Release of volatile odor compounds from full-fat and reduced-fat frankfurters

The effect of fat content on the release of volatile aroma compounds from frankfurters has been investigated. Although the release of most n-alkanals, alcohols, ketones, and furans was little affected by changes in the fat content of frankfurters, that of monoterpene hydrocarbons, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, terpenes containing oxygen, cyclopentenones, phenyl propanoids, and phenols was greatly increased when the fat content was decreased. Some odors were also detected more frequently in the low-fat than in the full-fat sausages. These included smoky odors, due to phenols, spicy, synthetic, and floral odors due to terpenes, and meaty, roasted odors caused by sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds. The release of aroma compounds from frankfurters appears to be closely related to the solvation of these compounds in the lipid phase.     

Morphometry,Morphology and Ultrastructure of Ring‐tailed Coati Sperm (Nasua nasua Linnaeus, 1766)

The ring‐tailed coati (Nasua nasua) is a procyonid whose population is in sharp decline. Therefore, studies are needed to better understand the reproduction of this animal. For this reason, this study aimed to evaluate the morphology, morphometry and sperm ultrastructure of ring‐tailed coati sperm. Four captive adult males were used for this study. Slides stained with Bengal Rose were used for the morphometric and morphologic analyses. The length and width of the head were measured, as well as the length of the midpiece and tail and the total length of the sperm. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used for the ultrastructural analyses. The most obvious morphological abnormalities observed were coiled tails (6.1 ± 8.7%) and the lack of acrosomes (5.4 ± 4.4%). Regarding the morphometry, the measurements of the head (length × width), midpiece (length) and tail (length) were (mean ± SD) 6.2 ± 0.4 × 8.1 ± 0.6 μm, 14.1 ± 0.5 and 63.9 ± 4.1 μm, respectively, and the total length of the sperm was 86.1 ± 4.3 μm. Through electron microscopy, the presence of electron‐lucent points in the nucleus and the presence of approximately 55 mitochondrial spirals in the midpiece were identified. The data obtained in this study provide detailed information on the sperm characteristics of coatis and may inform future research on germplasm conservation, both for this species and other threatened procyonids.     

Chemical Solution Routes to Single-Crystal Thin Films

Epitaxial thin films of inorganic single crystals can be grown on single-crystal substrates with a variety of different solution chemistries. This review emphasizes chemical solution deposition, in which a solution is used to deposit a layer of precursor molecules that decompose to low-density, polycrystalline films during heating. Ways to control film cracking during deposition and heat treatment and why many precursors synthesize metastable crystalline structures are discussed, and the different mechanisms that convert the polycrystalline film into a single crystal are reviewed. Hydrothermal epitaxy, in which single crystal thin films are directly synthesized on templating substrates in an aqueous solution at temperatures <150°C, is also discussed.     

Identification of major volatile odor compounds in frankfurters

More than 100 volatile compounds have been identified in the headspace of frankfurter sausages. Most abundant were the terpene hydrocarbons, monoterpene alcohols, phenyl propanoids, and phenols. Separate analyses of solutions of spices and smoke demonstrated that most of the terpenes were derived from the spices, whereas the phenols originated mostly from the smoke ingredients. Many of the compounds contributing to the overall odor of the frankfurters have been identified. Some odors, characteristic of the smokiness and spiciness of frankfurters, were caused by phenols and terpenes, whereas others were due to compounds derived from the meat fraction; these compounds included aldehydes, ketones, furanthiols, and alicyclic sulfur compounds.     

Micromechanical "Trampoline" magnetometers for use in large pulsed magnetic fields

A silicon micromechanical magnetometer was constructed and successfully used in 60-tesla pulsed magnetic fields of less than 100-millisecond duration. The device is small, inexpensive to fabricate, and easy to use. It features a fast mechanical response (up to 50,000 hertz) and extremely high sensitivity yet is relatively robust against electrical and mechanical noise. Quantum oscillations in the magnetization of a 1-microgram sample of an organic superconductor, kappa-[bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene]2Cu(NCS)2, have been observed with this device.     

Fertilizing Capacity of Frozen Epididymal Sperm Collected from Dogs

The collection of epididymal sperm may be a valuable tool for canine reproduction especially since it can enable collection of cells after death of a valuable dog. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the viability of epididymal sperm after freeze-thawing. Epididymides were obtained from four adult dogs by elective orchiectomy. The caudal portion of the epididymides and part of the deferential ducts were squeezed by means of an anatomic clamp into a Petri dish containing either 0.9% saline solution (Group 1) or Ringer solution without lactate (Group 2). Samples were centrifuged at 800 ×  g for 10 min, the supernatant was removed and the pellet was diluted in one step with a Tris/citric acid/OEP (Orvus Es Paste) extender containing 7% glycerol and subjected to semen freezing. Oocytes were obtained from canine ovaries, after ovariohysterectomy. Only oocytes that were approximately 100 μm in diameter, with a dark ooplasm surrounded by three- or four-well formed cumulus cell layers were used for sperm testing. Frozen semen samples were thawed in a water bath at 70°C for 8 s and analysed at room temperature for sperm motility and velocity. Oocytes were incubated with spermatozoa in humidified atmosphere containing 5% CO₂ at 38°C for 18 h. Morphological and functional characteristics of spermatozoa were similar in both groups. However, the percentage of sperm cells bound to oocytes was significantly higher in Group 2 than in Group 1. This result suggests that the Ringer solution without lactate was a more suitable medium for collecting epididymal canine sperm than 0.9% saline.     

The present and future of withdrawal period calculations for milk in the European Union: dealing with data below the limit of quantification

The assessment of withdrawal periods for milk is affected by the occurrence of data below the lower analytical quantification limit (BLQ data) and the resulting uncertainty. The current regulatory approach for dealing with BLQ residues is simple and easy: BLQ data (and missing data) are arbitrarily reassigned a value of one‐half the LOQ before any calculation on the data with one of the three currently applicable methods. Here, we reconsider the determination of the withdrawal period of milk with data below the limit of quantification. Theoretical background on analytical limits and pharmacometric considerations will be established. Then, we analyze the uncertainty problems caused by the current approach and propose a calculation solution (maximum‐likelihood estimation handling left‐censored data) included in nonlinear mixed‐effects modeling. Finally, we illustrate this issue using a case example.