Differences among origins on nutritional and quality parameters of soybean meal

Soybean meal (SBM) is the main protein source in livestock feeds. United States (USA), Brazil (BRA), and Argentine (ARG) are the major SBM exporter countries. The nutritive value of SBM varies because genetics, environment, farming conditions, and processing of the beans influence strongly the content and availability of major nutrients. The present research was conducted to determine the influence of origin (USA, BRA and ARG) on nutritive value and protein quality of SBM.

Instrumental quality assessment of fresh peaches: Optical and mechanical parameters.

In developing instrumentation for the measurement of fruit quality, there is the need for fast and non-destructive devices, based on sensors, to be installed on-line. In the case of some fruits, like peaches, post-harvest ripeness, which is closely related to high quality for the consumer, is a priority. During ripening, external appearance (colour) and internal mechanical (firmness) and chemical (sugars and acids) quality are main features that evolve rapidly from and unripe to a ripe (high quality) stage. When considering the evolution of fruit quality in this scheme, external colour and firmness are shown to evolve in a parallel pattern, if monitored from the time of harvest to full consumer ripeness ( Rood, 1957; Crisosto et al, 1995; Kader, 1996). The visible (VIS) reflectance spectrum is a fast and easy reference that can be used to estimate quality of peaches, if we could show it to be reliably correlated with peach ripening rate during postharvest (Genard et al. 1994; Moras, 1995; Delwiche and Baumgartner, 1983; Delwiche et al. 1987; Slaughter, 1995; Lleo et al., 1998). Taste, described as an expert acceptance score, improves with ripeness (firmness and colour evolution), when considering the fruits on the tree, and also post-harvest.

Acoustic study of the Compañía de Jesús church. Characterization by means of objective and subjective parameters

This work shows the objective results of the acoustic quality of the Compañia de Jesús Church in Cordoba, Argentina. The acoustics of this Temple, built by the Orden Jesuita (Jesuit Order) two centuries ago and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000, is currently considered optimal by musicians as well as general public. In the second half of XVI century, with the Catholic reform, the need for improved speech intelligibility was given priority, being the Jesuit one of the orders that gave most importance to the construction of their temples. This church has constructive and spatial characteristics consistent with those needs. With the purpose of carrying out the acoustic assessment of the precincts, a work methodology that allowed comparing the results obtained from objective measures was developed by means of implementation of field measurements and space modeling, with subjective appreciation results, by developing surveys, with the aim of characterizing acoustically the sound space. This paper shows the comparison between the subjective results and objective criteria, which allowed important conclusions on the acoustic behavior of the temple to be obtained. In this way interesting data were obtained in relation to the subjective response of the acoustics of the church.

A relaxation technique enhances psychological well-being and immune parameters in elderly people from a nursing home: A randomized controlled study

Background: The aging process involves a decline in immune functioning that renders elderly people more vulnerable to disease. In residential programs for the aged, it is vital to diminish their risk of disease, promote their independence, and augment their psychological well-being and quality of life. Methods: We performed a randomized controlled study, evaluating the ability of a relaxation technique based on Benson’s relaxation response to enhance psychological well-being and modulate the immune parameters of elderly people living in a geriatric residence when compared to a waitlist control group. The study included a 2-week intervention period and a 3-month follow-up period. The main outcome variables were psychological well-being and quality of life, biomedical variables, immune changes from the pre-treatment to post-treatment and follow-up periods. Results: Our findings reveal significant differences between the experimental and control groups in CD19, CD71, CD97, CD134, and CD137 lymphocyte subpopulations at the end of treatment. Furthermore, there was a decrease in negative affect, psychological discomfort, and symptom perception in the treatment group, which increased participants’ quality of life scores at the three-month follow-up. Conclusions: This study represents a first approach to the application of a passive relaxation technique in residential programs for the elderly. The method appears to be effective in enhancing psychological well-being and modulating immune activity in a group of elderly people. This relaxation technique could be considered an option for achieving health benefits with a low cost for residential programs, but further studies using this technique in larger samples of older people are needed to confirm the trends observed in the present study. Trial registration: International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register ISRCTN85410212.

Agings and the parameters in static postural way

There is strong scientific evidence from research trials that aging is associated with loss of muscle mass and decline of neuromuscular abilities. Postural stability is an important neuromuscular ability for the maintenance of upright posture as well as maintaining equilibrium or balance while performing movements and everyday activities. Postural stability is also an important factor in elderly people where postural instability is a major contributor to falls. In our study young and elderly subjects stood quietly in upright posture with parallel positions of their feet and opened eyes on a force platform and performed 3 trials with each trial lasting 30 s. The effects of healthy aging on postural sway parameters were studied. We found that age-related changes in postural sway mostly affect the velocity of the center of pressure movement and the mean amplitude center of pressure movement during static postural sway test.

Genetic selection to increase bone strength affects prevalence of keel bone damage and egg parameters in commercially housed laying hens.

The prevalence of keel bone damage as well as external egg parameters of 2 pure lines divergently selected for high (H) and low (L) bone strength were investigated in 2 aviary systems under commercial conditions. A standard LSL hybrid was used as a reference group. Birds were kept mixed per genetic line (77 hens of the H and L line and 201 or 206 hens of the LSL line, respectively, per pen) in 8 pens of 2 aviary systems differing in design. Keel bone status and body mass of 20 focal hens per line and pen were assessed at 17, 18, 23, 30, 36, 43, 52, and 63 wk of age. External egg parameters (i.e., egg mass, eggshell breaking strength, thickness, and mass) were measured using 10 eggs per line at both 38 and 57 wk of age. Body parameters (i.e. tarsus and third primary wing feather length to calculate index of wing loading) were recorded at 38 wk of age and mortality per genetic line throughout the laying cycle. Bone mineral density (BMD) of 15 keel bones per genetic line was measured after slaughter to confirm assignment of the experimental lines. We found a greater BMD in the H compared with the L and LSL lines. Fewer keel bone fractures and deviations, a poorer external egg quality, as well as a lower index of wing loading were found in the H compared with the L line. Mortality was lower and production parameters (e.g., laying performance) were higher in the LSL line compared with the 2 experimental lines. Aviary design affected prevalence of keel bone damage, body mass, and mortality. We conclude that selection of specific bone traits associated with bone strength as well as the related differences in body morphology (i.e., lower index of wing loading) have potential to reduce keel bone damage in commercial settings. Also, the housing environment (i.e., aviary design) may have additive effects.

(Table 1) Concentration and geological parameters of n-alkanes and n-alkenes in surface sediments from the Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia

Abstract Hydrocarbons in surface sediments were studied quantitatively and qualitatively in 18 stations along the coastline of Gabes Gulf in Tunisia. The results show that the total hydrocarbon levels vary along a wide range from 90 to 1,800 ppm. The GC-MS profiles of aliphatic hydrocarbons vary according to the stations and show that the hydrocarbons were derived from various sources. A special feature prevalent in several stations was identified: aliphatic hydrocarbons with distinctive chemical features. This includes a high abundance of even-numbered n-alkanes (n-C14 - n-C26, maximizing at n-C18, n-C20 and n-C22) and n-alk-1-enes (n-C14:1 - n-C24:1, maximizing at n-C16:1, n-C18:1, n-C20:1 and n-C22:1). This unusual predominance of even-numbered n-alkanes/alkenes is reported for the first time in the Gulf of Gabes and it thus contributes to the information on the rare occurrence of such distributions in the geosphere.

Sedimentological, mineralogical, biogeochemical and micropaleontological parameters on sediment core PS69/849-2, Burton Basin, MacRobertson Shelf, East Antarctica

A multi-proxy study including sedimentological, mineralogical, biogeochemical and micropaleontological methods was conducted on sediment core PS69/849-2 retrieved from Burton Basin, MacRobertson Shelf, East Antarctica. The goal of this study was to depict the deglacial and Holocene environmental history of the MacRobertson Land-Prydz Bay region. A special focus was put on the timing of ice-sheet retreat and the variability of bottom-water formation due to sea ice formation through the Holocene. Results from site PS69/849-2 provide the first paleo-environmental record of Holocene variations in bottom-water production probably associated to the Cape Darnley polynya, which is the second largest polynya in the Antarctic. Methods included end-member modeling of laser-derived high-resolution grain size data to reconstruct the depositional regimes and bottom-water activity. The provenance of current-derived and ice-transported material was reconstructed using clay-mineral and heavy-mineral analysis. Conclusions on biogenic production were drawn by determination of biogenic opal and total organic carbon. It was found that the ice shelf front started to retreat from the site around 12.8 ka BP. This coincides with results from other records in Prydz Bay and suggests warming during the early Holocene optimum next to global sea level rise as the main trigger. Ice-rafted debris was then supplied to the site until 5.5 cal. ka BP, when Holocene global sea level rise stabilized and glacial isostatic rebound on MacRobertson Land commenced. Throughout the Holocene, three episodes of enhanced bottom-water activity probably due to elevated brine rejection in Cape Darnley polynya occured between 11.5 and 9 cal. ka BP, 5.6 and 4.5 cal. ka BP and since 1.5 cal. ka BP. These periods are related to shifts from warmer to cooler conditions at the end of Holocene warm periods, in particular the early Holocene optimum, the mid-Holocene warm period and at the beginning of the neoglacial. In contrast, between 7.7 and 6.7 cal. ka BP, brine rejection shut down, maybe owed to warm conditions and pronounced open-water intervals.

Total organic carbon, bitumen ratio, hopane and sterane parameters of ODP Sites 128-798 and 128-799

Notable compositional changes of organic matter are observed below the silica transition zone in thermally immature sediments. The increase of bitumen ratio, and hopane and sterane isomerization parameters indicate an acceleration of the kinetics of the chemical reactions which transform the organic matter. This phenomenon is probably due to the numerous mineral and textural changes induced by the transformation of amorphous biogenic silica into crystalline authigenic silica.

Development of the DEPLOY computer math model for the investigation of various airbag and crash parameters on the out-of-position occupant. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.