Effect of weight fraction of total dry residue of cacao products on chocolate shelf life

The oxidative stability of fats extracted from various types of chocolate differing in content of total dry residue of cacao products during storage is investigated. Data allowing predicting the shelf life of chocolate are given. The induction time and shelf life of chocolate vary depending on the weight fraction of the total dry residue of cacao products.     

A Collagen Basketweave from the Giant Squid Mantle as a Robust Scaffold for Tissue Engineering

The growing applications of tissue engineering technologies warrant the search and development of biocompatible materials with an appropriate strength and elastic moduli. Here, we have extensively studied a collagenous membrane (GSCM) separated from the mantle of the Giant squid Dosidicus Gigas in order to test its potential applicability in regenerative medicine. To establish the composition and structure of the studied material, we analyzed the GSCM by a variety of techniques, including amino acid analysis, SDS-PAGE, and FTIR. It has been shown that collagen is a main component of the GSCM. The morphology study by different microscopic techniques from nano- to microscale revealed a peculiar packing of collagen fibers forming laminae oriented at 60–90 degrees in respect to each other, which, in turn, formed layers with the thickness of several microns (a basketweave motif). The macro- and micromechanical studies showed high values of the Young’s modulus and tensile strength. No significant cytotoxicity of the studied material was found by the cytotoxicity assay. Thus, the GSCM consists of a reinforced collagen network, has high mechanical characteristics, and is non-toxic, which makes it a good candidate for the creation of a scaffold material for tissue engineering.     

Dependence of Soil Properties under Alpine Lichen Heath Community on the Soil Water Content and the Presence of Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Eurasian Soil Science - An increasing participation of dwarf shrubs and shrubs in plant communities of alpine meadows and a tendency to a decrease in summer precipitation in mountain regions...