Viscosity of egg white from hens of different strains fed with commercial and natural additives

Yolk color and egg white (albumen) cleanliness and viscosity are important parameters by which consumers judge the quality of eggs. This study aimed to investigate changes in albumen viscosity during storage of eggs for up to 36 days from two different commercial laying hen strains (Carijo Barbada and Isa Brown) fed a diet containing annatto (1.5 and 2.0%) or a synthetic additive without synthetic colorants (control). Analyses of humidity, albumen height, pH, viscosity, foam formation, and stability were carried out on eggs. Carijo Barbada strain had smaller albumen, lower humidity and higher egg white viscosity than Isa Brown strain; however, with storage, viscosity lowered significantly on both strains. Initially, the addition of 2.0% of annatto or a synthetic additive increased viscosity in both strains, but with storage only the control maintained longer viscosity. Lower viscosity did not change foam density and stability.

Produção de mudas clonais de eucalipto em espuma fenólica: crescimento inicial e mortalidade

A produção de mudas é um dos pontos cruciais nos empreendimentos florestais e diversos trabalhos procuraram identificar o método mais adequado de produção. Neste estudo, avaliou-se o uso da espuma fenólica na substituição de recipientes e de substrato na produção de mudas clonais de eucalipto. Foram implantados quatro experimentos, sendo dois de viveiro (experimentos 1 e 2) e dois de campo (experimentos 3 e 4) em locais e períodos distintos. Todos os experimentos foram compostos por quatro tratamentos: 1 - tubete de 55 cm³ + substrato comercial; 2 - espuma pequena (60 cm³); 3 - espuma média (75 cm³); e 4 - espuma grande (90 cm³). Nos experimentos, avaliouse a mortalidade das mudas e a biomassa do sistema radicular e da parte aérea. No experimento 1, as mudas produzidas nas espumas pequenas obtiveram menor índice de mortalidade (1%), enquanto no sistema convencional foi de 15% e observou-se superioridade na produção de biomassa aérea das mudas produzidas na espuma grande. No experimento 2, as mudas produzidas na espuma apresentaram maior sensibilidade ao excesso de água durante a fase de enraizamento, sendo a mortalidade de 40 % para os tratamentos com a utilização da espuma que foi superior ao tratamento convencional (16%). No experimento 3, conduzido no campo, não foi observada mortalidade das mudas ou diferenças na produção de biomassa entre os tratamentos. No experimento 4, observou-se maior resistência ao déficit hídrico nos tratamentos com as espumas média e grande e maior produção de biomassa aérea no tratamento com a espuma grande.

Study of an anisotropic polymeric cellular material under compression loading

This paper emphasizes the influence of micro mechanisms of failure of a cellular material on its phenomenological response. Most of the applications of cellular materials comprise a compression loading. Thus, the study focuses on the influence of the anisotropy in the mechanical behavior of cellular material under cyclic compression loadings. For this study, a Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique (named Correli) was applied, as well as SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) images were analyzed. The experimental results are discussed in detail for a closed-cell rigid poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) foam, showing stress-strain curves in different directions and why the material can be assumed as transversely isotropic. Besides, the present paper shows elastic and plastic Poisson's ratios measured in different planes, explaining why the plastic Poisson's ratios approach to zero. Yield fronts created by the compression loadings in different directions and the influence of spring-back phenomenon on hardening curves are commented, also.

Uptake of oxLDL and IL-10 production by macrophages requires PAFR and CD36 recruitment into the same lipid rafts

Macrophage interaction with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) leads to its differentiation into foam cells and cytokine production, contributing to atherosclerosis development. In a previous study, we showed that CD36 and the receptor for platelet-activating factor (PAFR) are required for oxLDL to activate gene transcription for cytokines and CD36. Here, we investigated the localization and physical interaction of CD36 and PAFR in macrophages stimulated with oxLDL. We found that blocking CD36 or PAFR decreases oxLDL uptake and IL-10 production. OxLDL induces IL-10 mRNA expression only in HEK293T expressing both receptors (PAFR and CD36). OxLDL does not induce IL-12 production. The lipid rafts disruption by treatment with βCD reduces the oxLDL uptake and IL-10 production. OxLDL induces co-immunoprecipitation of PAFR and CD36 with the constitutive raft protein flotillin-1, and colocalization with the lipid raft-marker GM1-ganglioside. Finally, we found colocalization of PAFR and CD36 in macrophages from human atherosclerotic plaques. Our results show that oxLDL induces the recruitment of PAFR and CD36 into the same lipid rafts, which is important for oxLDL uptake and IL-10 production. This study provided new insights into how oxLDL interact with macrophages and contributing to atherosclerosis development.