Composition, ileal amino acid digestibility and nutritive value of organically grown legume seeds and conventional rapeseed cakes for pigs

Selostus: Palkoviljojen ja rypsipuristeiden koostumus, aminohappojen ohutsuolisulavuus sekä rehuarvo sikojen ruokinnassa

Cava (Spanish sparkling wine) aroma: composition and determination methods

Cava (Spanish sparkling wine) is one of the mostimportant quality sparkling wines in Europe. It is produced by thetraditional method in which a base wine is re-fermented and agedin the same bottle that reaches the consumer. The special ageing incontact with lees gives the cava a particular bouquet with toasty,sweet or lactic notes. These nuances could be related with thechemical composition of aroma. The methods required to analyzethe flavor of cava are revised. Three approaches are necessary toobtain a wider profile: chemical, olfactometric and sensory.

Assessment of skinfold thickness equations in estimating body composition in children with inflammatory bowel

Introduction: Growth is a central process in paediatrics. Weight and height evaluation are therefore routine exams for every child but in some situation, particularly inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a wider evaluation of nutritional status needs to be performed. The assessment of body composition is essential in order to maintain acceptable growth using the following techniques: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), bio-impedance-analysis (BIA) and anthropometric measurements (skinfold thickness skin), the latter being most easily available and most cost effective. Objectives: To assess the accuracy of skinfold equations in estimating percentage body fat (%BF) in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), compared with assessment of body fat dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Methods: Twenty-one patients (11 females, 10 males; mean age: 14.3 years, range 12 - 16 years) with IBD (Crohn's disease n = 15, ulcerative colitis n = 6)). Estimated%BF was computed using 6 established equations based on the triceps, biceps, subscapular and suprailiac skinfolds (Deurenberg, Weststrate, Slaughter, Durnin & Rahaman, Johnston, Brook) and compared to DEXA. Concordance analysis was performed using Lin's concordance correlation and the Bland-Altman limits of agreement method. Results: Durnin & Rahaman's equation shows a higher Lin's concordance coefficient with a small difference amongst raw values for skinfolds and DEXA compared to the other equations. Correlation coefficient between mean and difference is close to zero with a non-significant Bradley-Blackwood test. Conclusion: Body composition in paediatric IBD patients using the Durnin & Rahaman skinfold-equation adequately reflects values obtained by DEXA.

Crystal engineering studies: polymorphs and co-crystals

We review the key topics of one of the areas with the biggest impact of the last years in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry that is Crystal Engineering. The relevance of polymorphs and co-crystals from different points of view is been highlighted and broadly illustrated by means of several recent examples of studies carried out in this field. In addition, the most suitableinstrumental techniques and the intellectual property implications are reviewed.

X-ray single crystal and powder diffraction: possibilities and applications

In this article the main possibilities of single crystal and powder diffraction analysis using conventional laboratory x-ray sources are introduced. Several examples of applications with different solid samples and in different fields of applications are shown illustrating the multidisciplinary capabilities of both techniques.

Dietary effects on muscle fatty acid composition of finished heifers

The effects of diet on Longissimus muscle fatty acid composition was determined using 24 crossbred heifers of Simmental vs. Nelore and Limousin vs. Nelore. The experimental diets were: 1) corn and yeast (CY); 2) corn, cottonseed meal + meat and bones meal (CMB); 3) cassava hull and yeast (CHY); 4) cassava hull, cottonseed meal + meat and bones meal (CHMB). Feeding CHMB diets resulted in lower lipid and higher cholesterol contents (P<0.05) for both crosses. Most of the identified fatty acids were monounsaturated, and the highest percentage was found to oleic acid (C18:1w9), with values ranging from 32.54 to 46.42%. Among the saturated fatty acids the palmitic acid (C16:0) showed the highest percentage, with its contents ranging between 19.40 and 32.44%. The highest polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio was of 0.30, and the lowest was of 0.08. Feeding CY diets resulted in lower cholesterol and higher polyunsaturated fatty acid contents of the Longissimus muscle.

Novel cell types, neurosecretory cells, and body plan of the early-diverging metazoan Trichoplax adhaerens.

BACKGROUND: Trichoplax adhaerens is the best-known member of the phylum Placozoa, one of the earliest-diverging metazoan phyla. It is a small disk-shaped animal that glides on surfaces in warm oceans to feed on algae. Prior anatomical studies of Trichoplax revealed that it has a simple three-layered organization with four somatic cell types. RESULTS: We reinvestigate the cellular organization of Trichoplax using advanced freezing and microscopy techniques to identify localize and count cells. Six somatic cell types are deployed in stereotyped positions. A thick ventral plate, comprising the majority of the cells, includes ciliated epithelial cells, newly identified lipophil cells packed with large lipid granules, and gland cells. Lipophils project deep into the interior, where they alternate with regularly spaced fiber cells whose branches contact all other cell types, including cells of the dorsal and ventral epithelium. Crystal cells, each containing a birefringent crystal, are arrayed around the rim. Gland cells express several proteins typical of neurosecretory cells, and a subset of them, around the rim, also expresses an FMRFamide-like neuropeptide. CONCLUSIONS: Structural analysis of Trichoplax with significantly improved techniques provides an advance in understanding its cell types and their distributions. We find two previously undetected cell types, lipohil and crystal cells, and an organized body plan in which different cell types are arranged in distinct patterns. The composition of gland cells suggests that they are neurosecretory cells and could control locomotor and feeding behavior.

Oxygen isotope sector zoning in natural hydrothermal quartz

Oxygen isotope measurements using SIMS and laser-fluorination methods confirm the presence of concentric and sector zoning in low-temperature (200 degrees C to < 400 degrees C) hydrothermal quartz from Alpine veins. While concentric zoning is most readily explained by changes in the chemical composition of the fluid or temperature of crystallization, the reasons for sector zoning are more difficult to explain. Relative enrichment in (18)O for crystallographically different sectors of quartz corresponds to m > r > z. Sector zoning is, however, largely limited to the exterior zones of crystals and/or to crystals with large Al (> 1000 ppm) and trace element contents, probably formed at temperatures < 250 degrees C. Differences in delta(18)O between the prismatic (m) relative to the rhombohedral (r and z) growth sectors of up to 2 parts per thousand can be explained by a combination of a face-related crystallographic and/or a growth rate control. In contrast, isotopic sector zoning of up to about 1.5 parts per thousand amongst the different rhombohedral faces increases in parallel with the trace element content and is likely to represent disequilibrium growth. This is indicated by non-systematic, up to 2 parts per thousand, differences within single growth zones and the irregular, larger or smaller, delta(18)O values (of several permil) of the exterior compared to the inner zones of the same crystals. Disequilibrium growth may be related to the large trace element content incorporated into the growing quartz at lower temperatures (< 250 degrees C) and/or be related to fluid-vapour separation, allowing crystal growth from both a vapour as well as a liquid phase.

An evaluation of the inorganic and organic geochemistry of the San Vicente Mississippi Valley-type zinc-lead district, central Peru: Implications for ore fluid composition, mixing processes, and sulfate reduction

Mississippi Tialley-type zinc-lead deposits and ore occurrences in the San Vicente belt are hosted in dolostones of the eastern Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Pucara basin, central Peru. Combined inorganic and organic geochemical data from 22 sites, including the main San Vicente deposit, minor ore occurrences, and barren localities, provide better understanding of fluid pathways and composition, ore precipitation mechanisms, Eh-pH changes during mineralization, and relationships between organic matter and ore formation. Ore-stage dark replacement dolomite and white sparry dolomite are Fe and rare earth element (REE) depleted, and Mn enriched, compared to the host dolomite. In the main deposit, they display significant negative Ce and probably Eu anomalies. Mixing of an incoming hot, slightly oxidizing, acidic brine (H2CO3 being the dominant dissolved carbon species), probably poor in REE and Fe, with local intraformational, alkaline, reducing waters explains the overall carbon and oxygen isotope variation and the distributions of REE and other trace elements in the different hydrothermal carbonate generations. The incoming ore fluid flowed through major aquifers, probably basal basin detrital units, with limited interaction with the carbonate host rocks. The hydrothermal carbonates show a strong regional chemical homogeneity, indicating access of the ore fluids by interconnected channelways near the ore occurrences. Negative Ce anomalies in the main deposit, that are absent at the district scale, indicate local ore-fluid chemical differences. Oxidation of both migrated and indigenous hydrocarbons by the incoming fluid provided the local reducing conditions necessary for sulfate reduction to H2S, pyrobitumen precipitation, and reduction of Eu3+ to Eu2+. Fe-Mn covariations, combined with the REE contents of the hydrothermal carbonates, are consistent with the mineralizing system shifting from reducing/rock-dominated to oxidizing/fluid-dominated conditions following ore deposition. Sulfate and sulfide sulfur isotopes support sulfide origin from evaporite-derived sulfate by thermochemical organic reduction; further evidence includes the presence of C-13-depleted calcite cements (similar to-12 parts per thousand delta(13)C) as sulfate pseudomorphs, elemental sulfur, altered organic matter in the host dolomite, and isotopically heavier, late, solid bitumen. Significant alteration of the indigenous and extrinsic hydrocarbons, with absent bacterial membrane biomarkers (hopanes) is observed. The light delta(34)S of sulfides from small mines and occurrences compared to the main deposit reflect a local contribution of isotopically light sulfur, evidence of local differences in the ore-fluid chemistry.

Composition, nanostructure, and optical properties of silver and silver-copper lusters

Lusters are composite thin layers of coinage metal nanoparticles in glass displaying peculiar optical properties and obtained by a process involving ionic exchange, diffusion, and crystallization. In particular, the origin of the high reflectance (golden-shine) shown by those layers has been subject of some discussion. It has been attributed to either the presence of larger particles, thinner multiple layers or higher volume fraction of nanoparticles. The object of this paper is to clarify this for which a set of laboratory designed lusters are analysed by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. Model calculations and numerical simulations using the finite difference time domain method were also performed to evaluate the optical properties. Finally, the correlation between synthesis conditions, nanostructure, and optical properties is obtained for these materials.

The use of micro-XRD for the study of glaze color decorations

The compounds responsible for the colours and decorations in glass and glazed ceramics include: colouring agents (transition metal ions), pigments (micro-and nano-precipitates of compounds that either do not dissolve or recrystallize in the glassy matrix) and opacifiers (microcrystalline compounds with high light scattering capability). Their composition, structure and range of stability are highly dependent not only on the composition but also on the procedures followed to obtain them. Chemical composition of the colorants and crystallites may be obtained by means of SEM-EDX and WDX. Synchrotron Radiation micro-X-ray Diffraction has a small beam size adequate (10 to 50 microns footprint size) to obtain the structural information of crystalline compounds and high brilliance, optimal for determining the crystallites even when present in low amounts. In addition, in glass decorations the crystallites often appear forming thin layers (from 10 to 100 micrometers thick) and they show a depth dependent composition and crystal structure. Their nature and distribution across the glass/glazes decorations gives direct information on the technology of production and stability and may be related to the color and appearance. A selection of glass and glaze coloring agents and decorations are studied by means of SR-micro- XRD and SEM-EDX including: manganese brown, antimony yellow, red copper lusters and cobalt blue. The selection includes Medieval (Islamic, and Hispano Moresque) and renaissance tin glazed ceramics from the 10th to the 17th century AD.