A tutela penal dos discursos potencialmente ofensivos

O presente trabalho tem como ponto de partida os problemas que podem advir doexercício potencialmente danoso da liberdade de expressão. Desta forma, foram estabelecidas, inicialmente, as premissas sobre as quais se deve fundamentar o Direito Penal no seio de um Estado Democrático de Direito. Posteriormente, foram analisados os contornos do bem jurídico limitado pela eventual intervenção penal, bem como as características e principais formas de manifestação do problema, tendo sido estabelecido, ainda, um panorama do tratamento jurídico-penal conferido ao problema nos Estados Unidos, na Alemanha, na Corte Europeia de Direitos Humanos e no Brasil. Da análise restou comprovado que há uma tendência majoritária à admissibilidade da intervenção penal sobre o problema, limitando discursos potencialmente danosos como forma de promover uma sociedade mais pluralista e tolerante. Partindo-se desta constatação, buscou-se elaborar uma proposta dogmática que possa servir como mecanismo de limitação do poder punitivo, estabelecendo-se critérios minimamente satisfatórios para a aferição da potencialidade lesiva de um discurso. Por fim, apresentou-se uma análise crítica a respeito de tais processos criminalizatórios, já que constituem mera tentativa de promoção de minha exposição valores por meio do Direito Penal, o que não poderia ser admitido num Estado Democrático de Direito.

Support for integrated ecosystem assessments of NOAA’s National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS): assessment of ecological condition and stressor impacts in subtidal waters of the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve

A study was conducted in June 2009 to assess the current status of ecological condition and potential human-health risks throughout subtidal estuarine waters of the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve (SINERR) along the coast of Georgia. Samples were collected for multiple indicators of ecosystem condition, including water quality (dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature, pH, nutrients and chlorophyll, suspended solids, fecal coliform bacteria and coliphages), sediment quality (granulometry, organic matter content, chemical contaminant concentrations), biological condition (diversity and abundance of benthic fauna, fish tissue contaminant levels and pathologies), and human dimensions (fish-tissue contaminant levels relative to human-health consumption limits, various aesthetic properties). Use of a probabilistic sampling design facilitated the calculation of statistics to estimate the spatial extent of the Reserve classified according to various categories (i.e., Good, Fair, Poor) of ecological condition relative to established thresholds of these indicators, where available. Overall, the majority of subtidal habitat in the SINERR appeared to be healthy, with over half (56.7 %) of the Reserve area having water quality, sediment quality, and benthic biological condition indicators rated in the healthy to intermediate range of corresponding guideline thresholds. None of the stations sampled had one or more indicators in all three categories rated as poor/degraded. While these results are encouraging, it should be noted that one or more indicators were rated as poor/degraded in at least one of the three categories over 40% of the Reserve study area, represented by 12 of the 30 stations sampled. Although measures of fish tissue chemical contamination were not included in any of the above estimates, a number of trace metals, pesticides, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were found at low yet detectable levels in some fish at stations where fish were caught. Levels of mercury and total PCBs in some fish specimens fell within EPA guideline values considered safe, given a consumption rate of no more than four fish meals per month. Moreover, PCB congener profiles in sediments and fish in the SINERR exhibit a relative abundance of higher-chlorinated homologs which are uniquely characteristic of Aroclor 1268. It has been well-documented that sediments and fish in the creeks and marshes near the LCP Chemicals Superfund site, near Brunswick, Georgia, also display this congener pattern associated with Aroclor 1268, a highly chlorinated mixture of PCBs used extensively at a chlor-alkali plant that was in operation at the LCP site from 1955-1994. This report provides results suggesting that the protected habitats lying within the boundaries of the SINERR may be experiencing the effects of a legacy of chemical contamination at a site over 40km away. These effects, as well as other potential stressors associated with increased development of nearby coastal areas, underscore the importance of establishing baseline ecological conditions that can be used to track potential changes in the future and to guide management and stewardship of the otherwise relatively unspoiled ecosystems of the SINERR.

芦苇Phragmites communis Trin. 耐盐变异体的生物学鉴定和快速繁殖以及在海水生态养殖中的应用示范

本文以芦苇野生亲本和耐盐变异体为材料，比较了两者在形态、生理生化以及分子生物学特性上的差异，对耐盐变异体抗盐能力提高的机理作了初步的探讨。为了适应推广芦苇耐盐变异体的需要，进行了耐盐变异体快速繁殖的研究，建立了两种诱导丛生芽的技术系统。对耐盐变异体芦苇在滩涂上的利用作了有益的尝试。结果总结如下： 1．通过对芦苇野生亲本和耐盐变异体的基因组DNA用随机引物扩增分析，发现两者的基因组DNA在序列上存在着一定的差异，并克隆测序了几个对变异体而言是特异的标记序列。 2．生化分析发现，在盐胁迫下，两者在可溶性蛋白上存在着差异，芦苇耐盐变异体在胁迫下分别在20～30 kD和43～66．2 kD之间各有一条特异的蛋白带表达。而且变异体盐胁迫下在同工酶的表达上也与野生亲本有着显著的区别。 3．生理测定发现，芦苇耐盐变异体在200 mmol/L NaCl盐胁迫下光合作用要比野生亲本强，叶绿素测定的结果与此相吻合，在此浓度的胁迫下，变异体叶绿素含量受影响较小，而野生亲本的叶绿素含量明显降低。对两者胁迫前后的离子含量测定发现，虽然K+含量最多，但是植株内离子含量变化最大且增加最多的离子是Na+，而且变异体内Na~+增加的量比野生亲本高得多。另一个变化较大的是游离脯氨酸的含量，其变化情况类似于Na~+，在胁迫后脯氨酸含量增加明显，而且变异体内的增加量比野生亲本高。对变异体进一步的胁迫反应证实了Na+和脯氨酸含量变化与胁迫反应的密切联系。推测它们的这些变化与变异体抗盐能力提高密切相关。 4．将芦苇耐盐变异体的种子苗切去种壳和种子根，以此作为外植体，通过筛选大量的激素组合，最终建立了两种快繁技术系统（MP－A和MP－B）进行丛生芽诱导。两个系统都包含预处理和诱导两个主要步骤，其中预处理培养基激素组合是相同的（NAA 2～5 mg/L + 2,4-D 0.05 ～ 0.1 mg + BA 1mg/L）,而诱导处理的培养基激素组合不同，分别为：MP－A的诱导处理的激素组合是将预处理的激素组合中的2，4－D去除即可;MP－B诱导处理的激素组合为1mg/L NAA + 0.05 ～0.1mg/L 2,4-D + 2～5mg/L BA. 两个系统都获得显著的丛生芽诱导效果。 5．在滩涂水产养殖中引入芦苇种植、发现耐盐芦苇能有效地降低水体污染和病害，实验了两种模式的种养殖方式：围隔模式和混合模式，初步结果表明混合模式效果较好。这一初中初步验证了芦苇对海水养殖的价值，对开发滩涂具有很大的意义，具有创新性。

抗盐、耐海水蔬菜的生物技术培育与海水无土栽培应用

本研究是以植物起源于海洋的系统进化理论和植物细胞的全能性理论为依据的。 对芹菜(Apium graveolensL．)、油菜(B. rapa, chinese group)、叶用甜菜(Beta vulgaris(L.)Koch, Cicla group)、甘蓝(B. oleraceae, acephala group)、豆瓣菜(A'asturtiumofficinale R．Br*.）、番杏（Tetragonla expansa Ait.)、菠菜(Spinacia oleracea　L．)等蔬菜种类进行大规模种质资源筛选和鉴定， 从芹菜、油菜、叶用甜菜等植物中筛选出20多种能够耐受l%NaCI或1/3海水盐度的蔬菜品系。在耐盐蔬菜品种资源筛选的基础上，为了证明用生物技术提高盐敏感蔬菜耐盐性的可行性，本研究以植物体外培养细胞体系为操作平台，对盐敏感的蔬菜一一豆瓣菜进行了生物技术改造。一方面，筛选豆瓣菜的耐盐细胞变异体并使得耐盐细胞再生植株，获得了耐1/3海水的豆瓣菜变异体;另一方面，通过将盐生植物山菠菜(Atriplex hortensisL)的耐盐相关基因，甜菜碱醛脱氢酶(BADH)基因转入豆瓣菜，使得BADH基因在豆瓣菜中过量表达和积累甜菜碱，提高了豆瓣菜的渗透调节能力，从而提高了豆瓣菜的耐盐性。同时，本研究还将所获得的多种抗盐、耐海水蔬菜材料以海水无土栽培的方式进行生产和应用， 取得了很好的效果。 本文的结果证明了在陆地淡水栽培的蔬菜和野生蔬菜资源中，存在着部分耐盐性较强的蔬菜种质;通过生物技术改造能够提高盐敏感蔬菜的耐盐性，并获得抗盐、耐海水的蔬菜新品系。对这些抗盐、耐海水蔬菜材料进行1/3海水无土栽培应用的成功结果表明，某些陆地蔬菜具有重新适应海洋生境的潜能。

绊根草重金属抗性相关基因的克隆及其功能分析及可耐受偏二甲肼的芦苇变异株系的筛选

本研究利用酵母功能互补方法和RACE的方法从具有较强抗逆能力的绊根草中克隆了9个与重金属抗性相关的克隆，并对部分基因的表达调控及功能进行了初步研究。同时还利用细胞工程技术筛选到了具有较强的耐受火箭推进齐-偏二甲肼(UDMH)的芦苇的变异株系，为以后用人工湿地系统处理受偏二甲肼污染的废水奠定了基础。 本研究通过酵母功能互补法克隆到了五个基因，分别为CdSRP、CdTETH、 CdASP、CdMT2和CdTER1。CdSRP可能是一种衰老相关基因;CdTETH编码的产物可能是组成TRAPP复合体的一个亚基;CdASP是一个功能未知的基因;CdMT2是一个编码Type Ⅱ型金属硫蛋白基因;CdTER1可能是编码一个TERl-like家族蛋白成员的基因。用这五个基因分别转化因Acr基因缺失而对As敏感的酵母菌株FD236-6A，所获得的转化子对As的抗性均有提高，其中以CdMT2、CdTER1和CdASP的作用最为明显。这些基因的表达调控方式以及与其它重金属抗性的关系正在研究中。 本研究还利用RACE的方法克隆了一个谷胱甘肽S-转移酶基因，CdGSTFl;两个植物络合素合酶基因，CdPCSI和CdPCSⅡ，和一个TypeⅠ型金属硫蛋白基因CdMT1。CdGSTF1属于phi类GST基因，Northern-blotting分析表明，CdGSTF1在绊根草根部的表达受Cd2+的诱导，暗示其可能具有解除氧自由基或氢过氧化物的毒性的作用。CdPCSI和CdPCSⅡ的同源性较高，表明绊根草含有两个以上的PCs合酶的基因。参照前人的方法对CdPCSI和CdPCSII的氨基酸序列进行分析，发现它们含有六个非常相近的Cd2+结合位点，这两个基因的功能及其调控方式有何差异尚需进一步的研究。cdMT1与用酵母功能互补法克隆到的CdMT2属于不同类型的MT基因，对它们之间很可能存在的功能、组织特异性等方面的差异性进行了讨论。 四氧化二氮／偏二甲肼是常用的航天器双组元液体推进剂。偏二甲肼易挥发，有致癌、致畸、致突变的毒性。在推进剂贮存、运输、转注、火箭发动机试车、火箭发射、管道及设备冲洗中产生的含有偏二甲肼的废水能够对卫星发射基地的地下水源和空气造成污染。因此迫切需要培育能够净化偏二甲肼污水的植物。 本研究利用生长在卫星发射基地的野生芦苇的种子诱导愈伤组织，进而通过逐步提高偏二甲肼筛选压力的方式从中筛选出具有较强抗性的愈伤组织，然后诱导其分化。目前已经得到能够在含有1.63 mmol/L和3.26 mmol/L偏二甲肼的分化培养基中生长良好的芦苇再生苗，并已成功转移至温室中。抗性分化苗对污水的处理效果和耐受偏二甲肼的机理正在研究中。

药蒲公英(Taraxacum officinale Weber)体外再生体系的建立、耐盐愈伤组织筛选和抗盐基因转化

药蒲公英(Taraxacum officinale Weber)是菊科蒲公英属的模式种，主要分布于欧洲和北美，在我国新疆也有少量分布。与Taraxacum mongolicum Hand-Mazz(我国中药市场的主流种和主要自然分布种)相比，药蒲公英的生物量更大，作为营养保健蔬菜具有更大的市场价值。药蒲公英的组织培养工作是开展基础研究的有力工具，本工作中，药蒲公英叶片外植体在含0.2mg/L IAA和1.0mg/L TDZ的MS培养基中培养2周后便产生大量的丛生芽，在含有0.5mg/L 2,4-D和2mg/L6-BA的MS培养基中培养30天后，形成明显的愈伤组织，愈伤组织块在含1.0mg/L 6-BA的MS培养基中成功再生。 体细胞无性系变异是植物愈伤组织培养中的普遍现象，我们将继代6次的愈伤组织接种于含盐培养基，得到了能够耐受1.0%NaCl的细胞系。耐盐细胞系在含盐培养基中的相对生长率和细胞活力明显高于对照（非耐盐细胞系接种于含盐培养基），由耐盐细胞系在含盐培养基中获得再生植株的工作正在进行。 直接不定芽再生途径对遗传物质具有高度保真性，是遗传转化的理想体系。我们利用此再生系统，将来源于耐盐植物山菠菜(Atriplex hortensis L.)BADH基因通过农杆菌介导的叶盘转化法导入药蒲公英，获得了PCR检测成阳性的转基因植株5株，从而建立了药蒲公英的转化体系。转基因植株的其他分子检测和耐盐性鉴定工作正在进行。

药蒲公英（Taraxacum officinale weber）耐盐变异体的筛选及其耐盐性分析研究

以药蒲公英（Taraxacum officinale Weber）叶片外植体为材料诱导愈伤组织。以NaCl作为选择因子，从愈伤组织直接筛选。在选择培养基上，大部分愈伤组织褐化死亡，在一些褐化死亡的愈伤组织周围有少量新的细胞团生长，挑选生长存活状况好的细胞团转接到新鲜培养基上，每3周继代一次，经3个月继代筛选获得了耐1.5% NaCl的药蒲公英细胞团。以普通愈伤为对照，发现随着NaCl浓度的升高，耐盐愈伤的相对生长率下降但显著高于对照;且随着盐胁迫处理时间的延长持续升高，而普通愈伤对照几乎停止生长，说明耐盐愈伤具有相对稳定的耐盐性。在蛋白水平上，耐盐愈伤与对照愈伤差异明显，SDS-PAGE分析显示：耐盐愈伤比对照多出一条34 KD大小的蛋白带，且30 KD，18 KD左右的蛋白带明显上调。相同处理条件下耐盐愈伤脯氨酸的增加幅度高于对照。盐胁迫条件下，耐盐愈伤的超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化物酶（POD）和过氧化氢酶（CAT）活性明显高于对照，且随着处理时间的延长和盐浓度的增加呈现升高的趋势，而对照则呈现先升高后下降的趋势。1.5% NaCl处理前后，耐盐愈伤的总黄酮含量显著高于对照。结果说明耐盐愈伤一方面通过积累蛋白和其他小分子有机溶质的方式调节其渗透平衡，另一方面还可通过提高抗氧化能力降低盐分造成的次级伤害。 将耐1.5% NaCl的药蒲公英愈伤组织接种在分化培养基上分化出芽，之后将再生芽转接到生根培养基中进行生根培养，经4个月得到了12株耐1.5% NaCl的药蒲公英再生植株。与野生型相比，耐盐植株叶片宽大、叶柄粗短、叶表面覆盖白色细毛，根粗壮较短，花茎中部具有2 cm左右的苞叶。RAPD和SDS-PAGE检测表明，耐盐植株与对照植株在DNA及蛋白水平上均存在明显差异。1.5% NaCl处理后，与普通再生植株相比，耐盐株系的抗氧化酶活性明显提高，脯氨酸含量上升幅度更为显著，而丙二醛含量降低，其主要药用成分黄酮的含量显著增加。这些结果说明耐盐植株的抗氧化防御能力明显增强。以上结果表明耐1.5% NaCl的药蒲公英再生植株为耐1.5% NaCl药蒲公英变异体，这些耐盐变异体有望成为抗盐耐海水蔬菜家族的新成员。同时，这些耐盐变异体植株比普通植株具有更高的医用商业价值。耐1.5% NaCl的药蒲公英再生变异体遗传稳定性的研究正在进行中。

锡林河流域一个放牧草原群落土壤呼吸及其影响因子的研究

本文综述了草原群落土壤呼吸研究的理论、方法、最新进展和主要成果。从2001年6月5日到10月15日，在内蒙古锡林河流域的一个典型草原群落放牧地段用气相色谱法对土壤呼吸进行了测定，并同期观测相应的环境因子，分析了它们之间的相互关系，并根据根系生物量和土壤呼吸的相关性外推出根系呼吸占土壤总呼吸的比例。同时，采用碱液吸收法对该草原群落和一个沼泽化草甸群落的土壤呼吸进行了比对测定，比较在不同生境下土壤呼吸速率的差异。另外，重点比较了两种常用的土壤呼吸测量方法——碱液吸收法和气相色谱法对典型草原群落土壤呼吸的测量效果。主要研究成果如下： 1．在草原群落，生物量（包括地上和地下生物量）、温度（包括气温和土壤温度）和水分及土壤呼吸的季节变化均呈不规则的波动曲线;土壤呼吸与土壤湿度高度相关，与温度尤其是土壤温度以及地下生物量之间存在着一定的相关性，但和地上生物量及绿色生物量之间几乎没有关系。 2．草原群落和草甸群落土壤呼吸的季节动态基本一致，均出现了两个峰值，分别出现在6月底和7月底，它们的变化范围分别为312.8~1738.9 mg C﹒m-2﹒d-1 和 354.6 ~2235.6 mg C﹒m-2﹒d-1，日平均土壤呼吸速率分别为785.9 mg C﹒m-2﹒d-1 和1349.6 mg C﹒m-2﹒d-1，草甸群落的土壤呼吸速率明显高于草原群落; 3．土壤水分是草原群落土壤呼吸的主要限制因子，但对草甸群落的土壤呼吸变化却基本没有影响;草甸群落中，地上总生物量与土壤呼吸速率间没有显著的相关关系，但地上部分绿色生物量与土壤呼吸间存在着显著的幂函数关系，而在草原群落中，土壤呼吸速率与地上活生物量或地上总生物量的相关关系均很弱。 4．在草原群落，根系呼吸占土壤总呼吸的比例为60.7% - 93.3%，平均为82%; 5．碱液吸收法和气相色谱法的测定结果具有很高的相关性（R2=0.7563），它们的季节动态基本一致，变化范围分别为从249.3~1795.1 mg C﹒m-2﹒d-1和从312.8~1738.9 mg C﹒m-2﹒d-1，平均值分别为634.2 mg C﹒m-2﹒d-1和802.7 mg C﹒m-2﹒d-1，碱液吸收法的测量值是气相色谱法的约1.4倍。

农牧交错区不同植物群落的根冠比特征及土壤呼吸日动态的观测研究

本论文对草地群落地上/地下生物量构成、根冠比特征及其影响因子以及土壤呼吸测定方法比较等的国内外研究进展和主要成果进行了综述，在此基础之上对地处我国北方农牧交错带中段的内蒙古多伦县境内的18种草地群落（包括天然草地和人工草地群落）进行了相关内容的研究工作。 在2002年生长季期间，对这18个植物群落中选取的16个进行了群落学调查，测定了其地上、地下生物量，同时测定了土壤含水量、土壤容重、土壤全氮含量和土壤有机质含量。分别分析了地上、地下生物量以及根冠比（root to shoot ratio）与这些立地因子间的相关关系。同期，从18个群落中选定10个代表性群落测定其土壤呼吸速率，测定方法选用了动态红外气体分析法 (Infra red gas analysis， abbreviated as IRGA)和碱液吸收法（Alkali absorption, abbreviated as AA）。对这两种方法的测定结果进行了比较分析，同时分析了不同群落间土壤呼吸变化与土壤水分和养分状况等的相关关系。主要结论如下： ①16种植物群落的地上和地下生物量差异明显，地上生物量变化范围在80~500 g•m-2之间;相比之下，地下生物量的变化范围要大得多，16个群落中地下生物量最小的为猪毛菜群落，最大的为拂子茅群落，分别为533 g•m-2和2590 g•m-2。群落的根冠比在1.5～11.21之间，平均根冠比为 5.69。 ②土壤含水量对地上和地下生物量有着重要的影响，土壤含水量高的样地（羊草样地）较含水量低（小米蒿样地）的样地地上生物量高，反之亦然。但含水量与地下生物量之间的这种关系却不明显，即土壤含水量高的样地其地下生物量并不一定比含水量低的样地地下生物量高;根冠比与土壤含水量之间基本上呈负相关。土壤全氮含量和有机质含量与地上、地下生物量也存在着一定的正相关关系，而土壤容重却与生物量存有负相关关系;根冠比与土壤全氮、有机质和容重的关系正好与此相反，即根冠比与全氮和有机质含量呈负相关，与容重为正相关。 ③10种植物群落土壤呼吸的昼夜变化比较明显，均为单峰型曲线，主要受土壤温度的驱动，但同时也受到当日降水情况和云量、风速等气象因子的较大影响。因此，影响到这些群落土壤呼吸日动态的一致性，使得规律性并不明显。 ④用碱液吸收法和动态密闭气室法测定的10个群落的土壤呼吸速率变化范围分别为394~894mg C•m-2•d-1和313~2043 mg C•m-2•d-1，其中碱液吸收法测定结果平均为动态气室法的67.5%，明显低于动态密闭气室法。 ⑤两种测定方法具有很好的相关性，R2为0.8739。本研究中发现，在土壤呼吸速率低的情况下，两种方法的测定结果十分接近，甚至碱液吸收法的测定结果稍大于动态密闭气室法;而在土壤呼吸速率较高的情况下，动态密闭气室法测定结果则显著高于碱液吸收法。上述结果与国内外同类研究的结果高度一致，从而为校正我们以往采用碱液吸收法在该区域的测定结果提供了可靠依据。 ⑥各个群落间的土壤呼吸变化与立地土壤水分和土壤养分之间存有一定的相关关系，但并不显著，可能与这些群落土壤呼吸测定不是在同一天进行有关。

Postmortem changes in hilsa fish. Pt. 1. Studies on rigor-mortis, typical yields and protein composition of dark and white muscle of hilsa fish (Tenualosa ilisha Ham.)

Hilsa (Hilsa ilisha) caught by gill net were immediately killed by cranial spiking. Three fish were kept in ice (0°C) and three other at room temperature (33°C) to follow development of rigor mortis and changes in muscle pH. The rest were frozen stored at -20°C. Rigor started 15 minutes after death in all fish and reached full rigor (100%) state in 2 and 4 hours respectively in fish kept at 33° and 0°C. The fish at 33°C deteriorated 16 hours after while in full rigor but those at 0°C lasted 26 hours of death without deterioration. Freshly caught hilsa had a muscle pH around 7 which decreased with time rapidly at 33°C and slowly at 0°C. The relative proportion of protein fraction in white and dark muscle of fish stored at 0°C and -20°C were also studied. The proportion of dark muscle was 30.34% of the white muscle. White muscle in fish at 0°C was found to contain 32.0% sarcoplasmic, 57.6% myofibrilla, 9.4% alkali-soluble and 1.1% stroma protein whereas these proteins in dark muscle were 29.9%, 58.4%, 9.8% and 1.9% respectively. The protein fractions of white muscle in frozen-fish were found 27.6% sarcoplasmic, 64.7% myofibrilla, 6.0% alkali-soluble and 1.7% of stroma protein whereas they were 30.6%, 58.6%, 8.9 and 1.9% for dark muscle. Some changes occurred in protein composition during frozen storage. The relative amounts of sarcoplasmic, alkali soluble and stroma protein fractions decreased while myofibrilla fraction increased in frozen condition. This may be attributed to drip loss of soluble protein during thawing.

Studies on the post-mortem changes in shrimp and prawn during ice storage. Pt. 2. Biochemical aspects of quality changes

Studies were conducted on biochemical changes in P. monodon and M. rosenbergii during ice storage. At the end of 10 days of ice storage, moisture and protein content of freshwater prawn slightly decreased from 78.34 to '77.35% and 18.46 to 17.10, respectively, while lipid and ash content slightly increased. The moisture, crude protein, lipid and ash content of one day ice stored tiger shrimp samples were 78.07, 18.06, 1.3 and 1.29% respectively. The protein composition of freshwater prawn immediately after killed were 36.51% sarcoplasmic, 44.63% myofibrillar, 8.12% stroma and 6.44% alkali soluble protein. At the end of 10 days of ice storage, sarcoplasmic and stroma protein slightly decreased while there was little or no changes observed in myofibrillar and alkali soluble protein. In case of one day ice stored tiger shrimp, the composition of protein were 35.32% sarcoplasmic, 46.29% myofibrillar, 7.86% stroma protein and 7.08% alkali soluble protein. At the end of 10 days in ice, sarcoplasmic protein decreased from 35.32% to 32.16% while there was slight change in other protein fractions. The TVB-N value of 1 day ice stored shrimp was 10.5 mg/100g of sample. It increased gradually with the lapse of storage period and at the end of 10 days storage in ice, the value increased up to 60 mg/100g sample. The tiger head on shrimp in ice storage were found organoleptic acceptable condition for 8 days and at that time the TVB-N values were 32.2 mg/100g which is slightly above the recommended limit for TVB-N for export.

Fracture and energy partitioning in uncooked and cooked noodles

Humans perform fascinating science experiments at home on a daily basis when they undertake the modification of natural and naturally-derived materials by a cooking process prior to consumption. The material properties of such foods are of interest to food scientists (texture is often fundamental to food acceptability), oral biologists (foods modulate feeding behavior), anthropologists (cooking is probably as old as the genus Homo and distinguishes us from all other creatures) and dentists (foods interact with tooth and tooth replacement materials). Materials scientists may be interested in the drastic changes in food properties observed over relatively short cooking times. In the current study, the mechanical properties of one of the most common (and oldest at 4,000+ years) foods on earth, the noodle, were examined as a function of cooking time. Two types of noodles were studied, each made from natural materials (wheat flour, salt, alkali and water) by kneading dough and passing them through a pasta-making machine. These were boiled for between 2-14 min and tested at regular intervals from raw to an overcooked state. Cyclic tensile tests at small strain levels were used to examine energy dissipation characteristics. Energy dissipation was >50% per cycle in uncooked noodles, but decreased by an order of magnitude with cooking. Fractional dissipation values remained approximately constant at cooking times greater than 7 min. Overall, a greater effect of cooking was on viscoplastic dissipation characteristics rather than on fracture resistance. The results of the current study plot the evolution of a viscoplastic mixture into an essentially elastic material in the space of 7 minutes and have broad implications for understanding what cooking does to food materials. In particular, they suggest that textural assessment by consumers of the optimally cooked state of food has a definite physical definition. © 2007 Materials Research Society.

Comparison of physicochemical properties of muscle proteins in cultured and wild prawns (Penaeus (Fenneropenaeus) orientalis Kishinouye, 1918)

Protein physicochemical properties in cultured and wild prawns (Penaeus (F.) orientalis Kishinouye, 1918) were studied and compared. Protein fractions were separated into water-soluble, salt-soluble, alkali-soluble, and stroma. The results showed that salt- and alkali-soluble proteins were slightly higher in wild prawns and water-soluble proteins were higher in cultured prawns. There were only slight differences in Ca2+-ATPase, MG2+-ATPase, and ATP sensitivities. The textural values of wild prawns were significantly higher than the cultured ones.

Improved handling and preservation of freshwater giant prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii for producing safe and wholesome products

Studies were undertaken to evaluate the quality changes in freshwater giant prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii during various storage conditions of handling and preservation and producing safe and quality products. The samples kept in ice immediately after catch with head-on and head-less condition were found to be acceptable for 6 days and 7 days, respectively. Delaying of icing considerably shortened the shelf-life. The pH value increased from 6.36 to 8.0 after 10 days in ice. The initial average TVB-N value of sample increased from below 10 mg/100 g to 25 mg/100 g with the lapse of storage period. The Ca++ ATPase activity in presence of 0.1M KCl slightly decreased at the end of 10 days of ice storage. Immediately after harvest, initial aerobic plate count (APC) was 2.88x10^6 CFU/g which gradually increased to 1.12x10^8 CFU/g after 6 days in ice storage and showed early signs of spoilage. Initial bacterial genera in the prawn iced at 0 hours were comprised of Coryneform (22.21 %), Bacillus (7.40%), Micrococcus (11.11 %), Achromobacter (48.14%), Flavobacterium/Cytophaga (7.40%), Pseudomonas (3.70%) and Aeromonas (3.70%). During ice storage Coryneforms and Bacillus were always dominating along with less prominent ones - Micrococcus, Achromobacter and Flavobacterium. Studies were conducted on the stability of myofibrillar protein of M. rosenbergii under different storage and pH conditions. The influence of a wide range of pH on the remaining Ca++ ATPase activity of M. rosenbergii muscle myofibrils after storage at -20°C for 2 days, at 0°C for 2 days and at 35°C for 30 minutes demonstrated that ATPase activities were lower in acidic and alkaline pH regions and the activity remained relatively high. Mg++ ATPase activities both in presence and absence of Ca++ remained high at neutral pH compared to those of acidic and alkaline region. The solubility of myofibrillar protein decreased gradually both in acidic and alkaline pH regions. The study also examined the bacteriological quality of freshly harvested M. rosenbergii, pond sediment and pond water from four commercial freshwater prawn farms at Fulpur and Tarakanda upazilas in the district of Mymensingh. The study included aerobic plate count (APC), total coliform count, detection, isolation and identification of suspected public health hazard bacteria and their seasonal variation, salt tolerance test, antibiotic sensitivity test of the isolates and washing effect of chlorinated water on the bacterial load in the prawn samples. APC in sediment soil and water of the farm and gill and hepatopancreas of freshly harvested prawns varied considerably among the farms and between summer and winter season. The range of coliform count in water, gill and hepatopancreas ranged between 6 - 2.8x10^2 CFU/ml, 1.2x10^2 - 3.32x10^2 CFU/g and 1.43x10^2 - 3.89 x10^3 CFU/g, respectively. No coliform was detected in pond sediment sample. Suspected health hazard bacteria isolated and identified from pond sediment, water, gill and hepatopancreas included Streptococcus, Bacillus, Escherichia coli, Klebsialla, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas and Aeromonas. Bacillus, Salmonella and Staphyloccus [sic], and were found to be highly salt tolerant and capable of growing at 10% NaCl. The antibiotic discs with different concentration of antibiotics were used for the sensitivity test. The organisms were found to be most sensitive against Tetracyclin and Gentamycin.

Experimental formulation of an anti fouling paint with tributyl tin oxide as toxic pigment

Results of the experimental formulation of an antifouling paint incorporating TBTO as toxic pigment are presented in this paper. Of the various resins tested, namely, phenolic, cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), epoxy linseed oil with rosin and limed rosin, the paint composition with limed rosin gave the critical leaching rate of TBTO. Acid alkali test showed dissolution of matrix and visible migration of toxin to the surface. Accelerated corrosion tests had not recorded any signs of corrosion in panels painted with or without barrier coat. Raft exposure studies indicated that the new formulation could resist fouling accumulation on painted panels for 9 months.