days, as quantified using Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy. Smaller amounts of headspace release occurred when the water content of the encapsulated flavor system was decreased from 3. 5 to 3.1% w/w. Small amounts of release occurred from the "as prepared" materials, which were associated with the presence of small amounts of unencapsulated flavor oil with direct access to the headspace. It was concluded that release due to matrix permeability was relatively slow as compared with the above mechanisms.     

Significance for exercise capacity of some electrocardiographic findings in racehorses

Summary Various cardiorespiratory and metabolic indices were assessed during treadmill exercise in Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses with T wave changes in 4 or more leads on the electrocardiogram or second-degree atrio-ventricular (AV) block, and in horses that had no abnormalities on clinical examination, resting electrocardiography or upper respiratory tract endoscopy. No significant differences in heart rate, plasma lactate concentration, arterial blood gases, oxygen uptake, run time, peak velocity, or blood and red cell volumes were found between normal horses and horses with T wave changes or second-degree AV block. These results indicate that some electrocardiographic findings that are considered by some clinicians to indicate cardiac dysfunction, may have little effect on exercise capacity.