Coal-burning roasted corn and chili as the cause of dental fluorosis for children in southwestern China

To find the pathologic cause of the children's dental fluorosis in southwestern China, diet structure before the age of 6 and prevalence rate of dental fluorosis (DF) of 405 children were investigated, and the fluorine and arsenic content of several materials were determined. The prevalence rate of DF of children living on roasted corn before the age of 6 is 100% with nearly 95% having the mild to severe DF; while that of children living on non-roasted corn or rice is less than 5% with all having very mild DF. The average fluorine and arsenic concentration are 20.26 mg/kg and 0.249 mg/kg in roasted corn, which are about 16 times and 35 times more than in non-roasted corn, respectively. The average fluorine concentration is 78 mg/kg in coal, 1116 mg/kg in binder clay and 313 mg/kg in briquette (coal mixed with clay). The average arsenic concentration of coal is 5.83 mg/kg, the binder clay is 20.94 mg/kg, with 8.52 mg/kg in the briquette. Living on roasted corn and chili is the main pathologic cause of endemic fluorosis in southwestern China. The main source of fluorine and arsenic pollution of roasted corn and chill is the briquette of coal and binder clay. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of acetylation on the properties of corn starch

Acetylated corn starches with different degrees of substitution (DS 0.85, DS 1.78, DS 2.89) were synthesized by the reaction of corn starch with acetic anhydride in the presence of acetic acid under varying reaction temperatures. The product was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, H-1 NMR, X-ray diffraction and contact angle measurement. Acid-base titration and H-1 NMR methods were employed to determine the degree of substitution of product. FTIR spectroscopic analysis showed that the characteristic absorption intensities of esterified starch increased with increase in the degree of substitution, and the characterized peak of hydroxyl group almost disappeared in the spectrum of DS 2.89 acetylated starch. The detailed chemical microstructure of native starch and acetylated starch was confirmed by H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR and C-13-(1) H-1 COSY spectra.

Preparation and characterization of cationic corn starch with a high degree of substitution in dioxane-THF-water media

Cationic corn starch derivatives with a high degree of substitution are prepared in alkaline solution or in mixed media of organic solvent and water with different levels of the cationic reagent, 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride. The starch cationization yield is investigated, and the results indicate that the degree of substitution (DS) of the samples depends on the reaction conditions and reaction media. The maximum DS values are up to 1.37 in 1,4-dioxane alkali ne-aqueous solution. Meanwhile, the structures of the cationic starch derivatives are characterized by elemental analyses, FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and C-13 NMR spectroscopy, as well as by SEM techniques.

Synthesis of dodecenyl succinic anhydride (DDSA) corn starch

Dodecenly succinic anhydride (DDSA) starches were prepared commercially by the base catalyzed reaction of DDSA in pre-emulsion with starch granular in aqueous slurry. The results indicated that the degree of substitution and reaction efficiency were 0.0256% and 42.7%, respectively, at the parameters for the preparation of DDSA starches in starch slurry 30%, DDSA/starch radio 10% (wt/wt), pH 8.5-9.0, reaction temperature 313 K. After modification, product surface chemical composite had been changed which was prone to migrate into less polar solution. The chemical structural characteristics were investigated by methods of FTIR and H-1 NMR. The results of X-ray diffraction showed the native A-type crystalline pattern, indicating that reaction of corn starch with DDSA caused no change in the crystalline structure. Compared to native starch, the hydrophobic performance of esters was greatly increased. With the DS increasing, contact angles were gradually increased, however, the adhesion works were decreased. The maximum contact angle of DDSA starch could attend to 123 degrees, and the corresponding adhesion work was 33.2 mJ m(-2).

Structure analysis of the fulvic acids extracted from composted corn stalk residue

Chemical structure of fulvic acids extracted from composted corn stalk residue(CSR FA)was studied by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, H-1 and C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance(H-1-NMR, C-13-NMR) spectroscopy. The results show that CSR FA mainly consists of four types of carbon: carbonyl, aromatical, alkyl and carbohydrate, the carbohydrate is dominant. Its aromaticity is 15.42%, less than that of CSR HA. This indicates that the construction of CSR FA is simpler than that of CSR HA, FA can not be extracted from undecomposed corn stalk residue. CSR FA may be formed by cellulose or hemicellulosemorties combined with aromatic compound from decomposed lignin.

Stable carbon isotope analyses show dominance of C3 grasses in the feed selected by small herbivores at the alpine meadow at the Tibetan Plateau

Muscle samples were collected from small herbivorous mammals (Ochotona curzoniae, Microtus oecnomus, Myospalax fontanierii and Lepus oiostolus) at the alpine meadow ecosystem at the Tibetan Plateau in order to address variability in stable carbon isotope composition. Stable carbon isotope values of muscles remain steady and show no significant variations (-25.72 to -27.04 parts per thousand) among the four small mammal species. Based on the mass balance theory of stable isotopes, it is proposed that small herbivorous mammals mainly (or totally) rely on C3 grasses as food supply, and there is few or no distribution of C4 grasses at the ecosystem. The results reflect our previous study on the isotope patterns of plant species. Thus, stable carbon isotope analysis of muscles provides a method to address dietary selection and dietary variability in herbivores. In addition, stable carbon isotopic analyses can be used to address changes in vegetation distributions in ecosystem and paleovegetaion and paleoclimate.

The Internet and the Human Right to Food: The European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed

Salmon, Naomi, 'The Internet and the Human Right to Food: The European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed', Information and Communications Technology Law, (2005) 14 (1), pp. 43-57 Special Issue: GATED COMMUNITIES RAE2008

Overview of FEED, the feeding experiments end-user database.

The Feeding Experiments End-user Database (FEED) is a research tool developed by the Mammalian Feeding Working Group at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center that permits synthetic, evolutionary analyses of the physiology of mammalian feeding. The tasks of the Working Group are to compile physiologic data sets into a uniform digital format stored at a central source, develop a standardized terminology for describing and organizing the data, and carry out a set of novel analyses using FEED. FEED contains raw physiologic data linked to extensive metadata. It serves as an archive for a large number of existing data sets and a repository for future data sets. The metadata are stored as text and images that describe experimental protocols, research subjects, and anatomical information. The metadata incorporate controlled vocabularies to allow consistent use of the terms used to describe and organize the physiologic data. The planned analyses address long-standing questions concerning the phylogenetic distribution of phenotypes involving muscle anatomy and feeding physiology among mammals, the presence and nature of motor pattern conservation in the mammalian feeding muscles, and the extent to which suckling constrains the evolution of feeding behavior in adult mammals. We expect FEED to be a growing digital archive that will facilitate new research into understanding the evolution of feeding anatomy.

Satisfaction water index as corn yield estimate

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Soybean - Corn rotation : efect of the stubble mineralization on the nitrates production and corn yield

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Satisfaction water index as corn yield estimate

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Soybean - Corn rotation : efect of the stubble mineralization on the nitrates production and corn yield

p.53-58

Identification of an unknown b-agonist in feed by liquid chromatography/bioassay/quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry with accurate mass measurement.

A new approach to the search for residues of unknown growth promoting agents such as anabolic steroids and -agonists in feed is presented. Following primary extraction and clean-up, samples are separated using gradient liquid chromatography (LC). The effluent is split towards two identical 96-well fraction collectors and an optional electrospray quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (QTOFMS) system for accurate mass measurement. One 96-well plate is used for a bioassay (enzyme-immuno assay, receptor assay) and will detect the bioactivity and position of the relevant peak in the chromatogram. The positive well in the second 96-well plate is used for identification by LC/QTOFMS/MS. The value of this LC/bioassay/QTOFMS/MS methodology is highlighted by the finding and structure elucidation of a new -agonist in a feed extract.